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Great review... (Reply to this comment)
by talyseon
...and nice to see a book about affection, and not just attraction. That is one of the casualties of the modern age where the love that dare not speak its name can be written about in graphic detail. Sometimes we focus on what two men do, and not why they do it.
And your question why does the Mona Lisa smile? Wickedly effective at involving the reader.
Talyseon.
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Apr 07 '08
3:49 am PDT
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Your Review Is a Work of Art. (Reply to this comment)
by nobody_knows
Love your piece, Peter! You have done such a wonderful job explaining the book and making the explanation interesting and thoughtful. As you say, you could flip through the book just looking at the photographs quickly, or, (IMHO the best way) slowly leaf through, making up stories for each picture.
And your closing remark, "Why is Mona Lisa smiling?" brought me up short - and put a slow smile on my face. Simply fantastic!
Thanks so much,
Judy
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Jun 30 '01
11:05 am PDT
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Not sure how this could be less than VH ... (Reply to this comment)
by Urbanist
It's great to see you reviewing books of photography, which I suppose is a nice midpoint between your interests in film and in the written word. I agree with the many others who see the lack of biographical detail as perfectly appropriate, given that the book is about exactly that mystery.
All the best,
Urb
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Jun 26 '01
10:47 pm PDT
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Oh, I WANT this book! (Reply to this comment)
by wovengold
This is a favorite pastime. I love looking at vintage photos and wondering. You've captured the tension between knowing and not knowing (but knowing nevertheless) -- There's nothing more compelling than a photo of some anonymous someone long gone that still speaks volumes.
Wonderful review -- Kristin
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Jun 26 '01
10:34 am PDT
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A thoughtful and sensitive piece (Reply to this comment)
by Epicure
Peter,
What a beautifully written, insightful review! This book was clearly created for readers like you - people who would recognize, for example, that the very act of having a photograph taken during the mid-19th century might be more significant than the content of the photograph itself. I love the stories that photographs tell. Your review reminds me of a game that my friend and I use to play. My friend lived in the hills, so from her house we could see into the windows of various homes below. We use to make up conversations that the residents of these homes were having based on their body language, and see who could come up with the most interesting stories. Yes, I think this is definitely my kind of book. Thanks.
Epicure :)
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Jun 25 '01
3:45 pm PDT
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Dear everyone, (Reply to this comment)
by eplovejoy
Thank you for your especially generous praise and encouragement. Ed and Stephen gathered an exceptional groups of writers to take part in a terrific write-off, and I'm honored to be in their company.
Best wishes,
Peter
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Jun 25 '01
11:54 am PDT
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Re: pretty+good (Reply to this comment)
by eplovejoy
I hope this helps. It is the "about the author" blurb from the dust jacket:
Russell Bush, former fashion designer turned haut decorator, remains modern in spite of a penchant for the past. Born, raised, and schooled in Pennsylvania, he now lives in New York City. He is well traveled, on the path to being well read, and remains elegant despite the extravagant number of books with which he lives. This is the first one he can truly call his own.
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Jun 25 '01
11:52 am PDT
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What they said, (Reply to this comment)
by repulsemonkey
I'll loudly echo the words of Shannon, Mike, Walter, and Nick here, and add that it truly distresses me to see such a thoughtful piece of work downrated because it's held to a standard of what the reader wants it to be, rather than what it wants to be.
Beautiful prose and point here, Peter, I'd give you two VHs if I could.
monkey
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Jun 24 '01
6:40 pm PDT
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I prefer to think the absence of biographical detail... (Reply to this comment)
by NFP
..enhances the artistic value of the photos. I prefer to make my own interpretations of what I'm seeing when it's presented as art rather than as fact.
And this book ties in nicely with some of the observations raised by Carmen ("macondo") in her review of essays in art, especially vis a vis Mapplethorpe's photos.
Well done, Peter.
nick
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Jun 24 '01
11:18 am PDT
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... (Reply to this comment)
by mangiotto
Heresy to give Peter less than a VH, I fear, not out of a sense of duty nor obligation, but out of a fear and trembling that you be judged against him. A thing that I would dearly love to avoid as I doubt any single one of my mad scribblings would amount to a hillock of beans against any another of Peter's brilliant essays.
Kind and a gentleman, E. also manages, to echo a few here, to point me in the direction of works that I would never have otherwise known. Epinions working, at last, and this time consistently.
Cheers mate,
Walter
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Jun 24 '01
10:55 am PDT
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Re: pretty+good (Reply to this comment)
by Sloucho
Peter,
For what it's worth, I think you did an excellent job of explaining why the lack of information is sort of the point. As you point out, however, filling in the blanks isn't everyone's cup of tea.
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Jun 23 '01
7:10 pm PDT
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I'm sure I would love... (Reply to this comment)
by prettyinpink
...the ambiguity of these photographs! My psychoanalytic bias believes such ambiguity is just an opportunity for each of us to project our own thoughts, fears, or desires!
And oh...my...gosh...isn't life, aren't relationships OFTEN ambiguous?
Neat choice for this write-off, and deftly reviewed!
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Jun 23 '01
7:05 pm PDT
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... (Reply to this comment)
by Psychovant
Peter,
I think it's odd that you would be rated H because you didn't include the sorts of things another writer would have included in her review.
I just thought that odd, but anyway I wanted to tell you that with each passing review you manage to spark my interest about something or another. Between you and a few other people on this site I am going to have to win the lottery in order to check out all of the books, music, and movies that keep being put in my head. :)
Wonderful read, I am thoroughly enjoying this write-off, as a participant surely but more so as a patron to the fine reads popping up every hour.
Shannon ...
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Jun 23 '01
2:48 pm PDT
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pretty good (Reply to this comment)
by jankp
I think it's fine reading, but it would be nice to know more about the compiler. Is there a short biography of him or introduction to the book? I was wondering throughout why he didn't comment more on the pictures and if he's a writer with other books or is gay himself.
Jan
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Jun 23 '01
1:08 pm PDT
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In some cultures, even today, (Reply to this comment)
by wordwalker
men walk down the street holding hands just because they are friends. How sad that even athletes in this country must mostly drench and whack each other!
Please accept my affectionate praise for having written this fine review.
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Jun 23 '01
12:50 pm PDT
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