National Parks: A Visual Tour of the 59 Parks, Including the History and Preservation of America's Best Idea

When Yellowstone National Park was founded on March 1, 1872, it became not only the first national park in the country, it was the first such entity in the world. Over the next 140 years, additional parks were added from coast to coast as a direct result of citizen voices demanding that special places to be preserved for everyday Americans and visitors from around the world. In the words of writer and historian Wallace Stegner, the national parks are “the best idea we ever had. Absolutely American, absolutely democratic, they reflect us at our best rather than our worst.” In this book, each of the system’s 59 parks are explored through dynamic photos that reveal the landscape, plants, animals, and history that make them unique―along with the challenges scientists and rangers face in preserving these pristine wild spaces for generations to come.

Photographer, writer, and designer Michelle Perkins has worked in the photography publishing industry for nearly 20 years. Her images and articles have appeared in Shutterbug, Rangefinder, AfterCapture, Metropolitan Bride, and Fearless Photographers. She is the author of over a dozen instructional books for professional photographers, including the popular “500 Poses” reference series, How to Photograph Weddings: Behind the Scenes with 25 Top Pros, and Professional Portrait Lighting: Techniques and Images from Professional Photographers. In addition, she has designed interiors and covers for photography books by industry leaders like Neal Urban, Neil van Niekerk, Mimika Cooney, Tim Kelly, Tamara Lackey, Brett Florens, and Lori Nordstrom. She has worked as a photography and design consultant on publications for Oxford University Press and Rizzoli. She resides in Buffalo, NY