John Muir

John Muir is regarded as the 'father of America's national parks' and is one of the most influential voices of the modern environmental movement. His life and writings have inspired presidents, founded parks and trails, and developed the idea that wild places deserve protection not for profit, but for their own sake. Born into a harsh home in Dunbar, Scotland, the young John Muir 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 childhood oppression he experienced continued - and so did his involvement with the natural world. Despite the difficulties of his formative years, Muir grew up to be a strong believer in both God and the essential goodness of humanity. 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. This second, expanded edition of Mary Colwell’s acclaimed biography pays tribute to a pioneering thinker whose vision matters more than ever in a world of environmental degradation and climate change – as does his spiritual insights into our relationship with nature, making it a personal encounter rather than something we pursue for the sake of science or economic exploitation.