title: The Peter Matthiessen Reader
author:  Peter Matthiessen 
description: Over the last half century, Peter Matthiessen has enriched American literature with a series of influential, highly regarded novels, many set in out-of-the-way places. Along with these novels, Matthiessen has written 16 books of nonfiction that explore issues in the conservation of animal species and human cultures--books such as <i>Wildlife in America</i>, an early contribution to the literature of environmental awareness, and <i><a href="/exec/obidos/ASIN/0140144560/${0}">In the Spirit of Crazy Horse</a></i>, a defense of American Indian activism.
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  ## [Acknowledgments](nav.xhtml#r_idParaDest-39)
  
  
  I am hugely grateful, as always, to the legions of absolute stars at Hodder,
  especially Carolyn Mays, who has improved this book immensely with her
  brilliant editorial input. Also to my incomparable team at William Morrow in
  America for their unwavering support and enthusiasm, even when I suggest
  outlandish American-title possibilities that will appeal to no one but me and
  maybe a few other oddballs like me. Thanks to Tomas Kruijer from The House of
  Books for his passionate commitment to this novel from the second he learned
  of its existence.
  
  
  As always, I could not be more thankful for my fantastic agent, Peter Straus.
  I’d also like to thank the wonderful Matthew Turner, Peter’s sidekick, for
  being always brilliant and on the case, and my amazing film and TV agent, Will
  Peterson, whose enthusiasm for this book has been very encouraging. Thank you
  to Faith Tilleray for designing a stunning new author website for me.
  
  
  An enormous th