Customer Reviews

Coney Island

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I was EXTREMELY disappointed with this book. The title is VERY misleading. THIS IS NOT A BOOK ABOUT CONEY ISLAND!!! This is a book about carny people and Stein took the sleaziest most unattractive pictures of them. I know Coney Island. I lived there for 15 years and still visit annually. There is history of amusements and cultures that are not captured in this book. Out of 80+ pictures, there are only 3, including the cover wrap, about the attractions of Coney Island. The rest is a picture book of people. If you are looking for a nostalgic journey about Coney Island-SAVE THE RETURN COST & FORGET ABOUT THIS BOOK!!!

Having grown up in Coney Island I found this effort to be extremely substandard. This book takes the most uninteresting pictures of the most uninteresting individuals that I can imagine. Mr. Stein would have done much better to find alot more of the old timers who truly represent the feel and atmosphere of What Coney Island was, not so much the depressing delapidated dangerous neighborhood that it most unfortunately has become. He did not look hard enough to find what is truly representative of the Coney of lore, because had he done so, it's still there, just difficult to unearth. The pictures of the parade just shows how far down Americas greatest playground has gone. Do yourselves a favor and go to the library and pick out any number of other books on Coney Island and then compare. Unfortunately, you might become meloncoly and saddened, for Coney is really just a microcosm of what has become of this nations great cities.

I was disappointed in the book. Perhaps my expectations of the book were incorrect. I was expecting photos (and text) giving an historical account of Coney Island's past. Unfortunately, while the photos are nice, they are not dated or put in any kind of historical context. There is minimal text, and not much historical perspective.

For someone looking for a book on photographic technique, and nice, artistic-like photos, this is probably a good book. But if you are expecting a history of Coney Island, you should look elsewhere.

TERRIBLE!

Save your money. Very little on the amusements. Instead, we get portrait-type photos of people that could be seen on any beach anywhere in the world. Who are these people? Who cares? Mis-titled, mis-conceived.

Having been a student of his sometime ago, I am a little surprise he did a color essay on this book. Also having recorded some of the same subjects and elements from this book on film both in color and black and white, I have to say it can go either way. Color shows the 'fun' of the subjects and objects, black and white, more substance. I did wish he also include some of his black and white work in the book to add strength to the vibrant. As a photo essay,which this book is, it will draw people to the place which in the last decade or so got a bum rap for being only sleazy, which it still is(the transit authorities could help by renovating the big but dank subway station, the mayor could make this place more than a 'summer' playground) but also fun and vibrant. For those readers who seek a 'history' book on this subject, they will have to look elsewhere, Harvey is a documentative 'street' photographer and that is where his heart is, and it shows successfully in this book. Welcome to the world of color, Harvey, but don't neglect your roots.....

I own all three of Mr. Stein's books and "Coney Island is the most refreshing. "Coney Island" is a remarkable balance of people, landscapes and Mr. Stein's signature, casual environmental portraiture. This one I'll go back to for years.

I love this book for the way it captures the feeling of the place. While it is not full of text about Coney Island, it is full of visual and emotional information. I am an ex-New Yorker and have a few books I turn to when I feel homesick, this is one of them.