Teaching a Stone to Talk: Expeditions and Encounters [B0865]

2013 PB reissue of the 1983 original, in nice clean condition, 175-pages. Here, in this compelling assembly of writings, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Annie Dillard explores the world of natural facts and human meanings.

Veering away from the long, meditative studies of Pilgrim at Tinker Creek or Holy the Firm, Annie Dillard explores and celebrates moments of spirituality, dipping into descriptions of encounters with flora and fauna, stars, and more, from Ecuador to Miami. There is no writer quite like Dillard when it comes to the mysteries and wonder of the natural world. "A collection of meditations like polished stones - painstakingly worded, tough-minded, yet partial to mystery, and peerless when it comes to injecting larger resonances into the natural world." - Kirkus Reviews.

From recent Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "So beautiful... I think Dillard might be one of the only authors that could convince me to think about God. Loved every piece in the collection but the standouts to me are An Expedition to the Pole, On a Hill Far Away, A Field of Silence, Mirages and Sojourner. This book was also funny! I kept encountering humor where I didn't initially expect it. Smiled and snorted at various points"; "I never thought id be super into nature essays but I was proved wrong!! Each one was so beautifully written and I really enjoyed reading the perspective of a woman, as a lot of nature essays I read for class are from WHITE MEN. 10/10 would recommend, I felt immersed in her nature experience!!"; "Opened up my definition of non-fiction in the most magical, mystical, meaningful way. Worth a read, and then a closer read, and then a re-read. Annie Dillard sits up there on my shelf of literary role models"; "Compelling and beautiful prose, superb observation. Witty and thoughtful. A balm for current times."; "Reading Dillard is like watching a figure skater. You don't really understand or appreciate what you've just experienced until you try to walk across an icy sidewalk."