Customer Reviews

Vanishing Borderlands: The Fragile Landscape of the U.S.-Mexico Border

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While the Sierra Club covered its eyes, ears, and voice to the humane rights crisis, abuses and environmental disaster that unfolded in the borderlands over the last decade, John Annerino was first on the front lines to document the life and death saga on the U.S./Mexico border in his riveting non-fiction book, Dead in Their Tracks: Crossing America's Desert Borderlands. While the Sierra Club stood motionless, Annerino was the first to document the smugglers - and a National Park Ranger's death by their guns - in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument for National Geographic Adventure. While the Sierra Club remained mum and pondered what to do, conservationist Annerino continued documenting habitat destruction in Cabeza National Wildlife Refuge for National Geographic Adventure. And while the Sierra Club stood on one side of the border producing its sanitized club-fomercial "Wild Versus Wall," Annerino (author and photographer of 7 distinct Sierra Club Books' editions) was doing what he does best, working dangerous terrain and wild country -- often alone --on both sides of the United States/Mexico border. He was befriending locals, (Mexicans, indigenous people, and Americans), illegal immigrants, dangerous smugglers, and law enforcement officers, talking face to face, listening to their stories, and taking sensitive portraits. Far from help and home, he was exploring magnificent and rugged transborder landmarks, rivers, deserts, mountains, and canyons, and making stunning landscape photographs. Armed with a camera and pen, he was taking a hard look, making notes, drawing maps, and documenting the environmental destruction, migrant deaths, and border agent killings for his compelling book, Vanishing Borderlands: The Fragile Landscape of the U.S.-Mexico Border. The Seattle Times wrote: `Vanishing Borderlands artfully captures the beauty and fragility of this extraordinary and dangerous paradise. . . gracefully balancing the region's grandeurs with its truths'."

Few have more experience in the desert borderlands than John Annerino. His excellent photography and years of wilderness experience combine to provide a very unique look at the border. Jammed with beautiful, raw twilight photos of timeless border landscapes, the large format and intense colors expose the high stakes of our border crisis. Entitled "Vanishing Borderlands," the book is a little soft on the U.S. border policies that are endangering the lands so wonderfully captured in its photography. The last section of the book is a bit of a glorification of the enforcement activities that are ripping our protected public lands and wildlife habitats to shreds. Still, Annerino gives a great overview of the border wall project, the damage it causes to fragile ecosystems, and, most importantly, the absolute grandeur of the lands it threatens to dissect.

Dan Millis

Sierra Club Borderlands Campaign

Tucson, Arizona

Amazon could sell this book for $1 and it would not be worth it. The best photos are on the front and back covers--what is in between is quite literally trash. The photo reproduction is poor (perhaps because its printed in China?), the subject matter is poor (drug and human smugglers in a nature book?), and the text? Honestly, I could not even bring myself to read it, I was so turned off by the photos. This is supposed to be a photography book, right? Save your money folks, this book it not worth it at any price.

In Vanishing Borderlands, John Annerino continues to demonsrate why he is probably the best popular author and photographer who photographs and writes about the U.S.-Mexico borderlands. He has chronicled the borderlands from both sides for many years and gained a unique perspective few others have. His outstanding photographs are a hallmark of all his books. His many years in the field on the border have helped him hone his talent for "humanizing" the borderlands. John's latest "border-book" is a quick and thought provoking read with excellent photos that bring the border environment and its problems (social, law enforcement and environmental) into the reader's living room. It is an excellent and easily absorbed photographic journey highlighted by his thoughtful prose that includes personal anecdotes and feelings. By including interesting and relevant border history along with recent disturbing facts and photos about today's border issues/problems, he helps bring the border into perspective. John's book is a peep-hole look into, in some cases what was, beautiful, biologically complex and fascinating lands. These borderlands, many of which used to be remote and little impacted from human activity, have now become political and physical battlegrounds, and a deadly arena for illegal immigrants, drug smugglers and law enforcement. (No hyperbole intended.) No author or photographer can possibly capture the full complexity of the border's politics, human death and suffering, natural and human histories, and current border activities that are destroying large areas of ecologically sensitive and picturesque environments. Any reader who thinks he understands the border environment after reading this book, or any book about the border, is extremely naive indeed. However, John's book is a very good start for anyone who wants to understand the border a little better. It encourages the reader to open the door, or at least enlarge the peep-hole, and further explore the fascinating borderlands. I write with the experience of a retired federal law enforcement officer and natural resource manager who worked the border for many years and experienced its best and worst. I highly recommend Vanishing Borderlands.

John Annerino's "Vanishing Borderlands" speaks lightyears of truth the mainstream media fails miserabably at. This volume leaves no stone unturned, no door closed, no letter unopened. "Vanishing Borderlands" presents the full (and bulletproof) spectrum on the border issue and nothing less. His personal accounts and spectacular imagery will transport you to a world like no other. You will meet folks who risk all in hopes of a better life and those who prey upon them. You will meet those who risk all to protect our border and you will meet some who gave it all. You will also meet the killers and outlaws who make their living smuggling people and drugs across a fragile environment daily. Annerino will show you what has happened to the land via his brilliant photography. It is all here in "Vanishing Borderlands"! Annerino will take you to where it all happens and tell you who, what, when, where, why and how the deadliest stretch of contested real estate in America and Mexico lives on. "Vanishing Borderlands" is a no holds barred expedition into a world no one likes to talk about. Down here along the border, seeing or hearing the wrong thing will get ANYONE killed. Only Annerino succeeds in revealing everything and nothing less than the truth. His experience, his respect for the lands, his symphony of imagery and persona breathes life where all others have failed. John gets it right as only he can do. It wouldn't surprise me to learn tons of folks have made a carreer, completed doctoral degrees or testified before Congress because of what Annerino has contributed and done with his life to get the REAL WORD out. "Vanishing Borderlands" will take you where no one'd dare. Not even Hollywood! Anything else is a waste of money! Want the wildest ride to be had on the subject? Get this book!