Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
In The Nature-Study Idea, Liberty Hyde Bailey articulated the essence of a social movement, led by ordinary public-school teachers, that lifted education out of the classroom and placed it into firsthand contact with the natural world. The aim was both simple and revolutionary: sympathy with nature to increase the joy of living and foster stewardship of the earth.
This definitive edition edited by John Linstrom reintroduces The Nature-Study Idea as an environmental classic for the twenty-first century. It establishes the authoritative text and provides historical context through a wealth of related writings and introductory essays relating Bailey's vision to current work in education and the intersection of climate change and culture. In this period of planetary turmoil, Bailey's ambition to cultivate a sense of wonder (in adults as well as children) and lead readers back into the natural world is more important than ever.