Additional information
by Aaron Sachs (Author)
A masterly and beautifully written account of the impact of Alexander von Humboldt on nineteenth-century American history and culture
The naturalist and explorer Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859) achieved unparalleled fame in his own time. Today, however, he and his enormous legacy to American thought are virtually unknown. In The Humboldt Current, Aaron Sachs traces Humboldt's pervasive influence on American history through examining the work of four explorers--J. N. Reynolds, Clarence King, George Wallace, and John Muir--who embraced Humboldt's idea of a "chain of connection" uniting all peoples and all environments. A skillful blend of narrative and interpretation that also discusses Humboldt's influence on Emerson, Whitman, Thoreau, Melville, and Poe, The Humboldt Current offers a colorful, passionate, and superbly written reinterpretation of nineteenth-century American history.Author Biography
Aaron Sachs is a professor of history and American studies at Cornell University and an award-winning environmental journalist. This is his first book.
Number of Pages: 512
Dimensions: 1.11 x 8.36 x 5.56 IN
Publication Date: August 01, 2007
