John R. Harris Boeken

Set against the backdrop of a post-World War II America, the narrative follows naturalist Edwin Way Teale's poignant journey through a transformed landscape as he mourns his son. In his 17,000-mile trek from the Everglades to Maine, Teale captures the essence of spring's arrival. John Harris retraces this route, exploring the significant changes in the natural world since Teale's time, offering a reflective juxtaposition of nature's evolution and the enduring impact of loss.

Since the work of Milman Parry, Homeric poetry has been subjected to a meticulous re-evaluation. The question of how closely an oral tale should be searched for subtle meanings applies, not just to Homer, but to all traditional literature. Accidental Grandeur mitigates this controversy with the novel idea that great epics succeed largely because their style leaves so much to the audience's imagination. From the Old Irish traditions to Homer to the highly literate Vergil, certain inflexible narrative conventions may be seen actually to introduce a poetic uncertainty.