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terpgirl42's review against another edition
4.0
Should be 5 stars, but the fact that there is zero mention of the Arctic's biggest threat (climate change) kept distracting me the entire time I was reading. Even though it was written nearly 20 years ago, the issue was important enough even then to warrant a mention.
Otherwise, a beautifully written look at a place we know so little about.
Otherwise, a beautifully written look at a place we know so little about.
ampersunder's review against another edition
5.0
“No culture has yet solved the dilemma each has faced with the growth of a conscious mind: how to live a moral and compassionate existence when one is fully aware of the blood, the horror inherent in all life, when one finds darkness not only in one's own culture but within oneself. If there is a stage at which an individual life becomes truly adult, it must be when one grasps the irony in its unfolding and accepts responsibility for a life lived in the midst of such paradox. One must live in the middle of contradiction because if all contradiction were eliminated at once life would collapse. There are simply no answers to some of the great pressing questions. You continue to live them out, making your life a worthy expression of a leaning into the light.” (from the Epilogue)
booccmaster's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
4.5
chirpn's review against another edition
5.0
A beautiful, and moving book. Bursting full of compassion for people, for landscapes, for history, for living things.
bupdaddy's review against another edition
2.0
Well, everybody's reviews, and its 4.3 average rating make me pretty sure I'm missing something here. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood for this book right now, but it seemed to go in many random directions. I thought I was going to get some good Scrabble words out of it, anyway, but iglu and aglu aren't legal.
The book goes over the wildlife, then the history of the various Eskimo (sic) groups there, then touched on oil exploration a little, then the history of European conquest of the Arctic. I kept hoping for sweeping passages that would conjure up gigantic walls of ice that would make me feel cold and fearful, but that never happened.
The book goes over the wildlife, then the history of the various Eskimo (sic) groups there, then touched on oil exploration a little, then the history of European conquest of the Arctic. I kept hoping for sweeping passages that would conjure up gigantic walls of ice that would make me feel cold and fearful, but that never happened.
madda_lena's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
4.0
jcaulder73's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
Stunningly visual and poignant with philosophical reflections, this classic did not disappoint. Barry Lopez draws you into a landscape filled with history, tragedy, and an ecological perspective that lends knowledge and nuance to each essay. In addition, I always appreciate the author's sensitivity and deep respect for the indigenous cultures that he meets on his journeys as well, and how their connections to land and wildlife matter so so much. Reading Barry is often a soothing and cathartic experience in this Uber-capitalist existence we're all hurtling towards in disaster.
Barry Lopez passed away in 2020, before I first read "Horizon," and I wish I could write a letter to him still, to tell him how much I appreciate these beautiful descriptions of an Arctic I will never get to see or know. His thoughtful ruminations will stay me for the decades to come.
Everyone, read Barry Lopez.
Barry Lopez passed away in 2020, before I first read "Horizon," and I wish I could write a letter to him still, to tell him how much I appreciate these beautiful descriptions of an Arctic I will never get to see or know. His thoughtful ruminations will stay me for the decades to come.
Everyone, read Barry Lopez.
ryanjjames's review
5.0
This was a beautiful meditation on the arctic. The book was beautifully written and delivered on its ambitious quest to paint a holistic portrait of the arctic. Chapters on wildlife, the first people, the landscape, the ice and European efforts to locate the Northwest passage all were combined in vivid detail. It’s a long read, but endlessly fascinating.