Aldo Leopold: A Fierce Green Fire

by Marybeth Lorbiecki

Aldo Leopold, author of the classic A Sand County Almanac, founder of the field of wildlife management, and originator of the national wilderness system, is revealed in this short, illustrated biography by Marybeth Lorbiecki.

Leopold dedicated his life to answering the "How do we live on the land without spoiling it?" And his work and writings inspire millions of people in their continued pursuit of the answers.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Environment, History, Historical, Nature, Ecology

212 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

Reviews

[Gilda Felt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leopold is someone I’ve greatly admired, having read so much about his work in conservation. When I ran across this biography, I knew I needed to read it. It’s a short, concise telling of his life, his work, and his enduring love of the natural world. I very much enjoyed getting to know the man, and to watch his evolution from someone who believed that the land was basically there for our use, to someone who knew that we had to be only one piece in its tapestry in order to maintain the land’s diversity and health. And that all the pieces were there for a reason.

The lesson didn’t come easy, though.


“We reached the old wolf in time to watch a fierce green fire dying in her eyes. I realized then and have known ever since that there was something new to me in those eyes, something known only to her and to the mountain. I was young then and full of trigger-itch; I thought that because fewer wolves meant more deer, that no wolves would mean hunters’ paradise. But after seeing the green fire die, I sensed that neither the wolf nor the mountain agreed with such a view.”

At the time, he didn’t know what those words truly meant. But, once he did, he changed the world. The tragedy is that he didn’t change it enough.

[suz · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite book is Sand County Almanac by Leopold. He's one of my super heroes. There's much to be learned from this book including the origin of the reference in the title to the 'fierce green light.'

It's been difficult to get Americans to develop even a shred of environmental sensitivity or understanding. Figures like Leopold were among the pioneers who saw the complex web of living things on earth and worked to develop a meaningful way of living among them.

(aside... I learned that he once built a home for his family on 14th street in Albuquerque. I live between 14th and 15th in ABQ and have yet to discover where the house stands or stood.)

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I typically do not read biographies but Aldo Leopold is a hero not only because he is originally from Wisconsin but also because of his strides in writing the Sand County Almanac and environmentalism.

Favorite quote: Leopold firmly believe for years that if people depended on restrictive laws of the government to do their conserving for them game conservation would fail. Each person had to act with 'a respect for lving things.'

[Marla · Rating 4 out of 5]

My interest in this book was due primarily to the fact that Aldo Leopold was born, raised and buried in my home town, Burlington, Iowa.
Growing up in Burlington, I knew of Lehigh-Leopold manufacturing, a furniture company but other than that, I never heard much about the Leopold family. The only knowledge I had of Aldo's existence was the result of my biking explorations through town and the discovery of a stately home over-looking the Mississippi, with a sign in the front side yard claiming to be the boyhood home of Aldo Leopold.

I attended school in Burlington for 11 years and not once was there even an introduction of Aldo Leopold and his accomplishments in any of my classrooms. Yet, as an adult, I moved to
Arizona and was treated as a semi-celebrity by a tree-hugging friend when he found out I was from Burlington, Iowa - the home of Aldo Leopold. I knew then I needed to take it upon myself to learn more about the man and his life.

I am happy to say there has been a resurgence of pride in Aldo's hometown. The community recently built a new school and allowed the citizens and any interested parties to vote on a name. The school is now called Aldo Leopold Middle School. I'm pretty sure they now teach the students something about this individual.
I think this book was a great introduction
to Aldo's early life, his experience, education, motivations and accomplishments. I was obviously very interested in his family background and early childhood because much of it was relatable to my own. However, there was much about his life in
Arizona I was not at all aware of and found very interesting, since I have lived here for over 25 years and seen some of the lands he would have explored.

There were parts of the reading that were dry and slow moving but overall, I think the book is a great introduction to Aldo Leopold and his accomplishments.

My favorite parts of the book were his family life in Burlington and in discovering, in his later life, he carried a cane that he used for a variety of things but primarily as a 'threat to house cats, wherever, whenever." Leopold disliked roaming pet cats because they prey on wild birds unnecessarily. Who knew Aldo and I are kindred spirits? Now, if I could only convince my neighbors to read this book.

[Caroline Herfindahl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have long been an admirer of Leopold’s A Sand County Almanac and when we visited ‘the Shack’ this spring I became more interested in him as a man and more interested in his career and how he came to this sand farm near Baraboo. This biography was a great place to start. It is an excellent and honest overview of Leopolds life and work and how experience shaped him and his ideas about conservation and land use and his call for a ‘land ethic’. What a legacy he left is not just here in Wisconsin but across the country - but what a toad he traveled to bring it to himself, his family, his country and even the world.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was introduced to Aldo Leopold relatively late in my life. I fell in love with his Sand County Almanac and Thinking Like a Mountain. This is a lovely biography written in 1996 when when his daughters, Nina and Stella, were still alive. He was devoted to his family (all his children were Ph.d's) and to preserving the land for future generations.

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was so interesting to read about such an important man in the world of conservation and for Wisconsin. Lots of facts in an easy-to-read style.

[Susan]

This is a biography of a prominent conservationist, who came after John Muir. As biographies go, it was a bit dry, but i suspect will fill in some gaps of my education about the subject.

[Mom/sue]

We need more biographies of Aldo Leopold. Will let you know what I think when I've read more.

[Jessica McCann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting biography of the man who inspired generations of conservationists. Fabulous research for my historical novel-in-progress about the Dust Bowl.

[Rob Corbett · Rating 3 out of 5]

A wonderful account of a man's life. For those interested in what made Leopold who he was, this will shed some light.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was great reading about Aldo's upbringing, but the writing was a bit drab. I'm glad it was a quick read!

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent biography of the legendary conservationist, Aldo Leopold.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting read about one of the leaders of the modern environmental movement.

[Frank Troth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A detailed and revealing biography of Aldo Leopold. Having read only A Sand County Almanac a long time ago, I was curious to learn more. What a wonderful surprise! Next to Gifford Pinchot no one else did more in the early days of what was to become the US Forest Service to forge its policies, etc. although more from the wildlife and academic perspective.

[Bryce Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great, short biography of Leopold. Gave a good all around view of his life; his work, his family, his philsophy and what inspired it. It gave a very compelling account of Leopold's character through the words of those around him. Although I knew how and when he would die, and the tragedy of it, it still struck me deep seeing it in Loribecki's words.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are just so many things I didn't know about Aldo Leopold. I really enjoyed this biography!

[Emje McCarty · Rating 4 out of 5]

at first i was all "blah blah blah entitled white guy cares about nature..."
but by the end i was all teary eyed & inspired.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

An easy read. The pictures and details in this book helped complete the images I had while reading A Sand County Almanac.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick,but worthwhile read