Book Description

Using narrative, monologues, and seventy black-and-white photographs, photojournalist Richard Younker examines the life and culture of what is perhaps the last generation of people to make their living as commercial fishermen on the Mississippi River, Junnie Putman and his family and friends.

Younker delves into and illustrates every aspect of Putman's life: how he works, what he does to relax, how he interacts with family and friends. He shows how Putman fished, divulging some of the secrets of the professional fisherman. Examining this fisherman's life-as well as the lives of his relatives and friends-Younker demonstrates Putman's skill as colorful storyteller with a rich vocabulary. Putman proved forthright when expressing his views about life, river lore, and the changing ecology.

These fishermen (who supplement their incomes by hunting and trapping) have various and vigorous encounters with the law, some confrontational, some clever. They also live dangerous lives, working hard, playing hard. And they are quick to fight. Younker photographs and writes about this side of their lives, too.

In each chapter, Younker narrates an aspect of the life and work of Junnie Putman and his family and friends followed byYounker's own black-and-white photographs that help tell the story. Introducing each photograph is a monologue in which Putman or one of his relatives either recounts the history of the family that settled in Bellevue, Iowa, in 1862 or explains the methods and dangers of a specific job.

Although he spent parts of nine years documenting Junnie Putman and his family, Younker condenses his observations into a single year. He shows, for example, how fishing techniques change with the seasons. Putman uses hoop nets in the spring, trotlines in the summer, trammel nets in the fall, seines in the open water in late fall, and seines under the water in winter.

In Yankin' and Liftin' Their Whole Lives, Younker presents the richness of a vanishing way of life and the intricacies of its labors. He gives Junnie Putman and his friends the opportunity to speak for themselves. And he shows a culture in decline, demonstrating that descent through Putman's failing health, his death, and the townspeople's reminiscences of his life following the funeral. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Commercial Fishing On The Mississippi is a Lifestyle
A native of Bellevue Iowa I realized how great this book was at captivating the real truth about what commercial fishing is about. I think this is a great book for anyone who is wanting to know more about the lives of people who Commercial fish. It isn't just a hobby, It affects the whole family. The book doesn't just talk about commercial fishing though. There is something in this book for everyone wanting to know more about growing up in a small town in Iowa. It talks about the commercial fishermans family and how they grew up. I recommend this book to anyone interested in small towns and fishing. I give this book Five stars! ... Read more

Book Description

Award-winning photographer Nancy Ellison offers an intimate glimpse of America's most fabled vacation island-Martha's Vineyard. Her romantic photographs capture landmarks such as the beautifully colored Gay Head Cliffs, the bustling farmers' market, weathered clapboard houses, haunting sunsets, and picturesque lighthouses. Ellison also explores unexpected views of the changing landscape that have often been overlooked.

Accompanying the photographs is text by Cape Cod resident and renowned travel writer Paul Theroux. His evocative essay reflects on the changing moods of the Vineyard. Diverse Island personalities including year round residents such as the shipbuilders and lobster men as well as celebrities Art Buchwald, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Walter Cronkite, Carly Simon, Bill Styron, Mike Wallace, and others come together in Vineyard Days, Vineyard Nights. There has not been a Vineyard book in many years. And now, Ellison's collection of photographs fills that gap and makes the perfect souvenir of the Island. The book is not only a wonderful treasure for visitors but is an intimate portrait of the Vineyard that residents will recognize and embrace as their own. ... Read more

Book Description

This book serves as a testament to those who lost their lives, those who fought to save them, and to those who are endeavoring to rebuild.

More than 135 stunning photographs from Reuters, the world's leading newsgathering organization.

All royalties from this book will be donated to disaster relief.

September 11, 2001. A day that shook the world and left thousands dead in the World Trade Center, at the Pentagon, and in the Pennsylvania countryside. This book serves as a testament to those who lost their lives, those who fought to save them, and to those who are endeavoring to rebuild.

The guiding principle in assembling these images was one of documenting scenes of endurance and resolve. Finding the pictures that capture courage and fortitude in the heat and dust. All royalties from this book will be donated to AIDFund and AIDFund for America, along with additional contributions from Reuters and from Financial Times Prentice Hall, the book's publishers.

Reuters has the largest news agency network in the world and is recognized as one of the leading providers of text and video news and news pictures. With some 2,500 journalists, photographers, and cameramen on the spot all over the world, Reuters captures images and covers stories as they break. This book is a collection of some of the most memorable and dramatic images of the events of September 11 and its aftermath, both from the U.S. and from around the world. From a huge collection of reportage we have tried to bring together coverage of these world-changing events into a record both disturbing and inspirational in its impact. This book is also about making a contribution, both personally and financially, to disaster relief and to the ongoing task of rebuilding communities and restoring confidence. In buying this book you are making a contribution to both AIDFund and AIDFund to America.

AIDFund, established by Reuters Foundation, provides immediate funding to help charities and relief organizations around the globe respond rapidly in times of disaster.

AIDFund for America responds specifically to the human loss and suffering in the United States following the events of September 11. All donations to both charities go to disaster relief: nothing is spent on administration.

Reuters is the world's leading news and financial information organization, unrivalled in the scope, sophistication and amount of information it supplies worldwide. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Minimal Words-Minimal WTC Coverage.
I bought this book ...recently, and while it has some outstanding pictures, I think too many of them are more to do with what ELSE was happening at the time of the tragedy. For me the day was about New York, and the Trade Centers brutal demise. No less important for those who were affected by the other horrible events of the day, there is also ample coverage of flight 93s crash, with a wonderful photo of brave widow Lisa Beamer whose late husband heroically saved lives on the ground with the help of other brave passengers on board. The pentagon collapse is covered here as well. ............... MY reason for this purchase was that I thought I was going to see all sorts of shots of the World Trade Centers, before, during and after the September 11th terrorist attack. For this price, I didn't get my moneys worth for what I wanted to get from this book. For 272 pages, only 32 had to do with the actual Trade centers at all, and I'm counting numerous pictures of things like smoke columns, twisted metal wreckage ect. .............. I was lucky enough to personally grow up with a view of the WTC, and watched it being built from my parents terrace in the early 1970s as a little girl. As an adult, I STILL love the view so much, I bought my own place here too. On September 11th, I came home around 8:55AM to hear the news that one WTC tower had been hit, so I went out and saw the most ghastly sight ever, of the one tower on fire, a plume of black smoke North of me over Manhattan, past my terrace, heading south over the Coney Island shorelines that I look out on, to New Jersey. Had I NOT gone inside to see what was happening on TV, I would've seen live, the second tower being hit. I rushed out to see even more horrific damage. My father saw the first tower crumble from his terrace, I stepped out of my house and missed it. After the first tower imploded, the entire skyline was obliterated by so much smoke, I would never again be able to see the second one still standing, to say goodbye forever to those incredibly vast architechtural steel wonders that I loved to look at every day. ............. The WTC will always mean alot to me. Now I step outside, and my view of the NYC skyline has been unfairly and irrevocably changed for the worse forever. Part of me always expects the WTCs to suddenly reappear as if 9/11 was just a bad dream. Not a chance. .................. It's not that this book isn't quality, it's just not ENOUGH of what I was looking for in terms of concentration on the WTCs. One more thing, did Reuters editor need to include the photo of Yasser Arafat giving blood like someone who cares? Please! That's on a par with having a teary eyed Bill Clinton who could've concentrated more on Osamas capture instead of his own extracurricular ones. Maybe then I'd still have my old New York skyline view instead of the oddly flat unimpressive one I sadly see now. If you ARE still interested, also be aware that you're NOT getting 272 pages of photos, there is a picture on the right page, and a few words with alot of blank white paper on the left every time you turn the page. This book could've easily been captioned below or above each picture with so few words, and been half as big a volume. Again, less for more in my estimation. ............... If you'd like a pictoral book that runs the gamut of ALL the events of 9/11, then this book may be for you. However, if you loved the Trade Centers and want a memory of those to reflect upon, look elsewhere.

An outstanding tribute and documentation of history
What a outstanding tribute to those who lost their lives, their families and friends, and those who responded to the tragedy. The days of September 11 profoundly affected me and I felt it extremely important that there be some way to document the events that took place that day. I have purchased several books on the tragedy, not to be morbid or to embrace death and destruction, but to instead celebrate life. I want something to show my family that will make them understand what happened and how we as a nation can and should respond to the such events.

Be warned, though our memories will fade, this book will bring tears to your eyes and make you recall from what we have been going through these past several months. This is a wonderful tribute and historical documentation from the photographers of Reuters. You'll recognize a lot of the photographs in this book that appeared in the news media. And while there are some that do focus on the horrific events that played out in New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington D.C., it appears to me that the publishers meant for the whole focus to be on what our nation did as a response. As an example, there is a picture in there from Seattle, my hometown, for example, and the huge memorial ceremony that was played out there.

The book has very little prose, subtly providing captions on the opposite page.

I would say that this is the best of the books I own on the subject. This is a book that gives us a chance to reflect on who we are as human beings and ways to make things better for future generations.

The publisher presents this as a quiet, moving, but powerful tribute to those who died and those who responded to the tragedy. Thank you to Reuters photographers, and to the publisher, Prentice Hall, for documenting this so well for generations and historians to come.

Memorable book
The staff of Reuters did an excellent job. Still very interesting book, even or maybe because time that just passed. If you are a serious researcher or the buff of excellent photojourmalism try also these volumes: ENDURE-RENWAL FROM GROUN ZERO, a fascinating, quite excellent and disturbingly "quiet" photobook about 9/11, and the SEPTEMBER 11 BY MAGNUM PHOTOGRAPHERS, memorable and strong effort by the Magnum photographers.

Haunting
This is truly a magnificent work. Two things crossed my mind as I read this book. 1: How are such beautiful snap shots made during the horrible period of 9/11. For me, the most telling photograph is of the tears in President Bush's eyes. For whatever reason to me, this image says it all for the tragedy. 2: I still can't believe it happened.

This book is tough for me to look at, yet it is such a good job that I can't take my eyes off. I live three miles from ground zero and used to work in the World Trade Centers. I know I never will forget the first time I heard about the attack and how I watched them collapse. This book does true justice in pictures of the days following 9/11. The book captures the essence of the three sites in a focus that is haunting. I have had a hard time explaining the loss of the New York skyline to people that never saw it live. The is book shows in pictures what I cannot tell in words. It is a wonderfull documentary to a terrible day.

September 11 A Testimony
The book September 11 A Testimony by Pearson Eduation was a very good novel on what happened in New York City on September 11, 2001. On this date New York had a terrorist act by Osama Bin Laden.
Around 8:47am on September 11,2001 flight 11 plowed into the North Twin Tower of Manhattan. The tower went down minutes later. Seventeen minutes after the first plane was hit the second one got hit by flight 175. Now everyone was waiting around, wondering if they were going to live or die. People trying to get out of the rubble that was setting against them. Rescuers were rushing to try and save as many lives as possible.
People were covered in dust from the falling buildings. They were crying and crying looking for there loved ones. Fireman all suited up and waiting to help everyone needing to be helped.
I thought that this book was a great novel. It explains everything as it actually happened, and even has pictures. I loved how the author worded this novel. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in history. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

First published in 1971, Vietnam Inc. was crucial in changing public attitudes in the United States, turning the tide of opinion and ultimately helping to put an end to the Vietnam War. Philip Jones Griffiths' classic account of the war was the outcome of three years' reporting and is one of the most detailed surveys of any conflict. Showing us the true horrors of the war as well as a study of Vietnamese rural life, the author creates a compelling argument against the de-humanizing power of the modern war machine and American imperialism. Rare and highly sought-after, the book has become one of the enduring classics of photo-journalism. It is now available in this new editiona careful recreation of the original with Philip Jones Griffiths' personal layouts and commentaries. A new introduction by US linguist and political critic Noam Chomsky discusses the book's impact in changing public opinion. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Vietnam Inc.
This is by far the best book ever published on the Vietnam War. Out of print for thirty years, it is finally back on the bookshelves, much to the chagrin of the militarists in Washington. It's the only book that completely expains the disaster of what happened in Vietnam. It should be required reading in every school and college in this country.

Read the words and learn. Look at the pictures and cry!

Our country must never repeat this.

Essential For Anyone Interested In The Vietnam War
From the summer of 1966 through the fall of 1968, I was fighting in some of the same areas of Vietnam that Phillip Jones Griffiths so dramatically photographed. The pictures in his book are a jolting reminder of that experience.
No other book, by a single photographer, comes as close to capturing what Vietnam was like as this does.
He has produced a powerful, informative and compassionate work of photojournalism, that is as immediate today as when it was orignally published.

pricey propaganda
This old book is full of myth and propaganda that you have to wonder why the publisher actually charge money for the book, I usually get these type of books for free when I was still living in Vietnam.

The book portrait the Americans as killers, it portrait all the S. Vietnamese as corrupt and whores - typical leftist stereotypes. What the book does not tell you is that the North Vietnamese were the biggest whores and most corrupt government in the world. On January 28,2002 L'express- the French leftist newspaper publish an article by Sylvaine Pasquier(go to lexpress.fr to see the full article), showing that in 1958 the North Vietnamese Communist gave the Spratley and Pearl islands off the coast of South Vietnam and near the Phillipines to China in exchange for Chinese support for the war. Also, in 1999 and 2000, the Vietnamese Communist sign a series of treaties giving China over 13,000 square Kilometers of land in North Vietnam and islands off South Vietnamin exchange for China support against a growing democracy movement in Vietnam. Yes, money to foreign government in exchange for help against the Vietnamese people. Never in the 5000 years history of Vietnam did this happen. Vietnam is a small country to give away thousands of square miles to another country so that they will have you retain absolute power is unforgivable. If Bush gave away 4000 square miles of land to Canada in exchange for campaign contribution, what would Americans think?

superb collection
This is a superb collection of photos that depicts the ironies and inanities that resonated throughout the US misguided war in Vietnam. There are haunting images of casual and mindless brutality, there are wonderful juxtapositions and there are the unforgettable faces of those caught up in the war as they try to lead their lives amidst wanton destruction. This is a book about betrayal...the betrayal of American ideals by US leaders, betrayal of soldiers by arrogant leaders, betrayal of allies for geopolitical machinations and betrayal of a people who suffered more than can be imagined. These timeless photos help us remember a dark chapter in US history and the reissue of this collection in a beautifully produced volume is welcome. Having taught about the Vietnam war to students who were born well after the debacle, this is an extremely valuable resource to bring to life the lessons learned from books and lectures. These mesmerizing images are informed by Griffith's conviction that, " the overwhelming impression of Americans in Vietnam is one of stupidity rather than evil." Certainly some veterans may dislike the photos and text, but few books convey the banality of war so effectively. Griffiths elegantly combines his photos, text and perceptive insights on Vietamese society and in so doing sets a standard for war reportage that others still only aspire to. This book is a must for anyone interested in the Vietnam conflict and the consequences of war.

One of the greatest books on the Vietnam War
I spent three years in Vietnam as a GI from 1967-70. I saw plenty of combat and was on many operations throughout that time from places like Danang to Saigon to Plieku. I was also assigned for a time to the rear as an intelligence specialist. Reading this book and looking at the shockingly beautiful photographs bring home the realities of that war again. This is a great reference for those who are interested in the Vietnam war and the realities of often mis-directed American foreign policy. We entered that far away war sending ignorant young soldiers to a country with an alien culture and ended up fearing everything we did not understand, often destroying it We did strike out with deadly force against the perceived enemy often killing innocent Vietnamese just trying to get by in an untenable situation. We counted the innocent among the enemy dead. This book has unique insights backed up with stupendous black and white photographs. ... Read more

Amazon.com

When Ruth Snyder was electrocuted at Sing Sing Prison in 1928, New York Daily News photographer Tom Howard was there--with a miniature camera he'd hidden under the cuff of his pants. The resulting snapshot made the front page the next morning (under the headline "DEAD!") and provoked fierce controversy among those wondering if tabloid journalism had finally gone too far. But, as Luc Sante points out in his introduction to New York Noir, a selection of pictures from the Daily News archives, the tabloids "retailed exclamation points"--Snyder in the electric chair was merely an extreme example of imagery that was a regular staple of the paper's coverage.

Many of the photos in New York Noir are not for the squeamish: corpses in the street or slumped in their car seats appear regularly, as do battered and bloodied criminals and suspects. But the power of these stark images is unmistakable--they are, as the book's title indicates, the raw material for the gritty vision of urban life that film noir popularized. For some people, tabloid crime photos are synonymous with Arthur "Weegee" Fellig; only one of his pictures graces these pages, however, and the other photographers represented here (many identified only by last name or no name at all) demonstrate that his reputation relies as much on promotional hustle as on artistic merit. Whenever possible, archivist William Hannigan supplies background information on the people and incidents in the pictures--but it is the images themselves, rather than the stories, that will stick in the reader's mind. --Ron Hogan ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Impressive Iconic Photography Evokes an Era.
The "Daily News" debuted in New York City in 1919. It was to be a newspaper for the common man, which meant not especially literate and frequently immigrant. Its currency was images, the more sensational the better. Nothing sold like sex, murder, and mayhem, graphically illustrated. By 1925, the "Daily News" was the best-selling newspaper in the nation. By 1930, twenty-three per cent of its pages were devoted to crime.

"New York Noir" is a selection of about 125 images from the "Daily News" archives, taken from the 1920s through the 1950s. Some are sad, some comical, some grotesque. They're an interesting comment on American urban culture of the time. Many of these photos would spark outrage if any newspaper were to print them today. Their lurid content earned the "Daily News" pointed criticism from many a moralist at the time. But that never hurt business. The style of the photographs had an immistakable influence on cinema and popular culture which continues to this day. The technical limitations that produced starkly flashed foregrounds and pitch-black backgrounds are instantly recognizable in Hollywood films, just as the corruption displayed in the photographs was reflected in popular entertainment. The demeanor of gangsters and thugs -often posed for the photographers- became iconic. Tabloid photojournalists may have wanted only to get the shot that no one else could, but they produced some incredible -and incredibly influential- photographs that have only become more fascinating with time.

Luc Sante introduces "New York Noir" with an essay about the history of tabloid journalism. Editor William Hannigan follows with a history of the "Daily News" and its influence on Film Noir. Both of these essays are very readable and worthwhile. The photographs are mostly one-to-a-page and quite sharp. They are all captioned. There is a section of "Synopses" in the back of the book, which provides further information about the stories behind each photograph, when available. I really appreciate this section, which is conveniently organized by page number. Some of the photos really leave the reader hanging, wondering who those people are and how things turned out. You can find out by turning to the back of the book.

I recommend "New York Noir" to photography and film noir buffs. Some of these evocative photographs are not for the squeamish, but they have made , and continue to make, quite an impression.

A Step Back In Time
If you are a fan of photography, this book is definately for you. NEW YORK NOIR is chock full of amazing photographs that were the staple of the "New York Daily News." In this book, you get to see some of the poignant images that help define the term noir, and its connection to the silver screen industry, not to mention its effects on tabloid journalism. Many of these same black and white photogrpahs were often used as references to assist in making modern day motion pictures, helping to give a look into the past. From the days of "Three-Gun" Turner to the electrocution of Ruth Snyder, this book captures New York's horrid crime life in a candid, in-your-face style. There is nothing but unhidden truth in each and every photograph. NEW YORK NOIR is a well designed book loaded with powerful images and somewhat detailed descriptions. It is fascinating, riveting, and gives you a decent look at the roots of photojournalism. You can't help but be intrigued by the gritty, graphic photos that once graced the pages of a daily newspaper. It is one amazingly good book.

POWERFUL
This is one powerful and well designed book. I picked it up at a show of the original photographs which I had read about in the New York Times. I was awestruck by the power of the images but even more so by the window it opens into life in New York City during the time they were taken. This book provides real insight into the force of photographs in the media and the their importance in the rise of the American tabloid industry.

Wow and whoa
What a cool book. It's sometimes disturbing to see some of these images of crime as beautiful, but they are beautiful, there's no escaping it. I picked it up because I like the whole genre of noir, but this book makes it very clear where Hollywood got all its ideas. Both essays are very good and informative, but what really marks this as a special book to me are the gorgeous photos and riveting stories of the people on both sides of crime in the city of the century, NYC.

NOIR MANIA FOR REAL
A quality photography book that visually recounts pertinent steps in the history of noir photography and more specifically, the creation of the term noir as it pertains to film and photography in the 20th c. in New York City. A breath of realism, history and fact that beautifully illustrates a fine curatorial example of the kinds of images published by the Daily News that made this paper a forerunner in the telling of real stories suffered and celebrated by real people. William Hannigan is to be commended for his fine selection of photographic and negative samples of a time not long past and still very alive in the movies and crime documents that inspire and fascinate us today. A necessary addition to any photo library of value. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Ecology, a science scarcely a century old, aims to give its practitioners an approach to understanding how whole natural systems--for example, watersheds, deserts, and estuaries--work. Few books translate this aim as well as Earth from Above, a stunning collection of photographs that affords its viewers a window into the world's workings. It is something of a commonplace, for instance, that the large-scale logging now being visited on the world's rainforests is causing untold damage to tropical ecosystems. In French photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand's hands, this problem is translated from arid fact to alarming image, giving immediate meaning to the statistics that underlie today's environmental headlines; his photographs of the ruins of rural Madagascar, where forests are being cleared at a rate of 1,500 square kilometers (580 square miles) annually, are a sad case in point.

Arthus-Bertrand, working with the support of UNESCO, has wandered the globe to gather this collection of more than 200 photographs, presented in a folio format. The images are uniformly striking, whether of stalagmite-like fans of algae spreading into the Mediterranean Sea, farmers working their fields in northern India, or destroyed Iraqi tanks littering the deserts of Kuwait. The accompanying text, captions, and short essays by some of France's leading scientists and social critics lend specific depth to the images, which will cheer few readers--but that will shock, and educate, and, with luck, inspire closer attention to the world around us. --Gregory McNamee ... Read more

Reviews (53)

good subject, great presentation, fair execution
When I first saw this book, I figured it was exactly what I was looking for - striking perspectives and colors of the earth like the Orbit book, but from a lower altitude. The amazing images on the front and back cover make you belive this. Although there are a good bunch of these types of pictures, most photos are neither close and abstract enough to feel artsy, nor wide and far enough back to encompase an entire scene. It felt as though it wanted to be one way or the other - as though many shots were cropped arbitrarily from some greater image. The wide format of the book has potential for dramatic compositions, but few of the images seem to take strong advantage of this.

However, the printing and binding of the book is so excellent, its worth the price of admission alone. The prints themselves could use a bit more saturation, but the 365 glossy photos, heavy duty spine, and massive color and subject variety make this a good find none the less.

Soak in a Book Well Worth Every Cent (it sells itself)
I saw this amazing exhibit, "La Terre Vue Du Ciel", of Yann Arthus-Bertrand's in the Jardin du Luxembourg Senat when I was in Paris a few weeks ago. The exhibit included much larger-than poster-sized photos that are some of the same photos contained in the book. They were spectacular and breath-taking. Stunning really. But if you can't afford to go to Paris, or if you can't get a hold of a poster of his work, this book is a fantastic collection of awesome, thoughtful, inspiring, thought-provoking, and humanistic usually unseen images taken from above Earth, that have an incredible aesthetic beauty. I can't recommend this book more highly. I was going to purchase 3-4 of them myself for me and my family and friends. However, I waited to get back to the US before doing so since they are large and very heavy due to the high-quality paper the photos are printed on. I was sorry they would not fit in my luggage as I had wished to stare at the photos for many hours on the plane trip home. Many kudos to Yann Arthus-Bertrand for an outstanding artistic work! Bravo! I hope to see another exhibit by this talented photographer in Paris or the U.S. in the near future.

A world above
I seldom buy books on impulse. This volume? I saw it and bought it. Use all the superlatives here. Not that the photography is spectacular which it is, not that the subjects are perfectly framed which they are and not that the colors are strikingly vibrant which as you will see is true. But even if all these things were not true this book transports me to hundreds of places I want to go. They are pictures of places I dream of all over the world. And let me tell you a story. My dad is in the hospital with little chance of recovery [82 and has had a good life] I know he has always wanted to travel but because of life circumstances he has not. In this book there are 365 pictures of all the places he's always wanted to go. I held each one up to him as he lay in his hospital room and he wept with the dreams that never happened. I love this book and have bought two more since as gifts. Simply the best and I never buy picture books.

Exhibit is the only thing better!
If you go to the exhibit-- you'll feel you MUST have this book. If you don't go-- this is second best!

Great joy and a few minor complaints
This is a wonderful book, one that you can spread in front of yourself and a loved one (it is a big, heavy tome). The captions do tend at times to "leap" to moralizing remarks about matters ecological, but that's fine with me, especially given the depressing political attitudes toward conservation over the last few years. Anyone who can nudge public opinion back to concern for the environment is doing a real service. A few minor complaints about the book, though: 1. Those who have seen the outdoor exhibition of these images in London or Paris will find the versions here are not quite as tight or vibrant. 2. The spreading of the images across two pages breaks many of the powerful views down the middle. (I wonder if the 24-hour format is bound differently, as it appears on the Amazon site.) 3. Perhaps the most striking image, one of the great dromedary caravan photos (P. 173) appears only on the caption flap in miniature form. The large image to which it supposedly refers (pp. 178-79) has been replaced by a slightly different, and less powerful, image (cropped differently and with darker shadows obscuring the surreal Z-pattern of the dune-and-dromedary shadow). But these are petty objections. A wonderful book for fans of photography and nature, and a great gift. ... Read more

Book Description

Following the success of The New York Times bestseller America 24/7, DK is publishing 50 books that showcase the best photographs from each state - all to be published on the same day. Each individual book includes 95% new photography and is a unique peronal expression of state pride. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

A visually soul-searching collection of immortal imagery
Pete Hamill's articulate and insightful essay provides a very nicely informative context for the more than 150 images drawn from the photographic archives of the Cassola brothers, two early pioneers of photography who captured black-and-white visions of Mexico in the early twentieth century. Memorializing phases of that nation's transformation, revolution, and political change, Mexico: The Revolution And Beyond is a simply remarkable and visually soul-searching collection of immortal imagery which is strongly recommended for professional, academic, and community library History of Photography collections. ... Read more

Book Description

Following World War II, China found itself struggling with a conversion to communism that had wreaked havoc on the nation's economy, causing a devastating famine and extreme economic depression. In 1966 China's leader, Mao Zedong, gave his support to radicals within the communist party who envisioned a revolutionary social upheaval that would destroy all traces of the reactionary past. This was the beginning of a ten-year period of violence and chaos known as the Cultural Revolution. Many top officials lost their positions and numerous provincial governments came under the control of the radicals. The radical movement was primarily led by students who formed organizations known as "Red Guards," which used violent methods to punish people they saw as "anti-Maoists" or counter-revolutionaries. At the height of the Cultural Revolution (1966-70) China's universities were closed and much of its populace was sent to rural "re-education centres" where they were indoctrinated with Maoist policies. It is during this period that Li Zhensheng worked as a photojournalist for the "Heilongjiang Daily", shooting film both for the paper and, as we know now, for himself. While Li worked for a newspaper supporting the Maoist movement and admits he did not think Mao's policies to be incorrect at the beginning of his tenure at the newspaper, his hiding of film was a highly subversive action. As a photographer, Li wanted to document the Cultural Revolution for himself and for others in the future. He put himself at risk by hiding film stills that the government would have destroyed, capturing events of which little or no other visual record exists. Looking at the photos in this book, one sees the difference between the photos published in the "Daily" and those Li hid for himself, allowing for a rare understanding of how the Chinese government controlled media during the Cultural Revolution. The Heilongjiang province where Li worked was crucial because of its proximity to the then Soviet Union. Its main city, Harbin, had been occupied by the Soviets following World War II and was later set up as a communication hub between the Soviet Union and China. It was the communist centre which bred the revolutionary movement, leading to China's unification under communist control in 1949. This Russian influence can be seen in the details of Li's photographs, right down to the city's typically Russian-style architecture. Many of Li's techniques as a photographer borrow from his training as a filmmaker, including his creation of "handheld panoramic" photos by shooting overlapping frames of large panoramas and pasting the stills together to create the illusion of one continuous shot. His inventive techniques and powerful images make Li one of the premier Chinese photographers alive today. This book, which takes its name from the literal translation of Li's accreditation as a photographer approved by the Communist Party headquarters in ! Beijing, is part of the key to understanding one of the most turbulent and still notorious eras of modern history. The book includes a preface, introduction, text by the photographer, chronology, maps, and extensive photo captions for over 400 photos (almost all of which have never been seen before). ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Wonderful
This isn't just a history book laced with photos; this is also a personal view on the Cultural Revolution from the photographer's point of view. Informative and emotional at the same time. Wonderful.

The Many Faces of the Cultural Revolution
For those of us fascinated and puzzled over the cultural revolution in China, here are photos to bring to life what we've been reading.There are many faces to study. This document seems curiously objective even though the author has his own story to tell of being treated unfairly. I would not describe the photos as shocking to those who have studied these events in China's history. This is a great companion to any other narrative one might be studying on the subject. Also, the author is a remarkable person. This is another work on the cultural revolution where I come away feeling gratitude toward the author. Li Zhensheng has a more benign story in comparison with some other personal accounts that were part of my introduction to this subject. I enjoy this additional perspective. There is much to see here.

Amazing
For those readers whose knowledge of the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution is limited to film, here is a document that shows that some of the films that portray these scenes were not exaggerated. These photographs do much more work than most documentary photographs. There is something uncannily immediate about them, as though the events depicted happened only yesterday; sometimes it is as though they were still happening. The text that accompanies the photographs follows the story of the photographer and his work through these years, and is interesting and well written. I came away from this book with the feeling of horror at fascism that I have never felt before. This book communicates something original and timeless about the human condition that I believe is priceless and rare. If you can't afford this book, you should seek it out at a bookstore and read it.

A shocking look at a remarkable period
Although the photographs are the main focus of this book, the accompanying text is also illuminating as an individual's account of his experiences of the Cultural Revolution. The text has, of course, been written with the benefit of hindsight - and one gets a sense of retrospective self-justification coming in. The passion that the period inspired amongst the younger generation is also evident, however.

The photographs are, of course, contemporary accounts of the living through that period, and consequently have the power to shock significantly. The "struggle session" photographs of senior party leaders undergoing "self-criticism" are particularly horrific. The concluding photographs of a "victor" of the Cultural Revolution on her way to her execution after the restoration of a more normal society also have a big impact - though curiously there is a sense of the pathetic about the woman that Li captures.

The photography merits a 5 star rating, the text probably a three. The images are a valuable insight into the strength of emotion in that remarkable period.

"Cultural Revolution"? What sort of revolution?
I remember reading a review of this in the Far Eastern Economic Review (Oct 16, 2003 issue) and I said to myself after reading that review that I had to somehow find a copy of this book. One week later, I found it. If this truly is part of the only (known) complete collection of photographs of China within 1966-1976, then Li Zhensheng must be commended for his bravery in capturing some of the most poignant & stark imagery that I have ever seen in my life.

Starting from the beginnings of the "revolution" in 1964-1966, we are taken through from the initial scenes of relative calmness to the all-out assault on those "bourgeois" elements within Heilongjiang province by the time of 1972-1976. I took a look at the images and could not believe how humanity could do these things to its own. Thank goodness that Li Zhensheng (with Robert Pledge and Jacques Menasche) make mention that only in 1981 did China suddenly realise that the Cultural Revolution did not really achieve anything but set China backwards.

There are between 300-400 prints in this book that were culled from over 30,000 negatives taken by Li to New York. If the images in this pictorial story are anything to go by, God only knows what those other 29,600-29,700+ negatives contain. Definitely one to buy for your collection. Recommended without any hesitation. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

An inexpensive introduction to a master photojournalist
[10/02 UPDATE: "Inferno" seems to have sadly gone out of print. That means this is the ONLY in-print volume of Nachtwey's work available on Amazon. Obviously this book doesn't have nearly the same scope or depth as "Inferno", but it's still much, much better than nothing at all.]

There's no doubt in my mind that Nachtwey's "Inferno" is one of the best, if not THE best photojournalistic works ever. But it's also pretty pricey (though worth every penny). While "Civil Wars" doesn't have the staggering breadth or depth of Inferno - for one thing, it's only 1/4th as long - this portfolio is still an excellent collection of Nachtwey's work and a good introduction to his photography and style.

This "book" is actually a huge, oversized softcover, part of a series produced by the German magazine Stern. Of course, that means that the captions and accompanying articles are in German as well. But it doesn't detract from the images themselves, which are fantastically reproduced with a deep, rich tonality that's better than the quality in many actual books.

Another bonus is that much of the photography in here is taken from Nachtwey's reportage in Afghanistan, which for some reason wasn't included in Inferno. All in all, strongly recommended.

Want the best in Photojournalism? Go get it Now!
This is a great colection of images of Nactwey's work, covering Civil Wars around the World. The book contains a lot of power, disturbing images that are a good exemple of the best photojornalism made today. Nactwey works for Magnum and you can see his work in Life and Time magazine, Le Monde and other publications. He won several World Press Photos Contests and he is (IMHO) the best photojournalist alive. I cant wait for "Inferno", his next book... ... Read more

Book Description

In the tradition of great Magnum books, this publication brings together the work of the finest photographers of our time. Whether covering the latest news or working on commissions or their own personal stories, Magnum photographers have also found time to document a sport that unites us all - football. This uplifting book brings together an array of images by outstanding photographers working across the globe: Henri Cartier-Bresson in Italy, James Nachtwey in Brazil, Steve McCurry in Burma, Martin Parr in Japan, Abbas in Iran, Luc Delahaye in France, and many more. The pictures, taken over fifty years, show that whether played with a tin can on the back streets of Glasgow or with bare feet on a dusty field in Tanzania, football is a game that cuts across all geographic and social divides. Magnum photographers have captured the sport and its fans with affection and humour. Magnum Football is not a book about super-rich professionals. Instead, it uses football to illuminate the human condition. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Beautiful Homage To the Beautiful Game!
An absolutely beautiful collection of about 200 black and white and color photographs celebrating the global sport known as football. Since its founding by a collective of photojournalists in the '40s Magnum has been one of the world's premier photo agencies, so it's not surprising that their archives have yielded such an array of compelling photos of the beautiful game. Few of the photos are of the high level world or professional ranks, rather they are of regular players and fans in the grimy cities, dusty villages, and muddy pitches of the world. Some are action shots, some are posed, some are impressionistic-but all are a tribute to the simplest of sports. Sure to delight devotees of either football or photography, it's an attractive and inexpensive collection that deserves wide readership. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Looking into the Hearts of the Amish
This is a wonderful book if you want to look into the hearts of the amish and their more simple lifestyle. I love to spend time among the amish when I'm able......and when I'm not, a turn of the pages in this book quickly projects me there.....and into the more peaceable lifestyle they have, at least momentarily. Their lifestyle is not easy....but certainly more peace-filled. I give this book 5 stars - but would give more if I could. I highly recommend this book - if you love the amish and want to spend time with them....or want to learn more about them....this will give you an inside look.

outstanding
Having grown up in Ohio and having to go through Amish country in eastern Indiana this book brought back
so many memories. The pictures are wonderful and bring out the beauty of the Amish way of life. I have always
been fascinated with the Amish and was fortunate enough to get into an Amish home in Indiana and ths book brings about the essence of these plain, and simple people. It is a book that I will always treasure because of it's beauty and simplicity. It certainly needs no words to accompany the pictures. The pictures of the children certainly show their enjoyment of life.

A Shared Gift
I have many books of photographs and this is the most beautiful one I have seen. It was a gift to me that Bill Coleman shared these photos!

He has managed to capture the spirit of the Amish - their simple life and their everyday lifestyle. You see their spirit shining through in these photos. The children are particularly beautiful and look so happy and innocent.

The photos of the landscape are equally wonderful. It was only on my third *reading* of this book that I realized what they were missing : electric poles and wires. These photos could have been taken 100 years ago, the landscape is so unspoiled!

I thank Bill Coleman for giving me this glimpse into the Amish world. Although I live not far from where he took these photos, they allowed me an inside look.

Beautiful...
The photography in this collection is outstanding. It is, not only a glimpse into Amish life, but it is extremely beautiful artwork.

The photgrapher captures the simplicity of Amish life in well-executed images. The photographs cover all aspects of Amish life, without being overly intrusive.

If you have ever been fascinated with the Amish lifestyle, pick up this beautiful book.

While I understand the lack of description, [the editor/author did not want to draw away from the simplicity of the photographs--and the point of this book is simplicity], I think that something was missing in this respect.

If you are looking for the definitive book on Amish, I would have to tell you to pick up this book AND something with more written information. The combination would be a great asset.

I cannot, however, detract from the five stars that I have given this book, simply because of its beauty. It is wonderful. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (4)

Beautiful and Meaningful Photographs
The photographs in this book work as both documentary on the state of the Maya in Chiapas and as pieces of art. Turok's visions are sensitive and understanding. One gets a sense of both place and people.

These pictures are incredible.
I went to school with Tony. He was never without his camera throughout high school. He is able to capture the "moment" through his photographs in this book. He is a truly gifted artist.

an exquisite, detailed summary of contemporary Chiapas
A marvelous visual "walk" through contemporary Chiapas. Antonio Turok's sentiments are palpable in his pictures. A 'must-have' book for those interested in modern Mexico and, particularly, Chiapas.

Fotos of beauty, tragedy, and humor in Chiapas
Antonio Turok prints in black and white all the shades of grey that he has seen in the last 25 years in Chiapas. A brilliamt photographer, madly funny with a wide eyed fasination with Maya culture and an unblinking witness to political tradgedies, this book will give you the clearest vision of Chiapas behind the news. ... Read more

Book Description

For more than fifty years an international jury has met in Holland under the auspices of the World Press Photo Foundation to choose the world's finest photographs. This is universally recognized as the definitive competition for photographic reporting, and photojournalists, newspapers, and magazines throughout the world submit thousands of images in the race to win.

The World Press Photo Competition 2004, the forty-seventh contest to date, brings together some 200 images. The best pictorial journalism from an eventful year, this selection brings us face to face with contemporary world events—an impressive visual record of social, political, cultural, scientific, and, above all, human milestones. 200 photographs, 80 in color. ... Read more

Book Description

For more than fifty years an international jury has met in Holland under the auspices of the World Press Photo Foundation to choose the world's finest photographs. This is universally recognized as the definitive competition for photographic reporting, and photojournalists, newspapers, and magazines throughout the world submit thousands of images in the race to win.

The World Press Photo Competition 2003, the forty-sixth contest to date, brings together some 200 images. The best pictorial journalism from an eventful year, this selection brings us face to face with contemporary world events—an impressive visual record of social, political, cultural, scientific, and, above all, human milestones. 200 photographs, 80 in color. ... Read more

Book Description

Following the success of The New York Times bestseller America 24/7, DK is publishing 50 books that showcase the best photographs from each state - all to be published on the same day. Each individual book includes 95% new photography and is a unique peronal expression of state pride. ... Read more

Book Description

This 9" x 11" picture book contains over 60 black and white photos showing the construction of Disneyland in the 1950's. There are both aerial and ground shots of the construction. Captions and dates are provided for each photo. Also, there is written text of what the 1955 rides and amusements for each area were (Main St, Tommorrowland etc.). The Disney Magazine and the Disneyana magazine did an article on the book, and the Orange County Weekly wrote a story on the 3 different volumes as well.

This book, along with the other two volumes ("Disney Early Years through the eye of a photographer" & "Disney Years seen through a photographers lens are wonderful historical books for anyone's collection. ... Read more

Book Description

This book is a collection of fascinating photographs taken by Allan Tannenbaum, the chief photographer of the SoHo Weekly News, documenting an exciting era in New York City – the 1970s. The city was bursting with creative activity and things were happening all over. The Arab Oil Embargo was affecting the economy, and the Vietnam War was eroding respect for government. Pop art gave way to performance art, rock ‘n’ roll succumbed to disco music, sex was accepted and even glorified. New York in the 70s paints a complete and unadorned portrait of this very special era. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Captures The Excitement
A fantastic document of a time and place like no other. New York in the Seventies was a thrill a second, and it seems like Tannenbaum was everywhere, taking beautiful clear pictures of everyone and everything. An exciting social document!

Sure Fire Party Starter
I had this out during my holiday party last weekend and it was the hit of the night! I couldn't drag people away from it . . . the photos are really fun and sexy, but even better are the stories and memories they spark. All night people were saying "Oh! I totally remember that!" and launching into their own favorite stories from the 70s. Definitely my top pick for a coffee table book.

A Wild and Crazy Decade
...All the excitement and desperation, the madness and creativity, the fun and the fatalities of that extraordinary decade are there. If you learn nothing more from it you will discover the Keith Richards always looked as old and raddled as he does now.

Allan's 1970s Guide to New York
What Weegee was to photojournalism in the 1930s and 1940s, Allan Tannenbaum is to the 1970s. This volume of Tannenbaum's critical mass of New York's underside establishes him as one of the most important photographers of his time, in a city that has one of the most historic traditions of documentary photography. ... Read more

Book Description

Differing from other picture books on New York, New Yorkers: As Seen by Magnum Photographers introduces a gallery of eye-catching untamed images of the metropolis, taken by Magnum photographers. Known for their independent spirit, they proffer scenes that can best be described as bouncy, cryptic, melancholy, droll, or glamorous, often bringing these clashing possibilities together against great odds, in a single image. For these pictures to have been on target, they had to be off-kilter-as charged with contradictions as the realities of their subject. The photographers featured here come from many countries and armed with a range of purposes, united only by their membership in Magnum Photos, the renowned photo agency. As the New York Yankees are respected for the depth of their bullpen, the Magnum photographers are admired for the sharpness of their eye. Though best known for reportage of global wars and crises, they have created a New York archive of great magnitude documenting the last sixty years of New York's-and Magnum's-history. Of the roughly one hundred and forty photographs in New Yorkers, less then ten percent have been previously published. Widely published art critic Max Kozloff selected photographs these pictures more for their pungency then their unfamiliarity. Mindful of their story potentials, but with an eye to the visual rhythm of faces and gestures, he sequenced to imply various overlapping themes-for example, the fizz of parties and the momentum of streets, or the hard sell of Times Square and the anger of political demonstrations. While the images retain their original captions, they ricochet with multiple meanings. Leafing through the book is like walking the streets of New York, beguiled by their implausible and mixed energies, renewed at each turn of a corner.Through New York's cafeterias, barbershops, fish markets, subways, its fish markets, and taxi cabs, Chinese or Italian weddings, gyms, protest parades, and fancy balls, the photographers have roamed, photographing the city's denizens with a realism that stings and a wit that sparkles. Featured here is surprising work by legends Bruce Davidson, Inge Morath, Dennis Stock, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Ferdinando Scianna, Leonard Freed, Richard Kalvar, Burt Glinn, Elliott Erwitt, Eli Reed, Raymond Depardon, Eve Arnold, and many more. New Yorkers: As Seen by Magnum Photographers emphasizes the color work of the Magnum photographers, much of it surprisingly early, and contains an essay by Kozloff, who tackles his offbeat subject with relish.Exhibition:January - May 2004Museum of the City of New York1220 Fifth Avenue at 103rd Street, New York For more information, please call 212-534-1672 ... Read more