500 thoughtfully chosen treasures that will inspire and enlighten travelers of all ages
This book enables passionate travelers and the eco-conscious to learn about and plan a visit to see rare cultural, historic, and natural places before they are irrevocably altered or even gone forever. Included are one-of-a-kind landscapes, fragile ecosystems, rare bird habitats, places to see the last remaining species of big game in the wild, cityscapes in peril, vanishing cultural kitsch, petroglyphs, and more. This Second Edition offers new reviews and updates on such topics as the Gulf Coast after the BP oil spill, the effects of earthquakes in Asia and Haiti, and improvements and progress in the fight to preserve threatened places.
Chapter 1 One-of-a-Kind Landscapes 1
Ecosystems in Peril 2
Fragile Treasures 12
10 Places for Dark Sky 14
Man-Made Damage 19
Chapter 2 The Last of Their Kind 25
By Sea 26
By Land 34
By Air 49
10 Places to Sight Big Game 56
Chapter 3 Islands 63
Islands at Risk 64
Singular & Separate 74
10 Places to See Coral Reefs 80
Wildlife Sanctuaries 84
Chapter 4 Where Sea Meets Shore 98
Shorelines in Trouble 99
Mangroves 108
10 Disappearing Beaches 112
Coastal Marshes 115
Wildlife at Water's Edge 120
Dramatic Coasts 124
Chapter 5 Let The River Run 131
All Dammed Up 132
Down on the Delta 142
Swamps & Bayous 147
10 Places to See Piping Plovers Nest 152
Along the Banks 155
Chapter 6 Forest & Jungle 163
Trees of Life 164
Into the Woods 168
Rainforests 185
Chapter 7 Mountains 196
Shrinking Glaciers 197
High Wilderness 205
Alpine Flowers 214
10 Places Where the Bighorns Still Climb 220
Volcanoes 222
Chapter 8 Prairie, Plain & Desert 229
Prairie Wildlife 230
Coastal Plains 241
10 Places to See North American Prairie 248
Desert 251
Chapter 9 Ancient Ruins 257
Cave Dwellers 258
10 Places to See Petroglyphs 264
Fortresses & Ceremonial Sites 266
Cradle of Civilization 272
10 Places to See Stone Circles 276
Legendary Cities 278
Birth of the New World 284
Chapter 10 Crumbling Landmarks 294
Classical Relics 295
Middle Ages 304
Historic Homes 313
10 Battlefields to Fight For 314
Chapter 11 Cityscapes 326
Cities in Peril 327
10 Last-of-Their-Kind Towns 336
Traditional Ways of Living 343
Neighborhoods in Transition 350
10 Unique Accommodations 362
Chapter 12 Holy Places 368
Ancient Temples 369
Seats of Religion 376
Pilgrimage Sites 384
Churches 389
10 Prehistoric Mounds to Visit 396
Haunting Memorials 400
Chapter 13 Neglected Moderns 405
Industrial Age 406
10 All-American Lighthouses 414
Historic Spots 417
10 Classic Movie Palaces 422
Chapter 14 Disposable Culture 427
Sports Shrines 428
Entertainment 432
Roadside Relics 440
10 Signs That Go Blink in the Night 446
Vintage Hotels & Motels 448
Resource Index 454
Index 457
LarryWest
Posted December 4, 2008
Working on this book with Holly Hughes was a valuable reminder about the beauty and diversity of the planet we call home. <BR/><BR/>I¿ve been writing about environmental issues for years. It¿s a subject I love. But the environment is so much in the news these days that it¿s easy to begin thinking of it as a kind of abstract concept, or to focus so much on a specific threat or a single endangered species that we lose site of the big picture.<BR/><BR/>This travel guide showcases 500 of the most unusual and intriguing places on Earth¿from unique natural landscapes and wildlife habitats to ancient manmade monuments and historic cities. Each one is threatened in some way by human activity or environmental forces, and each one is irreplaceable. <BR/><BR/>Reading this book will be a pleasure. You will learn about fascinating places in every part of the world, how and why they are at risk, and what is being done to protect them. Inevitably, your travel ¿wish list¿ will grow longer. Like all good travel guides, ¿Frommer¿s 500 Places to See Before They Disappear¿ will make you want to pack your bags, and will provide the information you need to plan and complete your journey. <BR/><BR/>But ¿Frommer¿s 500 Places to See Before They Disappear¿ is more than an exceptional travel guide, it¿s also a wake-up call about the fragile nature of our global ecosystem and the importance of preserving the places we treasure.
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Posted December 4, 2008
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Posted June 30, 2009
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Overview
500 thoughtfully chosen treasures that will inspire and enlighten travelers of all ages
This book enables passionate travelers and the eco-conscious to learn about and plan a visit to see rare cultural, historic, and natural places before they are irrevocably altered or even gone forever. Included are one-of-a-kind landscapes, fragile ecosystems, rare bird habitats, places to see the last remaining species of big game in the wild, cityscapes in peril, vanishing cultural kitsch, ...