Peter Matthiessen with biographer Lance Richardson

Peter Matthiessen is a towering figure of twentieth-century American letters, and the only writer to win the National Book Award in both fiction and nonfiction. He’s also a difficult man to pin down because he accomplished so much in so many different areas. He co-founded The Paris Review and spied for the CIA. He was best known for 'nature' books like The Snow Leopard, but thought of himself as a novelist. He was also a spiritual seeker who reached the highest ranks of Zen Buddhism. How do you come to grips with a life as varied as this? I'm joined by biographer Lance Richardson, the author of True Nature: The Pilgrimage of Peter Matthiessen. We spoke about Matthiessen’s privileged background, his life-changing journey to Nepal, his serial womanizing, and his greatest books. Personal Landscapes relies on the support of listeners like you to keep going. Please consider joining my Member's Club on Substack. You’ll be supporting an independent ad-free podcast that publishes carefully curated conversations like this one, backed by decades of reading. Go to https://www.personallandscapespodcast... Follow my travels — and buy my books — on https://ryanmurdock.com/ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.personallandscapespodcast.com/subscribe (https://www.personallandscapespodcast...)