About Isaac

Isaac Yuen Headshot

A first-generation Hong Kong-Canadian with a lifelong passion for the environment, Isaac Yuen pens short stories and personal essays exploring forms and themes around nature, culture, and identity. He holds a Bachelor’s in Environmental Science and a Master’s in Environmental Education and Communication.

Isaac is the co-author of the essay collection, The Sound Atlas: A Guide to Strange Sounds across Landscapes and Imagination, along with nature writer Michaela Vieser, forthcoming in German with Knesebeck Verlag in 2023. His debut solo nature essay collection, Utter, Earth, is also forthcoming in 2024 with West Virginia University Press. The title piece with the same name, published in AGNI, was awarded a Pushcart Prize.

Isaac’s other creative works have been published at Gulf Coast, Newfound, Orion, Pleiades, Shenandoah, The Willowherb Review, Tin House online, and elsewhere. He was a 2019 Jan Michalski Foundation writer-in-residence in Switzerland and is a 2023 Fiction Meets Science fellow at the Hanse-Wissenschaftskolleg Institute of Advanced Studies in Delmenhorst, Germany.

Isaac is represented by Willenfield Literary Agency. For publishing and rights enquiries, please contact Akin Akinwumi.

Got any other questions or feedback? Shoot Isaac a message below:

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87 Comments

  1. lindsaymcnamara says

    You should really get on Twitter! The environmental community has a strong presence. It is a great resource and way to get environmental news, information, inspiration, etc.

    • Isaac says

      Hi Lindsay,

      Thanks for the suggestion. I have been told by friend that the Twitterverse is a great way to connect with others, especially in keeping up to date on environmental issues. I’m still a bit new to having an online presence, so it’ll take me awhile to get accustomed to the sheer volume of information coming in.

    • Edouard says

      Hello Isaac. Thanks for stopping by on my side blog.

      I agree with Lindsay on how Twitter is a great way to share news and views about the environment. I have been doing so for years now and clearly wouldn’t be able to stop tweeting now.

    • Isaac says

      No problem, I’ve written a bit about Taoism in my Earthsea posts and Tao Te Ching is one of my sources of inspiration. Cheers!

  3. artistatexit0 says

    Thanks for checking out my blog…I thought I would do the same for you and I’ve enjoyed several of your posts!

    • Isaac says

      Thanks very much! I really enjoy your posts that combine your art with storytelling. Actually, my next entry will share slight similarities to some of your work.

  4. Nancy Adams says

    Hi Isaac,
    This is SUCH a cool blog! I love Ursula LeGuin and Michael Pollan, too.

    Best wishes for your writing endeavors and thanks for liking my blog post.

    • Isaac says

      Thanks for stopping by! I’m also a fan of Wendell Berry as well.

    • Isaac says

      Thanks for visiting. I did see that post, it definitely resonated with me.

    • Isaac says

      Thanks for stopping by. Your art pieces are absolutely stunning!

    • Isaac says

      I’m very honoured by your nomination! Hope you keep reading and keep writing as well. I’m currently working on a story revolving around permaculture, so your nomination will definitely serve as motivation to do a good job 🙂

  9. Moe says

    Isaac, thanks for the visit. I’m delighted you found me so I had the opportunitty to find you and i hope you come back with your fresh voice.. I”ve a brother, a philosopher, who has labored for years on the intersection of environment and spirituality. I’ll be sending him here.

    • Isaac says

      Hi Moe,

      Thanks for visiting and the recommendation. I’m always interested in hearing and sharing ideas about those fields, so that’s fantastic!

  11. togetherone says

    Thanks for visiting TogetherOne. Like you, the earth and our our creative energies go hand in hand. It’s great you can express yourself through writing.

    • Isaac says

      It was a pleasure to have come across your own blog. I’ve recently started going to yoga, and physical and mental balance and alignment are often at the forefront of my mind.

  12. folliculostella says

    Hi Isaac, thanks for stopping by on my blog. We have something in common I think, though I didn’t mention it in my blog. Currently I’m doing research on environmental toxicant presents in foods and water, using a cell culture model. It would be great to follow you ^^

    • Isaac says

      Environmental toxicology’s one of my interest. I would actually like to know more 🙂

      Thanks for the follow!

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  15. bonsology says

    Hey thanks for following my blog! I hope that you enjoy it! It’s nice to see another scientist with a creative side by night.

    • Isaac says

      Cheers! I am a big fan of bonsai, terrariums, aquariums, all of that. The interaction of caring for and protecting living things on a small scale helps me develop a fuller appreciation for the greater environment and a better understanding of the relationship that exists between humans and nature.

  16. jameskeeneyhill says

    Hi Isaac,

    Thanks for checking out my blog. I’ve been enjoying yours as well. I see others here have suggested you get on twitter to connect with the environmental community. Did you ever do that? I’m new to blogging and have no idea about twitter. I wonder how the “environmental community” finds each other. I’ve no idea how you even found me…:) I suspect it’s somewhat counterintuitive for many of us who are more environmentally aware to learn to use all this modern social media to come together.

    • Isaac says

      Hi James,

      I have recently dipped my toe into the twitter community, primarily as another way for interested people to find my newly published posts. I must admit, it’s not really working for me as a tool to find other like-minded people, simply because I personally need more information and depth of thinking than a tweet to see if it’s a suitable connection. I am really adverse to the idea of being overwhelmed with a flood of tweets that I have to devote additional energy to sift through.

      I found your site through the WordPress reader. I have certain tags I explore: environment, sustainability, ecology etc. I seem to be discovering interesting blogs at a comfortable and manageable pace. This way, I get to at least spend a bit of time figuring what people are about. It seems to work pretty well so far.

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  21. monaelnamoury says

    It is such a great blog. I have worked on Le Guin’s SF for my PhD and now guess what? I am working on the first translation of A Wizard of Earthsea into Arabic!
    Let us remain in touch. We can surely have great conversations about it.

  22. Isaac says

    Very nice to meet you. It must be exciting to work on a project that will expose so many to a great book. I would love to read about your thoughts on her various works as well. Thanks for reading.

  23. Michelle Y. Merrill says

    Thank you for your beautiful, juicy and thoughtful blogging. Like you, I am becoming increasingly convinced that the power of story is our best hope for preserving those things that are essential and good through the challenges faced by our global culture and wounded biosphere in the coming decades. Your essays on the stories I have known and loved (LeGuin, Miyazaki, Star Trek) have given me fresh insights into how effective stories are told. I look forward to exploring some new stories based on your recommendations.

    • Isaac says

      Hi Michelle,

      It’s always nice to hear feedback such as yours, to have people identify with familiar tales and be connected to some potential new ones. Hope you find one or two that resonate with you.

  24. Raxa Collective says

    Hi Isaac! Thanks for your comments. If you’re a facebook user we’d love for you to “like” our page. See you there!

  25. L. Marie says

    Isaac, you have a wonderful blog. I appreciate your passion for the environment. I loved Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. Love Ursula LeGuin’s books and essays.

    • Isaac Yuen says

      I appreciated connecting with others with similar interests. I’m going to be doing a big bit on Nausicaa the manga in the future, along with some more stuff on Le Guin’s works. Stay tuned.

  27. Larissa Walrond says

    Hi issac, I’m living in new Westminster BC, and I’m trying to start a garden on my balcony! Got any seeds or ittybitty plants you’d like to share? I don’t know any other gardeners on the lower mainland right now, and I’m doing this on a budget. 🙂 so far i love your blog, I’m going to back track and see what else is there. SO glad I did that post about worms !

    • Isaac Yuen says

      Hi Larissa, thanks for visiting. I actually spent a lot of my childhood in New West myself. Nice to meet someone from the area.

      As for gardening, I’m working on container gardens on my balcony myself, punching holes in old rubbermaid containers and putting in a few bags of potting soil. I unfortunately have to make due with suboptimal sun. We’ll see how it works out.

      For seeds, I would recommend checking out West Coast Seeds. Their free gardening guide is full of tips for when and what to grow, and they sell seeds that work well in small containers.

      • Larissa Walrond says

        OH fantastic! thanks so much! hope your garden comes along nicely! I have tons of sun so I’m hopping to get lots this summer!

  30. War says

    Nice to meet you Isaac and I think we are very much along the same lines of thinking. Environmental issues, self-sufficiency, supporting local farmers, and finding better ways to live are all very important to me.
    Too many people out there are caught up in distractions while short-sighted profit-makers erode the foundations of life itself in the pursuit of illusory material wealth.
    Thank you for your thoughtful and insightful blog; I’ll be following it.

    • Isaac Yuen says

      Always good to meet a fellow blogger face to face! I’m glad you find the site aligning with some of your interests. Thanks for reading.

  31. soramimi says

    Nausicäa is more relevant than ever. I assign it to and discuss it in my environmental science class almost every semester now. Love what you’re doing here. Never underestimate the power of stories.

    • Isaac Yuen says

      I apologize for the late response. Your comment is heartening to hear; Nausicaa is still quite unknown in North America where I live. I am interested in what level your ES class is, and what ideas come up through the exploration of Nausicaa. I’m in the planning stages of doing a feature on the manga, and it would be great to hear what other environmental educators and communicators explore it.

  32. pip2008 says

    HI Isaac. Thanks for visiting my blog, Paradigms4Progress, and thanks for all your contributions to a healthy and sustainable planet. I look forward to returning to your site and reading more of your work. All the best, Denise

    • Isaac Yuen says

      Hi Denise, thanks for visiting. You have a great blog. My credit union recently divested from a pipeline company, so I enjoyed your post on the topic.

    • Isaac Yuen says

      Namaste Bhagi Ram. Thank you for visiting, and I hope you, your family, Krishna, and the rest of SWAN are doing well.

  34. Janna G. Noelle says

    Hi Issac. Great to meet you yesterday, and thanks for following my blog. Your blog is fantastic! Such a comprehensive examination of the power of stories to convey messages of environmental protection and connection.

    • Isaac Yuen says

      Was great to meet you too Jonanne. Haven’t had the opportunity to get too much in depth into your blog yet, but it looks excellent and well-written. I look forward to gleaning writing advice from you.

  36. Mari says

    Hi Isaac! I’ve enjoyed reading your blog, and have nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award. I just realized you have already been nominated by someone else. Please accept the double compliment, and keep up the good work.
    – Mari

    • Isaac Yuen says

      Hello Mari, thank you very much for nominating me for the award. Allow me to return the compliment for Gather and Grow; I have enjoyed reading about your adventures in dyeing and gardening. Also, my heartfelt congratulations at your recent news. Take care! 🙂

  38. Dave Santillo says

    Hi Isaac, Thanks for stopping by my blog, Puma Diaries. We seem to be of similar purpose and background, and also trying to head in similar places, from similar places. Your blog is great. Best of luck, and would love to touch base from time to time to compare notes!
    Dave at Puma Diaries

    • Isaac Yuen says

      Hi Dave,

      thank you for visiting! I especially enjoyed your last post, “I blog for the Trees”, and your self-reflection. I also think we’re on very similar tracks in terms of our writing practice and intentions. Looking forward to spending some time delving deeper into your posts!

      Cheers,
      Isaac

  39. nannus says

    Just bought the Log from the Sea of Cortez. Great book, thanks for the hint, I love it.
    Maybe the children’s book “The Salamander Room” by Anne Mazer would be an eco story to take a look at.

  40. monochromejunkie says

    Hey, I recognize that art work. :0) Nice to meet you, Issac. Al is a friend of mine; he’s on the Louisville, KY side of the river and I’m on the Jeffersonville, IN side. We share the same parts, however, and have followed each other’s work for some time now. Did you catch his show recently? (New Albany, IN Carnegie Center) Pleasure to meet you. x

    • Isaac Yuen says

      Pleasure to meet you too, monochrome junkie 🙂 I live on the West Coast, so I haven’t been to his shows. I learned about his show through his blog though.

      • monochromejunkie says

        I haven’t been able to meet him either, unfortunately. But I do like to follow his trail down at the river. I can tell where he’s been by the environmental cues he leaves behind. I get to be a bit of a tracker and that’s always fun. :0) Great site you have here! I too have an interest in our ecosystems and I appreciate that your blog is a cornucopia of educational tidbits. I learned that Ekos = earth from your blog. Being a research student, I’m always soaking up education, and although I’m drawn to archaeology and jungles, etc., I’ve decided to stick to my true passion- Sociology. Anyway, I look forward to exploring more of your world!

        • Isaac Yuen says

          Haha that’s pretty awesome you can see recognize art that he leaves behind.

          Thanks for visiting, and I’m glad that my corner of the internet has been educational. The more I research, the more I realize the fascinating connections between disciplines. Wishing you the best in your own journey of learning!

          Cheers,
          Isaac

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    • Isaac Yuen says

      Thanks Jean. It’s funny, because I had previously been using a theme by the same designer. Guess I am a fan of her work!

    • Isaac Yuen says

      Hello there,

      Thanks very much for the nomination. I’m honoured that you visited my little corner here. I’m a little swamped right now, but I’ll give your questions some thought and get back to you.

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