Picturing Minnesota 1936-1943: Photographs From The Farm Security Administration [Paperback]

Robert L. Reid (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 15, 1989

In the middle of the Great Depression, photographers working for Franklin D. Roosevelt's Farm Security Administration (FSA) began traveling across America taking pictures of ordinary people and places. Their photographs became a permanent legacy of our national life --" the most remarkable human documents that were ever rendered in pictures, " according to Edward Steichen.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Minnesota Historical Society Press; 2nd edition (November 15, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0873512480
• ISBN-13: 978-0873512480
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.7 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #330,288 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars North Star State details, December 12, 2010

By 

Robin Benson - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Picturing Minnesota 1936-1943: Photographs From The Farm Security Administration (Paperback)

Robert Reid has edited four FSA State photo books: Indiana, 1987; Illinois, 1989; Texas, 1994 and this Minnesota one from 1989. What I liked about them all was the format. Each is divided into chapters with a short introduction followed by photos rather than a long essay then the photos which is the style in most other State books I have.

The eleven chapters cover such subjects as twin cities, lumberjacks, farming, transportation, leisure, Iron Ranges, World War II, workers in towns, cities and countryside. The 171 photos are by Paul Carter, Jack Delano, Russell Lee, Arthur Rothstein, John Vachon and Marion Post Wolcott from 1936 to 1943. Paul Carter is not generally included in FSA photo books. Of the forty-four photographers who worked for the FSA/OWI his work is the least of the big sixteen names who are now considered icons of American photography of the period.

The photos, as one would expect, are full of detail and they all work to reveal what hardships the people of Minnesota faced in these lean years, though the chapter called `Leisure time' has sixteen photos of folks relaxing. The last chapter `World War II' features several Jack Delano shots with a Swedish-American theme based in the Chisago Lakes area. Roy Stryker's assignment to Delano was to show what various ethnic groups were doing to support the war effort.

The book's landscape shape suit's the photos as they are mostly that format. The images are one to a page with generous margins and a caption below each. The paper is a reasonably matt art with a 200 screen printing.

This will probably be the only Minnesota book of FSA photos and if you live in the State and want a comprehensive record of life some decades ago this is the book to get.

***SEE SOME INSIDE PAGES by clicking 'customer images' under the cover.