Pilgrim at Tinker Creek is a 1974 nonfiction narrative book by American author Annie Dillard. Told from a first-person point of view, the book details an unnamed narrator's explorations near her home, and contemplations on nature and life. The title refers to Tinker Creek, which is outside Roanoke in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains. Dillard began writing Pilgrim in the spring of 1973, using her personal journals as inspiration. Separated into four sections that signify each of the seasons, the narrative spans the period of one year in thoughts on solitude, writing, and religion, as well as scientific observations on the flora and fauna. Touching upon themes of faith, nature, and awareness, Pilgrim is also noted for its study of theodicy and the inherent cruelty of the natural world. The book is analogous in design and genre to Henry David Thoreau's Walden, the subject of Dillard's master's thesis at Hollins College. Pilgrim has been lauded by critics, won the 1975 Pulitzer Prize for General Non-fiction, and in 1999 was included in Modern Library's list of 100 Best Nonfiction Books.
Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilgrim_at_Tinker_Creek
_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:
1716:
French soldier Jean Thurel enlisted in the Régiment de Touraine at the age of 17, beginning a career of military service that would span 90 years. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Thurel
1849:
American slave Harriet Tubman escaped; she would become famous for orchestrating the rescues of more than 70 other slaves via the "Underground Railroad". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harriet_Tubman
1976:
Enterprise, the first Space Shuttle built for NASA, was rolled out of the manufacturing facilities in Palmdale, California. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_Enterprise
1980:
The Polish trade union Solidarity was founded as the first independent labor union in a Soviet-bloc country. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Solidarity
2006:
Mass protests across Hungary erupted after Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány's private speech was leaked to the public, in which he admitted that the Hungarian Socialist Party had lied to win the 2006 election. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_protests_in_Hungary
_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:
rapine: The seizure of someone's property by force; plunder. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/rapine
___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:
You have to laugh at the things that hurt you just to keep yourself in balance, just to keep the world from running you plumb crazy. --Ken Kesey https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Ken_Kesey
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