Peter Matthiessen - Icon Profile | Alexandria
Peter Matthiessen (1927-2014) was an American novelist, naturalist, wilderness writer, and CIA operative who helped shape modern environmental literature while living a life that often seemed as complex and layered as his acclaimed literary works. As co-founder of The Paris Review and the only writer to win the National Book Award in both fiction and non-fiction, Matthiessen embodied the fascinating intersection of literature, activism, and covert operations during the Cold War era.
Born into privileged New York society, Matthiessen's early life was marked by an education at Yale and a brief but significant stint with the CIA, during which he used The Paris Review as a cover for intelligence gathering – a fact he kept secret for decades. This duality between public and private lives would become a recurring theme in his work and legacy. His first documented literary endeavors emerged in the 1950s, though it was his 1959 work "Wildlife in America" that established him as a serious voice in environmental writing.
Matthiessen's evolution as a writer tracked closely with the environmental and social justice movements of the twentieth century. His masterwork "The Snow Leopard" (1978), chronicling his spiritual quest in the Himalayas, became a touchstone for contemplative nature writing, while "In the Spirit of Crazy Horse" (1983) demonstrated his fearless approach to controversial subjects, leading to years of litigation. His fiction, particularly "Shadow Country" (2008), reimagined the American frontier narrative through an environmental and social justice lens, earning him his third National Book Award.
Today, Matthiessen's legacy continues to resonate through contemporary environmental literature and activism. His unique blend of spiritual seeking, environmental advocacy, and unflinching examination of human nature has influenced generations of writers and activists. Modern readers continue to discover new layers in his work, particularly as documents about his CIA activities become declassified, raising intriguing questions about the intersection of literature, espionage, and advocacy in the cultural Cold War. What other secrets might lie hidden in the complex web of Matthiessen's literary and personal legacy?