Book Description

To live in a pristine land ... to roam the wilderness ... to choose a site, cut trees, and build a home ... Thousands have had such dreams, but Richard Proenneke lived them. Here is a tribute to a man in tune with his surroundings who carved his masterpiece out of the beyond. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

One of the great journals of wilderness living
This is a powerful book and has quite a following. I was given the book by one of my best friends, which I consider a wonderful gift. This book has it all, beautiful photos, Richard's journal notes are amazing in their insight to his thinking and how this adventure unfolded. It is a simply wonderful book, and has people traveling to Alaska just to see the setting for such a balanced book. This book lays claim to new territory, and the claim is valid. No wonder it sells well, it is captivating reading and makes you look hard and close at your own life.

One Man's Wilderness
This has to be one of my very favorite books. I have read it front to back at least 7 times! It is written with the true adventurer in mind. Every detail of his experience makes the reader wish it were he/she that was there with him. If you have ever wished you could just go off into the woods, build a cabin and be self-sufficiant, This is the book for you.

A wonderful "Alaskana" read
Sure the writing style isn't polished and there is little action, but I think that is what helps makes this such an enjoyable book. The observations and opinions presented in the closing pages (chapter 9) will cause most any reader to consider their place in their world. There is enough good here for me to add this to my extensive Alaskana library for long term keeping.

One Man's Carpentry
The book is entirely journal entries that for the most part describe how the author builds his wilderness cabin and goes about other day-to-day tasks. This is not the book for those seeking accounts of extraordinary Alaskan adventures but it is an impressive account of craftmanship. It is a story of impressive feats of carpentry and resourcefulness. You do get a few descriptions of encounters with wildlife but I didn't find that to be a strength of the book. Great pictures, too.

Interesting details, but slow for me
I like books that contain the kind of real details that this book contains. Properly presented, fact can be more interesting than fiction. The book reads somewhat like a journal. For me, however, it deserves 3 stars because of writing quality, and because it failed to keep me reading past midnight. ... Read more

Book Description

San Francisco,

For more than a century, writers and poets have tried desperately to grasp the elusive Camelot. It is, perhaps, more a quest for a photographer. Surely its God-given beauty has never been more thoroughly captured than in these exquisite photographs by Robert Cameron. From his helicopter soaring over this idyllic setting, Bob Cameron has looked down with a God-like eye and recorded with his camera what God sees. He has recorded it for you, gentle reader, and for generations yet to come. Here in these pages is proof that, yes, once there was a Camelot.

With introduction and text by Art Hoppe. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Great Photos
This is a great photo book of the San Fransico bay area. It includes just about every area around, including San Jose, Oakland, Stanford, etc. It has photos of the city, Silicon Valley and most of the major Computer companies and chip makers such as Intel and AMD. Living in this area, I really like this book as I can see what my area looks like and there are a lot of photos, including every major bay bridge.
...

Very nice, but really "Bay Area from Above"
Very nice. Title should be "Bay Area from Above." It covers Silicon Valley, San Mateo, Marin, and many other parts of Bay Area -- with SF. My only complaint is the 25 overhead views of wineries out of 200 pages -- they all look pretty much the same... Overall, a very good book.

This book is totally awesome
I love the before and after pictures contrasting the same street now vs. 100 years ago. Susan likes it too! ... Read more

Book Description

Dramatic aerial images by renowned photographer Terry Evans celebrate one of the world's foremost cities at the outset of the 21st century. One hundred and twenty sumptuous four-color photographs take the reader on a fascinating tour of Chicago and its environs in all four seasons, revealing its unique features: its incomparable lakefront, cutting-edge skyscrapers, and diverse residential neighborhoods, as well as the lush farms and landscapes beyond the city's borders.

With the population of the Chicago region expected to increase by two million over the next 25 years, ensuring that the city grows in a manner that adds to rather than detracts from its beauty, desirability, and prosperity is essential. In Revealing Chicago, Evans's spectacular photographs and Charles Wheelan's thoughtful text not only tell the current story of the city but also expose the challenges-environmental, economic, and social-it faces with continued development. An aesthetic tour de force, this singular volume highlights the importance of making decisions today that will enable Chicago to sustain its prominence into the future. AUTHOR BIO: Terry Evans, a Chicago resident, is one of the world's foremost landscape photographers. Her work has been exhibited widely and is in the collections of many major museums. She is a recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship. Charles Wheelan, also a resident of Chicago, is the former Midwest correspondent for The Economist and author of Naked Economics: Undressing the Dismal Science. He is a lecturer in public policy at the University of Chicago. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Bitterly disapointed
After scanning a few pages,it became painfully clear that this book did,nt reveal anything new about Chicago,save for a
few shots here and there...Anticipating a fresh,updated ver-
sion of Robert Cameron,s magnificent "Above Chicago",this book has too many steel mills,deserted beaches,generic shots that
could have been taken anywhere for anyone to care.The emphasis SHOULD have been on the skyline and its hundreds of superb photo
ops.
A missed opportunity,misleading effort,a waste of time... ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A Gorgeous Book Commemorating America's 1st Public Park
Commemorating the 150th anniversary of Central Park, photographer and historian Sara Cedar Miller celebrates the aesthetic, cultural and historic significance of America's first public park with the book "Central Park, An American Masterpiece." This is the park's definitive illustrated history, and offers some of the most gorgeous photographs I have seen on the subject - a difficult task given the number of pictures that have been drawn, painted and photographed of the Manhattan landmark. The book includes over 200 color illustrations, original plans and drawings alongside modern photos, giving the viewer/reader an historical perspective.

Accompanying Ms. Miller's work, portraying the park throughout the seasons, is a well written text which highlights the conception and creation of the park and its art and architecture. This is a big, beautiful picture book that would make a wonderful addition to any home or library. It's a wonderful gift idea. I know as I have given it numerous times.

Ms. Miller is the parks official historian and photographer and has been since the mid-1980s.
JANA

A book as worthy as the park it celebrates
Sara Miller has put together an outstanding book: a book as vast and detailed as the Great Park itself. For those not familiar with the park and its history, this is an invaluable introduction to the political, demographical, economic and, especially, aesthetic thinking that went into the creation of 800 acres of gorgeous park space in the middle of Manhattan. For those seasoned veterans of NYC history, this is a welcome reminder of the enormous vision and efforts of Calvert Vaux and Fredrick Law Olmsted, as they conceived the park.

Nota Bene: A lot of books have gorgeous photos but the print job is miserable ... Others have high-qualtity prints but the photos aren't that interesting ... This book has glorious prints and an expert print job. Pick up this book.

Rocco Dormarunno, author of The Five Points and The Five Points Concluded ... Read more

Book Description

Color photographs of the Seattle and Puget Sound region by 10 area photographers ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Crystal clear pictures
A small, coffee-table sized book full of pictures of Seattle & the Pacific Northwest throughout the 4 winters.I found the picture quality to be comparable to that of a full-size coffee table book and the descriptions under each picture were helpful.Great pictures of the coast & mountains, also.Your best choice for the price.It brings me back to Seattle each time I look at it. ... Read more

Book Description

In the 1960s the fishing village of Montauk became the surfer's paradise of the east coast. Located at the tip of Long Island's South Fork, the easternmost point of the Hamptons, this paradise existed primarily for locals-not surfers who migrated to the beach for the summer, but those who were out in the rocky reefs every day, year round. Today, a new tribe of surfers exists-young locals who live by their own rules. Rule number 1: Never tell anyone where the good surf spots are. Rule number 2: See rule number 1.

In the 1990s photographer Michael Dweck rented a house on Ditch Plains beach (site of the best surf break) and gained unprecedented access to this insular community. The End follows the surfers through their daily rituals from early morning wave reports to evening bonfires on the beach, capturing their youthful hedonism. Through portraits, nudes, and photographs of the landscape, this book celebrates lives lived only to surf-an endless summer of perfect weather and languorous beauty. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

visually stunning
Sensuous, seductive and unbearably sexy in its effect, The End celebrates the beauty of a group of young "all-natural" surfers in a small obscure fishing village.

Visually stunning and lavishly illustrated with duotone and color plates. "The End", is one of the sexiest photography books ever published.

Well Worth the Wait!
While visiting New York last September, I had the chance to see the exhibit at Sothebys and advance ordered a copy of the book, which was slated for a December release. Now, eight months later, the book finally arrived and I can say without hesitation that it was well worth the wait.
The End is a special work, a nostalgic chronicle of a unique and truly American place, a daring and effective foray into the relatively uncharted waters of narrative photography, and a beautiful book full of beautiful people.
Dweck has masterfully photographed young people in the most natural and unaffected ways. Here, he manages to capture the innocence and provocativity of each of his subjects without seeming exploitative. The End is destined to become one of the most sought after, if not the most referenced, photographic essays.

The End: Montauk, N.Y.
Michael Dweck's The End is a successful first book. In it, the photographer tells, visually, of his love for Montauk - the most remote point of Long Island. Indeed, The End is far more closely akin to a graphical love ode to Montauk than to a piece of photojournalism; absent is the comprehensiveness one would associate with an exhaustive look at Montauk and in its place is repeated harping on what makes Montauk - in the author's words - like an edenic "lost world."

Throughout The End, pictures of Montauk - its personalities (mostly surfers) as well as its natural features (mostly beaches) - are juxtaposed with pictures of beautiful people, often against a background of Montauk, but quite frequently indoors; witness, for example, "Julian checking out the sets, 6 A.M., Ditch Plains," which faces a posed picture of "Lilla, Napeague." This practice is quite striking - initially it seems disorienting and out of place - but it ultimately proves an effective way of conveying the sexually-charged beauty that Dweck clearly finds evident in Montauk.

Dweck's photography is effective and moving, with frequent flashes of brilliance. At its best, The End evokes Toni Frissell and particularly Martin Munkacsi. Its most successful posed pictures - including "Sonya getting changed in Gilles's truck, Trailer Park," "Lilla Napeague" (the fourth and fifth of the five pictures with that title), "Neva, Poles" (2), and the final "Shannon, Shadmoor Cliffs" - reach Peter Lindbergh-like heights in their effective portrayals of vulnerable feminine beauty.

Perhaps the most striking feature of The End is its narrative flow, which is remarkably both coherent and subtle. The book begins with several sequential historical photographs of Montauk, and moves on to illustrate a sort of "day in the life of a town," beginning with a drive to the beach - "David and Pam in their Caddy, Trailer Park" - moving on to the parking lot with perhaps the novel's most successful pair of photographs - "Sonya getting changed in Gilles's truck, Ditch Plains," and "Gilles at the parking lot, Ditch Plains" - then to the beach at dawn ("Julian checking out the sets, 6 A.M., Ditch Plains") then midday, with an extensive series of surfing pictures. The narrative, as it is, moves indoors with several sexually-charged photographs and the book ends after some brilliant evening shots (notably the spectacular "Bonfire, Trailer Park" series). Indeed, it is obvious that much care was given to The End's sequencing; even within the narrative, there are numerous visual games being played, from a figure in "Lifeguards, 1997" glancing across the page at the nude Lilla in "Lilla, Napeague" (5) to the pairing of the genuine American iconographic "Postcard I found at Joni's" with the nostalgic "Lilla, Napeague" (3).

These two themes - "watching" and iconography - recur throughout The End, a book which is seemingly obsessed with voyeurism (a perhaps unsurprising obsession for a photographer) and whose frequently-iconic images seem ready-made to implant themselves on the American conscience (with any justice, "Sonya getting changed in Gilles's truck, Ditch Plains," "Noel at Bettina's House, Turtle Cove," and "Beach dog, Ditch Plains" will find their way onto postcards everywhere and into the photographic canon).

Finally, it must be said that The End the book is a spectacular object. The photographs are printed vividly on a paper stock that is of supreme quality, the book itself is beautiful, from its cover to its binding, and it is indeed an actual pleasure to hold. ... Read more

Book Description

The new edition: Two years after its original release, the new Obituary Cocktail has more bars, photos, drink recipes, and quotes. Six added spreads include the bar in the kitchen at Commander's Palace, The Circle Bar and its Herradura tequila shot with tonic--the Harry Tonic Jr.--and Butler's fantastically seedy interior.

WINNER Silver Medals, Publisher's Mktg Assoc & Ind Publ Assoc 2002! Book of the Year 1999 (New Orleans Gulf South Booksellers Association). ... Read more

Reviews (19)

A Bourbon Street Hopper
I don't think I've ever experienced anything quite like the bars in New Orleans! They are fantastic! The press has given Bourbon St. such a negative view, but I had no trouble the two times I went down by myself! I mean if you use a little common sense, then there's no problem! The people were some of the nicest I've ever met! Everyone treats you like family and you have such a great time! This book shows that down-home, friendly atmosphere! It was interesting for me too, to see a lot of the places off of Bourbon that I didn't get to see! You know, the 5 star places that cost an arm and a leg, and require reservations! This is just another great book to relive memories of your trip to "Sin City."

Obituary Cocktail: The Great Saloon of New Orleans
Growing up in New Orleans is a rare experience. Living away often makes one nostalgic and wistful.. Reading "Obituary Cocktail" brings the sights, sounds, smells and tastes roaring back. This is a beautiful book. The photos are warm, romantic and evocative. The commentary is pure magic and the recipes are fabulous. Whether you live there now, once were there or have never visited - this book captures the charm, the quirkiness and the mystery of New Orleans and her great watering holes.

It will make you thirsty
first of all, this is a beautifully produced book, with wonderful photographs of the great New Orleans drinking establishments and local scenary.

Secondly, it's a must for any bartender. Not much needs to be said on this topic except for the fact that many great drinks have come out of New Orleans and the bartender (professional or otherwise) should learn how to prepare them.

Finally, the book also presents some important historical information on New Orleans and its saloons. The two go hand in hand.

The Spirit of New Orleans
Ms. McCaffety has captured the essence of New Orleans with her wonderful book. The pictures are gorgeous, and the addition of a few traditional New Orleans cocktail recipes and the history of the saloons rounds out the book nicely. I can't wait to get back to New Orleans and visit the bars I've missed.

Wow!
What a book. The pictures are absolutly incredible and the stories match the color of the pictures. The timeless nature of the book makes it worth having. Everyone I've spoken to in New Orleans loves this book. WOW! ... Read more

Book Description

Above Washington. The Nation's capitol is here celebrated with the eye of history and a elan of today's headlines Never before have America's monuments been so dramatically and lovingly displayed, as shown by Robert Cameron's aerial views and introduction by Alistaie Cooke. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Ordinary Joes Opinion
I sell books on Amamzon and I was listing this book and double checking it's conditon when I became drawn into the book.

This is an excellent book for the history buff,school library,or for anyone who has never been to Washingtton CD.

The before and after pictures are especially interesting.

If you are planing a trip to the capitol this would be a good book to read and reread first. Then you could compare the views when you return .

This would give you an excellent "feel" for the changing "life" of the capitol.

A nice pictorial - with dated pictures
Robert Cameron is undoubtedly one of the best urban aerial photographers in the country. However, the landscape of Washington has changed so dramatically in the twenty years since this book was released that anyone with a lot of knowledge about the area will be disappointed by what's missing.
It does contain a wide breadth of pictures, some which are definitely extraordinary. However, the book needs to be updated in order to capture the modernization in architecture and planning that has proliferated in Washington D.C. and the surrounding area since its initial publication.

The best of its kind
Washington, DC is an unique capital city and Robert Cameron shares his birdeye's view with us in this marvelous volume. For residents and vistors alike, this is extraordinary record of the city, particularly the juxtaposition of old and contemporary photographs. Others try to emulate Cameron in this genre, but he is the master who makes it look easy.

A Star That Fell From The Sky - A Little Too Long Ago
Above Washington, - like all of Robert Cameron's Above books - is a superb collection of historical to present day comparison photographs. The picture quality and composition is bar-none, especially for aerial photography. Any city planning or Washington D.C. buff will enjoy this book immensely. Please be advised, though: this book has not been updated in quite a while eventhough it has been reprinted many times. The most recent photographs are late 1970-'80s era pictures. Above Washington could definitely use an update. Nevertheless, it's a great D.C. history lesson and has many unique photographs of places such as the U.S. Naval Observatory where the Vice President lives, as well as an aerial view of Marine Ones parked like ducks in a row. Need good pictures for a project - Cameron's Above Washington is the way to go. Want a current picture or coffee table book - you better reevaluate. ... Read more

Amazon.com

America 24/7 reunites the team that started the popular A Day in the Life series of photography books, Rick Smolan and David Elliot Cohen. Those books sought to profile a single day in a country or city through pictures. Here, the concept is similar but far more epic in scope: photojournalistic, people-driven snapshots of young and old at work and play throughout the entire United States over a given time period (in this case, one week). Another twist this time is that more than 25,000 amateur and professional photographers snapped all of the pictures with digital cameras. From the million-plus photos submitted, 25,000 were chosen for a total of 53 volumes, one on America, one for each state, and one each for D.C. and New York City. The result is an amazing array of subjects, but all shot with a consistency of tone. Composition, lighting, and camera effects aren't as important as the content. the gener! al sentiment one gets from the images: Muslim high school girls jumping rope in traditional headcovers, Roller Bladers on the Brooklyn Bridge, electrical lineman students learning to climb telephone poles, Eve Fletcher, a 76-year-old California surfer, or Tonto, the "seeing-eye" miniature horse. There are babies, children, rites of passage, monuments, forests, circus performers, movie stars, and cattlemen. The images might be a tad sentimental, but not overly so. In addition, readers can order a custom book jacket at www.america24-7.com/customcover, using their own digital photo as the cover. --Eric Reyes ... Read more

Reviews (36)

wonderful book and custom cover!
The book has beautiful photographs and wonderful captions full of miniature stories. I ordered a cover, and when I had trouble with uploading (I'm not very computer literate) their customer service team got back to me in a day and they helped me through it -- even resizing my picture for me. My custom cover order came in three weeks. I have to say it was really worth the effort seeing the final cover in my hands. I'm surprised they don't charge us more for the whole thing. I've ordered many more as gifts. Their new site is easier to use and I was even able to track my order using the USPS tracking number they gave me. I would expect any company trying out a whole new idea to take a few months to get such a large operation together, but now its June and the site seems so be working great! I would give it another chance if you had problems in the past. I'm a satisfied customer and I hope they get more positive reviews because I know they're really trying their best.

Love It
I am shocked about the prior review in regard to not recommending this book or custom cover. We bought one for ourselves and two for gifts. The books arrived right at two weeks and I had to contact (by e-mail) the company and they promptly responded. The cover of our chidren turned out fabulous and the pictures in the book are fantastic. Everyone one that has seen our book is in awe. I highly recommend this book.

Best Photography book ever! Love the Custom Cover!
I LOVED THIS BOOK! It was the perfect one of a kind gift for my dad, who has everything. The book itself was a perfect visualization of America and the Custom Cover was a wonderful bonus offer. Where else can you get the chance to put your own image on a New York Times best seller?! I've read some reviews complaining about Custom Covers and I have to say that in my case and with most of my friends who have ordered, everything went smoothly -- their site was easy to use, customer service was prompt and helpful, shipment was on time and the cover print was excellent. I'd give them another try...I know I'll be ordering more Custom Covers.

DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK IF YOU WANT A CUSTOM COVER!!!
I purchased this book in January with the intention of getting a custom cover for my husband made while he was in Iraq. He wasn't coming home until April so I figured I had plenty of time. I went to their website and it said check back in a week they were updating their website. After two weeks (the "check back" message was still there) I tried to email the company and received no response but an auto-reply. Their message changed two days later to "check back again in another week they were still updating." This happened FIVE times. Then they finally said keep to checking back they didn't have a date when they would have it together. After two more months (it is now May) their website has now vanished!!!!!!!!!!! Again, don't purchase this book if your intention is a custom cover. I wouldn't really recommend spending $50.00 on this book without it either. It is just okay.

Missing Cover Follow-Up
In my previous review I received 1 of 4 covers, looking for contact info. I did receive the additional 3 a week later- how about a note or sticker "1 of 2" when shipping? For anyone else that has a problem; DK publisher 800.788.6262 live voice, no wait, extremely polite and helpful. America 24-7 Custom Cover 415.331.6300 ext. 7#, voice mail box with a greeting that states "we will not return your call". America 24-7 email customcover@america24-7.com did respond to my request in 3 days with something like "gee-wiz I really didn't know we could only ship 3 covers at a time so the last one is on the way" whatever.. The book is great, custom cover is a great idea and personalizes the book. I really think the publisher should have asked if these folks can actually deliver on what they advertise. BTW I just found this book at the store and thought it was nice- never watched Oprah in my life. Also, I would have paid more $$ for the custom cover if they could deliver without a glitch. ... Read more

Book Description

Originally published in 1987, Joel Sternfeld’s now-classic view of America is here remastered, redesigned, and reprinted at a larger, brighter, truer scale. Finally, photography and offset printing techniques have caught up with Sternfeld’s eye, and this new edition of American Prospects succeeds in presenting Sternfeld’s most seminal work as it has always meant to be shown. A specially-commissioned essay by Kerry Brougher, Chief Curator at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, considers the historical context in which Sternfeld was working and the pivotal role that American Prospects has played in the course of contemporary filmmaking and art photography. In American Prospects, a fireman shops for a pumpkin while a house burns in the background; a group of motorcyclists stop at the side of the road to take in a stunning, placid view of Bear Lake, Utah; the high-tech world headquarters of the Manville Corporation sits in picturesque Colorado, obscured by a defiant boulder; a lone basketball net stands in the desert near Lake Powell in Arizona; and a cookie-cutter suburban housing settlement rests squarely amongst rolling hills in Pendleton, Oregon. Sternfeld's photographic tour of America is a search for the truth of a country not just as it exists in a particular era but as it is in its ever-evolving essence. It is a sad poem, but also a funny and generous one, recognizing endurance, poignant beauty, and determination within its sometimes tense, often ironic juxtapositions of man and nature, technology and ruin. ... Read more

Book Description

From the hush of an old-growth forest to the skyline of Seattle, WASHINGTON II stimulates all the senses. Lush woodlands and dramatic waterfalls, misty coastlines and snow-dusted mountains, twinkling nightlife and vast yellow wheatfields-all await you in this enticing book. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Washington II
This is the best photographic essay of Washington. The pictures are lightyears above the competition. True artwork. I am sending this book to friends in London for a good view of life here. ... Read more

Book Description

Over a 7-year period, Tony and Eva Worobiec, two of the greatest photographers of all time, traveled the dusty paths of rural America, particularly in the Dakotas, Montana, and Wyoming. The fruits of their journey are pictures so poignant and evocative of the American West that they are the photographic equivalent of a Steinbeck novel. Each amazing photo vividly reveals the struggle for survival, of a disappearing way of life, in the forgotten countryside and backroads of the U.S. In the often harsh and unforgiving landscape, the Worobiecs shot affecting and beautiful pictures of abandoned farms, schools, gas stations, grain elevators and tractors, diners, and trucks.
Tony's pictures are large format, shot in black and white, and then hand tinted. The results resemble postcards from the 1950s. Eva shoots directly in color for a more starkly modern aspect. Both achieve magnificent, and ultimately emotionally touching, results.
Along with the photographs are the words of the remaining residents, who speak sadly of better times, the friends and neighbors for whom things didn't work out, and of their own, once-flourishing piece of abandoned America.
This remarkable achievement is both an exquisite photography book and a commentary on the American way of life.

... Read more

Reviews (1)

Abandoned but thankfully not forgotten.
Fortunately for a lot of photographers abandoned man-made America seems to be just about everywhere and what a visual treat it produces. This handsome, large (check out the dimensions in the Product Details above) book of photos is a cut above the usual offering though. Rather than shoot the predictable broken and rusty commercialism everywhere the Worobiec's had the great idea of capturing one particular area of the Nation, the northwest. Here the railroads were the catalyst to opening up the landscape with towns created about every ten miles or so to service track and train. Predictably many of these settlements lacked natural resources and decent farmland so it was inevitable that the weather, depression, and technical advances in transport made so many of these towns uneconomic and many folk just left.

What I find amazing is the nature of the leaving. Many photos show inside abandoned houses still with kitchen units, phones, furniture and personal effects. Page sixty-five shows a wall calendar for July 1959 in a house in Wildrose, Nebraska and as the caption explains these were useful indicators to reveal the date of the owner's departure. Sometimes the Worobiec's found small schools abandoned, as the photo on page 117 shows, the floor awash with textbooks. As expected there are many photos of abandoned vehicles (possibly thirty-six was just a bit too many) surrounded by vegetation, rich pickings nowadays for collectors, I bet.

Another reason why I like this book is because 'Ghosts in the Wilderness' is not just a collection of photos but a travelogue as well, six chapters have lively and interesting essays about the social and economic aspects of the area. These words give more meaning to the poignancy of the images.

The printing and design is excellent, the photos are mostly one to a page with generous white, black and light grey backgrounds. I do have a criticism of the production though, the last five pages show all the photos as thumbnails with the relevant technical details, all this information could easily have been accommodated on the page with the photo and so avoid having to keep turning to the back.

I think the Worobiec's have done a wonderful job producing a book of regional photography. Oh yes, thank you Mark and Sarah who gave me this lovely book as a Christmas present. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

brooklyn friends
an interesting collection of photos of youths living in brooklyn during the 50's
im not quite sure why this is referred to as a gang--as there is no gang type of life really shown in these images. a better name for this book should have been BROOKLYN FRIENDS

Brooklyn Gang: Summer 1959
This is some of the most emotional pictures I have seen.Brooklyn Gangs rates as my favorite photo books of all time.

Stunning edition of a most evocative vintage NY photo study
This new edition of Bruce Davidson's classic study of tough New York youths in the 50's, marks a most welcome and sure-to-be-collected photo book.The reproductions and layout are superb, rich and textured, and theaccompanying text is illuminating.And this doesn't even begin to describethe superb images Davidson, one of the world's great "streetphotographers" captures here. In all, without much of Davidson's workin-print, aside from "Central Park," this is one that artphotograpahy fans and those interested in New York's colorful past willsurely want to own. ... Read more

Book Description

The Photographs of Ansel Adams with the Writings of John Muir

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Ansel Adams whose landmark early photographs of wild America, originally taken for the Works Progress Administration, fill the pages of this splendid volume.Adams' breathtaking images are accompanied by excerpts from the writings of Sierra Club founder John Muir, the renowned conservationist who devoted his life to celebrating and preserving the American wilderness. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Great Book
If you're a fan of Ansel Adams, you will absolutely love this book. It's 127 pages of breathtaking photography with poetic writings by John Muir. The images fill the entire page while subtle text accompanies the photographs. "I only went out for a walk, and finally concluded to stay out until sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in." These passages work hand in hand with the photographs giving a meditative quality about them. For a split moment you actually feel like you are physically standing in that surrounding and experiencing the beauty of nature. Adams and Muir work as a unit to document this beautiful phenomenon we call nature and present it to us in this book called America's Wilderness.
This book allows you to appreciate the beauty of America from the vast mountaintops to the endless plains to the ever-changing cloud formation. He captures the essence of Mother Nature and all her minute details. This book would be far from complete if it were not for the eloquent writings of John Muir. Though Muir has long passed away, his writing, fortunately, will never depart.

Great book!
If you're a fan of Ansel Adams, you will absolutely love this book. It's 127 pages of breathtaking photography with poetic writings by John Muir. The images fill the entire page while subtle text accompanies the photographs. "I only went out for a walk, and finally concluded to stay out until sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in." These passages work hand in hand with the photographs giving a meditative quality about them. For a split moment you actually feel like you are physically standing in that surrounding and experiencing the beauty of nature. Adams and Muir work as a unit to document this beautiful phenomenon we call nature and present it to us in this book called America's Wilderness.
This book allows you to appreciate the beauty of America from the vast mountaintops to the endless plains to the ever-changing cloud formation. He captures the essence of Mother Nature and all her minute details. This book would be far from complete if it were not for the eloquent writings of John Muir. Though Muir has long passed away, his writing, fortunately, will never depart.

Great Images
If you're a fan of Ansel Adams, you will absolutely love this book. It's 127 pages of breathtaking photography with poetic writings by John Muir. The images fill the entire page while subtle text accompanies the photographs. "I only went out for a walk, and finally concluded to stay out until sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in." These passages work hand in hand with the photographs giving a meditative quality about them. For a split moment you actually feel like you are physically standing in that surrounding and experiencing the beauty of nature. Adams and Muir work as a unit to document this beautiful phenomenon we call nature and present it to us in this book called America's Wilderness.
This book allows you to appreciate the beauty of America from the vast mountaintops to the endless plains to the ever-changing cloud formation. He captures the essence of Mother Nature and all her minute details. This book would be far from complete if it were not for the eloquent writings of John Muir. Though Muir has long passed away, his writing, fortunately, will never depart.

Awful quality
This book is not worth the paper, believe me! I don't know if it's because 'printed in China', but the photos are not comparable with other Ansel Adams books or calendars. Please don't mix it up with the hardcover version which is >100$.

Awful printing quality bad shadow detail, poor sharpness
Terrible printing quality of photos that are obscure because they're not that good. Whether the lack of sharpness in these is down to the paper, the printer, or the photographer (yes, even Ansel took crap at times, and people seem determined to publish everything he ever did, however bad!), I don't know, but the lack of sharpness and the awful shadow detail make this book an absolute waste of time. Maybe it will impress a non-photographer (simply so they can boast having a book of Adams's shots) - but a photographer is wasting their money. ... Read more

Book Description

A must for everyone with a Passion for the Southwest!

Have you ever wanted to see with your own eyes all the beautiful locations found in coffee table books, posters and travel magazines?
Do you want to see the most photogenic spots in our national parks and monuments?
Do you want to visit spectacular "off the beaten track" locations outside the parks?
Are you are interested in rock art and early Native American dwellings?

Photographing the Southwest is the result of over twenty years of experience in exploring and photographing the natural landmarks of the Southwest. This guide has all the information you need to make your trip richer and more rewarding.- Volume 1 covers Southern Utah & Southwestern Colorado
- 270+ pages of great information for everyone; no need to be a photographer
- Hundreds of locations, including the best spots and how to get there
- All the major national parks, monuments and state parks
- Clear and precise indications provided for hard-to-find sites
- Lots of travel tips not usually found in traditional guidebooks
- Where, when and how to get the best shots
- Valuable tips on composition, exposure and hard-to-shoot scenery
- 170+ high-quality B&W photographs
- companion CD-ROM "Images of the Southwest-Vol. 1" to pre-visualize the sites

The photography as well as the reproduction quality of the B&W images make these new guidebooks very unique. Eleven photographers, all pros and advanced amateurs, contributed their talent to illustrate the sites. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Don't go there without it.
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Are you going to red rock country? Do you want to get good photos? Buy this book! Simple as that.

I just got back from a trip during which I had only a couple of days in the Needles area of Canyonlands National Park, so didn't have time to scout and re-visit the many attractions. Thanks to "Photographing the Southwest", I knew right where to go, and what time of day to be there, in order to photograph a number of the highlights of the area. I also showed the book to several photographers who were very familiar with the territory, and they were impressed with the information, the detail, and the extent of the coverage.

My conclusion: Laurent Martrés' guides are essential equipment for any photographer wanting to capture great images of the natural landmarks and fantastic geological formations of the U.S. Southwest.

Simply The Best
I have never written a review of any book that I liked. However,I recently purchased and used Laurent Martres' "Photographing The Southwest" volume 1, and I found it to be simply the best photo guide book I have ever used. In fact, This guide book would also be ideal for non-photo purposes like touring and exploring this enchanting area. There are many locations, suggestions, and details that were not included in any of the other area guides I used. Martres' love of this wonderful part of the world is evident in the plentiful images that grace the pages. However, what really sets it apart is the fact that he has spent years in the area, and has come to know it intimately.If he suggests a particular route or location, you can be sure that he has been there. The access information and detail is indespensable. If you are planning on visiting the Southwest, you owe it to yourself to take Laurent Martres' book along to increase your enjoyment.

Go with a camera in one hand and this book in the other
Martres's two books on photographing the Southwest are remarkably useful, sensible, and affordable. He keeps his directions--both geographic and photographic--brief, relevant, and precise. Even if you don't take a camera, these books can help you reach remarkable places of which may never or only vaguely have heard of. I even enjoy just "armchair travelling" with these books.

Where in the World is Laurent?
As others have said, this is a great book, both for photographers and visitors interested in "off the beaten path" advice. Laurent really helped me to find some of the most beautiful parts of this country, particularly in the escalente area, bryce, zion, and avoid some of the more crowded and touristy places. Wether you take pictures with an SLR, disposable, or just with your eyes, you can benefit from his advice on where to start your day, and which directions to travel for the best light.
One morning, when Kathy and I woke before dawn and headed to the back of the zion museum to photograph The Towers of the Virgin at sunrise, one of the many, many tips in this book. Practially in the dark, a man walked up to me and asked "do you want me to sign your book?". Took a few minutes before I realized it was Laurent! Very nice guy -- we talked for quite a while and enjoyed the magnificent sunrise refected on the cliffs. Of the two other, more serious photographers there at dawn, one of them had his book also!
Consider it a blessing if you can spend from a few days, like me, or weeks and weeks following the magnificent paths through the southwest that Laurant suggests. And don't miss his wonderful photography at the gallery in escalante...

BTW, early october is PERFECT time to see Utah. Great weather, and much less crowded. And if you make it to Boulder, Utah, do yourself a great favor and stay at the Boulder Mountain Lodge. It's a gem we accidently found, tucked away in a garden.

A Great Travel Guide
A truly great travel guide. I've been to Utah 4 or 5 times and have read many guides to the area. This guide had many new places for us to visit. Last fall we went back to Utah and visited many of the smaller places he recommended. I was very satisfied with his directions to the hard to find places and his ratings of the places were very good. His picture taking suggestions were also very helpfull. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

PLEASE!!!!!
Please don't go to Yosemite without this book!!!!!
It tells you everything you need to know. With or without a camera,this one you must have.

Excellent help for photographers
I love this book!! Thank-you to Michael Frye for taking on this project. I hope he goes to other national parks and writes more books. Michael not only shows photos and tells where to get them, he goes into great detail about what time of day, type of film, use of filters, depth of field, exposure... everything a "professional photographer-in-the-making" can use.

good compact book with great illistrations
...It has illustrations for all kinds of photographic techniques including advice on seasons, film, lenses needed, important time of days etc. Definitely worth buying it. You can finish reading this book in couple of hours in car while somebody else is driving. i did the same. In my opinion it would really help if the authur included some kind of readmap you can follow so that u can be at right places at right time. (although considering the vastness of yosemite, i am sure it will be a difficult job) All in all great little book. i would recommend to buy it in advance...to take full advantage of authur's suggessions.

focus, click. print
Michael Frye has done a wonderful job guiding the photographer be they a novis or pro through most of Yoesmities jewels. His experience and wisdom of the art of photography are real treasures that make this book a "must" for anyone traveling to the area. Yosemites beauity and tips to capture it in pictures are explained in simple yet profound detail. ... Read more

Book Description

Now more than ever, vacationing Americans are choosing to stay right here in the U.S., to look inward at our own rich national heritage. Thus, there has never been a more appropriate time for this sweeping, gorgeously photographed look at rural America's most enchanting houses of worship. "The country church tells us who we are. In doing so, it provides a sense of security, especially in times of crisis," says Pulitzer Prize nominee William Morgan in his introduction.

The outcome of an inspired two-year cross-country road journey of writer and photographer, American Country Churches touches the heart of America-and many of its religious denominations-as it presents 250 moving, all-new color images of more than 40 of our nation's most uplifting, soul-soothing spaces. The introductory text places the churches within the greater context of American history, while short essays on each church highlight its particular role in the story of its region, architects, and worshippers. As this glorious volume proves, no matter which state one calls home, there are always nearby places to go to find solace. AUTHOR BIO: William Morgan has taught at Princeton University, the University of Kentucky, and the University of Louisville. His articles have appeared in numerous publications, and he is the author of The Abrams Guide to American House Styles. He lives in Providence, Rhode Island. Radek Kurzaj is a travel and architecture photographer based in Sczecin, Poland, and New York City. His books include Abrams' Living Large in Small Spaces, Colonial Houses: The Historic Homes of Williamsburg, and The Abrams Guide to American House Styles. ... Read more

Book Description

A look at the history of Philadelphia, with both modern and historic photography and captions describing the development of this famous city. Part of the highly successful "Then and Now" series, this book captures the changes in this historic city. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Philadelphia Then and Now
I sat down on a Sunday morning to casually glance through what I thought was just another coffee table photography book. Several hours later, thoroughly relaxed and enlightened, I closed Philadelphia Then and Now, having deliberately devoured every word, every image, every comparison-both visual and written, cover to cover. What fun it was to go back and forth. The effort taken to capture identical images was evident page after page. The attention to obscure and amusing snippets of historical detail tied the "then" black and white photos and the "now" colorful photos together perfectly.

Treat yourself to a Sunday morning journey to Philadelphia-Then and Now.

Great Memories and Fascinating Pictures
This is a really unique collection of photos from the last 150 years in Center City Philadelphia with recent photos taken at the same location. Would make a great gift for someone with Philadelphia ties.

It was interesting to see how things have changed - in many places for the better. Center City towards the Ben Franklin Parkway was a dirty grimy place at the turn of the century. The Parkway was a stroke of genius. The Art Museum used to be a water holding area. ... Read more

Book Description

The natives call it simply "the City."This is the story of the changing face of San Francisco, and how it has become one of the most picturesque cities in the world.Seventy modern color photographs are compared side-by-side with seventy archival photographs from the 1850s to the 1950s.While focusing on famous vistas and familiar landmarks, it also explores well-known neighborhoods.The Then and Now series includes: New York, Washington, Boston, and San Francisco. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

A Yenne for the past
Bill Yenne's photographic essay about the similarities and differences between San Francisco's past and present is one of several "past and present" photographic themes published by Thunder Bay Press involving a number of prominent American cities.

But a pictorial retrospective and current-day snapshot (this book was actually published in 1998) of The City is particularly interesting, not only in light of San Francisco's unique history in the annals of this country, but also in light of how San Franciscans today see themselves in relation to the rest of the country.

I would have liked to have seen included a picture of old Seals Stadium, which adorned the corners of 16th and Bryant Streets in Portrero Hill for so many years as home to the San Francisco Seals of the Pacific Coast League (and as home to the Giants in 1958 and 1959). But a "now" picture of the Safeway Shopping Center and Old Navy outlet that are on that corner now might have appeared too drab or too forlorn by comparison.

Otherwise, Yenne's color photographs of the present are quite beautiful, but equally impressive are the black-and-white photographs of the past taken by largely unknown photographers. A remarkable amount of detail is preserved in those old grainy-black-and-whites.

Yenne gives us a few briefly-worded captions for the purpose of pointing out some specific similarity or difference between two or more photos in a given set, but as a good human camera should, he wisely refrains from any further comment.

Included in this essay is an "old" view (circa 1935) looking east from the top of Nob Hill between Sacramento and California Streets. The Russ Building, San Francisco's tallest skyscraper (31 stories or about 400 feet high) is visible in this shot, but also clearly visible is the San Francisco Bay, including the suspension cables on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, now in the middle of construction.

When Yenne shoots his contemporary photo from the same angle, the Russ Building is now dwarfed by a number of newer structures, including the 853-foot Transamerica Pyramid and the 779-foot black granite Bank of America headquarters, and the bay is hardly visible at all. Other skyscrapers have joined the collage, and now, incredibly enough, no portion of the Bay Bridge can be seen.

Moreover, in other old pictures facing the same direction, the waterfront is, as Yenne says, "alive with tugs, ferries, and other vessels". But in contemporary photos, "the waterfront (is) now much quieter".

There are still, thank heavens, some fishing boats in Fisherman's Wharf in which commercial fisherman seek their catch with the same dogged patience that the DiMaggio family did almost 100 years ago. Moreover, Alioto's, Fisherman's Grotto, and Tarantino's restaurants adjoin the wharf in both the black-and-white "then" and the color "now" photos. But otherwise, the tugs, ferries and other vessels, sailing toward or away from the various piers have been largely replaced by pleasure craft. Gentrification anyone?

The photos also tell a story of the disappearance of most of the cable car traffic that once traversed the City, and of course, everyone knows that the remaining cable car lines are kept only for the benefit of the tourists. The City's haughtiness towards outsiders doesn't entail an aversion toward tourist dollars, after all.

But no self-respecting chablis-drinking San Franciscan would be caught dead in one of those contraptions today. The late Herb Caen or whoever has since replaced Caen as the dean of Bay Area boorishness would laugh out of town any San Francisco native uncool enough to ride one of those things.

It's hard to imagine San Francisco's "in" crowd today enjoying anything as bourgeois and middle-American as an amusement park either, but Yenne is able to locate some old photos of a Coney Island-like amusement park called Playland-At-The-Beach that once adorned Fulton and Balboa Streets during a less pretentious San Francisco era.

Maybe time, population growth, economic growth, and recovery from two major earthquakes made some change inevitable. But the old and new photographs largely tell a story of a city striving maniacally to grow faster than anyone else, often at the expense of much of the beauty and charm that it once possessed. A city whose denizens claim to be unlike anywhere else ultimately aped New York City and other metropolitan areas in the frenzy of its development and in much of its resulting physical appearance. Does San Francisco's arrogant provincialism mask a latent inferiority complex?

Maybe the most illustrative set of "then and now" photos are the two views looking west from California and Kearney Streets. In 1880, next to Old St. Mary's Cathedral on the north side of the street is a combination apartment complex/restaurant called the California House, and Yenne explains that it was one of the City's favorite eateries, noted for "fresh oysters in every style".

Old St. Mary's still rests on the north side of California Street in Yenne's contemporary color photograph, but upon the site of the California House now rests the 33-story Hartford Insurance Building.

St. Francis wept.

See for your self
When visiting S.F., one couldn't help wonder about the history of this "young city". When walking the Embarcadero, reading all the "history stands", you wish you could go back in time and see what it was really like. I did just that, when i bougth this book. It made it possible to visit some of the buildings that still exists and visit places that once was.
If you want to make your visit more interesting, you should buy this book prior to your actually visit.
The photographs is excellent and the accompanying notes helps you to imagine was it was like to live in S.F. then and to realize what it has become.

A must for the city traveller

nice book
What makes this book special for me is the "now" photographs. The book's editor/photographer has made a sincere attempt to reshoot the photos, physically, from as nearly as possible from the original, without changing the photographic perspective. This allows the books' reader to view and compare the photos and know that streets, buildings, and other landmarks give an accurate view of how the city looked at a certain time. Accurate directions and locations listed in both historical and contemporary photos greatly enchances the value and arm chair travelers' enjoyment of the book. Buy a map of the city if you're not familiar with it.

Wonderful look Back and Forward
This book offers an excellent photographic perspective of San Francisco's past and present. Photos from the 1850's even up to the early 1960s (in the case of Diamond Heights) are shown along with photos of what a particular area of SF looks like today. While this book is a testament to how much the city has grown and changed over the last 150 years, it also shows how resilient it was after the earthquake and fire in 1906 that virtually leveled it.

It also makes the reader ponder a little about what life must have been like in San Francisco around the turn of the 20th century. Among the areas shown? The Marina district, Pacific Heights, Market St and the ferry building, several panoramas of the city, the Golden Gate bridge (during contruction and how it appears today), and Nob Hill.

Not only are the photos spectacular, but it also offers some history about "the city by the bay" and how some parts of it have changed dramatically and others might still be recognizable to those who visited 50 years ago. An excellent pictorial coffee table book about the city I'm lucky enough to live near.

Great Gift For SF Lovers
Great History Picture Book for all Ages. Just enough reading to keep little ones interested. The pictures are bold and beautiful. I bought one for myself. Great gift for someone who loves San Francisco. ... Read more