Joseph Wood Krutch

Date of Birth: November 25, 1893

Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius

Date of Death: May 22, 1970

Biography

Joseph Wood Krutch was an American writer, critic, naturalist, and environmentalist, born on November 25, 1893, in Knoxville, Tennessee. He is renowned for his contributions to literature and environmentalism, most notably through his essays and books that blend natural history, philosophy, and literary criticism. Krutch studied at the University of Tennessee and later received his Ph.D. in English literature from Columbia University. He initially gained recognition as a drama critic for The Nation but eventually found his true passion in nature writing. His pivotal work, “The Modern Temper” (1929), examined the disillusionment and existential crises of the modern age, but it was his later works like “The Desert Year” (1952) and “The Voice of the Desert” (1954) that cemented his status as a preeminent nature writer. Krutch’s writings often reflected his deep appreciation for the natural world and a profound concern for the environment, advocating for conservation and a more harmonious relationship between humans and nature. Krutch was a professor at Columbia University and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. His legacy continues to influence environmental thought and literature.

5 Interesting Facts about Joseph Wood Krutch

1. Joseph Wood Krutch won the National Book Award for his book “The Measure of Man.”

2. He served as a drama critic for The Nation magazine for nearly two decades.

3. Krutch’s book “The Desert Year” was inspired by his time living in the Arizona desert and is considered a classic in nature writing.

4. He was a vocal critic of technological progress and its impact on the environment, long before the modern environmental movement gained traction.

5. Krutch was deeply influenced by the transcendentalist philosophy of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Joseph Wood Krutch

1. “Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm, and harmony.”

2. “Technology made large populations possible; large populations now make technology indispensable.”

3. “The wilderness and the idea of wilderness is one of the permanent homes of the human spirit.”

4. “Security depends not so much upon how much you have as upon how much you can do without.”

5. “Cats are intended to teach us that not everything in nature has a function.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Joseph Wood Krutch’s highest net worth was not well-documented or significant in comparison to contemporary standards, as his primary contributions were in literature and environmentalism rather than in accumulating wealth.