Perhaps that is what parks are—breathing spaces for a society that increasingly holds its breath.

In this "personal topography of America's national parks," Terry Tempest Williams explores the beauty, history, ecology, and politics of twelve of our country's beloved sanctuaries. In passionate, poetic prose, she demonstrates how "our national parks…are more than scenery, they are portals and thresholds of wonder, an open door that swings back and forth from our past to our future." The Hour of Land offers lovely and profound insight for historians, environmentalists, and anyone who appreciates a little fresh air. (CH)