Peculiar Work gathers selected articles and essays written by Larry Anderson over more than thirty years. Anderson is also the author of Benton MacKaye: Conservationist, Planner, and Creator of the Appalachian Trail (2002), the definitive biography of the visionary American environmentalist best known for his conception of the Appalachian Trail and as a co-founder of The Wilderness Society. In addition to articles about aspects of MacKaye's life and career, this collection includes writing about land conservation, wilderness, hiking, community activism, and small-town politics. In a direct, clear style, informed by years of experience and research, Anderson provides a distinctive perspective on the complex connections linking landscape, history, and civic responsibility.