cover image Trespassing

Trespassing

Samuel F. Pickering. University Press of New England, $24 (260pp) ISBN 978-0-87451-640-1

Essayist Pickering ( Let It Ride ) has the gift of enjoying the moment, whether he is rambling through the woods near his Connecticut home or chatting with his seatmate on a plane flight. The English professor (at the University of Connecticut) who was the inspiration for the character of the teacher in the film Dead Poet's Society , a fame he resents, Pickering believes that living is best defined by small details. His wry and perceptive account of daily life with his wife and three children conveys a delight in their company that endures even when conflicts arise. A keen concern for the preservation of the natural world is reflected by Pickering's absorption in flowers, birds and woods. He also carefully observes and collects facts about the people he encounters in his comings and goings and uses what he learns to enrich his understanding of humanity. (May)