The High Sierra: A Love Story

I loved this book; I am a lover of the High Sierra. Reading this book took me back to my many trips in the High Sierra. Robinson gets it right. His descriptions are spot on and very evocative. While reading this book I felt like I was transported to the High Sierra. The book is hard to describe since it is a little of everything- travel guide, natural history guide, personal memoir, philosophical musings, etc. What I can say is that it worked. The closest book I can compare it to is Steinbeck's, "Log From the Sea of Cortez." Robinson isn't funny, like Steinbeck, but his free form rambling from chapter to chapter with engaging stories was similar. The biggest compliment I can give this book is that it is inspiring me to make plans for my next backpack trip to the High Sierra.I have a number of favorite passages. Chapter 2 is the single best description of Sierra Nevada geology I have ever read. It is succinct and captures the essence of what one needs to know. Later in the book his observations comparing and contrasting the Sierra Nevada and the Alps were very perceptive; I had never noticed any of these insights despite the fact I have hiked in both mountain ranges. His description of climbing the Matterhorn was so accurate I remembered things I had forgotten when I had climbed it, like him, with a guide decades ago. Finally, his descriptions of getting caught in Sierra storms took me back to a trip I was on in early September 1978 when Hurricane Norman gave me the biggest scare I've ever had on a backpacking trip (we made it out alive but 4 others didn't during that storm).I do have a few quibbles. Where is the index, seriously? He has so many great ideas for hikes or backpacking routes and I want to be able to quickly find them. Sadly I can't without an index. Another reader commented that the book needed more support with maps and illustrations for the meticulously detailed descriptions of his trips. I agree. I had no problem visualizing things when he was describing places I have been, but for those I have never explored it was frustrating and I started skim reading at those points. Maps would have kept me engaged in the reading.Overall I really enjoyed this book but I would only recommend it to people, like me, who have backpacked and have a deep love of the High Sierra. I want to thank Kim Stanley Robinson for writing this book- it was such a pleasure to read and is inspiring me to get back up to the High Sierra!

When one of the best science fiction writers of our time turns his hand to non-fiction, you get a wonderful tale of love and friendship interwoven with captivating descriptions and thoughtful reflections. If you haven’t been to the High Sierra, this book will make you want to go. And if that isn’t in the cards for you, you’ll feel like you’ve been there. Part guide, part history, part philosophy, and part story, you’ll want to savor every moment.

Any lover of hiking or climbing in the Sierra should read this book. The history is excellent, the gear advice should be taken as amusement, the prose is wonderful, and the personal memories recounted are sweet -- like when your grandpa (or Trump) tells you stories of things they did in the past that never happened.(By way of example only, Mr. Robinson writes that while in grade school, he ran a 5.2 second 50-yard dash -- and in case you were not impressed enough with his braggadocio, he goes on to tell you he did it in "tennis shoes on grass" -- which means Mr. Robinson is still the world record holder in that event, far besting even the fastest indoor track runners.)I could go on and on with examples like that, but I stand by the point that his memoir IS sweet, and I think he does believe most if not all of what he is writing, even if he is lying to himself after all these years.If you pick it up with that in mind, and you love the Sierra, you will much enjoy this lovely book.

This book is a non-fiction work by a science fiction writer. In short chapters, he shares information about some of the important people (men and women) who helped both promote and protect California’s Sierra Nevada mountain range, the geology of the range, as well as his own experiences in the same mountains. This book is best for anyone who wants a deeper understanding of why the Sierra draws so many visitors and to applaud the work of conservationists of the past to preserve it.I bought a copy of the hardcover book after reading an author profile in the New Yorker, and then reading his most recent novel, “Ministry for the Future.” I admit, I’m reading this as a bit of a guidebook, getting ideas for future trips to the Sierra as well as re-living the hikes I’ve done out there. I’ve really enjoyed how the author has woven the stories of the history of the range with the geology of the range, his own experiences, and his hypothetical day. I haven’t seen nearly as much of the mountains as he has, but I have seen enough to be able to feel like I’m right there as the rocks shift or hold beneath my feet, as the afternoon rain showers come down, as the stars come out at night, and the sun lights up the mountains throughout the day.My first trip to Kings Canyon was from Onion Valley to Kearsarge Lakes in 2015. I was awed. After a steep climb and an afternoon thunderstorm, the sky cleared and I was treated to an impressive light show at sunset. The following morning, with clear skies and a mirror finish on the lake surface, I was again awed by the beauty. Six years later, I was able to hike the Rae Lakes Loop, and again experienced that awe as I hiked from the west side. It’s incomparably beautiful. There’s a reason it’s one of the most popular trails.On my last trip to the Sierra, I was very nervous about going off trail to explore. After reading his book, I feel like I’m ready to try exploring a basin or pass without the benefit of a well traveled trail for a new and challenging experience. I like the fact that the author is so clearly in the same camp as me in terms of liking to walk the mountain rather than climb it. I was tickled to read his descriptions of places I’ve been (even on those popular routes). I too, love the Sierra, and believe that I would go more often if I could.