Wise Women: A Celebration of Their Insights, Courage, and Beauty [Paperback]

Joyce Tenneson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 12, 2002

In ancient times older women were the keepers of primal mysteries and were revered for their special wisdom: today there is a feeling that our culture is reawakening to the power of our elders. Joyce Tenneson presents 80 portraits of women aged 65 to 100, who comment on their experiences of ageing.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Joyce Tenneson is one of the most celebrated photographers of our time. She has had more than 150 exhibits in galleries and museums worldwide and she is a respected lecturer and speaker.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Bulfinch; First Edition edition (April 12, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0821228188
• ISBN-13: 978-0821228180
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 0.5 x 10 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (48 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #168,511 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

80 of 81 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely stunning and Mind-opening, April 19, 2002

By 

F. Lennox Campello "f. lennox campello" (Potomac, MD United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wise Women : A Celebration of Their Insights, Courage, and Beauty (Hardcover)

When I was a child, because both my parents worked, it was my grandmother who essentially raised me. To me she was an all-knowing, all-powerful person, and quite a beautiful woman to my adoring and fearing child eyes. Many years after her death, and with a mind now conditioned to see skeletal models representing someone's ideal of beauty, it took this brilliant book by Tenneson to rekindle the power and beauty of women aged 65 and older. Tenneson applies her formidable portraiture skills with an artistic ferocity that leaves no doubt in place to the fact that in doing this project, she discovered a lot of issues with her own self and perception of beauty and fear. This is one of those rare photography books that I sense are destined to become a keystone in contemporary photography and re-enforce Tenneson's place among the elite of the fine arts photography world. But more importantly, it represents a powerful alternative challenge to what has been forced fed to us about beauty and power, and help some of us to remember fondly a loving, powerful grandmother.

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Perfect Gift for a Mom over 60, June 29, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Wise Women : A Celebration of Their Insights, Courage, and Beauty (Hardcover)

I bought this for my 62 year old mother. She's a psycotherapist and leads several women's groups. I figured it would be perfect for her waiting room.

She loves it so much it has yet to leave her house.

It is about time someone started to show the beauty of women over 60. These women are beautiful, and the photos are inspiring to men and women of all ages.

27 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Real Beauty Revealed, November 26, 2002

By 

Marian Van Eyk McCain "Marian Van Eyk McCain,... (Devon United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wise Women : A Celebration of Their Insights, Courage, and Beauty (Hardcover)

All the while I was writing my own book about the wisdom, joy and power in being an 'Elderwoman' - i.e. a woman who embraces the aging process, instead of shrinking from it - I wished I could illustrate it with pictures. For as we know, a picture is worth a thousand words. And the true Elderwoman is a delight to behold. Her joy, her wisdom, her power, and a thousand stories, are all there, in her face. But I am no photographer. I had to make do with words.
So when I came upon this beautiful book I fell in love with it immediately. Now, everywhere I go to talk about my own books or to do workshops with older women, I take Joyce Tenneson's book with me, and pass it around. Every woman I have shown it to has loved it, as I do.
Compared to these portraits, the bland faces of young models look like clones or Barbie dolls. Here is REAL BEAUTY, revealed.