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Wallace Kaufman’s writing in many forms is enriched by the variety of his work in the US, Europe, Central Asia and Siberia. After graduate work as a Marshall Scholar at Oxford University, he taught at major universities, created numerous homestead communities with unique environmental covenants, served in Kazakhstan as resident adviser on housing and land reform, and continues to work as a conflict mediator. He lives on Oregon’s central coast in a house he built at the edge of a forest overlooking a deep water slough and its broad marshes.
His book publication began with The Beaches Are Moving, a natural and human history of America’s beaches that has had an important impact on coastal planning. Coming out of the Woods (Perseus Publishing, 2001) is the narrative of his efforts to combine homestead development with environmental conservation as he brings up his daughter and builds his own home in the forest. The Hunt for FOXP5 (Springer 2016) explores through science fiction the ethical issues gene editing. Kaufman co-authored the novel with David Deamer, astrobiologist and co-inventor of the nanopore genome sequencing process. With his daughter, Dr. Sylvan Kaufman, he is co-author of Invasive Plants. (Stackpole, 2nd edition 2012) In addition to other books, Kaufman has written hundreds of articles for newspapers and magazines that include Audubon, National Wildlife, Omni, Orion, American Forests, and American Health. He has also been a Science Writing Fellow at the Woods Hole Biological Laboratory.
Reviewers and Readers on Previous Books by Wallace Kaufman
“Here is a book that never becomes outdated.” Reviewer Don Cates on The Beaches Are Moving.
"An absorbing, unflinching, and surprisingly comic account of how one man—a devoted father-withdrew from the world and gradually returned. It's as wise and instructive as it is compelling." Novelist Reynolds Price on Coming Out of the Woods.
“Unlike most environmental books being written today, Coming Out Of The Woods doesn’t try to scare the hell out of anybody, or smother with weighty facts, figures and insights. Instead, Kaufman entertains by telling a tale full of self-deprecating humor and common-sense insight.” Matt Bennet in Hardwood Matters.
"Coming Out of the Woods has the potential to be what is called in the music world a 'crossover'—a work that transcends the usual marketing categories. Kaufman has naturalist credentials that far exceed those of most environmentalists, and his insights can't be dismissed. By holding a mirror up to nature, he teaches us about human nature as well." Jane Shaw, editor, author, historian.
“In an age of political ‘correctness’ Kaufman has demonstrated great courage and integrity. He has tackled a challenging and controversial topic with clarity and without the rancor one might expect given his own history in the environmental movement. Kaufman's is a solid presentation of the historical development and present position of the environmental movement with a thoroughgoing understanding of the philosophical underpinnings of its early and contemporary forms. For many readers, this book will promote a new recognition, understanding, and sharpening of their own position.” Publisher’s Weekly on No Turning Back.
“I really like the way the information is arranged—what it does to the ecosystem, how it got here and how to manage. I think I'll just sit down and read the whole thing. Great photos and so many references.” Reader of Invasive Plants.
From Thriftway Books on the Beacon Books anthology of environmental writing.
“No matter what you think about environmentalism, nature, and ecology, this book has an essay to challenge your assumptions. More than that, though: these essays don't merely challenge, but rather expand your viewpoint.. . . One of my own favorites is Wallace Kaufman's "Confessions of a Developer", an essay I found so fascinating that I wanted it to be an entire book of its own.”
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