The Abundance

The Abundance collects selected works from John McPhee's five decades of nonfiction writing for The New Yorker. The pieces span subjects from geology and sports to profiles of individuals and observations of the natural world. McPhee accompanies scientists studying bears in New Jersey, follows the paths of ancient rivers through modern cityscapes, and documents encounters with people who collect oranges in Florida. His reporting takes him across North America as he investigates both ordinary phenomena and technical subjects. Each essay demonstrates McPhee's immersive research methods and his commitment to understanding his subjects from the ground up. The writing maintains precision while making complex topics accessible through careful explanation and vivid scene-setting. The collection reveals patterns in how humans interact with landscapes, science, and each other - creating connections between seemingly disparate topics through McPhee's characteristic blend of reportage and reflection.

Readers appreciate McPhee's ability to find fascination in mundane subjects, from oranges to geology to lacrosse. Many note his precise, detailed observations and clean prose style that makes complex topics accessible. Several reviewers mention re-reading his pieces multiple times and discovering new layers. Common criticisms include the length of some pieces and occasional technical deep-dives that can feel excessive. A few readers found the collection's organization random and would have preferred a more thematic arrangement. Specific praise focused on essays like "The Search for Marvin Gardens" and "Los Angeles Against the Mountains." One reader called his writing "surgical in its precision without losing its humanity." Ratings: Goodreads: 4.3/5 (2,100+ ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (180+ reviews) LibraryThing: 4.2/5 (150+ ratings) Most negative reviews cite pacing issues rather than quality of writing. The essays requiring scientific or technical knowledge received lower individual ratings than the more general interest pieces.

In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick A narrative of the Essex whaling ship disaster weaves natural history with maritime culture through immersive reporting and historical detail.

The Tiger by John Vaillant This work combines conservation, human-animal conflict, and Russian history through the story of a man-eating tiger in the Siberian wilderness.

The Control of Nature by John McPhee Three long-form pieces explore humanity's attempts to control natural forces in Iceland, Louisiana, and Los Angeles through geological and environmental perspectives.

The Song of the Dodo by David Quammen An exploration of island biogeography connects extinction, evolution, and conservation through journeys to remote locations across the globe.

The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert A reporter's journey through time and space examines past mass extinctions and the current biodiversity crisis through field research and scientific evidence.

🌟 John McPhee has won the Pulitzer Prize for his work "Annals of the Former World," making him one of the most celebrated writers of creative nonfiction. 🍎 "The Abundance" is a carefully curated collection spanning McPhee's six-decade career at The New Yorker magazine, where he began writing in 1963. 📝 McPhee pioneered an influential writing technique called "structure mapping," where he creates detailed diagrams to organize complex narrative structures before writing. 🎓 As a professor at Princeton University, McPhee has taught writing to notable students including David Remnick (editor of The New Yorker) and Richard Preston (bestselling author of "The Hot Zone"). 🌲 The book includes pieces about everything from the controlled burns of the Pine Barrens to the art of lacrosse, demonstrating McPhee's remarkable ability to find profound meaning in seemingly ordinary subjects.