Marin Wild: Forays into Wonder

Local author Jim Holden has brought us a treasure: a hiker's life of journeys through the hills and valleys and natural wonders of Marin County, California, and far beyond. 

Every page of this enchanting book is filled with birds or flowers or sunlight pouring through redwood trees or Douglas fir, every page a testament to the beauty and mystery of Nature and her creations.

And Jim is no Sunday morning hiker. He has been a dedicated hiker and backpacker for more than 50 years, not just in Marin County but in Yosemite, the northwoods of Minnesota and Canada, and other celebrated hiking realms around the world. And Jim turned his lifelong passion for Nature and the outdoors into a popular hiking column for the Marin Independent Journal. With all that, MARIN WILD stands as a summation, a charming read, and a constant bow to the wonders of Nature and what Jim calls "the throb of life."

"As we travel into Nature," Jim writes at the outset, "our passport is curiosity, and we stamp it with surprise, beauty, and wonder... This book explores Marin's wildness. You will feel it, smell it, hear it, and see it." Yes! And with warm, up-close photos of flowers and wildlife all along the way, you hike with Jim on Mount Tamalpais, along the Point Reyes National Seashore, and along Carson Falls and Cataract Creek. 

Finally, Jim takes you backpacking and swimming in Yosemite and you spend a star-filled night together with his daughter in the majestic Desolation Wilderness. Who, my friends, could ask for more?