Items related to The Pine Barrens
Most people think of New Jersey as a suburban-industrial corridor that runs between New York and Philadelphia. Yet in the low center of the state is a near wilderness, larger than most national parks, which has been known since the seventeenth century as the Pine Barrens.
The term refers to the predominant trees in the vast forests that cover the area and to the quality of the soils below, which are too sandy and acid to be good for farming. On all sides, however, developments of one kind or another have gradually moved in, so that now the central and integral forest is reduced to about a thousand square miles. Although New Jersey has the heaviest population density of any state, huge segments of the Pine Barrens remain uninhabited. The few people who dwell in the region, the Pineys, are little known and often misunderstood. Here McPhee uses his uncanny skills as a journalist to explore the history of the region and describe the people and their distinctive folklore who call it home.
The term refers to the predominant trees in the vast forests that cover the area and to the quality of the soils below, which are too sandy and acid to be good for farming. On all sides, however, developments of one kind or another have gradually moved in, so that now the central and integral forest is reduced to about a thousand square miles. Although New Jersey has the heaviest population density of any state, huge segments of the Pine Barrens remain uninhabited. The few people who dwell in the region, the Pineys, are little known and often misunderstood. Here McPhee uses his uncanny skills as a journalist to explore the history of the region and describe the people and their distinctive folklore who call it home.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Review:
Contrary to popular opinion, the whole of New Jersey is not a continuous Superfund site enlivened solely by poorly labeled Turnpike exits and skanky diners. In fact, the largest essentially untouched wilderness east of the Mississippi comprises nearly half the state: the New Jersey Pine Barrens. This more than 1,000-square-mile region has only a few thousand inhabitants--the Pineys, whose way of life has remained essentially unchanged since the 17th century. McPhee--one of the finest American essayists of the 20th century--has written an extraordinarily compelling, informative, and insightful book about the botanical, cultural, hydrological, and historical peculiarities of this region. He also details the efforts to save it from the creeping urbanization of nearby Philadelphia and New York City. Very Highly Recommended.
About the Author:
John McPhee was born in Princeton, New Jersey, and was educated at Princeton University and Cambridge University. His writing career began at Time magazine and led to his long association with The New Yorker, where he has been a staff writer since 1965. The same year he published his first book, A Sense of Where You Are, with FSG, and soon followed with The Headmaster (1966), Oranges (1967), The Pine Barrens (1968), A Roomful of Hovings and Other Profiles (collection, 1969), The Crofter and the Laird (1969), Levels of the Game (1970), Encounters with the Archdruid (1972), The Deltoid Pumpkin Seed (1973), The Curve of Binding Energy (1974), Pieces of the Frame (collection, 1975), and The Survival of the Bark Canoe (1975). Both Encounters with the Archdruid and The Curve of Binding Energy were nominated for National Book Awards in the category of science.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
- PublisherMacfarlane Walter & Ross
- Publication date1992
- ISBN 10 0921912277
- ISBN 13 9780921912279
- BindingPaperback
- Rating
Other Popular Editions of the Same Title
Top Search Results from the AbeBooks Marketplace
Stock Image
The Pine Barrens
Published by
Macfarlane Walter & Ross
(1992)
ISBN 10: 0921912277
ISBN 13: 9780921912279
Used
Paperback
Quantity: 1
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Paperback. Condition: Very Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!. Seller Inventory # S_347009827
Buy Used
US$ 6.50
Convert currency
Stock Image
The Pine Barrens
Published by
Macfarlane Walter & Ross
(1992)
ISBN 10: 0921912277
ISBN 13: 9780921912279
Used
Softcover
Quantity: 1
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Condition: VeryGood. Seller Inventory # 5D40000081N5_ns
Buy Used
US$ 6.50
Convert currency
Stock Image
The Pine Barrens
Published by
Macfarlane Walter & Ross
(1992)
ISBN 10: 0921912277
ISBN 13: 9780921912279
Used
Softcover
Quantity: 1
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Condition: Good. SHIPS FROM USA. Used books have different signs of use and do not include supplemental materials such as CDs, Dvds, Access Codes, charts or any other extra material. All used books might have various degrees of writing, highliting and wear and tear and possibly be an ex-library with the usual stickers and stamps. Dust Jackets are not guaranteed and when still present, they will have various degrees of tear and damage. All images are Stock Photos, not of the actual item. book. Seller Inventory # 6-0921912277-G
Buy Used
US$ 15.97
Convert currency