Eric Rutkow

About the Author

Eric Rutkow is a historian and environmental writer whose work illuminates the profound intersections between nature, infrastructure, and American identity. With a keen eye for the epic narratives hidden in landscapes and human ambition, he explores how trees, forests, and vast roadways have shaped the nation's history and future. A graduate of Yale University and the University of Virginia School of Law, Rutkow has taught at institutions including the University of Michigan and Dartmouth College, blending rigorous scholarship with accessible storytelling. His acclaimed books, including American Canopy: Trees, Forests, and the Making of a Nation and The Longest Line on the Map: The United States, the Pan-American Highway, and the Quest to Link the Americas, have earned praise for their vivid prose and insightful analysis of environmental and geopolitical themes. Rutkow continues to write on the evolving relationship between humanity and the natural world.