John, what a precious reference. I too read Pilgrim at Tinker Creek in 1974 while on a solo multi-month journey around the US in my VW bug with a sleeping bag and a pup tent, in which I read Dillard's masterpiece after dark with a flashlight. I was equally mesmerized by her exquisite eye for detail and the poetry of her language. Recently I've checked the shelves of my favorite used book shops looking for a copy to reread, but no success. I confess to having had some ambivalence, afraid that the book that so captivated me in my early 20s might not equally appeal 50 years later. Your excerpt has persuaded me to set that fear aside. Thank you. 💚
