Shortly after the end of the Civil War, Muir made his first trip to the Sierra Nevadas, working as a shepherd and documenting the experience in his diary. This audio version, released for the 100th anniversary of the classic travelogue’s publication, features a solid but unmemorable reading by Brett Barry. Although his narration is plainspoken, calm, and well paced, Barry—who at times mispronounces words or speaks haltingly—fails to convincingly convey Muir’s familiarity with the natural life he studied during his famous trek across the mountains. (Aug.)
A travel classic by "the most celebrated celebrator of nature in America." — Commentary —
Muir was a geologist, an explorer, philosopher, artist, author, and editor, and to each of his avocations he devoted that deep insight and conscientious devotion which made him its master
An inspirational figure for modern environmentalism . . . his enthusiasm and heart-felt love of nature is immensely impressive. Thankfully the wilderness blooms again in Muir's evocative prose
As more and more of us grow aghast at what we have done to the world we started with, Muir's reverence and devotion will seem keenly germane, and our regret may be transmuted into a fight for the future
Muir's prose is a miracle of immediacy. His books are illuminated by sunshine and starlight. The cold mineral air of the mountains and the resiny reek of coniferous forests lift bracingly off his pages. No other writer is so ceaselessly astonished by the natural world as Muir, or communicates that astonishment more urgently. Muir lived "in an infinite storm of beauty", and his readers live in it with him
The great mountain man . . . [John Muir] remains a towering presence in American cultural life, and is internationally acknowledged as one of the founding fathers of modern conservation
The richness of Muir's writing roots deeper into the terrain than any other wilderness writer known to me
"When we consider John Muir, we consider one of the small handful of Americans who truly changed the world."
The Scottish-born Muir made an incredible journey through the Sierras while herding sheep in 1869. He published this title in 1911 and later founded the Sierra Club. This diary of his experiences—leading the sheep, observing the raw beauty of nature, and presenting reality both good and bad; the gorgeous scenery, exhaustion, and hunger—is as relevant today as it was then. A moving and amusing description of a prairie chicken who feigns injury and death to protect her babies is a highlight of his chronicle. This also serves to illustrate how Muir saw all of nature as a precious friend to man. However, his remarks about Native Americans are painful and harsh but probably reflect his time. Narrator Brett Barry is outstanding; he skillfully captures the language of an earlier America as his poetic delivery matches the beautiful descriptions. A wide audience of conservationists, ecologists, nature lovers, American history fans, and those who merely prefer worthwhile poetic writing will be well rewarded.—Susan G. Baird, formerly with Oak Lawn P.L., IL
Narrator Barry Press delivers a fresh reading of an early work by famed naturalist John Muir. First published in 1911, this work is Muir’s journal of his 1869 excursion through California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains. Muir was ostensibly working for a crew of shepherds, but his true purpose was to observe, chronicle, and draw the region's flora and fauna. Press beautifully captures Muir’s adventurous spirit and love of nature. Though Muir’s poetic prose is of a very different era, Press instills enough humor and playfulness to make the account sound modern. The only drawback of the audio version is missing out on Muir’s drawings. Listeners may want to seek them out elsewhere for an entirely immersive experience. A.T.N. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine
