Escaping into nature : the making of a sportsman-conservationist and environmental historian / John F. Reiger.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Reiger, John F.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Reiger, John F.

Wildlife conservationists--United States--Biography.

Fishers--United States--Biography.

Fishers.

Wildlife conservationists.

United States.

Hunters--United States--Biography.

Hunters.

Genre:

Biographies.

Autobiographies.

Physical Description:

263 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

Corvallis : Oregon State University Press, [2013]

Summary:

Escaping into Nature is the story of an angler and hunter who found a cause and a calling and combined them for his life's work. Wildlife1 conservationist and environmental historian John Reiger's outdoor adventures as a young man primed him for the teachings of the great sportsmen-conservationists of the past, particularly George Bird Grinnell, Theodore Roosevelt, and Aldo Leopold. Inspired by these conservation giants, Reiger left the security of a tenured professorship to serve as executive director of the Connecticut Audubon Society where he, sometimes controversially, put his ideals into practice. Later, he resumed his academic career to illuminate the lives of early wildlife conservationists, visionaries who continue to inspire us to care deeply about the future of the natural world. Abused psychologically within his family in his early years, Reiger found solace in nature. Though he first entered the outdoors as an escape from his unpleasant circumstances, he soon found the study and pursuit of insects, fishes, and birds to be exciting ends in themselves. He came to believe that it was only by participating in the life and death of other creatures that one could learn to truly value the natural world, be a part of it, and be inspired to work for its conservation. John Reiger's autobiography is also the story of his developing fascination with America's past, especially as it relates to human interaction with the natural world; his desire to share that passion with others; and his experiences on the road to becoming a nationally recognized scholar. The twists and turns of that journey, and his accounts of the people-and of the wild creatures - who helped him along the way, will appeal to history enthusiasts and nature lovers alike. Book jacket.

Contents:

Chapter 1 Discovering Nature: New York City, 1950-1951 5

Chapter 2 Entering a Saltwater Universe: South Florida, 1951-1952 13

Chapter 3 Looking for New Special Places: Pre-Prep School Years in New York City, Long Island, and South Florida, 1952-1956 41

Chapter 4 Finding Solace in the Natural World: Prep-School Years in New Jersey, Maine, and South Florida, 1956-1961 67

Chapter 5 Becoming a Sportsman-Conservationist: College Years in Colorado, North Carolina, the American West, and Europe, 1961-1965 121

Chapter 6 Becoming a Historian: Graduate School Years in North Florida, Illinois, New York City, and Long Island, 1965-1970 149

Chapter 7 Life as a Teacher-Scholar and Full-Time Conservationist: Mainly South Florida and Connecticut, 1970-1988 171

Chapter 8 Back in Academia and Providing Historical Models for Today's Sportsmen (and Sportswomen)-Conservationists: Mainly Appalachian Ohio, 1988-2012 227.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 251-252) and index.

ISBN:

9780870717109

0870717103

OCLC:

824686372