Book cover of Tabula Rasa

Book description

A literary legend's engaging review of his career, stressing the work he never completed, and why.

Over seven decades, John McPhee has set a standard for literary nonfiction. Assaying mountain ranges, bark canoes, experimental aircraft, the Swiss Army, geophysical hot spots, ocean shipping, shad fishing, dissident art in the Soviet…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

1 author picked Tabula Rasa as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

John McPhee is probably my favorite contemporary author. By my count, he has written thirty-three books, but this may be his last. At the age of 92 he calls this latest book a “reminiscent montage.” 

A long-time writer for the New Yorker, he has produced countless fine articles, many of which formed the basis for one or another of his books. He has written about the geology of the American West, the way in which Native Americans constructed birch-bark canoes, and the Pine Barrens of New Jersey.

His topics are fascinating. His empathetic ability to question interesting people and…

If you love Tabula Rasa...

Book cover of These Blue Mountains

These Blue Mountains by Sarah Loudin Thomas,

A moving story of love, betrayal, and the enduring power of hope in the face of darkness.

German pianist Hedda Schlagel's world collapsed when her fiancé, Fritz, vanished after being sent to an enemy alien camp in the United States during the Great War. Fifteen years later, in 1932, Hedda…

Want books like Tabula Rasa?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like Tabula Rasa.

Browse books like Tabula Rasa

Book cover of Drunk Before Noon: The Behind-The-Scenes Story of the Washington Press Corps
Book cover of Panic as Man Burns Crumpets: The Vanishing World of the Local Journalist
Book cover of Brilliant Bylines: a Biographical Anthology of Notable Newspaperwomen in America

Share your top 3 reads of 2025!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,367

readers submitted
so far, will you?

📚 If you like Tabula Rasa, you might also like...

Book cover of Pioneer Paddles of the Colonial South

Pioneer Paddles of the Colonial South by William D. Auman,

Award-winning novelist William Auman, author of If Trees Could Testify..., takes the reader on a time-traveling odyssey featuring 345 bodies of water in six states within the historical context through which they unfold.

Journey into remaining Colonial-era wilderness with stories of pirate treasure, epic frontiersmen, Indigenous Peoples, and Revolutionary…

Book cover of A Winter's Disgrace

A Winter's Disgrace by Kathleen Buckley,

Cyprian, a marquess’s heir, will not let his mother choose his next bride. Leaving a house party in a blizzard to avoid her stratagems, he finds a woman trudging half frozen toward the London road. Rosamund fled disgrace, hoping to reach the one person who might shelter her, but even…

5 book lists we think you will like!