Louisiana is one of the most beautiful parts of North America. It offers much more than Mardis Gras and Bourbon Street. With 25 maps and 60 illustrations, this is the first book to introduce the full range of wild places in Louisiana. Certainly the state’s magnificent swamps are described, but Louisiana showcases a great diversity of natural habitats— prairies, longleaf pine savannas, oak forests, Appalachian forest, river valleys, cliffs, sand dunes, and cheniers. Each has its distinctive plant and animal species. Frogs living in trees, fish digging burrows, pelicans nesting on offshore islands and plants eating insects, as well as wild orchids, dwarf palmettos, armadillos, and… Some of the author’s favorite places to visit are highlighted and he describes the challenge of conserving wild places for the enjoyment of future generations. The book is titled for the water that carries the earth that builds Louisiana, and the fires that create the prairies, pine forests, and savannas. If you own only one book about Louisiana nature, this is the one to have— a perfect gift for student, tourist, hunter, or neighbor.