The Old Marlborough Road: A Journey Into Wonder

Wolgemuth, a naturalist, here meanders through nature, his own history and the planet's future. He grew up in Pennsylvania and currently works at a state park there; the 10 chapters loosely follow a year of Wolgemuth's experiences in the park, a series of seasonal encounters with flora and fauna: he tells of hunting for a salamander; of his love of walking in the rain; of the complex and dramatic world of bugs; of being lost in the woods. There is much philosophizing about nature and humans' relationship with it: ``I run a finger along the millipede's polished segments. It is difficult to explain, but unmistakably true, that my fate is somehow bound up with his; that in taking note of a millipede's death I approach, however obliquely, the mystery of my own life.'' Wolgemuth's lyrical musings in his first book are often so true that they seem banal, and the work as a whole lacks focus. Nonetheless, the author's sensitive self-expression and honest anecdotal style remain appealing throughout. (Aug.)