The Mountains of California; [New and Enlarged Edition]

New York: The Century Co, 1913. Second Edition, 2nd Printing. Very Good Plus. [7.75x5.5in]; xiv, [2], 389 pp., frontispiece illustration of "Hoofed Locusts", 14 plates and 48 half-toned images and illustrations (full page and in text), 4 maps; Original tan linen covers with gilt lettering on front and spine, gilt and dark green ink oval illustration of mountains and rising sun bordered in gilt and pine/sequoia cones on front, and illustrations of cones, mountain sheep and bee on spine, top edge gilt, fore and bottom edge untrimmed; Minor shelf wear to covers, edges, corners and text block, age and minor soiling on covers with faint stain spot on spine, darken spine and gilt, light age toning to text., old stamp residue on bottom rear end paper with book binder mark. [Kimes 293, Curry Kruska 258, BAL 14746, Zamorano 80 #56, Neate M166] MW. John Muir (1838-1914) was a well-known naturalist, preservationist, author, advocate, and founder of the Sierra Club. His writings were poetic in the beauty of nature and compelling in preserving for the enjoyment of future generations. In the 1890's, the exploitation of the West's resources and use of Federal lands was a concern for conservationists (currently called environmentalist). Muir's many articles, and this book, had a significant impact on the public and policy makers to expand protection, conservation, and preservation of forests and public lands. Along with Muir's second book, Our National Parks, 1901, his efforts to influence Presidents and generate public support have created National park system the United States and other countries have today.

The greatest challenge was his advocacy Congress to establish Yosemite as a National Park in 1890, however, unlike Yellowstone, under California State control. Over the next decade, Muir founded the Sierra Club to promote environmental protection to wilderness areas, authored several books on his travels and developed influence with government and business leaders. In 1903, on a trip to Yosemite with President Theodore Roosevelt, he described the State's mismanagement and exploitation of the National Park and pressed for Federal control. In 1905 Yosemite was expanded and placed under the control of the Department of Interior.

Muir's first book in 1894 was 'The Mountains of California'. The first chapter, "Sierra Nevada" introduces the California mountains and context to the other chapters. The following chapters were from edited articles that appeared in several magazines and a newspaper between 1875 and 1882. The book was immensely popular and was issued seven times to 1907, and a London issue in 1894. In 1911, a "new and enlarged" edition was published and reissued four times to 1922. This copy is the 1913 second issue of the 1911 "new and enlarged" edition. The binding and text are similar to the 1894 edition with additional plates, halftones, and maps. Interesting, is the dedication to Louiza Strentzel and reference to the "ninth edition", which is technically incorrect, since this 1913 book is the second edition and second issue. This book could be considered the ninth printing of all the issues printed since 1894.

From Lawrence Clark Powell's California Classics, "More books came from Muir's pen but none has the power, the style, and the charm of his first ... It is one man's testament to the glory of the Sierra Nevada, that radiant Range of Light. By the act of reading, book and range become ours. Such is the power of a classic.