Family: A Celebration of Humanity (M.I.L.K.) [Hardcover]

M.I.L.K. Project (Editor), James McBride (Introduction)

Book Description

Series: Celebration of Humanity | Publication Date: April 10, 2001

In this stunning pictorial journal, 100 talented professional and amateur photographers, many of them award winners, have captured the essence of our most profound relationship: family. Cutting across race and nationality, their photographs -- chosen from 40,000 entries worldwide -- bring to life the intimate moments and emotions shared by all families, whether in Australia, Rwanda, Colombia, or the United States.

Taken from the most ambitious photographic competition and exhibit ever staged, the M.I.L.K. Collection -- Moments of Intimacy, Laughter, and Kinship -- these photos depict the joy, heartbreak, and love that shaped and make up our lives. Here are the bonds that bring us together as parent and child, sister and brother, youth and elder. From a father's first look at his new baby to a weathered grandma's embrace, the laughter of octogenarian uncle and nephew to the promise of a mother's kiss, these powerful images tell the story of humanity and celebrate its deepest emotional connection.

The M.I.L.K. project was conceived to honor what it is to be part of a family. Look at the men, women, and children on these pages. In their faces you will recognize yourself and your loved ones, for you, too, are a member of the great kinship that is the human family. As James McBride writes, "without family, we are all a tribe of nomads, cut adrift, disconnected, wandering the earth with neither time nor place nor history to give our aching souls a home." Family is a universal homecoming, a commemoration of the human spirit itself.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Culled from the photo exhibit Moments of Intimacy, Laughter and Kinship (M.I.L.K.) organized by New Zealand publisher Geoff Blackwell, the 100-plus images in Family: A Celebration of Humanity represent the endless shapes, sizes and colors that families come in. Funny, moving, tragic, surprising and most often joyful, these photos show people at life stages ranging from the newborn to the elderly and the deceased, though the definition of family here seems strictly biological. Contributors include Pulitzer-winner John Kaplan, Anne Bayin (with a photograph of mother Kim Phuc, goodwill ambassador for UNESCO and the napalm victim in Nick Ut's famous 1972 image from Vietnam), UNESCO award-winner Rajib De and Quoc Tuan. The collection introduces the M.I.L.K. trilogy, which will also include Love and Friendship.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

The photography event of our time, M.I.L.K. (an acronym for Moments of Intimacy, Laughter, and Kinship) is a spectacular celebration of the human spirit. For two years, leading photographers from every one of the world's 192 countries were invited to submit photographs that capture and celebrate the essence of humanity. Ultimately 17,000 photographers from a staggering total of 164 countries participated, among them a myriad of award winners. From the more than 40,000 photographs submitted, 300 appear in three books, a stunning collection that features prologues from James McBride (FAMILY, May 2001), Maeve Binchy (FRIENDSHIP, September 2001), and Kim Phuc (LOVE).

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow (April 10, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0066209692
• ISBN-13: 978-0066209692
• Product Dimensions: 13 x 10.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,231,308 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Meaningful Moments of Family Connection in Great Photos!, May 19, 2001

By 

Donald Mitchell "Jesus Loves You!" (Thanks for Providing My Reviews over 109,000 Helpful Votes Globally) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Family: A Celebration of Humanity (M.I.L.K.) (Hardcover)

This volume celebrates the family as humanity's fundamental unit. Think of the book as a family album for all of humanity, by capturing all of the wonderful and touching moments (including the sad ones) that make us all part of the human family. As such, the book reinforces love over prejudice related to surface differences, and a human focus over a political one. Some will be disturbed by the images of women nursing, and others will find the messages to be a little too political. All will enjoy the great photography.

The book's images include black-and-white and color photographs of pregnancy, birth, nursing, child care, smiles, twins, wonder, dads, carrying, hugging, hanging out, music, beaches, saying goodbye, kisses, marriage, dancing, festivals, conversations, love, grandparents, the aged, eating ice cream together, walking, and intergenerational connections. These themes are sometimes formally built up, and sometimes just carried on for two images or three.

Perhaps the most stunning two photographs are of Kim Phuc. She was the little girl in the famous 1972 photograph of napalm's horror. The other shot is of her holding her baby, Thomas, while revealing some of her napalm scars on her shoulder and back. She had never expected to marry and be a mother. Her happiness in motherhood is bound to bring tears to your eyes.

The book's captions are interesting. Before the frontispiece, they are just one word per image. In the rest of the book, you get one quote per image to help put the visual message in perspective. You can either read these or not. The book works well either way.

The opening essay will seem overly political to some. If it doesn't agree with your views, just skip it and go on to the photographs.

The essay has a number of key sentences that capture the book's overall feel. "These images speak to all of us with clarity, universality and . . . joy." "Family is the last and greatest discovery. It is our last miracle." You are encouraged to see this as a "family album." As you look at the images, you should "hear the sounds of hearts beating all across the world." "We have hope." "That kind of love, family love, makes us powerful beyond measure." "May your love, like these pictures, last forever."

The project itself (Moments of Intimacy, Laughter, and Kinship -- MILK for short) is worthy of comment. The organization ran a global competition to select these images. 17,000 photographers provided 40,000 images. From those, 100 photographers are represented here. I think this is a good model for how more photography and art books should be done. Obviously, you have to have a great screening committee and editor, but we should more often try to create the combined best of all people. Don't you agree?

As a result of the competition and fine editing, the works are truly wonderful in their emotional appeal, compositions, and diversity of themes and styles. No single photographer could ever have hoped to capture all of this.

If you like the book, I suggest that you give it as a wedding gift to those you know who would enjoy it. I can think of no better time to reintroduce the concept of family.

After you enjoy the book, may I suggest that take some time in the month ahead to experience the most meaningful images in the book that you have not done lately? When was the last time you held a newborn? . . . sat on a park bench eating ice cream with an aged relative? . . . carried a sick person?

Let the beauty of the experiences flow into you!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great gift for Father's/Mother's Day, Weddings, or Housewarm, May 11, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Family: A Celebration of Humanity (M.I.L.K.) (Hardcover)

This is one of the most inspirational coffee table books I have seen in a long time. It's beautiful pictures of young and old alike are accompanied by lovely and fresh inspirational quotes. After I got my first copy, I bought four more for presents. It truly does celebrate the miracle of life, death, and love in the funky units we call family. A great gift for your immediate family or the friends you call family. Enjoy! [Note: Having been one of those mothers who nursed my babies into toddlerhood and saw how the public can sometimes respond, I know that some people may be made uncomfortable with the several (beautiful-in my opinion)intimate nursing photos.]

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a stunner!!!, May 22, 2001

By 

"jakyc" (Japan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Family: A Celebration of Humanity (M.I.L.K.) (Hardcover)

I thoroughly recommend this book for anyone who believes in families. The photo's are moving and breathtaking. The contributors are from all over the world making this a truely international book. If you buy one, I guarantee that you will want to buy another for someone you love.