Peter Matthiessen remembered

As a young man, I read two books that diverted me from medical school and set me on my path to environmental science. Many of you will guess that one was Silent Spring by Rachel Carson. The other is now obscure, Wildlife in America by Peter Matthiessen. Both were great writers, but Matthiessen’s book was broader. Although he mainly addressed loss of species due to habitat destruction, hunting, and gratuitous killing, he warned of wildlife mortalities in areas sprayed by chlorinated hydrocarbons years before Silent Spring. I went on to read several of his other books, which sustained my admiration for him. When I read that a biography of Matthiessen had been published, I bought a copy immediately. Lance Richardson’s biography, True Nature: The Pilgrimage of Peter Matthiessen, was named a “book of the year” by news organizations and magazines. It is thorough and balances his personal life with his career. His personal life was not admirable. He was born into a wealthy family with parents who were more interested in their social circle than their children, so Matthiessen was raised by a nanny and attended private schools. As a result, he was moody and disobedient. He was tall and handsome, attracting women throughout his life. He married three times, but he was never faithful. He had little time for his children.