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Rating: 
Summary: A very impressive, large-format, coffee-table book
Review: The premise of this book is contained in the fact that no part of New Zealand lies more than 60 miles from the ocean as the crow flies. Following an initial introductory chapter, the book moves to a long, scintillating series of aerial photographs of New Zealand's coastal features, beginning with the northerly coast of South Island, moving down the western coast and proceeding all around that island. The photographs of the Fiordland Park sounds, particularly the little-known Dusky and Doubtful Sounds, cannot be described adequately in terms of beauty by word alone. They must be seen to be believed. The book is broken into coastal sections, and each chapter is preceded by a clear, eloquent commentary, followed by the pictures. Additionally, each photo has its own small, but informative comment. These narratives, althogh rather short, contain much information about New Zealand that doesn't seem to have been published elsewhere. The reader comes away with an enhanced urge to visit, or revisit, this amazing nation. The same process is used on North Island, beginning at Wellington, and then proceeding up the coast and around the island back to Wellington. In particular, the photos of Mt. Egmont, a dormant volcano, are breathtaking. My only reservation about the book was its failure to show the interior volcanic area of North Island, but that is a small quibble. If you want to go to New Zealand, you should read this book. If you can't go, save it for your dreams. I own the book, and I won't loan it out to anyone. Highly recommended.
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