Though many of these essays have undoubtedly dated since their writing in the '70s, Hoagland is a scrupulous enquirer of the world he sees around him. He considers, investigates, and reports on his subjects with a meticulous eye for the circumstances.

In this fast-paced and apparently ever-changing world we inhabit, many of the subjects he broaches are surprisingly very relevant today - on nature, environmentalism, private lives, and the quest for personal fulfilment, these are constant topics for discussion still in the 21st century. One or two of the essays in this collection lost my interest along the way, but on the whole, the way he expresses his enquiries and the subject matter he covers was of great interest to me and mostly very thought provoking. ( )