John Muir: The Scotsman Who Saved America's Wild Places - Paperback

by Mary Colwell (Author), Jonathan Porritt (Author)

John Muir is regarded as the 'father of America's national parks' and is a towering figure in the history of that country's involvement with ecology.

Born into a harsh home in Dunbar, Scotland he would often escape to revel in the birds and wildlife of the area. When his father suddenly uprooted the family and moved to the United States, the oppression he associated with his childhood continued - and so did his involvement with the natural world.

Despite the difficulty of his formative years Muir grew up to be a man of great joy - first an inventor and then an explorer, he found his haven in the mountains of Sierra Nevada. He was a fascinating character: on the one hand a recluse, who sought solitude, and on the other a passionate activist, determined to save the places he loved.

A strong believer in both God and the essential goodness of humanity, he was the founder and first president of the Sierra Club. This wonderful memoir pays tribute to a giant of ecology and is essential reading for lovers of natural history.

Back Jacket

Throughtout his life, JOHN MUIR was a passionate believer that everyone needs a place to play, and some places were just too special to be destoyed for money. Born in Scotland in 1838, the celebrated naturalist had a harsh childhood, yet he fell irrevocably in love with the world around him. After emigrating to America, he grew up with a passion for nature and its Maker, becoming a founding father of the National Parks of America. A skilled and ingenious inventor, a superb writer and fearless explorer, he found his heaven on earth in the Sierra Nevada mountains. He was the founder and first President of the Sierra Club.

Author Biography

Mary Colwell (Author)
Mary Colwell is an award winning TV, radio and internet producer, who makes programmes for the BBC and the independent sector, mainly on nature and the environment. She is also a presenter and public speaker, a feature writer for The Tablet and a consultant on the relationship between religion and the natural world. In the last 4 years, she has won 14 major broadcasting awards, including a Gold for the Best Internet Production in the Sony Radio Academy Awards.