Galapagos: Islands Born of Fire

by Tui De Roy

Ever since the days of Darwin, the Galapagos Islands have captured the imagination of the world. This book captures the ethereal - even haunting - quality of these islands, in words and pictures, like none other before it. For author Tui De Roy it is the culmination of a life's thirty-five years of exploring and recording the secrets of Galapagos.As well as visiting the coastlines, with their cold seas and burning rocks, sea lions and marine iguanas, the reader is taken into active volcanic calderas, where life hangs in the balance each time the volcano remakes itself; follows the seasons of the giant tortoise; dives into the twilight world of sperm whales and hammerhead sharks; and treads on still-steaming volcanic ground so new it has never felt a human footfall. Ten photo essays showcase the special birds and animals that make the Galapagos their home.The text flows from an intimate knowledge of, and deep love for, the Galapagos and the quality of the imagery reflects the author's recently awarded place as one of the world's top twenty wildlife photographers.As the 21st century looms, the Galapagos Islands are reaching a critical crossroads from which they will emerge with difficulty. This book celebrates their vibrant essence.About theTui De Roy moved with her family to the Galapagos when she was two years old. Her early photographic ambitions turned into a career, quite by chance, at the age of 19. That year she met the editor of Audubon magazine who was visiting the Galapagos and took an interest in her images resulting in the publication of her photo essay, including the magazine cover. This event redefined the focus of her life. She and her partner of several years have recently moved their home base to New Zealand. She is on the editorial masthead of "International Wildlife" and "Ocean Realm" magazines.

Genres: Travel, Photography, Nature, Nonfiction, Science

160 pages, Hardcover

First published September 2, 1980

Reviews

[Janice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful photos that capture the amazing world of Galapagos wildlife and islands, combined with powerful poetic writing and respect for protecting the ecosystem. Additionally, this brought back fond memories of visiting Galapagos in 2017.

[Thomas Churchill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Getting stoked!!! makes me want to be a naturalist so bad. I leave tomorrow 👀

[Nadine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Made me want to go to the Galapagos even more than I already do. I really liked the conservation aspect of it. If I didn't have school I may have booked a flight there immediately upon finishing the book. Stupid school.

[Kati Stevens · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty great photos, admirable author/photographer, but the woman has never met an adjective she didn't like. But I kind of wish I was her.

[Manasa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up from a selection on board a Galapagos cruise, and it added so much more to an already special trip. This is a labor of love, both a memoir and a biography, written by someone intimately familiar with the islands and their treasures. The photographs, as you'd expect, are superb, and I found that they were made richer still by the narrative captions (do you see a pattern here? I'm clearly partial to words). Whether you're looking to prime yourself for a visit to these islands, or simply wish to (re)discover the magic of the natural world, you can't go wrong with this book.