Date: April 21, 2011
American Classic Features Stunning New Photographs by Scot Miller and a Forward by Filmmakers Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan
Photographer Scot Miller, who brought Thoreau's Walden and Cape Cod to life, combines the seminal work of John Muir’s My First Summer in the Sierra with stunning new photography in the 100th Anniversary Illustrated Edition of this American classic. Published in collaboration with Yosemite Conservancy, a portion of the book’s sales will support the nonprofit’s work to preserve and protect Yosemite National Park and enhance the visitor experience.
“This edition is part of an important tradition of capturing and sharing the visual beauty of Yosemite with the world. Once again, word and image are brought together to remind us of the incomparable gift that is Yosemite, and of our shared responsibility in stewarding it,” said Mike Tollefson, president, Yosemite Conservancy.
My First Summer in the Sierra details Muir’s first extended trip to the Sierra Nevada in what is now Yosemite National Park, a landscape that entranced him immediately and had a profound effect on his life. The founder of the Sierra Club and considered the father of the national parks, Muir wrote of the Sierra, “No words will ever describe the exquisite beauty and charm of this mountain park — Nature’s landscape garden at once tenderly beautiful and sublime.”
The new edition, with 72 of Miller’s breathtaking photographs, showcases the dramatic Yosemite landscape that stirred Muir’s passions. "I tried to stay true to the geographic locations Muir explored in the summer of 1869," said Miller. "I wanted to experience for myself the places Muir wrote about and interpret them in my own way. It's a dream come true to be associated with his writings.” Miller’s Yosemite images were taken over a 12-year period from 1998-2010.
Muir’s illustrations from the original edition and several previously unpublished illustrations from his 1911 manuscript are featured in the new book, published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, along with a forward by “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea” filmmakers Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan, and perspective by Tollefson. My First Summer in the Sierra: 100th Anniversary Illustrated Edition can be purchased for $30 at Yosemite Conservancy bookstores in the park in Yosemite Valley and Wawona, and from www.yosemiteconservancy.org.
About Yosemite Conservancy
Yosemite Conservancy is the only philanthropic organization dedicated exclusively to the protection and preservation of Yosemite National Park and enhancement of the visitor experience. The Conservancy works to restore trails, protect wildlife through scientific research and habitat restoration, and offers outdoor programs that provide visitors with unique ways to connect with the park. It has funded over 300 projects through $60 million in grants in areas including trail and habitat restoration, wildlife protection, education, volunteering, and the production of award winning books and DVDs. Learn more at www.yosemiteconservancy.org or call 1-800-469-7275.
