The National Parks of the United States: A Photographic Journey

In 2015, Australian photographer Thomas completed an ambitious undertaking that took him from American Samoa to Maine, and from Alaska to the U.S. Virgin Islands, over eight years. His mission was to photograph all 59 parks of the United States National Park Service. He believes this compilation marks the first time one photographer has documented all 59 parks as well as the three "forgotten" ones that were delisted when the criteria for national park status changed. Complemented by an artistic layout, the outstanding photographs capture expansive, often astonishing vistas with stunning color and light. Brief descriptions of each park are included, but the perfunctory, uninspired paragraphs won't add much to the reader's understanding and appreciation of these distinctive places. Much more effective are quotations from past and present park visitors%E2%80%94some of them famous, such as Theodore Roosevelt, and many not. Their words evoke the wide-eyed wonder and reverence that travelers experience in these wilderness settings. A map showing the locations of the parks, a section on park wildlife, and further information about Thomas's photography of the parks round out this volume, which is terrific sightseeing for both seasoned and armchair travelers. (Aug.)