I’ve been hearing generic good things about him lately, enough that my interest is piqued. I’m a bit overwhelmed though; his list of books is large and they all are highly rated at Amazon.
So does anyone have some personal recommendations?
I rather enjoyed Looking For A Ship; though since that’s the only one I’ve read, I can’t say if it’s one of the better ones.
I’d recommend Pine Barrens and The Control of Nature, which are on the short side.
Pine Barrens is a series of essays on a botanically and culturally unusual spot in South Jersey; The Control of Nature details a number of attempts by humans to keep natural changes at bay, and includes some timely stuff on southern Lousiana and the Mississippi. If you really like these, I’d recommed plowing right into the cinderblock-sized Annals of the Former World, a continent-wide geological survey that distills parts of a number of his older titles.
Buy this now. (A Sense of Where You Are: Bill Bradley at Princeton)
I’ve read Deltoid Pumpkin Seed and Levels of the Game, both of which are topnotch writing. I took a run at basin range, but even though I’ve had a lifelong interest in paleontology and geology, this one was just too dull. I’m gonna look for a copy of Pine Barrens and Control of Nature now. They look intriguing.
The only one of his books I’ve read is Levels of the Game, which I recommend very strongly.
I heard this RULES. My Dad loves John McPhee books and this is his favorite by far.
I’ve read several of his books, and found them all interesting.
I would suggest that you start out with something he has written on a subject that already interests you. You’ll get an interesting new perspective on whatever you pick up.
I’d recommend McPhee’s Basin & Range. On geology, paleontology and plate tectonics, it’s a glorious exercise in memorable, colorful and striking metaphors.
The Curve of Binding Energy is quite good, and includes a prescient forecast of a terrorist attack against the World Trade Center (albeit with a nuclear weapon).
I think Oranges is a great place to start. Short and sweet (ha) and not too challenging.
Now, if you feel like a real slugfest, pick up (with two hands … lift with the legs, not with the back … ) Annals of the Former World. It includes the aforementioned Basin and Range, along with four other short books to form a grand tour of North American geography/geology. Some crazy stuff. It took me a year to get through it all.
Coming Into The Country: a very insightful look into the people and politics of Alaska. The five-star rating is well deserved.
I believe I’ve read all of his books, and (even though I’m not from Alaska) I’d probably give this one a slight edge over the others. The story about the Air Force guy who survived a winter wilderness bailout is memorable.
But it’s hard to go wrong with John McPhee.
I will third this particular choice. One of my dad’s favorites, and mine too. My dad thought he had lost his copy, and at that time he couldn’t find it in stores anywhere…and then he found it mixed in with my stuff. He couldn’t decide whether to be annoyed or happy. (He finally settled on happy. I had to buy my own copy.)