Brothers [Hardcover]

Editors of Esquire (Author), Tobias Wolff (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 13, 1999

From some of the worlds most recognized faces, including the Clintons, the Kennedys, the Scorseses, and the Dalai Lama, to those who are remarkable only in their ordinariness, these timeless photos capture brothers from all walks of life, politicians, businessmen, athletes, actors, and artists, in their most intimate moments. A unique and compelling exploration of love and friendship, rivalry and intimacy, Brothers is certain to become a perennial favourite.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Into the crowded garage of close relationship photo books comes a Cadillac. And wouldn't you know, its subjects are all male. The editors of Esquire have freighted it with Pulitzer Prize winners, plenty of the magazine's high-powered contributors, some high-rolling TV scribes, and a Kennedy, all writing about their own fraternal relations--well, of course; Frank McCourt's account, for instance, of his and his three male sibs' tumultuous interactions is of a piece with Angela's Ashes (1996) and 'Tis. Besides the essays, there are brief remarks from members of other brotherly groups, most including one or more famous names but a few made up of regular guys, like the six-year-old twins and the four generations of brothers in the same family. The pictures are Esquire-style male portraits, with the camera pointed directly or up at the subjects, except for the boom shot down at Jesse Jackson's sons. No doubt about it, this is a handsome hunk of a book. Ray Olson

Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion; 1st edition (October 13, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786865202
• ISBN-13: 978-0786865208
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 9.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,156,134 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brotherly Love, November 25, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Brothers (Hardcover)

Having grown up as the only boy with two wonderful sisters, I never regretted not having a brother. Until now. This is simply a beautiful book. As you'd expect from Esquire, Brothers is visually magnificent, with great, creative(but never contrived)shots of celebrities and non-celebrities alike, all sharing the joys of brotherhood. The shot of James Garner and his golf pro brother, in a rooftop hot tub in Beverly Hills, is worth the cover price alone. But what really makes this book special, elevates it far above the level of another attractive coffee table volume, are the essays. This is the rarest of literary birds -- a photo book that DEMANDS to be read. Not only have the editors culled essays from some of the leading authors of the day, Tobias Wolff, Frank McCourt and others, but they culled supremely thoughtful pieces from each. Perhaps it's the subject matter, but not one of the literary heavyweights phoned this one in. Not one. And some of the best writing is by writers you haven't heard of. Check out the powerful, evocative piece by a North Carolina law professor named Thomas A. Kelley, about a trip to Africa with his brother. Brothers is a beautiful experience, whether or not you've experienced the real thing.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ballsy and profound, November 24, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Brothers (Hardcover)

Good news, guys: You don't have to get your bro another garden weasel for Christmas. A few days ago I had a chance to flip through this book and I instantly ordered a copy for my kid brother. The photos are hilarious and heartbreaking (James and Jack Garner livin' large in a Beverly Hills hot tub, three blind brothers in Rhode Island who build furniture); the essays (by the likes of Tom Junod and Frank McCourt) knock you flat. This isn't some sappy, bogus collection of "Deep Thoughts" and greeting-card cliches. The words and pictures are real, potent, and deeply moving. I can't put the book down, and I highly recommend it to anyone who's looking to buy his brother something better than a batch of golf balls this holiday season.

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome book, especially if you're one of the people in it..., February 2, 2007

By 

Greg Swan "Swanniebird" (PA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Brothers (Hardcover)

So when I was 8 years old back in April of 1998, just a couple weeks before my birthday, my dad took my brother and me out to some retirement home 2 hours from my house. He took me to a photo shoot with my great grandfather and his bro, my grandfather and his bro, my dad and his bro, and finally my bro and I. The photo shoot was for the June issue of Esquire Magazine in 1998, the Brother's Issue. I remember standing on this big black sheet of paper taped to a wall, and at one point I vomited in a trashcan cause all of the lights made me really hot and uncomfortable. But I made it through the 20+ photos or so. If anyone has the magazine, we're on page 137, I'm all the way to the right, the little one leaning on his brother. The Brother's book is basically all the pictures of brothers from that issue binded into this great book with added essays. Once again, the four generations of my family and I are towards the back, "The Last Picture". The two old guys all the way to the left passed away not too long after the shoot, but boy did they live a long life. It's almost 10 years later since the magazine and this book came out, but my family still has copies of both. If you want a great brother's book, this is a perfect choice. Anyways, just thought I'd put a nice review about the book on here, it was my 15 minutes of fame for a little while, now it's just a pleasant memory.