Georgia is

known for its diverse landscape.

Georgia's citizens

are just as diverse and the new book "Oglethorpe's Dream" celebrates

the diversity of its landscape and the creativity and spirit of its people.

Photographer

Diane Kirkland and Georgia's poet laureate, David Bottoms, unite to present

a stunning portrait of the lands, waters, culture and people of Georgia.

The book's title refers to James Edward Oglethorpe, a British general

and philanthropist who founded the Georgia colony in 1733.

Kirkland is

the senior photographer for the Georgia Department of Industry, Trade

and Tourism. Her work has appeared in national and international publications,

including the New York Times, Forbes, USA Today, Southern Living and the

Irish Times.

"Some

of these photographic subjects in this book might be things that people

are very familiar with," said Kirkland. "But hopefully these

photographs will make people pause and see these subjects in a different

way."

Bottoms' poems

have appeared in The New Yorker, The Paris Review and The New Republic

among others. He has published several books of poetry as well as two

novels. Bottoms also is the coeditor of The Morrow Anthology of Younger

American Poets and is the founding coeditor of "Five Points."

In addition

to showcasing the natural and architectural beauty found all over Georgia,

"Oglethorpe's Dream" also features many artists and other interesting

Georgians. The Blue Ridge Mountain area features the Meaders, a family

of famous potters, and the section on the coastal region features the

McIntosh County Shouters.

The publication

of the book was made possible by the financial support of the state of

Georgia. Gov. Roy E. Barnes wrote the foreword. Also participating were

the Georgia Department of Industry, Trade and Tourism, the Georgia Humanities

Council and the University of Georgia Press.

"Oglethorpe's

Dream: A Picture of Georgia" can be purchased at the book's official

Web site, www.oglethorpesdream.org , or through local booksellers.

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