A Weird and Wild Beauty

I intended to read this book before visiting Yellowstone National Park last week, but ran out of time. This book is actually even more interesting to read once you've experienced the incredible landscapes of the Park.

A friend who accompanied me on the trip exclaimed many times that the first people who saw Yellowstone must have been shocked and amazed. The 1871 Hayden expedition documented the extraordinary natural phenomena in word and picture, creating a basis for Yellowstone to become the first National Park in the US. And that's what this book does particularly well; distill that expedition's findings and include pictures, sketches, and anecdotes.

This book is aimed at the 7-8 grade level, but I think any adult will enjoy reading the book. There are some problematic views expressed about indigenous Americans, although the book is far more balanced than the history books I read in school.