Customer Reviews

Found Lives: A Collection of Found Photographs

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In Found Lives, James Nocito has devised a unique method of utilizing his many old photographs, either given to him or collected at various estate and tag sales. Through careful scrutiny of the elements in the photograph (the people, expressions, angles, shadows, background, etc.) Nocito has created new and imaginitive lives and situations for the subjects. In one, an outdoor scene under tall trees, a smiling man holds an equally smiling woman upside down in his arms. "Everyone said poor Aunt Constance was made of patience, married to a man like Roscoe. The ladies in her Bible group prayed that there'd be a moment's rest for her someday...."

The book is divided into sections, with headings such as "Family Album," "Talking Pictures," and "Love." Under "Children," Nocito has reproduced a picture of a laughing child on a back porch, along with a quote from Anne Cameron, "A Child of Happiness always seems like an old soul living in a new body...she smiles, then the sun lights up the world." Each photograph provides a little vignette into the imagined lives of men, women, and children in the past, bucolic scenes which may recall photographs we may have, stored away in our own attics or old shoe boxes, forgotten, until James Nocito revives and revitalizes them for us.

What a treat to come across this book! I am neither a photography buff nor someone steeped in nostalgia, but Nocito's eye for snapshots from an earlier time and his ear for the stories that might go with them is astonishing. The lure is in both the details and in the window it provides to an earlier time and place, one we all share on the level of memories that are visceral. The pictures are funny and startling and genuine. They tell us how much of our lives have changed and how much they have stayed the same over the past decades. A real delight and one that bears repeating. Unlike other "picture" books, this one offers its delights over and over. Great gift, especially to yourself.

No matter what your age, you will be touched by the compelling words and images brought to life by James Nocito. With every turn of the page, one feels as if they have discovered a private family treasure. It evokes tender emotions, sadness, wonder, and joy. It satisfies the need we have to connect with our past, and find wisdom in the lives of others. This is a wonderful gift that will grow more precious with time.

Each time I pick up this book I see yet another fascinating detail that I missed the last time. The photos are beautiful, haunting, funny and most of all real. It is really cool to look into someone's life for that split second.

This is a clever idea for a book. James Nocito assembled a collection of found photos - photos he found at a variety of places or were given to him -- and created blurbs and descriptions of what he imagined the photos were all about. Many of the blurbs are ones he created; others consist of famous quotes or lyrics that were appropriate. Some are thought-provoking, some are humorous, some are touching; all are well done.

The book is somewhat thin, however. I would have really enjoyed reading more about how he acquired some of these photos, and what each "said" to him. A larger format for some of the photos would have been welcomed as well.

Overall, a very enjoyable and unique book.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this book. We need more small-sized books, filled with sepia-toned photographs,and letters/messages from yester-year!