The Meadowlands: Wilderness Adventures at the Edge of a City

Sullivan does a great job of revealing the beauty and promise of an area hugely blighted by urban and industrial development, offers an example of how we might look more closely at many things, and highlights how careless we can be in destroying our natural environment...

The book knows its place and doesn't try to do too much, and in doing so it succeeds. It is the story of a very curious and imaginative guy exploring a complex and old place. It tells exactly what happened, without embellishment, and comes off as a sincere work. The stories and characters stand on their own.

A great read that brings the Meadowlands to life. Sullivan's writing draws you in, inviting you on his explorations--it's never ponderous. I especially appreciate his ability to blend the historical with the human: We learn how politics and people have affected the Meadowlands over the years. Note: Although other reviewers express the wish for a "true" map in the book, I got a kick out of the informal one that appears opposite the title page: It's a perfect match for the book's tone. I'm on the search for more writing by this author, and--even more telling--I'll probably head over to the Meadowlands next time I'm in NYC.

I loved this book. The author writes in an engaging, informative style. He takes a subject matter which, at first, appears to be fairly bland and uninspiring, and turns it into a "can't stop 'till it's done " winner- like taking a jar of off-the-shelf Aunt Millie's-type tomato sauce and adding fresh ingredients to give the eater/reader a whole new perspective.

Written in a cool and quietly passionate style, Robert Sullivan's "The Meadowlands" tells the story of a largely neglected, much abused and exploited near-urban natural space. (In a large way, he lets The Meadowlands tell its own story). It is clear that Mr. Sullivan feels the beauty within the human-made ugliness of this resourceful wetland community sitting across the Hudson River from New York City, and centered amongst great industrial pollution. The natural habitat and the people living within that habitat, past and present, are the focuses of this easily accessible and well-written homage to a nostalgic playground from Mr. Sullivan's youth, and a site of deep meaning for him, as well. With compassion, but without deleting their idiosyncrasies and foibles, the author shares with us the various characters he encounters, both past and present. The Meadowlands shows how human beings have been neglectful of their natural surroundings, and tells us about the peopl! e who enjoy the gifts abused nature can still provide to us and, with vibrancy, brings to life the story of people who care deeply about these wetlands. Finally, Mr. Sullivan shows those willing to learn from this book, the importance and value of what we might consider the insignificance of restoring and preserving the many misused natural habitats that survive, and even thrive, all around us.