Introduction: Cultural Palimpsests of Place

This book-length study employs literary and artistic works to interpret how a succession of people have lived in each of five global locations—how they have “taken” a place. In what ways did they choose, claim, and/or settle in a specific environment? In our time of environmental crisis, might the resources literature and art help us adjust our own vision and behavior going forward? The places studied, from first recorded inhabitants to the present, are India, Southern Africa, Ireland, Australia, and New York City. Though spread around the globe, these locations have long been connected by migration, exploration, trade, quests for resources, colonizing enterprises, and emigration. The work is intended for a dual audience—both academics and general readers. By bringing into conversation diverse perspectives of place through time, we may find sufficient language and understanding to carry us creatively and materially forward.