* Muir is perhaps the nation's greatest conservationist* His books reveal why he devoted his life to preserving the West's greatest natural treasuresThe name John Muir (1838-1914) has come to stand for the protection of wilderness both in the United States and abroad. This is a collection of his eight most influential works in a single volume. The collection represents the lifelong relationship between the landscape and an inspirational architect of the conservation movement. Arranged in the order of Muir's life are: The Story of My Boyhood and Youth; A Thousand Mile Walk to the Gulf; My First Summer in the Sierra; The Mountains of California; Our National Parks; The Yosemite; Travels in Alaska; and Steep Trails.
#1067794 in Books Aperture 1995-09Ingredients: Example IngredientsOriginal language:EnglishPDF # 1 .94 x 9.85 x 12.35l; 1.10 #File Name: 089381640X176 pages
Review
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful. Synagogue LightBy Shalom FreedmanThis book was given to me as an anniversary gift by my wife. I do not think I have ever had a better one.In his introduction Neil Folberg talks about his having tried to photograph the synagogues presented in this album as he himself has 'seen ' them. This thought made a great deal of sense to me when I looked and compared some of the photos here with my memories of the same synagogues. I had seen the Altneushuel in Prague in a depth of darkness and sadness ; a grief which obscured completely its other side- the holy light and transforming beauty Folberg's photographs reveal in it.There are so many treasures in this work. I knew nothing for instance about Uzbekhi family-synagogues. Their intimacy and skill in decoration moved me. Folberg traveled through many different parts of the world; to reach some very well- known and some little - known and little- visited synagogues. He and his assistant Max Richardson brought with them an enormous amount of lighting equipment. Folger's description of how they might labor for days to achieve one perfect picture ; deepened my appreciation for their enterprise.Folberg knows the world of the synagogue well; and his introductions before each major area of the world's synagogues visited add a great deal to the book. The afterword by Yom Tov Assis teaches a much about the development of the synagogue over time.I have always had a special love for synagogues.I was raised in a small but for me; especially beautiful synagogue; Shaarah Tefillah in Troy; New York. I kept wishing that Folberg had somehow years before gotten to it; and photographed before its unfortunate demolition.Part of the poignance of this work is that Folberg does arrive at many synagogues which no longer have congregations; or which only a few people left. There is a certain sense of 'memorialization' then in his photographing them ; though he does not stress this motif.His stress is on the synagogues themselves as they appear now. Here I think it is important to emphasize one central element of his work. One can think of neglected synagogues in the disapora; as places of gloom; darkness; neglect;great physical poverty. After all most of the synagogues are much smaller places of worship than the churches or mosques of the area they are in. But Folberg so lights the synagogues that they become somehow sparklingly - up- to date ; beautifully preserved.Folberg's descriptions of his work and the synagogues are poetic and impressive. He provides a kind of travelogue of the Jewish world in his describing each of the places he comes to; and the unique character of its synagogues.All synagogues by the way share the feature of being pointed towards Jerusalem; and the Temple Mount.This book is inspiring and beautiful. I believe it belongs in every Jewish home ; and in the homes of all those who would see and understand ; how holiness and beauty may be made one.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. A beautiful pictorial book on synogoguesBy Lisa MA beautiful Book! Many breath taking pictures of ancient to modern synagogues. Neil Folberg has done a lot of research and taken hundreds of pictures of old and modern synagogues . He talks about the architecture ; the customs unique to each section of Europe that he visited and why the synagogues were constructed in this way. He also has some pictures of American and Canadian synagogues. Many pictures of old synagogues that are no longer in existence after WWII. Beautiful book!1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. The Diaspora Are UniqueBy B. WolinskyIn every city; the Beit Knesset tells you everything about the Jewish inhabitants. Whether you're in Prague; London; Safed; Tashkent; India; New York City; or France; you take a good look inside and you can sense everything the people hoped to achieve. The problem is that many of these buildings are without a congregation. As the cities of the Galut emptied out; the places where Bnei Yisrael gathered every weak are going dim; and eventually the lights will die out.But isn't that what happens in nature? Our people weren't in Central Asia by choice; we were taken there by force. The Beit Knesset in Paris; New York; Los Angeles; and Miami are there because we wanted to be there. And even those don't last forever. Throughout New York; Chicago; and Cleveland; buildings with the Magen David on the door emptied out as Jews moved out of the cities. In Paris they are emptying out as Jews flee state-tolerated violence.The title "I Shall Dwell Among Them" sums up the very notion of it; our creator is wherever we are. If one Beit Knesset dies; others will bloom.My greatest praises to Folberg for documenting these places before they disappear forever.
