The Ramble in Central Park: A Wilderness West of Fifth

Now in paperback. A handsome photographic tribute to The Ramble, the untamed "wild garden" of Central Park in New York City. For many New Yorkers, Central Park is Manhattan's crown jewel and what makes the city liveable year round. For tourists, this urban oasis is a must-see destination on any sightseeing visit. For acclaimed photographer Robert McCabe, Central Park is defined by its Ramble-a densely forested 38 acres replete with stunning lake vistas, enormous granite boulders, a canopy of trees, winding paths and streams, and ornate and rustic bridges. McCabe's photographs in The Ramble in Central Park have captured this wooded labyrinth in its off-the-beaten-path glory in its most photogenic seasons. 'The Ramble in Central Park' is primarily organized by four regions, supplemented by one large map by Christopher Kaeser of the entire area and four close-ups of each area. The text is a series of essays by writers including The New Yorker's E. B. White and C. Stevens. Topics cover the history of the park's creation by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, and the failed attempt of Robert Moses to essentially eliminate The Ramble in the 1950s, as well as The Ramble's 250 species of woodland birds and the area's remarkable geology and plant life. A compelling introduction by Central Park Conservancy President and Administrator Douglas Blonsky describes the recent renovation and continued protection of The Ramble. This photography book should appeal to nature lovers, bird watchers, and New York residents and visitors alike. It is the perfect tourist souvenir before or after a visit to Central Park and The Ramble. AUTHOR: Robert A. McCabe has written many books and his photographs have been exhibited in the United States, Greece, and France, and have appeared in numerous publications. REVIEWS: "...dazzling full-color, four-season photographs... a book that itself is a welcome harbinger of spring." -- The New York Times "McCabe's photographs show that even in the heart of the city, the desire to get lost in the wild, however briefly, remains strong." -- ARTnews 135 colour illustrations

Table of Contents:
Photographer's Note by Robert A. McCabe Introduction by Douglas Blonsky Wood Thrushes in the Ramble by Marie Winn Robert Moses & the Battle of the Ramble by E. B. White and C. Stevens PLATES EAST The Picturesquely Romantic Ramble by Elizabeth Barlow Rogers SOUTH The Birds of the Ramble by Carl Vornberger GILL CREEK VALLEY The Plants of the Ramble by Regina Alvarez WEST The Rocks of the Ramble by Sidney Horenstein Index

About the Author :
Douglas Blonsky served as President and CEO of the Central Park Conservancy for thirty-three years. He fostered innovation, secured nearly a billion dollars in funding, and oversaw the successful management of hundreds of restoration projects that revived New York’s most important green space. Robert A. McCabe was born in Chicago in 1934. He started taking photographs in 1939 with a Kodak Brownie given to him by his father, who published a tabloid newspaper in New York. His work is featured in a permanent exhibition at the Greek consulate in Boston, MA. McCabe’s fifteen published photo books include the Abbeville titles Mykonos, Mycenae: From Myth to History, The Ramble in Central Park: A Wilderness West of Fifth, and Three Days in Havana.

Review :
Praise for The Ramble in Central Park "Splendidly soulful photographs of my favorite part of Central Park" --Dominique Browning, The New York Times "Amply and beautifully illustrated" --New York Daily News "McCabe's photographs show that even in the heart of the city, the desire to get lost in the wild, however briefly, remains strong." --ARTnews A Foreword Reviews Nature Book of the Year