Customer Reviews

Views of Mackinac Island

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This book is laid out well and the photographs are very nice. That being said I have some problems with it. First of all, the author has chosen subjects that are a little to typical for my taste. He concentrates on the well known sites of Mackinac Island rather than foraying into the 80% of the island that is beautiful wooded state park land. It seems to me that the author is more interested in selling copies to tourists than putting together artistic images. This however is a minor problem as most people will be buying it as a visual memory of their visit. The biggest problem with the book is in the writing.

I am from St. Ignace (one of the gateway towns to the island)and I have also worked on the Island for several years. While reading a friends copy I found several instances where the author
makes incorrect statements about the island. The most glaring instance of this is a section where he seems to create some fictional social hierarchy that he claims exists on the Island. He also makes a claim that seasonal construction workers on the Island are called carharts (as in the clothing company) but I have never heard the term nor have any of my island resident friends. I don't know where he has gotten his information but he is way off base.

This is the best photo book of Mackinac Island that I know of but because of his crazy imaginings I can't recommend it. However, if you really must have a photo book of the Island look at the pictures but be careful to not read the words as they are not reliable.

Kachadurian's full-color photographic tribute to Mackinac Island is destined to become a treasured collector's item. The high quality of these pictures will keep the memory of Mackinac Island alive for those who love the Island and have been forced to say good-bye, for a month, a year or a lifetime. The visual iconography of this classic vacation resort can never be forgotten, and Kachadurian's pictures will excite longing and nostalgia in everyone who sees them.

I just finished "reading" and viewing this book and was very much surprised to find such condescending views. The author speaks about how to not look like a tourist when lining up on the boat docks, that certain construction workers are referred to as "Carharts", and generally gives a less than flattering description of most people that visit or work on the island. Although the photos can be interesting or beautiful, I really felt as though the author tarnished the essence of the book with trivial matters such as those mentioned above. If one has to worry about how his "year-round islander" neighbor might view him because he was on the boat dock more than five minutes waiting for a ferry, that's pathetic.

Summary: photos are great, some subject matter ruins the pleasant feelings one gets from viewing the photos.