Rating: 
Summary: A beautiful, rapturous book
Review: I'm a big fan of McPhee (I think the "Curve of Binding Energy" is his best work) and this is one of his absolute best. I lived in New Jersey for most of my life but was unaware of what the Pine Barrens had been. McPhee's description of the natural wonders of the place is compelling and I was utterly fascinated by his stories of the pre-colonial settlers there. After reading the book, I've taken the long drive down Route 202 to visit and it is an other-worldly place to this day. Just as he described it years earlier, I found myself swimming in crystal clear, deep burgundy spring water, turned red by the rich iron deposits in the soil.Do yourself and favor and read this book.
Rating:
Summary: John McPhee remains the master of the long essay
Review: I've read many McPhee books, and found that this early effort is just another example of his mastery of the form. He can make just about anything fascinating, because he himself projects an endless curiosity, love of diverse humanity, and a writing talent that is matched by very few (e.g. Trillin). This is an examination, twenty-five years ago, of the wilderness area in the south of New Jersey, of all places, its history, geography, and its people. Who cares? You will, after you've read this book.
Rating:
Summary: before you judge New Jersey...
Review: In the Introduction to the Second John McPhee Reader, David Remnick (now McPhee's editor at The New Yorker) notes that many people find McPhee's subjects too obscure & are put off by his decision to remain "distant from politics, preferring to make something of very little." I don't doubt that this is true, but I feel sorry for people who miss out on reading his terrific work because they feel that way. Over nearly 40 years of writing non-fiction essays for The New Yorker, McPhee has crafted a body of great literature by immersing himself in a variety of American subcultures and explicating them for the general public. In Pine Barrens, by discussing everything from growing cranberries to the natural history of fires to the legend of the Jersey Devil and introducing us to a cast of fascinating characters along the way, McPhee accomplishes what only the best writers can, he brings alive an entire world that might otherwise have remained unknown to us. Those of you who think that New Jersey consists of only highways and chemical plants, should find the book especially interesting. GRADE: A
Rating:
Summary: before you judge New Jersey...
Review: In the Introduction to the Second John McPhee Reader, David Remnick (now McPhee's editor at The New Yorker) notes that many people find McPhee's subjects too obscure & are put off by his decision to remain "distant from politics, preferring to make something of very little." I don't doubt that this is true, but I feel sorry for people who miss out on reading his terrific work because they feel that way. Over nearly 40 years of writing non-fiction essays for The New Yorker, McPhee has crafted a body of great literature by immersing himself in a variety of American subcultures and explicating them for the general public. In Pine Barrens, by discussing everything from growing cranberries to the natural history of fires to the legend of the Jersey Devil and introducing us to a cast of fascinating characters along the way, McPhee accomplishes what only the best writers can, he brings alive an entire world that might otherwise have remained unknown to us. Those of you who think that New Jersey consists of only highways and chemical plants, should find the book especially interesting. GRADE: A
Rating: 
Summary: outdated, but very informative
Review: John McPhee's book about the still-wild region of New Jersey called the Pine Barrens is a must-read for anyone interested in ecology or regional culture. When it was written in 1967, a great disservice had been done to the people of the Pines (called "Pineys") through the release of studies claiming they were all slow, stupid, and inbred; McPhee did much to dispell these harmful myths. He also discusses the unique flora and fauna of the area, and the possibility of development, which fortunately never occured. I also recommend _Cranberry Queen_ by Kathleen DeMarco for a fictional taste of the Pine Barrens region.
Rating:
Summary: outdated, but very informative
Review: John McPhee's book about the still-wild region of New Jersey called the Pine Barrens is a must-read for anyone interested in ecology or regional culture. When it was written in 1967, a great disservice had been done to the people of the Pines (called "Pineys") through the release of studies claiming they were all slow, stupid, and inbred; McPhee did much to dispell these harmful myths. He also discusses the unique flora and fauna of the area, and the possibility of development, which fortunately never occured. I also recommend _Cranberry Queen_ by Kathleen DeMarco for a fictional taste of the Pine Barrens region.
Rating:
Summary: Best book on the subject to date! A Folksie delight
Review: just recently re-read this book after owning it for years and was motivated to come online and order a few copies of the latest edition for friends. I live in Hollywood now, but remember fondly childhood hikes into the Barrens where we all heard spooky stories about The Jersey Devil and looked with awe upon the dozens of subspecies of orchids that exist only in this vast expanse of wilderness right under the noses of City dwellers. One can never hope to explain the Pine Barrens to a stranger but McPhee has managed to do just that and to do it by recounting the truths about the Barrens in the voices of local "Pineys". He singlehandedly captures your imagination and dispells the myths that still prevail about the alleged prevelance of "degeneracy" amongst the "pineys". One reads this book and comes away with an overpowering urge to buy a really good map, pack up some camping supplies and head off into the Pines. However, as one who has done that, I highly advise against it since it is ridiculosly easy to get severely lost on the sand roads. Pick up this book instead! Read it, cherish it, give it to friends. Then.. educate yourself a little before going on your first adventure in the Pines, but do GO eventually. Local Boy Scout troops are your best resource since they frequently use the Pines for Survival Skills training. After that.. Check out McPhee's other books which are equally engrossing and just as respectful of their subject matter as this book. Rereading McPhee's book made me long to be back amongst the forgotton orchids,abandoned iron towns, and hidden cranberry bogs. The Barrens are a unique place in America and this book a unique description of their charms. You won't regret buying this book and no doubt will return to it many times in your life if you are a lover of the Jersey wilds as am I.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing
Review: McPhee can get you interested in any subject. Here he takes
the reader into a huge wooded area in New Jersey, perhaps
the biggest and most unsettled region on the Eastern
Corridor, not far from NYC. The people are shy and primative
but not as backward and inbred as their reputation. He
uncovers an entire culture, bringing the reader along with him. The writing and reporting are excellent.
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Summary: New Jersey Reads The Pine Barrens
Review: This amazing, still relevant book is the Main Selection for ONE BOOK NEW JERSEY- a state wide reading initiative that supports literacy and celebrates New Jersey's Libraries. John McPhee's elegant hand offers the whole world focused through the filter of the New Jersey Pine Barrens
** Check out all the details at www.OneBookNewJersey.org**
1999 Pulitzer Prize Winner and native New Jerseyan John McPhee spoke compellingly at the 'kick-off' press conference recently at the Princeton Public Library and mentioned that having the chance to revisit "The Pine Barrens" through the new statewide reading program has presented him with a rare opportunity. "One of the things in my work," he said, "is that you have to move on to the next thing. But I have a lot of nostolgia for the things I write about."
In "The Pine Barrens," Mr. McPhee combines detailed descriptions of the region's culture, ecology and history with anecdotes gleaned from meeting its residents through his travels.
Born and raised in Princeton and a professor at his alma mater, Princeton University, Mr. McPhee said the selection of his book is terrific. "I was really quite amazed that 40 years after I started in on it," it's still relevant, he said. "I'm glad it's alive."
A friend from his days at Princeton High School suggested the Pine Barrens as a subject, Mr. McPhee said. "He said there are holes in the ground so deep there's no bottom and the people, they're dangerous and all that," Mr. McPhee recalled.
The Pinelands, totaling 1.1 million acres and encompassing 22 percent of New Jersey's land area, is host to legends, myth and intrigue about its residents, sometimes referred to as the Pineys.
Mr. McPhee found no bottomless holes and discovered the Pine Barrens residents were "wonderful," and many strongly believed in the Jersey Devil and other myths.
Fortunately the Pine Barrens, a spectacular and unique part of the beautiful and varied state of NJ, has changed little in the 37 years since the book was published and ONE BOOK NEW JERSEY 2004 offers people a chance to read, re-read and discuss this essential and beautifully written piece of non-fiction.
At age of 15 it opened me up to the powerful world of non-fiction -- let it do the same for you!!
Rating:
Summary: A real find!
Review: This book is a wonderful account of McPhee's encounter with the largest essentially undisturbed wilderness this side of the Boundary Waters in Minnesota/Ontario. It is a deeply incisive account of his observations and encounters with this beautiful region and its badly misunderstood people. Its simple and engaging style and deep compassion remind me a lot of another great author, whose name is forever associated with those Boundary Waters, Sigurd Olson. I stumbled onto this book in a local (non-NJ) bookstore, and it's a real find. If you enjoy modern anthropology and natural history, you really owe it to yourself to read this book.
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