Reviews for Beyond The Golden Gate: California's North Coast

The average rating for Beyond The Golden Gate: California's North Coast based on 2 reviews is 4.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2016-05-06 00:00:00 Zachary Boult I think John Muir has got to be one of my top 5 favorite humans of all time. The guy was seriously one of a kind. This fact became evident within the first few pages of "The Yosemite," which I decided to read in advance of my first trip to Yosemite National Park this weekend. John Muir is basically the reason that the park exists. He lived in the valley for many years, on his own, just kind of wandering around and exploring, and he loved it so much that he convinced everyone that it needed to be protected. So we should first of all send a big thank-you in his direction. The main reason reading his description of Yosemite is a delight is not his encyclopedic knowledge of every plant, animal, and geological feature in the area - as fun as it is to read ten continuous pages comparing the shapes of the leaves of every native tree species - but rather the parts of the book that talk about his adventures in the valley. All he did for TEN YEARS was wander around and look at stuff. Just looking at things! For ten years! But in the course of all that looking, he got up to some pretty insane hijinks which lead me to believe that this man had a death wish. For example, he climbed up to the top of Yosemite Falls (nearly 2500 feet above the floor of the valley) and wanted to get a better idea of the exact shape that the water makes when it goes over the edge, so he climbed out on a ledge three inches wide and just hung out there for a while observing. At another point he climbed up to the top of a mountain and an avalanche started, so he literally rode the avalanche down to the bottom of the mountain and couldn't shut up about how awesome it was (though he wouldn't recommend it to average folks like you and me). This may be my favorite example though: I was awakened by a tremendous earthquake, and though I had never before enjoyed a storm of this sort, the strange thrilling motion could not be mistaken, and I ran out of my cabin, both glad and frightened, shouting, "A noble earthquake! A noble earthquake!" feeling sure I was going to learn something. What?! I was in a (small) earthquake a couple years ago, and I can tell you that was not my reaction. But it just goes to show how exuberant and reverent he was about nature. The world needs people like him to remind us that certain places are special beyond measure and that we should take the time to appreciate them. Wow, this is the longest review I've written in maybe ever. I just love John Muir so much and I wish I could go back in time and give him a high five. (But not go on a hike with him, because I'd probably die.)

Review # 2 was written on 2020-05-29 00:00:00 David Mclachlan Reading "The Yosemite" was my first experience reading John Muir's prose. His descriptions are amazing. I read most of the book on a backpacking trip in Yosemite, and I cherish this opportunity to read Muir's descriptions of the very place I was visiting. Muir's words are oft quoted, and now I understand why. His writing is poetic and moving, and so much of what he says speaks to soul. John Muir is skilled at painting with words. Reading about a waterfall, you can see how the water descends and hear the thundering sound. His descriptions of the trees are better than any field guide. His adventure stories are exciting. His love for his subject comes through with such enthusiasm, you can't help but be captivated by his narration of nature's beauty. This edition of the book has strange formatting, with huge margins including over two inches of blank space at the bottom of the pages. At first I was annoyed by this, especially as this extra paper amounts to extra weight that I packed in on my hiking trip. But once I was enthralled in the words, I realized I should use that space to note the most special passages and perhaps write my own observations of the landmarks and forests he explains.