First published 1999
In this sweeping personal narrative, Annie Dillard surveys the panorama of our world, past and present. From the deserts of China to the wards of an obstetrics unit, Dillard weaves together a tapestry of natural wonders, human stories, and eternal questions. How can an individual matter in the vast scope of existence? What is the nature of God, and our place in the universe? With keen observation and surprising juxtapositions, Dillard grapples with the defects and beauties, the miracles and tragedies, that define the human experience.
Genres: 20th-century, non-fiction, biography-memoir, academic
Vibes: emotional-atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: personal-narrative, philosophical-exploration
Period: 20th Century
224 pages · Hardcover · Knopf