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The National Parks: America's Best Idea (2009)

by Dayton Duncan(Favorite Author)

4.25 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

0307268969 (ISBN13: 9780307268969)

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

Knopf

review 1: First off -- BEAUTIFUL photos (a mix of scenic and historical). This book explores the founding of our national parks. Fun and interesting details about the well-knowns, like Muir and Roosevelt, but the author also does a great job of highlighting the unsung heroes and stories no one's heard before. Even if you just flip thru the book and look at a few photos and read a paragraph or two, I bet you'll want to jump in your car and scoot over to the nearest National Park! (And I recommend the Ken Burns documentary as well.)
review 2: This is the companion book to a documentary film (which I have not seen) and I was pleasantly surprised by thoughtful stories of those who discovered, protected, and visited the National Parks. I have fond memories of the Redwoods, t... morehe Grand Canyon, the red sandstone parks in Utah, Yellowstone, Jackson Hole, and the national forests near Mt St Helens. I think many Americans take for granted the wonders of nature set aside for all to enjoy, but that was not always the case and many parks faced fierce opposition. Even among conservationists there were divergent views--Gifford Pinchot was a utilitarian who promoted sustainable use, and John Muir desired the parks to be left in their natural state for future generations. One of my favorite stories was the development of Grand Teton National Park, a favorite road trip destination in college that I returned to with my young family: John D. Rockefeller Jr visited the area in the 1920s and realized that the Jackson Hole valley needed protection. He first rejected a modest proposal to purchase a small parcel, stating that his family's interest was in funding only an ideal project. He quietly bought up 30,000 acres of privately owned land under the Snake River Land Company, which he then donated to the nation for protection. The book left me with a renewed desire to visit and revisit the National Parks and to ensure that my children recognize their value. less

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