The Humboldt Current: Nineteenth-Century Exploration and the Roots of American EnvironmentalismA masterly and beautifully written account of the impact of Alexander von Humboldt on nineteenth-century American history and culture The naturalist and explorer Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859) achieved unparalleled fame in his own time. Today, however, he and his enormous legacy to American thought are virtually unknown. In The Humboldt Current, Aaron Sachs traces Humboldt's pervasive influence on American history through examining the work of four explorers—J. N. Reynolds, Clarence King, George Wallace, and John Muir—who embraced Humboldt's idea of a "chain of connection" uniting all peoples and all environments. A skillful blend of narrative and interpretation that also discusses Humboldt's influence on Emerson, Whitman, Thoreau, Melville, and Poe, The Humboldt Current offers a colorful, passionate, and superbly written reinterpretation of nineteenth-century American history. |
Contents
In the Lena Delta Arctic Tragedy and American Imperialism | 273 |
The Cruise of the Corwin Nature Natives Nation | 305 |
The Grounding of American Environmentalism | 338 |
Acknowledgments | 359 |
Chronology | 369 |
Other editions - View all
The Humboldt Current: Nineteenth-Century Exploration and the Roots of ... Aaron Sachs Limited preview - 2007 |
The Humboldt Current: Nineteenth-Century Exploration and the Roots of ... Aaron Sachs No preview available - 2007 |
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