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Now here’s a book that would make a great gift for someone this year – or for yourself.
There have been a number of books about the wonders of the world, including some bargain books like I recently discussed on this website.
The original Seven Wonders of the World included the lighthouse at Pharos and the gardens of Babylon, long gone. Since then, many places have vied for inclusion as “modern wonders of the world,” such as the Empire State Building and the Eiffel Tower. Most modern lists include natural wonders like the Galapagos Islands and the great waterfalls of the world (such as Niagara, Angel, Iguazu, and Victoria).
The folks at LIFE magazine have produced a beautiful picture book of many wonders of the world, natural and man-made, starting with the original seven, then adding in many more candidates.
As you would expect, the photographs are stunning. The pictures of the great pyramid and of the Millau Viaduct in Southern France (omigosh!) will take your breath away. And the image and text on the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet, reminded me of why that’s probably my #1 “haven’t been there yet but gotta see it” place on earth. The Potala is an amazing huge building built over the centuries into a mountain face, in the center of town, way up in remote Tibet. It therefore combines the most stunning of natural scenery with the mind-blowing accomplishments of human builders.
The book ends with easily-removable beautiful prints of 7 LIFE photographs, including the pyramids, Empire State Building, Angel Falls, and Mt. Everest. These photos are among the best in the book, and are easy for you to frame.
Anyone with any curiosity about the world, anyone without such curiosity who needs to be motivated, and anyone who admires beauty will love this book. Despite its large format and excellent color reproduction, it only lists for $29.95, and at many stores and websites will cost you less.
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