Classical poetry, calligraphy, the best source of temple incense - all figure in the text, which has something of the feel of a valediction. Elegant and thoughtful, with much to read between the lines in commentary on a long life's work. Students and admirers of Snyder will be enchanted and intrigued." - Kirkus Reviews Throughout his remarkable career, Gary Snyder has continued his study of Eastern culture and philosophies. From the Ainu to the Mongols, from Hokkaido to Kyoto, from the landscapes of China to the backcountry of contemporary Japan, from the temples of Daitokoji to the Yellow River Valley, it is clear how this work has influenced his poetry, his stance as an environmental and political activist, and his long practice of Zen. The Great Clod collects eight essays, which turn from being memoirs of travel to prolonged considerations of art, culture, natural history and religion. Filled with Snyder's remarkable insights and briskly beautiful descriptions, this collection adds enormously to the major corpus of his work, certain to delight and instruct his readers now and forever." | The Great Clod by Gary Snyder, Paperback | Indigo Chapters