Serengeti: Natural Order on the African Plain

by Mitsuaki Iwago

Spending 18 months on the Serengeti Plain of eastern Africa, Iwago captures in nearly 300 extraordinary full-color images a world of calm beauty and quick violence, where the daily drama of life and death for over two million animals is played against a spectacular landscape. Sure to win a new round of fans, this classic, best-selling (over 90,000 copies sold!) volume of wildlife photography is now available in a handsomely jacketed new hardcover edition.

Genres: Photography, Nonfiction, Africa, Nature, Art, Travel

104 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1987

Reviews

[Peter Tillman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reread of the 1986 US large-format PB edition of this classic East African wildlife book. This was a Christmas present to my parents in 1988, that came back to me when they passed on. I'd forgotten what a good book it is. Color reproduction in the 1980s was still pretty primitive, even in Japan: the first edition was published in Japanese, and the English translation shortly after, also printed in Tokyo. Regardless, this is great photography: Iwago and his family lived in the Serengeti for a year and a half, in 1982-84. The migrations were bigger in those days, and the number of tourists much smaller. My parents lived in Kenya, not far from there, in the early 1970s.

So. Later African wildlife books have much better quality color reproduction. But I don't think Iwago's dramatic photos of the great migrations have ever been equaled. If you should come across a copy, have a look. (One of our local libraries still has a copy to loan.) Great photos and good commentary. There's a sketch of his life and work at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsuak...
For me, a strong 4+ star experience, and I'm sure I'll be looking at the book again down the line. High marks.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

beautiful pictures! Just as I saw the Serengetti.

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has long been on my shelf. Now I’m looking forward to seeing the Serengeti in person!

[Laura Salas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing photos--great intro to the Serengeti!

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I became transported. Fantastic.

[Ophelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

One too many photos of poo.

[Clayton Reese · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent photography and beginning explanations of the local environs makes this an easily-accessible and amazing read on this wild terrain of Africa. Iwago is awesome.