Introduces John James Audubon and the work he did painting bird species, detailing their physical characteristics, nests, and eggs.

Introduces readers to John Muir, a Scottish-born American naturalist who became known as "Father of the National Parks."

Completely reorganized and annotated by Roger Tory Peterson, America's best known ornithologist, this spectacular new edition displays all 435 of Audubon's brilliant hand-colored engravings in exquisite reproductions taken from the original plates of the Audubon Society's archival copy of the rare Double Elephant Folio. 482 full-color illustrations. 435 duotones.

A vividly illustrated account of John James Audubon's struggle in England to complete his masterpiece, "The Birds of America. Audubon's Elephant" was the nickname given to the naturalist's oversized folio of 435 life-size ornithological prints that remains to this day the most compelling depiction of bird life in the United States.

"John James Audubon's paintings of birds are as familiar as they are beautiful. But even among his admirers, many may be surprised to learn that Audubon was a gifted writer. In this one-of-a-kind anthology, Christoph Irmscher and Richard J. King have curated a collection of Audubon's coastal and sea writing, which represent Audubon's most compelling and evocative depictions of the natural world and early nineteenth-century American life. The collection is geographically diverse, bringing to light the variety of people and wildlife Audubon met or observed, pulling from the massive Ornithological Biography (1831-1839) as well as the "Autobiography" and journals. The editors supplement the selections with an instructive introduction and powerful coda, section headnotes, explanatory notes, and an appendix linking Audubon's species to current taxonomy and geographic ranges. The book is lavishly illustrated as well. There is much more in Audubon at Sea than descriptions of birds: we have stories of life aboard ship, of travel in early America and Audubon's work habits, the origins of iconic paintings, and, in the end, the carefully drawn commentary on a flawed and, at best, ambiguous hero"--

'Birds of America' is one of the best known natural history books ever produced and also one of the most valuable - a complete set sold at auction in December 2010 for 7.3 million, which is a world record.

At the start of the nineteenth century, John James Audubon embarked upon an epic ornithological quest across America with nothing but his artist’ s materials, an assistant, a gun and an all-consuming passion for birds... This beautiful volume tells the story of an incredible artist and adventurer: one who encapsulates the spirit of early America, when the wilderness felt limitless and was still greatly unexplored. Based on Audubon's own retellings, this graphic novel version of his travels captures the wild and adventurous spirit of a truly exceptional naturalist and painter.