Life – A Journey Through Time

Frans Lanting – Published by Taschen

If we needed to be reminded again that Taschen does much more than sexy coffee table books, Life – A Journey Through Time has arrived and is the “must-have” coffee table book gift of the season.

Every single person on Earth must own this book! When we say this we mean, buy a copy for your children, for your parents, for your classroom, for your president! This book is one of the most beautiful celebrations of life on this planet we have ever seen and a visual reminder of how vital it is that we protect the natural balance of Earth.

Truly seven years in the making, Frans Lanting set out to tell the planet’s history through his photography but ended up creating one of the most beautiful and important collections ever published! (The website is equally impressive with a 80 plus image slideshow and music by Phillip Glass.)

This book reminds us how beautiful the world we live is and how precious it is and if a still image has never been accused of taking one’s breath away, let it be stated now that almost every image in Life is capable of this.

Frans Lanting’s goal was to chronicle the life of our planet as it might have happened and how it is reflected in the nature that endures in our modern times. It is clear that this book is a labor of love and that between himself, editor Christine Eckstrom and the good people at Taschen, the goal was not to simply deliver a nice looking book but to create a visual masterpiece that would also serve as a thoughtful tribute to the precious life we take for granted.

This book does more for conservation than any politician in many years because it is hard to resist the urge to “save the endangered planet” as one slowly and carefully flips through this epic publication. Life- A Journey Through Time is further from being a history lesson as it is a warning siren for the future.

You easily forget to evaluate the book as a photographic collection because the images of animals and unbelievable natural landscapes almost seem too fantastic. As I flipped through the book for the first time I thought, “Could he have really been to all of these places and seen these things?” Life – A Journey Through Time is truly an odyssey and a testament to Frans Lanting’s devotion and love for life.

We had heard quite a bit about Life – A Journey Through Time but it wasn’t until we saw the images features in the November/December 2006 issue of American Photo that we knew we had to review this book for our readers. It came as little surprise to learn that Frans Lanting has had a long career with National Geographic and a lifelong commitment to natural preservation and conservation.

Life – A Journey Through Time is not just another coffee table photography book with pretty nature images. No, this is a much more personal project. The images captured and preserved in this epic volume explode in over 300 pages of living glory.

As I have recently become very serious about photography and nature and conservation, this book seemed like a surprise gift from out of nowhere. If we cannot stop for a moment and pause to reflect all of our greed and excessive consumption of this planet’s natural resources, we will lose everything (including the animal and human species.)

The book does not use words to preach or even lecture on the urgency and dire need to reverse the damage we have done to this planet. The images speak louder than any words. The reaction many will have is that it is hard to believe places and things this beautiful still exist and hopefully the next reaction you will have will be to act on that feeling and do your small part to make this a planet for future generation’s and not one for your use during your lifetime.

Life – A Journey Through Time is the most completely beautiful coffee table book you will ever purchase and it is one that has educational and emotional value that can be shared with every human being on this planet. (If I were a millionaire I would give copies to every school and institution in the world.)

If this review does not convince you to buy this book, for yourself or someone you love, go to your book store and open the book to pages 258 and 259 and gaze at the Iguazu Falls of Iguazu National Park, Argentina. My first thought was “I need this print on my wall. My second thought was, “I need to go there.”

We would like to thank Frans Lanting, Christine Eckstrom and the hard working people at Taschen for a book that reaffirms the importance of history, present and future life, but most importantly a thank you to Frans Lanting whose life’s work is such a generous tribute to the overwhelming and powerful force that is nature and life, and that must be preserved and celebrated at all costs.

This book has affected me on a very personal level and will not only be given as a gift to many this year (especially children) but will be referenced on a daily basis in my quest to make the world we live in a better place.

Taschen has outdone them selves with this release.

Go to Amazon.com and buy this giant, hardcover masterpiece for only $32.99 (It is still only $49.99 in stores and $20 cheaper than what it should be.)

Terry Osterhout
October 2006