Can’t believe it took me this long to read John Muir’s My First Summer in the Sierra. Having said that, didn’t love it. Love the idea behind it, and the Sierras can be magical, but the book didn’t really do much or go anywhere. If you love botany, however, it would be interesting, and if you don’t know anything about the Sierras then it could be a worthy task as well. Muir, originally from England, ended up in Wisconsin where he endured an unbelievably difficult childhood. (His dad was a ballbuster.) He eventually made his way west and became one of the most important figures in American conservation and development of the national park system.
Let’s address the elephant that I’m sure some snowflake will present. When you read how Muir writes about Native Americans it will produce a wince, or make you look over your shoulder to make sure nobody sees you reading that passage, but I am not a believer in cancel culture. I’m a realist. This is what people did at the time. We read it, learn from it, improve, and move on.
Comedy is the same for me. These comics being probed about their act is such a waste of time. Comedy, music, art, no apologies. The job of these folks is to present things that make us uncomfortable. We live in an age where people spend at much time looking for things to be upset about as they do putting the time in on what it is they actually do. I am not one of these people, and I’m not going to condemn Muir. (Who later in life went on to become a major proponent of Native American rights.)
There are several takeaways. Muir knew what wild spaces do for the human soul. We now live in an age where our species has become an urban species and wild spaces are disappearing an an alarming rate. For every five wild animals that existed in 1970, there are now two. I’m no math guy, but this sounds suboptimal. Muir also transmits a pure joy when writing about wildness. This, in fact, is what turned off the literary crowd to Mr. Muir. “Too flowery.” Let’s face it, if you are looking for the most fickle, pretentious group of people on the planet, well, you would say “Hollywood,” but the “literary establishment,” would be right there as well.
I can’t tell you to read this book, but I can tell you to investigate what Muir did over his lifetime. Remember, there was no REI. There was no puffy jacket, Gortex, nothing, nada. He tied his journal to his belt and slept on the ground. How many of us are willing to do this? Oh, and he did this before they killed off all the bears, so he was a basically a meal the entire time he was out there.
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Yeah I like fresh air,but I’m not going back riding horses. The world definitely feels like it’s running out of new places to adventure especially with InstaFace. Just got to find your nirvana in what’s left.
Author
Wild spaces are dropping but the public seems to be missing those stories. I think a fair number of poeple have traded actual nature for screen based, which makes sense, and in some ways this is good because as we can see with the national parks, these places can’t handle the numbers. I read where the top five parks now require permits to even get in. I won’t be visiting anytime soon.
Have you read any Colin Fletcher? Similar ethos, but really nice to read. “Thousand-Mile Summer” really piqued my interest in hiking, long long ago.
I think I read that one in school. Maybe. It’s been a while. You might like The Invention of Yesterday by Tamim Ansary. It’s a high level view of global history, told from the perspective of how the stories that each culture told itself affects them, and eventually, the rest of the world. It’s well written, and decidedly not Euro-centric.
Author
That sounds right up my alley
As an old codger, this will attend my plumbing the depths of the 19th century. The danger being not to color it with modern sensibility.
jajaja. Good one
Yeah what’s crazy! There was a time 10 + years ago you were all alone in the National Parks.
Enjoy them while you can. If Trump gas his way he’ll shut’em all down, or build casinos in them
Author
Well, he’s proven he is no friend of the wild spaces, but he’s a man who has ever left the concrete his entire life. His take on wild spaces is predictable. And he’s line is pockets along the way.
Yeah, the grift is thick.
Marshall, why do you want to turn this into a political thing!? Thats an idiot thing to say!
Oh, silly me:
https://news.mongabay.com/2017/10/trumps-global-resorts-put-profit-first-environment-last-critics-say/
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2020/oct/20/trump-us-dirtier-planet-warmer-75-ways#:~:text=Yet%20the%20president%20appears%20unmoved,rules%20and%20loosened%20pollution%20standards.
https://thehill.com/opinion/energy-environment/369821-americas-parks-and-public-lands-suffer-another-loss-under-trump/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_policy_of_the_Donald_Trump_administration
https://nyti.ms/2FzhGBm
https://www.npca.org/articles/2304-trump-administration-silences-national-park-service-hindering-ability-to
https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/columnists/iowa-view/2020/11/01/trumps-horrid-disdain-environment-justifies-kicking-him-out/3664368001/
https://electrek.co/2021/01/15/trump-us-national-park-service-director-biden/
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2020/09/trump-is-trying-to-greenwash-his-appalling-environmental-record-before-the-election/
https://www.nationalparkstraveler.org/2020/06/update-trumps-move-northeast-canyons-and-seamounts-national-monument-draws-criticism
Author
I don’t think there is any argument over Trump’s enviro ideas or policies, but he looks down on anyone who would even visit a park. The interesting thing about Trump, compared to many others who still want to create a facade, he just says what he wants to do no matter how awful or shortsighted it is. And then he typically does something even worse.
Daniel, you might enjoy Kim Stanley Robinson’s “The High Sierra: A Love Story,” which is a beautiful and wide-ranging memoir about his many decades spent in that range. It’s a fantastic book, and I think many of its themes would resonate with you. And thanks for the new Shifter, which I’m really enjoying!
Author
Sounds good to me! Right up my alley.