Authors Ann Litrel and Charles Seabrook, who penned the just-released 35 Wonders of Georgia to See Before You Die, will be in Douglas on Thursday, October 30, 2025, to discuss the book and sign copies. The event will take place on the campus of South Georgia State College’s Engram Hall at 7 p.m. The duo will also speak at the Douglas Rotary Club’s October 30 meeting in the SGSC Dining Hall at noon.
The book is an illustrated bucket list of the many natural wonders of Georgia, featuring original watercolor paintings by Litrel which were originally inspired by an essay written by longtime Atlanta Journal-Constitutioncolumnist Seabrook several years ago. Their meeting led to subsequent collaborations and culminated in the release of the new book.
The expression “natural wonders” can often conjure images of far-flung destinations like the Grand Canyon, the peaks of the Rockies, or Niagra Falls. Yet Georgia, the largest state east of the Mississippi River, is home to a wealth of wonders that rival any found beyond its borders. Such wonders include the Altamaha River, Georgia’s untamed Amazon; Providence Canyon, the “little Grand Canyon;” Brasstown Bald, Georgia’s highest peak and only cloud forest; and the vast, hauntingly beautiful Okefenokee Swamp.
Based on noted science journalist Charle’s Seabrook’s personal bucket list and artist Ann Litrel’s insightful watercolors and sketches, 35 Natural Wonders of Georgia to See Before You Die offers a fresh take on Georgia’s natural beauty in the tradition of naturalists such as John James Audubon and William Bartram. Each of the 35 sites is introduced by paintings, field sketches, artist notes, and elegant science writing that highlights its unique attributes. The book captures the beauty and rich natural history of Georgia’s biological geological treasures – inspiring leisure travelers, nature enthusiasts, and art lovers to explore these places on their own.
Ann Litrel is a nationally published artist whose paintings of botanical and wildlife subjects have appeared on prints, books, stationery, and textiles. As a writer and illustrator, she has collaborated on three books and has been a monthly columnist for a range of publications on topics of art, ecology, community, and history. Litrel’s passion for arts and community led her to cofound the Woodstock Arts Center, an award-winning, multidisciplinary arts center on a four-acre campus. She lives with her husband, Dr. Michael Litrel, in Woodstock.
Charles Seabrook retired from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2005 after 34 years as a science and environmental writer. He continues to write on a freelance basis his popular weekly column, Wild Georgia, which runs every Saturday in the AJC’s Living section. He is the author of three books: Red Clay, Pink Cadillacs, and White Gold: The Kaolin Chalk Wars; Cumberland Island: Strong Women, Wild Horses; and The World of the Salt Marsh: Appreciating and Protecting the Tidal Marshes of the Southeastern Atlantic Coast. He and his wife, Laura, live in Decatur.