[NatureNS] Loren Eiseley

From: Brian Bartlett <bbartlett@eastlink.ca>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
References: <20120113112604.SOVZA.611193.root@tormtz01>
Date: Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:37:37 -0400
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(1907-1977). Apparently it was a 
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Chris, I just reread the whole 25 pages of "The Star Thrower," and have =
to add that the on-line "adaptation" is extremely loose even in regards =
to the account of the meeting between Eiseley and the star-thrower. The =
essay's actual stranger is "grizzled and worn" rather than "young," none =
of the dialogue is Eiseley's, nor is the feel-good moral-giving ending =
his. It seems like someone has borrowed the bare bones of the incident =
of discovering a star-thrower, then made up a new fiction from it -- so =
Eiseley might spin in the grave if he knew the piece was posted with his =
by-line on it. The fable-like story itself, however, certainly has its =
attactions.

From: Christopher Majka=20
Sent: Friday, January 13, 2012 2:40 PM
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Loren Eiseley


Hi Brian,=20


I'd heard the story before, unattributed. When I started looking for a =
source I found the following page:


http://muttcats.com/starfish.htm


It does say, and I neglected to mention, that the short account below is =
"adapted" from the story (although adapted by whom, it doesn't specify).


Cheers!


Chris


On 13-Jan-12, at 2:22 PM, Brian Bartlett wrote:


  Eiseley was a genius of an essayist, memoirist, and nature writer. The =
Immense Journey, The Night Country, The Unexpected Universe, All The =
Strange Hours -- a few of his most memorable books. The Star Thrower, =
which Chris mentions, provided the title for a selection of Eiseley's =
writing. But Chris, I'm a bit confused, because "The Star Thrower" is a =
25-page personal essay in the book The Unexpected Universe, and it =
doesn't contain the passage you quote below. Did you find that on-line =
somewhere?=20
  Brian


  From: Christopher Majka=20
  Sent: Friday, January 13, 2012 1:34 PM
  To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20
  Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Vogel-the Common Gallinule/ native story


  Hi Tuma and Dusan,


  Tuma's story of Militaw reminds me of The Star Thrower, a story =
written<ir.gif> by anthropologist Loren Eisley (1907-1977). Apparently =
it was a true story in which Eisley himself was the "elderly gentleman". =
;~>


  Cheers!


  Chris


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  The Star Thrower


  by Loren Eisley=20
  While walking along a beach, an elderly gentleman saw someone in the =
distance leaning down, picking something up and throwing it into the =
ocean. As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young =
man, picking up starfish one by one and tossing each one gently back =
into the water. He came closer still and called out, "Good morning! May =
I ask what it is that you are doing?"

  The young man paused, looked up, and replied "Throwing starfish into =
the ocean."

  The old man smiled, and said, "I must ask, then, why are you throwing =
starfish into the ocean?"

  To this, the young man replied, "The sun is up and the tide is going =
out. If I don=92t throw them in, they=92ll die."

  Upon hearing this, the elderly observer commented, "But, young man, do =
you not realise that there are miles and miles of beach and there are =
starfish all along every mile? You can=92t possibly make a difference!"

  The young man listened politely. Then he bent down, picked up another =
starfish, threw it into the back into the ocean past the breaking waves =
and said, "It made a difference for that one."




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<DIV><FONT face=3DCalibri>Chris, I just reread the whole 25 pages of =
"The Star=20
Thrower," and have to add that the on-line "adaptation" is extremely =
loose even=20
in regards to the account of the meeting between Eiseley and the =
star-thrower.=20
The essay's actual stranger is "grizzled and worn" rather than "young," =
none of=20
the dialogue is Eiseley's, nor is the feel-good moral-giving ending his. =
It=20
seems like someone has borrowed the bare bones of the incident of =
discovering a=20
star-thrower, then&nbsp;made up a new fiction from it -- so Eiseley =
might spin=20
in the grave if he knew the piece was posted with his by-line on it. The =

fable-like story itself, however, certainly has its =
attactions.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt Tahoma">
<DIV style=3D"BACKGROUND: #f5f5f5">
<DIV style=3D"font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A=20
title=3D"mailto:c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca&#10;CTRL + Click to follow link" =

href=3D"mailto:c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca">Christopher Majka</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Friday, January 13, 2012 2:40 PM</DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A=20
title=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca&#10;CTRL + Click to follow link" =

href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</A> =
</DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> Re: [NatureNS] Loren Eiseley</DIV></DIV></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>Hi Brian,=20
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>I'd heard the story before, unattributed. When I started looking =
for a=20
source I found the following page:</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style=3D"WHITE-SPACE: pre" class=3DApple-tab-span><A=20
title=3D"http://muttcats.com/starfish.htm&#10;CTRL + Click to follow =
link"=20
href=3D"http://muttcats.com/starfish.htm">http://muttcats.com/starfish.ht=
m</A></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>It does say, and I neglected to mention, that the short account =
below is=20
"adapted" from the story (although adapted by whom, it doesn't =
specify).</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Cheers!</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Chris</DIV>
<DIV><BR>
<DIV>
<DIV>On 13-Jan-12, at 2:22 PM, Brian Bartlett wrote:</DIV><BR=20
class=3DApple-interchange-newline>
<BLOCKQUOTE type=3D"