Lapland

Lapland is not familiar to a good many people. Even though it encompasses a substantial part of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia, say the word and most people think vaguely of reindeer, and that's about it. This beautifully written, excellently photographed book will change your mind quickly.You will learn that Lapland is one of the last areas of Earth from which the ice sheets retreated. It is also the land of the Midnight Sun, as the striking cover photograph demonstrates. The photos and text will show you dramatic proof, particularly with respect to the lakes of Finland, and Sweden's Sarek National Park, the largest in Europe. To those who have explored Rocky Mountain National Park or the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, these pictures will evoke many pleasant memories. Also discussed in detail is Lapland's varied wildlife, including bear, reindeer, birds, northen pike, and, of course, the fabled lemming. Writer Marsden's narrative of these animals is particularly engrossing. He also investigates the many seabirds, especially in his facinating chapter on the Norwegian Lofoten Islands and the famous Maelstrom whirlpool."Lapland" also discusses the Lapps, those people who still live by following and guiding the reindeer on their annual migration. The Lapps' ingenuity and perserverance in a severe climate is amazing.I recommend this book very highly, as it is endlessly interesting. Enjoy