John Muir (1838-1914) wrote about nature sensuously and erotically. Born in Scotland and raised by a harsh Calvinist father in rural Wisconsin, John was sadistic to animals and suffered childhood trauma which was almost lethal. As an adult he was a leader of environmental protection, founded the Sierra Club, and is responsible for Yosemite National Park and the growth of America’s national park system. The author brings to bear empathic counter-transference considerations from the development of his own erotization of nature in his effort to understand Muir. The irony of national parks is their success-nature has been humanized. Where Muir’s intention was to protect the wilderness, the parks now cater to millions of people who abuse, contaminate, and destroy it.
