author
John Hay
1915–2011
A keen observer of shorelines, islands, and the changing seasons, this American nature writer turned close attention into graceful, memorable prose. His books blend natural history, personal reflection, and a strong feeling for the places he loved most.
3 Audiobooks
About the author
Born in Ipswich, Massachusetts, in 1915, he grew up in New York City and graduated from Harvard College in 1938. He worked as a Washington correspondent for the Charleston News and Courier, later served in the Army as an editor for Yank magazine, and went on to build a long career as an author, naturalist, and conservation advocate.
He became especially associated with Cape Cod and coastal New England. He co-founded the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History and served as its president for many years, and his writing returned again and again to beaches, islands, birds, weather, and the rhythms of the natural world. Readers know him for books including The Great Beach, In the Company of Whales, and Mind the Gap.
Later in life he lived in Bremen, Maine, and remained closely identified with the landscapes that shaped his work. He died in 2011, leaving behind writing that is thoughtful, grounded, and deeply attentive to the living world.