Synopsis
In a subtle dance of arid solitude, two southern California deserts come together at Joshua Tree National Park. One is the Colorado Desert—an extension of the Sonoran Desert—and features natural gardens of ocotillo and cholla cactus. The other end of the park engages the Mojave Desert, the special habitat of the Joshua tree as well as some of the most interesting geologic displays found anywhere. After the area became a national monument in 1936, local and regional residents were the primary visitors. As Southern California grew so did park visitation; Joshua Tree now lies within a three-hour drive of more than 18 million people. Elevated from national monument to national park status in 1994, Joshua tree now sees greater numbers of visitors than ever from around the nation and the world. For Deanne Stillman, Joshua Tree is a place of pilgrimage. Her own desert mecca, the park speaks to her in ways that no other place does. With crisp and impassioned narrative she takes the reader through the park’s wonders, including a talking cactus, mysterious petroglyphs, and rocks in the shape of the late New York Yankees manager Billy Martin. Stunning photographs by Galen Hunt further accentuate the gorgeous landscape, highlighting the growing need to preserve its beauty. While it explores the park’s history, geology, flora, and fauna, Joshua Tree also is a plea to walk lightly on the land, to conserve our natural heritage, and to appreciate places that call out to the soul.
Additional Information and Publicity
Electric Politics Review
World Hum Excerpt
Arroyo Monthly
San Bernardino Sun Christmas Pick
Los Angeles Times Profile
About the Author
Deanne Stillman is the author of the bestselling Twentynine Palms: A True Story of Murder, Marines, and the Mojave, and her work has also appeared in The Los Angeles Times, Rolling Stone, the Boston Globe, and the Village Voice. She lives in Los Angeles. Galen Hunt’s photography has appeared in magazines from Arizona Highways to O (Oprah). He also works as a film industry animal trainer and lives in the mountains north of Los Angeles.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.