The Pine Barrens by John McPhee Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Pine Barrens
Book Review: The Biggest Secret Between NYC and Philly
Summary: 5 Stars
When I was growing up in New Jersey, people occasionally spoke of "The Pines", a mysterious forest to the south that was home to an asylum where escapees roamed and murdered unsuspecting travelers. McPhee not only explains the origins of this half-myth, he also divulges numerous other secrets about the the New Jersey pine barrens and their fascinating inhabitants, affectionately known as "Pineys." This remarkable and enormous wilderness area lies directly between New York and Philadelphia and, incredibly, remains undeveloped, but it's full of history and a wealth of extraordinary flora and fauna. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to New Jersey-ites and anyone else interested in unique natural places.Book Review: The Pinelands
Summary: 5 Stars
My wife gave me this book in 1978, and I devoured it in one evening. I have since been all over the world, and no matter where I go, the pines are always the reference point for me. My teen years were spent in the pines, with my good friend Tom, where we would travel its dirt roads, canoe its streams and fish its lakes, and hike its trails and roads. Mr. McPhee weaves a story that is so true, so historically rich, and for me, so reminiscent of the years of my youth. Please read this book, and then go and make your own memories.Book Review: Wonderful, accessible, insightful
Summary: 5 Stars
This classic wonderfully explores this hidden part of New Jersey.Book Review: before you judge New Jersey...
Summary: 5 Stars
In the Introduction to the Second John McPhee Reader, David Remnick (now McPhee's editor at The New Yorker) notes that many people find McPhee's subjects too obscure & are put off by his decision to remain "distant from politics, preferring to make something of very little." I don't doubt that this is true, but I feel sorry for people who miss out on reading his terrific work because they feel that way. Over nearly 40 years of writing non-fiction essays for The New Yorker, McPhee has crafted a body of great literature by immersing himself in a variety of American subcultures and explicating them for the general public. In Pine Barrens, by discussing everything from growing cranberries to the natural history of fires to the legend of the Jersey Devil and introducing us to a cast of fascinating characters along the way, McPhee accomplishes what only the best writers can, he brings alive an entire world that might otherwise have remained unknown to us. Those of you who think that New Jersey consists of only highways and chemical plants, should find the book especially interesting. GRADE: A
Book Review: http://www.telson.net/nj_devil.htm
Summary: 5 Stars
This is the most fascinating book on perhaps one of the
largest remaining unspoiled wilderness areas in the US.
The New Jersey Pine Barrens, famous for The Jersey Devil -
the monster of ill-repute for which the hockey team was
named - I love the Pine barrens, and I love this book. Visit
our web site for photos taken there, and to see preview of
The MidAtlantic Trailblazer - a GPS Trail guide - a book I
wrote which covers the Pine barrens as one of the topics in
the TREK section --- http://www.telson.net