the john muir exhibit - bibliographic_resources - john_muir_bibliography - anthologies

Audio

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Audio Books and Spoken Word    

 

NOTE: All references to audio "cassette" audio tapes refer to items which are out of print and no longer available from the original publisher. You may be able to find copies elsewhere; in libraries, Ebay, or auction sites. Many,, but not all of these, are now available on CD or through digital download.
N.B.: Off-site links may no longer work, due to failure of off-site websites to properly maintain their site. If this happens, try using the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine to retrieve it from a time period near the date indicated in this list.

The Tree Speech Podcast released in April 2022 two episodes on the topic of "Considering John Muir."

1. Episode 1 - Considering John Muir with Lee Stetson

 Since 1983, Lee Stetson has presented dramatic live enactments of John Muir in Yosemite National Park. He is often asked to provide Muir "voice overs" for films on Yosemite, national parks, or John Muir, including in Ken Burns' acclaimed PBS series "The National Parks: America's Best Idea." 

1. Episode 2 - Considering John Muir with Aaron Mair

Aaron Mair is an environmental justice pioneer who has worked over the last 40 years in the spaces of health, environment, climate change disparities, and wilderness protection. He is an urban environmental activist and a regional and national environmental justice organizer and strategist who has advised two presidents and Congress, served on the national board of directors of the Sierra Club as its 57th president, and as the New York State Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter Chair. 

John of the Mountains: Following in the footsteps of John Muir
BBC Radio Programme - 2nd September 2003 - (Real Audio - Off-site link)
Howard Stableford travels to Yosemite National Park in California to follow in the footsteps of John Muir, virtually unknown in his native Scotland but a national hero in the US, who fought to protect the American wilderness.

John Muir Tribute CD, John Muir Memorial Association, 1999. (Compact Disk) Produced by Jill Harcke and Dan McIlhenny.
An outstanding collection of music about or evocative of John Muir, together with quotations from John Muir read by a variety of Muir scholars and experts. This is a fundraiser for the John Muir Memorial Association, published in a limited edition. The description page includes Real Audio and MP3 sound clips from the album.

Available from Lee Stetson's Wild Productions , Box 93, Midpines, CA 95345 Telephone: (209) 742 7838. e-mail: leestetson@sierratel.com
Website: Lee Stetson's John Muir Live

"An Evening with a Tramp" (CD) Lee Stetson, Wild Productions, 1988, 90 minutes. Now available as a CD (2009).
Lee Stetson here portrays Muir in 1913, pondering the fate of his beloved Hetch Hetchy Valley, recounting his eventful life, and expounding his conservation philosophy. Purchase price: $10.95 (plus $1.50 per tape for postage and handling).

 

"John Muir's Stickeen" (audiocassette) Lee Stetson, Wild Productions, 1988, 38 minutes. OUT OF PRINT. Now available as a CD (2009).
Lee Stetson here portrays Muir as he recounts his perilous adventure on an Alaskan glacier with Stickeen , a "little, black, short-legged, bunch-bodied, toy dog." Purchase price: $8.50 (plus $1.50 postage and handling).

"The Spirit of John Muir" (audio OUT OF PRINT. ) Lee Stetson, Wild Productions, 1990, 50 minutes. Now available as a CD (2009).
Lee Stetson here celebrates Yosemite National Park's Centennial, featuring Muir's Yosemite adventures. Muir's story of experiencing an earthquake in Yosemite is an old favorite, but in this tape "Muir's Spirit" tells many other fantastic true stories as well, like exploring an ice cone at the foot of Yosemite Falls, climbing Tissiack, and, most miraculously, riding down (and surviving!) a snow avalanche for 3,000 feet. Purchase price: $10.00 (plus $1.50 per tape for shipping and handling).

"Spiritual Journey with John Muir," Church service Led by Rev. Christie Anderson and Worship Associate Mary Lou Holly, Unitarian Universalist Church of Kent, Ohio (August 7, 2016).
An exploration of the "fascinating life and spiritual journey of John Muir, naturalist, conservationist and writer" reflecting on how your understanding of the meaning of life may change as compared to the beliefs you held as a child. The song Come Back Home by Jonathan Sprout & Dave Kinnoin is performed by the church choir about 1 minute into the recording.

Audio Archive, Oct. 23, 2011 – John Muir and the Religion of Nature - Presentation by historian Donald Worster at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Manhattan (Kansas). October 23, 2011. Historian Donald Worster of KU highlights the interconnectedness of nature and religion through the words and deeds of John Muir. Dr Worster is a scholar of conservation and environmental movements and of the ways that the natural world has shaped human society and provided the context for human life over time. Dr Worster draws upon his recent book, A Passion for Nature: The Life of John Muir.

The Life and Letters of John Muir by William Frederic Badè, using letters from John Muir and his unfinished autobiography, 100th anniversary edition 2023), in two audiobooks. Publisher: Crazy Wisdom Publishing, available on audible.com.
Narrated by: Darren Roebuck
Volume 1:
Length: 10 hrs and 2 mins
The letters in this volume cover the period from 1868 to 1873 and provide insight into Muir's thoughts, experiences, and the development of his beliefs about the natural world during what is considered to be one of the most exuberant periods of his life.
Annotated for historical context and featuring a foreword from Stephen K. Hatch, author of The Contemplative John Muir: Spiritual Quotations from the Great American Naturalist (2012). The book also includes biographical narrative to provide context for the letters. Together, the two volumes offer a detailed look at the life and thoughts of John Muir, and are an important resource for anyone interested in his life and work.
Volume 2:
Length: 10 hrs and 34 mins
Volume 2 is the second volume of John Muir's letters, written by a Scottish-American naturalist, author, and advocate for wilderness preservation in the United States. The letters in this volume cover the period from 1873 to 1903 and provide additional insight into Muir's thoughts, experiences, and the development of his beliefs about the natural world.
Like the first volume, this book also includes biographical narrative to provide context for the letters. Together, the two volumes offer a detailed look at the life and thoughts of John Muir, and are an important resource for anyone interested in his life and work.
Annotated for historical context and featuring a foreword from Mike Wurtz, curator of John Muir’s Grand Yosemite: Musings and Sketches and head of the University of the Pacific’s Holt-Atherton Special Collections and Archives – home of the largest collection of John Muir’s writings.
Epilogue by Harold W. Wood, Jr., a wilderness preservation advocate and an independent Muir scholar for over 50 years, writing, editing, and curating multiple Muir-related websites over the years.
This audiobook is part of a 100th anniversary edition, simultaneously published in print, ebook, and audiobook formats by Crazy Wisdom Publishing.
Learn more and watch video interview introductions of 2023 centennial edition here. (off-site link)

"My First Summer in the Sierras" [sic] by John Muir (audiocassette) Reader: James Armstrong (North Star Audio Books, Box 129, Van Wyck, SC 2974 (800) 522-2979 (1999) Unabridged, but slightly edited. On four 90-minute cassettes. OUT OF PRINT.
The publishers incorrectly identify this publication as My First Summer in the Sierras on the cassette cover and the printed text on the cassettes, but the audio itself correctly identifies the book as My First Summer in the Sierra. The publishers describe the book thus: "In 1869 John Muir, one of America's first conservationists, spent a year in the High Sierra helping shepherd a flock of 2,000 sheep. He did so with passion and fell in love with this region which he named "The Range Of Light." Forty-one years later, he finally edited his rapturous journal of those months into this, the most refreshing, lyrical and mystic of all his books."

"My First Summer in the Sierra" by John Muir (compact disk or digital download), Reader: Brett Barry. (Silver Hollow Audio Chichester, NY 12416, August, 2011) 6 hours. Available on 5 CDs or by digital download.
Muir's classic account of a job he took in June 1869, herding sheep from the central valley of California to the headwaters of the Merced and Tuolumne Rivers, high into the Sierra Nevada and deep into the Yosemite region. He felt ill-equipped for the work, and yet the opportunity thrilled his adventurous spirit. With a notebook tied to his belt, he set out for a summer he would never forget. This audio book was published in recognition of the 100th anniversary of Muir's classic book. An audio clip from this audio book is available on the publisher's website (search off-site).

"Selected Writings of John Muir" combined with "Down the Colorado With Major Powell" (audiocassette) Read by Scott Forbes (Books On Tape, 1991) 8 - 1 hr audiocassettes. OUT OF PRINT.
Includes Muir's stories of "The Grand Canyon", "Summer Days at Mt. Shasta"; "A Perilous Night on Shasta's Summit"; and six more adventures in Utah, Nevada, Washington, and Oregon.

"Son of the Wilderness: The Life of John Muir" by Linnie Marsh Wolfe read by James Armstrong (Blackstone Audiobooks (#2161) Unabridged; ten 1 1/2-hour cassettes OUT OF PRINT.
A recording of Wolfe's Pulitzer-prize winning study of Muir in unabridged audiobook format.

"Stickeen" by John Muir - Read by Andre Stojka (Listen2Read, 2012). Unabridged, 65 minutes. Available as a Digital Download ISBN: 978-0-9913767-5-9 or CD Library Edition Jewel box ISBN: 978-0-9913767-3-5. Like most John Muir audiobooks, the reader does not attempt a Scottish accent, but reads it with an appropriate level of enthusiasm and inflection. This helps show why John Muir's story about his perilous adventure with the little dog Stickeen is still so popular!

A YouTube Video preview is available.

 

"Travels in Alaska" by John Muir Narrated by: Darren Roebuck Length: 8 hrs and 59 mins (audible.com Narrated by: Darren Roebuck Length: 8 hrs and 59 mins. Unabridged; Digital audio. (2022)
In this memorable travelogue, Muir's commentary ranges from observations on the geology of Glacier Bay to the history and culture of the Chinook people to his discovery of the great glacier subsequently named for him. The naturalist captures the region's grandeur and beauty with the same fervor he expressed for the Sierras, making this audiobook a must for nature lovers and adventurous travelers.
This audiobook contains a foreword by Daniel Lee Henry, author of Across the Shaman's River (2017), who discusses Muir's charge of heart with the racism of his time after his encounter with Chilkat and Chilkoot Tlingit Tribes. The introduction is by Michael M. Conti, a filmmaker, who has sailed the Inside Passage in search of the landscape some have called "Yosemite by the Sea".

"Travels in Alaska" by John Muir read by Noah Waterman (Blackstone Audiobooks (1996) (#1702) Unabridged; six 1 -1/2 - hour cassettes. OUT OF PRINT.
An audiobook version of Muir's classic book. This is available on cassette tape from Blackstone Audiobooks or on the Internet in .aspx, or in MP3 format from Audible.com.

"Travels in Alaska" by John Muir read by Lee SalisburyHaven Books Audio, North Hollywood, CA. 4 cassettes, Abridged, Running Time: 360 minutes. OUT OF PRINT.
Publisher's description: If you've always wanted to travel to Alaska - this is your ticket. The classic journals that foreshadowed today's environmental movement, the great naturalist John Muir here reveals the secrets of the very birth-pangs of Earth. With the eye of both geologist and botanist, he unlocks planetary structure and development. Unwittingly, in the process he shows his humanity in simple acts of courage, and heroic acts of friendship and kindness. Performed by Alaska NPR's leading voice actor Lee Salisbury, and featuring original music and sound effects, this is one of the treasures of Alaskan lore, a historically accurate travelogue - including mention of Muir's companion Stickeen - a moving and educational adventure for the whole family.

 

"Travels in Alaska" By John Muir Read by Jonathan Reese (Amer.) 2000 Books on Tape, Inc. Unabridged Edition (9 hrs). Available for rental or purchase.
This is the story of John Muir's travels in Alaska , in which he conveys a wonder about the Alaskan wilderness.

 

John Muir Conference Tapes, 1985. 8 vols. (audiocassette) from the 1985 John Muir Conference, University of the Pacific. OUT OF PRINT. John Muir Center for Regional Studies, UOP, Stockton, CA 95211.
Oral presentations include:
(1) William and Maymie Kimes, Millie Stanley, Peter Palmquist;
(2) Bart O'Brien, Paul Sheats;
(3) Richard Fleck, Ron Limbaugh;
(4) Kathleen Wadden, Lisa Migheto;
(5) Edmund Schofield, Richard Orsi;
(6) Frank Buske, P.J. Ryan;
(7) Michael Coehen, Frederick Turner;
(8) Linda Moon Stumpff.
See John Muir Newsletter, v. 3 no.3 (Summer, 1993) describing how audiotapes from the 1985 conference were still availble at that time. See also thebook form of the conference proceedings for the 1985 John Muir Symposium John Muir: Life and Legacy as published in The Pacific Historian, Vol. 29, Numbers 2 & 3 (Summer/Fall, 1985).

John Muir in Historical Perspective Tapes, 1996. 11 vols. (audiocassette) from the 1996 California History Institute, "John Muir in Historical Perspective," University of the Pacific. OUT OF PRINT. John Muir Center for Regional Studies, UOP, Stockton, CA 95211.
Some of the recordings have feedback noise that may disturb some listeners. On the list below, those that are noisy are indicated by an asterisk.
(1) Steve and Patty Pauly: "Tribute to Louie Muir."
(2) Susan Kollin: "John Muir and the Ideology of Adventure," and Stephen R. Mark: "John Muir in South America and Southern Africa."
(3) Richard Fleck: "North by Northwest with John Muir," and Stephen Pauly: "John Muir's First Public Lecture."
(4) Dennis Williams: "John Muir, Scottish Common Sense and 19th-Century Evangelism," and Terry Gifford: "John Muir's Reservations about John Ruskin Reviewed."
(5) Keith R. Burich: "Muir, Whitney, King, and the 'Chasm of the Yosemite' Controversy."
(6) * Connie Bresnahan: "The Canadian Spirit of John Muir."
(7) * Nicholos Polos: "the Friendship of John Muir and John Swett," and Adam Sowards: "John Muir's Religious Ideology."
(8) * Ron Eber: "John Muir and the Pioneer Conservationists of the Pacific Northwest," and * Norman Wilson/Lucinda Woodward: "John Muir and Charles Dorman Robinson at King's Canyon."
(9) * Bonnie Gisel: "John Muir and Jeanne Carr," and Elizabeth Pomeroy: "Jedediah Smith, John Muir, and Charles F. Lummis in Southern California."
(10) * Mark Schlenz: "Native Americans in My First Summer in the Sierra and in Mary Austin's The Land of Little Rain," and Steve Holmes: "Rethinking Muir's First Summer in Yosemite."
(11) * Barbara "Barney" Nelson: "John Muir's and Mary Austin's Opposing Views of Sheep," and * Robert Bauer: "Rediscovering Twenty Hill Hollow."

"The Glacier that Saved America: John Muir's Adventures in Alaska's Glacier Bay" (audiocassette) written and presented by Tim Hostiuck, 1993. OUT OF PRINT.
An exciting piece of storytelling presented by Tim Hostiuck, who explores Muir's fascination with glaciers in general, and the Muir Glacier in Glacier Bay National Park in particular, which Hostiuck deems was the turning point in Muir's conservationist career.

John Muir, National Parks" (mp3) U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for April 21.
WASHINGTON, April 20 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature for Friday, April 21 from the U.S. Census Bureau:
FRIDAY, APRIL 21 [2006]: JOHN MUIR/NATIONAL PARKS
Profile America -— Friday, April 21. Today marks the birthday of one of America's most prominent naturalists, John Muir, who emigrated to the U.S. from Scotland in the 19th century. Muir greatly influenced conservation of America's forests, and he urged the establishment of national parks. The Muir Woods National Monument, near San Francisco, with its stand of unspoiled coast redwoods, is named in his honor. National Park Week starts tomorrow, celebrating a system that includes nearly 80-million acres in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Almost 280-million people visit such facilities as Yosemite and Cape Hatteras National Seashore each year. State parks and recreation areas draw another 735-million people annually. You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau on the Web at http://www.census.gov.

Sierra Club Radio Interview: Bonnie Gisel Interview on Sierra Club Radio (mp3 ) (October 17, 2009) (15 MB)
Bonnie Gisel, the Curator of the Sierra Club's Yosemite Conservation Heritage Centerand author of Nature's Beloved Son, Rediscovering John Muir's Botanical Legacy.

Web radio interview of Harold Wood, the Chair of the Sierra Club John Muir Education Committee, a featured guest on SouthwestBlend.com's ‘Champagne Sundays’ Online Radio Show.
This show was a special Eco & Environment show that aired live on April 6th, 2008. Harold Wood answers questions about who John Muir was, why he was important, and the celebration of his life and legacy today.

John Muir radio episodes from Santa Clara University's California Legacy Project - 9 short radio episodes based on the writings of John Muir: California Glaciers, Earthquake, Samoset, Two Pine Logs, The Water-Ouzel, Wild Bees of California, The Wind, A Windstorm in the Forest and Woody Gospel Letter. Website includesdQuicktime audio and illustrated scripts, along with links to Google books editon available for viewing online or sometimes as a downloaded PDF format. (Santa Clara University, has not maintained this website),

As It Was: John Muir Takes "Little Hike" Around Mount Shasta (off-site link) by Kernan Turner - May 29, 2017- A two minute text/ audio presentation of a story about Muir's "Little Hike" Around Mt. Shasta - from "Jefferson Public Radio." The audio is an excerpt from "A Conversation with John Muir." World's Work. [London, England] Nov. 1906, pp. 8249-50, www.siskiyous.edu/library/shasta/johnmuir.htm. Accessed 28 Apr. 2017.

Recollections of John Muir by Regional Oral History Office, The Bancroft Library, UC Berkeley - Interviews with John H. Briones, William E. Colby, Herbert M. Evans and Frank Swett conducted by John M. Jencks and Ernest Lowe for radio station KPFA, Berkeley, 1964.

William E. Colby reminiscences (196x) , Concerning John Muir, the Sierra Club, Yosemite Valley, conservation, etc., interviewed by Charlotte Mauk, Regional Oral History Office, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley. (streaming audio)

Radio Interview - University Of The Pacific Honors 150th Anniversary Of John Muir's First Visit To California - Capital Public Radio, "Insight" (March 7, 2018). Professors Bill Swagerty and Mike Wurtz discuss Muir's impact on California's environmental movement and what's expected at this year's symposium. The 2018 John Muir Symposium will be held on March 23-24, 2018. This March marks the 150th anniversary of John Muir's travels to California and pioneering trip in Yosemite. The outdoorsman and author is considered by many to be a pioneer of the environmental movement in the Golden State. The University of the Pacific in Stockton holds a massive collection of Muir's letters, journals, drawings and photographs from his time in California. This month, they're opening the collection the public and hosting a trip to Yosemite that follows in Muir's footsteps.

 

John Duryea performs "Readings from John Muir", (audiocassette) accompanied by Joan McMillin's piano music. 30 minutes (1993). OUT OF PRINT.
John Duryea reads selected passages from Muir's journals, taken from John of the Mountains: The Unpublished Journals of John Muir, and Joan McMillin surrounds and connects them with improvisational piano music. Selections include some of Muir's most spiritual, philosophical, and inspirational quotations. Includes personal introduction by John Duryea, and an introduction to the texts, quoting Linnie Marsh Wolfe, presented by Joan McMillen. Ordering information at Joan McMillin's website indicated above.

"John Muir's The Yosemite" (audiocassette) Read by Michael Zebulon. (San Francisco, Sierra Club Audio Library, 1990). 90 minutes. Available from Audio Literature, Inc., 325 Corey Way, Suite 112, South San Francisco, CA 94080. OUT OF PRINT.
A recording of Muir's book in audio form.

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