Peter Matthiessen

Peter Matthiessen was an American author and environmental activist with a career that spanned more than six decades. He is best known for his novel The Snow Leopard, which won the National Book Award for Fiction in 1978, and for his non-fiction works about nature and the environment such as The Tree Where Man Was Born, Blue Meridian and Of Wolves and Men. He was also a Pulitzer Prize nominee and the recipient of numerous awards throughout his career.

The Early Years

Born in New York City in 1927, Peter Matthiessen grappled with a difficult childhood. His father abandoned the family when Peter was just four, leaving his mother to raise him and his two brothers alone. To help make ends meet, she sold her grand piano and rented out the family home. Despite these hardships, Matthiessen was able to attend Yale and graduated in 1950.

After college, Matthiessen travelled extensively, visiting as far afield as Europe and Africa. He was also a renowned outdoorsman and nature lover, having spent his youth exploring the woods and fields of Long Island.

Aspiring Writer

Upon returning from his travels, Matthiessen decided to pursue a career in writing. He moved to Paris to write a novel, which he eventually published in 1966 under the title At Play in the Fields of the Lord. The book was well-received, but Matthiessen was restless and soon left Paris for the United States.

He first lived in California before settling in Sagaponack, New York. During this time, he wrote several books, including Wildlife in America (1959), Sal Si Puedes (1969) and Far Tortuga (1975). He also contributed to periodicals such as Sports Illustrated, National Geographic and The New York Times Magazine.

The Snow Leopard

In 1975, Matthiessen embarked on a two-month trek to the Himalayas in search of the snow leopard, an endangered species of large cat. He documented his journey in a book called The Snow Leopard, which was published in 1978.

The book is equal parts memoir, travelogue and study of Buddhist metaphysics. Matthiessen seamlessly combines these elements while interweaving descriptions of the lush landscape and its inhabitants.

The book was a critical and commercial success and won the National Book Award for Fiction. It also boosted Matthiessen’s profile as a writer and environmentalist.

Later Years

Matthiessen’s later works reflects his commitment to environmental causes. In The Birdman Studies (1985), he discussed the effects of the pesticide DDT on birds of prey. In Men’s Lives (1986), he wrote about the local fishing community of Long Island.

In the 1990s, he wrote a trilogy of books about the landscapes of the American West. Titles include The Wild Indian (1993), Killing Mr. Watson (1994) and Lost Man’s River (1997).

Matthiessen also wrote several non-fiction books about Buddhism, including The Snow Leopard (1978), History and Biology of the Dharma (1987) and Nine-Headed Dragon River (1986). His last book, In Paradise, was published in 2014.

Conclusion

Peter Matthiessen was one of the most accomplished and well-respected authors of the twentieth century. Throughout his career, he wrote prose that was as beautiful as it was politically conscious, making him a beloved and admired figure in literary circles. His books are essential reading, not only for the beauty of the prose but also for the insights they gives into Matthiessen’s belief that humans must live in harmony with nature.