State Fair (Focus on American History) [Hardcover]

Arthur Grace (Author)

Book Description

Series: Focus on American History | Publication Date: April 1, 2006

From prize-winning pigs to corn dog-eating contests, from beauty queens to marching bands, from gravity-defying midway rides to miracle machines for back pain, from butter sculptures to demolition derbies, state fairs are a mother lode of pure Americana. State Fair is a visual distillation of Arthur Grace's photographic odyssey through fairs in ten states--California, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, and Virginia. Time and again, regardless of geographical location, Grace's images deftly capture the strange mixture of the traditional, the kitsch, and the off-the-wall that is unique to these annual gatherings, which began as a celebration of rural American life and have evolved into super-sized extravaganzas. Whether the photographs show the beaming pride of 4-H egg champions, the intensity of a tattooed arm wrestler, or a forlorn alligator waiting to be "wrestled" in a wading pool, the authenticity of Grace's imagery is unmistakable. You can almost hear the shouts from the midway, smell the animals in the barns, and taste the cherry pie. Sure to bring back vivid memories for anyone who's ever attended a state fair, and bound to entice the uninitiated, State Fair reminds us how much we still crave to go out and have real experiences beyond the fantasies we see on our computer, TV, and movie screens. It shows that far from being an anachronism in the twenty-first century, state fairs are a vital, living tradition throughout America.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Arthur Grace's State Fair is an affectionate, skillful, and keen observation of a quirky phase of our human comedy. In deceptively casual black-and-white photographs totally absent of attitude and theatrics, his instant observation quickly cuts to the chase, presenting visuals with nothing superfluous and nothing left out. Let us thank our lucky stars that Grace has taken the time and energy to examine and bring us something of our American culture that is original, unique, and essentially uncorrupted. (Elliott Erwitt )

About the Author

Arthur Grace is a former staff photographer for Newsweek magazine.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 127 pages
• Publisher: University of Texas Press (April 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0292712871
• ISBN-13: 978-0292712874
• Product Dimensions: 11.7 x 10.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,049,124 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic view, June 25, 2006

By 

Gary L. Kieffer (Heidelberg, Germany) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: State Fair (Focus on American History) (Hardcover)

What a terrific book. Arthur Grace takes you inside America via a stroll along the great midways of the country fair. What better way to find the real America. The use of B&W allows the viewer to delve into the contents of the photo, rather than being seduced by the color. Highly recommended.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A classic slice of Americana, May 12, 2006

By 

Book Maven "book maven" (Washington, DC USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: State Fair (Focus on American History) (Hardcover)

These photographs are extraordinary capturing a vivid part of American life that many urban Americans no longer see. Some of its funny. Some of its poignant. Some of its immensely sad. Only in America. Kudos to a great photographer.