53 pages • 1 hour read
Roderick NashWilderness and the American Mind
Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 1967A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
Wilderness and the American Mind by Roderick Nash traces the evolving relationship between US citizens and wilderness from colonial times to the 1980 Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. Nash explores this transformation through historical figures, pivotal moments, and ideological shifts, influenced by enlightenment, Romanticism, and transcendentalism. He highlights the impact of key figures like Thoreau and Muir in the preservation movement and discusses ongoing ideological debates, offering his own solutions for a balanced coexistence between civilization and the environment.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Roderick Nash's Wilderness and the American Mind is a seminal exploration of America's evolving relationship with wilderness. Reviews praise its thorough research and insightful historical analysis, highlighting Nash's ability to contextualize the cultural significance of nature. Some find the prose dense and occasionally dry, but overall, it's deemed essential for environmental studies.
Who Should Read Wilderness and the American Mind?
Readers passionate about environmental history and conservation, especially those intrigued by the evolution of American wilderness ideals, will enjoy Wilderness and the American Mind by Roderick Nash. Comparable to Henry David Thoreau’s Walden or Aldo Leopold’s A Sand County Almanac, this book captures the essence of environmental philosophy.