The best of John Muir -- 332 quotations, the distillation of his thought, the essence of his beliefs. Muir was the foremost conservationist of his time -- nature writer, social critic, realist, a romantic, a visionary. A long-needed collection that features an excellent subject index. Painstaking bibliographic references make this an invaluable addition to one's Muir Library. (Yosemite Association.) If asked for a succinct statement of his beliefs, Muir might have replied:

A biography of the man known as "father of America's national parks" and an influential conservationist, told in the first person, using Muir's own words.

The best of John Muir -- 332 quotations, the distillation of his thought, the essence of his beliefs. Muir was the foremost conservationist of his time -- nature writer, social critic, realist, a romantic, a visionary. A long-needed collection that features an excellent subject index. Painstaking bibliographic references make this an invaluable addition to one's Muir Library. (Yosemite Association.) If asked for a succinct statement of his beliefs, Muir might have replied:

An exuberant graphic bio of the life of John Muir. John Muir led an adventurous life, starting with his wild and playful boyhood in Scotland to his legendary exploits in America, where he became an inventor, a global explorer, and the first modern environmentalist—and even became friends with a president! His heart was always in the outdoors and he aimed to experience all he could. Most importantly, though, John Muir told the world about the wonders of nature. His words made a difference and inspired people in many countries to start protecting planet Earth— and they still do.

The Wisdom of John Muir marries the best aspects of a Muir anthology with the best aspects of a Muir biography. The fact that it is neither, and yet it is both, distinguishes this book from the many extant books on John Muir. Building on her lifelong passion for the work and philosophy of John Muir, author Anne Rowthorn has created this entirely new treatment for showcasing the great naturalist's philosophy and writings. By pairing carefully selected material from various stages of Muir's life, Rowthorn's book provides a view into the experiences, places, and people that inspired and informed Muir's words and beliefs. The reader feels able to join in with Muir's own discoveries and transformations over the arc of his life. Rowthorn is careful not to overstep her role: she stands back and lets Muir's words speak for themselves.

John Muir, a young Scottish immigrant, had not yet become a famed conservationist when he first trekked into the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, not long after the Civil War. He was so captivated by what he saw that he decided to devote his life to the glorification and preservation of this magnificent wilderness. "My First Summer in the Sierra," whose heart is the diary Muir kept while tending sheep in Yosemite country, enticed thousands of Americans to visit this magical place, and resounds with Muir's regard for the "divine, enduring, unwasteable wealth" of the natural world. A classic of environmental literature, "My First Summer in the Sierra" continues to inspire readers to seek out such places for themselves and make them their own.