Book Description
New York City's American Museum of Natural History is a national treasure, attracting four million visitors annually. Its dioramas-a dazzling mixture of nature, science, and art-have inspired young and old alike, and are world-renowned examples of the unique diorama craft: art in the service of science. Now, in the only book of its kind, readers get an insider's view of these "windows on nature," witnessing their creation step by meticulous step.
More than forty of the museum's finest dioramas are featured here, depicting the fauna and flora of myriad ecological environments. Stephen Quinn, a diorama artist at the museum, introduces the explorers, naturalists, painters, sculptors, taxidermists, and conservationists behind these three-dimensional marvels, and explains how their collaborations make the displays so lifelike. This enchanting book is the perfect gift for nature lovers, art enthusiasts, and museum goers everywhere.
Customer Reviews:
Monuments to Wilderness.......2007-09-16
There is nowhere beneath a roof, anywhere on earth, that means more to me than the great diorama halls of The American Museum of Natural History. It is stunning (and, really, rather sad) that it has taken this long for a popular book to be written about these magnificent works of art and science, but at least it has been done well. (It is also gratifying to see the book getting such good--and well deserved--reviews here.)
For many millions of people habitat dioramas have been their first taste of the beauty, calm, and nobility of wild creatures and wild places. More people are familiar with nature documentaries these days, and since I love good documentaries too I can't really complain about that. Nonetheless there are some things that habitat dioramas, when done well, can convey that the flickering image, even on an IMAX screen, just can't. No medium portrays the spacious calm of wild country, and the simple dignity of wild animals, better than dioramas. It's also important to remember the valuable record dioramas can provide: many of the dioramas in this book are of places no longer wild.
Stephen Quinn's credentials for writing this book are probably as good as anyone alive. He started as an artist for the museum and has been an important force in helping keep the medium alive through the dark years of the 60s to 80s, when across the U.S. it was frequently neglected, if not despised, by curators though not, blessedly, by the general public. Things are at least somewhat better now, and Mr. Quinn is now project manager for exhibitions at the museum. He has done a fine job with this book. The text is engaging and informative and the photos are big and beautiful.
I do have a few quibbles. He sometimes uses the word "captured" for animals collected (read killed) for the dioramas. I'm sympathetic with why he felt he had to do that, given what he's trying to do with the book and given the cultural forces with which he must contend. The moral issues behind hunting and museum collection are complex and beyond what a book like this could be expected to cover. Nonetheless, animals are never "captured" for taxidermy.
I should hasten to add that animals do not need to be killed specifically for taxidermy. Many if not most animals mounted for museums in the last few decades died in zoos, were hit by automobile traffic, etc. That generally was not a realistic option at the time these dioramas were created.
My other reservation is deeper, but harder to articulate, and I don't have a real solution to it. I also know that a lot of readers will be unsympathetic with it. I'm not completely comfortable with "behind the scenes" stuff in anything other than technical manuals, trade magazines, etc. The people who made these dioramas were of course just people but had high ideals (ideals that Mr. Quinn without question shares) and they wanted the dioramas to be about their _subjects_. His behind the scenes writing will engage people more with the medium and is interesting in itself, no argument. But how much does it really help to have people thinking "I wonder if that rock in Diorama Z is the one that employees used to go to make out behind on their lunch hour."?
I don't know the answer, and so I can't really fault the author. I also recognize that many of the reviewers here loved that aspect of the book. My hope, and I'm sure it's the author's as well, is that it will all stay in perspective. Let's hope that's right. It would be very sad to see dioramas become the subject of the kind of psychologizing and trivializing that permeates the world of "fine" art.
That said, this is a beautiful and well-written book about a noble, if often neglected, realm of art and natural history. If you've read through a long review like this one about a book on this subject, I promise you won't regret owning it.
Beautiful........2007-05-12
Stephen Christopher Quinn, Windows on Nature: The Great Habitat Dioramas of the American Museum of Natural History (Abrams, 2006)
Dioramas are amazing things. Looking at them may not make it seem so, but that, more than anything, is testament to the artistry practiced by the men and women who construct them. Windows on Nature goes behind the scenes of the construction of the dioramas at the Museum of Natural History in New York City.
This is a coffee-table book, so there are a large number of excellent pictures of the dioramas themselves accompanying the text on how they were created. Both are as fantastic as they are fascinating. If you're a fan, this is a must-have. ****
great nature book.......2007-01-16
This was a gift for my mother who visited this museum years ago. It brought back great memories we had when we went. The book was very well done.
unbeatable and unique book on the Museum.......2006-07-26
I am not a scientist nor museum professional, simply a museumgoer. This book is a clear and attractive presentation about the dioramas that have helped define this wonderful museum for decades. Anyone who has ever visited the American Museum of Natural History will be captivated by the behind-the-scenes perspective presented. Understanding this background adds depth to our appreciation of the habitats. Quinn must have dug up old diaries, records and I wonder if he even listened in on some conversations as well because he offers little known factoids which are fascinating to read about and which enhance our experience as a museumgoer. I highly recommend this volume to anyone who has visited the museum. For those who have not visited, the book provides a wonderful view of what you've been missing!
What a Gem!.......2006-06-04
I found this treasure at my local bookstore (could have got it cheaper here!), looked it over, walked away, came back and looked again, walked away again, but couldn't find anything else I wanted as badly. It is an elegant masterpiece. I happen to thrill at anything remotely connected to taxidermy, but this book will also interest those who like nature, museums, or art.
This book is specifically about the dioramas of one museum, but in telling how they were constructed - taxidermy, foreground, and background painting - it is enlightening to anyone who loves natural history museums in general. There are color photos of the dioramas today, and black-and-whites of the artists working on various stages of their development decades ago. The step-by-step pictures of how a huge elephant mount is put together are nothing short of fascinating. Then, in addition, there are behind the scenes stories about how each diorama came together, and some hair-raising tales of specimen collecting in Africa.
If I have a complaint, it is this: the author has written the text as if only addressing fellow New Yorkers, assuming his readers have already been to this museum and seen these dioramas in person. "Think back to your memories of visits to the grand diorama galleries of the American Museum of Natural History in New York City." I can't help but feel a bit excluded, having never been there, although I am perfectly able to appreciate the exhibits based on the museums I have had the pleasure to visit. Perhaps he underestimated the broader appeal this book would have, but at any rate he unknowingly sparks a desire in the rest of us to try to get there someday!
Average customer rating:
- Simply Fascinating
- One of the best Ansel Adams books
- a good coffee table book...
- Beautiful Reproductions of Some Outstanding Adams' Images
- Among the best work of the original master of photography
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The American Wilderness
Ansel Adams , and
Andrea Stillman
Manufacturer: Bulfinch
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Adams, Ansel
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Similar Items:
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Yosemite and the High Sierra
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Ansel Adams at 100
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Ansel Adams: Trees
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Examples: The Making of 40 Photographs
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Ansel Adams in Color
ASIN: 0821217992 |
Book Description
Ansel Adams devoted his life and work to the celebration and protection of America's unsurpassed wild spaces. The American Wildernesspresents the heart of Adams' legacy in over 100 of his most powerful landscapes.He reveals primeval nature found across America: the coast of Mt. Desert, Maine, the dunes of White Sands National Monument in New Mexico, the Rio Grande River, the grand peaks of Yosemite and the High Sierra, and the most remote reaches of Denali National Park, Alaska.A selection of Adams' writings provides a stirring counterpoint to the images as he urges us all to perceive and cherish "the grandeur and potentials of the one and only world which we inhabit."This is a magnificent volume, the first large-format book of Adams' work since Yosemite and the Range of Light. It was envisioned as a masterwork of fine bookmaking, sweeping in both subject and design, with extraordinarily beautiful printing in keeping with the originals. Adams' writings are printed on heavy, textured grey paper which is interleaved with the images.It is a vivid remembrance of the American wilderness#151;a stunning expression of the subject closest to this artist's heart, and one of profound concern to the world today.
Customer Reviews:
Simply Fascinating.......2006-05-07
I have received this book as a birthday present from my wife. There is nothing much to critique, its really really good! Nevertheless, here it goes......
Ansel Adams shot with large format and never intended to print them small. Some of the photographs of this book could have been printed at a larger size. I have seen same photographs printed at much larger sizes in other books, for example in Ansel Adams Guides I & II.
Overall the sizes of the prints are adequate or just adequate.
For whom this book is intended?
My personal opinion is that it is primarily intended for the serious (nature) photographer and then for the nature lover.
What has it got for the Photographer?
A gallery of Master's work, in very high print quality with the entire tonal range beautifully depicted, it's simply like owning a gallery by Ansel Adams.
If a beginner or an intermediate photographer has come to the stage of learning his/her craft by looking at, and then carefully analysing, how a champion of the craft has controlled - framing, by carefully placing the subject in the view finder and then by cropping - tonality, by placing the particular areas in the `zones' he wanted - print quality, with his precise technique; this is the book for you - its a master class in photography.
For those who do not have such interests - It is still a visual treat.
My only other criticism is that there should have been some technical details about the photographs, at least one or two lines; Nevertheless, it gets my five stars!
One of the best Ansel Adams books.......2005-03-26
This is one of the best Ansel Adams books out there published by Bulfinch. It uses heavy paper stock and the print quality is excellent. To appreciate its quality, you have to view it under a brighter light setting, preferrably next to a window. You'll notice all the details in the shadow area and appreciate the overall print contrast.
In terms of subject area, the book covers many National Parks, including Yosemite, Yellowstone, Joshua Tree, Grand Teton, Grand Canyon, Glacier... Unfortunately, it does not have all the famous Yosemite prints, but it does have many other gems that's not over exposed to the public.
Some people may complain about the price, buy I think its worth every dime. Buy one and enjoy it.
a good coffee table book..........2001-01-05
... because you can put four legs on it and use it for a coffee table. If you're going to have a single Ansel Adams book, this is the one. His images just don't work in any smaller format.
Beautiful Reproductions of Some Outstanding Adams' Images.......2000-11-13
This book is flawed by the images selected to be in it. The other main weakness is that the book is clearly overpriced.
The good news, however, is that the image sizes are large enough to capture the power and majesty of Adams' work. The reproduction quality is superb, as well!
The essay by William Turnage is an excellent discussion of the roles of Thoreau, Muir, and Adams in creating the awareness that has helped us to save and cherish some of what remains of our American wilderness. The artist-turned-conservation leader, Adams' role, is a particularly important function in our society. The artist helps us to experience what we have never seen while the conservation leader takes actions that galvanize the emotions that are evoked by nature and the artist into helpful improvements. When the artist and conservation leader are the same person, there is a combined power and continuity of vision that is irresistible. Thank goodness!
Adams is someone we should all admire for another reason. His nature photography and conservation efforts were hobbies, labors of love. Photography of nature is a field that offered meaningful remuneration only in recent years.
His day job was doing commercial photography. He took pictures of dead people in the Los Angeles morgue as well as of open pit copper mines in Utah.
What we admire about him was what he did on weekends, before and after work, and on vacations. Because he wanted the most remarkable images, this often meant hiking before dawn in difficult winter conditions to remote peaks to get just the right perspective.
Andrea Stillman did a good job of selecting Adams' quotes for her opening remarks. "Photography is a way of telling what you feel about what you see." " . . . [T]he turning out to the light the inner folds of the awareness of the spirit . . ." is what his work is about.
Throughout the book, you will find other quotes about Adams' reflections on the wilderness. They are well selected and add much to your consideration of what his images mean.
Here are some of my favorite photographs as reproduced in this book:
Santa Elena Canyon, Big Bend National Park, Texas, 1947
Monument Valley, Arizona, 1942
Canyon de Chelly National Monument, 1942
Sand Dunes, Sunrise, Death Valley, 1948
Sand Dune, White Sands National Monument, 1942
The White Stump, Sierra Nevada City, 1936
Terraya Creek, Dogwood Rain, Yosemite, 1948
Clearing Winter Storm, Yosemite, 1944
Half Dome, Winter, from Glacier Point, Yosemite, 1940
Leaves, Mills College, Oakland, California, 1931
Maroon Bells, Near Aspen, Colorado, 1951
Old Faithful (4), Yellowstone, 1942
Mount McKinley and . . . Lake, Denali National Park, Alaska, 1947
After you have finished being refreshed and rejuvenated by these inspiring images, I suggest that you contemplate what the wilderness meant to your grandparents and parents, what it meant to you as a child, what it means to you now, and what it means to your children. If you are like me, you will see that wilderness is rapidly receding as a concept as well as a reality. What are we losing? How can we reverse that loss?
Understand all of Nature's message for us by living in harmony with her!
Among the best work of the original master of photography.......1997-01-31
The photographic images of Ansel Adams are among the most significant pieces of artwork which have been created within the 20th century. His techniques have revolutionized the world of the black and white photographer, and his images are the rule by which all others are measured. His art has spoken to the soul of millions, and you should not be left out! This book contains some of the most beautiful images of nature ever made, and is a bargain at twice the price! Review by Edward Lynn, student of commercial photography, The Art Institute of Seattle
Average customer rating:
- The American Eagle
- without exception
- Pezzenti brilliantly captures spirit of American Eagle!
- Stunningly beautiful images!
- Truely remarkable!
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The American Eagle
Manufacturer: Studio
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Binding: Hardcover
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Similar Items:
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Just Eagles (Just)
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Return of the Eagle: How America Saved Its National Symbol
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Field Guide to the Bald Eagle (Sasquatch Field Guide Series)
ASIN: 0670884480 |
Amazon.com
Aloof and powerful, the once endangered bald eagle is slowly making a comeback, ecologically speaking, throughout much of North America, to which it is unique. For the last two decades wildlife photographer John Pezzenti has been recording this reversal of fortunes, traveling where the eagles do and bringing home images from his travels, some 150 of which are gathered in this volume. Many of Pezzenti's striking views come from the Kenai Peninsula of Alaska, home to a huge concentration of bald eagles; some 20,000 nesting pairs are found in the region, nourished by silver salmon and other large fish. Pezzenti captures images of little-seen aspects of eagle behavior, including courtship flights that involve several males, who compete to mate with a female by exhibiting an "impressive display of calls and acrobatic maneuvers." He also provides the only photographic record yet published of eagles hatching in the wild, a sequence that alone is worth the price of the book. While noting that conditions are much improved, especially after the federal ban of the use of the pesticide DDT, Pezzenti observes that bald eagles are not yet wholly safe from harm; a thriving black market for flight feathers exists, in which a single white tail plume can bring a thousand dollars. For admirers of this spectacular raptor, Pezzenti's book is required reading. --Gregory McNamee
Book Description
Brilliantly designed and lavishly packaged--a stunning photographic portrait of our national symbol in its natural habitats
John Pezzenti, whose Alaska brought us the tenderness and grandeur of America's last wilderness, obsessively seeks out the remotest corners with the most untouched wildlife--and then positions himself and waits patiently for the perfect image. Driven by a daring that defies solitude and danger and fired by a passion to immortalize what is threatened by civilization and technology, Pezzenti produces work of the highest craftsmanship and artistic purpose to be found in nature photography today.
The images in The American Eagle capture the magnificent bald eagle as never before--in flight, in battle in the air, hunting, resting, nesting--from the murky Florida Everglades to the sub-zero temperatures of the Appalachian Mountains. They detail the complete lifespan of the bird that since the early days of America, has supremely embodied the bold spirit and soaring beauty of our country. With rare, unforgettable color photographs and a text that tells the struggle for survival of this once-endangered bird, The American Eagle is a gift to awe every nature lover, photographer, or patriot.
Customer Reviews:
The American Eagle.......2005-07-05
This book is absolutely exquisite. My husband is an avid eagle fan, a gorgeous coffee table quality book of photos was the perfect gift to add to his collection. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is an admirer of eagles.
without exception.......2000-08-07
John Pezzenti has the nobility of an eagle...the stamina of a panther and the endurance of an owl intent on it's foe. He is beyond any human explanation of what a photograher should or could ever aspire to be. When I experience his photograghs I am transformed to the reality that all mankind could benifit from his example. We are but players in the realm of a wonderous life cycle...not within our command but certainly within our protection. Thank You John for your gift and sharing it!
Pezzenti brilliantly captures spirit of American Eagle!.......2000-03-17
Prepare yourself for another exhilarating adventure by one of wildlife photography's most talented photojournalists. John Pezzenti, Jr. has the unique ability to take his reader on a journey filled with fascinating tales and unparalleled photographs. In the American Eagle Pezzenti brilliantly captures the very essence and spirit of an American treasure - the powerful and majestic bald eagle - photographed by many but rarely to such perfection. Depicting the bald eagle in every conceivable situation, Pezzenti begins his photographic journey from the Florida Everglades through picturesque New England and northwest to Alaska - his home territory. I thoroughly enjoyed Pezzenti's engaging stories and portrayals of the dedicated eagle protectors across America who work tirelessly toward the survival of this magnificent bird. The photos alone make The American Eagle a "must have" for anyone with an adventurous spirit and a love of America's national treasure. Once again, Pezzenti has proven himself to be one of wildlife's finest photographers working in the field today.
Stunningly beautiful images!.......1999-10-17
Not long ago I sat with John Pezzenti Jr. in his beat up Suburban that he uses for nature photography as rain pounded upon the roof. John showed me a pre-release copy of his newest book, American Eagle. My 13 year old nephew from California looked over my shoulder as I turned each page, stunned by the breadth and depth of John's photographic coverage of this symbol of America. To say this is a remarkable book is an under statement. My nephew summed up how magnificant this book is when we were driving back home. "John's pictures are amazing," Shane said. "I'm going to start saving today so I can buy that book when it comes out!"
Truely remarkable!.......1999-09-29
Wow!! From the time you see the cover, you are completely riveted to the spectacular images contained within the pages of this incredible effort. John has captured on film the story of the Bald Eagle like no other. From birth to adolescence, maturity and death Jonh's stunning images ( many never before photographed behavior)have given us the rare opportunity to glimpse into the world of this magnificent bird. The pages take you across the country illustrating the plight of the eagle, as well as conservation efforts to re-establish it throughout its traditional range. Each photograph illustrates John's dedication, passion and incredible ability. I look forward to seeing more from this extremely talented man. I highly recommend this book to all. Congratulations John, continue your groundbreaking work!
Book Description
Food habits of more than 1,000 species of mammals, birds, fish, plus important plants as food researched by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 300 illustrations, maps.
Customer Reviews:
good guide.......2006-11-21
Somewhat outdated, but a good book to have around for reference.A fairly complete and large selection of plants, animals,and different foods used by different birds and mammals.Also included is information on marsh and water related plants and birds.
Excellent!!.......2003-11-22
There is SO MUCH info in this book. I think its terrific. Here are the chapters:
Part I: Introductory Chapters
- The Plant roots of wildlife
Farm crops and wildlife
Wildlife food habitas studies
Part II: Animals and their food
Waterbirds
Marsh & Shorebirds
Upland game birds
Songbirds
Birds of prey
Fur and game mammals
Small mammals
Hoofed browsers
Fish, amphibians & reptiles
Part III: Plants useful to Wildlife
Woody plants
Upland weeds and herbs
Marsh & Aquatic plants
Cultivated plants
Wildlife plants ranked according to their value
For each ofthe birds there is a map oftheir range, a brief paragrapgh on where they live/where they migrate to, animal food they eat, plant food they eat (with specific plants listed)
For the animal sections it the same sort of info - a map of their range, a tidbit of info on the animal, and then animal and plant foods they eat with the plants listed out.
In the plant sections, similar to the others there is a map of the range, some quite interesting tidbits about the plants, andt hen a listing of who eats them.
Refernces are given for each entry so you can look up additional info if you wanted to.
I really love this book. I was hoping to attract flying squirrels when I discovered using this book that we already have the habitat they love....one day last summer something jumped onto our screen window and scurried about......it was a flying squirrel. Pretty cool! I keep planting plants for wildlife and its been a lot of fun to see who comes to visit. i do cross refernce the plants in here with other books so I can be sure that what I'm planting is native rather than an exotic and so I can get a feel for what the plant needs/will do. High;y recommended!!
Good, but a bit out-of-date.......2001-11-09
This book is very helpful to gain insight on the feeding habits of our wildlife. However, this book was first printed in 1951 and is somewhat out of date. With all the studies that have taken place since then, it would be a great idea if a second, updated version were to be released. I say buy the book, but look deeper into the pros and cons of any "great wildlife plant" before you go and place it on your farm.
That animal eats that?.......2000-05-20
This book was a required by my professor in my Wildlife Techniques class in college. This book is old, as all Dover Press books are but the information in this book is extremely detailed. This book works two ways. You can look up the animal you are interested in to find out what it eats or you can look up plants and see what animals eat them. This book is must if you are curious to see what wildlife is interested in eating especially if you are interested in attracting wildlife to your property or maybe getting rid of the plants that are causing too much wildlife to be on your property.
Book Description
Beautiful, specially drawn full-color illus-trations depict more than 700 different species of wildflowers. Plants are grouped by botanical families. At-a-glance identifi-cation capsules pinpoint the characteristic textures, shapes and color, as well as habitat, scent, and blooming time.
Customer Reviews:
Really helpful book.......2007-05-24
I really enjoyed using the book. I have a lot of wildflowers in my yard and see a great deal in the spring here in my area. The pictures were very useful in helping me identify different plants. I had no trouble carrying the book with me in identifying flowers; some of them are similar and the book pointed this out and how to identify specific differences to aid in naming the plant. I also enjoyed the anecdotal information, especially about how some of the plants have edible parts and some of the plants are highly poisonous.
Nice Book But Not Very Helpful.......2006-06-07
This is a nice book of wildflowers. It contains only drawings, no photos, but, at least, they are all in color. The drawings won't help much in identifying flowers unless you happen to be standing right beside it and even then the vast majority of the pictures aren't detailed enough to be really sure about anything. The information on range of the different flowers isn't usually very specific. However, there is a nice touch of general information or lore about many of the plants. I got my copy used and cheap so it's OK - I wouldn't have been too happy about paying full price for it, though.
Book Description
More than 450 trees, shrubs, and nonflowering plants depicted in meticulous, specially drawn full-color illustrations. At-a-glance identification capsules pinpoint the characteristic textures, shapes and colors, and other distinguishing features. Also included are over 145 mushrooms.
Customer Reviews:
Pocket Guide.......2007-08-09
Good for quick identification of various woodland trees, plants and mushrooms. Descriptions are short and undetailed and maps are innacurate.
Ok for use as a pocket guide on a hike but can be a little frustrating as it is fairly general and many trees & plants are not shown.
Book Description
Valerius Geist, one of North America's premier wildlife research biologists, shares his common-sense insights into the Great Plains' pronghorn antelope. The pronghorn is the last surviving larger mammal of an era when the American plains was teeming with more species of wildlife than the African plains.
Geist, professor emeritus at the University of Calgary, is a specialist in animal behavior. Antelope Country explains how the fleet pronghorn was nearly wiped off the plains along with its bigger brother, the American bison, in the late 1800s. Geist also explores the pronghorn's return to abundance through North America's voluntary and legislative conservation efforts.
Accompanying Geist's fascinating text is the breathtaking work of renowned wildlife photographer Michael Francis, which illustrates the pronghorn's beauty and complexity.
- Fascinating historical and scientific insights into pronghorns and their prairie habitat
- The culmination of 30-plus years of pronghorn research
- 150 vivid full-color photographs of pronghorn antelope
- In-depth interpretation of pronghorn behavior and its evolutionary success
Customer Reviews:
Interesting despite odd writing style.......2002-07-22
This book has excellent photography, and a decent text. The writing does suffer somewhat from a flowery style in some (not most) parts. The book is not very long, there is a lot of white space on each page, and the excellent photography takes up a lot of space. Still worth reading. At the end is a good annotated bibliography. Geist is extremely respected in this field, and he does a good job of sharing his expertise.
Book Description
This latest book from photographer David Stoecklein includes images of cattle and cattle ranches across the United States. The images cover all aspects of the cattle industry including breeding, nutrition, care, research, and environment. His photographs depict the beautiful and often harsh environments where cattle ranchers make a living and the noble animals that helped to settle the American West. Stoecklein's photographs are wonderfully complemented by Jack Goddard's rich history and evolution of the cattle industry as a whole.
Customer Reviews:
Cattle: Symbol of the Great American West.......2006-03-09
The book was shipped and received in less than a week. The book was used and in great condition. I priced the book elsewhere for $60.00, saving nearly half when ordering from Amazon. Amazon is the only way to buy books. Thanks.
Book Description
A fresh look at the laws of nature, in startling, beautiful, and at times unsettling detail.
Working with a menagerie of insects and animals she raises in her New York City studio, Catherine Chalmers makes images that ask us to examine the lives we ordinarily overlook. What we find is by turns surprising, humorous, and thought
provoking.
In the series of photographs that gives the book its title, Chalmers vividly sketches the links between predator and prey, eater and eaten, from plant to insect to amphibian. Against a stark white background, caterpillars eat a tomato, a praying mantis eats a caterpillar, and a frog and a tarantula each eat a praying mantis. Another section, focused on "pinkies" (the pet-trade name for baby mice), shows with chilling clarity that the laws of nature apply equally to mammals as to the so-called "lower" life-forms. A series of photographs of praying mantises mating-during and after which the female devours the male-captures the metaphorical power and strange beauty of this infamous habit. The book includes an essay by the critically acclaimed nature writer Gordon Grice and a provocative interview with Chalmers by Aperture executive editor Michael L. Sand.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent & Odd.......2006-10-13
This book is truly odd, but weirdly invigorating. Anyone who ever had a pet give birth, be it a hamster or a dog, will find the section on pinkies unsettling. I think this is a great book.
it's like a car accident.......2002-04-23
I must say this is a pretty cool book although not for the squeamish. Graphic full color photographs that read like crime scene photographs or stills from a horror movie.
There's the sexy display between two praying mantis before the male becomes a post-coitus snack. Another praying mantis dances merrily on the head of a fat shiny toad before meeting its inevitable end. Caterpillars greedily gorge themselves on tomatoes only to be sucked dry by more ever present praying mantis.
The most graphic scenes though are the ones with the pinkies. Pinkies being born amongst a white blood smeared backdrop only to be gobbled up by another fat toad.
It's sick to look at and even a bit morbid at times, but it's Mother Nature and a testament to the circle of life and the survival of the fittest.
cool photographs.......2001-09-08
Truly fascinating but not for those with weak stomachs.
The book consists of excellent photographs of various critters (bugs, frogs, spiders, mice, snakes, etc.) eating or being eaten by others. Not for the squeamish.
The more prudish reader might also be disgusted by the scenes of hot, steamy preying mantis sex.
For those with the stomach for it, the material presented in this work provides a fascinating and detailed view of a small part of the world we live in.
Fantastic. Brilliant. Phenomena and Occasionally Revolting........2001-02-28
Fantastic. Brilliant. Phenomena and Occasionally Revolting. I want more.
"Life is Hard and Then You Die," I saw this bumper sticker on the rear of a car about the same time I got "FoodChain." I felt that this would be a great subtitle for this provocative book. The photography is stunning and Aperture, one of the leading publishers of fine art photography, has done a dazzling job in portraying the moments between life and death. Catherine Chalmers has given the layperson insight into the world that we live in but seldom see. Her progressive plates vividly take you from birth to death and then back again to birth. Caterpillar eats tomato, praying mantis eats caterpillar, tarantula and a frog eat praying mantis, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.
If you thought sex was fatal because of the roulette of disease in our world today, consider the bazaar appreciation that a male praying mantis gets from his lover. Chalmers captures the strange "thank you" the female gives by devouring the male-head first. This book is a collectible and should be in your hands and library. Highly Recommended
Shocking, yet beautiful.......2000-05-15
This book contains stunning, yet extremely graphic photography which portrays animals, such as frogs, praying mantises, and tarantulas in mating dances, meeting their prey, and devouring fruit. While you can't say that "no animals were harmed in the making of this book" it is a book that brings you face-to-face with animals in their natural behavior. It is a wonderful book and is worth checking out.
Book Description
Gerry Spence is best known as an undefeated trail lawyer and a rugged individualist whose public pronouncements ring with the authority of common sense and moral vision. But like the Wyoming in which he grew to manhood, he has many facets. A lifelong photographer and poet, he now turns his attention to his native state to share the marvels and mysteries he finds in the landscape and among the people.
Spence's Wyoming is a land fast disappearing, a land of pioneers and poor framers, of cowboys and mountain men and the strong women who helped settle the land. It is a place of extraordinary landscapes that seem to feel the breath of God, of mountains that inspire awe, of ancient trees whose figures bring true nobility to the face of the earth.
Captured in stunning photographs, gorgeously reproduced in duotone, and accompanied by his poetry, which the author reads in the accompanying CD, Gerry Spence's Wyoming brings us a vision of the land that only love and intimate knowledge could produce.
Customer Reviews:
Gerry Spence's Wyoming: The Landscape.......2007-03-31
I received this book today. I sat down and looked at the pictures as I read the poems. I found it to be a wonderful book. The pictures told a story. I found the poems to be very good. Gerry Spence has a voice that one could never tire of hearing. It shows the landscape of Wyoming, not the tourist traps. This a long way from the home that Gerry Spence and his lovely wife Imaging occupy in Jackson Hole. Good job Gerry, if one did not know you were such a celebrity, it would never be guessed by looking at the wonderful black and white pictures with the story telling poems.
"a landscape bereft of its people is no landscape at all.".......2007-03-26
Thank you,Gerry,for the wonderful experience of experiencing the wonders of Wyoming. Spending the time listening to you read your poems while following the words in the book and bringing it to life with your personal photographs;is a real pleasure.
It's been said, that someone once asked Picasso how long it took him to paint one of his pictures. His reply was that it took about 40 years. With that thought in mind,it can surely be said that it took Gerry Spence at least 40 years, but more likely closer to a lifetime of 70 years to gain the love and feeling of his country to write this wonderful book.
I have read a few of his books,but none convey the feel of his surroundings and country as well as this book does.
I am not a particular fan of recorded books;but in this case ,the combination of photographs,written words to follow,while we listen to Gerry's impassioned reading is simply stunning.
The photograph of the girl sitting in the window of a long abandoned log cabin is accompanied with this short,haunting poem;
They Have Gone
They have gone,
And here we are,
Flying on the wings of history.
captures the days of the pioneers who settled the land.
Then we see the two photographs on pages 82 and 83.An abandoned cabin at close range and then at a distance across water.One can feel how glad to see his cabin at a distance,the owner must have been, when it came into view; and then how glad he was to finally reach its door.It takes the soul of an artist ,first to see this scene and then capture it with his camera.The reader is left with wondering what stories this cabin could tell.
Gerry captures this land with this poem;
It's over
This is the last roundup.
We have abandoned the long prairies
And the endless,rolling mountains,
We have abandoned this blessed realm
To the antelope,the prairie dogs
And a new horde of interlopers
Who chop the land
Into mournful pieces
For investment bankers
Who hanker to become
Real cowboys on twenty acres.
Thank you,Gerry,for sharing this landscape,people and quickly disappearing way of life with us.
Bland Photography.......2004-12-31
Gerry Spence is a man of many talents, photography, however, may not be his strongest. The photographs are much better than your average snapshot, but not quite as impressive as they should be to have been published. All in all, the images are a bit of a dissapointment if one wants to appreciate fine art photography.
Gerry Spence, Renaissance Man.......2004-09-14
For this right-wing gun-nut, Gerry Spence is one of my favorite lefties. I used to enjoy his MSNBC program, hearing his crystal clear and caustic barbs, his populist message and his most learned opinions on legal cases circulating at the time. Most importantly, he was one of the few on the left who saw the massacre of the Branch Davidians at Waco for the brutal and horrific slaughter at the hands of Janet Reno that it was.
That is what the world needs most: Honest men and women, who don't flinch from the truth when the truth happens to gore oxen on their side of their political fence. Like the land from which he hails, Gerry Spence brims over with the pioneer spirit: Rough and rugged, independent and erudite, full of common sense and plain decency, he is a man more at home in the 19th than the 20th century (never mind the weak and effete "metrosexual" wussies of this 21st century).
One could call this book "The Memoirs of the Last Real Man." Though his photography is traditionalist, somewhat akin to the formalistic work of Ansel Adams, the vision is singularly Spence's. A labor of love, a visual celebrating of the artist's solitary homeland, one can sense that where most men see only barren badlands, Spence sees splendrous vistas, touched by the hand of the Creator.
Although his photographs are bold, they are yet quiet and bare the soul of a man who's quite comfortable in his own skin. They are simple, yet powerful, documents of a land upon which man is but a temporal, fleeting presence. The permanance of the land is the only constant.
Thus are his most interesting landscapes not one's purely of nature, but of the fragile hand of man before the inevitability of nature's supremacy: Abandoned dwellings, out-of-business gas stations, empty granaries are but shadows of their former bustling selves. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.
His portraits do not overlook this truth; the few humans portrayed in this text are part and parcel of the land -- a cowboy, a mountaineer, a modern-day Annie Oakley, a Shoshoni Indian. These are not people who are enslaved by the claustrophobic office cubicle.
Thus does Spence write in the poem "The People Are the Landscape":
The people are the landscape,
The woman on the county grader
Plowing out the last of last winter's snow
The wild crying Shoshoni dancing,
His days not done
The shepherd by his wagon
Lost in a landscape of bleeting,
Old faces furrowed in the sun.
Their faces are the landscape,
Their faces, the land,
Hard and honest,
With no pretensions in the morning.
Absent is the didactic, pedantic hectoring of the man-hating environmentalists; Spence understands intuitively the American Indian conception that man is part of the Earth, and that before he returns to the Earth, that his place is properly living in harmony with the Earth, for the Earth is his grandmother.
This book, though by a celebrity attorney, is the furthest thing from the vapid and glitzy world of celebrity. It is the work of a man alone, relating through his eyes and mind how nature and man have moved him. In awe, to tears, with laughter.
You just can't loose with Gerry Spence.......2000-10-06
This is a "coffeetable" book of photos and poems. They are excellent renderings of Wyoming. The book comes with a CD of Mr. Spence reading the poems. Sit back, turn on the CD and go on a journey of the past, the future and the everchanging beauty of Wyoming. There is food for thought in the poems, also. It is very interesting to note the difference between the way one reads the poems and the way Mr. Spence, as their author, reads them.
Books:
- A Cat Named Darwin
- A Field Guide to the Trees and Shrubs of the Southern Appalachians
- A Mantis Carol
- A River Ran Wild: An Environmental History
- A Year by the Sea: Thoughts of an Unfinished Woman
- Alaska Birds (Pocket Naturalist - Waterford Press)
- Alpine Flower Finder: The Key to Rocky Mountain Wildflowers Found Above Timberline
- An Unspoken Hunger: Stories from the Field
- Animal Tracks of the Rocky Mountains: Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico
- Aquarium Corals : Selection, Husbandry, and Natural History
Books Index
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