![The National Parks: America's Best Idea | [Dayton Duncan, Ken Burns]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/513vSnC1ghL._SL175_.jpg "The National Parks: America's Best Idea | [Dayton Duncan, Ken Burns]")
The National Parks: America's Best Idea
- UNABRIDGED
- by
- Narrated by
-
Your Likes make Audible better!
'Likes' are shared on Facebook and Audible.com. We use your 'likes' to improve Audible.com for all our listeners.
You can turn off Audible.com sharing from your Account Details page.
OK
- Regular Price :$39.93Special Offer: Learn how to get this for $7.49 !
-
Average Customer Rating
-
-
LENGTH15 hrs and 37 mins
-
RELEASE DATE09-08-09
-
AUDIO FORMATS
-
Program TypeAudiobook
-
PUBLISHER
People who bought this also bought...
Publisher's Summary
America's national parks spring from an idea as radical as the Declaration of Independence: that the nation's most magnificent and sacred places should be preserved, not for royalty or the rich, but for everyone.
In this evocative narrative, Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan delve into the history of the park idea, from the first sighting by white men in 1851 of the valley that would become Yosemite and the creation of the world's first national park at Yellowstone in 1872, through the most recent additions to a system that now encompasses nearly four hundred sites and 84 million acres.
The authors recount the adventures, mythmaking, and intense political battles behind the evolution of the park system, and the enduring ideals that fostered its growth. They capture the importance and splendors of the individual parks: from Haleakala in Hawaii to Acadia in Maine, from Denali in Alaska to the Everglades in Florida, from Glacier in Montana to Big Bend in Texas. And they introduce us to a diverse cast of compelling characters, both unsung heroes and famous figures, such as John Muir, Theodore Roosevelt, and Ansel Adams, who have been transformed by these special places and committed themselves to saving them from destruction so that the rest of us could be transformed as well.
The National Parks is a glorious celebration of an essential expression of American democracy.
©2009 Dayton Duncan and Ken Burns; (P)2009 Random House
More from the same
Narrator
What Members Say
-
""See America First", and often..."
Being the grandson of a park ranger, I greatly appreciated this long overdue in-depth examination of how the NPS and its various parks and monuments came into being.
While they gave credit where it was rightfully due for the most part, there are two instances here where they did not (hence my 4-star rating of an otherwise 5-star book):
1) The cover states "Read by the authors with a supporting cast". While Mr. Burns does read the preface and Mr. Duncan does read the afterword, the "supporting cast" does most of the reading, especially Danny Campbell. He definitely should be listed in the narrated by section, along with Ms. Farr, Mr. Ervin, Mr. Mayer, Mr. Peterson, and Ms. Raver.
2) In the book, we hear about George Melendez Wright's unsuccessful effort to turn Big Bend into an international park with Mexico, yet there is no mention of the successful effort that Rotarians in the U.S. and Canada made for creating the very first international park, uniting Canada's Waterton Lakes with Glacier. Given the amount of time Mr. Duncan has spent in Glacier, maybe this was an unintentional oversight, thinking it was always so?9 of 9 people found this review helpful -
"Listened to it twice"
Any additional comments?The perfect book to listen to as you're painting or doing anything relaxing. Makes you proud of our history.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful -
"Wonderful look at America's conservation struggles"
If there was one book about America's history that I would recommend to anyone to read or listen to, this would be the one. I enjoyed the Audiobook so much, I went out and purchased the actual Hard Cover so I could read it again, but this time with my own eyes. In addition, my father who is not too big into reading, listened to a chapter with me while working and really enjoyed the book. Now he keeps asking me about how the book went and ended. This is a must have book for anyone with a love for the outdoors and our National Parks.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful -
"5 stars from this National Park junkie"
I have a strong emotional attachment to America's National Parks. I am fortunate to live near both Yellowstone and Glacier and visit one, the other, or both on average about once a month. I loved the documentary series, and I loved this book. I listened to it while on a solo trip to Yellowstone - kept it on my "unread" shelf until I could do so. Our National Parks are a great treasure and this book, like the documentary series, delivers the history of the parks, those who helped preserve them, and those who, like me and my family, love them. If you enjoyed the documentary series, you'll enjoy this book - and it won't be repetitious.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful -
"Terrible. Preachy sermon read in breathless awe."
This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?I like history and outdoors. Figured this would be a great read. No such luck. Narrated as if every sentence ended with an exclamation point. Written as if each sentence was the best natural vista ever witnessed.
Has The National Parks turned you off from other books in this genre?I still like well written histories.
What character would you cut from The National Parks?The whole book. Could not get in more than 30 minutes even though stranded on an intercontinental flight.
0 of 1 people found this review helpful