OMAHA, Neb. — Images of Nature(R) is proud to announce that Thomas D. Mangelsen’s latest book “The Natural World” (ISBN 978-189031042-4) was a winner at the PMA, the Independent Book Publishers Association 2008 Benjamin Franklin Awards. The book took top honors in the Coffee Table/Large format category. “The Natural World is one of the most spectacular submissions this year–and that takes a lot of doing given the extraordinary quality of almost all the entries in this category. It has been a year of joyful judging not least because of this incredible book,” comments one judge who goes on to say, “Normally I try to give each publisher a full page of comments, criticisms, suggestions… However, this doesn’t work when I am looking at a perfect book–as here.”
The Benjamin Franklin Awards recognizes excellence in independent publishing. Books, grouped by genre, are judged on editorial and design merit by top practitioners in each field. Awards are given to the best books and were presented to the publisher, authors, designer and printer at the awards ceremony on May 29th at the Wilshire Grand Hotel in Los Angeles.
The Natural World, with a foreword by Jane Goodall, chronicles ten distinct ecosystems that serve as islands of refuge not only for Earth’s diversity of life but for the human spirit as well.
“The photos are fabulous, amazing, gorgeous!” said another judge who praised Mangelsen’s “vision and passion and the determination to incorporate both in The Natural World.”
As the photographer, writer and publisher of The Natural World, Mangelsen takes the viewer on a visual odyssey, from the migration on the plains of the Serengeti to the penguins of Antarctica, from the grizzlies of Alaska to the frozen landscape of the polar bears on Hudson Bay. In striking panoramic photographs, Mangelsen documents his subjects within the context of their varied environments. Excerpts from his journals detail his experiences in the field, and his words provide a window into the man behind the camera. Tom shares his love for and fascination with the magical places that have changed his life and his perspective on our shrinking wild places.
Tom Mangelsen had this to say upon hearing that his latest book won the award in the Best Coffee Table/Large Format category: “The book was a labor of love and it is wonderful to receive such special recognition from PMA.”
To learn more about Thomas D. Mangelsen, go to http://www.mangelsen.com
To learn more about the BFA award ceremony, go to: http://www.pma-online.org/pubresources/benfrank2008_winners.aspx
