Arctic Dreams-“A celebration of a strange elemental landscape – of the animals and people who live there; of its history and future; of the dreams it inspires. Above all it is about the relationship between human imagination and the landscape”
Arctic Dreams- This book is a beautiful evocation of encounters in the Arctic. The author considers various animals, landscapes, peoples, histories, fata morganas, tragedies, victories, conflicts and confluences, among much else.
I stumbled upon this book in the remainder rack at a bookstore years ago, picked it up because I had fallen in love with Alaska on two working trips there, and found myself unexpectedly enthralled. This is high on the list of the best non-fiction I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading — thoughtful, beautiful and highly informative without being in any way precious, overly academic or politically biased. I’ve since bought it as a gift, and purchased a replacement copy and then a Kindle version for myself. Currently I’m reading a few pages each night before sleep, and dropping into quiet dreams of light and ice.
Barry Lopez is an amazing person. If you read his autobiographical article in Harper’s or heard him on NPR talking about his experience with child abuse, you come away with a glimpse of the resiliency of the human soul. From a tortured childhood, he has gone on to develop an intellect that uniquely observes the human condition. Along with Jared Diamond, he offers a perspective on the human condition in the modern world that offers hope that man can overcome the evil of his own doing. Technology.