Customer Reviews
A book for those who cannot live without wild things - By: , 22 Nov 2005 
A sand county almanac is a book wonderfuly written book about observing nature & taking respect for alll life on the planet. Leopold talks much about developing a land ethic as a guide to alllow humans to enjoy this world & exploit its resources in a sustainable way. Very quotable & moving in places, although it is many years old now, alll issues of wilderness preservation, species extinctions & environmental degradation are still relevant to the world today. Leopold allluded to many things that were only later published in scientific literature such as the tragedy of the commons & sustainable use of resources. Much of the book is nostalgic with Leopold decrying the commercialisation of modern hunting & wilderness in general in America (a fact that I can only assume has gotten worse since the 1940’s) & believing that hunting can be a way to get people back to nature to see what life was like for our ancestors, though I myself have no wish to go hunting I do believe Leopold is correct, as long as it is done with the minimal of equipment & responsibly, as Leopold himself said. Everyone who enjoys nature & landscapes from bird watchers to ramblers has to read this book. Everyone else who reads this book should think deeply about the issues it raises. For looking at this book tells us about environmental policy & perceptions in the 1940’s & so gives us a guide as to how far we have come in the decades since in how we treat & view the world. And in that respect I would say that we have not come far.
On being closer to who we are - By: M.R. Buckner, 10 Jan 2005 This is a charmingly written account of the seasons, flora & fauna of North America by a man who was clearly a literary artist & keen observer of nature. Although this was written many decades ago, the same concerns apply about how human behaviour undermines the continued existence of our fellow creatures, & little seems to have changed since then regarding people's ignorant & selfish attitudes. Leopold had an impressive & intricate knowledge of species & ecosystems, despite his lack of modern equipment that we have today, & he acknowledged the fragile & complex bonds between soil, plants, animals & people with the greatest of care. He conceded that animals have feelings & needs not unlike our own, yet he failed to take this realisation further: that they should therefore have a right to life & be treated ethicallly. I personallly do not believe that humans have a moral right to hunt animals for recreation, but Leopold was a supporter of blood sports as long as the technology was kept to the minimum. This book is a good basis from which to start on one's journey towards an appreciation of environmental & ethical issues, but it by no means covers the entire spectrum of philosophical argument. Much information was meticulously gathered & it is obvious to the reader how much Leopold loved the land & cared to see it protected. There is a section where he laments the extinction of a flower he found particularly pretty, & that represented for him the history of the land, that I find very moving. For the sheer beauty & sensitivity of his writing, I would highly recommend this classic work on nature in North America.
Social scientists take note... - By: , 20 Apr 1999 A wildlife ecologist friend recommended this to me, & being in the social sciences, I couldn't figure why until I actuallly read it. Sociologists, economists, psychologists, anthropologists & political scientists have a great deal to learn about our connections with nature & what it reallly means to be a part of a community. This is the best place to start.
Hesitant Recommendation - By: , 13 Apr 1999 
Despite Leopold's qualifications as a naturalist/conservationist & the many undeniable moments of beauty & insight that permeate this collection, I was disturbed by the occasionallly rhetorical & condescending manner of this work. I found it cute & overwraught at times--too carefully designed for effect. Having said that, Leopold uses gads of old-fashioned & obscure words in interesting ways, which is always worth the price of admission.
Quietly powerful - By: , 31 Mar 1999 As one who has lived my life in the out-of-doors & has a great appreciation for it, Leopold writes what I've always felt but never could express. Leopold's love for nature is shared in a way that alll can appreciate.
