Wonderlandscape

An evocative blend of history and nature writing that tells the story of Yellowstone’s evolving significance in American culture through the stories of ten iconic figures.

In calling Yellowstone “Wonderland,” the first white explorers were comparing its striking geological features to the just-published Alice in Wonderland. But over its history, Yellowstone has become famous for not only its geysers but also its wildlife, architecture, ties to the Western frontier, and status as the world’s first national park.

Those meanings and more evolved in waves after the park’s founding in 1872. Wonderlandscape presents a new perspective on Yellowstone, the emotions evoked by its various wonders and attractions, and how these reactions explain the park’s relationship to America as a whole.

In Yellowstone, artists, naturalists, entrepreneurs, and pop-culture icons have used the values of their era to reinterpret and redefine the park. Through stories of painter Thomas Moran, naturalist Ernest Thompson Seton, photographer Ansel Adams, scientists John and Frank Craighead, cartoon hero Yogi Bear, and others, Wonderlandscape shows how every time America changes what it wants out of its signature landscape, Yellowstone offers previously-unappreciated wonders.

In this newly updated paperback edition, Wonderlandscape helps us see the values and heritage that Yellowstone alone has come to represent—how it has shaped America's relationship with her land, and will continue to do so for generations to come.