Alan M. Cvancara has nurtured a passion for wildflowers for more than 40 years. His early photographs of them were mostly records, but later evolved to artistic images. He likes to take wildflower novices on walks, immerse them in their floral subjects, and test them on identification until they learn in spite of themselves. Alan hopes that greater acquaintance with wildflowers will lead to their greater protection. Alan is a retired geology professor and the author of 11 nature books: Edible Wild Plants and Herbs, A Field Manual for the Amateur Geologist (two editions), Exploring Nature in Winter, Sleuthing Fossils, Bare Bones Geology, Sleuthing Fossils, Designs of Nature, Geological Glimpses, Showy Wildflowers of Casper and Muddy Mountains, Wyoming, and At the Water’s Edge. With his wife, Ella J. Cvancara, he has co-authored Back Trip: A Journey Into Perseverance, a chronicle of a chronic back pain victim, and Windows Into Legacy, a poetry-photography book. This book is an introduction to the diverse world of wildflowers. Twenty-seven close-up flower portraits reveal fascinating floral details. The photographs, with accompanying essays for each, allow you to gain insight into what makes a flower, its purpose, and further appreciation of nature’s beauty. And likened to the traits of a human, the photographic portraits and essays reveal a wildflower’s personality. Meaningful additions to this book include comments on wildflower therapy, wildflower quotations, and tips on creating artistic wildflower portraits.
