John Muir Nature Writings The Story of My Boyhood and Youth My First Summer in the Sierra The Mountains of California Stickeen Essays

John Muir was a prominent explorer writer and advocate for the preservation of wilderness in America. He played a significant role in the development of the national park system and founded the Sierra Club. Muir's writings collected in The Library of America's Nature Writings are a testament to his masterful natural descriptions and love for the American West. His memoir The Story of My Boyhood and Youth details his early interest in nature while My First Summer in the Sierra chronicles his spiritual awakening upon seeing the beauty of central California. The Mountains of California is a natural history classic celebrating the region's lakes forests and animals while Stickeen is a touching account of his experience with a canine companion in Alaska. Muir's essays including those on Yosemite the Grand Canyon and his campaigns to preserve wilderness round out his work.