One archipelago, two inseparable stories

A photographic book about nature, people and the consequences of human choice.

Galapagos: Both Sides of the Coin was designed to be read in two directions. One side celebrates the natural Galapagos: its landscapes, species and remarkable animal behavior. Turn the book over and the other side traces the history of people in the islands—and the pressures that now shape their future.

Why “both sides of the coin”?

The title reflects a simple idea. The Galapagos cannot be understood through wildlife alone, nor through human history alone. Tourism can create appreciation and finance conservation, while also accelerating migration, construction, transport and demand for resources. Settlement can build community and opportunity, while increasing the risk of invasive species and habitat change. Science can reveal how the islands work, but knowledge matters only when institutions and societies act on it.

The coin is also literal. The book’s imagery recalls the Ecuadorian eight-escudo doubloon offered by Captain Ahab in Moby-Dick—a novel partly inspired by Herman Melville’s experiences in the Galapagos. It connects the islands’ natural mythology with their long entanglement in global history.

A book to enter from either side

Galapagos and Wildlife

Volcanoes, ocean currents, habitats, evolution, behavior and close encounters with species found nowhere else.

Galapagos and People

From the first written account in 1535 through exploitation, colonization, research, tourism and the modern conservation challenge.

At the center

A shared question: how can people thrive while the ecological and evolutionary processes of the islands remain intact?

Photography with a purpose

Pete Oxford’s photographs do more than document species. They capture behavior, relationships and the unusual intimacy made possible by the tameness of many island animals. Historical images and maps show a second transformation: the growing human presence that changed coastlines, highlands, fisheries and communities.

Who the book is for

The book is for travelers, naturalists, students, photographers, island residents, conservation practitioners and anyone interested in how exceptional places survive contact with a rapidly changing world.

Galapagos: Both Sides of the Coin — photography by Pete Oxford, text by Graham Watkins, with Reneé Bish; foreword by HRH Prince Philip. Imagine Publishing, 2009 (hardcover, ISBN 978-0-9822939-3-5)

Buy the Book

Galapagos: Both Sides of the Coin is available from the following retailers: Amazon, eBay, and AbeBooks.