Seattle photographer Mark Lembersky has spent the past twenty years chronicling the post-eruption rebirth of Mount St. Helens. A collection of his artistic and documentary images is presented for the first time in this beautiful new book, Mount St. Helens: Images of an Unexpected Landscape. With provocative photographs and informative captions, this visual essay captures the essence of the land, fills the reader with a sense of wonder at the scenes of revitalization and healing new growth, and evokes the true spirit of Mount St. Helens. The photographic journey moves west along the ash-filled Toutle River; north past the road’s end and into the inner blast zone; east to Spirit Lake with its abundant signs of natural renewal; and south to scenes of ancient eruptions and modern mudflows. The unexpected images recall the dynamic forces of the mountain volcano—its destructive as well as life-giving powers, and the beauty of its shapes, delicate textures, and subtle colors. Sprawling aerial views and intimate wildlife pictorials reveal the splendor of the mountain that continues to be one of the most awe-inspiring natural settings in North America. The story in these images is complemented by an original poem from Ursula K. Le Guin, written just two weeks after the eruption, and by former Senator Mark O. Hatfield’s foreword, which relates his personal involvement in the drama of the eruption.