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A Passion For Nature: The Life Of John Muir (2008)

by Donald Worster(Favorite Author)

4.02 of 5 Votes: 2

languge

English

genre

Memoir & Autobiography

publisher

Oxford University Press

review 1: Biographies are one of my favorite classes of books. Learning what make people tick.Being a lover of hiking and natural beauty, I originally listened to this book as I needed a break from the traditional "leadership" biographies (Jobs, Robert E. Lee, Rockefeller & Ford) but Muir definitely was a Leader of similar caliber.Born a "middle class" Scotsman - Muir had to break a tyrannical father and find his own passion in the world. Mainly by the power of his pen, Muir gained a following that included not just "common folk" but Presidents Roosevelt and Taft. Like many great leaders...if you are passionate about what you are doing you will succeed.
review 2: Worster has written a comprehensive account of a fascinating life that really inspires me. Although I had... more known that John Muir had founded the Sierra club in Victorian times, I had not known:- how appreciation of nature had freed him from the oppressive Calvinism of his early life, and what a struggle he had with religious belief through the first half of his life- his talent and dedication to invention and millwork - making systems work better- his inner struggle between dedication to family and his desire to experience and understand nature- his reluctance to participate in political struggles, and yet his effective pragmatism - to the extent of promoting a road into the Hetch Hetchy valley in an effort to build support for saving it from San Francisco politicians who wanted to dam it to provide slightly cheaper water than other options.- his belief in the goodness of nature led him to take risks that he recognized were inappropriate.The struggle between belief in the intrinsic value of non-human organisms and their relationships in nature versus those who value nature only in terms of what it can provide us continues today within the conservation movement. Muir's struggle against religious dogma that interferes with a true understanding of the world we live in may seem long ago and far away for many of us, but is far from over for many or most in the world today. less

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