Customer Reviews

Life: 100 Events That Shook Our World : A History in Pictures from the Last 100 Years

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

 

 

"100 Events" might better be titled, "100 20th century mostly-American events that LIFE has pictures of." Nothing wrong with that of course, but it would make for a more accurate title.

The book unfolds in classic LIFE format, with full page and double-page layouts of famous events. Some are truly momentous and have potential world-wide historical impact. The discovery of the structure of DNA will affect the way human beings heal, diagnose and even propagate. Dr. Christian Barnard's first heart transplant in 1967 also changed the way we see the human body - less as a unity than as an array of interchangeable parts. The dropping of the atomic bomb dramatically changed the nature of warfare and the way that all nations must learn to relate. And the walk on the moon in 1969 was a technical achievement that truly did astound the world and perhaps even paved the way for an end to the Cold War.

But Marilyn Monroe modeling a bikini? The Yankees acquiring Babe Ruth? Louis Armstrong? Madonna? The U2 Incident? Even the 1969 Woodstock music festival is a questionable choice.

Whatever.

The pictures are fun to look at. The events may spur debate. Which 100 would you choose? LIFE could have done worse.

There is a shot of Hitler primping in his open car before an adoring crowd, just soaking up the adulation. There is three-mile island ominously sitting in the dark with red lights (like Christmas lights) outlining it, and perhaps previewing the nuclear meltdown that occurred there in the late 70's. There is Dolly, the cloned sheep, looking at herself in the mirror, as amazed as we were at that time. There is a young Fidel Castro screaming into the microphone as he took over Cuba. There is the bus load of passengers reading about the Kennedy assassination at the same time, the disturbing headlines all facing the camera. These are just samplings of the great work that Life did.

Life was good at taking the right photographs at the right time.

This book is a good one, even if you only look at the pictures.

I purchased this book as a Christmas present for my uncle and aunt. They are both retired, and love to read. They immediately opened it up, and lots of wonderful family memories came into the conversation. It now sits on their coffee table.

I must say i thoroughly enjoyed "Life's 100 Years in Pictures" and so did my family. Lots of memories recalled from many of these visuals..A stroll down memory lane for all of us..

I gave this to my sister and brother in law. Apparently my brother in law has coveted the book. He says that when he's finished the other family members will get a turn. So much really interesting information. They are very pleased with my present.

As always, Life photographers do a great job of capturing important moments in our lives. I originally bought this as a gift but liked it so much I had to keep it!