When I was much younger to be called authoritative would have been as bad as being called righteous was good. Little did we know that sometimes some of us would have to act with authority. In those ancient days, mostly the left had a problem with authority; nowadays, who doesn't?
There's still one sense of authority, of being authoritative, that should be held in high esteem and it concerns writing. For me, one of the highest compliments a writer can receive is to be seen as writing with authority. That does not mean that her or his writing is sanctioned by some organization or government. Rather, a writer treats a subject authoritatively when he or she ...
Has genuinely experienced what she or he writes about.
Has thought about it carefully and systematically.
Has some academic training or intellectual foundation with the topic.
Writes about it gracefully, energetically, clearly.
And so teaches that reader while and by delighting him or her.
In the world of conservation, we have towering examples of authoritative writers: how about Aldo Leopold and Rachel Carson? On the contemporary scene, The New Yorker (revealing my codgerhood here) has a roster of such writers, including Jill Lepore, Jelani Cobb, and the incomparable Adam Gopnick.
While we might associate age with such accomplishment, some young writers achieve those qualities early on. What a blessing to those lucky enough to read them-- we have years of reading, learning, and enjoying ahead of us.
Madison Audubon has had the incredibly extraordinary fortune of having such a writer in our midst and helping introduce her to the world. Caitlyn Schuchhardt has written the Entryway to Birding Blog for almost a year. It has attracted thousands of readers and with good reason. It's a darn near perfect introduction to birding, especially in this area. It's funny, lively, humane, accurate, clear, sound, systematic, careful, genuine. I've never read it without: a) smiling and b) learning. It's, oh yeah, authoritative.
Take a peek at Caitlyn’s Entryway to Birding blog! Photo by Caitlyn Schuchhardt
Maybe, you're thinking, isn't just a bit premature to put Ms. Schuchhardt in the same blog as Leopold and Carson? Keep reading her, that's where she's headed.
I hope Ms. Schuchhardt will continue writing this blog. It might be tougher because she has just accepted a position with the Natural Resources Foundation (those folks better know how fortunate they are).
Madison Audubon owes Ms. Schuchhardt the most sincere thank you we can muster. We so want folks to know and care for our birds. Lots of our neighbors are on that path thanks to her.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! from all of us at Madison Audubon.
Topf Wells, Madison Audubon board member and advocacy committee chair
