In the century or more since the establishment of the world's first national park at Yellowstone, no individual has rivaled Ansel Adams in his efforts to support the philosophical essence and practical evolution of the "national parks idea". In this book, photographs of the national parks and monuments are reproduced - the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Glacier, Grant Tetons, the Great Smoky Mountains and many others. From the 1930s to the 1980s, Adams concerned himself with every aspect of the national park system. This book includes a selection from his impassioned letters, speeches, writings and personal notes about the critical issues facing the parks.