Documentary-collections Books

OUTSTANDING!!! I bet I have looked at this book from cover to cover a dozen times AND STILL find it moving ever time I go back and look at it again. I feel a kinship to many of the people shown because they reminded me so much of my own family and the lives they lived as farmers.

This is no "coffee table book of pictures!" Appropriately done in black and white, the photography is stunningly powerful. No sugar coating here in telling the story of the hardship these folks lived. The photos captures their lives and moods in a plane and simple way leaving viewers with a real sense of "the other side of America."

If you purchase this book. be prepared to have those around you take a look at it and then talk about it.

John Francis Ficara, you did good!

The picture on page one is of Griffen Todd, a third-generation farmer. He's standing in a recently plowed field, eyes turned toward the skies. Under his overalls he wears a pristine, starched white shirt. His son, Griffen Jr. will take over the farm.

This eloquent book paints a picture of what is happening today to small, independent, black farmers. Today, unlike the Todd family, most black farmers are the last generation.

Without a doubt, all small farms are being squeezed out by megafarms. But the black farmer, primarily through racism, is being driven out at rates at least ten times higher than their counterparts.

The pictures tell a story--pride, hard work, a connection to the earth. But don't neglect the essay. "Each photograph articulates the paradox facing black farmers: what looks like slavery is, in fact, the most courageous form of economic self-determination, and what looks like "the simple life" is, in fact, a profoundly complex and risky economic undertaking."

The last photograph depicts a vine-shrouded structure that once housed a farm family, and the essay ends with "These pictures are timeless and speak to the best virtues of the American heart... , Here is a golden twilight to treasure--the story of black American farmers.

I hope this is a documentary for black farmers of future generations, and not one about the fading of a way of life.

Armchair Interviews says: Highly recommended.

John Ficara is a truly gifted photojournalist. His latest undertaking is a work of love and historical necessity. The plight of the Black farmer in America is that they are quickly losing out to large corporate entities, and the family farm is quickly vanishing. Ficara's documentation of their lives and fruitless efforts to continue a family tradition is admirable and very well done. A true keeper for those who admire beautiful photography and historical documentation.

In 1920 black Americans made up 14 percent of all farmers in the nation: they owned and worked millions of acres. Today they are less than 1 percent of the nation's farmers and less than 3 million acres are cultivated under their hand. BLACK FARMERS IN AMERICA provides a photo documentary of their lives, providing some 100 duotone photos with chapters hardship and farming life. Juan Williams provides the historical background for the photos as he charts racism and struggles as they affected black farming efforts in this nation. A 'must' for any college-level collection strong in Afro-American history and studies.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

John Ficara, a well respected photojournalist, undertook this ambitious documentary project on his own. With a world filled with "celebrity" journalisim, Ficara devoted a major period of time to document the plight of Black Farmers in America. Not done with pity or cheap shots, Ficara brought us a book with integrity, remarkably strong images, and an understanding of an issue overlooked by the main stream press and government.

This is a book which should be a must for each serious library and photography program.

A "keeper"!.

The photographs and the written text of this book compliment each other
perfectly. This book is put together not just for the Bob Marley fan but
any style music fan and also for fans of photography.

AUTHOR WAS OBVIOUSLY A CLOSE FRIEND OF BOB'S!

MY ONLY SUGGESTION IS THAT THOS BOOK REALLY POTRAYS CLEARLY THE LIFE OF A LEGEND.

Pi up this book put the record on and get into this love and obscurity of "Slave Driver". Enjoy it.

One of the most surprising things you'd expect out of me, a 15 year old skate punk kid, is my collection of books. Big and small, short and long, all of my books are spanned on a shelf system that runs around my room. An those are just the good ones. The really good ones go in my night table drawer. This is one of them. Bob Marley is and was one of the most inflential people not only in my life, but in many others as well. This book not only shows that, it also shows the feels and vibes of Caribbean life during his time. It richly illustrates reggae in general, racial boundaries, and social problems of Marley's time. It is a vividly painted portrait of one of the greatest musicians of our time. With facts from his birth to his death and everything that happened to him in between, it helps you (the reader) to fully understand this great person. Bob Marley was truly influential, and this book illustrates that fact completely. You will read it over and over and over again.

ANSEL ADAMS WAS THE BEST. I DRIVE PAST MANZANAR EVERY FEW WEEKS AND, WONDER HOW THEY SURVIVED OUT THERE. A FEELING OF INJUSTICE, OVERWHELMS ME. HOW SAD THAT THE NATION CAME TO THE POINT OF INCARCERATION FOR, BEING OF JAPANESE HERITAGE. I AGREE WITH ABE LINCOLN IN THE LETTER THAT HE WROTE TO JOSHUA SPEED THAT SAYS,"WHEN IT COMES TO THIS, (FREEDOM)I SHALL PREFFER EMIGRATING TO SOME COUNTRY WHERE THEY MAKE NO PRETENSE OF LOVING LIBERTY... WHERE DESPOTISM CAN BE TAKEN PURE, AND WITHOUT THE BASE OF ALLOY OF HIPOCRACY. READ PAGE 9 IN THE BOOK!!!
IT IS A VALUABLE PIECE OF OUR HISTORY. THANK YOU ANSEL ADAMS. HE IS GONE NOW BUT, THIS WILL LIVE ON AS HIS RECORD OF, UNITED STATES HISTORY.

SHIRLEY GREER

I have read quite a few books and articles about the unfortuante/sad/?criminal Japanese-American experience during WW II. This book, although it does not add to the historical record per se, includes rich, wonderful pictures from Ansel Adams that bring more visual support to ones' images of how terrible the situation was, but also how strong and resourceful the Japanese-American people were and hopefully still are (just look up the Japanese word "gaman")

Born Free And Equal: The Story Of Loyal Japanese Americans is an impressive combination of historic photographs and writings about the Japanese-Americans who were imprisoned in Manzanar, one of ten such relocation camps, as a result of wartime fears regarding possible sabotage by members of the Japanese and Nisei (American-born men and women of Japanese ancestry) living along the American west coast. During the era of World War II, virtually all the American people of Japanese descent in the states of California, Oregon and Washington (most of them citizens), were interned in relocation camps scattered through the Midwest. Born Free And Equal captures memories of this prison community and how the families in it lived in broad, sweeping, black-and-white photographs. Born Free And Equal is a powerful, highly recommended, historically factual book, accurately capturing with poetic realism a dark and controversial aspect of America's WW II effort, which, along with such horrors as the European Holocaust and the Japanese atrocities in the Far East, must never be forgotten.

Finally, I was able to pick up a copy of this long-awaited book. The original is extremely expensive to pick up, and with the additional introductory information, this is an improvement. A fascinating read, fantastic print quality... A must have!

In the autumn of 1943, the eminently talented photographer Ansel Adams traveled to the Relocation Center at Manzanar, California. This was one of the camps where the United States government relocated (some would say "imprisoned") the many people of Japanese descent who lived in the western, Military Zone 1, so that they could not assist Imperial Japan in its war against the United States. Among the many people sent to this camp were men, women, children and the elderly; immigrants from Japan, the children (born in the U.S.) of Japanese immigrants, and the those even farther removed from Japan; not to mention a decorated veteran of the Spanish-American War (Seaman 1st Class Harry Sumida of the U.S.S. Indiana).

It was here that Ansel Adams set up his camera, and put a human face on this tragedy. This is his book; the pictures he took, and the text he wrote. Originally published in 1944, this newer edition (published in 2001) contains all of the original photos, several additional photos that Mr. Adams took but didn't include in the original, and several fascinating introductions written by Japanese-Americans.

Considering the topic of this book is something of a cause celebre, one might imagine that this book was something of an anti-American screed. Well, if you thought that, you would be wrong. This book is a very balanced look at what happened, and the people who were caught up in it. Mr. Adams wanted the book to be factual, so both the good aspects and bad aspects are covered. That said, though, the book was something of an expose of what happened, and is not a whitewash. Therefore, if you are looking for a book that will tell you about this historical tragedy, then I highly recommend this book.

Terrific photo essay on the people that make up good old Brooklyn NY.
This book is a must for all Brooklynites, current and past residents.
It really captures the essence of each individual highlighted, with a
interesting mix of subjects. Highly recommend-

I love this book! It embodies everything Brooklyn. I grew up in upstate New York, didn't visit Brooklyn until I was in my 30s, I fell in love immediately with the sights, sounds and people...there is nothing fake about Brooklyn, it's the real deal. This book not only puts it into words, but amazing portraits of the people that live and work there. It's worth a look.

The care with which these two have crafted this vision of our beloved Brooklyn is evident in every shot and sentence. I went to high school with both of the authors and am in the book. But even if I hadn't and weren't, from half way across the country this book would make me feel like I was back on the block.

Growing up in the nosebleed section of Queens, I always admired Brooklyn from afar. And this incredible book captures it all in verse and image--it's big and brash and bold and beautiful and unabashedly proud. You'll find all the big Brooklynite names profiled here (Spike Lee, Rosie Perez, Jonathan Lethem...) but I think what makes the book so touching is how the authors were able to capture the "real" people who call this place home. In these pages, you find a sense of pride and community that has all but evaporated in the rest of the city...and the country, for that matter. Deserves a spot on your bookshelf or coffee table.

As a native Brooklynite now living beyond the boundaries of Kings County I spend at least half of every day pining away for the comfort, culture and security of this beloved borough. Now I have found an artful and authentic way to bring Brooklyn back to my senses and into my life. Well done.

Nash is a great photographer, with a clear, timeless vision that you can literally feel. His photographs hold you and keep you looking into them, farther. This is another volume in the work of our best contemporary photographers, and an extraordinary record of art and a place we might never have otherwise seen.

Burning Man is often described as being indescribable, and for good reason. So much of the art created there is ephemeral, lasting just a few days before burning to the ground. An entire city of 30,000 rises, falls, and disappears. To some, it feels like a heartbeat, and to others, a lifetime. To describe it in words is nearly impossible, when so much quickly becomes the elusive memory of memories.

Through Nash's remarkable photographs, we see a decade of visionary work and creativity that physically existed for only a moment. Whether you've been to Burning Man or not, this book will fill you with awe, and longing for the place.

So much of the photogprahy of Burning Man is all glitz and surreal glamour, with a big measure of breast often thrown in. Yeah it's a big party with all sorts of wacky and interesting costumes and bright sights, but the real soul of the thing is the making of the art.

Public art is always a gift to its community. The type of art that has grown out there, especially in its scale and ambition, often demands substantial gifts from the community to exist. It is a sublime and outrageous feedback loop, the process and product of which have never been as clearly and deeply represented as in this luminous book.

The inner cover photo of a box of matches full of dust and containing not only matches but burnt stubs, cotter pins and a spring, is one of the most complete and lovely images of the spirit of these brave artists I have ever seen. If you can understand that photo you can probably understand the process of making art out there.

Leo Nash certainly does understand the process. By far the most revealing collection of Burning Man photos ever compiled, as close to a portait of the thing as you are likely to see.

I bought the book because I like black and white photos and because my son has attended Burning Man and worked for the corporation that creates the event in 2003. My intention is to give him the book; but, I decided to read the text before sending it off. The intro is long winded drivel (and at the time of this writing, the writer of the introduction has wasted valuable real estate on this product page with some self serving crap from his blog; who wants to wade down the page to get to the real reviews?) and the text by the photog is self indulgent in the style of the "burners." The notion that this event is somehow "spontaneous" is what really makes me laugh. A more apt description would be something on the order of "this is my personal journal and musings on this ongoing "spontaneous" event, plus some photos" The pictures are well made, and the presentation with a slipcover is nicely done, which is what rescues the book.

I just received this book as a gift. I immediatley sat down and slowly turned each page in amazement of what he has captured. I cried.

This is seriously one of the coolest books I've ever seen in my life. I've never been to Burning Man (wouldn't want to), but these pictures are AMAZING. It might have been worth enduring desert discomfort dust storms and camping just to see the 2996 "Uchronia" structure-- wow.

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

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

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

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

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

The emotion that produces Vishniac's work,in the Eastern Europe Jewish comunnities a few years before the II World War is hard to put in words, because it's really a world that vanished not because of progress but because someone, with hatred, erased it from earth.
I feel grateful to Vishniac cause he allows us not to forget.

This book moved me a great deal. The black and white images convey such innocence in the children. The simplicity of the beautifully produced photographs juxtaposed with children's songs and rhymes (in Hebrew, Yiddish, and English) gives the impression of viewing the images in a gallery. The photographs, the narrative, and the publication itself are of very fine quality. And the message is unforgettable.

This is a powerful book. In its pages we find starkly beautiful black and white photographs of children laughing, crying, playing, studying, working, in the course of their daily life... unaware of the horrific nightmare that will overtake them soon and destroy their world.

The children's eyes look at you with all the innocent curiousity and wonder of eternal, universal childhood. You look again and apprehension grips you: in a few short years after being photographed, the future of many of these children will be brutally terminated in an unmarked mass grave or a crematorium. The poignancy of this harsh reality is driven home when you read editor Mara Vishniac Kohn's dramatic description of her father's desperate, futile efforts to use his photographs as a means of arousing the conscience of the world and inspiring action to save these children and their families. We learn that Roman Vishniac sent these photos to the White House, only to recieve a perfunctory note thanking him for "the excellent pictures you sent the President."

I must express my heartfelt compliments and appreciation to the editors, Mara Vishniac Kohn and Miriam Hartman Flacks, for the way in which they have presented these precious images-- accompanying them with the lyrics of appropriate Yiddish children's songs, in the original Yiddish and English transliteration and translation, rather than the standard dry caption text. I am especially grateful to the editors for including the music and annotation for these wonderful songs.

This book belongs in every home and library.

In a haunting collection of black-and-white photographs, Roman Vishniac records the lives of Jewish children in Eastern Europe in the early part of the century, before the start of the Holocaust. The text is a series of children's songs (in Hebrew with English translation), which are touching and show how much children are alike whether they're from one side of the world or another. But the shadow of the Holocaust, while never shown, shades readers' appreciation of the images. This is a book I will not soon forget.

I am an amateur photographer. 90% of good photography is in finding the right subject. These photos are stirring.

Helen Levitt's name is less well known than some of her images of New York street life. Perhaps that is the way she would wish it since she seems to have never sought fame. The book is as reticient as she and there is little commentary, but in truth little is necessary though I would love to know more about her and her work. This is a beautifully printed, organized and designed book and it was a pleasure to spend hours looking at the photographs. Often it was difficult to turn the page because each image is so compelling and resonates on many different levels. In a way, they are the perfect street images; they have the look of a snapshot but are so much more than that. Though they are all of New York they have a universal quality and speak about the truth of people's lives in a profound way. I admired the formal qualities of the photographs but what resonates most is the deep humanity of what she does, what she sees and records. It sometimes seems to me that photographers, in their quest for a good images,treats subjects with a level of distain and distance that is uncomfortable and ultimately manipulative. Crosstown is nothing like that and even when the photos are funny, and several are, they are funny in a very human way. There is nothing saccharine or trite in her work either and she has a great gift of photographing children without slipping into cuteness. I am a photographer and I treasure this book. I would certainly recommend it to others interested in photography, but I thinks its' appeal extends to anyone interested in the human condition and how we relate to one another.

Helen Levitt is not one of those New Yorkers who look neither to the left or right as they travel the streets of the city. This is a book about life. The neighborhoods she shoots are generally poor ones, yet we see people that are involved; people who are actively engaged in life even when they seem to be doing nothing. Her subjects -often children- play, they love, they communicate, they are lost in thought, and occasionally are sleeping.

A fine sense of humor permeates many of the scenes. Some subjects are caught in contorted, puzzling positions. We see the incongruous position of objects: an old 33rpm record in the street; a pair of shoes sitting by themselves on a sidewalk; three chickens wandering around a decrepit room -where did they come from? A mother's head is buried in the bottom of a baby buggy while the tyke yelps with joy. A dog is caught in the act of mistaking his owner's leg for a fire hydrant while she talks to a friend.

In general HL catches the warm side of humanity. Only a couple of pictures look like they were taken from a file of Jacob Riis (a 19th century photographer of New York tenement life). There was one particularly sad shot of a woman and her three children sitting on their front steps. They are obviously impoverished. The two youngest children seem quite content, but the mother seems weighed down with her life, and in the teen-age daughter we see the beginning of lost hopes.

This book is a must for anyone interested in street photography. It will take you a long time to get through this book as each photograph will hold your attention for some time.

This book has a number of unique photographs. Ms Levitt with many of these wonderful pictures,leaves you wondering what happened before or just after the picture was taken.
You can I believe see some connection to the style of Cartier Bresson with whom I understand she spent some time working.
I recommend the book.

If you admire the warmth and humanity of Helen Levitt's endearing photographs of New Yorkers, don't miss this book. The selection of photographs is superb and the printing and binding quality are first rate. This book could go out of print soon, from which time its value will grow quickly.

This is my latest favorite photography book. I have a large collection that includes many with Manhattan as subject. The images captured by Levitt are stunning and the binding of the book itself is wonderful.

Interesting book , history in photos with written words. Found it in book store for twice as much. The book store suggested to buy it on line. So glad I did.

This anthology is a well-packaged, heart-warmingly first-person annoted retrospective of Lange's career. Enlighening glimpses into Lange's personal point-of view are offered here, showcasing her stark Depression-era WPA migration shots alongside her later vignettes of the American western plains and western coastal dwellers captured in their every day routines. Therein lies this collection's strength and weakness: while her Americana movement captured a rural slice of America which later mediums still struggle to duplicate, that subject matter still did not match the sheer horror and power of her WPA work, which captured the raw strength of the human spirit during life-threatening crises. The diversity of this collection makes it an essential introductory volume, however.

Dorothea Lange: Photographs Of A Lifetime (Aperture Monograph)

Dorothea Lange provides us with a great insight into the human condition and the state of humanity. Her photographs are timeless works of excellence. Anyone interested in photography, history or humanity will find her work compelling.

I had just recently seen a Lange exhibit when I bought this wonderful book. It starts with an essay on Lange by Robert Coles. Then it moves into her photographs and her own words. Her work is beautiful on its own, but to have the photographs and her philosophy side by side is an enriching experience. The photographs fill the entire book so it's a great read and a nice coffee table book. The images are primarily from her depression photos, but there are also pictures from around the world, her family and her early portraits. I also like that they included photographs of her and her oak trees. Dorothea Lange was a woman with such a unique perspective on life. I feel that this book does an excellent job of presenting her work.

This is a beautiful collection of this outstanding photographer's work, with a special emphasis on her Depression-era work. Highly recommended.

In the introduction, the creator of these photographs claims that his works of art are inspired by his dreams.

If these are his dreams, I hate to see his nightmares!

All the models are nude, and are in strange positions: holding bizzare items, draped just so.

Kinda makes you wonder: what will this guy think of next?

A tribal rapture splits our dream state revealing an untouched world of unique erotic forms. This book is a rare glimpse into the mind of John Santerineross, these images will stain your thoughts long after the cover has closed!

metaphors are a way of life and language normal people see the world in a normal way artists see life in a way that changes things...creating parallels between common images, symbolism and the world around us. Few people are able to catch their feelings their emotions their dreams into an image that they can show the rest of the world. John is one of those people. on one hand i am envious of his abilities. on the other i pity him his visions that which drives him to create these images must weigh heavy on his soul. it is the details that make his art so real so moving and so beautiful.

I was anxiously awaiting this title....after purchasing John's first book several years ago...I have hungered for more. This book exceeds my highest expectations!!! John Santerineross has the amazing ability to capture beauty and darkness simultaneously to create images that invoke an emotional response. I am amazed beyond words at the power in his images! I was mesmerized by each image, each detail...every part is hauntingly beautiful.
This book is a MUST HAVE!

Dream is the second book from American art photographer, John Santerineross, and further substantiates his wicked genius that was so rapturously introduced in "Fruit of the Secret God". There is no sense of evolution here; Dream takes off right where "Fruit of the Secret God" left off five years ago. And it screams!

Perusing through the pages of Dream is like entering another world, another dimension of human consciousness. A murky, cavernous realm where nightmares are reality, where Carl Jung sips tea with Freddy Kruger. The naked forms within are showcased as erotic centerpieces that are themselves part of a grander, seemingly more menacing vision. Bodies and body parts, shapes, symbols, and variety of different objects are weaved into a single, sexual tapestry, meant not so much to arouse as to incite.

Few will be able to view these images and not be moved, some may be offended, some excited, others frightened. But for those propitious few mesmerized and capable of looking deep into each portrait, and even deeper within themselves, they might be surprised to discover the most frighteningly original vision of human reality since Hiëronymus Bosch painted his medieval visions of Hell.