Matthiessen, Peter (1927– )

US writer. His novels, At Play in the Fields of the Lord (1965) and Far Tortuga (1975), as well as his short fiction, won critical acclaim, but he was best noted for his non-fiction work, such as The Snow Leopard (1978). In later years he became an eloquent spokesperson for saving the world's natural environments and wildlife.

Matthiessen was born in New York City. He studied at the Sorbonne in Paris, France (1948–49), and at Yale University, gaining his BA in 1950. He was a cofounder of the Paris Review (1951) and continued as an editor for the periodical. Long resident in Sagaponack, Long Island, New York, he captained a charter fishing boat (1954–56), and was a member of numerous expeditions to Akaska, Canada, Peru, Nepal, East Africa, and New Guinea.