A Day in the Life of America [Hardcover]

Rick Smolan (Author), David Elliot Cohen (Author)

Book Description

Series: Day in the Life | Publication Date: July 1993

On May 2, 1986, 200 of the world's leading photojournalists set out across America to capture the life of a nation on film in a single day. The best 300 of these photographs, in color and black-and-white, are featured in this sumptuous volume. This project will be the subject of a PBS documentary, a feature article in Newsweek, and a traveling exhibit.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The latest, and by far the most ambitious, in the A Day in the Life seriesthat the enterprising team of Smolan and Cohen have put together in recent years is at once extremely substantial and unexpectedly light. In weight and size it is a hefty blockbuster; but the more than 250 pictures, mostly in color, generally avoid the kind of heavy-breathing grandiosity and flowery patriotism the titleand the timesmight indicate. The formula, as spelled out in Smolan's letter to the hundreds of participating photographers from all around the world, is simple: on one dayin this case last May 2they fan out all over the country and shoot what takes their fancy. The more than a quarter-million shots that result are then edited down to the final book. There is little structure, other than that the book begins at dawn and ends late at night. The captions vary in length and cogency, and there is a longish self-congratulatory section at the end of the book about the many skills needed to bring it off. But it is the pictures themselves that count, and they are for the most part impressive. There is a welcome emphasis on people at work rather than on scenery, and a minimum of gimmickry and obviously set-up shots; it is good, too, to see handsome black-and-white images in a book of this scope. It is easy to imagine this having the same kind of success The Family of Man had 30 years ago. 315,000 first printing; first serial to Newsweek; BOMC alternate; author tour.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: Collins Pub San Francisco (July 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0002553325
• ISBN-13: 978-0002553322
• Product Dimensions: 14.2 x 10.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,459,390 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderfully moving photo-essay of American life, December 8, 2001

By 

Yaderp (Tennessee, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Day in the Life of America (Hardcover)

I am a professional photographer and I find this book compelling and inspirational. When my creative juices begin to ebb this is one of the volumes I always reach for! A must have for anyone who loves America and photography.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very likable, July 22, 2011

By 

AmazonUser - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Day In the Life of America (Hardcover)

Much more realistic than what you will see or hear on culture media express. Gives a sense of how things have changed and how our own time is bound to change as well.

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The hair and the fashion may have changed...but little else!, January 17, 2006

By 

Reginald D. Garrard "the G-man" (Camilla, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Day in the Life of America: Photographed By 200 of the World's Leading Photo Journalists on One Da (Hardcover)

Though the day recorded in pictures (May 2, 1986) may have occured almost twenty years ago, the life (and look) of this nation has only made slight changes or none at all.

People are still getting married (page 118).
Babies are still being born (pages 28-29).
Mount Rushmore still stands (page 50).
People still worship their pets (page 59).
People are still divided over abortion rights (pages 62-63)
Mary Kay salespersons still win Pink Cadillac's (page 140).
Siegfred and Roy are still among us (pages 146-147).
Young families still share the joys of grocery shopping (pages 234-235).
Liza Minnelll, though a lot "heavier," is still entertaining (page 87).
The Citadel still graduates cadets (pages 74-75)
First graders still share secrets (pages 132-133).
Las Vegas showgirls still tout their "wares" (pages 240-241).

And a "Bush" is in Washington (page 106).

Like I said, little has changed in twenty years and this photographic day in the life of our nation shows that.