Beguiled by the Wild: The Art of Charley Harper

Beguiled by the Wild: The Art of Charley Harper
Average customer rating:

Wild about Harper!!!!

Bequiled by the Wild: The Art of Charley Harper

Great art book

A Delightful Mixture of Art, Science, and Humor

Great Coffee table book for lovers of animals & modern art

Beguiled by the Wild: The Art of Charley Harper
Charley Harper
Manufacturer: Flower Valley Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Modern | Schools, Periods & Styles | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0962054372

Customer Reviews:

Wild about Harper!!!!.......2007-01-19

What a fabulous book. For anyone who is a fan of this imaginative, committed to animals, wildlife-graphic artist, you will love this. The print quality is wonderful and every painting Charley Harper has ever done is cataloged in brilliant, living color! Lucky me, I own 4 Harpers - but feel like I own them all with this book.

Bequiled by the Wild: The Art of Charley Harper.......2007-01-13

Book was purchased as a gift. Recipient was extremely happywith it.

Great art book.......2006-08-10

Wonderful book showing many of Harper's prints as well as a paragraph about each written by him.

A Delightful Mixture of Art, Science, and Humor.......2001-08-11

Beguiled by the Wild is a complete collection of limited edition prints by wildlife artist Charley Harper that spans three decades of his career. The captions printed in the book are the original versions that were issued with each print. The prints have long been sold out and this book represents the only published collection of his work. A rare self-interview and introduction by Roger Caras are the only additional text. Each page brings to life an example of Charley's unique ability to combine humor, art, and science. Readers will be hard-pressed to flip through the pages of this coffee table book without stopping at almost every page to learn the message inherent with each piece. Charley's unusual style, which he calls "minimal realism", catches the eye and draws a smile. Often a maze of bright colors and geometric shapes dominates the scene making an initial interpretation puzzling. Reading the caption usually provides insight into the biology of selected insects, birds and mammals, which is often whimsical and always factual. "Armadittos", for example, depicts and inverted armadillo mother suckling a line of four pups in a circle of pine needles. The caption describes how armadillos always reproduce with four genetically identical quaruplets of the same sex (and they live in pine forests of the southern states). Similary, "Jesus Bugs" depicts a group of water strider insects with large circles surrounding each of their six feet, which also form circular shadows under the water. Only an entomologist would know that these circles represent depressions on the water surface caused by minute foot hairs that keep the insects from sinking. This artist has attracted a large audience of amateur and professional biologists who should get their hands on a copy of this book before it too goes out of print.

Great Coffee table book for lovers of animals & modern art.......2000-05-02

This is a wonderful coffee table book for anyone who loves animals and modern art. In his unusual style, the artist brings animals to life with geometric precision. The more I look at the art, the more I like it.

Many types of animals are included. There are lots of birds, as well as insects, sea life, dogs, and cats. Forest, farm and African animals are also included. Many of the drawing as well as the anecdotes with them are quite humorous.

Some of my favorites are a raccoon hanging upside down, two whales hugging, a baby harp seal & one of a blue jay bathing. I also especially liked "Love on a limb" featuring two monkeys with their tails entwined.

My all time favorite is called "The Wedding Feast." It features two praying mantis mating. The caption below it is quite funny. There is a nice index in the back of the over 125 plates shown in the book.

Animal Skulls: A Guide to North American Species
Average customer rating:

another great book from Mark

Great resource!

Animal Skulls, A guide to North American Species

An instant classic!

A Comprehensive and Easy-to-Use Guide

Animal Skulls: A Guide to North American Species
Mark Elbroch
Manufacturer: Stackpole Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Animals | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
Wildlife | Animals | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
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Anatomy | Zoology | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
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Mammal Tracks & Sign: A Guide to North American Species

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Skulls & Bones

Animal Tracking Basics

Illustrated Key to Skulls of Genera of North American Land Mammals

ASIN: 0811733092

Book Description

This uniquely thorough reference and guidebook offers illustrations, descriptions, and measurements for the skulls of some 275 animal species found throughout North America. The skull--the collection of bones that house and protect a creature's brain and sensory organs--is the key anatomical feature used to identify an animal and understand many of its behaviors. This book describes in words and pictures the bones and regions of the skull important to identification, including illustrations of all the bones in the cranium, leading to a greater understanding of a creature's place in the natural world. Life-size drawings and detailed measurements make this guide an invaluable reference for wildlife professionals, trackers, and animal-lovers alike.

Customer Reviews:

another great book from Mark.......2007-07-22

I have all of Mark Elbroch's books. They are essential for tracking & naturalist studies. I refer to them weekly for identification, more than any other books I own. I've also met Mark & had him sign the "Mammal Tracks" book. An all around great guy to study from & talk to. If you enjoy Mark's drawings check out his site for t-shrirts & other cool stuff.-Kevin

Great resource!.......2007-02-27

Outstanding book...wonderful photos of animal skulls...I was able to identify a fragment of a skull that I found by using this book. I know that it's the upper jaw of a house cat instead of a bobcat because of the small premolar tooth that bobcats and lynxes never have, cougars and ocelots always have, and house cats sometimes have. Should be on every naturalist's bookshelf.

Animal Skulls, A guide to North American Species.......2007-01-11

The Best skull identification book ever written.
A must have book for all Biologists,teachers,schools,collectors and museums of natural history.

An instant classic!.......2007-01-07

This is the book that trackers and naturalists have needed for a long time. It's finally here and it's outstanding! Now when I take apart an owl pellet I'll be able to determine what the owl was eating, and hence what small wildlife is abundant in that area. And when I'm out and discover part of a skull from a mammal, bird, amphibian, or reptile, I'll be able to find what that is too. Mark Elbrock has done it again: an instant classic, and a book that all trackers and naturalists should have in their collection.

A Comprehensive and Easy-to-Use Guide.......2006-12-16

This is a thorough and well-written book, which goes into great detail about the skulls of each North American mammal species, in addition to having a section on birds and reptiles/amphibians. The first several chapters, which I found surprisingly readable given the technical subject matter, are devoted to identifying skull bones and landmarks as well as interpreting the function and meaning behind various skull features, determining age and sex, and even obtaining, cleaning and preparing your own animal skulls. What I found most helpful in this book were the real-life sized illustrations of both skulls and jaws, which the author conveniently locates in one section of the book, for easy comparison. I was amazed at how easy it was to identify skulls I had found in years past- skulls that I had spent hours attempting to identify using information pieced together from the internet and other sources. This book is not only incredibly thorough and rich with information, but also well-organized and easy to understand, with helpful diagrams and plenty of beautiful, detailed illustrations. Overall, it is an excellent book that I will be sure to refer back to many times in the future.

Windows on Nature: The Great Habitat Dioramas of the American Museum of Natural History

Average customer rating:

Monuments to Wilderness
Beautiful.
great nature book
unbeatable and unique book on the Museum
What a Gem!

Windows on Nature: The Great Habitat Dioramas of the American Museum of Natural History
Stephen Christopher Quinn
Manufacturer: "Harry N. Abrams, Inc."
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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The Rarest of the Rare: Stories Behind the Treasures at the Harvard Museum of Natural History
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Terrain Modelling (Modelling Masterclass)

ASIN: 0810959402

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!

Death in Yellowstone: Accidents and Foolhardiness in the First National Park

Average customer rating:

Starts off good
The Park is not Disneyland
Well Researched and Colorful
Must read for Parents Visiting Yellowstone with Kids
This should be required reading before rangers allow people into YNP

Death in Yellowstone: Accidents and Foolhardiness in the First National Park
Lee Whittlesey
Manufacturer: Roberts Rinehart Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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Accessories:

Rayovac SPHLTLED 3-in-1 LED Head-Lite

ASIN: 1570980217

Book Description

Intriguing stories of how people have died in Yellowstone warn about the many dangers that exist there and in wild areas in general.

Customer Reviews:

Starts off good.......2007-10-16

Book starts out great with an incredible story about a mishap in a hot spring, unfortunately most of the remaining stories of disaster are no where near as colorful. There are way to many names thrown around in the various stories for me to keep track of.
Not a long read, 200pgs but after about 150 I found myself just wishing I was done with it.
Great for kind of a historical document about deaths in the area, but since no maps of the area were provided it means almost nothing to me (I have never been to the park).
Average book, just not great like i was hoping.

The Park is not Disneyland .......2007-09-13

While we were in Yellowstone, there was a fellow in West Yellowstone who got clamped by a bear, a black bear. This guy will have quite a story to tell for the rest of his life. he got a slight bite from a black bear. He didn't get chomped or gnawed by a grizzly. His bear decided that he wasn't worth more than a taste and then moved on. Lee Whittlesey's message is clear in this book: accidents and foolhardiness do occur in America's first national park. Over 300 people have lost their lives. To use the words of the author: Yellowstone is not Disneyland; the park is raw nature ... and ... it can kill.

In 1981 two buddies from California parked their truck at the Fountain Paint Pot. While the men were looking at the hot springs, the dog belonging to one of them jumped out of the truck and rushed into the Celestine Pool which has a temperature of 202 degrees. The dog began yelping. The two buddies rushed to the edge of the spring. The dog's owner began to go into the pool. A bystander yelled, "Don't go in there!" But in dove the dog's owner. The dog never survived. The owner came out of the pool blinded. "That was a stupid thing that I did, " said the dog's owner. Within a few hours he would succumb to third degree burns over 100% of his body.

In 1975 a "savage" went "hot potting" near the Nez Perce Creek. A "savage" is a park employee. "Hot potting" is taking a dip into one of the park's hot springs. Some of Yellowstone's hot springs have tolerable temperatures. Unfortunately this park employee chose a pool whose temperature was 179 degrees. When his body was found, it had been *cooking* for two days.

Notices around Yellowstone warn against approaching any wildlife. One fellow was attempting to show his buddy how tame the buffalo/bison were. One Saturday morning while feeding his bison, one of them inexplicably became enraged. The bison gored him and tossed him into the air. Then when he came down, it tossed him into the air again. And again.

Do not feed the bears. They don't know when to quit and they get used to picnic baskets and the like. The park has relocated bears who got use to eating picnic baskets and brought in some who don't know the habit. Hikers and campers are encouraged to cover their food so that a bear does not get the scent. By all means, do not put your children on the backs of bears to have their picture taken. One fellow had his wife putting their child on the back of the bear so he could take a picture.

Accidents or bad judgment? Hot springs or animals or water falls or whatever. Yellowstone is a wildland and not just Disneyland

Well Researched and Colorful.......2007-08-23

The author has a long history with Yellowstone National Park, working initially for Yellowstone Park Company as a bus driver and tour guide in the early 1970s. He continues working in the Park today as the Yellowstone National Park historian. He has made the Park his life's work and has a great passion for it. I, too, worked for Yellowstone Park Company as a bus driver and tour guide during the 1970s. Lee describes deaths from many causes during the early days of the Park when it was administered by the United States Army all the way through the present. He gives detailed accounts of deaths that occurred while I worked in the Park although I learned from his book that the circumstances of several of the deaths were a little different from what workers in the Park heard by word of mouth. Everyone wants to hear about the deaths by bears and other large critters, but there have been only a few such instances. Many more people fell to their deaths or made spectacular exits from this life like the French lady who managed to fall over both the Upper and Lower Falls of the Yellowstone during my time in the Park. His accounts of the many drowning deaths in the Park and the tales of the few survivors of such incidents were amazing. So many of the people who went boating and canoeing in Lake Yellowstone obviously had no idea how fast a sudden summer afternoon thunderstorm could turn a placid lake into very turbulent waters. And did they have any conception of how cold the water is even at the height of summer (mid 40 degrees)? It is inconceivable to me that anyone could survive as much as twenty or thirty minutes in these frigid waters and live to tell about it. But some did and Lee tells their stories in a very entertaining way. He also describes some of the frivolous litigation brought by survivors of some very foolhardy accident victims. This is a good summer read and good prepartion for anyone planning a wilderness experience in our first national park.

Must read for Parents Visiting Yellowstone with Kids.......2007-08-14

I bought this book called, DEATH IN YELLOWSTONE that EVERY parent should read before taking their kids to this national Park.

Yellowstone is NOT a theme park, and there have been over 300 deaths there that are documented by a former park ranger that have occurred through negligence of visitors. Do not let go of your childs hand for a second in Yellowstone, especially if they are a toddler...they could be inches from death in many places.

I read this entire book with the kids on the way out there during the lonely drive, and they were fascinated. It is amazing how dumb tourists can be, and if this book saves your childs life, you will be glad you read it. It is VERY interesting...

This should be required reading before rangers allow people into YNP.......2007-07-11

Like some of the others reviewing this book, I too worked and lived there in 1999, and saw people do things just as dumb as listed in this book, and they were lucky to have survived. I watched a co-worker (and I've got photos) go and climb Castle Geyser!

As to why I think this well written, well researched, cautionary tale should be required reading (complete with quizes) is that there shouldn't be a lot of the deaths related in this book. If people would just follow the rules and not pet the bison, go hot-potting, try to get closer to the rim of the canyon. climb over barracades, because they got a dose of the reality that is our country's first national park, there may not be enough incidents to fill several more volumes.

Speaking of several volumes, Mr. Whittlesey, if you read your Amazon reviews, is there any chance of a follow up? Possibly a More Death in Yellowstone?

Wilderness and the American Mind, Fourth Edition

Average customer rating:

Wilderness and the American Mind
When I read this in 1974, I wish I had had it in 1969/70
Wilderness: One of America's Most Important Ideas
Not perfect but still a classic thanks to regular updating
Better for Environmentalists then Others

Wilderness and the American Mind, Fourth Edition
Roderick Nash
Manufacturer: Yale University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Environmental Science | Earth Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

Conservation | Environment | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

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Uncommon Ground: Rethinking the Human Place in Nature
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ASIN: 0300091222

Customer Reviews:

Wilderness and the American Mind .......2007-10-13

This book is about the origins of the wilderness preservation movement. Apparently it began as a doctoral dissertation and has been layered over and revised in subsequent publications since 1967. Whatever its original focus was, the bulk of the current version is concerned with the politics of wilderness preservation in America. This is hardly a book about how Americans have explored, experienced, or lived adventurously in the wilderness. Nor is it chiefly about the tension between civilization and nature. There is some of all of that in the early chapters, but the discussion there is more of an overview and so lacks detail and depth. In later chapters the writing often descends into journalistic reporting of tedious minutia. This will delight some readers and tire others.

When I read this in 1974, I wish I had had it in 1969/70.......2006-07-22

While not a perfect book, this is one of the few books I know which I would call "required reading" for people in the environmental movement and ecology. It's not a science book, which is one of my minor problems with it, but I titled this review comment with my opinion prior to taking the first of 2 classes (1974) by one of Nash's student colleagues and then Nash himself. I, and a slew of my colleagues in 1970 really needed to have read this during the organization and preparation for what was then termed "The First Environmental Teach-In" now called ridiculously "Earth Day."

I felt this way in 1974, because I could see that we had retrod ground done by Brower 2 decades earlier and Muir seven decades. And then I learned of names I had never heard before like G. Pinchot and the roles of people like John Wesley Powell independent of the Grand Canyon survey and Stephen Mather and the Natl. Park PR machine (not all bad). This book is part of why students are supposed to take history classes.

The 2nd ed (pub. 1973)., which I had and still have, covered events I lived and can confirmed happened. That's toward the end of the book. The beginning of the book are about pre-American precursors in Europe such as the Romantic movement and various humanist issues like painting and writing. Some of these parts were were a little slow for me (I did read Rousseau), but it did put the Black Forest in perspective more than a type of cake. And that helps with understanding forestry schools.

Nash is good in showing the development of the conservation movement (incl. soil reclamation and forestry [and why hunters and fishers are conservationists]) to the shortcoming of conservation and the start of preservation (Muir, Mather), and the latter shortcomings of "loving wilderness to death" and the rise of environmentalism and ecological biology (Nash likes Leopold, I prefer Rachel Carson, we agree on reading Ed Abbey).

Rod is good at tying together art, literature (here your transcendalists in American Literature come in), popular culture (recreation), religion (See his Rights of Nature book for more depth), and science (barely). He has a good bibliography, one of the finest that I have seen if you want more depth and references, but the field is pretty vast and Nash's text is already thick so his survey is at best described as shallow (supplementary reading like Doug Strong's The Conservationists helps).

Alaska in the 3rd ed. is important to the future. I have been given by Rod in the past "seed" copies, and I purchase "Wilderness" as gifts. I stopped doing that until recently when I was surprised a bio prof friend was unaware. I know he will enjoy reading "Would you flood the Sistine Chapel to get closer to the ceiling?"

I wish that Gaylord Nelson (then Sen., Wisc.) had had us read this book. I think that we would have gone further on that day in 1970. The book is just a shadow of the class experience, I leave lots of book detail out in this review/summary.

Wilderness: One of America's Most Important Ideas .......2005-12-27

Those who have been so quick to pronounce the "death" of environmentalism surely have not taken Roderick Frazier Nash's Wilderness and the American Mind into account. With roots in European Romanticism, and blossoming in mid-19th Century writings of Thoreau and Emerson, the idea of wilderness is one of the most important ideas America has contributed to the world.

The wilderness idea has no abler chronicler than Roderick Nash, whitewater rafting guide, adventurer, descendent of Canadian explorers and professor emeritus of environmental studies, who first published this book in 1967 and has taken it through four editions. His entertaining narrative covers the life of Muir and the early preservation struggles of The Sierra Club. He provides special insight into Aldo Leopold and sets the whole discussion of Leopold's land ethic in its historical context.

While wilderness is everywhere under assault, many still understand the continuing need to preserve our wilderness system, a network of wild areas free from all other human activities. In fact, it's difficult to come away from Nash's book without understanding that wilderness is an intrinsic American value.

The most articulate advocate of wilderness was Theodore Roosevelt, who believed the modern American was in danger of becoming an "overcivilized" man, who has lost strength and higher virtue in a trend toward "slothful ease." Nash gives great credit to Roosevelt and shows how his ideas and experiences contributed to later 20th Century concepts of environmental preservation.

America, according to Roosevelt, needed to preserve the remnants of the pioneer environment because, "no nation facing the unhealthy softening and relaxation of fibre that tends to accompany civilization can afford to neglect anything that will develop hardihood, resolution, and the scorn of discomfort and danger."

Wilderness evokes deep sentiments in the mystic chords of American memory. It is not merely a political movement thought up in the 1960s--a trend that will fade as baby boomers age and our present generation of environmental leaders moves on. Nash shows us how wilderness came to be that way and suggests the wilderness idea is likely to endure at the vital center of our national psyche.

Not perfect but still a classic thanks to regular updating.......2005-07-09

As the other reviews will confirm, this is a classic book on the American concept of wilderness. Nash wrote the first version in the 1960s, originally as his dissertation. The main narrative has held up well. Nash has also put the text through regular revisions, so it lacks any embarrassingly outdated claims that might detract from the book.

The first part of the book is an intellectual history of "wilderness." Wilderness may exist as a state of mind or as the product of an intellectual movement (as in Nash). This kind of analysis is invariably subjective and selective. Nash, like others engaged in this kind of history, draws from a subset of all the people who wrote on the topic at a given moment (and, as he recognizes, necessarily leaves out the views of people who don't write them down). Then, like others, he organizes this material, calling it a "Romantic" view of wilderness or whatever.

I find such exercises interesting but generally unpersuasive by their very nature. For example, Nash interprets the Bible and other foundational texts for Western civilization as embodying a "subdue the wilderness" ethos. Fine. But what of Jesus' reference to the "lilies of the field"? Certainly that implies a valuation of nature as beautiful and worthy in itself - - "Romantic," perhaps. My point is that anyone can always do this, and any intellectual history can always be criticized for leaving things out and thus mischaracterizing what it discusses.

That said, Nash is not too objectionable on that front. In fact, his categorization is helpful, and would be especially good as an introduction to these ideas. This is doubtless why this book is used in so many undergraduate ecology courses.

The second part of the book focuses on various battles over wilderness. Here he moves closer to a straight history. His narrative is forceful and engrossing.

The last chapter, on international issues, is really too superficial to be useful. It leaves the impression that he is trying to be complete with each new edition, without really having fresh insights into the subject.

Overall, the book is very well-written and easy to read - - I classify it as the kind of book that is good to read on an airplane (which is in fact where I read it).

Better for Environmentalists then Others.......2003-12-01

I believed that this book would be an exploration of the concept of "wilderness" as it relates to the American mind. And it is, for about one hundred pages. Since this is a four hundred page bok, that leaves a lot of space to fill.

I found the first two hundred pages to be interesting, the last two hundred to be a slog. Nash spends an interminable amount of time covering "contemporary" environmental struggles. Were it my book, I would have omitted the chapter about Alaska. I imagine that most who read this book have a grasp on the environmental struggles of the recent past.

As I mentioned before, the reason I read this book was to gain a perspecitve on how these struggles came about.

This book is, I suppose, a classic in the field. I guess, ultimately, it's just a field (environmentalism/ecology) that doesn't interest me that much. So I'm glad I read it, but I wouldn't recommend it to others, unless those others consider themselves dedicated environmentalists. Then you HAVE to read this book.

The American Wilderness
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

The American Wilderness
Ansel Adams , and Andrea Stillman
Manufacturer: Bulfinch
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Adams, Ansel | ( A-C ) | Artists, A-Z | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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Yosemite and the High Sierra

Ansel Adams at 100

Ansel Adams: Trees

Ansel Adams: Classic Images

Examples: The Making of 40 Photographs

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!

The American Eagle

Manufacturer: Studio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Just Eagles (Just)
Return of the Eagle: How America Saved Its National Symbol
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!

Bring Back the Buffalo!: A Sustainable Future for America's Great Plains

Average customer rating:

An excellant series of suggestions for the rural plains
The Buffalo and the Bear
Really opens your eyes to the importance of restoring bison
The poorest book ever written about the Great Plains

Bring Back the Buffalo!: A Sustainable Future for America's Great Plains
Ernest Callenbach
Manufacturer: University of California Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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Where the Buffalo Roam: The Storm over the Revolutionary Plan to Restore America's Great Plains
American Bison: A Natural History (Organisms and Environments, 6)
Buffalo Book: The Full Saga Of The American Animal
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The Destruction of the Bison: An Environmental History, 17501920 (Studies in Environment and History)

ASIN: 0520224078

Book Description

With a new epilogue
Though the Plains have been in economic and population decline since the twenties, they are actually within closer reach of vibrant ecological sustainability than any other region of the country. This visionary book offers a constructive alternative to the decline of cattle ranching, depletion of underground water, and dependency on outside energy sources. It shows how bringing back the hardy, majestic bison and using the region's winds to generate power are keys to renewed economic and social health for Plains communities.

Customer Reviews:

An excellant series of suggestions for the rural plains.......2003-10-20

Well, I'll try this a second time. The first time I wrote this review, it disappeared from the screen as soon as I clicked on the Edit button, so take care. At any rate...
Callenbach makes an excellent case for changing the way we utilize the Great Plains. With depleting aquifers, failing farms, and resultant loss of population, the region is changing drastically, regardless. With a semi-arid climate, the High Plains are best utilized for ranching, with some farming of suitable crops. The author points out that the native American bison is far more suited to this environment than the domestic bovines now dominant. They are low-maintainance, and provide meat that is leaner than beef, with more protein. And, it's quite delicious. (In fact, after I get off the web, I intend to cook a stroganoff with ground buffalo!) Thru both public and private efforts, as well as projects by Indian tribes in the region, bison can once more become part of a sustainable future for the Plains. Callenbach also advocates bringing back associated grazers like elk, deer, and antelope, as well as appropriate natural predators. Still, man will continue to be the main predator. By using the Plains in a sustainable fashion, a better future could be in store for this great region of the country. Tourism, in the form of wildlife viewing, picture-taking, and hunting would add to the economy. He correctly points out that wind-power would become a major source of power thru-out this whole area.
All in all, a fascinating and thought-provoking series of ideas for projects and policies that would help reverse the decline in the heartland. I would recommend it to anyone interested in a sustainable future. Needless to say, there is much more to the book. I've only mentioned a few of the main points. (I listed more in my disappearing first review; that still ticks me off.) Nevertheless, read it and I guarantee it will not be time wasted.

The Buffalo and the Bear.......2000-01-29

To begin with, i haven't read this book.But the idea seems to me great. Bringing buffalos to the plains will start a new period in the life of America, only we'll have to bring indians too. They would live quietly though loudly, producing some kind of energy which was always here, and which otherways is dissolving into Nowhere.This energy is necessary for generating life all over America. Joseph Campbell tells an interesting story about how buffalos interchanged with indians in the process of buffalo-hunt. They (buffalos) said they are not against hunting them in general, but they must be asked to and treated politely. Anyway all this play is inevitable, they said (indians used to follow them to the end of the rock and made them jump into the precipice) You must only find a suitable form. Another, more human and beautiful attitude we see in the film "Bless the beasts and the children", but this is a kind of unfair play from the side of the bad guys that we see there. Anyway, America must return to It's roots, the only question is where and what these roots are? perhaps this returning is going on somewhere without us, humans, and this is for better because we would spoil everything, even the ecologists? And this process is wild and strong? And it is expressed in our personal mythologies? I had written about the russian-american connections( i am a Russian originally) as the connections of the Bear and the Buffalo, both of them are beautifully and roughly strong, but they differ very much in their behaviour. So i think they would not fight, when they meet, imagine what they would do? Bear had a strong hand, Buffalo a strong foot...no, it's hard to imagine. Dance perhaps? Do circus? So to finish with this short review of an unread book( I liked Ecotopia very much, and want to ask if somebody knows what Mr.Callenbach is doing at the moment)I would like to phantasise about returning bears to the Russian forests. There are still a lot of them, but so many were killed, and so many went to the zoo and circus. What would be Russia with bears in the streets of Moscow? Perhaps people are so tired that nobody would notice?

Really opens your eyes to the importance of restoring bison.......1999-10-01

An excellent book. Callenbach clearing shows that he did his "homework". A must read for anyone who feels that bison should be reestablished on the American scene.

The poorest book ever written about the Great Plains.......1998-08-24

Callenbach demonstrates a complete lack of understanding of the people who live on the Great Plains and the issues facing them. This book is very poorly researched, is full of factual errors, and consists primarily of wishful thinking. The idea that taking land from the people that own it and creating a giant buffalo park will be an economic boon and reverse the population declines the Plains has experienced for the past 60 years is ludicrous. If you're really interested in the future of the Great Plains, read some of the more recent articles by Frank and Deborah Popper. The Buffalo Commons is a useful metaphor, but nothing more.

North American Wildlife Patterns for the Scroll Saw

Average customer rating:

North America Wildlife Patterns
An old time woodworker
An old time woodworker

North American Wildlife Patterns for the Scroll Saw
Lora S. Irish
Manufacturer: Fox Chapel Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

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Scroll Saw Workbook: Learn to Use Your Scroll Saw in 25 Skill-Building Chapters
Scroll Saw Portraits: How to Turn Photographs into Wooden Keepsakes
Scroll Saw Portraits from the Wild West: Over 50 Patterns for Native Americans, Cowboys, and Buffalo
Artistic Wildlife Projects for the Scroll Saw: Bears, Wild Cats, Birds of Prey and Other Predators from Around the World
World Wildlife Patterns for the Scroll Saw: 60 Wild Portraits for Lions, Pandas, Koalas, Gorillas and More (Scroll Saw Project Books)

ASIN: 1565231651

Book Description

Scroll saw artists never seem to have enough wildlife patterns. Bears, wolves, eagles, and ducks come to life in the designs shown here. They range from easy to difficult, and all of them can be made three-dimensional by tilting the saw table, a technique that is thoroughly explained.

Customer Reviews:

North America Wildlife Patterns.......2004-07-23

It is a wonderful pattern book for scrolsaw users. I started my wood hobby last September & kept looking for animal patterns. I found some ... BUT they are not nearly as good as this book by Lora Irish. The drawings are so realistic, clear & crisp & the lines are not too big or too dark but just right. Also you can easily see what inside cutting is called for. Some patterns I've tried are very hard to determine where to cut and the animals dont look real. That is not the case with this book; it's great. I have 14 pattern books on different subjects and North America Wildlife is my favorite. Yes, I certainly recomnmenbd this book. If you like animal patterns I dont think you'll be disappointed. Currently I am waiting to receive her book called World Wildlife Patterns... cant wait for it to get here.

An old time woodworker.......2003-03-06

I am always looking for patterns to cut on my scroll saw and I must say I am really picky about the designs I decide to cut. I purchased this book for the wildlife designs and they are all top notch. You will not be disappointed with the quality Lora Irish, puts into her designs. I highly recommend this book. Its worth double its cost.

An old time woodworker.......2003-03-06

Average customer rating:

Beautiful nature writing
Good for Interfaith Worship
An excellent introduction to environmental literature!
Awesome peaceful beautiful book
Lovely, peaceful little book....

The Earth Speaks
Steve Van Matre
Manufacturer: Institute for Earth Education
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Environmental Science | Earth Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books

Nature Writing | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Earth Prayers From around the World: 365 Prayers, Poems, and Invocations for Honoring the Earth
Earth Education: A New Beginning
Blue Mountain: A Spiritual Anthology: A Spiritual Anthology Celebrating the Earth
Listening to Nature: How to Deepen Your Awareness of Nature
Sharing Nature With Children II

ASIN: 0917011007

Book Description

A collection of images and impressions captured by those who have listened to the earth with their hearts --- John Muir, Walt Whitman, Annie Dillard, John Burroughs, Rachel Carson, Aldo Leopold, Henry David Thoreau, and more...

The Earth Speaks can be read by individuals in moments of solitude, shared among friends around a trailside campfire, and used by leaders to help their learners develop a love for life and the systems of the earth that sustain it.

Brought to life by the beautiful block prints of Gwen Frostic, this book contains the writings of naturalists and natives, poets and philosophers, plus ordinary people who were able to capture in words some of the magic and meaning of the earth's marvels.

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful nature writing.......2007-08-16

This book is appropriate for random reading, mediation and just to experience nature. Many of the selections make the reader appreciate nature more and also be more observant of the small and subtle beauty around them.

Good for Interfaith Worship.......2006-08-28

In designing an interfaith worship service for a scout outing, I was able to use many materials from this book. There are also things in it that are not necessarily suitable for a worship service, but certainly inspirational in respect to Nature and the Earth and our role in preserving them.

An excellent introduction to environmental literature!.......2005-11-02

I read from this book to my 6th grade science class on a daily basis. It introduces them to classic environmental literature and fosters a deep appreciation of our earth.

Awesome peaceful beautiful book.......2000-09-06

I remember at camp our councelors read this a bedtime, and i used sit there and think about what was read. Then at closing ceremony they read a paragraph, this book has a tremendus effect on the way you think about life and the earth when your done reading it. I would recomend this to anyone not just environmentalists.

Lovely, peaceful little book...........2000-08-23

I first bought this book a few years ago when, by good fortune, I was in the middle of Denali National Park in Alaska in cabins with nothing around us for about 100 miles - true wilderness as I have never experienced it before or since. And, to me, this book brings me back to that peaceful, transcendent, truly wild place. I use it as a meditation book in the early morning. I have five that I read - the first four are about peace for me, human person, and they certainly have their place. But this little book I read last because it puts things in perspective and reminds me that I am not the center of anything at all. I buy them in quantity and give them away. It is such a beautiful book. The quotes are outstanding and are from some of our most eloquent naturalists, et al, and the peace that emanates from every reading can only be experienced, not described. It's wonderful.

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