America’s Holy Ground
61 Faithful Reflections on Our National Parks
With our national parks under threat, books such as this one are more welcome than ever, coming as a reminder of what we stand to lose when short-sighted policies remove the protections placed around America’s sacred, wild places. America’s Holy Ground captures the essential flavor of each of the sixty-one featured parks in stunning full-color photographs accompanied by spiritual reflections designed to evoke holy moments in nature.
A tempting menu of awe-inspiring places, the book features well-known national parks from Acadia to Zion and some that are less familiar. Even if your travels are of the armchair variety, its expert photography (mostly by the National Park Service) reveals what it’s like to feel really small as you stand beneath the largest tree in the world (by volume) in Sequoia National Park; watch the tumultuous North Atlantic waters crash against Acadia’s coastal cliffs as the first rays of the sun strike the country; skip a rock across the Rio Grande (and the border into Mexico) at Big Bend National Park; or escape into solitude at Michigan’s Isle Royale, surrounded by Lake Superior’s icy waters. You might choose to see massive calving glaciers at Alaska’s Kenai Fjords National Park and learn the signs of a warming planet, or stand on the back patio of Lassen Volcanic National Park’s visitor center and stare into the maw of Lassen Peak, an active volcano.
America’s Holy Ground honors those—from indigenous peoples to camp counselors, park rangers and legislators—who have sought to protect our national parks. Its photos capture everything from the immense power and grandeur of rock, cavern, and ocean to the delicacy of a fragile bloom and the refreshing silence of deep forests. These, joined with historical information, Native American wisdom, contemporary science, and Bible-based devotionals, make this lovely book perfect for collecting or gifting.
Reviewed by
Kristine Morris
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the publisher for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
