The Outermost House

By Henry Beston

Book Overview

"The Outermost House: A Year of Life on the Great Beach of Cape Cod" invites you to experience a year of solitary observation on the shores of Cape Cod. In this classic work of nature writing, Henry Beston chronicles his time spent in a small cottage on the Outer Beach, immersed in the rhythms of the Atlantic Ocean and the surrounding wildlife.

More than just a travelogue, this book is a profound exploration of the natural world, offering detailed and evocative descriptions of the seashore, its marine life, and the birds that inhabit this unique environment. Beston's keen observations and lyrical prose capture the essence of Cape Cod's beauty, reflecting a deep respect for nature reminiscent of Thoreau. Discover a timeless meditation on solitude, nature, and the enduring power of the sea, meticulously prepared for print republication. A must-read for anyone interested in environmental literature and the delicate balance of life on the coast.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.

This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.

Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1023552892
• ISBN13: 9781023552899
• Release Date: March 2025
• Publisher: Anson Street Press
• Length: 166 Pages
• Weight: 0.53 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 6.1" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Thoreau meets Proust on Cape Cod.

I had never heard of Henry Beston until a friend lent me--or, more accurately, pressed on me--his copy of The Outermost House. After reading this book, I understand his sense of urgency: this is a work of unique and lasting beauty, surely one of the greatest nature books ever written. In detailing his year in his cottage at Eastham Beach (now Coast Guard Beach) on the Atlantic side of Cape Cod, Beston combines a Thoreauvian zeal for nature and the examined life with a Proustian ability to record exactly the sight, sound, feel and scent of the world around him. Page after page is filled with unforgettable passages; his descriptions of the markings and songs of the shore birds alone are enough to move you to tears. His story of the plight of a doe caught in an icy flood is almost as suspenseful as a Hitchcock movie; his tribute to the courage of the Coast Guard "surfmen" who rescue shipwrecked sailors is particularly resonant to us who--after Sept. 11, 2001--have learned something about the value of those who safeguard the public. Beston is so quotable a writer that I'm shocked he's not better known. A few quotes should demonstrate: "Nature is a part of our humanity, and without some awareness and experience of that divine mystery man ceases to be man." "Man can be either less than man or more than man, and both are monsters, the last more dread." "Poor body, time and the long years were the first tailors to teach you the merciful use of clothes! Though some scold today because you are too much seen, to my mind, you are not seen fully enough or often enough when you are beautiful." "Poetry is as necessary to comprehension as science. It is as impossible to live without reverence as it is without joy." Henry Beston found urban life insupportable in the mid-1920s; who could know the dismay he would feel in 2002, when computers, television and jet planes make the world pass in a blur! Beston is out to teach us how to slow down, to learn to live again according to the patterns and rhythms of nature. For those who are willing to read and understand, The Outermost House remains a haven of peace and beauty.

A wonderful & relaxing book

The Outermost House is one of my favorite books. Henry Beston has a wonderful writing style that produces vivid images of his year spent living in a small house on the dunes of the beach on Cape Cod in 1926. We see through his eyes a year of seasons passing, birds in migration, storms, shipwrecks, and peaceful solitude. I've read this book several times. Beston's imagery is excellent, making it easy to picture the Cape Cod setting, see what he saw, walk where he walked, and at the same time feel the sea breeze on your face and relax.Another tribute to this book is that you can literally open it to any page, any paragraph and find fresh and descriptive writing. Here, I'll pick a truely random page now:"...Streaming over the dunes, the storm howled on west over the moors. The islands of the marsh were brownish black, the channels leaden and whipped up by the wind; and along the shores of the desolate islands, channel waves broke angrily, chiding, tossing heavy ringlets of lifeless white. A scene of incredible desolation and cold. All day long I kept to my house, building up the fire and keeping watch from the windows..."I highly recommend this book, I know I will read yet again someday.