Bookstores always beef up their displays of
large picture books around the holidays. I’m always amazed at how many of these there are and how huge some of them are
in size. I never noticed the collection of books by Yann Arthus-Bertrand until this year, although his stunning photography
books have been around for awhile now. Among them are Earth from Above and
Earth from
Above 366 Days. (There is a 365 Days too.) These stunning aerial photos capture the pure beauty of our planet,
while Arthus-Bertrand also communicates his commitment to preserving the environment. The third edition of the
hardcover Earth from Above was released this fall. The 524-page book is a tribute to how the world works
through a series of 200 photos of natural ecological systems: watersheds, deserts, and estuaries. In 366
Days, one side of each page presents a landscape photograph, while the facing page contains a short text that
describes the image’s relation to larger ecological issues. The book also includes a few short essays by experts in
biodiversity, oceanography and forestry. These coffeetable books are sure to wow readers and start great conversations
about our planet as well.