Shadow Catcher: The Life and Work of Edward S. Curtis [Hardcover]

Laurie Lawlor (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1994

Many Native Americans photographed by Edward S. Curtis (1868–1952) called him Shadow Catcher. But the images he captured were far more powerful than mere shadows. When the twentieth century was just getting underway, Curtis began documenting North American Indian culture in words and photographs. Today, almost one hundred years later, his work still stands as the most extensive and informative collection of its kind. His photographs are more than mere documents; they are works of art revealing subtleties of human expression missing from other historical and anthropological records. Filled with Curtis’s breathtaking photographs and available for the first time in a paperback edition, Shadow Catcher traces Curtis’s life and work from his boyhood in Wisconsin, through his first photo expedition to Alaska in 1897 and the completion of The North American Indian collection in 1930, to his death in 1952.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Lawlor (Addie Across the Prairie) engagingly chronicles the life and work of photographer-ethnologist Edward S. Curtis (1868- 1952), perhaps best known for his 20-volume The North American Indian, a collection of photographs and written histories of the tribes he spent more than 30 years studying. According to Lawlor, Curtis sacrificed much for his determination to record a culture he believed to be on the brink of extinction. The lively text focuses on his struggles, from his beginnings as a studio photographer in 1890s Seattle to his neverending quest for financial support from the likes of Teddy Roosevelt and J.P. Morgan, to his patience in winning the trust of the people he sought to memorialize. Although openly admiring, Lawlor does not shy away from more problematic aspects of Curtis's career-she acknowledges that he staged events for the camera and posed his subjects, and that his obsession with his mission impoverished and eventually unraveled his family. The exquisitely designed book (printed in sepia on cream paper) contains scores of Curtis's haunting photographs, as well as portraits of Curtis and his family. Ages 10-up.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 8-10?Lawlor illuminates the life of the man driven to complete the monumental project of documenting in photographs, words, and sound recordings the Indian cultures of North America (it took him 30 years). At the same time, she portrays the compelling plight of Native Americans in the early part of the 20th century. The reproductions of the sepia-tinted portraits and landscapes of the "Shadow Catcher," the sobriquet applied to the man by the peoples he photographed, are outstanding. The combination of history and artistry will enlarge the audience for this title. More than a reference and more than a biography of Curtis, this carefully researched, highly readable book emphasizes the photographer's perseverance and quest for quality and can serve as a model for young people.?Nancy E. Curran, Decatur Public Schools, IL
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Walker & Company (October 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802782884
• ISBN-13: 978-0802782885
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 8.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,051,908 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great photograher bio, February 8, 2005

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Cyndy (IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shadow Catcher: The Life and Work of Edward S. Curtis (Hardcover)

This is an excellent biography of Edward S. Cutis. It is a clear look at his life and work. The author writes in a easy reading manner about the ups and downs of the man's life. It contains samples on almost every page of his photos. Since Curtis extensively studied American Indians, this is also a good reference for several rarely talked about tribes!