John Muir and the Ice That Started a Fire is neither a straightforward biography of Muir nor a simple study of the global significance Alaska's glaciers. Rather, Kim Heacox (The Only Kayak) is concerned with the relationship between Muir and the glaciers that rivaled Yosemite in his affections, and the impact that pairing had.
From a humble background in Scotland and Wisconsin, and between stints as a surprisingly apt businessman, Muir lived as a self-described tramp, ardent nature lover and student of flowers, trees, mountains and--upon finally reaching Alaska--glaciers. His famed role as author and activist came late in life, and not easily: he found writing hard work and political activism distasteful, though necessary. However, Muir made perhaps the greatest impact on conservation of any individual in United States history.
Heacox meticulously researched and lovingly describes Alaska's rivers of ice and Muir's path toward them, his emergence as writer and preservationist, and his far-ranging influence in legislation, literary legacy and new traditions--including the birth of the conservation movement as we know it. Though often descriptive rather than persuasive, Heacox lends his own voice to the cause in his final chapters: "To debate [climate change] is to give credibility to an argument that shouldn't exist." He closes by adding the arguments of Aldo Leopold, Bill McKibben and Derrick Jensen to Muir's, in the interest of preserving our wild spaces--thereby continuing Muir's work. --Julia Jenkins, librarian and blogger at pagesofjulia