Author publishes books on regional national parks
AMY GRISAK, a former longtime resident of the Flathead Valley, has published two regional books this year.
“The Nature Guide to Glacier and Waterton National Parks” was published by Falcon Press in June. A handy resource to quickly identify over 200 animals and plants native to the parks and sized to fit in a pocket, the guide contains full-color images, detailed descriptions, useful park information, and much more about the unique residents and features of Glacier and Waterton Lakes national parks, together known as Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, the first of its kind in the world.
“Found Photos of Yellowstone” was published in September by Riverbend Publishing. It explores the fascinating and colorful history of Yellowstone National Park between 1890 to 1940 through the eyes of park employees and visitors. Gathered from family albums and private collections over the past 50 years, more than 200 photos provide a behind-the-scenes perspective of the park, which in 1872 became the world’s first national park. The book includes never-before-seen views of lodging, transportation, recreation, wildlife and summer jobs. The photos were collected by longtime Yellowstone photographer Michael Francis, and curated by noted Yellowstone historian Lee Whittlesey who co-wrote the captions with Grisak.
GRISAK HAS been a television and media professional for nearly 30 years and has spent many of her summers in Glacier Park. During her first decade living in Montana, she worked in the field as sound recordist and associate producer for a number of television programs, including several for National Geographic Television. She eventually transitioned from television to freelance writing, pairing her nature photography with her stories and essays. An active member of the Outdoor Writers Association of America, Grisak currently serves on its board of directors. She has won numerous awards in the organization’s Excellence-in-Craft contests. She writes frequently about Glacier National Park and all manner of outdoor recreation for publications such as Distinctly Montana, Montana Quarterly, Rails to Trails Conservancy, The Farmers’ Almanac, Sky & Telescope, TripSavvy, The New Pioneer, and many others. Grisak also co-hosts Front Range Outdoors, a radio program on KGPR Great Falls.
After living in the Flathead Valley for 17 years, Grisak moved to Great Falls 15 years ago where she lives with her husband Grant and their two sons Samuel and John. The family frequently returns to the valley to visit.
More information is available on her website, www.amygrisak.com