Book Description

Some years ago, when artist Mary Frank first met writer Peter Matthiessen, she told him that his book The Snow Leopard had inspired a drawing of that mythical animal. Not long thereafter, he stopped by her studio to see the drawing and was so stunned by her work that he proposed they do a book together - a kind of "bestiary" using her many strong drawings of birds and animals, not as illustrations, but in loose association with the evocation of wild creatures in his journals. Over the years the idea was given urgency by the rapid decline of wildlife everywhere. They decided to concentrate on Africa, where the great natural populations have been reduced drastically during the thirty years, from 1961 to 1991, that Matthiessen has traveled on that continent. The resulting book is a lyrical and inspiring collection of words and images that beautifully conveys the nature of animals in the African wild. Through Matthiessen's essays, drawn from his three previous books on Africa as well as from material never before published in book form, we attain a fresh perception of elephants, white rhinos, gorillas, and other endangered creatures. Mary Frank's evocative images - 71 in all, including 23 in color - form a poignant counterpoint to Matthiessen's narrative. Peter Matthiessen and Mary Frank have created a work of great power and beauty, one that is certain to move readers to a new appreciation of African wildlife. But it is hoped that this book will do still more, by drawing attention and support to the protection of wild animals the world over. To further that aim, the authors are donating a portion of their earnings from this book to Wildlife Conservation International, an arm of the NewYork Zoological Society.