I'd only read one of his essays - - The Trouble With Wilderness - - and find value in it everyday, but after UW history Prof. William Cronon became a GOP target, I figured the best thing to do was to read his books. I've ordered two - - Uncommon Ground and Changes in the Land.
Commenters are suggesting reading this Cap Times feature about Cronon, too - - so here it is.
sorry but The trouble with Wilderness is bs, pure and simple. Not surprising from the Weyerhauser series of environmental history books.
ReplyDeleteCronen was hammered for the silly book and deservedly so. Also, wasn't it the paper industry and timber industry (e.g. weyerehauser et al) that attacked Deb Swackhammer from UMN when she found toxaphene in the great lakes coming from pulp mills? They did a massive FOIA on her too.
And while I agree with your positions on virtually all that you have been writing on your blog, I'm to see your view on this book. Disappointing, to say the least.
Cap Times did a nice interview with him about a week or so ago that should still be online.
ReplyDeleteYes, the Cap Times article is much better than the JS article this morn.
ReplyDeleteI'd also most recommend Cronon's book called Nature's Metropolis.