Documentary-collections Books

This book is beautifully conceived. The photographer, James Rudnick, had the foresight and the love for these icons of New York City to preserve them photographically for generations to come.
The design is elegant. The text is interesting and important.
A great book.

Rudnick's book is monumental both figuratively and literally. In photographing the restorative work performed on New York's most recognizable structures, Rudnick has forever preserved an important piece of Americana. With a discerning and creative eye, he juxtaposes images of exquisite detail and grandiose sweep, of human form and man-made object, of decay and renewal. One of my favorite shots is that of Liberty's internal spiral staircase (p. 75). This photograph could just as easily be a study in abstract form; three ghostly lights punctuate an array of metallic angles and curves in an enormously deep field of vision. Another stand-out is a view of Liberty through scaffolding (p. 67). The torch rises dramatically above the gridwork, suggesting that American freedom can never be constrained. There is obvious forethought to Rudnick's work -- as in a shot of ironworkers on the Brooklyn Bridge perfectly framed by the Twin Towers (p. 49) -- but his photographs never appear cliched or stilted. Gotham Restored offers up new rewards with each viewing. It should serve to place Rudnick among the pantheon of living photographers. Highly, highly recommended.

Thomas Mellins provides the text for Gotham Restored: The Preservation Of Monumental New York, an impressive survey of photographer James Rudnick's works on New York. Rudnick's images gave him a reputation as a documentary photographer, and his projects following landmark buildings and structures in New York provide fine shots from 'before' and 'after' their reconstruction. New Yorkers in particular will find this packed with memories and familiar images.

This beautifully designed book presents monumental icons in a way that is both insightful and inspirational. The subject matter in this work is so very familiar (the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge, Grand Central Station and the NY Public Library) that it would have been temptingly easy to trivialize and display these structures as they are frequently seen in glossy calendars and travel books. In contrast, Rudnick's exquisite work transcends these more commonly seen depictions. His intimate knowledge of, and obvious reverence for, the structures allows him to share with the reader unique perspectives that revitalize our appreciation for these great national treasures. The book celebrates the exhaustive and impressive work that the restorations entailed and the presence of the various craftspeople in the shots allows one to appreciate the enormous scale of the projects. Those who spend time with this book will never look upon these colossal structures in quite the same way again.

A curious thing happened to me as I read the text and looked at these photographs. They made me feel somehow comfortable and pleased. I realized this after going through the entire book. It was comforting to see how these standard landmarks are rejuvenated to be enjoyed for time to come. Far more than a "coffee table" book on famous sights (or sites), the images are embued with the authors sensitivy to the aesthetic of the structures and the city. If you love New York you will enjoy this volume. Wonderful book and a great gift for anyone who knows NYC.

Neff, Thomas. "Holding Out and Hanging On: Surviving Hurricane Katrina", University of Missouri Press, 2007.

A Reminder

Amos Lassen

I have had many different kinds of experiences in my life but one that certainly stands out is Hurricane Katrina and I think that is not only because of what I saw but how it so drastically changed my life. There are still pictures in my mind that I do not think I shall ever forget and I am not sure that I want to forget.
Thomas Neff in "Holding Out and Hanging On" allows me to remember and in his photographic essay, he shows us the real impact that Katrina had on the lives of those who went through it. Looking at his photographs is like having a conversation with the people in them. We see moments that go beyond what the camera saw. There is great sensitivity here and a great deal of insight. Many of us who experienced the storm will never forget what we saw but it seems to me that others who were not directly involved need to be reminded of one of the worst disasters in American history. We all must remember Katrina.
Neff not only gives us photographs but also interviews with those affected directly by Katrina and the book is a wonderful testament to those who have been able to rebuild their lives but we must remember that not everyone has been that lucky. A lot has been accomplished since the storm but there is still plenty to do.
Neff's photos and the text shows us what kind of man the author is--he is filled with compassion and courage and an example for all of us As it broke my heart, once again, to see these pictures, I can only imagine what was going on in Neff's mind as he took them. The book documents a disaster--one we should never have to face again.

Neff has produced a magnificent book here of portraits of Katrina victims. These are the REAL people and stories from Katrina!

Thomas Neff is a remarkable photographer and this book sharing the real impact of Katrina on people's lives is powerful, timeless, truthful in an inside and honest way that no casual viewer could comprehend. Neff's vision is sophisticated but pure, trained but revealing in its simplicity, visually poetic with the abhorrent facts of life that have been so cruel to so many. If that weren't enough, there are the essential, heroic and stunningly conveying essays which accompany each image. The photographs share so much comprehensive visual information that one needn't ask for more, but by conveying a much broader and richer context for each image through writing and story telling, a nearly complete cultural mosaic is spun, surrounding the milestone and epic event so unique in US History. This book will stand through time as a classic conveyance of important information about an event that we all know about, but certainly haven't had, until this book provided us with it, an insider's view of the real nitty-gritty that is life, both cruel and beautiful. Way to go, Thomas Neff. Such a brilliant work which we should all feel grateful to comprehend.

Armed with a thorough history of the medium and a flawless technique that has played out over a distinguished career, Mr. Neff has produced a timeless and distinct look into a photographic story untold by the weekend warriors of popular media. The photographs in Holding Out and Hanging On are an extended conversation, empathetic moments that live far beyond the click of the shutter and into a tragedy that has long been forgotten by it's neighbors and countrymen. The photographs are the eye and the heart of a man who is compassionate, realistic, courageous beyond belief and a model for who we should strive to be. As the portraits separate themselves from the time of exposure, the complex clarity and humanity of Neff's photographs are further revealed as a critically important document of the people who lived though Hurricane Katrina as well as an informative and poetic addition to the canon of concerned photography.

Mr. Neff has been my friend and mentor for over ten years now and I could not be more proud to own this necessary book of socially and historically necessary photography that is flawless in it's execution and communion with the spirit and people of New Orleans.

Bradly Dever Treadaway
Faculty Member, The International Center of Photography
New York, NY

The drive down from Chicago to the French Quarter in the canteen left me feeling heavy hearted & speechless. The vast area that hurricane Katrina hit left behind a sea of wasteland like nothing I'd ever seen before. Some areas were completely wiped out where others were only battered, yet the people I met along the way while serving with the Salvation Army in the French Quarter were such a blessing. It was one afternoon in the French Quarter that I met Mr. Neff--I was on my way back from delivering supplies and checking on some of the neighbors. By this time the media was swarming the streets looking for new sensational stories for the headlines. I must say that I did meet a few that tried to report more uplifting personal stories of survival but the majority did not--they were insensitive and disrespectful to the residents. Mr. Neff had a sincere interest in the people he met & photographed, and you can see it in his subjects' eyes: their transparency and trust. Mr. Neff's body of work gives the reader a glimpse into his subjects' lives during this most difficult time. Thank you for recording what words cannot fully express.

This is a great picture book. I have almost every Kennedy family picture book available. I just happen to come across it in a bookstore near my home. I paid $19.99 for it, pretty good price. You can get here for about $16-17 but remember you have to pay shipping. So it comes out to more but it is soo worth it. When you are going through these pics its like being taken back in time. I'm pretty young my mom was born in 1957 so she was about Caroline's age when these pics were taken.

I highly recommend this book, primarily for the great picutures of JFK. This 40th anniversary volume succeeds in presenting many rare and never-before-seen photos. I especially like the ones depicting Secret Service agent Gerald Blaine on the rear of the limousine in Italy 7/63. Get this!
[...]

"John Fitzgerald Kennedy:A Life in Pictures"is a great way to remember President Kennedy.I'm a young,strong admirer of President Kennedy,and not only are there great pictures of Kennedy,there is a biography of Kennedy with speeches he made,including the speech he was going to make on November 22,1963.The best pictures are of Kennedy with Herbert Hoover and a picture of Jack Kennedy with his daughter Caroline and his niece Maria Shriver.I have seen a bunch of great Kennedy photos,and if you ever want the best Kennedy photo,buy Robert Stack's autobiography "Straight Shooting"and see the picture of Stack and Kennedy. "John Fitzgerald Kennedy:A Life In Pictures"is a must read for all Kennedy fans and even all non-Kennedy fans.

It is a great book !
Although I am not a "Kennedy fan", I have to admit these pictures are awsome. Over 300 pages of dream, glamour, fashion, history & photography.
It is not a political testimony, just a tribute to one of the most famous icons ever.
My advice ? THE perfect Xmast gift!!

This collection of over 300 pages of the usual suspected photographs, as well as many unseen or rare ones, was published to commemorate the passing of 40 years since our 35th President was vicously cut down in his prime.

The layout of the photographs is great. You see JFK throughout his life, from childhood, to Presidencey and every passing moment between. The photos are powerful, moving, show glamour and fun, you see a politician throughout his political career, you see a loving father, son, brother and husband. I have had quite a few photo books on JFk, but this is by far the best and most desirable one I have seen.

This photograph book would make a wonderful and truly appriciated gift for anyone who has any respect, love or interest in JFK. My sister is a huge JFK fan, she had a bust of him on our dresser growing up.

The price on Amazon, is as always, unbeatable. I saw this at a bookstore tonight for the full price.

Ten years ago this month A KIND OF RAPTURE was published. Toni Morrison boldly states in the Introduction that this collection of photographs by Robert Bergman will "forever mark a place in the history of artistic endeavor." You might accept this claim simply as generous enthusiasm--until this astonishing gallery of portraits unfolds before your eyes. Not since the publication of Robert Frank's THE AMERICANS (1958, French edition) has any photographic book searched the soul of America with such unexpected and artistically profound results. Like Robert Frank, Robert Bergman set out by car, traveling across America, capturing unplanned encounters with a simple 35mm camera. Bergman's book, A KIND OF RAPTURE, was published in 1998. Exactly four decades subsequent to THE AMERICANS, the world was given a photobook comparable in vision and originality to Robert Frank's landmark book. Open A KIND OF RAPTURE and you will conclude it was well worth the wait.

These are images that go beyond being visually powerful, they also have a profound spiritual, emotional and intellectual meaning. Toni Morrison's provocative meditation, "The Fisherwoman", is an integral part of this great work of art and provides a perfect entree into a gallery of sacred beauty.

I am much more of a devotee of black and white images than color - especially portrait photography. But, this incredible display of artistry sweeps me off my feet! The artistic depth and personal sensitivity displayed through this work makes me want to know more and see more from the master photographer who created it. You won't be disappointed with this purchase!

This superb book is nearly uncategorizable. The portraits contained in this volume, described as "color pictures of everyday people" taken with "a simple 35-mm camera, amateur film, no tripod, and no special lighting" are unlike any other photographs ever published. On a technical level, Robert Bergman's work equals the best of any of photographer now working (including any of a number of celebrity lensmen) while his painterly use of color, texture, and composition is unrivaled. This in itself would be enough for most photographers: in sensual terms there's much to startle and delight the eye. But for Bergman, the revelation of the inner life of the subject reigns supreme, and his masterly technique is entirely in the service of his manifest sympathy for each person whom he presents to us. It's here that these images depart so markedly from what we are used to seeing in a photograph of a person--each individual is revealed with the most penetrating gaze, but with such tenderness of spirit as to leave his or her human dignity unsullied. It's not photography, it's art. As Toni Morrison concludes in her Introduction, "Occasionally there arises an event or moment that one knows immediately will forever mark a place in the history of artistic endeavor. Robert Bergman's portraits represent such a moment, such an event."

Let me say that being able to hold this treasure in my hands and to feel the souls of both the artist and those within, provides an experience I never thought I would have. This book is a road map to the soul of all of us and it is my wish for everyone who is fortunate enough to see it that the door to the inner self that shines from Bergman's work is opened to them. It is a rich feeling indeed to be able to open the book at any point and see the face and love of God. Bergman is blessed with a vision that has brought this to Everyman. A KIND OF RAPTURE is a great and universal gift.

We've all gone to an art museum and after about an hour of seeing one masterpiece after another, we've reached the saturation point and can really not properly absorb seeing any more art no how matter how great it is. This boxed, coffee table book of color photographs had the same effect on me as becoming saturated in an unfamiliar museum. This Taschen printed volume differs from his earlier "David LaChapelle" catalogue in that it is 11 1/4 by 14 1/4 inch format and it's possible to really study the photographs. Most of these images are slick, surreal, erotic fantasy images. There are a few relatively straight portraits of major celebrities. The Portrait of a self-satisfied looking Hillary Clinton standing behind her almost empty, spotless office desk is one of those relatively straight-forward portraits. The photo is titled "Hillary Clinton, Century 21, 2001." Thanks to the large format double-page spread the reader is able to notice a lonely red apple sitting on the desk like it was just left by a admiring student. Unfortunately the apple is rotten and one can almost see the worm crawling out from the large black hole in the side of the fruit. Was this portrait some kind of future omen?
The book has many series such as the "Scarface Series", the "Taxi Driver Series", "What Will You Wear When You're Dead? Series", "Jesus Series" and the "Drunken American Series." There are several pictures that weren't necessarily part of a particular series, but were the same locations and sets used in several different series. One fire ravaged bedroom was the set for a portrait of Pink and titled "We Used to Have Fun, 2002." The same set minus Pink, was titled "Tina Used to Be So Much Fun, 2000." In a previous book the same photo had the title "Mama Smoked A Crack Pipe and Wore Fancy Shoes, Los Angeles, 2000." There is nothing wrong with using different titles for the same pictures in a different use, but it is interesting to see. Changing the title can change the entire meaning of the photograph. Another example of the same photo with a different title is the one called "Pamela Anderson & Tommy Lee Pose Naked with Sharon Gault's Family, 1999." In "David LaChapelle" that same scene is titled, "Tommy Lee and Family, Los Angeles, 1999."
This is such a wonderful book it's really impossible to do it justice. This one is more erotic and kinky than some of the photographer's earlier work, but even the nudes are so slick and plastic looking that they don't have much sex appeal. That's hard to imagine with so many photographs of Pamela Anderson, Lil' Kim, Angelina Jolie, and some of LaChapelle's other favorite drop-deal beautiful models and celebrities. Separating the various series are outstanding and far-out fanciful portraits of other celebrities including David Bowie, Sylvester Stallone, Philip Johnson, Robert Downey Jr., Muhammad Ali, Justin Timberlake, Jeff Koons, Alicia Keys, Elton John, Jocelyn Wildenstein, Toby Maguire, and Jude Law among others.
Naturally the book contains plenty of LaChapelle's visual puns, parodies, far-side humor and satire. This is an amazing buffet of colorful visual delights. For some reason, it reminds me of looking at those wax or plastic models of meals or services that are so much a part of Japanese merchandising. That's not a criticism,
just an observation. I very much enjoyed this collection of LaChapelle's concepts and finished pictures.

Love Lachapelle, pretty much an insane genius. His work is sexy, provocative, alluring, disturbing, insane, kinky, risqué, all while being too hot to handle... the book is so chock full of fun that a normal person can't look through the entire thing in one sitting without their head exploding. If only one day I can become him... Lachapelle if you are reading this, let me be your apprentice!

I got the book really fast! And it was perfect. Just a small scratch in the hard box.

Mr La Chapelle does it again with tongue in cheek dark humor. I bought this for a friend who collects wild and bizarre photo books...For me, it's a collector's item but not for the faint of heart or a coffee table book for a young family with children. He is an amazing photographer but more, an amazing imagination along with obvious sexual undertones,skills to stir it it all up and produce a unique statement through photo collage. My friend loved this book.

Lachapelle is great. The book has an incredible edition. Pure quality. Enjoy this fine piece of contemporary art.

i was introduced to Mark's images through her wonderful work in the picture book of the film BABEL. I was very impressed with her Magnum-esque images and after purchasing this book, i was equally as impressed by her talents. he Book whilst quite compact, beautifully presents some very strong and memorable images.

I read about the Phaidon 55S series in Popular Photography and thought I would check out the volume on Mary Ellen Mark. I have been drawn to her photographs for years and had recently seen an exhibition of her work in NYC. She has Walker Evan's gift for capturing moments in people's lives and she finds the life beyond the smile or grimace of the subject.Her subjects are lively and a bit wicked at times, but there is supreme truth in her photographs. This series gets its title from the fact that each book has 55 photos by the subject. The price is excellent for someone who wants to collect some great art for a low price. Great introduction to a talented artist....highly recommended.

This is yet another in a spectacular series of Phaidon 55 books devoted to some of the most important photographers of our time. This terse volume on Mary Ellen Mark's work includes all of her major documentary photography essays, ranging from her landmark series on homeless teens in Seattle, featuring Tiny, the waifish prostitute she'd befriend, to circus performers in India and Mexico. Indeed her work truly demonstrates her strong interest and compassion for people, depicting homeless Americans, Irish Tinkers (Gypsies) and India's impoverished masses with much interest and empathy for each of her subjects. This splendid book truly captures the immense breadth and depth of Ms. Mark's work. For years I have greatly admire her work and am pleased that some of her finest images are available now in this inexpensive book. Photographer and writer Charles Hagen has a superb introductory essay on Ms. Mark and her career. Without question, this fine volume is an exceptional introduction to Mary Ellen Mark and her critically acclaimed documentary photography.

Summary: These black-and-white images are produced on wonderful paper and with great quality. They explore the underlying human qualities we all share. The work is introduced by a Maya Angelou poem, and is concluded by an excellent essay in which Ms. Mark explains her work. Her subjects are mostly people of the economic and social underclasses as they pursue their hopes and dreams, while dealing with their day-to-day problems. Viewing these photographs will draw you closer to people who, on the surface, are quite different from you. The models are often captured over time and in alternative settings to help explain their lives and personalities.

Content Caution: The images in this book contain a few involving minor female nudity that would earn its contents an R rating if it were a motion picture.

Review:

"I note the obvious differences

in the human family."

" . . . but we are more alike, my friends,

than we are unalike." -- Maya Angelou

The theme of this poem nicely captures the focus of this book of loving photographic images. As Ms. Mark says, "I much prefer to photograph people I care about." She wants to "build a rapport with my subjects." In studying them, "I am guided by what moves and surprises me." That final element will affect you as well. Too often, we mentally pass by those around us. Ms. Mark's images make us want to reach out with our hearts and minds.

The book shows people from all parts of America over the period from 1963 through 1999. The photographs portray all kinds of races, creeds, colors, and political and sexual persuasions. Ideas that you may not like are portrayed involving people you will probably find appealing. That juxtaposition of people and issues will cause you to rethink how you relate to others. It will probably make you more modest and humble, and that's good. Special themes involve the mentally ill, twins, homelessness, beauty contests, political rallies, and families over time.

My favorite images in the book are as follows:

Santa Claus at Lunch, New York City, 1963;

Marky Mark concert, Jersey City, New Jersey, 1993;

Hot Tub, West Orange, New Jersey, 1999;

Bodybuilder, Daytona Beach, Florida, 1991;

Russell, Kansas, 1986;

Mary Frances in the tub, Ward 81, Salem, Oregon, 1976;

Jail, Houston, Texas, 1977;

Husband and wife, Harland County, Kentucky, 1971;

Jesse Damm, Llano, California, 1994;

Hurstie Laxton after the flood, St. Louis, Missouri, 1993;

Million Youth March, New York City, 1998;

Lakiesha, South Dallas, Texas, 1988;

Clinton Albright and his father, Santa Clarita, California, 1982;

Nightclub off of Highway 61, Michigan, 1991;

Vashira and Tashira Hargrove, twins, H.E.L.P. Shelter, Suffolk, New York, 1993; and

Tiny, pregnant, Seattle, Washington, 1985.

After you see these photographs, you will probably agree with Ms. Mark that she has been on "a long and blessed journey" that has opened her heart and ours.

Seeing these photographs should encourage you to become acquainted with people you see who you would normally not think to speak to. Try living that way for a day. If you enjoy the experience, keep on going -- taking it . . . one day at a time.

Find the common ground . . . wherever you go!

I was fortunate enough to see the exhibition of these photographs at the International Center of Photography a few days ago. If you can, go to see the show before it closes. If you can't, buy this book and get a glimpse at the power of a photograph.

Though no expert, I enjoy the art of photography. I am particularly interested in portraits of real people. Mary Ellen Mark has the ability to capture people with extra-ordinary depth and feeling. Almost without fail, her images are moving. With a skill beyond the normal artist, however, her images have the ability to be thought-provoking.

Consider a photo labelled "Aryan Nations, Hayden Lake, Idaho, 1986." Three pleasant-looking, smiling women--the cherubic face of the woman on the far right particularly draws the eye--set in counterpoint to their white supremacist garb. Or consider the series of photographs of Tiny who has clearly experienced many things in her life but who face, amazingly, holds the same soul in each image. Or consider the contrast between the photographs of Julie d'Aquili and Cynthia Galves despite their similar poses. Julie is a healthy young woman but her somber expression stands out starkly against the cancer-ridden Cynthia who still manages a smile.

I believe that I could write something about every single photograph in this collection. Let me instead just say that these photographs will grip you and hold your attention for hours. You will come back to them again and again. And, unlike reproductions of paintings in a book, photographs do not suffer from the process nearly as much. I would encourage anyone with an interest in photography to take a look at this book.

As a 21 year old gay man, it is heartwarming and touching to see a such a beautiful coffee table book dedicated to portraying gay men positively and humanely, in addition to giving me hope that a long-term relationship can exist in a circuit/club/Abercrombie gay world. The stories of men who have been together for 10, 20, 30 + years are not only inspiring, but well written and accompanied with stunning black and white photos. However, while there was a considerable effort (and a good one at that!) to include a range of HIV positive and negative couples and while there were are three black men and possibly one Latino, I would have liked to have seen more gay men of color. I know there are Asian, Native American, and more Latino gay men in committed relationships, so it would have been nice to have them represented. Overall, it's a wonderful book and contribution to the GLBT community and worth buying--if anything, I just wish it were longer, so that it could include more diversity.

My partner and I are two of the subjects (or is it ONE of the subjects?) of this book. Andy Jones has shown great perception in his interpretation of the interview that we gave and his pen has told 29 very different stories with charm and wit. David Fields black & white photography is stunning and dramatic.

Althouh I'm gay, I still believe in love, married and family. This book show that these things are possible for gay couples. Some people always think of gay men as feminine-type of guy who like to act as women and running for every good-lookig guy on a street. This book will give readers more understanding in gay people.

Like one of the other reviewers on this page, I grew up without positive Gay role models, and it took decades for me to learn self-respect. This book reminds us that well-adjusted Gay couples can be found throughout our culture, something that's important for young Gay people to learn and for older Gay people to remain aware of.

I'm lucky enough to be acquainted with one of this book's subjects, Steve Langley of Washington, and I have a lot of respect for the choice he and his partner have made to be included. It's a beautiful book.

I gave this book to my mother when my partner and I decided to have a commitment ceremony. Mom was having trouble understanding and didn't seem to recognize our commitment to each other as equally valid to straight marriages. After she read the book, she sent my partner a HUGE bouquet of flowers and a card telling him she was so pleased that he was going to become an "official" part of our family!

If for nothing else, us it for sitting around with your friends accompanied by a few bottles of wine and have a laugh! The scary thing is sooo much of this book is factual on some odd level.

This book really made me laugh, although I am the most ungenerous cynical person.

I defy anyone to not just love this eccentric tongue-in-cheek look at decorating. It takes interior design and skews it with hilarious results. Clever, original, and only slightly obscene. (And I'm talking about the rooms...!) A great urban gift.

This is my book so I'm not unbiased in my giving it 5 stars, but disregard the inaccurate Amazon description above. Here's the deal: It's a collection of real online male personal ad photos with the figures obscured, and then my critique of the room's decor behind them. Fight Club author, Chuck Palahniuk included Obscene Interiors in his list of Top Ten Books of the past 10 years - Yay! And Dave Eggers had this to say, "Obscene Interiors is not only a cruelly brilliant idea, but it's executed with great cunning and even some warmth."

From the back cover: A first of its kind collection of online male personal ad photos featuring shockingly explicit amateur decorating action! Lamps, plants, curtains and couches mix it up in this graphic display of aesthetic perversion!

What a hilarious book. Page after page of men who are simply oblivious. These guys have no shame in exposing themselves with a variety of backdrops, ranging from tacky, scary to out and out gross. This is like a book of favorite cartoons - you just keep picking it up.

this is a very nice book for the money, for those interested in unusual photography

Somewhat a photographic collection of the "best of Jerry Uelsmann" -the intricate, fantasy-like surrealist photographer. Works almost solely in the darkroom - not digitally. The book does not really mention Uelsmann's pristine practice in the darkroom, however provides quotations from the artist.

Had this book delivered just in time before the artist came recently to Pittsburgh. The 70 year old charismatic artist was kind enough to sign my book. Very entertaining, down to earth modern artist.

A beautifully produced book of gelatin silver photographs to be looked at and
savored. Uelsmann's photographs question our world of physical realities
and introduce us to his world of visual realities. His photographs mystify
and question. They are of things that don't exist, yet do exist.

All of Uelsmann's books reflect a poetic irrationalism, and this book is no exception. The images evoke a strange and surreal eloquence. Technically, like all of his work, the prints are tonally rich even as reproductions.

There are numurous photgraphers who currently utilize digital tools in the creation of similar collage/montage work, yet they rarely achieve the same formal elegance as Uelsmann - and he has been doing this for years - long before Adobe Photophop became a tool in the photographers arsenal. He's the photgraphic collage master - Version 1.0.

I first saw Jerry Uelsmann's work in the sixties when we were stranded in a Chicago Airport by a snowstorm, waiting for the same commuter plane. He was in his late twenties then and carrying a portfolio of his work. As we talked, he shared it with me. I knew I was in the presence of artistic genius immediately. Already, I discovered, he was well known in the art work with major exhibits in known galleries. Not only did the content of his montages excite me but, but, being an amateur darkroom photographer at the time, I had some vague sense of the skill involved in his final productions. We were friends for a number of years and lost touch, but I've kept up with his work because I still admire it so deeply. This book is a treasure and I recognize some montages from the sixties in it, as well. Jerry is not only creative, but he's an interesting lecturer and funny, besides. The child in him will never die. I suspect that's one big reason he's so good. I would highly recommend any of his books, and this is one!

Paradise Outlaws is a personal memoir of the Beat Generation. Elissa Schappell, in the Sept. issue of Vanity Fair, said that the book is "the original Beat scholar's Roman candle of a memoir, dosed with anecdote, lit crit, and spectacular Mellon photos of Big Daddies such as Burroughs and Ginsberg. Go ahead, pull my daisy."

As much time as John Tytell has spent with Beat writers and artists, it is understandable that he would return to the topic twenty years after first publishing Naked Angels. That book is one of the best early references on the lives and works of Ginsberg, Kerouac, and Burroughs--fully informed by Tytell's scholarly research and interviews with Beat figures. If there is one criticism of Naked Angels, it is that the book has begun to show its age as more and more important biographical and critical discoveries are made regarding the Beats (for instance, Kerouac's letters and journals--and the publication of Some of the Dharma). With Paradise Outlaws, Tytell has taken the opportunity to update--and in some cases expand on--his work in Naked Angels. The result is something of a companion to the first book, with the Kerouac-Ginsberg-Burroughs sections shortened substantially and the academic tone removed. Tytell compliments this approach with first-hand accounts of his relationships with Beat figures (accompanied by photographs by his wife, Mellon). By doing this, he has created a personal book, a "My Life With and Studying the Beats." It is a unique perspective that stands out in the current glut of Beat books.

Tytell's first-person, casual writing gives Paradise Outlaws the feel of a conversation more than a lecture. With this in mind, the book should not be read as a critical study of the Beats, rather as an oral history. (Tytell even recommends Jack's Book: an oral biography by Barry Gifford and Lawrence Lee to reinforce his approach.) While it seems, at times, that Tytell and Mellon tossed in photographs for no reason and tried to make them fit with the Beat theme, it's hard to find fault considering the book is based on Tytell's own experiences and opinions. Who's to argue if he thinks the "Rainbow Family" is a descendent of Beat culture?

Finally, Tytell concludes the book with a fantastic section on pedagogy. References to and recommendations of source material from a Beat student with the experience and knowledge of Tytell should be taken seriously. My only complaint is that his final section--the Beats influence on pop culture--is typically narrow. All the allusions to punk music reminded me of The Rolling Stone Book of the Beats. Tytell, of all people, should give the Beats more credit for their influence and dig a little deeper into the social fabric to find the true cultural legacy of the Beats. But this is a small criticism of a book that belongs on the shelf of any person who has found themselves captured by the humanity and personal nature of the Beats. Tytell's book would make his Beat friends proud.

Beat scholar John Tytell first covered the Beats in 1976's seminal "Naked Angels," one of the first books to take the Beats seriously as a literary movement. Tytell's new book, "Paradise Outlaws," continues his vibrant work on Beat words and Beat life with a Beat lesson: it is life itself which gives literature its pulsating heart. The Beats took this as a credo and they confessed their lives, loves, sins, and visions throughout their work. "Paradise Outlaws" follows in this tradition by mixing Tytell's life with his book: part literary criticism, part memoir, this vitally important additon to our thinking about the Beats weighs their impact on American culture at the same time it describes Tytell's own interation with the Beats as Beat teacher, critic, and friend. "Paradise Outlaws" is also packed with stunning photos of the Beats by Mellon, whose loving camera eye catches the Beats in frozen time as Tytell's prose thaws them out. This is a book that will prove to change how we read and think about one of the most important literary movements America has ever had.

The Beats are usually regarded as a back-to-the-earth clan of literary geniuses, but somehow mystically detached from mainstream humanity. Most studies of the Beats treat them as a dying species, certainly on the endangered list, in the style of a distant scientific treatise. Because he knew them as friends, John Tytell has studied the Beats and written many intriguing books that attempt to capture their inner nature, as well as their literary impact. His latest work, "Paradise Outlaws: Remembering the Beats," continues the tradition, but his style is even more congenial that in his previous books, probably because has seen many of his friends pass on, touching a sense of nostalgia. John wife, the noted photographer Mellon, has added delightful selections from her extensive photographic portfolio of the Beats. Her photographs are as intimate and revealing of the inner human nature of the Beats as John's words, and together they portray the Beats as an unusual fraternity who relish living outside the mainstream, but who at the end of the day have their own set of simple human emotions, feelings, and drives. After reading "Paradise Outlaws," I felt I knew the Beats just a little better as tender people, not towering icons. Mellon's photographs painted real faces on those often gentle people, yet intense through their work. Her photographs, along with John's humane words, left me with fond remembrances of new friends--real people, not lifeless participants in a museum diorama.

The good thing about this book is that it's neither a thick boring pedantic tome, nor a fluffy coffeetable picture book. The photographs are personal and real like a family album with a great photographer in the house. And then there's the text which I liked because even though I'm pretty familiar with the subject matter, Tytell's one of those encyclopedic professor types that can retain all these different facts at once and then weave them in together. Like that Larry Rivers lived on West 21st, and would hear Bill Cannastra's parties on West 20th and go over, and that's where Rivers joined up with Jack and Allen for the first time - in the very apt. where Jack would soon write On The Road. There are all of these interesting little details sprinkled in with a friendly big picture take, coincidently framed by all the pictures Mellon took. There's Cherry Valley in the 70's, Boulder in 82, and NYC in the mid-to-late-90's that really gives you a great perspective on the gang growing up. Yeah - perspective - that's what this has - great perspective! Read on!