About This Life: Journeys on the Threshold of Memory

About This Life is a collection of autobiographical essays by naturalist writer Barry Lopez that spans multiple continents and decades. The pieces range from his time as an aircraft photographer to his travels in remote wilderness areas across the globe. Lopez combines elements of nature writing, cultural observation, and personal memoir as he documents encounters with landscapes and communities from the Arctic to the Galapagos. His descriptions cover both urban and wild settings, examining the intersections between human activity and the natural world. The essays explore themes of travel, memory, and the ways people form connections to place and environment. Through careful observation and reflection, Lopez considers how physical journeys can lead to deeper understanding of both self and surroundings.

Readers appreciate Lopez's ability to weave personal experiences with observations about nature, technology, and human connections. His essays about flying and traveling receive frequent mentions in reviews for their detail and insight. Several readers note the strength of "Apologia," an essay about roadkill, calling it moving and thought-provoking. Readers cite the variation in essay quality as a drawback, with some pieces resonating more than others. A few reviewers find certain sections overly descriptive or slow-paced. Ratings: Goodreads: 4.2/5 (1,100+ ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (50+ reviews) Sample reader comments: "His attention to detail makes you feel present in each moment" - Goodreads reviewer "The flying essays drag on too long" - Amazon reviewer "'Apologia' changed how I view animals on highways" - Goodreads review "Some essays meander without clear purpose" - LibraryThing reviewer

Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey A park ranger's meditation on wilderness and human connections to landscape combines personal narrative with observations of the American Southwest's ecology, history, and fragile beauty.

The Snow Leopard by Peter Matthiessen A naturalist's chronicle of his journey through the Himalayas merges scientific observation with spiritual seeking and raw grief.

The Practice of the Wild by Gary Snyder Essays explore the intersection of nature, culture, and human consciousness through experiences in wild places across continents.

Arctic Dreams by Barry Lopez An exploration of the Arctic landscape examines indigenous knowledge, natural history, and human relationships with extreme environments through research and first-hand experience.

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard Observations of nature in Virginia's Roanoke Valley weave together science, philosophy, and personal reflection into a meditation on seeing and being in the natural world.

🌎 Barry Lopez spent over 30 years traveling to more than 70 countries, including remote areas like Antarctica and the Arctic, which deeply influenced the essays in this book 📝 The book's chapter "Apologia" focuses on Lopez's experiences with roadkill animals, which he would move off highways out of respect for the creatures - a practice he maintained for over 30 years 🏆 Barry Lopez was awarded the National Book Award for "Arctic Dreams" (1986), and his writing style in "About This Life" reflects the same careful attention to natural detail and human connection ✈️ The essay "Flight" draws from Lopez's lifelong fascination with aircraft and his experiences accompanying cargo pilots around the world, revealing unexpected insights about human navigation and perception 🎨 Throughout the book, Lopez weaves together themes of memory, landscape, and personal history using techniques borrowed from indigenous storytelling traditions he encountered during his travels