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4.0 

The High Sierra

By Kim Stanley Robinson
The High Sierra by Kim Stanley Robinson digital book - Fable

Publisher Description

A “sublime” and “radically original” exploration of the Sierra Nevadas, the best mountains on Earth for hiking and camping, from New York Times bestselling novelist Kim Stanley Robinson (Bill McKibben, Gary Snyder).

Kim Stanley Robinson first ventured into the Sierra Nevada mountains during the summer of 1973. He returned from that encounter a changed man, awed by a landscape that made him feel as if he were simultaneously strolling through an art museum and scrambling on a jungle gym like an energized child. He has returned to the mountains throughout his life—more than a hundred trips—and has gathered a vast store of knowledge about them. The High Sierra is his lavish celebration of this exceptional place and an exploration of what makes this span of mountains one of the most compelling places on Earth.

Over the course of a vivid and dramatic narrative, Robinson describes the geological forces that shaped the Sierras and the history of its exploration, going back to the indigenous peoples who made it home and whose traces can still be found today. He celebrates the people whose ideas and actions protected the High Sierra for future generations. He describes uniquely beautiful hikes and the trails to be avoided. Robinson’s own life-altering events, defining relationships, and unforgettable adventures form the narrative’s spine. And he illuminates the human communion with the wild and with the sublime, including the personal growth that only seems to come from time spent outdoors.

The High Sierra is a gorgeous, absorbing immersion in a place, born out of a desire to understand and share one of the greatest rapture-inducing experiences our planet offers. Packed with maps, gear advice, more than 100 breathtaking photos, and much more, it will inspire veteran hikers, casual walkers, and travel readers to prepare for a magnificent adventure.

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19 Reviews

4.0
Slightly Smiling Face“For those that find solace in reading about nature when you can’t be in it yourself, this is for you. At first I wondered if this book was going to be a retrospective into the author’s golden days of partying- a subject that didn’t exactly grip me. But I quickly realized that, instead, it’s a memoir in the reflecting pond of the great Sierra, including the various chapters of his life. I appreciated the multiple recommendations for further research and reading, as well as advice on approaching the trails themselves. On top of that, I’m intrigued to learn that the author is actually a sci fi writer- so I am looking forward to checking out some more of his work, in an entirely different genre.”
Smiling Face with Heart-Eyes“I wonder if some day in the future I will look back at this as the book that had the absolute most impact on my life. I hope so. To immerse oneself in a wild place, get to know it intimately yet wonder what it will bring to you on each new visit. I can think of fewer things more noble and zero places more deserving than the Sierra”
“This is part memoir, part nonfiction about the Sierra Nevada. Covers plants and wildlife, geology, history (including indigenous people and famous women), as well as Robinson’s many travels through the Sierra. This is truly a book about Robinson’s love for the range and he argues that the Sierra is the best mountain range in the world for hikers and backpackers. The way he describes the many basins, hanging valleys, and lakes in the range, the feelings of satisfaction and joy he feels while rambling and scrambling is infectious. My hike of the JMT is a little over two months away and I’m so pumped to get up there”
“This was a random book for me to read, sort of outside the genres I typically read. I heard him interviewed on Ezra Klein pod, and I liked what he had to say about psychogeography. I audiobooked it, and the author read it. I liked his sort of laid back vibe, and I could hear the sadness in his voice in the parts about his friends passing. Overall, it was a calm and interesting read. I'm definitely going to go backpacking in the Sierras now.”

About Kim Stanley Robinson

Kim Stanley Robinson is a New York Times bestseller and winner of the Hugo, Nebula, and Locus awards. He is the author of more than twenty books, including the bestselling Mars trilogy and the critically acclaimed 2312, Shaman, New York 2140, and The Ministry for the Future. He traveled in Antarctica twice, courtesy of the US National Science Foundation. In 2008, he was named a “Hero of the Environment” by Time magazine, and he works with the Sierra Nevada Research Institute. He lives in Davis, California.

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