I listened to this book on multiple long day hikes by myself across the Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway, NH's best kept secret (please -- don't tell anyone). It's been a fascinating exploration of my own fear and anxiety since a recent binge of Criminal Minds has me terrified of people, and general knowledge has me terrified of bears. I was comforted, though, when Muir tells the anecdote about how he literally provokes a *grizzly bear* in the interest of *watching it run away.* Predictably, the grizzly bear DID NOT RUN AWAY, so Muir had a casual afternoon staring contest with the shaggy fellow until he decided that the spindly Scotsman wasn't worth the trouble.

If Muir survived an encounter with a bear after doing just about the dumbest thing you can do, (I mused while traipsing the trail), I will probably survive my very timid woodsy wanderings.

I have lots more thoughts than this, but this'll do for now: I want to think like John Muir. I'll listen to this book and walk the greenway until I do.