John Muir: Nature's Visionary [Hardcover]

Gretel Ehrlich (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2000

Emigrating from Scotland as an eleven-year-old in 1849, John Muir spent a harsh boyhood working on his family's farm in Wisconsin. After a factory accident in his early twenties left him temporarily blind, Muir left behind what he saw as the degradations of cities and farms and set out for unspoiled territory. And the rest, as they say, is ecological and conservation history.

The untouched lands of the Sierra Nevada, which he christened the "Range of Light", became Muir's lifelong passion. As the nation's most revered spokesman for the wilderness and a founder of the Sierra Club, Muir made immeasurable contributions to the beauty and preservation of our continent. And this exquisite book captures as never before the extraordinary nature of his life. Prize-winning photographer Lynn Johnson brings the matchless vitality of this bearded warrior to thrilling life. The visual odyssey is further enriched by reproductions of Muir's own drawings as well as the rarely seen and recently rediscovered images of Carleton Watkins. Showcasing its legendary subject's own rhapsodic writings, John Muir: Nature's Visionary bears powerful witness to Muir's enduring contributions to the American landscape.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

"Everybody needs beauty as well as bread," wrote Muir, who walked away from the hubbub of humanity and immersed himself in the wild until an "evangelistic urge" induced him to come down from his beloved Sierras and share his belief in the sanctity of wilderness. Muir fought to protect Yosemite and other natural wonders more than a century ago, and though so much has been lost since, the damage would be far more horrific without Muir's poetic and pioneering writings and passionate conservationist efforts. Ehrlich, herself an astute and eloquent nature writer, adroitly chronicles Muir's wholly admirable life--from his self-education as a boy in Scotland and Wisconsin to his solitary cross-country treks, fruitful mountain hermitage, and cofounding of the Sierra Club--with empathy and respect. By focusing on Muir's "unquenchable" appetite for life and learning and quoting with great discernment from his works, including unpublished journals, Ehrlich beautifully captures Muir's essence and clearly defines the ongoing significance of his accomplishments. Lynn Johnson's gorgeous landscape photography and a wealth of wonderful archival images provide the perfect accompaniment. Donna Seaman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: National Geographic; 1st edition (November 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0792279549
• ISBN-13: 978-0792279549
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 0.9 x 10.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #484,543 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Magnificent man, fine book, July 24, 2003

By 

Candace Scott (Lake Arrowhead, CA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: John Muir: Nature's Visionary (Hardcover)

John Muir is one of the greatest and least appreciated men of the paste 150 years. His fierce determination to preserve the wilderness was a gift to us all. This book does him justice in all ways. Not only is it beautifully written and crafted, the author's empathy and understanding of Muir is evident throughout. Naturally there is an emphasis on Muir's tremendous conservationist efforts, but I was pleased to see material on his early years in Scotland and the emigration to America. Ehrlich also discusses in some detail Muir's loss or sight and his spontaneous restoration of sight. An incredible story in itself.

Most of the book is devoted to Muir's tireless environmental work in California. His (ultimately futile) battle to save Hetch Hetchy is described in painful detail. His triumphs are also chronicled, including his epic hiking adventures, trail forging and wilderness activism. This is a first-rate biography of an outstanding human being, and hero to envioronmentalists everywhere.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a nature lover!, September 3, 2002

By 

Deborah L. Krohn - See all my reviews

This review is from: John Muir: Nature's Visionary (Hardcover)

This is an excellent book about the life of one of our greatest conservationists. If you have enjoyed Muir's books, I highly advise learning about his incredible life journey with this great biography.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Provides vision and hope., July 5, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: John Muir: Nature's Visionary (Hardcover)

An elegant and beautiful book. It was both visionary and poetic, like Muir, and offers us a fine, new appreciation of the man and his message in this time of political and environmental degradation. Stunning photographs.