Teaching Nonfiction Writing at Yale

Photo by Michael Marsland/Yale
Writing nonfiction: reporting in Russia, China, the United States, and elsewhere

Kronotsky Zapovednik (cover photo Igor Shpilenok)
My most recent reporting, including "Defending Russian Wilderness" from fall 2010 (cover at right, and click here for Русская версия (Russian version), has focused on the work of environmentalists in Russia, fighting on behalf of splendid lands in the world's largest nation, one with a proud but little-known history of protecting pristine landscapes against great challenges, throughout the past century and continuing today.
In the photograph below right, taken while reporting articles on Russia's nature
reserves (zapovedniki or заповедники) for Sierra and Smithsonian magazines, the
young cranes in the left foreground, trying to untie the laces of my boots, are
red-crowned cranes (grus japonicus). The young cranes in the right background
are white-naped cranes (grus vipio), also called Daurian cranes. These crane
chicks are recent additions to two of the rarest species of birds on earth.
In the photograph below right, taken while reporting articles on Russia's nature
reserves (zapovedniki or заповедники) for Sierra and Smithsonian magazines, the
young cranes in the left foreground, trying to untie the laces of my boots, are
red-crowned cranes (grus japonicus). The young cranes in the right background
are white-naped cranes (grus vipio), also called Daurian cranes. These crane
chicks are recent additions to two of the rarest species of birds on earth.

Khingan Nature Reserve, reporting on wildlife
The Russian field scientists at Khingan Nature Reserve where this photo was taken, in Siberia just north of the Amur River (the border with China), are breeding these cranes for release into the wild. The crow tugging on my notebook at right is not endangered as a
species. Click here to read this article in English or here to read this article in Russian (Русская версия).
(Both Russia photos above right by Igor Shpilenok www.Shpilenok.ru.)
species. Click here to read this article in English or here to read this article in Russian (Русская версия).
(Both Russia photos above right by Igor Shpilenok www.Shpilenok.ru.)
A note on this website, Strebeigh.com:
As of May 2012, Microsoft has ended its long-running website service called Microsoft Office Live, on which I built this site, www.Strebeigh.com. I am now rebuilding the site on a new website service, but for a while this site may remain in progress.
Many apologies, Fred Strebeigh
Many apologies, Fred Strebeigh