John Muir's extraordinary vision of America comes to life in these fascinating selections from his personal journals. As a conservationist, John ...
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reviews
Jan 21, 2009
Kelly Jo
rated it: 
I enjoyed reading this book, despite the admonition that Muir's writing was "adjectivorous" (overly descriptive, as one critic wrote). Much of the writing resembles prose poetry. The book is a collection of writings, spanning through Muir's early years in Scotland, his family's move to the "new world", his university years, and his years wandering remote places in the Yukon and Yosemite.
Although originating from journal entries, this book does not read like a jou More...
Although originating from journal entries, this book does not read like a jou More...
Feb 05, 2012
Cheryl
rated it: 
John Muir hated the time he had to spend locked inside to laboriously write. He hated it. Apparently he struggled sentence by sentence. Giving this book a bad rating feels like the worst blasphemy known to man, because he is a hero in the capital-letters- BOLDest-font-available definition of HERO. After being forced to stay inside writing once in Oakland for 10 months, he almost died by falling off a cliff, and then punished himself by sleeping not on the fragrant forest floor with pi
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Jan 31, 2011
Steve
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One of my favourite books of all time. Muir is a tour de force. His casual easy-going writing style and his zest for life and all things natural are captivating in and of themselves but the true value of this book is the close-up view it provides of Muir's humble beginnings and unlikely rise to prominence. He faced considerably more obstacles than most of us, being pulled out of school early to work on the family farm for an ungrateful father and heading out into the world with virtually no m
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Dec 03, 2008
Foster
rated it:
This anthology of Muir's writings is a great choice for a first look at his works. The editor selected a fantastic group of passages, and then arranged them according to a timeline of Muir's life. The result is that you get a great read, and also learn a lot about Muir's life and development as a person, naturalist, and writer.
I bought the book to read as I was prepping for a trip to Yosemite, and also read it while I was there. This worked out great, as I was able to read about l More...
I bought the book to read as I was prepping for a trip to Yosemite, and also read it while I was there. This worked out great, as I was able to read about l More...
Jan 20, 2010
Lisago5
rated it:
This edition is a compilation of the best of Muir's writings -- and they are so wonderful that I want to read everything else that didn't make the cut. He foresaw the end of the American wilderness, and he makes me homesick for what had disappeared long before I was born.
Aug 08, 2011
I just became aware of John Muir from watching Ken Burns National Parks documentary. Muir is now my hero. He's a master story teller and fantastic but sometimes tedious describer of the wild. Definitely an inspiring read on par with Walden.
Sep 13, 2007
Julie
rated it: 
I didn't know much about John Muir before I read this, just that he had something to do with the Sierra Club, and so must've been an outdoorsman. What an fascinating guy! As a young man, he was an inventor. Among other things, he made an alarm clock that tilted his bed and dumped him on the floor! He walked from Wisconsin to Florida, he regularly camped with almost no supplies--certainly not the things we think of as necessary for survival today. He was an amazing observer of wildlife--Jane Good
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Nov 09, 2007
Luke
rated it:
This is a great book about a quirky, brilliant, and genuine lover of the natural world. I love this book because it is full of wide-eyed wonder of Creation, as well as insights into the workings of that Creation. This book helped me to realize the beauty of everything around me and to be positive and honest about what being in nature does to my soul. Muir has no apologies for his complete lack of concern for money or the need to 'get ahead', and instead champions a simple life of joy and awe, as
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Mar 12, 2011
Margaret
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I felt like I was walking with him throu the Sierras. His is one of the greats. I highly recommend this book.
Jul 24, 2011
Riana
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Love John. Love the wilderness. Love his passion for 'the wild' and the unknown.
Sep 18, 2010
Leaflet
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John Muir is larger-than-life, sort of a Scottish Tom Bombadil ~ a nature spirit.
Sep 30, 2011
Julie
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I love his writing style and it was so much more relevant that I was there on vacation and could see the beauty of Yosemite that he was writing of!
Jan 18, 2008
Jenna
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This book fell more into my expectations of boring nature writing. He spends a lot of time describing waterfalls and plants, which some people really like. Personally, I prefer more action or philosophy.
Feb 18, 2010
Martha
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I'm enjoying Muir's passion and awe in his descriptions of the natural world.
May 29, 2009
Muriel
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contains a wonderful essay about a dog named Stickeen. This is the man we should all thank for pressing Theodore Roosevelt to preserve our National Parks.
Jul 30, 2011
Chris
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Breathtakingly wonderful...an amazing and inspiring arrangement of Muir's finest work.
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