Keep Calm & Read On: One from the Heart
By Wayne Limberg
On its publication in 1996, Scott Weidensaul's "Mountains of the Heart: A Natural History of the Appalachians" received rave reviews for its melding of poetry and science with some even comparing it to the works of Muir and Thoreau. Thirty years is a long time, even in natural history. Fortunately, Weidensaul put out a new edition of the book on its 20th anniversary. Non-spoiler alert: "Mountains of the Heart" does not deal with the Appalachian Trail except in passing. Anyone who loves the AT, however, would be wise to have this book in their library. The good news is that it is readily available online or on Apple Books for a song.
Writing a successful natural history of any region is a challenge. The author must have a deep understanding of a broad range of disciplines, including geology, biology, botany and history. While it should be multidisciplinary and comprehensive, it should be accessible to both the general reader and specialist.
Weidensaul meets the challenge and then some largely because of what he brings to the job. A native Pennsylvanian, the Appalachians captured his imagination as a child, and even as an adult he gets "twitchy" when he spends too much time away from them. At twelve, he started watching the annual migration of hawks, which in turn opened his eyes to the true sweep of the Appalachians. For years he was the nature columnist for the "Philadelphia Inquirer," and he has also written for "Smithsonian," the "NYTimes," "Nature Conservancy," and "Audubon." In all, he has authored 30 books, most on birds, including "Living on the Wind: Across the Hemisphere with Migratory Birds," which was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2000.
Weidensaul defines the Appalachians as one of the greatest geographic features of North America, stretching over 2,000 miles from Alabama to Newfoundland and containing a biological diversity unequaled elsewhere on the continent. Weidensaul divides the region into five main geographic parts: the Piedmont on the eastern flank, the Blue Ridge running from the Smokies to South Mountain in Pennsylvania, the series of ridges and valleys extending from New York to Alabama, the Appalachian Plateau in the west, and the northern Appalachians running from the Hudson Valley to Belle Isle about 15 miles north of Newfoundland. What is generally known as "Appalachia" occupies only a quarter of the range in West Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee. Nor are New York's much younger Adirondacks part of the Appalachians.
The first chapter of "Mountains of the Heart" deals with the geological history of the Appalachians and sets the tone for the book. Weidensaul confesses that he is not a geologist and worries that those who are may find plenty to criticize, but he wanted to establish a rock-solid foundation for the rest of the book (pun intended). Though one of the shorter chapters in the book, some may find it slow going as Weidensaul rehearses the basics of continental drift and the differences between sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rock. It can be hard to relate to rocks, but readers who press on will be rewarded. To ease the way, Weidensaul turns to personal stories and observations that create a narrative that will not turn off the professional geologist or those who took "rocks-for-jocks" to fulfill their college's science requirement.
This talent to personalize and humanize the hard science is at the core of "Mountains of the Heart." Each chapter is a stand-alone essay that reflects a firm grasp of the science and, perhaps more importantly, love for the Appalachians equal to Muir's for the Sierras and Thoreau's for Walden Pond. Sadly, many are stories of loss involving human interaction with the natural environment. Some, like the extinction of the passenger pigeon, are irreversible. In other casest—the disappearance of elk, gray wolves and chestnuts—Weidensaul holds out hope, however thin, for a better future.
Much of this may be familiar to even the casual reader but given that the first edition of "Mountains of the Heart" appeared in 1996, Weidensaul must be credited for a certain prescience. He does not directly address climate change and while he notes the importance of human impact and agency, he refrains from outright policy prescriptions, preferring to let the facts and science speak for themselves. And "Mountains of the Heart" is a book of science as evidenced by its detailed glossary of common and scientific names, detailed footnotes, and substantial bibliography. In that they have been shaping the Appalachians for centuries, Weidensaul sees humans as part of the story along with bees, birds, bisons and bears, albeit at times a very damaging part.
Weidensaul saw the second edition of "Mountains of the Heart" as more of an homage than update of the first. His paramount goal was to keep the sense of joy and wonder of the earlier edition. It was written as Al Gore warned of global warming. The second appeared on the eve of what would become a challenging decade for the world environment. As 2026 draws to a close, one has to wonder if it is time for Weidensaul to pen another edition.
Do you have a good read? If so, send it along to wplimberg@aol.com. In the meantime, keep reading. See you on the trail.