John James Audubon (Gift Edition): Writings and Drawings (Library of America, 113)

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John James Audubon's indelible portraits of American birds have long since cemented his reputation as one of our truly magical realists. Yet the artist, who was born in Haiti in 1785 and died 66 years later on his 30-acre estate in upper Manhattan, was not only a sublime featherhead but a trailblazing nature writer and diarist. Doubters should take a gander at the Library of America's splendid Writings and Drawings. This new compendium features 64 full-color plates, most of them from the Ornithological Biography, which demonstrate the compositional and dramatic brilliance that Audubon brought to his work: seldom has the black vulture, or Coragyps atratus, looked so elegant or sleekly satisfied, and his colloquium of ruby-throated hummingbirds (a.k.a. Archilochus colubris) is an almost comical study in group dynamics. Yet it's the texts--journals, letters, diaries, a brief memoir, and a pair of essays on artistic technique--that are the true revelation here.

Audubon was not, for the record, a kind of starry-eyed precursor to the Sierra Club, leaving nature untouched by human hands. It's telling that in his self-portrait, the artist is gripping neither palette nor paintbrush but a flintlock rifle. Gunning down his ornithological subjects was a necessary prelude to portraying them. Still, Audubon had quite a few of what we moderns would call conflicted moments, during which his admiration for, say, the Mississippi kite would temporarily halt the killing spree. Here the sight of a mother attempting to rescue its chick manages to stay his itchy trigger finger--for a millisecond, anyway:

My feelings at that moment I cannot express. I wished I had not discovered the poor bird; for who could have witnessed, without emotion, so striking an example of that affection which none but a mother can feel; so daring an act, performed in the midst of smoke, in the presence of a dreaded and dangerous enemy. I followed, however, and brought both to the ground at one shot, so keen is the desire of possession!

The aesthetic and taxidermal impulses have torn apart many a naturalist since then (although, to be sure, the stricken diarist was later annoyed to discover that another animal had cut in on his action: "What was my mortification, when I found that some quadruped had devoured both!") Elsewhere, Audubon records the topography of the Mississippi Valley in vivid detail, or grumbles about the tight job market: "Visited several Public Institutions where I cannot say that I Was very politely received; in one or Two Notable ones (Not Willing to Mention Names) I was invitd to Walk in and then out in very quick order." Audubon's early-19-century orthography, which the editors have meticulously retained, may take some Getting Used To. And the sheer piling up of avian corpses can seem almost comical to a modern reader. Still, Audubon worshipped pretty thoroughly, and very productively, at the shrine of the natural world. And let's recall his verdict on Liverpool's industrial landscape, which he observed during a 1826 visit: "Naked streets look dull." If only there'd been a long-billed curlew on hand! --James Marcus

Book Description

A landmark volume collects the writings and drawings of America's greatest artist-naturalist

The breathtaking art of John James Audubon's Birds of America has been celebrated throughout the world since it first appeared over 150 years ago. Less well known is Audubon's literary legacy -- the magnificent volumes of natural history he published during his lifetime, as well as the remarkable journals, memoirs, and letters left behind at his death. Now, with The Library of America's unprecedented John James Audubon: Writings and Drawings, Audubon the great nature writer takes his rightful place alongside Audubon the artist.

Here is the most comprehensive selection of Audubon's writings ever published, along with a spectacular portfolio of his drawings. The "Mississippi River Journal," the foremost record of an American artist's progress, details Audubon's first wilderness bird hunts. Selections from his "1826 Journal" follow him to Europe, where his abilities were finally recognized. Audubon's masterwork, the five-volume Ornithological Biography, is here generously represented by 45 entries. Charming, haunting, and violent by turns, these vivid intimate portraits of the habits and habitats of America's birds, from the curious mating rituals of the Wild Turkey to the sublime spectacle of the migration of the now vanished Passenger Pigeon, changed American nature writing forever. The "Missouri River Journals" evoke the vanishing American Indian and the hardships of frontier life. An extensive selection of letters charting almost 20 years of Audubon's artistic development, along with two essays on artistic technique and a brief memoir, round out the volume. For the first time, all texts have been painstakingly prepared from original sources. General and ornithological indices will aid the reader in the field as well as in the study. Sixty-four full-color plates, and fascinating manuscript sketches, some never before published, offer a unique perspective on Audubon's art.

Customer Reviews:

Talent, Passion, Perseverance: A Portrait of the Artist.......2007-08-17

Considering the high regard in which Audubon is held today, the reader may be surprised to learn how hard he had to struggle to get there.
Having failed repeatedly in his business ventures, he decided to concentrate his efforts on his true talent: observing, drawing and describing the birds of America. The fact that Alexander Wilson, a self-taught naturalist like Audubon, had pursued the same goal before him and enjoyed the support of the influential Philadelphia establishment seems to have encouraged rather than deterred young Audubon. He was sure he could do better, and in his jottings he never misses an opportunity to point out mistakes and shortcomings in Wilson's work.

The Mississippi River Journal of 1820-21 is, to my mind, the most interesting part of this collection. Raw diary entries, unedited and uncorrected, give a vivid account of this expedition which started in Cincinnati on a "flat boat" and ended in New Orleans. It may come as a shock to the reader that Audubon and his companions shot and killed practically all the birds he drew and described, and often ate them afterwards. They also bought birds from other hunters or, when in a town, at local markets. All manner of birds were briskly traded as food or pets, or for ornamental purposes.
During this trip, Audubon was destitute most of the time and always eager to get a free meal from a generous host. Letters of recommendation introduced him to a number of worthies, and he often replenished his funds by drawing portraits or giving drawing lessons to the children of wealthy citizens. There was some interest in his ornithological work, but not enough to secure financial backing. Through all these disappointments and humiliations, he remained a keen observer - not only of birds and other wildlife, but also of the country and the people in it.

His fortune changed with his visit to England and Scotland. Excerpts from his 1826 Journal show his surprise and delight in being graciously received, and even lionized, by important people who arranged for him to show his work in public and enlist subscribers.
The 64 color plates included in this book are selected from watercolors, aquatint engravings and lithographs, and show the full range of Audubon's art; they include birds that were abundant at the time but are now extinct (or nearly so), such as the Passenger Pigeon, the Carolina Parakeet, and the Ivory-billed Woodpecker. Forty-five entries from his "Ornithological Biography" give a fascinating account of the life and habits of American birds. To our modern sensibilities, his writing style seems a little effusive at times, and we might prefer to see our birds depicted in less dramatic poses; but there is no doubt about his enthusiasm, and he obviously captured the Zeitgeist.

The Missouri River expedition (1843) was designed to find new species of quadrupeds. This journal is more polished than the Mississippi Journal, but I find it less appealing. Somehow, A.'s true passion seems to have been birds, not quadrupeds.

Some personal letters, essays, autobiographical notes and descriptions of his technique round out the portrait of an artist who rose from obscure origins to the highest honors (member of illustrious societies, dinner with President Andrew Jackson at the White House), and whose name is still a household word in America today.

audubon's best single collection.......2007-01-04

to be read wholly as occasional readings and very enjoyable; allows one to imagine the bird life and other wildlife in America in the days of exploration and settlement, and how much of nature we have lost.

A Masterpiece of Nature Writing.......2000-10-14

Anyone looking for a chronicle of the American wilderness in its infancy would do well to start here. There is great charm in the journals of 1820, where the spellings are still Audubon's own, and the flavor of the times -- especially regarding life on the frontier, and concerning everyday life in old New Orleans -- is everywhere. With his "Bird Biographies" of everyday varieties, as well as descriptions of now-extinct species, such as the Carolina Parakeet, and Ivory Billed Woodpeckers, this book is a treasure not just for nature lovers and bird aficianados, but for lovers of history as well.

Book Description

-- Natural History

Customer Reviews:

an integrated system of classification of flowering plants.......2001-03-09

This book is a classic and should be part of the reading list in an advanced and intermediate systematics and plant taxonomy class. Lets not forget the many descriptions of the families and the systematic discrepancies that the author said need to be carefully studied. It is easy to think that in todays phylogenetics classification Cronquist's contribution would not fit, but that is not the case with this book in which morphological, anatomical, palynological, biogeographical and paleobotanical data offer a unique picture of each taxonomic group, regardless of todays results by means of other techniques. The book is a wealth of information.

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An Integrated System of Classification of Flowering Plants
Arthur Cronquist
Manufacturer: Columbia University
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000UPOK1U

The plant-book: A portable dictionary of the higher plants utilising Cronquist's An integrated system of classification of flowering plants (1981) and ... dictionary of the flowering plants and ferns

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The plant-book: A portable dictionary of the higher plants utilising Cronquist's An integrated system of classification of flowering plants (1981) and ... dictionary of the flowering plants and ferns
D. J Mabberley
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

English (All) | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Words & Language | Reference | Subjects | Books

Customer Reviews:

Paris with my son.......2000-04-20

I took my 15 year old son to Paris for 2 weeks and this is the guide book that became my bible. It allowed me to plan my next days events in the shortest amount of time, provided reliable info on all the sights, and was written in style that was not too stiff or too silly. Good tips on the "how to" in almost every section. I bought 3 books on Paris but found myself constantly coming back to this one as my main source. If you are only buying one, start here.

Very Valuable.......2000-03-28

We just returned from Paris, and this book seemed to be in the hands of many Americans. It was one of the ones we carried with us every day. The sample daily itineraries are great and very do-able, and the recommendations for inexpensive eateries are worth the price of the book!

A Must.......2000-02-23

This book proved itself invaluable on our last trip to Paris. It has lists of web sites, lodging and dining options, accurate prices guides, and the essentials on hot site seeing spots. It was worth the cost just to learn where the best hot chocolate in Paris can be had!

Very Practical Guide.......2000-01-04

Any travel guide to Paris will give you the boring information about the sites such as the history and architecture, etc. This book tells you exactly what you need to know about the sites--where they are located, when they are open, and what they will cost you. I was able to plan my trip itinerary to maximize my time based on where things were and what days and times they are open, getting more than seemingly possible out of a 5-day visit. Only one disagreement with the book. Miss Kelleher refers to the Pont Neuf as "the most famous bridge in Paris." Apparently she has never seen nor heard of the Alexandre III Bridge despite living in Paris. If you want pictures and boring information, buy the other guides. If you want the stuff you really need to know, buy this one.

Don't leave home without it..........1999-11-27

I loved this book! I read it before we left Paris and everynight while we were there. It was a lifesaver in planning the next days events. We went to Paris with 6 other people and because I was so smart from reading the book and 'knew so much', I was made the tour guide and fearless leader of the group. I have to say I did an excellent job, thanks to the book. I followed the guidelines and we all had a wonderful vacation. The maps, and information on how to use the Metro, and how to act and behave French were invaluable.

Book Description

A thought-provoking book about the future of bone and joint disorders. This is the Decade of Bone and Joint, a time where rapid developments in our understanding of these disorders contend with massive increases in these chronic conditions throughout the world. By drawing on current knowledge and expertise, the book considers future scenarios such as the development of scientific theories, technology, prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

Customer Reviews:

A quick review.......2001-05-31

This text provides a quick, concise review of the pimary topics covered on emergency medicine exams. I found it to be a good way to prepare for inservice exams and the written boards.

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Reactions of hydrogen with organic compounds over copper-chromium oxide with nickel catalysts
Homer Adkins
Manufacturer: The University of Wisconsin Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Analytic | Chemistry | Science | Subjects | Books
General & Reference | Chemistry | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0006ANUWE

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REACTIONS OF HYDROGEN WITH ORGANIC COMPOUNDS OVER COPPER-CHROMIUM OXIDE AND NICKEL CATALYSTS

Manufacturer: University of Wisconsin Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000HKNFRI

Book Description

Functions as a self-study guide for engineers and as a textbook for nonengineering students and engineering students, emphasizing generic forms of differential equations, applying approximate solution techniques to examples, and progressing to specific physical problems in modular, self-contained chapters that integrate into the text or can stand alone! This reference/text focuses on classical approximate solution techniques such as the finite difference method, the method of weighted residuals, and variation methods, culminating in an introduction to the finite element method (FEM). Discusses the general notion of approximate solutions and associated errors! With 1500 equations and more than 750 references, drawings, and tables, Introduction to Approximate Solution Techniques, Numerical Modeling, and Finite Element Methods: · Describes the approximate solution of ordinary and partial differential equations using the finite difference method · Covers the method of weighted residuals, including specific weighting and trial functions · Considers variational methods · Highlights all aspects associated with the formulation of finite element equations · Outlines meshing of the solution domain, nodal specifications, solution of global equations, solution refinement, and assessment of results Containing appendices that present concise overviews of topics and serve as rudimentary tutorials for professionals and students without a background in computational mechanics, Introduction to Approximate Solution Techniques, Numerical Modeling, and Finite Element Methods is a blue-chip reference for civil, mechanical, structural, aerospace, and industrial engineers, and a practical text for upper-level undergraduate and graduate students studying approximate solution techniques and the FEM.

Solutions Manual for Introduction to Approximate Solution Techniques, Numerical Modeling, and Finite Element Methods (Civil and Environmental Engineering)

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Solutions Manual for Introduction to Approximate Solution Techniques, Numerical Modeling, and Finite Element Methods (Civil and Environmental Engineering)
Victor N. Kaliakin
Manufacturer: CRC Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Engineering | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

Book Description

Last Words: The Final Journals of William S. Burroughs is the most intimate book ever written by William S. Burroughs, the author of Naked Lunch and one of the most celebrated literary outlaws of our time. Last Words is a complex portrait of Burroughs at the end of his life, coming to terms with aging and death. While laid out as simple diary entries of the last nine months of his life, Last Words spans the realms of cultural criticism, personal memoir, and fiction. Classic Burroughs concerns - his rants on U.S. drug policy, his contempt for the state of the human race, his love for his cats - permeate the book. Burroughs breaks into classic "routines" and provides frequent commentary on whatever he is reading - from high literature to low-brow thrillers. Whether occupied with the banalities of life (housekeeping, dealing with doctors) or the glories (shooting a video with U2, opening a museum show of his paintings), the "Old Man" emerges as frequently comical, sometimes meditative, and always engaged-a commentator on the state of the world and the self. Most significantly, Last Words contains some of the most brutally personal prose Burroughs has ever written. His reflections on the deaths of his friends Allen Ginsberg and Timothy Leary provide a window onto the preparations Burroughs was making for his own death - a quest for absolution marked by a profound sense of guilt and loss. Last Words is unlike anything else in the oeuvre of William S. Burroughs. It is the purest, most personal work ever presented by this writer, and a poignant portrait of the man, his life, and his creative process-one that never quit, even in the shadow of death.

Customer Reviews:

The diary of a genius........2005-11-17

This diary of a genius in his last weary days is a beautiful gift. An explosively brilliant visionary with insight reaching far into the future, but also a kind man who loved his cats.

The pathetic rantings of a scared old man.......2004-11-22

I remember when Burroughs did an interview with Jerry Casale. And Casale spoke of midwestern misanthropy and the sense of shame about being a human. Well, in this diary, Burroughs gave full voice to his midwestern curmudgeon persona.

I almost croaked when I came across the following passage: "I must tell James: Please never conceal from me any nasty letters or reviews. I want the names of these creeps. The addresses, so I can put one of my curses on them. It will give me something to do. And jog a few higher-up elbows hiding behind the nameless a--holes. I will make a list and cross names off one after another. Like the new rich in St. Louis. At his daughter's coming-out party. Nobody showed. She went mad. He made a list of all the invitees who didn't show. And ruined them one after another. It gave meaning to his life. He crossed off the last name on his deathbed, gave a contented belch and died. He was a fully fulfilled evil old man."

The anti-drug-prohibition rants are tedious enough. But what's surprising is that he begrudges atheists just for being atheists. As if their mere existence was a personal insult to his non-denominational theistic yearnings: "I believe in God. Not omnipotent. He needs help now."

The cat-sentimentality is pretty icky. Burroughs ended up valuing humans only insofar as they're capable of being caretakers of cats: "If a plague should or will kill a third of the population, I can only pray that it affects not only humans but domestic animals, with special reference to dogs and cats. The picture of trillions of dispossessed cats is too horrible to be confronted."

poignant writings.......2003-01-31

Touching, amusing entries in the life of an intellectual pioneer.

Burroughs revealed so much in his fiction but the journals are a more probing way we can peer into his mind and see what he was thinking in the last days.

One often wonders where good psychedelicists are headed in their final corporeal days, so works like this provide a certain insight not gleaned from their main body of work.

Burroughs was quite a character.

Three and a half stars, really.......2002-12-23

These last words of Burroughs will have great poignancy for his fans, but might not be all that meaningful to the casual reader. He writes about mundane everyday occurrences, memories of his eventful life, makes extensive literary references and provides loving descriptions of his cats. For me, the Burroughs magic is here in abundance and this book helps to complete the big picture of his life and work. It's not all smooth sailing, though, as his repetitive railings against the "war on drugs" can become a bit tedious. Obscure references are explained in the explanatory Notes: I was interested to see he was a member of IOT (International Order of Thanateros - see the books Liber Kaos and Liber Null & Psychonaut by Peter Carroll) and friends with V. Vale (See Re/Search Publications like Industrial Culture Handbook and Incredibly Strange Music). Some sections are funny, some are sad (especially where he writes about Joan Vollmer and his family) and some very interesting from a literary perspective. There are powerful passages of great beauty that stick in the mind. His love for his cats and for other animals like lemurs is very moving and shows that he may have been larger than life, but in the end he was very human. So, to wrap it up: Last Words is essential reading for the Burroughs enthusiast and the Burroughs scholar, to finally understand the man and his writing. Phew ... I am relieved, to know how much he loved some people and his pets, in the end.

What's missing?.......2001-01-29

It will be good in the future to see the orginal notes--one really wonders what has been edited out to protect the image. Any journal is a problem to read--but when the editing is done by those with the most to protect (family, lovers, etc), historians must be really concerned. Probably not worth buying new, but it will be out in paper soon. Get the cheap copy.

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