Richard Nelson (author)
Encyclopedia
Richard K. Nelson is a cultural anthropologist
and writer whose work has focused primarily on the indigenous cultures of Alaska
and, more generally, the relationships between people and nature.He is the host to a public radio series called Encounters aired nationally.
Nelson was born and raised in Wisconsin
, attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison
, and received his Ph.D. at the University of California, Santa Barbara
. He lived for extended periods in Athabaskan and Alaskan Eskimo
villages, experiences which inspired his earliest works, including Hunters of the Northern Ice, Hunters of the Northern Forests, Shadow of the Hunter, and The Athabaskans.
With his book Make Prayers to the Raven about the Koyukon
people of Alaska's boreal forest, Nelson moved from anthropological studies to a more literary style. The book was the basis for a five-part public television series, for which Nelson served as writer and associate producer.
Nelson's next book, The Island Within, won the John Burroughs Medal
for distinguished natural history writing. He has also received the Lannan Literary Award for creative nonfiction writing and, from 1999–2001, served as the Alaska State Writer Laureate (the state's equivalent of a poet laureate
).
Nelson's more recent works include Heart and Blood: Living with Deer in America and Patriotism and the American Land
, with Barry Lopez
and Terry Tempest Williams
. He is also an activist working to protect old-growth rainforest in Alaska's Tongass National Forest
and was a member of the Harriman Alaska Expedition
retraced. He currently hosts the syndicated radio show Encounters that is produced with KCAW
-FM
. He lives in Sitka
, Alaska
.
Cultural anthropology
Cultural anthropology is a branch of anthropology focused on the study of cultural variation among humans, collecting data about the impact of global economic and political processes on local cultural realities. Anthropologists use a variety of methods, including participant observation,...
and writer whose work has focused primarily on the indigenous cultures of Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
and, more generally, the relationships between people and nature.He is the host to a public radio series called Encounters aired nationally.
Nelson was born and raised in Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
, and received his Ph.D. at the University of California, Santa Barbara
University of California, Santa Barbara
The University of California, Santa Barbara, commonly known as UCSB or UC Santa Barbara, is a public research university and one of the 10 general campuses of the University of California system. The main campus is located on a site in Goleta, California, from Santa Barbara and northwest of Los...
. He lived for extended periods in Athabaskan and Alaskan Eskimo
Eskimo
Eskimos or Inuit–Yupik peoples are indigenous peoples who have traditionally inhabited the circumpolar region from eastern Siberia , across Alaska , Canada, and Greenland....
villages, experiences which inspired his earliest works, including Hunters of the Northern Ice, Hunters of the Northern Forests, Shadow of the Hunter, and The Athabaskans.
With his book Make Prayers to the Raven about the Koyukon
Koyukon
The Koyukon are a group of Athabaskan people living in northern Alaska. Their traditional home is along the Koyukuk and Yukon rivers where they subsisted by hunting and trapping for thousands of years...
people of Alaska's boreal forest, Nelson moved from anthropological studies to a more literary style. The book was the basis for a five-part public television series, for which Nelson served as writer and associate producer.
Nelson's next book, The Island Within, won the John Burroughs Medal
John Burroughs Medal
The John Burroughs Medal, named for nature writer John Burroughs , is awarded each year in April by the John Burroughs Association to the author of a book that the association has judged to be distinguished in the field of natural history....
for distinguished natural history writing. He has also received the Lannan Literary Award for creative nonfiction writing and, from 1999–2001, served as the Alaska State Writer Laureate (the state's equivalent of a poet laureate
Poet Laureate
A poet laureate is a poet officially appointed by a government and is often expected to compose poems for state occasions and other government events...
).
Nelson's more recent works include Heart and Blood: Living with Deer in America and Patriotism and the American Land
The New Patriotism Series
The New Patriotism Series is a project embarked upon by the Orion Society on the Thoughts on America Initiative to present the events of September 11 attacks and the emerging "new world order" through the eyes of several writers including Wendell Berry, Barry Lopez, Terry Tempest Williams, Richard...
, with Barry Lopez
Barry Lopez
Barry Holstun Lopez is an American author, essayist, and fiction writer whose work is known for its environmental and social concerns.-Biography:...
and Terry Tempest Williams
Terry Tempest Williams
Terry Tempest Williams , is an American author, conservationist and activist.Williams’ writing is rooted in the American West and has been significantly influenced by the arid landscape of her native Utah in which she was raised...
. He is also an activist working to protect old-growth rainforest in Alaska's Tongass National Forest
Tongass National Forest
The Tongass National Forest in southeastern Alaska is the largest national forest in the United States at 17 million acres . Most of its area is part of the temperate rain forest WWF ecoregion, itself part of the larger Pacific temperate rain forest WWF ecoregion, and is remote enough to be home...
and was a member of the Harriman Alaska Expedition
Harriman Alaska Expedition
In 1899, wealthy railroad magnate Edward Harriman arranged for a maritime expedition to Alaska. Harriman brought with him an elite community of scientists, artists, photographers, and naturalists to explore and document the Alaskan coast...
retraced. He currently hosts the syndicated radio show Encounters that is produced with KCAW
KCAW
KCAW is a non-commercial radio station in Sitka, Alaska, on 104.7 FM, which airs public radio programming. It first went on air in 1982.-Programming:KCAW is Sitka's only public radio station and offers a wide variety of programming...
-FM
Frequency modulation
In telecommunications and signal processing, frequency modulation conveys information over a carrier wave by varying its instantaneous frequency. This contrasts with amplitude modulation, in which the amplitude of the carrier is varied while its frequency remains constant...
. He lives in Sitka
Sitka City and Borough, Alaska
The City and Borough of Sitka, originally called New Archangel under Russian Rule, is a unified city-borough located on Baranof Island and the southern half of Chichagof Island in the Alexander Archipelago of the Pacific Ocean , in the U.S...
, Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
.