Wilderness philosophers/writers

[w00dsmoke]

Following on from Doc's recent threads on wilding and experts choice, I thought it would be interesting to start a thread about wilderness philosophy and writers, as opposed to just bushcraft writers/philosophy or practical guides. Obviously there is a crossover, but it would be interesting to collate a list or even synopsis of all the great wilderness inspirations out there, both native to the UK and abroad as well as fiction and non fiction.

I'm curious to see what others find inspirational and I'd love to broaden my literary adventures in the dark nights!

So let me start this off with a few well known and less so known inspirations and see where we go with it. I'll add links wherever possible for people to look a little more indepth if they wish to do so. So please feel free to add as we explore this together.

UK Based

Seton Gordon-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seton_Gordon
famous writer/naturalist, concentrated on the wildlife/culture within the Highlands of Scotland
Tom Weir-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Weir
Glasgow born climber, naturalist, author and broadcaster, concentrated on Scottish rural/wilderness culture and landscape. A great advocate of wilderness for people and wildlife.
David Stephens- was central belt based Scottish wildlife writer and promoter of wilderness for the sake of wildlife-Uk subject
Mike Tomkies-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Tomkies
ex London journalist turned wilderness/wildlife writer, lived as a hermit in two separate locations in Mhoidart for much of his life and wrote about living with and about wildlife in Spain, Canada and Scotland all while living in the wildest, remotest place he could find with just the most basic of needs met and no more. A modern day hermit, struggling with city life/modern cultural values and finding solace within wild places and wildlife.
Jim Crumley- ex journalist, current author, Trossachs based, broadcaster and wilderness philosopher/poet, advocate of wilderness and writes deeply about the relationship we have with it, a little about the man here;
http://www.treesforlife.org.uk/ilovepine/celeb_more.html
and further down the page
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yell,_Shetland




Abroad

John Muir-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Muir
a Dunbar boy made good, the man behind national parks in the USA, a wilderness advocate for wilderness sake.
Aldo Leopold-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aldo_Leopold
US advocate for wilderness conservation,wildlife surveyor, author, founder of wilderness society.
Henry David Thoreau-US philosopher, pacifist and naturalist
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_David_Thoreau
Guy Grieve- Edinburgh journalist who went to Alaska to build a cabin and write about it and to escape from his personal angst with his lifestyle and values.
Edward Paul Abbey-Campaigner, Author, advocate of wild land, very interesting essays and fantastic novels.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Abbey
Sigurd F. Olson- advocate for widlerness, author, scientist and environmentalist
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigurd_Olson
Jack London- Author who speaks for himself...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_London
Christopher McCandless-young romantic philosopher made famous from the film "Into the wild", controversial placing him here, however, his convictions were admirable whether you agreed with them or not.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_McCandless
Hehaka Sapa or Black Elk-sad historical account of native american values through his life account
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Elk
Steven Van Matre-founder of Earth Education, author and advocator of a specific style of environmental education
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Van_Matre

WS

 

[johnnytheboy]

John Gierach, writes about outdoors and fishing, and i have been collecting 1st edition books of his, you don't have to be into fising at all to enjoy these books, they are more about life with a few quirky fishing related stories, he does allot of canoeing and i gaurentee a few laughs

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gierach

 

[Doc]

Good one, w00dsmoke. Many of the above writers feature in my library.

I am astonished how little Thoreau is read here compared to the US. In fact the same goes for Sig Olsen and Aldo Leopold.

It's easy in Bushcraft to get bogged down in the 'how' of living outdoors, and forgetting the 'why'. Sigurd Olsen writes movingly of the sense of awe and connectedness the outdoors gave him. My Olsen books are rather battered from time spent in the rucksack on trips.

One problem with reading books on wilderness philosophy is that when you read one author, you naturally want to read the stuff he read which influenced him, and before you know it... och well, they say that a well-stocked library is the mark of the civilised man.

Also for many an interest in wilderness philosophy seems to lead into an interest in deep ecology. I guess there are obvious connections.

I would add:

Jim dale Vickery (also known as Jim Huot-Vickery)
An ex-ranger from the 'North Woods' of the US. He wrote an excellent book 'Wilderness Visionaries' about Thoreau, Olsen, Rutsrum. Muir and Leopold. He also wrote 'Winter Sign' and 'Open Spaces'. Some of his ideas ( like seeing natural phenomena as omens) are a bit far fetched to me, but perhaps not so for someone with native American heritage. Still a good read.

Robert Macfarlane. British author He wrote the worthy bestseller 'The Wild Places'. I like his writing style.

Bill Mason. Canadian canoeman who wrote Path of the Paddle and Song of the Paddle. These are supposedly technical guides, but his love of the wilderness shines through every page.

 

[drewdunnrespect]

moving on to finctional writers if thats allowed, some one i would say has inspired me is Arthure Ransome and his swallow and amazon adventures those are great books.
drew

 

[Mike Ameling]

Thoreau was one of those clueless yuppy intelligencia city jerks who knew best how everybody else should live and think!

He would have died out in his ... natural world ... if his neighbors and friends had not saved his sorry behind many many times. They gave him his "land" to live on. They gave him his "building materials and tools" to build his shack. And they also fed/clothed him many many times over his ... adventure. They all made it possible for him to sit and "contemplate his navel" and do his writing. But he didn't write about all that assistance that basically made it possible for him to exist without having to support himself. I wonder why?

His writings, along with that old trout fishing movie "A River Runs Through It" have done more to harm the outdoors than most other things - by "inspiring" soooooo many bored clueless city idiots to go out tromping through the outdoors spreading the "gospel" to everybody else about how they all should live/act so that they can also follow that "one true path".

But Thoreau is a fun read - when I need a good laugh, if I manage to ignore his twisted/warped view of how the world should work.

Just my humble thoughts to share. Take them as such.

Mikey - that grumpy ol' German blacksmith out in the Hinterlands

 

[Doc]

I'm not sure Thoreau could be accussed of telling others what to think. He was keen to encourage people's individualism, even if this meant going against what the crowd were doing.

"If a man does not keep pace with his companions,
perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer.
Let him step to the music which he hears,
however measured or far away."

 

[Diligence]

I'd suggest that a Canadian icon, and imposter, Grey Owl (Archibald Belaney) who "..perpetrated one of the 20th Century's most convincing hoaxes..." should be included in the list.

Look him up, it's a fascinating study.

D

 

[Graham_S]

I've always liked Nessmuks view of the world and how to live in it.

 

[wicca]

If we are talking of people and their views and thoughts on 'wilderness' then even if you are not interested in sailing or the sea, the late Bernard Montessier the great French yachtsman and champion of wildlife preservation is well worth reading. When in the lead of a round the world single handed race and assured of international fame and fortune and personal glory, he altered course abandoning the race, and continued on back into the Southern Ocean (and that is a 'wilderness' in every sense of the word) for the second time. Arriving back in the Pacific he devoted his life to conservation and was connected with the founding of early conservation organisations. His written thoughts and feelings for the oceans wildlife and their environment are worth reading.

 

[w00dsmoke]

I've added everyones suggestions to the list, keep it coming and Doc you hit the idea right on the head with
"It's easy in Bushcraft to get bogged down in the 'how' of living outdoors, and forgetting the why'. And this is a great way to explore the "why".

So this is all about "the why".
Seton Gordon-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seton_Gordon
famous writer/naturalist, concentrated on the wildlife/culture within the Highlands of Scotland
Tom Weir-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Weir
Glasgow born climber, naturalist, author and broadcaster, concentrated on Scottish rural/wilderness culture and landscape. A great advocate of wilderness for people and wildlife.
David Stephens- was central belt based Scottish wildlife writer and promoter of wilderness for the sake of wildlife-Uk subject
Mike Tomkies-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Tomkies
ex London journalist turned wilderness/wildlife writer, lived as a hermit in two separate locations in Mhoidart for much of his life and wrote about living with and about wildlife in Spain, Canada and Scotland all while living in the wildest, remotest place he could find with just the most basic of needs met and no more. A modern day hermit, struggling with city life/modern cultural values and finding solace within wild places and wildlife.
Jim Crumley- ex journalist, current author, Trossachs based, broadcaster and wilderness philosopher/poet, advocate of wilderness and writes deeply about the relationship we have with it, a little about the man here;
http://www.treesforlife.org.uk/ilove...eleb_more.html
and further down the page
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yell,_Shetland
Arthur Ransome -author
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Ransome



Abroad

John Muir-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Muir
a Dunbar boy made good, the man behind national parks in the USA, a wilderness advocate for wilderness sake.
Aldo Leopold-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aldo_Leopold
US advocate for wilderness conservation,wildlife surveyor, author, founder of wilderness society.
Henry David Thoreau-US philosopher, pacifist and naturalist
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_David_Thoreau
Guy Grieve- Edinburgh journalist who went to Alaska to build a cabin and write about it and to escape from his personal angst with his lifestyle and values.
Edward Paul Abbey-Campaigner, Author, advocate of wild land, very interesting essays and fantastic novels.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Abbey
Sigurd F. Olson- advocate for widlerness, author, scientist and environmentalist
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigurd_Olson
Jack London- Author who speaks for himself...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_London
Christopher McCandless-young romantic philosopher made famous from the film "Into the wild", controversial placing him here, however, his convictions were admirable whether you agreed with them or not.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_McCandless
Hehaka Sapa or Black Elk-sad historical account of native american values through his life account
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Elk
Steven Van Matre-founder of Earth Education, author and advocator of a specific style of environmental education
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Van_Matre
Grey Owl (Archibald Belaney) who "..perpetrated one of the 20th Century's most convincing hoaxes..."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_Owl
Nessmuk-needs no introduction for most on here.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nessmuk
Jim dale Vickery (also known as Jim Huot-Vickery)
An ex-ranger from the 'North Woods' of the US. He wrote an excellent book 'Wilderness Visionaries' about Thoreau, Olsen, Rutsrum. Muir and Leopold. He also wrote 'Winter Sign' and 'Open Spaces'.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Winter-Sign-Jim-Dale-Huot-Vickery/dp/0816629692
Robert MacFarlane-British author He wrote the worthy bestseller 'The Wild Places'.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Macfarlane
Bill Mason. Canadian canoeman who wrote Path of the Paddle and Song of the Paddle. These are supposedly technical guides, but his love of the wilderness shines through every page.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Mason
Ryokan-Japanese 18th century zen monk who wrote amazing poetry about the relationship between himself and nature
http://falcon.tamucc.edu/~sencerz/ryokan.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ry%C5%8Dkan
Bernard Montessier French yachtsman, environmentalist etc
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Moitessier
Norman Mclean-US author and scholar
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Mclean
John Gierach-US author and fly fisherman
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gierach

 

[johnnytheboy]

Sorry i maybe missing something but what has Thoreau to do with a river runs through it, i thought it was Norman Mclean that wrote it, sorry not being cheeky i have read the book more times than i could remeber and can't remeber any attachment with Thoreau?

I have the last paragraph written across some pike fishing rods

"Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world's great flood and runs over from the basement of time. On some of the rocks are timeless raindrops -- under the rocks are the words and some of the words are theirs."


Woodsmoke is it worth adding Norman Maclean and John Gierach??

Thoreau was one of those clueless yuppy intelligencia city jerks who knew best how everybody else should live and think!

He would have died out in his ... natural world ... if his neighbors and friends had not saved his sorry behind many many times. They gave him his "land" to live on. They gave him his "building materials and tools" to build his shack. And they also fed/clothed him many many times over his ... adventure. They all made it possible for him to sit and "contemplate his navel" and do his writing. But he didn't write about all that assistance that basically made it possible for him to exist without having to support himself. I wonder why?

His writings, along with that old trout fishing movie "A River Runs Through It" have done more to harm the outdoors than most other things - by "inspiring" soooooo many bored clueless city idiots to go out tromping through the outdoors spreading the "gospel" to everybody else about how they all should live/act so that they can also follow that "one true path".

But Thoreau is a fun read - when I need a good laugh, if I manage to ignore his twisted/warped view of how the world should work.

Just my humble thoughts to share. Take them as such.

Mikey - that grumpy ol' German blacksmith out in the Hinterlands

 

[Brendan]

There is an old Zen proverb,

“Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.”

What’s the difference? The tasks are the same. The need is the same. What about the frame of mind? Who is chopping? Who is carrying water?

The phrase oneness with the woods is commonly used when describing trips to the wilderness but to really be one with the woods, and everything else come to that is the profoundest experience you could ever have.

 

[w00dsmoke]

This is traveling along nicely!
If people can add to the list themselves, by cutting and pasting the list as it progresses, then that would be great and then it may be time to put them in some sort of grouping to make it easier for people to explore.

"Woodsmoke is it worth adding Norman Maclean and John Gierach??"- yup added!

 

[norseman55731]

Would Horace Kephart be out of place? I know Jim Vickery, hell of a nice guy, and a GREAT oral story teller.

 

[Mike Ameling]

There is an old Zen proverb,

“Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.”

What’s the difference? The tasks are the same. The need is the same. What about the frame of mind? Who is chopping? Who is carrying water?

The phrase oneness with the woods is commonly used when describing trips to the wilderness but to really be one with the woods, and everything else come to that is the profoundest experience you could ever have.

Yes, the book Chop Wood - Carry Water by Fields/Taylor/Weyler/Ingrasci is an interesting read, on life in general.

The movie version of the book A River Runs Through It has inspired many many people to get out of those big cities and become --- TROUT FISHERMEN! They watch the movie a couple times, head down to the local Orvis/Cabelas store to buy a couple hundred dollars worth of gear, drive several hours out into the hills, and then they ARE the ULTIMATE trout fishermen!!!!! All knowing and the final authority on all things associated with trout fishing and managing the streams (but only to provide them with better trout fishing). And these "great sportsmen/fishermen" cause more harm/damage/trash than the local punk kids holding a beer party! I've dealt with these "sneering down their noses at the poor uneducated country bumpkin" great outdoorsmen for many decades. It hasn't been pretty. And most got their ... inspiration ... from that movie. Their ... superficiality ... has done much harm.

But then, I'm just a grumpy ol' farm boy out in the sticks who doesn't know any better.

Mikey

 

[Doc]

Would Horace Kephart be out of place? I know Jim Vickery, hell of a nice guy, and a GREAT oral story teller.

That's very interesting.

I keep Jim Vickery's books on the same shelf as Leopold, Thoreau, Olsen and Muir. I don't think he has yet got the recognition he deserves.

 

[Tiley]

Roger Deakin and Richard Mabey (away from his 'reference' books) offer us writing which celebrates woodlands in particular but the outdoors in general. Robert Macfarlane has already been mentioned as has John Muir. For more mountainous arenas, Whymper offers the reader some notable truths about the mountains and living among them. I suppose one might argue a slot for the great Romantic poets - Wordsworth, Keats, Clare - as they are all observing and celebrating the environment around them, prompting us to reflect on what they say.

Because of the essentially 'hands-on' nature of bushcraft, there are few what might be described as dreamy philosophers; most writers who go beyond the merely didactic usually fall into to the category of celebrants of the natural environment. It is up to the individual reader to decide whether what they write strikes a chord or not.

 

[Mike Ameling]

D C Beard - he founded the Boy Scouts program in the early 1900's. And he also wrote a number of books, including Shelters Shacks and Shanties.

Gene Logsdon - he wrote for Rodale Press/Organic Gardening for years. He also wrote a book called Practical Skills: A revival of forgotten Crafts, Techniques, and Traditions. It is all from a "small farmer" perspective, but you can learn a lot from it.

Mikey - that grumpy ol' German blacksmith out in the Hinterlands

 

[Scots_Charles_River]

Baden Powell ?

Nick

 

[Grooveski]

Alastair Dunnett - Quest by canoe/The canoe boys.

While primarily a trip report it's full of stories of life on the western isles, the lasting effects of the clearances, the death of the herring trade, etc.
It's written with a great passion for the outdoors and I'd have enjoyed reading it even if it wasn't based in the area I camp most often.

....which is another reason I thought I'd mention it. Think you'd like it W00dsmoke.