In Whitman:  A Study, the Catskills nature-writer, essayist, and philosopher John Burroughs  (1837-1921) defended Walt Whitman (1819-1892) against the hostile reactions of contemporary scholars, for whom Whitman’s poetry was too coarse, racy, and controversial.  In the book, Burroughs presented Walt Whitman as the “poet of democracy” and described him as a primal man, visionary of the open air, barbarian in the parlor, force of nature, and prophet.  But Whitman:  A Study isn’t just about Whitman, it’s also an exposition of Burroughs’ philosophy.  Inspired by both science and nature, Burroughs saw natural processes at work within society, and he explained how both physical strength and the vitality of culture can fade if we lose our connection with the natural world.  This message seems just as relevant for our information age as it was 120 years ago when  Whitman: A Study was first published.

Continue reading “Burroughs: Don’t Lose Your Connectivity with Nature” →