The Pine Barrens

by John McPhee Narrated by Grover Gardner

Overview

Most people think of New Jersey as a suburban-industrial corridor that runs between New York and Philadelphia. Yet in the low center of the state is a near wilderness, larger than most national parks, which has been known since the seventeenth century as the Pine Barrens.



The term refers to the predominant trees in the vast forests that cover the area and to the quality of the soils below, which are too sandy and acid to be good for farming. On all sides, however, developments of one kind or another have gradually moved in, so that now the central and integral forest is reduced to about a thousand square miles. Although New Jersey has the heaviest population density of any state, huge segments of the Pine Barrens remain uninhabited. The few people who dwell in the region, the "Pineys," are little known and often misunderstood. Here McPhee uses his uncanny skills as a journalist to explore the history of the region and describe the people-and their distinctive folklore-who call it home.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

An outstanding reading experience.” —Natural History

“Using his fine eye, great ear and good heart" (Newsday), McPhee "tells how this geographic anomaly has come to be, describes its people and their distinctive folklore, and captures something of the dreamlike quality of this incredibly quiet land in the midst of the noisy clutter of mechanical civilization.” —Kansas City Star

“It will be a long time before another book appears to equal the literary quality and human compassion of this one.” —The New York Times Book Review

AudioFile

This look back at a simpler, more rural time both entertains and informs…One of the best feature writers ever, McPhee uncovers the importance of its pine trees and loamy soil. Gardner pairs an inquisitive tone with McPhee’s uncanny abilities as a reporter to survey this territory and its inhabitants.”

JANUARY 2024 - AudioFile

Grover Gardner imbues this exploration of a charming section of rural New Jersey, first published in 1968, with a knowledgeable and authoritative tone. The celebrated and groundbreaking NEW YORKER reporter John McPhee runs into several colorful characters, now long gone, during his visit. This look back at a simpler, more rural time both entertains and informs. Gardner's even and rhythmic delivery explains how seventeenth-century residents first used the name Pine Barrens for the vast area in the state's center. One of the best feature writers ever, McPhee uncovers the importance of its pine trees and loamy soil. Gardner pairs an inquisitive tone with McPhee's uncanny abilities as a reporter to survey this territory and its inhabitants. R.O. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID:	2940159438881
Publisher:	Tantor Audio
Publication date:	11/14/2023
Edition description:	Unabridged
Sales rank:	1,013,283

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