David K. Leff

David K. Leff (April 9, 1955 – May 29, 2022) was an award-winning American author, essayist, poet, and environmental advocate whose lyrical work explored the intimate relationship between people, community, and the natural landscape. Born in Albany, New York, he earned a history degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a law degree from the University of Connecticut before building a distinguished career in public service, notably serving as the Deputy Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection. He vaulted into literary prominence with his 2004 debut non-fiction masterpiece, The Last Undiscovered Place, a Connecticut Book Award finalist that offers an affectionate, deeply insightful architectural and social portrait of his adopted home of Collinsville, Connecticut. Combining historical gravity with environmental mindfulness, the book argues powerfully for looking at local landscapes carefully to rediscover a sense of community amidst modern suburban sprawl. A highly prolific creator, Leff published several other acclaimed books—including Deep Travel, Hidden in Plain Sight, and Canoeing Maine's Legendary Allagash—and served as a volunteer firefighter, town historian, and the Poet Laureate of Canton, Connecticut.