I could have become a millionaire, I chose to be a vagabond

The inspiring journey of John Muir, pioneer of ecology and founder of America's national parks. Born in Scotland in 1838 and arriving in the Great Lakes region of the United States at the age of ten, the young John Muir worked hard in the fields while admiring the nature around him. He spent part of his nights inventing mechanical objects.

Muir quickly questioned the meaning of this life of labor and envisioned a self-sufficient existence in harmony with nature. He left Wisconsin, traveled the country on foot, and lived as a hermit in the woods, fascinated by the surrounding life. In California, during the Gold Rush, the quest for wealth created an immense ecological debt, still invisible to most. Except for Muir, who perceived it thanks to his attention to people and his love of the landscape.

An iconic figure in the United States, founder of national parks and savior of Yosemite, John Muir raised the question of the meaning of life in the new industrial society. A precursor to the concept of ecology, he was, according to Roosevelt, "the freest man I have ever met."

Biography of Alexis Jenni
Format: 11 x 18 cm
Number of pages: 240