The Lindgren Letters: Private Letters From Waldemar Lindgren to His Family in Sweden (1881-1889)

Waldemar Lindgren remains the most widely recognized pioneer of modern economic geology. This publication aims to give early-career geologists as well as more mature practitioners a first impression of Lindgren the man. The letters, written to his family just before he emigrated to the United States and during his first decade there, have been translated from his native Swedish by Krister Sundblad. The letters provide a sense of Lindgren’s character, motivation, and love of field work during his early professional life, as well as a flavor of the rudimentary field conditions he endured in the western United States during the late 19th century. In essence, the letters show the makings of arguably the greatest and most influential economic geologist.