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Early American Studies
John James Audubon: The Nature of the American Woodsman
John James Audubon's The Birds of America stands as an unparalleled achievement in American art, a huge book that puts nature dramatically on the page. With that work, Audubon became one of the most adulated artists of his time, and America's first celebrity scientist.
In this fresh approach to Audubon's art and science, Gregory Nobles shows us that Audubon's greatest creation was himself. A self-made man incessantly striving to secure his place in American society, Audubon made himself into a skilled painter, a successful entrepreneur, and a prolific writer, whose words went well beyond birds and scientific description. He sought status with the "gentlemen of science" on both sides of the Atlantic, but he also embraced the ornithology of ordinary people. In pursuit of popular acclaim in art and science, Audubon crafted an expressive, audacious, and decidedly masculine identity as the "American Woodsman," a larger-than-life symbol of the new nation, a role he perfected in his quest for transatlantic fame. Audubon didn't just live his life; he performed it.
In exploring that performance, Nobles pays special attention to Audubon's stories, some of which—the murky circumstances of his birth, a Kentucky hunting trip with Daniel Boone, an armed encounter with a runaway slave—Audubon embellished with evasions and outright lies. Nobles argues that we cannot take all of Audubon's stories literally, but we must take them seriously. By doing so, we come to terms with the central irony of Audubon's true the man who took so much time and trouble to depict birds so accurately left us a bold but deceptive picture of himself.
In this fresh approach to Audubon's art and science, Gregory Nobles shows us that Audubon's greatest creation was himself. A self-made man incessantly striving to secure his place in American society, Audubon made himself into a skilled painter, a successful entrepreneur, and a prolific writer, whose words went well beyond birds and scientific description. He sought status with the "gentlemen of science" on both sides of the Atlantic, but he also embraced the ornithology of ordinary people. In pursuit of popular acclaim in art and science, Audubon crafted an expressive, audacious, and decidedly masculine identity as the "American Woodsman," a larger-than-life symbol of the new nation, a role he perfected in his quest for transatlantic fame. Audubon didn't just live his life; he performed it.
In exploring that performance, Nobles pays special attention to Audubon's stories, some of which—the murky circumstances of his birth, a Kentucky hunting trip with Daniel Boone, an armed encounter with a runaway slave—Audubon embellished with evasions and outright lies. Nobles argues that we cannot take all of Audubon's stories literally, but we must take them seriously. By doing so, we come to terms with the central irony of Audubon's true the man who took so much time and trouble to depict birds so accurately left us a bold but deceptive picture of himself.
352 pages, Hardcover
Published March 3, 2017
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55 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
March 11, 2020
This is very,
VERY
good! I am actually surprised; I wasn’t expecting this!
When I started the book, although I have always loved Audubon’s pictures of American birds, I knew nothing about the man. Nothing! His artwork is stunning. The man and his life prove to be fascinating.
Gregory Nobles’s John James Audubon: The Nature of the American Woodsman keeps your attention from start to finish. Time and again I was surprised by what I learned. Did you know that Audubon, after completing Birds of America and Ornithological Biography, began compiling a book about quadrupeds? Now, consider the subtitle of Nobles' book –The Nature of the American Woodsman. Did you know Audubon was neither born in America nor had American heritage? He fabricated an image for himself, sold it to the public and it has stuck.
Audubon’s place of birth was not Louisiana. He was born on his father's sugarcane plantation--in Les Cayes, situated in the French colony of Saint-Domingue, in what is today Haiti. His mother was his father’s creole mistress. His father was French and had a wife back in France. At the age of three, in 1788, the to-be-artist-and-author and his half-sister Rose, were taken to live with their stepmother in the Loire Valley, near Nantes, France. The stepmother was not wicked; she was kind; she pampered them. In 1803, to avoid French conscription, Napoleon was in power, his father sent Audubon out of harm’s way to a family estate, Mill Grove Farm in Pennsylvania, USA. Here his father had a lead mine where he thought his son could get a foothold in business, but the farm was located under a transmigration route for birds! The son had neither a knack for nor an interest in business. It was the birds that drew him, or rather it was he that came to draw the birds! Studying the birds, that he saw and viewed every day, he set out to draw them in a realistic manner different from how they had been drawn before. The story of his life continues.
Basically, the book moves forward in chronological order, with a large middle section about Audubon’s two major opuses, his books Birds Of America and Ornithological Biography. Here, in this section, there is much written about fellow ornithologists and naturalists, both foes and avid supporters. The book concludes with details of the last years of Audubon’s life and then his death.
Let’s backtrack to the middle section. Here is discussed how Audubon went about drawing his pictures and the travels he made to gather specimens. The first book contains the pictures. The second book contains text and was meant to be read while gazing at the pictures in the first, which is without text. On reading Nobles’ book, the reader learns why. The second book is composed of detailed descriptions of the birds with the addition of stories related to people, places and events. These stories were intended to provide diversion, to make the reading experience enjoyable.
The stories of the second book are interesting and they are fun and always Audubon is drawing an image of himself. A persona is delivered that is not necessarily true but is what Audubon wants us to believe is true. The author points out where and when reality and the truth diverge from what Audubon says. He goes a step further. He has us consider why Audubon alters the truth. He asks what this tells us about the man’s psyche, his personality, his character. Although there are no definitive answers this way of looking at Audubon is intriguing.
Nobles’ book provides a wide variety of information, all of which is tied to the book’s central theme, Audubon and his books. Characteristics of particular bird species, bird songs and nesting habits, Audubon’s stance toward Native Americans and Afro-Americans, his work ethics, his unwillingness to acknowledge those working alongside him and the extent to which his family supported his endeavors are all thoroughly discussed.
There is an eye-opening episode when Audubon catches and subsequently kills a Gold-Eagle. This is followed by a stroke. How did he alter the picture of the eagle for his book? What did he write of this incident in a letter to one of his sons? What came to be written in Ornithological Biography? Audubon always killed the birds that he drew. In his studies of birds, he conducted cruel experiments, all of which he claimed were carried out in the “name of science”! To what extent did his words differ from his inner thoughts? Was he troubled by these deaths? The book provides both interesting information and food for thought.
The book is well organized. This makes it easy to assimilate and remember the information presented. The writing is to the point and clear. Both good and bad attributes of Audubon are spoken of. Helpful tidbits are added, making the information presented accessible. Information is simple and neat. Explanations are well-worded and clear.
T. Anthony Quinn narrates the audiobook, and he does it exactly how I want non-fiction audiobooks to be read! His narration gets a whopping five stars and my full endorsement. Every word spoken is clear. You are given adequate time to absorb, evaluate and think about the information presented. At the end of each sentence he pauses a second or two. You never feel stressed or rushed as you listen to this. The narration could not have been better.
I highly recommend this book.
****************
*Audubon's Birds Of America: The National Audubon Society Baby Elephant Folio
*Ornithological Biography, Or an Account of the Habits of the Birds of the United States of America: Accompanied by Descriptions of the Objects Represented ... with Delineations of American.. Volume 1 by John James Audubon
* John James Audubon: The Nature of the American Woodsman 4 stars by Gregory Nobles
* Alexander Wilson: The Scot Who Founded American Ornithology by Edward H. Burtt Jr.
*Creation by Katherine Govier
When I started the book, although I have always loved Audubon’s pictures of American birds, I knew nothing about the man. Nothing! His artwork is stunning. The man and his life prove to be fascinating.
Gregory Nobles’s John James Audubon: The Nature of the American Woodsman keeps your attention from start to finish. Time and again I was surprised by what I learned. Did you know that Audubon, after completing Birds of America and Ornithological Biography, began compiling a book about quadrupeds? Now, consider the subtitle of Nobles' book –The Nature of the American Woodsman. Did you know Audubon was neither born in America nor had American heritage? He fabricated an image for himself, sold it to the public and it has stuck.
Audubon’s place of birth was not Louisiana. He was born on his father's sugarcane plantation--in Les Cayes, situated in the French colony of Saint-Domingue, in what is today Haiti. His mother was his father’s creole mistress. His father was French and had a wife back in France. At the age of three, in 1788, the to-be-artist-and-author and his half-sister Rose, were taken to live with their stepmother in the Loire Valley, near Nantes, France. The stepmother was not wicked; she was kind; she pampered them. In 1803, to avoid French conscription, Napoleon was in power, his father sent Audubon out of harm’s way to a family estate, Mill Grove Farm in Pennsylvania, USA. Here his father had a lead mine where he thought his son could get a foothold in business, but the farm was located under a transmigration route for birds! The son had neither a knack for nor an interest in business. It was the birds that drew him, or rather it was he that came to draw the birds! Studying the birds, that he saw and viewed every day, he set out to draw them in a realistic manner different from how they had been drawn before. The story of his life continues.
Basically, the book moves forward in chronological order, with a large middle section about Audubon’s two major opuses, his books Birds Of America and Ornithological Biography. Here, in this section, there is much written about fellow ornithologists and naturalists, both foes and avid supporters. The book concludes with details of the last years of Audubon’s life and then his death.
Let’s backtrack to the middle section. Here is discussed how Audubon went about drawing his pictures and the travels he made to gather specimens. The first book contains the pictures. The second book contains text and was meant to be read while gazing at the pictures in the first, which is without text. On reading Nobles’ book, the reader learns why. The second book is composed of detailed descriptions of the birds with the addition of stories related to people, places and events. These stories were intended to provide diversion, to make the reading experience enjoyable.
The stories of the second book are interesting and they are fun and always Audubon is drawing an image of himself. A persona is delivered that is not necessarily true but is what Audubon wants us to believe is true. The author points out where and when reality and the truth diverge from what Audubon says. He goes a step further. He has us consider why Audubon alters the truth. He asks what this tells us about the man’s psyche, his personality, his character. Although there are no definitive answers this way of looking at Audubon is intriguing.
Nobles’ book provides a wide variety of information, all of which is tied to the book’s central theme, Audubon and his books. Characteristics of particular bird species, bird songs and nesting habits, Audubon’s stance toward Native Americans and Afro-Americans, his work ethics, his unwillingness to acknowledge those working alongside him and the extent to which his family supported his endeavors are all thoroughly discussed.
There is an eye-opening episode when Audubon catches and subsequently kills a Gold-Eagle. This is followed by a stroke. How did he alter the picture of the eagle for his book? What did he write of this incident in a letter to one of his sons? What came to be written in Ornithological Biography? Audubon always killed the birds that he drew. In his studies of birds, he conducted cruel experiments, all of which he claimed were carried out in the “name of science”! To what extent did his words differ from his inner thoughts? Was he troubled by these deaths? The book provides both interesting information and food for thought.
The book is well organized. This makes it easy to assimilate and remember the information presented. The writing is to the point and clear. Both good and bad attributes of Audubon are spoken of. Helpful tidbits are added, making the information presented accessible. Information is simple and neat. Explanations are well-worded and clear.
T. Anthony Quinn narrates the audiobook, and he does it exactly how I want non-fiction audiobooks to be read! His narration gets a whopping five stars and my full endorsement. Every word spoken is clear. You are given adequate time to absorb, evaluate and think about the information presented. At the end of each sentence he pauses a second or two. You never feel stressed or rushed as you listen to this. The narration could not have been better.
I highly recommend this book.
****************
*Audubon's Birds Of America: The National Audubon Society Baby Elephant Folio
*Ornithological Biography, Or an Account of the Habits of the Birds of the United States of America: Accompanied by Descriptions of the Objects Represented ... with Delineations of American.. Volume 1 by John James Audubon
* John James Audubon: The Nature of the American Woodsman 4 stars by Gregory Nobles
* Alexander Wilson: The Scot Who Founded American Ornithology by Edward H. Burtt Jr.
*Creation by Katherine Govier
January 10, 2020
Among many Audubon biographies, this one takes the most honest look at Audubon the man and his cultural context. An academic read, but a good one.
July 29, 2023
The embellishments of one’s life story, which should not be taken at face value, add an insightful understanding to a much larger picture in the written time period. Gregory Nobles’ John James Audubon: The Nature of the American Woodsman provides a rich interpretation of the work of John James Audubon as he sought to fulfill his ‘Great Work,’ Birds of America. Nobles examines the creation of the American Woodsman identity by inspecting how Audubon came to create this version of himself that would connect the arts and sciences. He prefaces by stating he understands the fabrications interspersed in Audubon’s autobiography but calls on this aspect to further focus on those fabrications as the reason Audubon was able to create his image the exact way he wanted. He utilized an impressive number of primary sources while pulling from other historians’ work on Audubon. Overall, he aimed to focus heavily on interpreting Audubon’s work, which makes for a well-rounded study of the creation of the American Woodsman persona.
Gregory Nobles structures his book chronologically in Audubon’s life, but unlike many other biographies written on Audubon, Nobles does not make Birds of America, Audubon’s ‘Great Work,’ the focus of his book. He instead focuses on how Audubon came to be known. He begins the monograph with the common speculation of Audubon’s origins, as no one knew for sure when or where he was born. Nobles argued it was likely to protect his American identity due to his contested origins in Haiti. Audubon’s only aspiration was to paint birds. His father attempted to send him back to America with a business venture underway, but his calling to the birds kept resurfacing, and he did not do well in all the business practices he attempted as he had “disdain for day to day business” work. Another ornithologist that is heavily mentioned in the work of both Noble and Audubon himself was nonother than Alexander Wilson. Audubon made it his life mission to surpass the knowledge of Wilson and his collection of birds in America.
With the prominence of Wilson in Philadelphia, Audubon crossed the Atlantic and turned to Great Britain to get his works published. It was this career move that finally led Americans to start subscribing to his work, and his persona as the American Woodsman took hold. There was pressure from the press for wealthy Americans and state legislatures to purchase the work. John James Audubon had his fair share of critics, but no one near as brutal as George Ord and Charles Waterton, big supporters of Alexander Wilson, who credited Wilson’s work with being sufficient and did not need any additions.
Audubon’s practice of shooting birds to draw them accurately eventually led to the idea of marksmen competitions and bird shooting with the idea that ‘dead birds made for male bonding.” Unfortunately, it was another ploy in classism, even in hunting. The hunts were excessive to the point that birds were slowly becoming endangered. Specialized sciences started to emerge, and the theory of popular and formal knowledge took hold. Sciences began to realize that popular knowledge could aid scientific studies in ways never thought of before and even Audubon took to asking locals about birds they have seen after an incident where he discredited a local and missed an opportunity to capture the image of a bird he had not discovered yet. With all these new formulations, the masculine male identity in America now took a firm hold in American society. John James Audubon continued writing until his death, and it was after his death that the press raved about him, and he would forever be known as the American Woodsman who “lived and wrote as one of the people.”
Gregory Nobles is conscious of the discrepancies in primary documentation and is upfront about the initial limitation. Although Nobles did not want to do a birth-to-death biography, it is necessary for the reader to follow along. However, it was not a typical biography; he did mention early life and death, but the in-between made the monograph exceptional. The structure of the book assisted the overall point. Nobles used a methodology of social and topical histories to create his monograph. By utilizing Audubon’s own workings and writings, the reader can see Audubon’s thought process and what led to each decision.
The monograph adds much insight into the lives of people in antebellum America. There are references to class, race, and status of the time that may not mean much to a general audience but to historians; it provides a firsthand account of what was happening in a typical household as Audubon was not a wealthy man despite coming from a decently well-off family. Although the thesis of the monograph is tricky, he aimed to show how Audubon’s greatest work was himself. A general audience would benefit from and enjoy John James Audubon: The Nature of the American Woodsman.
Gregory Nobles structures his book chronologically in Audubon’s life, but unlike many other biographies written on Audubon, Nobles does not make Birds of America, Audubon’s ‘Great Work,’ the focus of his book. He instead focuses on how Audubon came to be known. He begins the monograph with the common speculation of Audubon’s origins, as no one knew for sure when or where he was born. Nobles argued it was likely to protect his American identity due to his contested origins in Haiti. Audubon’s only aspiration was to paint birds. His father attempted to send him back to America with a business venture underway, but his calling to the birds kept resurfacing, and he did not do well in all the business practices he attempted as he had “disdain for day to day business” work. Another ornithologist that is heavily mentioned in the work of both Noble and Audubon himself was nonother than Alexander Wilson. Audubon made it his life mission to surpass the knowledge of Wilson and his collection of birds in America.
With the prominence of Wilson in Philadelphia, Audubon crossed the Atlantic and turned to Great Britain to get his works published. It was this career move that finally led Americans to start subscribing to his work, and his persona as the American Woodsman took hold. There was pressure from the press for wealthy Americans and state legislatures to purchase the work. John James Audubon had his fair share of critics, but no one near as brutal as George Ord and Charles Waterton, big supporters of Alexander Wilson, who credited Wilson’s work with being sufficient and did not need any additions.
Audubon’s practice of shooting birds to draw them accurately eventually led to the idea of marksmen competitions and bird shooting with the idea that ‘dead birds made for male bonding.” Unfortunately, it was another ploy in classism, even in hunting. The hunts were excessive to the point that birds were slowly becoming endangered. Specialized sciences started to emerge, and the theory of popular and formal knowledge took hold. Sciences began to realize that popular knowledge could aid scientific studies in ways never thought of before and even Audubon took to asking locals about birds they have seen after an incident where he discredited a local and missed an opportunity to capture the image of a bird he had not discovered yet. With all these new formulations, the masculine male identity in America now took a firm hold in American society. John James Audubon continued writing until his death, and it was after his death that the press raved about him, and he would forever be known as the American Woodsman who “lived and wrote as one of the people.”
Gregory Nobles is conscious of the discrepancies in primary documentation and is upfront about the initial limitation. Although Nobles did not want to do a birth-to-death biography, it is necessary for the reader to follow along. However, it was not a typical biography; he did mention early life and death, but the in-between made the monograph exceptional. The structure of the book assisted the overall point. Nobles used a methodology of social and topical histories to create his monograph. By utilizing Audubon’s own workings and writings, the reader can see Audubon’s thought process and what led to each decision.
The monograph adds much insight into the lives of people in antebellum America. There are references to class, race, and status of the time that may not mean much to a general audience but to historians; it provides a firsthand account of what was happening in a typical household as Audubon was not a wealthy man despite coming from a decently well-off family. Although the thesis of the monograph is tricky, he aimed to show how Audubon’s greatest work was himself. A general audience would benefit from and enjoy John James Audubon: The Nature of the American Woodsman.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 27, 2021
Greg Nobles brings to life a man we all only hear about. Early American celebrity artist gave us a new way to look at the splendid variety of the new world's species. Loved the personalities on display, biting back and forth with other birders and publishers. But this guy Knew His Birds!
Rough on African Americans, native Americans, and studded with racial ambiguity. Worth a deep read to be reminded American-ness was born out of a dislike for the weary old world.
Rough on African Americans, native Americans, and studded with racial ambiguity. Worth a deep read to be reminded American-ness was born out of a dislike for the weary old world.
December 12, 2018
A book the guy that drew birds got his book called Birds of America . This guy had a very busy life looking for the birds sometimes he shot them and then mounted them so he could draw them he also learned about fun to read I am a bird watcher but I have great. binoculars so what he did was great
April 17, 2023
I have a lesser opinion of Audubon after this. He was a flamboyant liar, but his theatrics popularized naturalism and birding in the US. Although maybe less talented than Ord, Wilson, etc, his impact is still second to none.
May 28, 2022
absorbing.
June 12, 2023
Informative, but I didn't really like how the book was structured overall with how it told the story.
August 10, 2023
Disappointed
September 12, 2018
The Legend. The Simple Man. The Complicated Man.
I didn't know a lot about the man himself, just about THE BOOK -- The Birds of America. My mom was a bird lover and had the book on the coffee table when we were growing up. What a dramatic testament to nature and to art, he was. And still loved today. There's a reason we all know his name. He left us with many gifts.
This a very well-written story of the man behind THE BOOK. Who was this guy? He was also a painter, a businessman and one heckuva writer. The "American Woodsman" will live on forever. We may never know all there is to know about the man, but we will always have the gifts he gave us.
Great story, great narration, loved it! :)
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
I didn't know a lot about the man himself, just about THE BOOK -- The Birds of America. My mom was a bird lover and had the book on the coffee table when we were growing up. What a dramatic testament to nature and to art, he was. And still loved today. There's a reason we all know his name. He left us with many gifts.
This a very well-written story of the man behind THE BOOK. Who was this guy? He was also a painter, a businessman and one heckuva writer. The "American Woodsman" will live on forever. We may never know all there is to know about the man, but we will always have the gifts he gave us.
Great story, great narration, loved it! :)
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
September 13, 2018
Audible:I found this to be entertaining and very informative.I did not realize that Mr. Audubon was born in the 1700's.It was interesting to learn what people thought of bird song and migration patterns in those early years. T. Anthony Quinn was a fine narrator.I was given this book by the narrator,author or publisher free for an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews