Customer Reviews

DOROTHEA LANGE PB

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This book is put together in a way that allows readers to meet Dorothea Lange on different levels. On a personal level through family (or "just like" family) members, friends, and through Ms. Lange's own words (wonderfully used as text to complement her photographs). On a professional level, an interview with one of Ms. Lange's fellow photographers is included, along with chapter-long essays by those who have studied her work and life. I feel the strengths of this book are the organization, essays by those who knew Ms. Lange personally, and Ms. Lange's words.

The photographs are direct, honest and beautiful. Ms. Lange, her life, and words at times tough and unyielding, yet are luminous, and always "true".

I very much enjoyed the choice of photographs that were included in this book: the trinity of "Migrant Mother", "Pledge of Allegiance", and "White Angel Breadline", along with other photographs that showed the range across time, space and subjects that formed the body of Lange's work. My only gripe with the photographs was the narrow crop used for "Pledge of Allegiance"; I much prefer the wider aspect ratio the Getty chose for their print.

The essays were mostly quite insightful, particularly the ones by people who knew her, the editor Partridge, her son Daniel Dixon, and Ansel Adams. I didn't get as much out of the essay by Sally Stein.

Overall this is a great book and the best I've seen to date on Lange's life and work.

Fascinating book about the famous photographer. A woman before her time in many ways. This is an honest account of what many who worked with her, lived with her and loved her thought OF her. The pictorial story of American life will capture your attention.