Our Beautiful, Fragile World: The Nature and Environmental Photographs of Peter Essick Hardcover – December 15, 2013

Peter Essick, in his compassionate manner, uses "his eye" to photograph the places he visited to open "our" eyes to how we are using/abusing our planet. Some photos are difficult to look at. “Timing is Everything” reveals how our nuclear waste is being stored at nuclear power plants; “A Coral Paradise Slipping Away” is his up close and personal look at a dying coral reef; and “Looking for Justice in a Dark World” shines an emotional light on the effects of hazardous material on us (humans). His beautiful photographs accompany his first person observations that make you take a second, and sometimes third, look at each photograph. He combines photographs of the physical environment, physical infrastructure, and the creatures that inhabit our planet to present a complete picture (pun intended) of what is happening every day to this planet and the role we intentionally (or unintentionally) play.

Peter Essick's "Our Beautiful, Fragile World" takes one inside the mind of one of the world's foremost landscape and nature photographers. While there is a big dose of beauty, there is also a healthy shot of what humanity is doing to planet earth, and thus, to itself. In short, our beautiful, fragile planet is worth protecting, and we all need to do our part. Fulfilling that stewardship duty will require thoughtful contemplation, which one will certainly do while absorbing Essick's stunning images.Highly recommended.

This is a smallish, yet impactful collection. The format is open book -- a photograph on the left, an essay/explanation on the right. The theme is around what we have and what we are rapidly losing.You will have a favorite photo essay among these. Mine is an aerial shot of a log yard of old-growth trees in Manitoba, Canada. You see what must be one zillion cut trees below you, all stacked, ready for pulping. It is immense and sad. Terrible beauty.

Once you review this book, it will be difficult to view our world in the same light. Peter's photos capture our endangered planet by making us view the horrid things we don't want to think about while also inspiring us to consider being part of the change to improve them.

I bought it as a birthday present , beautiful photos, BUT right in the middle of the book there is a heart rending photo of a baby without eyes, could not give this as a "feeling good about life" present.

As always, Peter Essick's photographs are beautiful. The book is made much more special by the text, in which you'll learn much more about the many environmental challenges faced by our planet. Great book!

Peter Essick's work is beautiful and disturbing at the same time. A definite read.

Beautiful photos

A beautiful book, with incredible pictures, telling the story of our fragile world. I would have put a 5th star if there had been some more optimistic pictures, but that's maybe a bad judgement call. I do not regret buying and would recommend it!