Customer Reviews

A Road Trip Journal

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The book covers an interesting period in Stephen Shore's creativity, it captures the time between the 35mm snaps of `American Surfaces' and more formal 8x10 camera style of `Uncommon Places'.

The 296 pages are split into two sections: 200 devoted to Shore's journal of his trip from July 3, 1973 to August 22 1973 and the remainder reproduce every photo from the trip. The journal section reproduces each day's activities: meals and what was eaten; the name of the motel/hotel; what was watched on TV or movies seen; how many Amarillo, Texas postcards were distributed in places other than Amarillo (5,600 of a ten card set, shown on three pages); the location of any exposures.

The pages also include various bits of printed ephemera: motel receipts; ticket stubs; newspapers clippings and fifty-six credit card receipts for gas (credited to the account of Shore Investment Co); and lots of postcards. All this is reproduced in a 200 screen on a matt paper.

The photo section, printed on a good quality matt art has all the images from the trip arranged chronologically and here are some quite stunning images. A couple of my favorite Shore photos are included: 'Bay Movie House' in Ashland, Wisconsin on July 9 (dinner was steak, watched NBC nightly and Duluth local news) and 'US 30 East Canton, Ohio' on July 5 (breakfast was fried eggs, dinner fried clams and watched kung-fu on TV). All of the exterior shots of the man-made landscape work so well because of Shore's excellent framing.

Between the journal and photo pages there is a four page insert, printed on pink paper, where Shore writes about the fascination of creative folk for car trips across America, those seduced include photographers Cartier-Bresson, Robert Frank, Shore and writers like Kerouac and Nabokov.

The book is more than a collection of wonderful photos because the details of Stephen Shore's life while on the road make the images that much more intriguing. Oh yes, the book comes in a rather superior, sturdy slipcase and as this is a limited edition I think you'll find it worthwhile to check out the price across the web.

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

This is a very large and thick slipcased hardcover book showing the photographs and journal of Stephen shore during the making of many of his now classic images. You get the great images, unseen outtakes, Shore's thought processes while on his trip, and a wonderful trip back in time. Perhaps inspired by Warhol's meticulous cataloguing of the mundane aspects of life, Shore has put together a fascinating look at what it as like to be on the road during that time. This is limited to just 3,300 copies and comes signed by the photographer. Highly recommended.

Very well packaged, and excellent service.
Seller handled my order in a professional manner.