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W. S. Merwin
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The Ends of the Earth: Essays Paperback – June 29, 2005

by W. S. Merwin (Author)
4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 11 ratings
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W. S. Merwin is widely acknowledged as one of the finest living poets in English. Less well known is the power and range of his work in prose. For his first new prose collection in more than ten years, The Ends of the Earth, Merwin has gathered eight essays that show the breadth of his imagination and sympathy. A memoir of George Kirstein, publisher of "The Nation," stands alongside one of Sydney Parkinson, explorer, naturalist and artist on Captain James Cook’s Endeavour. A wonderful portrait of the French explorer of Hawai’i, Jean-Francois Galaup de La Perouse is followed by a visit to the Neanderthal skeleton of Boffia Bonneval. There are treks through the Hawaiian forests, to the Holy Mountain of Athos, and with the butterflies in Mexico. For this magical and wondrous journey we have as our guide the excited and concise poet-naturalist, writing at the top of his form.
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    288 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Counterpoint
  4. Publication date
    June 29, 2005
  5. Dimensions
    5.75 x 0.75 x 8.75 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    159376068X
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1593760687
  8. See all details
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Counterpoint; First American Edition (June 29, 2005)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 159376068X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1593760687
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 14 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.75 x 0.75 x 8.75 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 11 ratings

About the author

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W. S. Merwin

W. S. Merwin

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W.S. Merwin was the 17th Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry of the United States. He authored over fifty books of poetry, prose, and translations. He earned every major literary prize, most recently the National Book Award for 'Migration: New and Selected Poems' and the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry for 'The Shadow of Sirius.' He lived in Hawaii where he raised endangered palm trees.

Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
4 out of 5
11 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Newton Malerman
5.0 out of 5 stars A very gratifying book.
Reviewed in the United States on April 10, 2007
Verified Purchase
The book consists of a series of essays by the poet W.S. Merwyn.

Some of the journeys herein are rambles, and you're not quite sure where Mr. Merwyn is headed. The last paragraph of each, however, ties it all together, and sends your mind a-reeling.

A most worthwhile read by a master!
6 people found this helpful
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nanRVfour
4.0 out of 5 stars looks like a nother great book
Reviewed in the United States on January 30, 2016
Verified Purchase
looks like a
nother great book , expertly packaged that made my day
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Karen Douglass
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2017
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Excellent book in perfect shape.
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JS
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
Reviewed in the United States on December 11, 2016
W.S. Merwin is an award-winning writer and poet who has traveled far and wide on his earthly life, and on his journey, he has researched, explored, and written about a wide variety of subjects that have enriched my life and the lives of many people who know him and his work. THE ENDS OF THE EARTH is, in a sense, a documentation of not only Merwin's life in Hawaii, the U.S., Mexico, and Europe (as well as the Atlantic Ocean)-----it's also a well-thought account of human psychology and the natural sciences. The main question that subtly interweaves throughout these essays are: "What have humans done and where are we heading?" It is an important question, and even though Merwin writes about historical accounts of sailors, explorers, and monks, among others, I think he is also asking us to consider how the past influences our present and future generations. These are observations of a man with a deep reverence for the earth and the natural world. While Merwin provides detailed descriptions of beautiful landscapes, he has also exposed the significant amount of damage that has been done by the human species. As a result, by exposing these wounds of the earth, I think he is also subtly inspiring us to make a difference, to live a life that is more simple, more kind, more intelligent. Some essays in THE ENDS OF THE EARTH are quite long, so my recommendation is to take your time and read at a steady pace in order to fully absorb the material. I can see this book in the hands of college students, environmentalists, historians, psychologists, and frankly anyone who enjoys detailed essays that provide depth and insight into the human condition, human history, and the earth itself. I highly recommend this book.
6 people found this helpful
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Fruite & Passion Fan
5.0 out of 5 stars The tale of the hermitages of Athos is amazing. It is a pilgrimage for the reader
Reviewed in the United States on June 19, 2015
I have read and ordered this book a dozen times. It is a classic of gentle journeys and explorations of the meaning of
one's own life and its affect on the life of others. Merwin's discoveries are historical treasures. One for example, is the
story of two Catholic brothers (real priests and real brothers) in France. The explored caves as boys and now again go
with a friend to explore the same caves. There they make a bold discovery that jeopardizes their faith. They realize that
to make the discovery available to anthropology would diminish the new creationism of their church, and put them in a
very precarious place.

The tale of the hermitages of Athos is amazing. It is a pilgrimage for the reader. Others bring to light foundational naturalist's
work by devoted scientists on tall ships who gathered, identified plants, and painted them, only to die on the journey and have
a greedy sponsor of the expedition take credit for the body of work. Open you eyes, Merwin is a saint who writes with perfection.

One reviewer said (not for everybody); but in my sense, this book is a gift for everyone. Thank you, William.
2 people found this helpful
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R. M. Peterson
4.0 out of 5 stars From the ends of the earth to the end of the earth
Reviewed in the United States on July 12, 2010
W.S. Merwin is better known as a poet, but I for one appreciate his prose writing, both its content and its craftsmanship. THE ENDS OF THE EARTH is a collection of eight essays, three somewhat lengthy (47 to 84 pages) and five shorter ones (9 to 26 pages).

The first in the collection, a warm and literate portrait of Merwin's close friend George Kirstein (for 13 years the owner and publisher of "The Nation"), stands by itself. The remaining seven essays are related in a subtle way. They deal with the monasteries of Mt. Athos, the desecration of the Hawaiian Islands, the winter sanctuaries in Mexico for migrating monarch butterflies, the circumnavigation voyages of Capt. James Cook (1768 to 1771) and Jean-Francois Galaup de La Pérouse (1786 to 1789(?)), and the remains of a Neanderthal discovered in 1908 near La Chapelle-aux-Saints in the Dordogne.

The settings or locales for these seven essays are exotic and far-flung, and in that sense they are "FROM the ends of the earth". But running through them is a strong and silent undercurrent, a theme of evanescence, extending from individual men, to cultures and systems of knowing and ways of life, to entire species. There even is, unvoiced, an apprehension that homo sapiens might precipitate "the end of the earth", at least as we know it as home.

Per usual for Merwin, the writing is excellent. These essays are not exciting and they certainly are not for everyone. But if you enjoy learned and literate essays on esoteric matters, meditative in nature, there is a good chance that you will enjoy THE ENDS OF THE EARTH.
10 people found this helpful
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