Customer Reviews

Pennsylvania Wilds: Images from the Allegheny National Forest

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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

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.

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.

Pennsylvania Wilds: Images from the Allegheny National Forest, published by the Forest Press, Bradford, PA, is an exqusite production. The story is written by Lisa Gensheimer and photgraphs taken by Ed Bernik.

I had the opportunity to ramble western Pennsylvania as part of my work with the National Park Service 35 years ago. HAER, the agency I worked with, documented the Erie Railroad and aspects of the oil industry. HAER is the Historic American Engineering Record, a federal program established in 1969 to create a national archive of America's engineering, industrial and technological heritage. Sites recorded included the Atlantic & Great Western Railroad locomotive shops in Meadville and the Kinzua Viaduct. The Atlantic & Great Western was controled by the Erie. Lisa Gensheimer and her husband produced an award-winning film documentary on the Kizua Viaduct following its demize in a freak tornado July 21, 2003. Ed Bernik took still photos of the demolished structure.

The book allowed me to re-visit this lush, magnificent corner of the Commonwealth re-conjuring visions and memories of the Allegheny Forest region. The Erie Railroad built lines into central and western Pennsylvania to access the timber and oil.

Ed and Lisa place these industries in context with the rich flora and fauna of the region with beatifully printed photographs - historic and new - and an eloquently written narrative. Included are vignettes of individuals, some descended from the foresters and oilmen. Though these industries vanished long ago, the book documents the surviving landscape both natural and cultural, and the people that are fortunate to live there today.

"Beauty," says the poet, "is a joy forever." That being said, beauty alone might be incentive for buying this book.

The photographs in "Pennsylvania Wilds" are, indeed, beautiful. And the accompanying text is equally attractive. You might purchase this book and return to it time and again and find much enjoyment in its contents--more than might be found in your ordinary coffee table book.

But there's much more to this book than just something nice to peruse.

It's a tribute to the Allegheny National Forest, the only one in the commonwealth and a genuine treasure. Established in 1923, the 513,000 acre forest is a monument to conservation and a source of pride for all Pennsylvanians. It's a boon to recreation, tourism and the economy.

For those who haven't visited, or are unable to, this book offers a wonderful introduction to the area's history and attractions. And, after viewing the images and text, there are undoubtedly going to be more people including it in their travel plans.

There are gems of history in this book--about the Seneca, the lumbering and oil booms; Thomas Kane, reputed to be the first Pennsylvanian to enlist and who organized the famous Bucktails regiment in the Civil War; the legacy of the nation's first tree plantation and environmental pioneers like Joseph Rothrock and Gifford Pinchot.

Ed Bernik, a veteran commercial photographer, has captured an outstanding collection of images of the forest and its inhabitants. Lisa Gensheimer, a documentary producer and writer whose work has appeared nationwide on public television stations, lucidly outlines the history and color of the region.

As an added bonus, purchasers of the book also receive a Forest Companion CD complete with map, travel guide and additional reasons to visit the region.

A Southern California transpant, every time I pick up "Pennsylvania Wilds: Images from the Allegheny National Forest," I feel like I'm home again. What a wonderful tribute to the beauty of northwestern Pennsylvania. The photographs capture the heart and soul of the forest region, and the story gives the rich detail of area's history. This one is definitely a getter--and a keeper!

From its leaf-embossed frontispiece to its elegant accompanying CD, this book is unmistakably a work of beauty. Every aspect of the Pennsylvania Wilds is plumbed and laid out invitingly for the reader to explore. From its distant geologic past through years of use (and often misuse) by man, the history of this natural treasure is described using gorgeous and evocative pictures, information drawn from archival material and (when possible) the words of the people who were actually there. Combined, the stories and images create a sense of the majesty and eternal resilience of this place. They also caused this reader to feel profoundly relieved that this small chunk of the world--previously home to thousands of passenger pigeons and mammoth white pine--is now protected and no longer in danger of being denuded for its natural resources. The fact that the 800 square miles of the Allegheny National Forest is now being managed for long-term multiple use gives us all hope for the future.

Clearly, the best way to visit the Pennsylvania Wilds is go there yourself. But until you're able to do so, the second best way is to immerse yourself in this lovely book.

Excellent and concise historical review of the Allegheny National Forest area of Pennsylvania. Good photography throughout, but I would have enjoyed even more pictures.

This is a great book. It's very informative and the photos accurately reflect the region.

I loved this book because it shows some beautiful areas of the country that alot of people may never get to see. Me, I just have to go outside my cabin and I'm there!! The photography is great, showing me areas that I haven't even seen.
Time was taken in putting this book together and it shows!!!