Endangered Edens
Exploring the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Costa Rica, the Everglades, and Puerto Rico
- 2016 INDIES Finalist
- Finalist, Travel (Adult Nonfiction)
Over four trips to wild places, photographer Marty Essen documents the natural world, highlighting areas that are susceptible to human impact. Endangered Edens’ primary strength is its many glossy, high-quality photos of wildlife. From alligators to caribou, the visuals in the book are both stunning and informative, bolstered by the author’s deep knowledge of butterfly and bird species. In giving factual details about each animal, the book allows the captured image to take on extra life. It also covers travel and vacation experiences, and can be read as a travelogue.
The text is a fine example of a photographer discussing craft. The author’s passion for capturing wildlife photos is clear in the text, almost more so than the book’s other message: environmental endangerment. In fact, environmentalism is a tertiary theme here, coming after photography and accounts of the adventures of Marty Essen and his wife, Deb. The result is a charming but very personal book that sometimes verges on a review of various travel services. For the environmentally minded, they could serve as validation and a reminder of the importance of the natural world. The book’s four long essays, each focusing on a different journey, make the book easy to set aside and pick up again, and the writing style enhances the book’s readability.
Reviewed by
Anna Call
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.
