“Notice and stand in awe,” Erik Stensland writes in his latest book <i>The Journey Beyond - Learning to Live Beautifully in a Troubled World</i> (Rocky Trail Press, (c) 2021). Yet, I cannot help but notice and stand in awe of his prescient prose and compelling collection of too-beautiful-to-believe-they-could-be-real photographs.

In his sequel to acclaimed novel <i>Whispers in the Wilderness</i> (2017), Stensland once again provides pure visual delight with his photographs from his home turf of Rocky Mountain National Park, and, in this novel, also from the Desert Southwest, Scotland, Iceland, the Pacific Northwest, England, the European Alps, and the Adriatic - all the makings of a coffee table book accessible in the comfort of your favorite reading spot.

And while it is said that a picture is worth a thousand words, Stensland’s words are equal to the task, holding their own set against some of Nature’s most breathtaking images. But he didn’t need a thousand words. Stensland wowed me with insightful, succinct written nuggets of pure gold, sometimes daring, sometimes questioning, sometimes gentle, sometimes vulnerable, but always revealing, if only I will allow myself to be open to the revelation.

Through <i>The Journey Beyond</i>, Stensland not only dreams aloud about what a better world could look like, he deftly describes how we can set out to make that happen, beginning with how we look at ourselves and nature, and then in how we look for the humanity in others.

I have nothing but high praise for Stensland and <i>The Journey Beyond</i>, but good luck finding a copy of the book for yourselves because my gift recipients are all getting a copy this year.

A gorgeous book on enjoying the natural world during turmoil. This is a perfect boom to escape to currently. Photography is beautiful along with the sentiments. I highly recommend this book.