Book Review — “Son of the Wilderness: The Life of John Muir,” by Linnie M. Wolfe
October, 2024
by Becky Givens, Class of Spring 2024
“The mountains are fountains of men as well as of rivers, of glaciers, of fertile soil. The great
poets, philosophers, prophets, able men whose thoughts and deeds have moved the world,
have come down from the mountains — mountain-dwellers who have grown strong there with
the forest trees in Nature’s workshops.” John Muir (1838-1914)
After reading one of John Muir’s “My First Summer in the Sierra,” I wanted to learn more
about the life of the man who wrote it. “Son of the Wilderness” is billed as the definitive biography
of John Muir. Wow. If you haven’t yet read this Pulitzer Prize winner, you should! The author worked closely with John Muir’s family and his papers, and personally interviewed people who knew him. Somehow she managed to write an academically rigorous book about this fascinating man that is also wonderfully readable.
The book begins with Muir’s boyhood in Scotland, profiling his parents and grandparents and giving us a glimpse into the roots of his personality. We then follow his family’s migration to Wisconsin and see his stern boyhood as well as his growing love of nature. As a young man his mechanical genius won him a place in college. His inventions cobbled together from scrap and whittled wood were amazing... even a clock which included an alarm that tipped his bed to
dump him out of it in the morning! During his college years came the Civil War, and in 1864 Muir left college and the heartbreak of war to wander in the Canadian wilderness. Thus began his lifelong love and need to roam the wild places of the earth. The book continues to follow his life through his wanderings, marriage and family, his influence on wealthy businessmen and powerful political figures like Teddy Roosevelt, and the founding of the Sierra Club, National Parks, and conservation.
Wolfe portrays Muir as a complicated personality. Muir’s writing portrays his ecstasy in nature, which is what first drew me to wonder about his life. He loved wandering alone but was not a recluse. He loved his solitude in the mountains, but also loved people and took care of those around him. He hated public speaking and being in the public eye, yet when asked a question he could speak for hours to both small and large audiences. He hated society yet was loved by it and drawn into all manner of society functions, always making a good impression and most of the time enjoying himself. The language of his writing is delightful to read, and I suspect that was also true of his speaking. His genius is undeniable, from boyhood inventions to his scientific discoveries in geology and detailed naturalist observations. He was a farmer and wanderer, a writer and lecturer. He was a lobbyist who inspired those around him to recognize humanity’s need for wild places, and his influence is still felt today. We have much to thank him for. I highly recommend this book!
