The Americans by Robert Frank, Jack Kerouac
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Book Reviews of The Americans
Book Review: Worth the Money
Summary: 4 Stars
The controversy surrounding this book is the perfectly natural - even compelled - result of the fact that 83 pictures cannot begin to represent the absolute infinite number of perspectives on life in the United States - or, the world, for that matter. Indeed, that it is titled "The Americans," with the intimation that it is a definitive photographic explication of the topic, demands the debate. Nevertheless, the pictures are deeply evocative and I am so pleased to have it in my library.
One other note on Mr. Frank. I became familiar with him through an interview on the Bob Edwards radio show related to the fiftieth anniversary of the book's publication. In that interview, Mr. Frank noted that he saw southerners in the fifties as "arrogant in their righteousness," and went to express his gratitude that things had changed since then. Having been born in the deep south in 1954, and having lived here all my life, I share some of Mr. Frank's gratitude that things have changed. However, pockets of the South remain backwards, despite the changes that have taken place around them. In these pockets, folks remain overbearing in their righteousness - arrogant and primitive in their fundamentalist religious faith. Often as not they abuse - simply because they can get away with it - those who don't think according to their prescribed and, sadly, myopic "norms." In these areas, anti-intellectualism is seen as a positive character trait.
But, if you have a genuine interest in - and are open to the idea of - seeing the world through insightful eyes, you wouldn't be wasting your money on this book.
Book Review: Inspiring
Summary: 4 Stars
Robert Frank changed the world of photography with this collection of work. I think every young photographer should own and study this book.Book Review: iNTERESTING
Summary: 4 Stars
Excellent print quality.. A glance at common people in random daily-life shots. It's a book worth a place in your handsBook Review: Am I completely obtuse?
Summary: 3 Stars
I purchased this much heralded photo collection book after reading the review in Newsweek. Maybe I'm not artsy-sophisticated enough to understand the supposed power and humanness or whatever behind these photos. I just don't get them. For a much better look at people in general, look at the book The Life of Man, or even a book of Norman Rockwell paintings. Those books will give you a better idea of life from the 1920's to the 1970's, and the people. The only photo that did stand out to me was the cover photo of the bus. It's painful.Book Review: Meh.
Summary: 3 Stars
I realize that review may be photograher blasphemy, but I didn't find this book to be as amazing as I had heard. This may be partially due to the fact that the photographs were taken in a time that I have a hard time relating to.
As for the quality of the photographs and the quality of the book - both are top-notch.