The Wilder Muir

Book excerpt: Whether he is cheering for untamed mountain sheep or braving a high-country storm that would sweep away lesser mortals, John Muir—outdoorsman, scientist, author—is forever passionate, often droll, and always inspirational. This collection of his little-known pieces have been culled from private letters, magazine articles, and personal journals from deep in the archives. In Bonnie Gisel’s able hands, Muir takes the reader on thrilling adventures and remarkable discoveries. His first summit of Half Dome, his great epiphany about the “living glaciers of the Sierra,” and his jolly ode to the giant sequoia are all presented here with awe and affection. A nearly penniless young Muir sleeps under the stars in a Florida graveyard. Muir the father prods his wife in the back with a stick, “helping” her up Yosemite’s Four Mile Trail. And an older yet still adventurous Muir summits Mount Rainier and survives the perilously icy descent. Certain to delight fans of The Wild Muir, these audacious exploits reveal John Muir’s boundless curiosity and love of all things wild.