Fog and Sun, Sea and Stone; the Monterey (CA) Coast [signed]

Few places in the world excite one's senses with so much beauty, variety, and contrast as the Monterey-Big Sur Coast of California. Lush, moss-hung forests and wind-polished dunes; quiet tidepools, sunny beaches, white waves crashing on rock headlands; the dark, rugged Santa Lucias plunging straight into the sea -- all these endure. But the communities they harbor never cease to change. The region's Spanish roots, abundantly evident in place names and gracious old adobes, have been grafted with a succession of later cultures -- Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, Sicilian, Basque, and always the vigorous blessing/threat of progress-minded Americans. For nearly forty years, Crouch explored this strip of coast and learned its lore, recording it on film and memory. Now, with rare artistry and affection, he shares his intimate view of a most remarkable place.