Wild and Beautiful Sable Island: Sand, Seals, Wild Horses and Shipwrecks

Janet Arnett is the former campus manager of adult education at Ontario’s Georgian College. She is the author of Antiques and Collectibles: Starting Small, The Grange at Knock, and 673 Ways to Save Money.

The introductory text in this photographic album consists of two pages
of clichés. The real introduction to the work is a small section of
archival photos that does an excellent job of conveying the island’s
character as the “graveyard of the Atlantic” and sets the mood for
the rest of the book.

The Keoughs’ color plates concentrate on the wildlife, landscapes,
and environment of the island today. The famous Sable Island horses are
their most frequent subject; birds, seals, flowers, sand, waves, fog,
and dunes share the remaining pages. Overall, the book’s 100-plus
photographs are very good but tend to be representational rather than
interpretive. Editorializing is kept to a minimum.

The book’s design is uncluttered, but also unimaginative. The format
is large enough for good reproduction of the photos, but too small for a
luxurious presentation. The impact of some of the best shots is lost
because the layout permits run-of-the-mill photos to overshadow these
more delicate works. The lack of a dust jacket cheapens the
presentation.

The washable cover, however, and the focus on horses should make this
book popular in children’s library collections.