A collection of her manuscripts, writings and papers (the Diane Ackerman Papers, 1971–1997—Collection No. 6299) is housed at the Cornell University Library.[10]
Books
Her works of nonfiction include, most recently, The Human Age: The World Shaped by Us, which celebrates nature, human ingenuity and its dominance;[11][12] her memoir One Hundred Names for Love, about stroke, aphasia, and healing;[13][14]Dawn Light, a poetic meditation on dawn and awakening;[15][16]The Zookeeper's Wife, narrative nonfiction set in Warsaw during World War II, a tale of people, animals, and subversive acts of compassion;[17][18]An Alchemy of Mind about the marvels and mysteries of the brain, based on modern neuroscience;[19]Cultivating Delight, a natural history of her garden;[20]Deep Play, which considers play, creativity, and our need for transcendence;[21]A Slender Thread, about her work as a crisis line counselor;[22][23]The Rarest of the Rare and The Moon by Whale Light, in which she explores the plight and fascination of endangered animals;[24][25]A Natural History of Love, a literary tour of love's many facets;[26]On Extended Wings, her memoir of flying;[27] and A Natural History of the Senses, an exploration of the five senses.[28][29]
Her poetry has been published in leading literary journals, and in collections, including Jaguar of Sweet Laughter: New and Selected Poems.[30] Her first book of poetry, The Planets, A Cosmic Pastoral was gifted by Carl Sagan to Timothy Leary while Leary was imprisoned.[31] Her verse play, Reverse Thunder, celebrates the passionate and tragic life of the 17th century nun, and fellow poet and naturalist, Juana Inés de la Cruz.[32] Ackerman also writes nature books for children.[33]
In 1995, Ackerman hosted a five-part Nova miniseries, Mystery of the Senses, based on her book, A Natural History of the Senses.[36]On Extended Wings was adapted for the stage by Norma Jean Giffin, and was performed at the William Redfield Theater in New York City (1987).[37] A musical adaptation (by Paul Goldstaub) of her dramatic poem, Reverse Thunder, was performed at Old Dominion University (1992).[38]
The Great Affair
The great affair, the love affair with life,
is to live as variously as possible,
to groom one's curiosity like a high-spirited thoroughbred,
climb aboard, and gallop over the thick, sun-struck hills every day..
It began in mystery, and it will end in mystery,
but what a savage and beautiful country lies in between.
— Diane Ackerman, "found poetry" from A Natural History of the Senses[50]
Poetry
The Planets: A Cosmic Pastoral (1976)
Wife of Light (1978)
Lady Faustus (1983)
Reverse Thunder (1988)
Jaguar of Sweet Laughter: New and Selected Poems (1991) ISBN9780307763389
^Richards, Linda L. (August 1999). "Interview: Diane Ackerman". January Magazine. Retrieved 2013-08-31. I didn't want to be a scientist. I just felt that the universe wasn't knowable from only one perspective. I wanted to be able to go exploring: follow my curiosity in both worlds. So I had a poet on my doctoral committee. And I had a scientist -- Carl Sagan. And I had someone in comparative literature. Essentially, they all ran interference for me so that I could -- ultimately -- write a dissertation that was about the metaphysical mind: science and art and be teaching and be in school while I was writing books.
