National Geographic photographer and explorer Chris Rainier has spent the last 40 years asking: "What is sacredness and what does it mean to be sacred?" After exploring numerous regions and cultures, his search did not conclude with a single answer but, instead, a stunning collection of photographs he took along the way. Sacred: In Search of Meaning presents crisp black-and-white and vivid, awe-inspiring color photographs on sprawling spreads cataloguing spiritual monuments, natural phenomena and beautiful landscapes around the world. Rainier, respected for his documentation of endangered cultures, and a host of other contributors supplement the photos with insightful essays on their personal musings on the word sacred. This collection takes readers around the globe, stopping at the most inspiring and magnificent sights along the way. --Clara Newton, freelance reviewer