The Yosemite

In this nature-writing classic, John Muir eloquently portrays the valley he called his “marvelous wonderland,” providing detailed descriptions of its flora, fauna, and natural features. He demonstrates a rare ability to portray both scenic splendors and moments of pulse-pounding excitement, such as peering over the dizzying brink of Yosemite Falls or scaling snow-covered South Dome to watch his half-mile-long shadow dance on the sea of clouds below him.

Gretel Ehrlich, a native Californian, is the author of the award-winning The Solace of Open Spaces, as well as John Muir: Nature’s Visionary and This Cold Heaven: Seven Seasons in Greenland, among other books and essays. She lives in Wyoming and California.