The Beautiful and Enduring Ozarks

This photographic essay examines the two aspects the Ozark region is famous for: its sublime natural beauty and its conservative folk culture. Leland Payton finds something of value in each. There are mist-filled photographs of scenic valleys and pictures of the spring-fed rivers' scaly inhabitants. The people of the region are lovingly portrayed, but not idealized. Payton interweaves personal experience, extensive knowledge of local history, readings in frontier travel journals and natural history to create a fresh and original look at one of America's fabled regions.