Guardians of the valley John Muir and the friendship that saved Yosemite

"In June of 1889 in San Francisco, John Muir-iconic environmentalist, writer, and philosopher-meets face-to-face for the first time with his longtime editor Robert Underwood Johnson, an elegant and influential figure at The Century magazine. Before long, the pair, opposites in many ways, decide...

Full description

Main Author: King, Dean, 1962- (Author)
Format: Books Print Book
Language: English
Published: New York, NY : Scribner, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc., 2023.
Edition: First Scribner hardcover edition.
Subjects:
Summary: "In June of 1889 in San Francisco, John Muir-iconic environmentalist, writer, and philosopher-meets face-to-face for the first time with his longtime editor Robert Underwood Johnson, an elegant and influential figure at The Century magazine. Before long, the pair, opposites in many ways, decide to venture to Yosemite Valley, the magnificent site where twenty years earlier, Muir experienced a personal and spiritual awakening that would set the course of the rest of his life. Upon their arrival the men are confronted with a shocking vision, as predatory mining, tourism, and logging industries have plundered and defaced 'the grandest of all the special temples of Nature.' While Muir is consumed by grief, Johnson, a champion of society's most pressing debates via the pages of the nation's most prestigious magazine, decides that he and Muir must fight back. The pact they form marks a watershed moment, leading to the creation of Yosemite National Park, and launching an environmental battle that captivates the nation and ushers in the beginning of the American environmental movement. Beautifully rendered, deeply researched, and inspiring, Guardians of the Valley is a moving story of friendship, the written word, and the transformative power of nature. It is also a timely and powerful 'origin story' as the toweringly complex environmental challenges we face today become increasingly urgent"--
Physical Description: xxxiii, 435 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations, maps ; 24 cm
Bibliography: Includes bibliographical references (pages 369-409) and index.
ISBN: 9781982144470
1982144475
9781982144463
1982144467
Author Notes: Dean King is an award-winning author of ten nonfiction books, including Skeletons on the Zahara , Unbound , Patrick O'Brian: A Life Revealed , and The Feud . His writing has appeared in Granta , Garden & Gun , National Geographic Adventure , Outside , New York magazine, and The New York Times . He is the chief storyteller in two History Channel documentaries and a producer of its series Hatfields & McCoys: White Lightning . An internationally known speaker, King has appeared on NPR's Talk of the Nation , ABC's World News Tonight, PBS's American Experience , BBC Radio, Arte TV France/Germany, and at TEDx. For more info, visit DeanHKing.com.