This is an exceptionally readable history of the redwood region on the California north coast. The narrative tells about the clash between native peoples who revered the big trees and the latecomers—Spanish, Mexican, finally American—who saw the forests mainly in economic terms. Only in the twentieth century did European-Americans begin to value the region in natural and recreational terms. This led to movements to preserve the forests, first as state parks and ultimately, the national park. This is a useful resource, a good read.