John Laursen, editor of the Northwest Photography Series and co-author of “Wild Beauty: Photographs of the Columbia Gorge, 1867-1957,” will present a slide talk of photographs from the book at 7 p.m. Nov. 25 in Knight Library's Browsing Room, 1501 Kincaid St., Eugene.

As a selection of the surviving historical photographs of the Columbia River Gorge, “Wild Beauty” provides a portrait of one of the West’s primal landscapes through nearly a century of profound change. That period began in 1867, when the Gorge still looked much the same as it did when Lewis and Clark passed through in 1805, and ended in 1957, when the river was transformed by the construction of the Dalles Dam and the drowning of the centuries-old Indian fishing grounds at Celilo Falls.

Selected images from the book can be viewed at the Northwest Photography Archive website.

“Wild Beauty” won a Pacific Northwest Booksellers Award and was a finalist for the Oregon Book Award in nonfiction. It was named the best Northwest book of the year by The Oregonian. Laursen is a writer, editor and book designer who holds degrees from Reed College and UCLA.

The UO Libraries' Special Collections and University Archives, located in Knight Library, holds a collection of Laursen's work spanning four decades. Laursen was the 2011 recipient of the Stewart H. Holbrook Literary Legacy Award, presented by Literary Arts, in recognition of significant contributions that have enriched Oregon’s literary community.

The event is sponsored by the UO Libraries and The Duck Store. “Wild Beauty” will be available for purchase and signing by Laursen at the event.

- from UO Libraries