For many people images of the major national parks in th US exist in themind's eye as Ansel Adams photographs. A dedicated environmentalist as wellas renowned artist, he was one of the 20th century's most ardent championsof the parks system. Through his photos, essays and letter-writingcampaigns, he helped create new parks and better protect existing ones. Heworked in more than 40 national parks over 50 years - including Shenandoah,the Great Smoky Mountains and Acadia in the East - and his work in theCalifornia High Sierra resulted in some of the most indelible images of thenatural world ever made with a camera. 50 of the images in this volume havenot been published in any authorized Ansel Adams book previously; many moreare rarely seen. A substantial essay by photographic critic and historianRichard B. Woodward lays out Adams' significant role tracing the history ofAmerican conservation. The selection of photographs was made by Andrea G.Stillman, Adams' assistant late in life and a foremost expert on his work.A group of thumbnail images with brief narratives, enlivened by quotationsfrom Adams, appears at the back of the book.