THE NATURE OF GENEROSITY.

by William Kittredge

The Nature of Generosity is at once a natural sequel to the acclaimed memoir Hole in the Sky and an entirely unique masterwork from one of the finest writers of the American West. Taking as his topic the "ordinary yearning to take physical and emotional care," William Kittredge embarks upon a literary and philosophical grand tour that explores the very core of who we are. Whether he's recalling a childhood in Oregon, touring Europe, or studying photographs of Japanese gardens in a bookstore in New York City, Kittredge's connections are as unexpected as they are inspiring. Shattering the myth that survival of the fittest means "survival of the violent, or the cruelest, or the selfish," Kittredge imagines a world in which altruism dominates--and offers ample evidence that this is not an unreachable utopian ideal.

Genres: Memoir, Philosophy, Nonfiction

Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

William Kittredge was born in 1932 in Portland, Oregon.

Reviews

[Lucas Miller · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this was going to be a personal/philosophical reflection on the need for generosity. The intro made me hopeful. Lots of discussion of genetics and the survival instinct, short term and long term feed back looks, and the idea that survival of the fittest might be more altruistic than people tend to think. That's when things veered off my preferred path.

The majority of the book is a memoir/travelogue. The vignettes of the intro really take over the rest of the book. It felt like tow books and I only wanted to be reading one.

I skimmed/skipped quite a bit of this book. Big chunks in the middle chronicling the authors travels in Europe.

Did I waste a day of research reading about 2/3 of this? Yes. Were the first twenty five pages pretty interesting and helpful? Also yes.

[Josephine Ensign · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting, although I could have done without the continuous globe-trotting travelogue segues throughout the book. Those parts detracted from the book in my reading of it. Gems though like this one: "Places come to exist in our imaginations because of stories and so do we. When we reach for a 'sense of place,' we posit an intimate relationship to a set of stories connected to a particular location... Having a 'sense of self' means possessing a set of stories about who we are and where and with whom and why." p. 8

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

The description of this book led me to believe that it was a history of mans inclination towards generosity as a survival skill, as opposed to selfishness. Instead, it seemed to be a memoir of the authors early life as a rancher and later as a world traveler. There were insights woven throughout the book as to the nature of man, but it did not seem to follow a specific theme. Overall, this seems more appropriate as a memoir and random musings about the nature of life.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent. I enjoyed Kittredge's wide-ranging exploration of his life and of human life and society. He makes a compelling case for generosity and being generous.

Recommended.

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kittredge grew up on a remote ranch, and ran that same ranch as an adult before giving up that life to become a writer. This book delves into the history of civilization, agriculture especially, as viewed through an elderly man (Kittredge)who knows what it means to be a farmer. THat is just the starting point, however, and the book ranges far afield and explores the big questions about what it means to be a human, and how can we be the best we can be, both as individuals and as a collective society.

[Joseph Gendron · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book I found hard to get into. The thesis remained relatively obscure throughout. At the end of the book, the importance of gardening is emphasized because it fosters nurturing. Mr. Kittredge is a deep thinker and I may, based on a friend's recommendation, consider reading something else by him someday.

[Tattered Cover Book Store]

This book was recomended by author Dan Flores as part of the Rocky Mountain Land Library's "A Reading List For the President Elect: A Western Primer for the Next Administration."

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now I have to read the prequel! If you are in awe of nature and mankind's awareness as a co-creating force then I think you will like this book.