The National Parks: America's Best Idea Hardcover Book

This illustrated history of America’s National Parks is a companion volume to the twelve-hour PBS series from the acclaimed filmmaker behind The Civil War, Baseball, and The War.

From the inside flap:

"America's national parks spring from the idea that the nation's most magnificent places should be preserved, not for royalty or the rich, but for everyone. In this evocative narrative, Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan delve into the history of the park idea, from the first sighting by white men in 1851 of the valley that would become Yosemite, through the most recent additions to a system that now encompasses nearly four hundred sites and 84 million acres. "

"The authors recount the adventures, mythmaking, and intense political battles behind the evolution of the park system. They capture the importance and splendors of the individual parks: from Haleakala in Hawaii to Acadia in Maine, from Denali in Alaska to the Everglades in Florida, from Glacier in Montana to Big Bend in Texas. And they introduce a diverse cast of compelling characters--both unsung heroes and famous figures such as John Muir, Theodore Roosevelt, and Ansel Adams--who have been transformed by these special places and committed themselves to saving them from destruction so that the rest of us could be transformed as well."

"The National Parks is a glorious celebration of an essential expression of American democracy."

Format: Hardcover; 432 pages
Publisher: Knopf (2009)
Dimensions: 11 x 9.4 x 1.6 inches