Companion to A Sand County Almanac: Interpretive and Critical Essays

by J. Baird Callicott

The first sustained study of Leopold's seminal book as well as a work of art, philosophy, and social commentary.

Genres: Environment, Nature

320 pages, Paperback

First published May 14, 2014

About the author

J. Baird Callicott is an American philosopher whose work has been at the forefront of the new field of environmental philosophy and ethics. He is a University Distinguished Research Professor and a member of the Department of Philosophy and Religion Studies and the Institute of Applied Sciences at the University of North Texas. Callicott held the position of Professor of Philosophy and Natural Resources at the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point from 1969 to 1995, where he taught the world’s first course in environmental ethics in 1971. From 1994 to 2000, he served as Vice President then President of the International Society for Environmental Ethics. Other distinguished positions include visiting professor of philosophy at Yale University; the University of California, Santa Barbara; the University of Hawai’i; and the University of Florida.

Reviews

[Mårten Lind · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read for anyone with any interest in Leopold and/or A Sand County Almanac. Granted, some of the essays do get needlessly wordy (the last one in particular) but overall it is wonderfully ambitious and a surprisingly smooth read.

[Albion College · Rating 5 out of 5]

This wonderful book of essays and excerpts from Aldo Leopold’s A Sand County Almanac continues thinking about the issues raised in Leopold’s original: namely, how to we simultaneously enjoy and conserve nature? What are the consequences for us as we fail to do either?

Leopold’s classic work, published in 1949 posthumously, is effectively a naturalist memoir. It contains his observations and recollections of life in and around his farm in Sauk County, Wisconsin, taken throughout the seasons, as well as his idea of a “land ethic.”

Probably the most famous quote from the original book is: “A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise.” If you’ve read the original and you’re looking for more commentary, read this! If you haven’t, find the original in Stockwell 110, call number QH81. L56

-Megan O'Neill, Library