India

The world's most densely populated country, and the tiger's last remaining natural habitat, India is a land of contradictions. In this visually stunning book, photographer Olivier Föllmi captures this land where tradition and modernity coexist-the India of the cell phone and the sacred cow. Föllmi looks beyond the commotion and sensory overload of the Indian street to examine deeper truths about the people and their culture. His photographs convey serenity and stillness, expressing a philosophy and an approach to life radically different from the West's.

This award-winning photographer's work includes portraits of people of all classes-farmers and potters, dancers and musicians, parents and children-and probes as well human interactions with animals including cows, monkeys, and elephants. Never does he portray his subjects as exotic objects; rather, his realistic, moving images pay tribute to his subjects' essential dignity and profound humanity.