Customer Reviews

The Oxford Project

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It is amazing that in 1984 all of the residents (except 6) of this small town were photographed and that now they have been re-photographed in the same way PLUS have been interviewed with an inviting, open-ended, "Tell me about your life ..."

The history. The changes. The values. The life. The love. The loss. The realism. The dreams. The regrets. The celebrations. Wow.

In our culture, we tend to live too much for today and this book is a subtle way to contemplate our own lives from a bigger-picture perspective, with a much broader and more meaningful stroke than the immediate.

Moments and decisions -- the cornerstones of our lives. They are ours to experience as well as ours to make. I've enjoyed the transparent view into Oxford and how it allows us to take a similar view into our own lives ... 20 years from now, how will we answer such a question? :)

This book is a very nicely bound coffee-table-quality book, the cover art actually 'changes' from the young boy to the current day man as you tilt it, the paper quality is superb, and the images are art-worthy. It's an all around great addition.

Bon Appetit!

Moving and fascinating; read it straight through. The authors have enough sense to get out of the way and let the people speak for themselves. The brief narratives are often better than the photos. One man talked about his baby daughter who died six days after being born and said, "I took her outside so she could feel the breeze and hear the birds and listen to the sound of other children playing," which is one of the most moving things I have ever read. Most books are like some other book, but this one is unique. One of the best things you will ever read. Sad to see what 20 years does to us all, but uplifting in many ways.

This book is a wonderful slice of American life; the before and after photographs are very informative and the human stories can make your heart stop. People were willing to share some of their most important experiences and feelings. Take this example from Pat Henkelman:

"I get up at five a.m. My son--he works as a prison guard--stops by for breakfast every morning. He usually wants Cream of Wheat or oatmeal. Then I say my morning prayers, take a bath and eat breakfast. After that, I clean houses. I come home and have lunch, usually a sandwich and a cup of green tea. I watch TV, usually CNN. Sometimes I take a nap.

"In 1940, Harry and I were working at a bee factory in Harlan, and when I came back from lunch one day, he was filling my jars. That night we met at the county fair and had our picture taken, and that was that.

"In 1985, after forty years of marriage, he left me for a another woman. I didn't know who the woman was, but everyone else in town knew. I would have felt better if she was young and beautiful, but she wasn't. They used to play euchre at the legion hall. My faith helped me get through. I don't have malice or anger. You have to forgive. For a while I thought I hated him. But that stopped.

"Jesus died to suffer for our sins, but you're still responsible for the sins you commit. I think the instant you die, you step out of your body. You have to be perfect to go to heaven. If you're not you go to purgatory. I suppose some people like Mother Teresa might go directly to heaven, but almost everyone else goes to purgatory.

There used to be a hat store in town. I wish it still was here. I love hats."

The Oxford Project has an extraordinarily generous website with all the pictures and stories freely available online. Nonetheless, the book adds a weight and gravitas to these human stories. Another "slice of life" book, similar in concept but very different in life experiences, is Breach of Peace: Portraits of the 1961 Mississippi Freedom Riders.

Real people, real stories, absolute triumphs both.

Robert C. Ross 2008

Description/Information given on the Amazon site was informative. But the book is even better!! This is a wonderful representation of an ongoing project that will inspire any photographer whether novice or professional!

I bought this book for my husband for his birthday because I thought the concept was interesting and I had read very favorable reviews. I was not disappointed! The images and stories weave a tapestry of diversity from small town American life that one would not see upon first glance. My husband loved it because it gives some very personal historical counts of modern American history. The photography is amazing. By being shot in black and white allows the viewer to really look at what has changed in twenty years and what has remained the same. Amazing book!!!

As you are reading the book you will find yourself going back to see the connections these people have with one anohter. Not only a great photo book but the stories are a good read.

This is a "must-read" book for anyone who enjoys oral history.

As someone who enjoys people and looking at how people impact history and how history impacts people - I've found a guidebook. Believing that a social history is more important than a polo tical or economic one (because social history is a product of both) and the subjects of the book being middle Americans, I have found been faced with the changes in society, the ones that seemed to just happen overnight, were indeed a progression.
The photography is wonderful. Black and White has never captured so much color. The death of downtown, the death of the proud American, the demographic change and stagnation are just several of the things captured in picture and in interview. This book is worth every penny I paid for it and a must for anyone who wants to learn more about themselves through the eyes of others.

This book was a Christmas gift for my daughter's boyfriend, so I haven't actually read it. All I can say is that he was THRILLED to receive it and sat around reading it all weekend, thoroughly enjoying the experience.

last night i stayed up for three hours reading this straight through. what a great concept. you feel like you really get to know these people. it's interesting to see how they've changed over 20 years as well. it's kind of fun seeing changes in 'fashion' too. especially the hairdos! well done. great concept.

Bought it as a gift for a friend who is an Oral History Professor at a local college..........he loved it! I read it before I gave it to him and found it an extremely interesting study of small-town psychology.