Bold Spirit: Helga Estby’s Forgotten Walk across Victorian America by Linda Lawrence Hunt (review)

B o o k R e v ie w s 2 0 7 fa sc in a t in g le n s t h r o u g h w h ic h t o in t e r p r e t t h e liv e s a n d w o r k s o f im p o r t a n t e n v ir o n m e n t a l w r it e r s. L ik e m a n y sc h o la r s, in c lu d in g h ist o r ia n St e p h e n F o x , Sc h a u ffle r d isc e r n s a r e lig io u s im p u lse in A m e r ic a n e n v ir o n m e n t a lism , so m e t h in g d e e p ly p e r so n a l a n d sp ir it u a l y e t in d e p e n d e n t o f c h u r c h e s, e st a b lish e d c r e e d s, t h e o lo gy , o r t h e su p e r n a t u r a l. Sh e v ie w s e n v ir o n m e n t a l p r o b le m s ar isin g fr o m o u r v a lu e s a n d b e lie fs, t h e “in n e r e c o lo g y ” t h a t a ffe c t s o u r a c t io n s a n d t h u s o u r e n g a g e m e n t w it h t h e “o u t e r e c o lo gy ” o f t h e p la c e s w e in h a b it . T o a c h ie v e a su st a in a b le fu t u r e , w e m u st b r in g t h e t w o in t o h ar m o n y . Fo r e x a m p le s o f h o w t h a t c a n b e d o n e , sh e lo o k s fo r p a t t e r n s in t h e life w r it in g o f six n o t a b le au t h o r s: E d w ar d A b b e y , R a c h e l C a r so n , N . Sc o t t M o m ad a y , Sc o t t R u sse ll Sa n d e r s, A lic e W alk er , a n d T e r r y T e m p e st W illia m s. O n t h e ir w r it in g, sh e fin d s so m e t h in g d iffe r e n t fr o m e it h e r t h e P a u lin e o r t h e A u g u st in ia n m o d e ls: c o n v e r sio n as a n o n g o in g , c y c lic a l p r o ­ c e ss. “T h e t u r n t o E a r t h is r ar e ly a st r a ig h t t r a je c t o r y fr o m o ld life t o n e w...