Stickeen

by John Muir

Paperback, 1981

Status

Available

Call number

636.7

Genres

Nonfiction

Collection

Gus

Publication

Heyday Books (1981)

Description

Recounts Muir's Alaskan adventures in 1880 with his little black dog named Stickeen an animal that Muir initially views with scorn but comes to regard with the greatest affection following a near-death experience on a frozen glacier.

User reviews

LibraryThing member Heather19

Definitely not the kind of book I usually read, I was pleasantly surprised here. I off-handedly grabbed this book at a used bookstore, only later realizing that it's a classic wilderness story. I loved it and felt a joy and pull while reading that I can't remember ever feeling with any other books

in the "wilderness"-type genre. Short but full of description and excitement, I certainly see why Stickeen is considered a classic and loved by so many.

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LibraryThing member missmath144

A very quick read (20-30 minutes) about John Muir's adventure with a little dog named Stickeen as they spent a day upon a glacier, watching it crush trees in its wake and wending their way around giant crevasses (and sometimes leaping over them). No a biography in itself, but a small biographical

annecdote.

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LibraryThing member DomingoSantos

“Stickeen” by John Muir is a short story about the author and a “small and worthless” dog, and their adventures in the Alaskan wild. I don't know if it was intended but the dog's behavior seemed to be a metaphor for human life – a study in risk-taking and confidence to face obstacles. In

any event, if you would like an entertaining break from the humdrum of everyday life with a quick and uplifting read, I recommend “Stickeen.”

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LibraryThing member AliceAnna

Just a short story but riveting. A man and a dog stuck on a glacier. My heart skipped several beats at the climax of this story.

LibraryThing member LibraryCin

In this memoir, it is the late 1800s and the author is exploring Alaska with a dog, Stickeen. They are hiking through glaciers and end up in a bit of a scary spot.

It was ok. It really didn't get “exciting” till over half-way through. It was written in the late 1800s, so a different writing

style from today. A lot of description that I wasn't always as interested in. It did get more interesting once they got onto that glacier and had to figure out how to get back. Overall, a little disappointing, though, as I expected more about the dog.

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LibraryThing member juniperSun

If you are a dog person, you'll enjoy this paen to an independent mutt. Having just read "Mister Dog" by Margaret Wise Brown to my grandson, I would have to say that Stickeeen fits the prototype (tho of a much more adventurous personality).
Mostly I was impressed by what a risk-taker Muir was--the

first version of Parkour? He's lucky he lived long enough to be an inspiration to generations of environmentalists.

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