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.
A capacious and truly original work of nonfiction ... A mashup of travelogue, geology lesson, hiking guide, history and meditation, all wrapped in a revealing and personal memoir...the book is, in essence, an exuberant celebration of finding purpose in nature ... Accounts of these experiences, sometimes risky, sometimes funny, but always deeply meaningful, give shape to Robinson’s larger narrative. The memories are intercut and augmented by chapters delineated by categories such as geology, Sierra people, routes and moments of being. These disparate chapters coalesce into a surprisingly seamless narrative that conveys the full measure of Robinson’s deep affection for the place and its past, as well as its significance to him personally ... Robinson’s writing is companionable and welcoming, never dry or preachy ... The High Sierra should not be narrowly viewed as a book only for the die-hard outdoorsperson. Robinson’s greater project, at which he succeeds splendidly, is to share the magic of his personal happy place, to promote not only its admiration but also its preservation.
Robinson’s knowledge and adoration of the Sierra’s reverberate ... Robinson’s writing is clear, fun, and filled with joy for time spent in the mountains. This lengthy memoir will appeal to fans of Robinson and the Sierras.
Robinson vividly conveys his passion for the Sierra mountains in this enthralling blend of memoir, history, and science ... Robinson’s discussions of what he terms psychogeology—the impact geology has on the mind— are particularly memorable ... There’s humor on offer...and his heartfelt rendering of intense emotional interactions with the natural world pulsates with life.
