Excellent book. Originally written in 1959, Peter Matthiessen's book should be mandatory reading for all. Chronicling the demise and destruction of numerous birds, animals and fish since the Europeans set foot on American soil, Matthiessen adequately addresses the extinction of many species, the saving of a few, and the 20th century blossoming of the conservation movement and the blocks it encountered even amongst people with similar motives. Of course, even while some of the movement started to gain momentum, devastation and destruction continued unabated in many other places. ( )