Berry College Assistant English Professor Clinton Peters recently discussed "Mountain Madness: Found and Lost in the Peaks of America and Japan” with the community.
His book is a collection of essays documenting his adventures in Japan and his journey of self-reflection, ultimately asking one question: how can landscape create and end identities?
“Being in Japan taught me more about being an American than I think I would’ve ever learned if I'd stayed here,” Peters said.
The book details a 24-hour hike of Mount Fuji, a 3-day walk across Tokyo and his own near-fatal injury in the mountains of Japan. He focuses on how his experiences resulted in his own self-transformation.
“That was the lesson: ‘Clint, you need to humiliate yourself a little bit,’” Peters said. “’You need to be humbled.’”
During the event, Peters also discussed his publishing journey to shed light on the process. This book took 10-plus years to publish, interrupted by the publication of his first book.
“I found it was easier to write about something that wasn't me first and that helped me write about me,” Peters said. “I don’t think I had perspective until I finished this first book.”
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Written by Public Relations Student Sierra Stanfield
Office of Public Relations