Loss and Wonder at the World's End

Laura A. Ogden is Associate Professor of Anthropology at Dartmouth College, author of Swamplife: People, Gators, and Mangroves Entangled in the Everglades, coauthor of Gladesmen: Gator Hunters, Moonshiners, and Skiffers, and coeditor of The Coastal Everglades: The Dynamics of Social-Ecological Transformation in the South Florida Landscape.

“One of the most brilliant and compelling aspects of this beautiful little book is Laura A. Ogden's voice. A woman's seasoned, feminist, highly attuned and tuned, expertly lived voice, it leads us graciously into a critical world of wonder and loss-a collective looking around at what could have been and might still be. Loss and Wonder at the World's End is sharply, fiercely loving. It teaches us to live and think differently. This is a masterful, inspiring, wholly original work.” - Kathleen Stewart, coauthor of (The Hundreds) “In its freshness of vision, its first-person mode of presentation, its openheartedness, and its scattering of materials in delicate montages, Loss and Wonder at the World's End is such fun to read. Laura A. Ogden's persistent view of history throughout the text as multivalent, dense, and mysterious is wonderful.” - Michael T. Taussig, author of (Mastery of Non-mastery in the Age of Meltdown) "Ogden’s book is a nonlinear presentation, a meticulously articulated variety of thought on the Fuegian world. It is many stories well told that continue evolving, and although its academic style is not always attractive to lay audiences, Loss and Wonder at the World’s End is a highly recommended, fun to read book for those interested in world boundaries, what lies beyond them, and their place within the legacy of imperialism." - Yoly Zentella (Journal of Global South Studies) "The book could be very useful in an introduction to environmental anthropology, cultural anthropology, or regional history. The volume is well produced, and the photographs are abundant, well-chosen, and thought provoking. I learned a variety of specific things, was reminded of others in new contexts, and laughed out loud (in a good way) at still others." - John H. Walker (Journal of Latin American and Caribbean Anthropology) "The eclectic parts of Loss and Wonder at the World’s End hold together with the improbable coherence of sticks and mud that make up a beaver dam. Each piece has its own valence, but recurring strands of inquiry and reflection link the elements in multiple ways, inviting the reader to retrace their steps in a creative reordering of content. These characteristics, along with a humble tone and presentation, makes this an accessible and thought-provoking text for a wide audience. Meanwhile, it offers valuable contributions to method, theory and scholarly debate, in relation not only to the Fuegian  region but also to wider reimaginings of socio-environmental change." - Alex Latta (Bulletin of Latin American Research)

• The World's End: A Figure  1Introduction. Loss and Wonder  4The Explorer's Refrain: A Figure  151. The Earth as Archive  21Arturo Escobar: A Figure  44The Archival Earth: A Figure  472. Alternative Archives of the Present  51Lichens on the Beach: A Figure  573. An Empire of Skin  62The Anthropologist: A Figure  864. Stolen Images  91Lewis Henry Morgan: A Figure  1075. Dreamworlds of Beavers  111Traces of Derrida: A Figure  127Anne Chapman: A Figure  130Conclusion. Birdsong  133Gratitude: A Figuration  141Notes  145Bibliography  169Index  183