White Mountain Wilderness

From the early nineteenth century to the present day, visual artists have been attracted by the variety, majesty, and beauty of the White Mountains of New Hampshire. During that time, the landscape of the region has changed considerably, from the massive deforestation produced by logging in the late nineteenth century to the forest’s remarkable regrowth in recent decades. Photographers Jerry and Marcy Monkman not only provide a full-color, visually stunning tour of the contemporary White Mountains, from the fragile environments of the alpine zones to the few remaining stands of old-growth forest, but they also document the history of human activity and its impact on the forest. Nowhere is this impact more dramatically illustrated than in the book’s selection of historical photographs that are paired with views of the same landscapes as they appear today. From rugged peaks to deep, lush valleys, from the tenacity of alpine flowers to the resilience of thriving second-growth forest, the White Mountains contain a wide variety of landscapes and ecozones within a surprisingly small area. Jerry and Marcy Monkman document this variety and its beauty in passionate words and striking photographs.