Robert MacFarlane on Barry Lopez

Regular readers of the blog will know that I have mentioned Robert MacFarlane and Barry Lopez numerous times for their work in describing our relationship with the landscape and deep connections with people and place.

This piece for Orion magazine was written by Robert following the passing of Barry.

He describes his nerves at meeting Barry for the first time, a few years before his passing, and describes how when he finally met him, Barry:

"pointed to a big book already placed on the coffee table in front of us. It was a world atlas. He opened it. “I brought this,” he said, turning to the section on Europe. “I thought you might show me some of the journeys you’ve made over the past few years and point out some of the landscapes you’ve described for me in your books.” Set immediately at ease, I leaned forward, and for the next half hour or so we passed the atlas back and forth, finger-tracing paths of journeys taken, places known, recalling encounters with wise people, wild creatures, and fierce weather."

This act Robert describes as "geography as generosity".

He also describes Barry's approach to writing:

"To be able to disaggregate and denote the elements of your home ground is not to practice an Adamic, possessive form of naming, but rather to sharpen perception—and to begin to honor the immense complexities, human and more-than-human, of a given landscape and its communities. Good place-language, well used, opens onto mystery, grows knowledge, and summons wonder."

These are a world away from the blandscapes of some nature writing. 

This is a generous and beautiful article, which I hope leads some more people to seeking out Barry's body of work. I have all his books on my shelves, as I do Robert's.