Eiseley also worked as a curator of the early man exhibition at the university of pennsylvania museum. He narrates a history of the human species in the context of life on this planet throughout the scope of time. Evolution is the central theme in both books, but in the immense journey eiseley focuses on the human meaning of evolution. Much of the writing he did for the rest of his life was based on his childhood experiences in lincoln and on the time during his college years when he worked on archeological digs in western nebraska. Ever since reading the short star thrower story by loren eiseley, ive had his full books on my reading list. Four dominant themes emerge in the immense journey.
An evolutionist looks at modern man from the saturday evening post. The immense journey by loren eiseley, published by random house, 1957, 211 pages people who are curious and inspired by our. Eiseley brings an incredible poetry and unique perspective to biological concepts, specifically evolution in this book. Perhaps for an egotistical person it is depressing because it displays that life does not revolve around human beings. Some evolutionists appear to resemble creationists in this.
To read loren eiseley 19071977 is to renew a sense of wonder at the miracles and paradoxes of evolution and the everchanging diversity of life. I first encountered loren eiseleys the immense journey by accident in a universitys library stacks. Publication date 1957 topics human evolution, evolution, philosophy publisher new york, vintage books. Loren eiseley in the immense journey loren eiseleyuniversity of pennsylvania provost, benjamin franklin professor, anthropologist, ecologist, science writer, and poetbelieved that lifes mysteries were infinite and was committed to exploring them. Eiseley was educated at the university of nebraska b. Loren eiseley when it was first published in 1977 it was marketed as a science book for the nonscientist, as something written by stephen jay gould or stephen hawking would be today. Search for library items search for lists search for contacts search for a library. The immense journey by loren eiseley penguin random house.
It is a work of spirit and of soul, as much as it of anything else. We will travel as far as we can, but we cannot in one lifetime see all that we would like to see or to learn all that we hunger to know. If youre looking for an escape from all this lockdown boredom, check it out. Like this is the most enormous extension of vision of which life is capable. Eiseley s observations, his brooding, his researchings and his confessions are a journey which seeks to explore, to understand and to enjoy the miracles of this. At the height of a distinguished career as a bonehunter and paleontologist, eiseley turned from fieldwork and scientific publication to the personal essay in six remarkable. The immense journey by eiseley,loren and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Mar 14, 2016 55 stars we are one of many appearances of the thing called life. Seeing flowers in a new way, through loren eiseley. The slit, from loren eiseleys book, the immense journey loren eiseley, the bone hunter 1907 1977 some lands are flat and grasscovered, and smile so evenly up at the sun that they seem. In poetic, musical prose he speaks of his own encounters with the natural world over the course of a notable career in varied natural fields. In darwins century eiseley offers a close reading of both the voyage of the beagle 1839 and on the origin of species 1859. Biography loren corey eiseley 19071977 by naomi brill loren eiseley likened the brain of a writer to an unseen artists loft in which pictures from the past were stored and brought forth to be magnified or reduced in order to form a pattern.
Although the sexist language of the book and its scientific positivism dates it somewhat, loren eiseleys the immense journey remains a classic. A collection of essays by the head of the department of anthropology at the university of pennsylvania has its central core in the recency of man, his development, genetic endowments and the enormous, interlined complexity of life. His early books, the immense journey 1957 and darwins century. An imaginative naturalist explores the mysteries of man and nature by loren eiseley and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Essays and criticism on loren eiseleys the immense journey analysis. Loren eiseley was an american anthropologist, educator, philosopher, and natural science writer, who taught and published books from the. See all books authored by loren eiseley, including the star thrower, and the immense journey, and more on.
May 16, 2016 the immense journey by loren eiseley, published by random house, 1957, 211 pages people who are curious and inspired by our natural world can often look to another person, event, film, or book that first sparked that interest. Loren c eiseley anthropologist blends his scientific knowledge with imaginative vision as he reflects on the journey of man in time. Loren eiseley lecture ywha march 1968 prose and poetry duration. At the height of a distinguished career as a bonehunter and paleontologist, eiseley turned from fieldwork and scientific publication to the personal essay in six remarkable books that are masterpieces of prose style. Loren eiseley, american anthropologist, educator, and author who wrote about anthropology for the lay person in eloquent, poetic style. Eiseley is well known as a writer, an anthropologist, a sociologist, and a naturalist. Eiseleys reputation was established primarily through his books, including the immense journey 1957, darwins century 1958, the unexpected universe. An imaginative naturalist explores the mysteries of man and nature, p. Dec 06, 20 the immense journey part 2 of 4 duration.
Aug 17, 2006 seeing flowers in a new way, through loren eiseley given his status as a political writer, michael lind may seem to come from left field with his mustread recommendation. The immense journey, the firmament of time, the unexpected universe, uncollected prose at. Anthropologist and naturalist loren eiseley blends scientific knowledge and imaginative vision in this story of man. In an unusual blend of scientific knowledge and imaginative vi. I definitely was not disappointed with the immense journey. I agree, this writing if not pessimistic, its humbling. Seeing flowers in a new way, through loren eiseley given his status as a political writer, michael lind may seem to come from left field with his mustread recommendation. Candidates for books that potentially fit that bill include walden by thoreau 1854, the writings. I often wonder, as i sit down to read any loren eiseley.
As far as im concerned, eiseley is the carl sagan of. He was the president of the american institute of human paleontology, and a contributor to many leading scientific journals more about loren eiseley. Loren eiseley, the immense journey, 1957, on floating down the platte river toward the missouri river cover. The immense journey npr coverage of the immense journey by loren c.
He was the president of the american institute of human paleontology, and a contributor to many. Loren eiseleys revelatory works pondered the complex forces that brought forth this vibrant, beautiful planetwhile acknowledging humanitys, and our worlds, impermanence. Will it be eiseley the forsaken child, eiseley the teacher, o. Loren eiseleyuniversity of pennsylvania provost, benjamin franklin professor, anthropologist, ecologist, science writer, and poetbelieved that lifes mysteries were infinite and was committed to exploring them. The immense journey by loren eiseley, published by random house, 1957, 211 pages people who are curious and inspired by our natural world can often look to another person, event, film, or book that first sparked that interest. Ray bradbury as captivating as todays bestknown science writers might be, no one has ever managed to make the pursuit of knowledge feel more soulful or more immediate than loren eiseley did in the essays and books he published in the 1950s, 60s and 70s. Jul 12, 2017 loren eiseleys revelatory works pondered the complex forces that brought forth this vibrant, beautiful planetwhile acknowledging humanitys, and our worlds, impermanence. Datasets available include lcsh, bibframe, lc name authorities, lc classification, marc codes, premis vocabularies, iso language codes, and more.
Evolution and the men who discovered it 1958, are histories of modern science, with particular focus on the theory of evolution. The loren eiseley society, composed leadershiplevel annual donors to the penn museum. Jun 26, 2019 loren eiseley september 3, july 9, was an american anthropologist, educator. Anthropologist and naturalist loren eiseley blends scientific knowledge and imaginative vision in this story of. Loren eiseley 19071977 was a writer and anthropologist who spent his formative years in nebraska. Consider the case of loren eiseley, author of the immense journey, who can sit on a mountain slope beside a prairiedog town and imagine. A local of lincoln, nebraska, loren eiseley lectured at a number of universities, including harvard, columbia, and the university of california.
The linked data service provides access to commonly found standards and vocabularies promulgated by the library of congress. The essays were composed over a decade and reflect eiseleys knowledge. The slit, from loren eiseley s book, the immense journey loren eiseley, the bone hunter 1907 1977 some lands are flat and grasscovered, and smile so evenly up at the sun that they seem. Top 30 quotes of loren eiseley famous quotes and sayings. Loren eiseley september 3, july 9, was an american anthropologist, educator. Eiseley is well known as a writer, an anthropologist, a sociologist, and a. Although the sexist language of the book and its scientific positivism dates it somewhat, loren eiseley s the immense journey remains a classic. Part of the immense journey used in an example of how to write html. This includes data values and the controlled vocabularies that house them. Loren eiseley, the science writer our planet needs now. Collected essays on evolution, nature, and the cosmos vol. He held various anthropological positions for 20 years before publishing his first novel, the immense journey 1957, at age 50. Loren eiseley books list of books by author loren eiseley. I just read eiseley s the immense journey and then found your blog spot.
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