The incomparable writer, Barry Lopez, passed away on Christmas Day. His friend and fellow author, Robert MacFarlane, wrote this beautiful tribute on his Instagram site (@robgmacfarlane):
“His work — graceful, meticulous, ethical, compassionate, from Arctic Dreams to Common Ground to Horizon & far beyond — shaped & will go on to shape countless landscapes, hearts and lives …”
Barry Lopez wrote:
“The stories people tell have a way of taking care of them. If stories come to you, care for them & learn to give them away where they’re needed. Sometimes a person needs a story more than food to stay alive. That’s why we put these stories in each other’s memories.”
What better words to celebrate libraries, their grand stock of stories, and the community who read and share them. Crossing Open Ground is a collection of essays featuring endangered wildlife and native cultures in the American Southwest and Alaska. A fable for all ages, Crow and Weasel is gorgeously illustrated by Tom Pohrt. Mr. Lopez edited (with Debra Gwartney) and introduced Home Ground: Language for an American Landscape. His most recent work, Horizon, is both hopeful and furious.
Learn more about Barry Lopez’s diverse legacy through his books and his website. And here is a Lopez Library List to get you started.