My First Summer in the Sierra

My First Summer in the Sierra comprises John Muir's journal entries that document his journey, in the company of a herd of sheep, a shepherd, and a dog, to California's Sierra Nevada mountains during the summer of 1869. Muir records his daily experiences moving through spectacular wilderness areas that would later become Yosemite National Park. Muir presents the Sierra as a pristine ecosystem, depicts wildlife in their habitats, and observes the destructive impact of sheep grazing. He encounters several indigenous tribes and describes their ways of life.

The prose alternates between detailed scientific observation and rapturous descriptions of the landscape. He mentions practical concerns about animals, weather, and terrain. He also show more muses on humanity's relationship with nature. This region is not far from where I live so I had a personal interest in this memoir. I have visited the John Muir house in Martinez, California, and the Muir Woods in Marin County. It will appeal to fans of lyrical nature writing. I enjoyed it as a historic record written by an early proponent of conservationist thought. show less

So! Many! Superlatives! That's what the bulk of this book consists of. As rich and rewarding as Muir's prose is, I believe it might best be enjoyed in small doses rather than all in one go.
[Audiobook note: The reader was okay, but suffers greatly in comparison with the Scottish-accented actor that Ken Burns used as Muir's voice in his National Parks documentary. This reader just somehow failed to bring across the deeply spiritual tone that Muir's words call for.]

I think some of the people who quote his "When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe" phrase would be surprised to see it in the context of the rest of the paragraph (p87). He relates a lot of what he sees to God's presence. At times I felt his gushing enthusiastic words were a bit over the top, and wondered that he could have so much boundless enthusiasm day after day--but my reaction is doubtless a result of our comparative ages. There were sections where his imagery was strongly appealing, e.g. "some [raindrops]sift spray through the shining needles, whispering peace and good cheer to each one of them." (p 69)
He does animate nature; I thought it was refreshing the way he would show more identify plants etc as people, in a manner we are used to only hearing from Native Americans. I wonder how much of our innate attraction to specific landscapes has to do with some genetic predisposition: he comes from a Scots family which I assume lived for centuries in highlands.
I wonder what reference books he might have had with him. For example, in the beginning he wonders at the bird that walks under water in the streams but by the end he names it ouzel in his observations. show less

This was a very nice account of a summer in the Sierras. Full of detailed recordings of the flora, fauna, and natural beauty, Muir takes the reader on the journey with him.

This is not my usual style of book. It is a diary, with no real story, and with long and detailed descriptions of plants. It takes a while to get into the book, and took me almost nine months to finish it. Yet there is a progression to the diary. Particularly once Muir gets to higher elevations, then still higher, his delight becomes infectious, and the story moves quickly. Although the prose can be terribly purple, Muir back it up and justifies it with a fine eye for detail. I regretted getting to the end of the Sierra summer.

John Muir came to live in the United States in 1849, when he was nine years old and his parents moved there. In his twenties he spent several years studying various subjects at university, including botany and geology, in an entirely eclectic fashion and without ever taking a degree. To avoid conscription he moved to Canada, where he spent time trekking through the wilderness. He spent the following several years wandering the woods in the good season and working to make money as it ran out, usually in the winter season, when collecting plants would be difficult.

Between 1868 and 1871, Muir visited Yosemite several times, spending most of his time there. My first summer in the Sierra, although written and published many years later, in show more 1911, describes this period of his life.

The descriptions in the book bespeak Muir's adoration of the wild nature he observed in the Yosemite. Muir's youthful vigor emblazons the his writing about the paradisaical nature he encountered in this place, including rich descriptions of the landscape, flora and fauna.

My first summer in the Sierra is written in the form of a diary, describing the wanderings and daily occupations of Muir as a shepherd, and although Muir did spend a season in the Yosemite as a shepherd, My first summer in the Sierra is inspired by the many more years he spend there. However, the chosen structure and story tie the book together into an enticing story.

The edition of Mariner Books is illustrated with prints of original photos, etchings and drawings by Muir.

Indispensable reading for anyone with an interest in Natural History, botany and the ecological movement, particularly in the United States. show less

Unreadable.
Poetical and ponderous sermons on nature; eyerollingly irritating to the modern eye.
I realize it was written in 1869... and was likely intentionally... poetic and quasi-religious in tone. I love the journal descriptions of camp life and daily observations had they not been cut far too short by his purple ponderings. This is not to say, as a man, that he wasn't profoundly important and influential... just that this piece doesn't transport us to the Sierras as much as it hijacks us into sitting through church.