Pennsylvania Wilds: Images from the Allegheny National Forest [Hardcover]

Lisa Gensheimer (Author), Ed Bernik (Author), Jonathan Tourtellot (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2006

One of only fifteen national forests in the eastern United States, the Allegheny National Forest encompasses 800 square miles in northcentral Pennsylvania. Discover the beauty of this natural area, its bears, bats, and bobcats of today, and its rich history, encompassing the Seneca Nation and pioneering lumber, oil, and natural gas industries. Pennsylvania Wilds celebrates the cultural heritage of a national forest that plays host to an unfolding drama that continues today. A beautifully illustrated history of the forest from prehistoric times to the present that covers 50 can’t-miss attractions in the Allegheny National Forest region. The interactive "Forest Companion" CD gives readers a bird’s-eye view of the biology, geology, and history of the Allegheny National Forest.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Lisa Gensheimer is an award-winning documentary producer and writer from North East, Pennsylvania, whose work has appeared on public television stations nationwide. Ed Bernik has been a commercial photographer for twenty-five years.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Forest Books (January 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0977065707
• ISBN-13: 978-0977065707
• Product Dimensions: 12.1 x 8.9 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #835,914 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Allegheny National Forest -- A Special Place, April 18, 2006

By 

Dr. Charles C. Kolb "charliek.1" (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pennsylvania Wilds: Images from the Allegheny National Forest (Hardcover)

The Allegheny National Forest (ANF) is a very special place -- an enchanted forest and a repository of a wealth of prehistoric and historic remains that provides a cornucopia of information for scholars willing to fathom the secrets of these Pennsylvania wilds. Likewise, the forest continues as the home to contemporary Native Americans and more recent immigrants who have discovered the natural and cultural riches of this remarkable place. In superb, informative and compelling prose and stunning awe-inspiring images, Lisa Gensheimer and Ed Bernik have captured some of the magnificence of the forest and its inhabitants. Persons knowledgeable about the history of the forest will learn little-known but significant facts about the ANF as a cultural crossroads; the center of early timber, tanning, and petroleum industries; a place of pipelines and railroads; and efforts to preserve and promote cultural tourism. Remarkable color and black-and-white images depict people, places, cultural objects, and the grandeur of nature - each is a feast for the eyes reflecting the photographer's trained eye for detail and composition. The publisher has prepared an enduring, well-bound volume with clear, crisp illustrations and a pleasing font for the wonderful narrative and image captions. This volume shouldn't be relegated to a book shelf but kept available for all to peruse; the companion CD provides additional delightful and enlightening details about the forest. As an archaeologist and historian who spent a good deal of time in the ANF during the 1970s, I recall with fondness and nostalgia the region and its people. In this magnificent volume Lisa and Ed have accurately represented the essence of the forest -- their combined efforts as a labor of love benefit the reader and, indeed, they document in their captivating account the enchantment that makes the Allegheny Forest a unique place on earth.



Charles C. Kolb

Independent Scholar and National Endowment for the Humanities

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stories as intriguing as the photos, April 16, 2006

By 

Tara Maras (Las Vegas, NV) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pennsylvania Wilds: Images from the Allegheny National Forest (Hardcover)

Pennsylvania Wilds: Images from the Allegheny National Forest captured me from the moment my copy arrived. As a native of Erie, Pennsylvania who has since relocated to Southern Nevada, the rich stories and photography brought me home. Growing up, I made countless trips to Kinzua, Bradford, Kane and the area known as the Allegheny National Forest -- though never truly appreciated the area's rich heritage and beauty until I read this book. I was amazed to learn how the logging railroads were made, that alpaca farms exist in the Allegheny highlands and how the Holgate Toy Company won the contract for Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood Trolley! This book is a "must buy" for anyone who has ever lived in, been to or heard of Pennsylvania. Its snappy, quick-moving stories and breathtaking photos will keep you turning pages. The pefect coffee table book, the perfect gift for any occassion -- no other Pennsylvania book compares.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended especially for photography buffs and nature lovers, April 10, 2006

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pennsylvania Wilds: Images from the Allegheny National Forest (Hardcover)

Pennsylvania Wilds: Images from the Allegheny National Forest presents more than 100 full-color photographs of Allegheny National Forest, which encompasses 800 square miles in north-central Pennsylvania. A handful of photographs show people experiencing the wilderness or human institutions near the forest, but most are devoted to the natural beauty and splendor, as well as some of the wild creatures who make the preserve their home. A moderate-length essay by award-winning documentary producer Lisa Gensheimer covers the history of Allegheny National Forest; while photographer and fly fisherman Ed Bernik exquisitely captures the wonder of wild land left untouched. An accompanying Forest Companion CD, compatible with Windows XP and Macintosh OSX, offers a tour of the biology, geology and history of the Allegheny National Forest as well as 50 of the area's "must-see" attractions. Highly recommended especially for photography buffs and nature lovers, and surely the next best thing to seeing Allegheny National Forest in person.