Notes on "The Mountains of California"

The Mountains of California by John Muir is a natural history of, mainly, the Sierra Nevada range. It is that and much more. It covers all that is expected of a natural history: the geological history, the geographical features, the flora, the fauna, and seasonal change, much of this discovered by the author. But it is also a paean to the mountains and the freedom they afford. It is an adventure book, recounting Muir's need to get to the tops of things to have a look around: previously unclimbed peaks, trees in the middle of a windstorm, or Yosemite Falls in January. It is also a polemic for preservation. Muir devotes a chapter to the bee pastures. He never says it, but it is clear that he wants people to believe there is money to be made by leaving things as they are.