foggy_rosamund 's review for:

Long Life: Essays and Other Writings by Mary Oliver

4.0

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A selection of Oliver's essays, interspersed with poems. Because of the title, I thought this book might focus on age and ageing, but Oliver barely touched on that, though she's always interested in interrogating what it means to live well and to be part of the world. She writes in praise of nature, and wants to give back to the world she loves by expressing praise and love. She is interested in staying in one particular place (in her case, Providence) and learning the intricacies of its ecology, from the insects living in the sand, to the sand-dabs thrown on the shore, to the smallest flowers and birds, to the humpback whales. Her ability to observe is fascinating and powerful. This book doesn't deal very directly with climate change or loss of environment: mentions are made of destruction in Oliver's immediate environs, but she while she believes that people can live in harmony with nature, she doesn't address what this might mean for modern humans, which is a flaw. However, I return to Oliver's work all the time to find solace in her understanding of nature, and to admire the precision of her writing and the keenness of her eye -- this is another selection of her work that gives a lot to its reader.