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Tugman's Passage
A collection of personal essays includes biographical studies, unusual travelogues, journalistic pieces, elegiac mood essays about the wilderness, and other examples of discursive writing
- GenresNonfiction
208 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1982
15 people want to read
About the author
Edward Hoagland
79 books54 followersEdward Hoagland (born December 21, 1932, in New York, New York) is an author best known for his nature and travel writing. His non-fiction has been widely praised by writers such as John Updike, who called him "the best essayist of my generation."
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 5, 2021
Tugboats are the power workhorses of harbors, facilitating the delicate balance and flow of maritime commerce by deftly choreographing the comings and goings of ship and barges. Whether gently coaxing a stately cruise liner into its berth or valiantly chugging across the harbor, pungent garbage scow in tow, no job is too large or too lowly for the mighty tugboat and the indefatigable tugmen who operate them.
Just as the tug is the maritime world's versatile marshaler of the harbor, Edward Hoagland is the protean master of the essay. He latches on to the essence of his subject with power or gentle persuasion, pushing and pulling like a tug docking a ship. Called, "the best essayist of my generation," by John Updike, Hoagland takes on all manner of subjects in this brilliant collection.
"The Tugman's Passage" is a collection of fourteen essays, written in the late '70s and early '80s. Despite the passage of time, Hoagland's writing and views are poignant and resist being a prisoner of those times. He is sometimes bold, with in-your-face, nothing-to-hide expository and sometimes subtle with beautiful metaphor and flowing narrative.
My favorites essays are, "The Tugman's Passage" and "The Ridge-Slope Fox and the Knife Thrower". The former is a view of how life on the waters of New York City's swirling harbor both resists and accepts its stereotyping. The latter is the strongest and most personally revealing essay of the collection comparing city life to country life.
The last entry, "A Year As It Turns" are selections from over fifty seasonal editorials Hoagland wrote for the New York Times starting in 1979. If you want to learn how to write nature essays, here's where you start. Hoagland's prose and description are unparalleled when it come to nature writing. Every word, every sentence comes alive to please all your senses. Read this for the content, the beauty and the lessons on how to use metaphor like a camera and a sharp-edged kaleidoscope. If you're into essay collections, you have to get into Edward Hoagland. You won't regret it.
Just as the tug is the maritime world's versatile marshaler of the harbor, Edward Hoagland is the protean master of the essay. He latches on to the essence of his subject with power or gentle persuasion, pushing and pulling like a tug docking a ship. Called, "the best essayist of my generation," by John Updike, Hoagland takes on all manner of subjects in this brilliant collection.
"The Tugman's Passage" is a collection of fourteen essays, written in the late '70s and early '80s. Despite the passage of time, Hoagland's writing and views are poignant and resist being a prisoner of those times. He is sometimes bold, with in-your-face, nothing-to-hide expository and sometimes subtle with beautiful metaphor and flowing narrative.
My favorites essays are, "The Tugman's Passage" and "The Ridge-Slope Fox and the Knife Thrower". The former is a view of how life on the waters of New York City's swirling harbor both resists and accepts its stereotyping. The latter is the strongest and most personally revealing essay of the collection comparing city life to country life.
The last entry, "A Year As It Turns" are selections from over fifty seasonal editorials Hoagland wrote for the New York Times starting in 1979. If you want to learn how to write nature essays, here's where you start. Hoagland's prose and description are unparalleled when it come to nature writing. Every word, every sentence comes alive to please all your senses. Read this for the content, the beauty and the lessons on how to use metaphor like a camera and a sharp-edged kaleidoscope. If you're into essay collections, you have to get into Edward Hoagland. You won't regret it.
June 2, 2017
I picked up this book of essays for the title one, Tugman's Passage. Loved that essay.
At this point, many of these essays, written in the 70s, seem dated. Others, more solidly related to nature seem less so. However, it was interesting to read his essays on Cairo and Africa to see his comments from that point in time, and to see how things have evolved since then.
A solid find from my favorite local used book store, and a great introduction to an interesting essayist.
At this point, many of these essays, written in the 70s, seem dated. Others, more solidly related to nature seem less so. However, it was interesting to read his essays on Cairo and Africa to see his comments from that point in time, and to see how things have evolved since then.
A solid find from my favorite local used book store, and a great introduction to an interesting essayist.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews