Diane Ackerman
(b. 1948)

"People don't know how to describe me usually," author Diane Ackerman observes, "so what they do is say, 'Poet, essayist, and naturalist,' because they're not sure what I am." In her writings, Ackerman chooses to ignore distinctions most people naturally make, such as the separation between science and literature, Her refusal to be locked into rigid categories, combined with an almost childlike appreciation for the wonders of nature, has gained Ackerman many loyal fans among readers.

Ackerman began her literary career by publishing a book of poems based on scientific observations of the planets. Since then, in her essays and poems, she has consistently integrated two fields not normally associated with one another—science and literature. In fact, Ackerman was probably one of the few students to have a poet and a well-known scientist reviewing her graduate work at Cornell.

Chasing down research topics for her books has led Ackerman to many unusual places around the globe. She has studied whales in Argentina, albatrosses in Japan, and bats in the Texas desert. However, her most famous book, A Natural History of the Senses (1991), was about a topic close to home—our senses of sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell. Ackerman considers herself fortunate in her varied writing career. "You get to create your own astonishment. Which is pretty wonderful."

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