Public and Private: Twenty Years Photographing the Presidency [Hardcover]

Diana Walker (Author)

Book Description

Series: National Geographic | Publication Date: October 8, 2002

Unprecedented, behind the scenes photography and anecdotes of six American Presidents and their administrations, from Gerald Ford to George W.Bush. SPECIAL BEHIND-THE-SCENES ACCESS: Diana Walker obtained special access to photograph the daily lives of the Carters, the Reagans, the Fords, the Clintons, and the Bushes. She spent time with them at public events, private meetings, in off hours, and on vacation, establishing a special rapport that led to emotional and insightful pictures of astounding quality. Book Description: This book showcases Diana Walker's photographs and also gives special personal insights into recent U.S. history. Working for Time magazine, Walker has had unique access to the Presidency for more than two decades, a remarkably long period of time for this job. And she used her access brilliantly. She brought sensitivity, thoughtfulness, and great talent to her photography of Carter, Reagan, Ford, Clinton, both Bush administrations, and their families and associates. Public and Private opens with a sequence of public and "behind the scenes" pictures of Presidents and First Ladies that became Walker's specialty. To dramatize and expand the meaning of each of these photographs, we include some of the thoughts, opinions, and memories of the people in them: The Presidents and First Ladies depicted in the pictures contribute their own perspectives, feelings, and memories of the events shown. The book then proceeds chronologically from Jimmy Carter's administration to the Presidency of George W. Bush. Walker's pictures range from humorous to heartbreaking, joyful to deadly serious, surprising to just what you'd expect. They provide unexpected understanding of these people we think we know so well: they show the process they went through to arrive at the top; and they record and reveal how they behaved in public and private while living in the White House. Walker's anecdotes add a note of personal wisdom that makes the book delightful, nostalgic, and important.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 200 pages
• Publisher: National Geographic; First Edition edition (October 8, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0792269071
• ISBN-13: 978-0792269076
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 0.9 x 10.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,736,306 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Extraordinary Moments Captured by an Excellent Photographer, December 4, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Public and Private: Twenty Years Photographing the Presidency (Hardcover)

This photographic essay has something for everyone. It covers 20 years in the White House from a very special point of view. Diana Walker with a camera in hand had access to moments in history that no one else has had. She has captured our Presidents in serious and funny situations and all the moods in between. Her descriptions are well worth reading and make this very special "coffee table" book all the more important in its place in history. I highly recommend buying this book and it makes a great present.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful, December 2, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Public and Private: Twenty Years Photographing the Presidency (Hardcover)

Diana Walker not only captures timeless moments in history, but through her comments and those of the former presidents and first ladies, gives you an inside view to the workings of the world's most powerful office. A must buy!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excelent Photo book!, June 21, 2004

By 

Eduward du Bois (Europe) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Public and Private: Twenty Years Photographing the Presidency (Hardcover)

I bought this book on a trip to the USA, when I was visiting Mount Vernon, because it gave a nice overview of the presidency. I was thinking to buy a book, with just some nice pictures of all the (recent) presidents. But when I came home and started turning the pages, I saw that it had all these remarkable photographs. And as it turned out, they where all from the same photographer: Diana Walker. This must be realy a remarkable person, because she seems to have had access to all of the presidencies to take pictures behind the scene. As it turned out, i bought a realy excelent photo book that also illustrates the pivotal moments of the American presidency.