In his 1884 masterpiece 'The Life of the Fields,' Richard Jefferies extols the poetic prowess of nature, emphasizing that by paying attention to the beauty of nature, we can dissolve the boundaries between ourselves and the world. Such an immersive experience in nature is perceived as momentous and transformative. "These are the only hours that are not wasted - these hours that absorb the soul and fill it with beauty. This is real life, and all else is illusion, or mere endurance," Jefferies declares. Maria Popova unravels the brilliant philosophy of self-educated British nature writer Richard Jefferies, drawing a link to his influence on exceptional nonfiction writers like Rachel Carson, Oliver Sacks, and Janna Levin.
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