Robert Michael Pyle is the author of fourteen books, including Sky Time in Gray's River, Chasing Monarchs, Where Bigfoot Walks, and Wintergreen, which won the John Burroughs Medal. A Yale-trained ecologist and a Guggenheim fellow, he is a full-time writer living in southwestern Washington.
Praise for Magdalena Mountain
“This novel is a fast–paced light–hearted frolic, equal parts
nature study, biological inquiry, mystery of identities, and
eco–feminist manifesto . . . Humor and wit bubble up throughout,
aided by the vast range of Bob’s knowledge of literature and
biology.” —Chinook Observer
“Pyle seduces his readers into pondering the world around them . .
. Generous, joyful, a tad eccentric and a ton exuberant.” —Coast
Weekend
“For those of us devoted to his nonfiction, Pyle’s imaginative
treatment of the nonhuman world—he includes a butterfly and a
mountain among his cast of characters—is both a surprise and
perhaps a natural result of his artistic development. Like Nabokov,
Pyle has consistently straddled the worlds of science and the
imagination.” —Mary Ellen Hannibal, Nautilus
“A sprawling meditation on nature, spirituality and identity
wrapped in a gripping, fast–moving narrative with a rich command of
literary language that might raise a smile on the face of his idol,
legendary novelist (and fellow lepidopterist) Vladimir Nabokov.”
—Coast Weekend
“An elegant, eccentric novel of love, loneliness, and lepidoptera .
. . Worthy company for work by other naturalist/novelists: Nabokov,
Matthiessen, Kingsolver.” —Kirkus Reviews
“The first novel from prolific nature writer Pyle is bathed in
exquisite and venerating descriptions of nature, wildlife, and
pristine environments . . . His contemplative novel will be a treat
for readers who delight in the tranquility of nature.” —Publishers
Weekly
“[A] lyrically wrought tale of discovery, exploration, and renewal
. . . In this debut novel, acclaimed nature writer Pyle (Mariposa
Road, 2010) brings a lush sense of the majesty, mystique, and magic
to be found in all of nature’s forms.” —Booklist
“Only Robert Michael Pyle could’ve written this daring novel. He’s
walked in the boots of his colorful characters, whether strolling
across the Yale campus or chasing rare butterflies in the wilds. He
masterfully describes the seasonal nuances of a singular mountain.
His love and exquisitely detailed understanding of the natural
world fills these pages.” —Jim Lynch, author of Before the Wind
“Fans of Robert Michael Pyle’s nonfiction will not be surprised to
find his first novel abounding in details of the natural
world—lovingly described plant and animal and insect life across
the changing of the seasons on a remote Colorado mountain. What
they may not expect is the bold imagination he brings to these
pages—an amnesiac who might be the reincarnation of Mary Magdalene,
a pantheist colony of monks in cahoots with feminist antinuclear
activists, a Yale graduate student on the trail of a mysterious
hitchhiking lepidopterist! Magdalena Mountain is thoroughly
original, and thoroughly Robert Michael Pyle. Enjoy!” —Molly Gloss,
author of The Hearts of Horses
“Magdalena Mountain is a remarkable melding of all the talents and
passions of Bob Pyle. It will tingle your spine, even as it tickles
your funny bone. “ —Kathleen Dean Moore, author of Piano Tide
“Robert Pyle is one of the best nature writers in the world,
period.” —Brian Doyle, author of Mink River
“Pyle delivers a beautiful novel made stunning through his precise
observations of the natural world. Fans of Claire–Louise Bennett
will sink into the descriptive and captivating prose. Whether he’s
describing a Greyhound bus or the winter schedules of owls, Pyle
will keep you entranced with his perfect imagery. Absolutely
enchanting!” —Laura Graveline, Brazos Bookstore (Houston, TX)
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