True Nature by Lance Ricchardson.
Lance Richardson’s 2025 biography,
True Nature: The Pilgrimage of Peter Matthiessen, explores the life and internal quest of the esteemed and complex American writer. Drawing on extensive research, Richardson portrays Matthiessen’s life as a relentless, and often contradictory, search for an authentic self—what Matthiessen, quoting Zen Buddhists, called his “true nature”. The biography contextualizes Matthiessen’s restless travels, writing, and spiritual pursuits as part of a deeper, existential struggle.
Core idea
The central idea of True Nature is that Peter Matthiessen’s impressive and varied accomplishments—as a naturalist, CIA agent, co-founder of The Paris Review, social activist, and Zen master—were all fueled by a profound, lifelong restlessness. Richardson argues that Matthiessen was in constant pursuit of an “authentic core” or true self, which he felt was hidden beneath his constructed or inherited identities. The book suggests that this quest for personal truth is an elusive, lifelong process rather than a final destination.
Peter Matthiessen’s Eternal Search for Meaning – The Atlantic
Oct 14, 2025 — The central project of Matthiessen’s existence was a relentless, often painful attempt to locate what, quoting Zen Bud…
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The Atlantic
True Nature: The Pilgrimage of Peter Matthiessen – Amazon.com
A superb nature writer, an uncompromising social and environmental activist, a devotee of Zen’s endless path toward transformation…
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Amazon.com
Key concepts
A lifelong pilgrimage: The subtitle, “The Pilgrimage of Peter Matthiessen,” frames his life as a continuous spiritual and physical journey. Matthiessen’s travels—from the Himalayas in The Snow Leopard to his expeditions in South America and the Caribbean—were not just adventures but manifestations of his deep-seated existential search.
The merging of problems: Richardson highlights Matthiessen’s ability to perceive connections between seemingly disparate issues, such as ecological degradation, racism, and labor exploitation. This led Matthiessen to the prescient conclusion that in a “damaged human habitat, all problems merge”.
Privilege and restlessness: The book explores the paradox of Matthiessen’s life. Born into wealth and privilege, he spent his life rebelling against this background and using his resources to travel and search for meaning. His “pathological restlessness” often came at the expense of his family, particularly his wives and children.
Contradictory identities: The biography explores Matthiessen’s multifaceted and often contradictory nature. He was a wealthy WASP who rebelled against his class, a Zen master with a titanic ego, and a dedicated naturalist with a penchant for hobnobbing with the jet-set.
Evidence and insights
Richardson draws on “rich primary sources and hundreds of interviews” to provide a granular and vivid depiction of Matthiessen’s life. Key insights include:
The CIA connection: The biography confirms and details Matthiessen’s early career with the CIA, a little-known aspect of his history that coexisted with his role as co-founder of The Paris Review.
Bigfoot obsession: One of the more surprising details is Matthiessen’s lifelong fascination with Bigfoot, which Richardson recounts in great detail. The author suggests Matthiessen was more intrigued by the mystery itself than by solving it.
Family cost: Based on interviews, Richardson offers insight into the personal cost of Matthiessen’s ceaseless quest, documenting the pain he inflicted on his family and portraying him as a self-exiled, absentee husband and father.
Strengths and weaknesses
What’s good about the work
Impeccable research: Reviewers praise the biography’s “immense work of scholarship” and “ground-clearing primary-source research”.
Riveting storytelling: Richardson is commended for his narrative flair and for crafting an “intimate and gracefully written” account that is “absolutely enthralling”.
Comprehensive portrait: The book successfully synthesizes Matthiessen’s many contradictory facets—from CIA agent to naturalist to Zen master—into a coherent and compelling portrait.
What’s not so good about the work
Lack of intimacy: Some critics feel that despite the thorough detail, the narrative remains somewhat “distant.” While it chronicles Matthiessen’s many journeys and affairs, it rarely provides the “intimate, earthy” details that would help the reader connect with him emotionally.
Underexplored social life: The biography focuses heavily on Matthiessen’s restless, peripatetic side, and some reviewers note that his complex social life and literary friendships feel “underdeveloped”.
Potentially unsympathetic subject: The candid portrayal of Matthiessen’s difficult personality and treatment of his family may make him an unsympathetic character for some readers.
Impact and relevance
True Nature offers a timely warning for contemporary strivers and seekers, particularly those in the tech or business elite who achieve success yet feel unfulfilled. Matthiessen’s story serves as a caution against endlessly searching for external validation or a “cure” for deep restlessness.
The book reaffirms Matthiessen’s place as a towering figure in environmental and nature writing, solidifying the importance of classics like The Snow Leopard. His early understanding of interconnected ecological and social problems remains profoundly relevant.
For fans of Matthiessen, the biography provides an unparalleled and illuminating exploration of the man behind the myth. For new readers, it offers a compelling entry point into the life and work of one of the 20th century’s most fascinating and complex literary figures.
Book Review: ‘True Nature,’ by Lance Richardson
Oct 13, 2025 — Its early backers came out of the Social Register and the Christmas-card lists of the editors’ parents. * Matthiessen’
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The New York Times
TRUE NATURE: The Pilgrimage of Peter Matthiessen
Underlying all Matthiessen’s disparate pursuits was the same existential search—to find a cure for “deep restlessness.” This searc…
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Lance Richardson
True Nature: The Pilgrimage of Peter Matthiessen
Oct 12, 2025 — Richardson’s biography is dispassionate and thorough, but it is, like his subject, distant. One never warms to it. The…
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