Lakes are changing rapidly, not because we are separate from nature but because we are so much a part of it, and while many of our effects on the natural world today are new—from climate change to nuclear fallout—our connections to it are ancient. Exploring the secret worlds hidden beneath the surfaces of remarkable lakes, Curt Stager takes a journey from the pristine waters of the Adirondack Mountains to the wilds of Siberia, from Thoreau's cherished Walden Pond to the Sea of Galilee. Along the way he discovers the stories these lakes contain about us, including our loftiest philosophical ambitions and our deepest myths, and in this beautifully written narrative—illustrated with 37 photos—he makes the case for why it is essential to protect them.