自然書寫(英語:Nature writing),是關於自然環境的非虛構寫作、小說、散文或詩歌。自然書寫的範疇,從強調自然歷史事實的野外指南,到具備哲學性的作品,諸如:自然歷史散文、詩歌、有關孤獨或逃避的散文、旅行記事和冒險寫作。 [1]
當代的自然書寫,可以追溯到18世紀下半葉和19世紀流行的自然歷史著作。早期的代表人物吉爾伯‧懷特 [2],是英國牧師、鳥類學家兼早期博物學家,代表作品是《塞耳彭自然史》(The Natural History and Antiquities of Selborne, 1789)。
巴垂恩是美國早期博物學家的代表人物,第一部著作於1791年出版。[3]
Gosse, Edmund. Gilbert White. English Literature: From Milton to Johnson. London: William Heinemann. 1903: 375–378.
- Finch, Robert, and John Elder, eds. The Norton Book of Nature Writing. New York: Norton, 1990; Nature writing: the tradition in English. edited by Robert Finch and John Elder. New York: W.W. Norton, c2002. This book is an all encompassing guide and encyclopedia of 200 years of nature writing.
- Keith, W. J., The Rural Tradition: William Cobbett, Gilbert White, and Other Non-Fiction Writers of the English Countryside. Hassocks, Sussex: Harvester, 1975. This book has a useful bibliography. In addition, this book goes over specific parts of nature writing, including landscape, pastoral and country life literature.
- Lyon, Thomas J., ed. This Incomparable Land: A Book of American Nature Writing. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1989. This book is an introduction guide to the genre. It goes over the vastness of the genre and American writing within the genre.
- Lillard, Richard G. The Nature Book in Action. The English Journal (National Council of Teachers of English). April 1973, 62 (4): 537–48. JSTOR 813109. doi:10.2307/813109. This textbook styled book mainly consists of the history behind nature writing.
- Mabey, Richard, The Oxford Book of Nature Writing. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1995. This piece also goes over the magnitude of this genre and presents essays from varying nature authors.
- Stewart, Frank, A Natural History of Nature Writing. Washington, D.C.: Island Press, 1994. This books concentrates on the origins of American nature writing.
- Trimble, Stephen, "Words From the Land: Encounters with Natural History Writing". Reno: University of Nevada Press, 1995 (revised edition). ISBN 978-0874172645. This book is a representative collection of essays which goes over the contemporary part of nature writing.