The Photo Ark

There's something about a great portrait that endears its subject to the viewer. That goes for animals, as well. The life work of photographer Joel Sartore, National Geographic's The Photo Ark: One Man's Quest to Document the World's Animals is an unrivaled collection of photos highlighting animals both big and small. With a focus on endangered species, Sartore has been traveling the globe photographing animals in captivity, with some of the best seen here, alongside background from wildlife author Douglas Chadwick and a foreword from Harrison Ford. Weighing in at exactly 400 pages, it's a coffee table tome that's simultaneously enjoyable and thought-provoking.