“The Snow Leopard” by Peter Matthiessen – The Beauty of Wilderness

Though most authors prefer to set their books in more modern and populated worlds, there are still others who see the majesty and attractiveness of mother nature, preferring to dedicate their words to her instead. Peter Matthiessen was undoubtedly one such person, always involving the wilderness in his writings in one capacity or another.

In The Snow Leopard, we are treated to an extremely interesting combination of different elements. On one hand, it is the exploration of the Himalayan mountains and the eye-catching animals that live in it.

Most particularly, Matthiessen, alongside biologist George Schaller, were hoping to catch a glimpse of the ever-elusive snow leopard. On the other hand, this was more than just sightseeing in the mountains. The two men were in search of meaning and enlightenment, and on their quest they followed Buddhist principles and ways of thinking, charting their internal and external paths through this sensational journey.

As you can already guess, The Snow Leopard is far from being a book like all others out there, focusing on a journey that doesn’t truly have a beginning or an ending. Rather, this is all about getting yourself lost in the process, in the journey itself.

Snow Leopard

Naturally, the scenery is described with exquisite detail, ensuring that you can experience the scenes through all five of your sense. From this perspective, the book really could not be any more perfect, allowing you to effortlessly get lost in a time and place where peace of mind and serenity were freely available.

Of course, Matthiessen doesn’t just talk about the animals, plants and wildlife he observes in general. He goes in greater depth into Buddhist philosophies, and more importantly, how they can be applied to what he has and is experiencing in his own, personal life.

Basically, he provides a very deep and rather complete understanding of very basic and yet complicated concepts, such as the definition of reality, the meaning of our suffering, and the sacredness of beauty.

All things considered, The Snow Leopard certainly is one of the more unique and interesting books out there today, in the sense that it isn’t driven by a conventional plot, nor does it have conventional characters.

There are many layers of meaning to it and it takes numerous readings to truly get the most out of Mathiessen’s reflections. I highly recommend this book to anyone who doesn’t mind reading at a slower pace while foregoing actions and thrills in favor of philosophical debates.

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Peter Matthiessen (May 22, 1927 – April 5, 2014) Peter Matthiessen was an American novelist who liked to focus on nature and wilderness in his stories. Apart from being a writer, he was also a prominent environmental activist and a co-founder of The Paris Review. His most famous book is In the Spirit of Crazy Horse, especially seeing as how it began a four-year trial for him.