A picture-driven book that focuses on the East African segment of the Great Rift Valley, the book covers seven ecosystems that fall within this region and presents the following main themes: geology, evolution and natural history; a brief history of the region; flamingos of the soda lakes; wildlife of the crater highlands; migrants of the ash plains; gorillas of the volcanic Virungas; chimps around Lake Tanganyika; hominids of the ancient lakes; hunter gatherers of Lake Eyasi; and the changing face of the area.