Diane Ackerman (born October 7, 1948) is an American poet, essayist, and

naturalist Natural history is a domain of inquiry involving organisms, including animals, fungi, and plants, in their natural environment, leaning more towards observational than experimental methods of study. A person who studies natural history is cal ...

known for her books and films.

Education and career

Ackerman received a

Bachelor of Arts A Bachelor of Arts (abbreviated B.A., BA, A.B. or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts deg ...

in English from

Pennsylvania State University The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State or PSU) is a Public university, public Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related Land-grant university, land-grant research university with campuses and facilities throughout Pennsyl ...

and a

Master of Arts A Master of Arts ( or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA or AM) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Those admitted to the degree have ...

Master of Fine Arts A Master of Fine Arts (MFA or M.F.A.) is a terminal degree in fine arts, including visual arts, creative writing, graphic design, photography, filmmaking, dance, theatre, other performing arts and in some cases, theatre management or arts admi ...

and Ph.D. from

Cornell University Cornell University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university based in Ithaca, New York, United States. The university was co-founded by American philanthropist Ezra Cornell and historian and educator Andrew Dickson W ...

. Among the members of her dissertation committee was

Carl Sagan Carl Edward Sagan (; ; November 9, 1934December 20, 1996) was an American astronomer, planetary scientist and science communicator. His best known scientific contribution is his research on the possibility of extraterrestrial life, including e ...

, an

astronomer An astronomer is a scientist in the field of astronomy who focuses on a specific question or field outside the scope of Earth. Astronomers observe astronomical objects, such as stars, planets, natural satellite, moons, comets and galaxy, galax ...

and the creator of the ''

Cosmos The cosmos (, ; ) is an alternative name for the universe or its nature or order. Usage of the word ''cosmos'' implies viewing the universe as a complex and orderly system or entity. The cosmos is studied in cosmologya broad discipline covering ...

'' television series. She has taught at a number of universities, including Columbia and Cornell. Her essays have appeared in ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', '' Smithsonian'', ''

Parade A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats, or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually some variety ...

'', ''

The New Yorker ''The New Yorker'' is an American magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. It was founded on February 21, 1925, by Harold Ross and his wife Jane Grant, a reporter for ''The New York T ...

'', ''

National Geographic ''National Geographic'' (formerly ''The National Geographic Magazine'', sometimes branded as ''Nat Geo'') is an American monthly magazine published by National Geographic Partners. The magazine was founded in 1888 as a scholarly journal, nine ...

'', and many other journals. Her research has taken her to such diverse locales as Mata Atlantic in

Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...

(working with endangered golden lion tamarins),

Patagonia Patagonia () is a geographical region that includes parts of Argentina and Chile at the southern end of South America. The region includes the southern section of the Andes mountain chain with lakes, fjords, temperate rainforests, and glaciers ...

( right whales),

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; ) is an island U.S. state, state of the United States, in the Pacific Ocean about southwest of the U.S. mainland. One of the two Non-contiguous United States, non-contiguous U.S. states (along with Alaska), it is the only sta ...

( humpback whales), California (tagging

monarch butterflies The monarch butterfly or simply monarch (''Danaus plexippus'') is a milkweed butterfly (subfamily Danainae) in the family Nymphalidae. Other common names, depending on region, include milkweed, common tiger, wanderer, and black-veined brown. ...

at their overwintering sites),

French Frigate Shoals The French Frigate Shoals (Hawaiian language, Hawaiian: Kānemilohai) is the largest atoll in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, located about northwest of Honolulu, Hawaii, Honolulu. Its name commemorates France, French explorer Jean-Fran ...

( monk seals), Toroshima,

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

(

short-tailed albatross The short-tailed albatross or Steller's albatross (''Phoebastria albatrus'') is a large rare seabird from the North Pacific. Although related to the other North Pacific albatrosses, it also exhibits behavioural and morphological links to the alb ...

), Texas (with Bat Conservation International), the

Amazon rainforest The Amazon rainforest, also called the Amazon jungle or Amazonia, is a Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, moist broadleaf tropical rainforest in the Amazon biome that covers most of the Amazon basin of South America. This basin ...

, and

Antarctica Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean (also known as the Antarctic Ocean), it contains the geographic South Pole. ...

(

penguins Penguins are a group of aquatic flightless birds from the family Spheniscidae () of the order Sphenisciformes (). They live almost exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere. Only one species, the Galápagos penguin, is equatorial, with a sm ...

). In 1986, she was a semi-finalist for

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the federal government of the United States, US federal government responsible for the United States ...

's Journalist-in-Space Project—this program was cancelled after the Space Shuttle ''Challenger'' (carrying

Christa McAuliffe Sharon Christa McAuliffe ( Corrigan; September 2, 1948 – January 28, 1986) was an American teacher and astronaut from Concord, New Hampshire who died on the Space Shuttle ''Challenger'' on mission STS-51-L, where she was serving as a payloa ...

as a

payload specialist A payload specialist (PS) was an individual selected and trained by commercial or research organizations for flights of a specific payload on a NASA Space Shuttle mission. People assigned as payload specialists included individuals selected by t ...

with the Teacher in Space Project) disaster. A molecule has been named after her—''dianeackerone''—a

crocodilia Crocodilia () is an order of semiaquatic, predatory reptiles that are known as crocodilians. They first appeared during the Late Cretaceous and are the closest living relatives of birds. Crocodilians are a type of crocodylomorph pseudosuchia ...

n sex pheromone. A collection of her manuscripts, writings and papers (the Diane Ackerman Papers, 1971–1997—Collection No. 6299) is housed at the

Library.

Books

Her works of nonfiction include, most recently, ''The Human Age: The World Shaped by Us'', which celebrates nature, human ingenuity and its dominance; her memoir ''One Hundred Names for Love'', about

stroke Stroke is a medical condition in which poor cerebral circulation, blood flow to a part of the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: brain ischemia, ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and intracranial hemorrhage, hemor ...

aphasia Aphasia, also known as dysphasia, is an impairment in a person's ability to comprehend or formulate language because of dysfunction in specific brain regions. The major causes are stroke and head trauma; prevalence is hard to determine, but aph ...

, and healing; ''Dawn Light'', a poetic meditation on dawn and awakening; ''The Zookeeper's Wife'', narrative nonfiction set in

Warsaw Warsaw, officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and List of cities and towns in Poland, largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the Vistula, River Vistula in east-central Poland. Its population is officially estimated at ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, a tale of people, animals, and subversive acts of compassion; ''An Alchemy of Mind'' about the marvels and mysteries of the brain, based on modern

neuroscience Neuroscience is the scientific study of the nervous system (the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nervous system), its functions, and its disorders. It is a multidisciplinary science that combines physiology, anatomy, molecular biology, ...

; ''Cultivating Delight'', a natural history of her garden; ''Deep Play'', which considers play, creativity, and our need for transcendence; ''A Slender Thread'', about her work as a crisis line counselor; ''The Rarest of the Rare'' and ''The Moon by Whale Light'', in which she explores the plight and fascination of endangered animals; ''A Natural History of Love'', a literary tour of love's many facets; ''On Extended Wings'', her memoir of flying; and ''A Natural History of the Senses'', an exploration of the five senses. Her poetry has been published in leading literary journals, and in collections, including ''Jaguar of Sweet Laughter: New and Selected Poems''. Her first book of poetry, ''The Planets, A Cosmic Pastoral'' was gifted by

Timothy Leary Timothy Francis Leary (October 22, 1920 – May 31, 1996) was an American psychologist and author known for his strong advocacy of psychedelic drugs. Evaluations of Leary are polarized, ranging from "bold oracle" to "publicity hound". Accordin ...

while Leary was imprisoned. Her verse play, ''Reverse Thunder'', celebrates the passionate and tragic life of the 17th century nun, and fellow poet and naturalist,

Juana Inés de la Cruz Juana Inés de Asbaje y Ramírez de Santillana, better known as Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz (12 November 1651 – 17 April 1695), was a Hieronymite nun and a Mexican writer, philosopher, composer and poet of the Baroque period, nicknamed "Th ...

. Ackerman also writes nature books for children.

Adaptations

A movie adaptation of Ackerman's book, '' The Zookeeper's Wife'', starring

Jessica Chastain Jessica Michelle Chastain (born March 24, 1977) is an American actress and producer. Known for primarily starring in projects with Feminism, feminist themes, she has received List of awards and nominations received by Jessica Chastain, various ...

as Antonina Żabińska, was released in the US on March 31, 2017. More photos of the

Warsaw Ghetto Uprising The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising was the 1943 act of Jewish resistance in the Warsaw Ghetto in German-occupied Poland during World War II to oppose Nazi Germany's final effort to transport the remaining ghetto population to the gas chambers of the ...

of '' The Zookeeper's Wife'' may be seen at the website called "The House Under the Crazy Star". In 1995, Ackerman hosted a five-part ''

Nova A nova ( novae or novas) is a transient astronomical event that causes the sudden appearance of a bright, apparently "new" star (hence the name "nova", Latin for "new") that slowly fades over weeks or months. All observed novae involve white ...

'' miniseries, '' Mystery of the Senses'', based on her book, '' A Natural History of the Senses''. ''On Extended Wings'' was adapted for the stage by Norma Jean Giffin, and was performed at the William Redfield Theater in New York City (1987). A musical adaptation (by Paul Goldstaub) of her dramatic poem, ''Reverse Thunder'', was performed at

Old Dominion University Old Dominion University (ODU) is a Public university, public research university in Norfolk, Virginia, United States. Established in 1930 as the two-year Norfolk Division of the College of William & Mary, it began by educating people with fewer ...

(1992).

Awards and honors

In 2015, Ackerman's ''The Human Age'' won the

National Outdoor Book Award The National Outdoor Book Award (NOBA) was formed in 1997 as an American-based non-profit program which each year presents awards honoring the best in outdoor writing and publishing. It is housed at Idaho State University and chaired by Ron Watte ...

in the Natural History Literature category and PEN New England's Henry David Thoreau Prize for

nature writing Nature writing is nonfiction or fiction prose about the natural environment. It often draws heavily from scientific information and facts while also incorporating philosophical reflection upon various aspects of nature. Works are frequently writte ...

. In 2012, she was a finalist for both a

Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prizes () are 23 annual awards given by Columbia University in New York City for achievements in the United States in "journalism, arts and letters". They were established in 1917 by the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made his fo ...

and a

National Book Critics Circle Award The National Book Critics Circle Awards are a set of annual American literary awards by the National Book Critics Circle (NBCC) to promote "the finest books and reviews published in English".''Orion'' Book Award in 2008. She has received a D. Lit from Kenyon College,

Guggenheim Fellowship Guggenheim Fellowships are Grant (money), grants that have been awarded annually since by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, endowed by the late Simon Guggenheim, Simon and Olga Hirsh Guggenheim. These awards are bestowed upon indiv ...

, John Burroughs Nature Award, Lavan Poetry Prize, and has been honored as a Literary Lion of the

New York Public Library The New York Public Library (NYPL) is a public library system in New York City. With nearly 53 million items and 92 locations, the New York Public Library is the second-largest public library in the United States behind the Library of Congress a ...

. Ackerman has had three ''New York Times'' bestsellers: ''The Human Age'' (2014), ''The Zookeeper's Wife'' (2008), and ''A Natural History of the Senses'' (1990). She is a Fellow of the

New York Institute for the Humanities New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 ** "New" (Paul McCartney song), 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, 1995 * "New" (Daya song), 2017 * "New" (No Doubt song), 1 ...

Personal life

Ackerman was married to the novelist Paul West (1930–2015). She lives in

Ithaca, New York Ithaca () is a city in and the county seat of Tompkins County, New York, United States. Situated on the southern shore of Cayuga Lake in the Finger Lakes region of New York (state), New York, Ithaca is the largest community in the Ithaca metrop ...

Selected works

Poetry

*''The Planets: A Cosmic Pastoral'' (1976) *''Wife of Light'' (1978) *''Lady Faustus'' (1983) *''Reverse Thunder'' (1988) *''Jaguar of Sweet Laughter: New and Selected Poems'' (1991) *''I Praise My Destroyer'' (1998) *''Origami Bridges'' (2002)

Non-fiction

*''Why Leaves Turn Color in the Fall'
essay by Diane Ackerman, middletownhs.org
— A version of this essay was published a
a chapter in the 1990 book ''A Natural History of the Senses''
in the section on vision. *''Twilight of the Tenderfoot'' (1980) *''On Extended Wings'' (1985) *'' A Natural History of the Senses'' (1990) *''The Moon by Whale Light, and Other Adventures Among Bats and Crocodilians, Penguins and Whales'' (1991) *''A Natural History of Love'' (1994)
''The Rarest of the Rare''
(1995) *''A Slender Thread'' (1997) *''Deep Play'' (1999) *''Cultivating Delight: A Natural History of My Garden'' (2002) *''An Alchemy of Mind: The Marvel and Mystery of the Brain'' (2004) *'' The Zookeeper's Wife: A War Story'' (2007) *''Dawn Light: Dancing with Cranes and Other Ways to Start the Day'' (2009) *''One Hundred Names for Love: A Stroke, a Marriage, and the Language of Healing'' (2011) *''The Human Age: The World Shaped By Us'' (2014)

Children's books

*''Monk Seal Hideaway'' (1995) *''Bats: Shadows in the Night'' (1997) *''Animal Sense'' (poetry), illustrated by Peter Sis. (2003)

References

External links

*
Diane Ackerman Op-Eds
''

'' * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ackerman, Diane American women poets American science writers Living people 1948 births Writers from Illinois American naturalists American gardeners People from Waukegan, Illinois Pennsylvania State University alumni Cornell University alumni University of Pittsburgh faculty Cornell University faculty Columbia University faculty American women science writers American women non-fiction writers 20th-century American academics 20th-century American women academics 20th-century American women writers 21st-century American poets 21st-century American women writers 21st-century American women farmers 21st-century American farmers 20th-century American women farmers 20th-century American farmers 21st-century American essayists