William L. Finley, pioneer wildlife photographer /

Not a book about wildlife photography but about the career of William L. Finley who, in addition to being a wildlife photographer, was an Oregon State Game Warden, a maker of popular films about wildlife, and an author. Because Mathewson is interested in Finley's entire career, the introduction lacks focus. It briefly discusses the beginning of wildlife photography and then moves on to discuss women naturalists, the founding of the Audubon Society, and even Finley's dispute with a neighbor over property lines. Mathewson would have produced a more interesting work if he had spent more time discussing the significance of Finley's photographic work in establishing wildlife refuges and nesting grounds for migratory waterfowl. Finley's attitude toward wildlife is ambiguous and needs examination. He kept wild animals as pets and clashed with other naturalists on the subject of killing animals and on preservation in general. Many of the photographs are of great interest; considering the ultimate fate of the California condor, Finley's series on the condor is compelling. This book reveals our ambiguous attitudes toward wildlife and for that reason is worth reading. For general audiences.-T. Sexton, University of Alaska, Anchorage