The Pine Barrens

I've read almost all of John McPhee's books and this is one of my two favorites. An arguably timeless dive into a geographical area I knew nothing about - it's inhabitants, geology, topography and fascinating history. A lovely two afternoons of enjoyable reading!

Perhaps one of the greatest writers in English alive today John McPhee's stories about the Pine Barrens is an beautiful display of the writing ability and storytelling on this great writer. I only read about ten of his books but this one is special. I had never heard of the New Jersey Pine Barrens now I know more than I could expect from this book writers decades ago. I feel at peace reading this story abut life in the Pine Barrens. I learned about this geographic location and its people over two hundred years. I learned how to tell a story with grace and respect. Thank you John McPhee

Normally, a book about a large body of land would bore me. However, John McPhee weaves in fascinating stories about the "Pineys", who live there, and very interesting pieces of history. It's like you're there with him. My only peeve is that I wish that he'd covered more about the Quakers in the Pine Barrens area, like in Burlington County, NJ. And, wish that when he wrote about John Wharton, a large philanthropic landowner, included that Wharton was a Quaker. The little McPhee mentioned about Quakers was brief, and not that positive. So, I don't understand why Quakers weren't covered a bit more, and more positively. Sadly, many people I meet, confuse Quakers with the Amish. Lots of misconceptions. Quakers/Friends were in many cases, very liberal/open-minded, outspoken and forward thinking people. And, were industrious, successful, business people. Including around the Pine Barrens areas of NJ. And beyond. Quakers also founded many exceptional colleges (Penn, Cornell, Swarthmore, Bryn Mawr, Johns Hopkins, Haverford, etc.), and the "Friends" schools, including Sidwell Friends in DC.

The best book I've read about the NJ Pine Barrens. It's more than "text" or "guide." This book goes beyond that facts and tells the story of the Pine Barrens and the Piney way of life.

I’ve read several books by McPhee and each one has made me feel like I took a college course about lands of all types: Mississippi River, dams and levees of New Orleans, the volcanoes of Iceland, the Grand Canyon and much more. If you always thought your Geography class was boring, this writer might change your mind. The books I’ve read were like reading novels: not too complicated but not dumbed down; I kept turning the pages because I wanted to see what came next. He wrote this (and the others I’ve read) from the first person point of view, because he accompanied other people—geologists, conservationists, riverboat captains—on their journeys and recorded his experiences with the land and with the people he accompanied or met up with. I highly recommend this book plus any others this author has written.

I found myself recommending John McPhee's gem of a book about the Pine Barrens this week to a number of people, and thought I would spread the word. Growing up in southern New Jersey, I often spent time camping, hiking, and canoeing in the Pine Barrens, not to mention driving through them to the shore. It wasn't until I had moved away that I read this book, and developed a much deeper appreciation for its mysteries. McPhee is an exceptional writer - his prose is spare and clean and beautiful - a trait I have found is a trademark of those who contribute to The New Yorker. If you are at all curious about this under-appreciated patch of land hidden in plain sight, this is the book to read.

John McPhee is an excellent writer. Here, he writes in depth and detail about the New Jersey Pine Barrens in the 1960s.

McPhee is a national treasure. He captures the very soul of one of the most unique and beautiful places I've ever been to. People think of the turnpike, the parkway, newark and camden when they think of Jersey. They've never been to the pine barrens or read this book. A lifelong visitor of the pines, I am haunted by this book.