Encounters with Nature brings together twenty-one essays written over a span of four decades.. 'Encounters with Nature gives the reader a deeper understanding of Paul Shepard's thought, bringing his intellectual development into closer focus and providing a valuable overview of his life and vision. The book will bring a greater appreciation of the prescience and timelessness of Shepard's writing to his many followers and friends, and it will also serve to introduce new readers to the remarkable breadth and depth of his work and insight.