One of the Sierra Club's most widely published photographers, James Randklev captures a vivid and varied portrait of the Monterey Peninsula, from the old-world charm of Carmel to the rocky beaches of the Big Sur coastline, from expansive Monterey Bay Aquarium to historic Cannery Row. Randklev uses a large-format camera to capture images of Point Lobos State Reserve, Pebble Beach, and Big Sur so powerful you can almost hear the waves pound the shores.

From the building of Hotel Del Monte in 1880 to the completion of the Pacific Coast Highway in 1937, connecting the peninsula to the redwood forests of Big Sur and San Simeon beyond, the history of the Monterey Peninsula is the story of the development of a collection of coastal communities-each with its own unique character. Captured here in over 200 vintage images is the heritage of these seaside communities and their role in the peninsula's history. The Monterey Peninsula is home to some of the most famous (and most photographed) shoreline in the world. Pictured in this book is the peninsula's golden era, explored through images that document the growth of Carmel, Pacific Grove, Monterey, Pebble Beach, Point Lobos, and Big Sur. Here you will find rare photographs of Cannery Row, the mission at Carmel, the bathhouse at Lover's Point, the bridges of the Pacific Coast Highway, the cottages of Carmel, the adobes of Monterey, and the cypress trees of Pebble Beach. Included in these pages are images from the author's collection as well as from the Monterey Public Library and Carmel's Harrison Memorial Library. Many of these have never been published.

Jeremy Arkes gives us the nature book he wanted when he moved to the Monterey Peninsula 14 years earlier. This book provides all you need to know for hiking and appreciating nature from Monterey through Carmel and to Big Sur - one of the most pristine, abundant, and diverse ecosystems in California. With a tinge of humor, Arkes:?describes the "nature" of the trees, whales, sea otters, seals, sea lions, egrets, herons, tide-pool critters, and more?tells you how to find and recognize these species?discusses the role of some of the species in the local and global ecosystems?helps you better appreciate a walk in the forest?explains in simple terms how the Big Sur mountains and Point Lobos rocks formed ?tells you where to go to enjoy a calm or restless ocean?provides his own vivid photos of the species, the geology, and the best hikes?suggests a photographic scavenger hunt and a photo contest you can have with friends (or with kids)?fluidly weaves in how John Steinbeck, in Cannery Row, used Monterey nature as a metaphor for the harsh reality of post-Depression life.In addition, Arkes draws connections between some animal (and tree!) behaviors and human behaviors, including some of the root causes of the divisiveness and dehumanizing behavior we have witnessed recently. Making these connections helps us understand the various species better. More importantly, it could help us better understand ourselves.