John Muir 
The Mountains of California 

In one of his first books, “The Mountains of California”, John Muir, famed naturalist, environmentalist, and author, recounts his travels through the Sierra Nevada Mountains and Yosemite Valley. First published in 1894, “The Mountains of California” is a captivating and vivid portrait of the raw beauty of this spectacular place. He takes the readers on a tour of the wonders that abound, writing “Go where you may within the bounds of California, mountains are ever in sight, charming and glorifying every landscape”. Muir was a tireless campaigner for the preservation of the natural world and was a powerful advocate for the special respect that needs to be afforded to these unique and wild places. Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada had a special place in his heart and he worked hard to help pass the bill in 1890 that established Yosemite as a National Park. Muir’s relationship with nature was both spiritual and philosophical. The transcendental quality of his love for the natural world comes through in his writing, as well as his scientific knowledge and training in the geology of the area. “The Mountains of California” is a poetic and passionate study of these national treasures. This edition includes a biographical afterword.