Wild Seattle: A Celebration of the Natural Areas in and Around the City

Donnelly and Austin are both extremely skilled photographers but, in all likelihood, just about anyone could take a beautiful photo of the land surrounding Seattle. The city is encircled by three national parks, numerous wilderness areas, pristine islands and countless mountain peaks. In his introduction, Egan sketches the area's history, which, while not free of environmental endangerment, has been much more nature-conscious than many other areas in the country. Egan, a Seattle resident, praises his home enthusiastically, and the accompanying photos make it easy to see why he's so awed by the place. Lush cedar forests, fiery sunsets over jagged black mountain ranges, fields of tulips under dramatic thunderheads and snow-covered gray owls are but a few of the striking images in this book. Though the actual acres covered are few, the breathtaking mountain heights and deep, green woodlands make the Seattle area seem like a world unto itself. In an afterword, conservationist Doug Scott describes Seattle's legacy of active citizens caring for the land, giving hope that the beauty displayed on each page will be around for many generations. 140 color plates.