Here is what Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt said about Stegner's biography of John Wesley Powell: When I first read Beyond the Hundredth Meridian, shortly after it was published in 1954, it was as though someone had thrown a rock through the window. Stegner showed us the limitations of aridity and the need for human institutions to respond in a cooperative way. He provided me in that moment with a way of thinking about the American West, the importance of finding true partnership between human beings and the land.
In his biography of John Wesley Powell, Bruce Babbitt reflects on the profound impact Wallace Stegner's "Beyond the Hundredth Meridian" had on him. When he read it in 1954, it was like a revelation that broke through conventional thinking. Stegner adeptly highlighted the challenges posed by the arid landscape of the American West and emphasized the necessity for collective human efforts to address these challenges. His work inspired a deeper appreciation for the relationship between people and their environment.
Babbitt credits Stegner with reshaping his perspective on the American West, urging a harmonious partnership between humanity and the natural world. Stegner’s insights have resonated widely, illustrating the importance of adapting societal frameworks to the unique ecological conditions of the West. In David Gessner's book, "All The Wild That Remains," the legacies of figures like Abbey and Stegner continue to inform contemporary discussions on environmental stewardship and land use in the region.
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Other quotes in All The Wild That Remains: Edward Abbey, Wallace Stegner, and the American West
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All the things you can talk about in anyone's work are the things that are least important.
Race of Cain, ascend to heaven, And cast God down upon the earth!
