March 1, 2021
The introduction to this beautiful new book about North America's largest land animal points out that there are two ways to admire bison, first for their sheer size and second for their tempestuous history. Photographer Audrey Hall grew up right outside Yellowstone National Park, where the family often picnicked surround by the Lamar Valley bison, and she found her muse in their impact on the landscapes of the American West. Essayist Ewald writes of the importance of bison to Native American culture, the loss of millions of bison in a relentless slaughter, and the efforts to save the few remaining animals. The true wealth of the book is in Hall's magnificent photos of bison in their habitat, walking single file through deep snow, a cow giving birth in a spring meadow, a herd grazing in front of a mountain backdrop, a close-up of winter fluff on a shedding flank, a winsome calf next to its massive mother, and iconic images of bison next to Yellowstone's thermal pools. Accompanied throughout by quotes from Native elders, politicians, scientists, and historians, Hall's photos sing.
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