Tenacious of life : the quadruped essays of John James Audubon and John Bachman

Daniel Patterson and Eric Russell present a groundbreaking case for considering John James Audubon’s and John Bachman’s quadruped essays as worthy of literary analysis and redefine the role of Bachman, the perpetually overlooked coauthor of the essays. After completing The Birds of America (1826–38), Audubon began developing his work on the mammals. The Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America volumes show an antebellum view of nature as fundamentally dynamic and simultaneously grotesque and awe-inspiring. The quadruped essays are rich with good stories about these mammals and the humans who observe, pursue, and admire them. For help with the science and the essays, Audubon enlisted the Reverend John Bachman of Charleston, South Carolina. While he has been acknowledged as coauthor of the essays, Bachman has received little attention as an American nature writer. While almost all works that describe the history of American nature writing include Audubon, Bachman shows up only in a subordinate clause or two. Tenacious of Life strives to restore Bachman’s status as an important American nature writer. Patterson and Russell analyze the coauthorial dance between the voices of Audubon, an experienced naturalist telling adventurous hunting stories tinged often by sentiment, romanticism, and bombast, and of Bachman, the courteous gentleman naturalist, scientific detective, moralist, sometimes cruel experimenter, and humorist. Drawing on all the primary and secondary evidence, Patterson and Russell tell the story of the coauthors’ fascinating, conflicted relationship. This collection offers windows onto the early United States and much forgotten lore, often in the form of travel writing, natural history, and unique anecdotes, all told in the compelling voices of Antebellum America’s two leading naturalists.

Daniel Patterson and Eric Russell present a groundbreaking casefor considering John James Audubon's and John Bachman's quadrupedessays as worthy of literary analysis and redefine the role ofBachman, the perpetually overlooked coauthor of the essays. Aftercompleting The Birds of America (1826-38), Audubon begandeveloping his work on the mammals. The Viviparous Quadrupedsof North America volumes show an antebellum view of nature asfundamentally dynamic and simultaneously grotesque andawe-inspiring. The quadruped essays are rich with good storiesabout these mammals and the humans who observe, pursue, and admirethem. For help with the science and the essays, Audubon enlistedthe Reverend John Bachman of Charleston, South Carolina. While hehas been acknowledged as coauthor of the essays, Bachman hasreceived little attention as an American nature writer. Whilealmost all works that describe the history of American naturewriting include Audubon, Bachman shows up only in a subordinateclause or two. Tenacious of Life strives to restoreBachman's status as an important American nature writer. Pattersonand Russell analyze the coauthorial dance between the voices ofAudubon, an experienced naturalist telling adventurous huntingstories tinged often by sentiment, romanticism, and bombast, and ofBachman, the courteous gentleman naturalist, scientific detective,moralist, sometimes cruel experimenter, and humorist. Drawing onall the primary and secondary evidence, Patterson and Russell tellthe story of the coauthors' fascinating, conflicted relationship.This collection offers windows onto the early United States andmuch forgotten lore, often in the form of travel writing, naturalhistory, and unique anecdotes, all told in the compelling voices ofAntebellum America's two leading naturalists.

Cover 1 Title Page 4 Copyright Page 5 Contents 8 List of Illustrations 10 Preface 12 Acknowledgments 16 Introduction 18 Editorial Principles 70 The Quadruped Essays 74 Common American Wild Cat 76 American Cross Fox 90 Carolina Gray Squirrel 100 Chipping Squirrel 110 Common American Shrew Mole 122 Gray Rabbit 132 Leopard Spermophile 142 Pennant’s Marten or Fisher 148 Canada Otter 156 Brown or Norway Rat 166 American Bison 174 White Weasel 198 Raccoon 210 Virginian Opossum 220 White American Wolf 240 Rocky Mountain Sheep 248 Prong-horned Antelope 258 Mule Deer 272 Annulated Marmot Squirrel 280 LeConte’s Pine Mouse 284 Common American Deer 288 Red Texan Wolf 312 American Red Fox 318 Common Mouse 328 Cougar 334 Ring-tailed Bassaris 344 Missouri Mouse 350 Columbian Black-tailed Deer 356 American Black or Silver Fox 362 Dusky Squirrel 366 Cinnamon Bear 370 Rocky Mountain Goat 376 Grizzly Bear 382 Richardson’s Meadow-Mouse 396 Pine Marten 400 American Black Bear 404 Textual Notes 416 Works of Natural History Cited in the Essays 420 Index 424 "Daniel Patterson and Eric Russell present a groundbreaking case for considering John James Audubon's quadruped essays as worthy of literary analysis, as well as redefining the role of John Bachman, the perpetually overlooked coauthor of the essays"-- Provided by publisher Daniel Patterson and Eric Russell present a groundbreaking case for considering John James Audubon's quadruped essays as worthy of literary analysis and at once redefine the role of John Bachman, the perpetually overlooked coauthor of the essays.