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Travels in Alaska Audiobook
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(3.07) - 331 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
In the late 1800s, John Muir made several trips to the pristine, relatively unexplored territory of Alaska, irresistibly drawn to its awe-inspiring glaciers and its wild menagerie of bears, bald eagles, wolves, and whales. Half poet and half geologist, he recorded his experiences and reflections in Travels in Alaska, a work he was in the process of completing at the time of his death in 1914.
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"Reading John Muir is inspiring for sure, and appalling in many ways. Today, many people are concerned about having the best gear for their short visits to nature, and around the turn of the century, Muir was jovial to have any gear at all for his long journeys. Soaked, malnurished, and likely dehydrated, Muir explored some of the most unforgiving terrain in North America. Sleeping on devil's club, and prefering a night under Auroras to a warm cabin, Muir describes an insatiable appetite for understanding the natural world. Muir's knowledge of plants, geology, and native culture is additionally impressive for the late 1800's and remains impressive to this day. We can likely thank Muir for Alaska's national parks, particularly Glacier Bay. Compare Muir's descriptions to the condition of Alaska's glaciers today and we are provided a grim lesson on Anthro-terra dynamics. A must read for shiney nails."
— Forest (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“The book abounds in passages of wonderful beauty...In this as in all his other books two qualities stand out pre-eminently—the sincerity of his enthusiasm, the intensity of his religious faith.
— Sierra Club -
“While all of Muir’s books are charming, this one presents peculiar features of interest in addition to the pleasing literary style and scientific accuracy that characterize the others...his writings [are] unsurpassed as records of the history of nature.”
— Mississippi Valley Historical Review -
“Take a trip to last century’s Alaska through Muir’s clean, easy-going, enthusiastic prose. He wrote the way he took pictures, with insight, attention, care, and genuine feeling. It’s a lovely look into a beautiful land and its inhabitants the way it used to be, told in a flowing narrative that is far less rushed than contemporary travel tales.”
— Amazon.com, editorial review -
“Probably no other man in this country has his enthusiasm for mountains and glaciers…united with so rare a literary gift.”
— John Burroughs, American naturalist and essayist -
“Men like Muir continue for us the spiritual reclamation of North America. At their keenest, they evoke for us something of the freshness of an hour and a day when, before the intervention of culture, men saw the world for the first time as something wonderful and new.”
— John Haines
Travels in Alaska Listener Reviews
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" Nothing much to say other than Muir presents a better photograph of Alaska with words than Ansel Adams did of the West with actual photos. "
— Zachames, 2/2/2014 -
" The descriptions in this book of an untamed environment match the dairy entries by my Great Great Grandfather when he and his brother traveled to Alaska in search of gold. It's great to read about the environment prior to global change to remind us all to conserve, reduce, and recycle. "
— MaryKate, 1/2/2014 -
" I've been reading this book, a couple pages at a time, for about 10 years. It's so incredibly beautiful and is what inspired a trip to Alaska in 1999. I don't care about a plot or anything else when I read it...I just like to suck it in like the clean Alaskan air. "
— Bob, 12/30/2013 -
" Muir's sometimes florid prose takes a little getting used to, but before long I was swept away by his vivid descriptions of Alaska's Inner Passage. His reverence for the beauty of nature has helped me to see the world around me with fresh eyes. "
— Paul, 12/19/2013 -
" Warning: lots of glaciers, lots of walking alone on said glaciers and describing their glacial properties. This book is great if you like that sort of thing (like I do). "
— Colin, 12/16/2013 -
" The original man who went "Into the Wild" describes his insane adventures hiking over glaciers etc. Fantastic. "
— Moira, 12/4/2013 -
" enchanting descriptions of a wonderful place. how could one not want to spend time in this wonderful country after reading Muir's description of Alaska. just fantastic writing and a joy to read. "
— Clint, 8/4/2013 -
" Muir's beautiful descriptions of Alaska alternate with his condescending bullshittery about the native Alaskans. I couldn't finish it. "
— Julia, 5/28/2013 -
" Very interesting at times and very dry at times. "
— Kristen, 4/2/2012 -
" Realizing that this book was written over a hundred years ago is important to the appreciation of this solioquy on unspoiled nature. "
— Andy, 3/24/2012 -
" I never knew that Muir went to Alaska. Certainly was obsessed with glaciers. Nice to read his account of Glacier Bay. It was still really undeveloped when I was there on my honeymoon in 1975. "
— Cara, 9/23/2011 -
" I am totally in Alaska as I read this book. I look forward to reading more John Muir books. His interaction with the native Alaskans was an eye opener. "
— Wendy, 11/30/2010 -
" This one speaks for itself. "
— Danielle, 11/13/2010 -
" Muir was obsessed with Glaciers. I enjoyed the book, but thought his descriptions were a bit over the top. I would have love more descriptions of the culture or other adventures besides multiple, repetitive descriptions of the flowers and glaciers.. "
— Dawn, 10/8/2010 -
" A man can make tea on a glacier from the wood runner of a sledge. "
— Chris, 8/14/2010 -
" Beautifully written description of the Inside Passage. Muir's writing echoes my sentiments exactly of the wonders of that enchanting area and the reflections of God in Nature. "
— Christina/Sweetleaf, 5/29/2010 -
" Muir's sometimes florid prose takes a little getting used to, but before long I was swept away by his vivid descriptions of Alaska's Inner Passage. His reverence for the beauty of nature has helped me to see the world around me with fresh eyes. "
— Paul, 5/9/2010 -
" A man can make tea on a glacier from the wood runner of a sledge. "
— Chris, 3/14/2010 -
" enchanting descriptions of a wonderful place. how could one not want to spend time in this wonderful country after reading Muir's description of Alaska. just fantastic writing and a joy to read. "
— Clint, 2/13/2010 -
" I’ve been interested in Muir’s life and work ever since seeing so much of California, so passing up his edited journals on a newly acquired and mostly unspoiled Alaska was not even an option. "
— Jamie, 8/10/2009 -
" I've been reading this book, a couple pages at a time, for about 10 years. It's so incredibly beautiful and is what inspired a trip to Alaska in 1999. I don't care about a plot or anything else when I read it...I just like to suck it in like the clean Alaskan air. "
— Bob, 2/2/2008 -
" Beautifully written description of the Inside Passage. Muir's writing echoes my sentiments exactly of the wonders of that enchanting area and the reflections of God in Nature. "
— Christina/Sweetleaf, 9/12/2007 -
" Warning: lots of glaciers, lots of walking alone on said glaciers and describing their glacial properties. This book is great if you like that sort of thing (like I do). "
— Colin, 7/15/2007
About John Muir
John Muir (1838–1914), Scottish-born American naturalist, was one of the most influential conservationists and nature writers in American history. Founder of the Sierra Club and its president until his death, he was instrumental in helping to save wilderness areas, including Yosemite Valley and Sequoia National Park. He was a spirit so free that all he did to prepare for an expedition was to “throw some tea and bread into an old sack and jump the back fence.”