Journeys in the Wilderness: A John Muir Reader

Muir shouldve been eaten by a bear so he couldve become one with nature and one with mother earth

Introduced by Graham WhiteFRONT COVER QUOTE`When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe' - John MuirBACK COVER QUOTE`fascinating . . . the memoirs have beguiling warmth and immediacy' - Glasgow Herald John Muir was born at Dunbar, Scotland in 1838, and emigrated to America in 1849, where he is still revered as `Father of the National Parks' and `Herald of the Conservation Movement'.A true Renaissance man, Muir was: inventor, mountaineer, explorer, botanist, geologist, nature-writer and environmental campaigner; many would add: Christian-mystic, visionary and wilderness-sage. His writings are the fountain-head from which the American conservation movement erupted, setting the agenda, the ethos and the argument for the creation of a vast National Park system. Muir did more than simply describe the grizzly bears, the giant redwoods and luminous landscapes of California's High Sierra; as the founder of the Sierra Club, his endless campaigns saved them for all posterity.This new selection includes Muir's finest autobiographical books: The Story of My Boyhood and Youth and My First Summer in the Sierra along with the best of his climbing and conservation essays from: The Mountains of California, Our National Parks, The Yosemite and Steep Trails.It offers a rounded portrait of Muir as a giant of American letters; of a visionary, whose passionate defence of `everything that is Wild' , still reverberates through today's environmental movement, inspiring new generations of activists and all who love the natural world.

The contents shown in "Look Inside" are not the same as those for the print edition. For example, it shows travels to Alaska as part of this book, but that is not included in the book I received. That is a shame since that is what I bought the book for. Not a happy customer!

All ok, je recommande. La couverture est magnifique !

Would recommend to others who like this author. I bought it for a Birthday gift and I believe the person has really enjoyed it already.

I am only beginning to explore the writings of John Muir and sense that this is just the start of a journey. His passion for nature and his insights into its mystical inter-connectedness are beautiful, and we need to be motivated and given hope by his example of fighting to create a space for wildness. Written a hundred years ago and yet somehow very up-to-date and highly recommended.I wrote this review to warn readers who are interested in particular parts of John Muir's writing. The current listing on Amazon (July 2012) is wrong. It describes the book as "Journeys in the Wilderness: A John Muir Reader: Includes My Boyhood and Youth, First Summer in the Sierra, 1000 Mile Walk, Stickeen and Travels in Alaska'. This IS NOT CORRECT. I ordered the book with a primary interest in '1000 Mile Walk' and it is not included, neither is 'Travels in Alaska' apart from the inclusion of Stickeen. So I would probably have gone for a different compilation if I'd known, though this edition, with an interesting introduction by Graham White, is attractively produced and I don't regret having it.For clarity, Journeys in the Wilderness: A John Muir Reader, published by Birlinn, includes:The Story of my Boyhood and Youth (complete)My First Summer in the Sierra (complete)The Mountains of California (selection)Our National Parks (selection)The Yosemite (selection)Stickeen (complete)Steep Trails (selection)And in case you hadn't noticed, the contents of 'Look Inside' refer to a different edition entitled 'The Wilderness Journals', also introduced by Graham White, published by Canongate but also seemingly available in a Kindle edition.AMENDMENT June 2013: I'm glad to see that the book details have now been updated and appear to be correct, as is the version on 'Look Inside'.

Not yet finished the book, but like the stories told by Muir very much.Great guy and a visionair!

An excellent account of a young man and his family growing up in a new land , and instinctively at an early age starting to immerse his self in the natural environment , a must read for any one who wishes to be inspired to engage with the natural and precious environment