Whidbey and Camano, two of the largest of the numerous beautiful islands dotting Puget Sound, together form the major part of Island Country. Taking this county as a case study and following its history from Indian times to the present, Richard White explores the complex relationship between human induced environmental change and social change. This new edition of his classic study includes a new preface by the author and a foreword by William Cronon.
Contents
Foreword
Preface to the 1999 Edition
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Shaping the Face of the Land
The Garden and the Wilderness
A Search for Stability
The Ox and the Axe
The Creation of a New Forest
Poor Men on Poor Lands
The Urban Shadow
Conclusion
Appendix A: Population Methods and Estimates
Appendix B: Supplementary tables
Notes
Bibliography
Index
Reviews
"An example of environmental history at its best. . . . A fresh appraisal of human contact with the environment, with special attention to the apparent motives of each wave of settlement—Indians, farmers, loggers, tourists and sportsmen—and the consequences of that settlement."
