The Naturalists

Written by Diane Ackerman, Gerald Lordhal, Sharon Matola and 3 more

Narrated by Diane Ackerman

This collection of nine performance pieces reflects the inspirational words of Margaret Mead, who said, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful individuals can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." Together, these performances memorialize the diversity, beauty, and fragility of our planet.

Poet Terry Tempest Williams talks about the peregrine falcon; Larry Cox talks about the rainforests; poet Diane Ackerman reads from her work The Whale in Moonlight; scientist Dr. David Suzuki lectures on a sense of place; muralist Wyland talks about whales and art; urban environmentalist Gerald Lordhal talks about community gardens in New York City; author Peter Matthiessen reads from his book Sand Rivers; biologist Sharon Matola talks about the Belize Zoo, and nine-year-old Annie Olson talks about her two little friends.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Phoenix Books, Inc.
• Release date: Feb 28, 1997
• ISBN: 9781614675365

Diane Ackerman

Poet, essayist, and naturalist, Diane Ackerman is the author of many highly acclaimed works of nonfiction, including A Natural History of the Senses -- a book beloved by readers all over the worldand the volumes Deep Play, A Slender Thread, The Rarest of the Rare, A Natural History of Love, The Moon by Whale Light, and a memoir on flying, On Extended Wings. Her poetry has been collected into six volumes, among them Jaguar of Sweet Laughter: New and Selected Poems and, most recently, Praise My Destroyer. Ms. Ackerman has received many prizes and awards, including the John Burroughs Nature Award and the Lavan Poetry Prize. A Visiting Professor at the Society for the Humanities at Cornell University, she was the National Endowment for the Humanities Distinguished Professor at the University of Richmond. Ms. Ackerman also has the unusual distinction of having had a molecule named after her -- dianeackerone. She lives in upstate New York.