Regarding Mono Lake is a cultural and art history of the Mono Basin, including 56 panoramic images by the author, with details of human history, twentieth century art, and moviemaking lore.
Buy this BookIn 2011, I was an attendee at the AROHO Retreat at Ghost Ranch. I had an almost-finished book project and thought I was about to publish with a very appropriate Press for my combination art-and-narrative project. As an exhibiting artist, I was new to publishing, and was looking to further my understandings and knowledge of the whole process of “authoring” while interacting with a community of like-minded women – which was succeeding beyond my imagination. While attempting to explain the Press to new friends at the Retreat, I found the Press website was no longer navigable. To my horror, I learned, in the midst of that brilliant conference, that the Press had been sold and the new owners were taking it in a completely different direction. To say I was crushed would be a fairly mild summation of my feelings at that moment. What restored my hopes that the book might still become a reality were the wonderful women I had met and interacted with at the Retreat assuring me that, as devastating as it seemed, there were other avenues to pursue. And a Private Consultation with Kate Gale pointed me in the right direction to proceed. I finally found a new Press that was appropriate for my project. With four months to the publishing date that Press sold as well. I was told the new Press would take 1½ to 2 years to publish, and it would become a trade edition. Although discouraged, I relied on all the advice and encouragement given to me by AROHO members, and the heartwarming stories in the email newsletters about their activities. The strength and courage to get their books “out there” is inspiring, and, despite the deflation I felt once again, I overcame the sense that my project was doomed to oblivion. With some maneuvering the book came out in its originally planned format, which was much more appropriate for an art book, with only 3 months delay. And I can finally say, “My book just came out!”
Reviews
“Local author Elizabeth Kenneday’s new book, “Regarding Mono Lake: Novelty and Delight at an Inland Sea,” documents and explains [the area’s] human and artistic history, while also showcasing the colorful, unique landscapes that have made Mono Lake an unforgettable natural attraction. Illustrating the book are 56 of Kenneday’s stunning panoramic photos, most of which highlight lesser-known features of the lake. Kenneday’s photos are both informative and striking. The photos frame ancient tree stumps and abandoned ranches and buildings in a modern context. An abandoned Lime Kiln, a useless boat dock and marina, abandoned mine sites, and the famed Mono Mills lumber site, document the lasting footprint of man’s industrial efforts on the lake. The same is true of the photos of the decrepit “Spa Cottages” on Paoha Island, an empty water tank and a decayed wooden boat.”
—Jon Klusmire, Administrator, Eastern California Museum
