The National Geographic Society

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C.D.B Bryan's brilliant centennial history of the National Geographic Society--essentially tracing the story of exploration, science, and discovery in the 20th century--sold nearly a million copies a decade ago. The <i>Washington Post</i> called it "a completely fascinating and absorbing book." Many changes have taken place in the world and at the Society since then, more than enough reason for this enlarged, updated edition. The text and photographs from the original book are here just as they first appeared, along with two new chapters by C.D.B Bryan and some 40 new photographs. The new material tells of changes in the editorship of the Magazine and the leadership of the Society. Bryan documents a variety of innovations, and explores new contributions that the Society has made to geography education and a revitalized return to an age-old theme--the excitement of exploration. Bryan's lively text derives from in-depth interviews with key personnel--writers, photographers, editors--and contact with many of the scientists and explorers whose work was sponsored by the Society. He had free access to the Society's remarkable archives, which go back to Robert E. Peary's efforts to reach the North Pole; Hiram Bingham's discovery of Machu Picchu, the lost city of the Inca; Reinhold Messner's super-human solo climb to the summit of Mt. Everest, and countless other records of achievement. Coupled with the new chapters, as in the rest of this rich, historical volume, are color photographs that add another dimension to the story, for the <i>Geographic</i> is a picture magazine and has long been valued for showing the world the way things look in far-off places. Borrowed from the Magazine's recent pages are photographs from stories such as the one parodying the popular novel and movie, <i>The Bridges of Madison County</i>, that purported to show what a <i>National Geographic</i> photographer was really like. Here also are unique photographs of the 500-year-old frozen Inca mummy found in high-altitude Peru, as well as a dramatic shot from a recent Arctic journey made by explorer-in-residence Will Steger. In addition, the book includes a digitally enhanced image taken with a hand-held camera from the space shuttle <i>Discovery</i> and many other exciting illustrations.