Our National Parks

This addition to the "John Muir Library Series" is a collection of ten essays in which Muir extols the beauty, grandeur, and importance of Yosemite, Sequoia, Yellowstone, and other National Parks of the American West and urges the preservation of these natural areas. First published in 1901, this book brought Muir to the attention of President Theodore Roosevelt. The naturalist's message is as critical today as when it first appeared in print. In characteristic elegiac style, Muir captures the vital essence of Yosemite, Yellowstone, and other areas, detailing their natural attractions: the breathtaking forests, lush alpine meadows, massive granite domes, towering sequoias, bursting geysers, thundering waterfalls, and crystalline glacial lakes.At the same time, he motivates readers to preserve "these Western woods - trees that are still standing in perfect strength and beauty, waving and singing in the mighty forests of the Sierra." Muir guides readers through the wild parks and forest reservations of the West, "venturing and roaming (and) getting in touch with the nerves of Mother Earth."
He fully describes flora and fauna, from the humblest mosses to giant redwoods, from insects and lizards to the Sierra brown bear. Essential reading for anyone who wants to protect America's wild lands, these essays heighten readers' appreciation of nature and inspire them to preserve the wilderness areas Muir loved so well.