Annie Dillard

From ArticleWorld

Annie Dillard first book of prose Pilgrim at Tinker Creek was written in 1974 and a long mediation on her examinations of the natural world. Dillard writing was influenced by her bout with a near fatal episode of pneumonia which she got in 1971. After she recovered Dillard spent four seasons living near Tinker Creek.

Background

Dillard was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where she went to The Ellis School throughout her adolescence. It was in high school where she began to write poetry. Dillard went to an all female college named Hollins College, now called Hollins University. As a sophomore she married the poet R.H.W. Dillard her writing professor. In 1968 Dillard graduated from Hollins with a Masters in English, after doing a forty page thesis on Thoreau’s Walden. Thoreau heavily influenced Dillard’s writing style.

Pilgrim at tinker creek

Dillard kept a journal about her experiences at Tinker Creek. Dillard spent most of her time there surrounded by various animals, forest and creeks. She transposed all her journal entries on to note cards, and then to a book. The book has been said to have mystical or religious qualities to it. It has been observed that her other books on nature also have pursue philosophical inquiries.

Major works

Some of Dillard major works include

1. Tickets fro a Prayer Wheel a book of poetry, published in 1974
2. Holy The Firm a work of non-fiction, published in 1977
3. Living By fiction a non-fiction narrative, published in 1982
4. Teaching the Stone to talk a book of essays, published in 1982
5. Encounters with Chinese writers non-fiction narrative, published in1984
6. An American Childhood is a memoir, published in 1987
7. The Writing Life is a non-fiction narrative, published in 1989
8. The Living is a novel, published in 1992
9. Mornings Like This book of poetry, published in 1995
10. For the Time Being a non-fiction narrative, published 1999