The Ends of the Earth: Essays

Merwin's writing style is truly unique and rather odd. At certain moments, it has the ability to bore me to tears and drive me completely nuts. The convoluted sentences and the seemingly endless descriptions can sometimes make my eyes glaze over. However, there are other times when his writing really fascinates and captures me. It's as if he casts a spell and draws me into his world.

I have a particular soft spot for his descriptions of people and the ways they speak. He has an uncanny ability to bring characters to life with just a few carefully chosen words. Whether it's the way someone stutters nervously or the smooth, confident tone of another, Merwin makes me feel as if I'm right there in the room with them.

Often, Merwin elaborates on landscapes, histories, and plants, painting vivid pictures in my mind. But it's when he zeroes in on an intimate moment with another person that his writing really shines. These moments are powerful and emotional, and they have the ability to touch my heart and make me feel something deep within.

W.S. Merwin is not only renowned for his poetry and translations but also a highly talented essayist with a unique style.

His collection of diverse essays begins slowly, almost in a meandering manner. However, as one delves deeper, they find themselves deeply engaged, completely enveloped in the setting and mood of each piece. This is partly due to Merwin's exquisite descriptions of physical settings and the people he encounters.

Merwin's sentences are rich with colors, sounds, and textures. He avoids generalizations and allows the specific details to speak for themselves. For example, in 'Reflections of a Mountain', he describes a scene on his walking trip in Greece. The path is crossed by stone-covered runnels with hidden water whispering and splashing like mice. A monk is gardening, completely absorbed in his work, and wild flowers bloom nearby.

Merwin's deeper themes emerge organically from the details, especially in the longer essays like 'Reflections' and 'Name in the Sand'. Some of his shorter works are more pointed, addressing issues such as the threats to the monarch butterflies' winter habitat and the destruction of Hawai'i's native ecosystems and cultures.

The opening essay, 'In the Wake of the Blackfish', is a slow-starting but ultimately moving sketch of a friend and publisher. The final essay, 'the Stone Boat', manages to depict various aspects of southern France, a local nurseryman, a historical discovery, and the lifestyles of Neanderthals all in just twelve pages, and it all coheres beautifully. It is truly a wonder.

Overall, Merwin's essays are a delight to read, offering both beautiful descriptions and profound insights.

Fantastic!

This is a very interesting topic. The way it is written is just beautiful.

The author has managed to capture the essence of the subject matter in a truly engaging manner.

The language used is vivid and descriptive, making it easy for the reader to imagine the scenarios being presented.

Each sentence flows smoothly into the next, creating a seamless reading experience.

The topics covered are diverse and thought-provoking, leaving the reader with much to ponder.

Overall, this is a great piece of writing that is sure to appeal to a wide range of audiences.

It is a pleasure to read and I look forward to seeing more from this talented author in the future.

I purchased this quite a while ago at Brookline Booksmith. There were several reasons for my choice. Firstly, I was attracted by the cover. It had a certain charm that caught my eye. Secondly, the first sentence was really good. It managed to draw me in and make me curious about what was to come. Thirdly, it appeared to be a book of essays centered around nature and travel, two topics that I have an inherent love for.

However, upon reading it, my experience was somewhat similar to my recent encounter with Annie Dillard. Although I was fully aware that the writing was of a very high caliber and that the author had won numerous highly prestigious awards, yet all the essays seemed extremely drawn out. In fact, they were kind of boring. Overall, I just had this feeling that reading was supposed to be more enjoyable than this. As a result, I have taken periodic breaks from it to read other materials. But out of sheer stubbornness, I do still hope to finish it eventually.

Reading the essays here in random order, one discovers a diverse range of topics. The ends of the earth are many, and a few are vividly described within these pages.

"The Tree on One Tree Hill" offers fascinating insights into the cultural imperialism inherent in the Linnaean system of species categorization. Merwin reveals that this was a means of seizing the world, stashing it away for future enjoyment. Naming, he contends, is "an act of appropriation, an annexation." This thought-provoking concept requires further contemplation.

"Snail Song" delves into the dismal environmental legacy left by Britain and America in Hawaii. Alarmingly few indigenous species have survived. The unique snail species of the area teeters on the brink of extinction, and many birds, trees, especially the remarkable sandalwood forest, are lost forever. One can only imagine the beauty of the islands before the West irrevocably altered them.

"Name in the Sand" tells the story of Jean François de la Pérouse and his ill-fated exploratory circumnavigation of the globe in 1785. The mission, funded by Louis XVI who was later guillotined in 1789, had its share of twists and turns. La Pérouse managed to send some of the expedition's findings back to Paris before his ships were lost. There is much we know about the "achievements" of the expedition, as well as the crew's harrowing experiences towards the end. The narrative is filled with elements such as cannibalistic natives, the crew's passionate liaisons with willing native women, and intrigues at the French court. Then, La Pérouse's two ships, the Astrolabe and the Boussole, vanish. It takes more than two years for officials in Paris to declare the expedition lost. Merwin then unfolds the elaborate tale of what occurred. The way he weaves together multiple historical threads, including the American and French Revolutions, imperialist expansion, and British penal transportation to Australia, is truly captivating. Merwin's narrative skills are a joy to behold.

This year, there are no travel plans to those exotic and enchanting locales lined up.

In such a situation, what could be a better choice of reading material than a series of travel essays penned by a poet?

Ted Hughes, a renowned literary figure, has given this collection of travel essays a resounding two thumbs up.

His endorsement speaks volumes about the quality and allure of these essays.

One can only imagine the vivid descriptions, the deep insights, and the unique perspectives that the poet offers through these travel accounts.

It's as if the reader can embark on a virtual journey through the words on the page, experiencing the beauty and wonder of far-off places without leaving the comfort of home.

So, without a doubt, this series of travel essays is a must-read for anyone longing for adventure and inspiration.

Need I say more?