The Abundance

The Abundance gathers both classic and rarely seen essays from Annie Dillard’s career, spanning works written from 1974 to 2005. This collection showcases her unique ability to merge narrative nonfiction with poetic imagination, creating what is sometimes called “novelized nonfiction.” The essays explore a wide range of themes including the beauty and brutality of nature, the passage of time, mortality, and the complexities of life and death, often with a wry, ironic humor.
Dillard’s prose is intense, vivid, and fearless. In one essay, she describes an eagle falling from the sky with a weasel clinging to its throat; in another, she reflects on a man walking into a bar. Through rich detail and metaphysical insights, she reveals profound truths hidden in ordinary moments—a child chasing snowballs, a teenager memorizing poetry—and invites readers to consider both the natural world and the eternal.
Critics and readers acclaim The Abundance for showcasing Dillard’s enigmatic genius and considerable contribution to contemporary nonfiction. Her work defies simple categorization as just nature writing. Instead, she inhabits the liminal space between reality and imagination, mixing surreal and sacred elements with scientific precision.