Natural Stories

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A short history of a natural story
Natural stories must be anchored in storytelling. Even a novel that doesn’t seem to be about nature can be a natural story, when its language and themes…
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John Clayton
2
Charley versus nature
Heralded as an American classic, even a classic of nature writing, John Steinbeck’s Travels with Charley is a natural story in the sense of not really…
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John Clayton
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The swoops and swirls of natural stories
The abstract painter Jackson Pollock was a thoroughly urban artist. So what do we mean when we talk of his nature?
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John Clayton
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Pond scum can be so inviting
In which our hero labors to find meaningful tension in the life and work of Henry David Thoreau
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John Clayton
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John Muir’s big mistake
The moment when the legendary naturalist entertained doubt—and nearly scuttled the American public lands tradition
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John Clayton
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“I have a gun,” she lied
 • John Clayton
John Muir’s big mistake
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2
MSD: Nature is urban culture
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Hayduke Leverages!
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“I have a gun,” she lied
In Depression-era Appalachia, a tiny, feisty woman takes a stand for the vision of nature she believes in
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John Clayton
Hayduke Leverages!
A satire inspired by the very real Abbey Subdivision in Moab, Utah.
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John Clayton
MSD: Nature is urban culture
The story of a newspaper columnist who believed that a city's growth should arise first from its natural surroundings
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John Clayton
Natural Stories: The memoir version
In which our hero tells a story that involves the meaning of "nature writing"
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John Clayton
Natural Stories: A Manifesto
Welcome to the Natural Stories newsletter, where our slogan is: Nature is story; stories are our nature.
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John Clayton
4
Coming soon
This is Natural Stories, a weekly newsletter from author John Clayton. Stay tuned!
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John Clayton
Natural Stories
Natural Stories
Nature is story; stories are our nature
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Culture Study
Culture Study
Anne Helen Petersen
On the Commons
On the Commons
Antonia Malchik

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