Women of Our Time: An Album of Twentieth-Century Photographs [Hardcover]

Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery (Compiler), Frederick S. Voss (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2003

Women of Our Time is a glorious photographic celebration of 75 of the most creative, humane, controversial, witty, brave, beautiful and inspirational women of the twentieth century. These revealing portraits, by an array of distinguished photographers, depict their subjects at pivotal moments in their careers, and are accompanied by brief biographies that highlight not only their distinctive contributions and achievements, but also how they were viewed by their contemporaries. Beautifully designed, Women of Our Time is a magnificent tribute to women who have helped to define the modern age.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Just don't say 'another photo book' - this is extraordinary - UMBRELLA A glorious photographic celebration - AMAZON.COM

About the Author

Cokie Roberts is Senior News Analyst for National Public Radio (NPR) and Political Commentator for ABC News. Frederick S. Voss is senior historian at the National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. He has published extensively on all aspects of American portraiture and is the author of several titles including Portraits of the Presidents: The National Portrait Gallery (2000), Picturing Hemingway: A Writer in His Time (1999), and Faces of TIME: 75 Years of Time Magazine Cover Portraits (1998).

Product Details

• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Merrell Publishers (January 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1858941695
• ISBN-13: 978-1858941691
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 9.7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,725,000 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A TRIBUTE TO WOMEN AND TO HUMANKIND, October 7, 2002

By 

Gail Cooke (TX, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Women of Our Time: An Album of Twentieth-Century Photographs (Hardcover)

Seventy-five of the most noted women of the recent past are remembered by a roster of outstanding photographers in this stunning volume. Each photo, which captures the subject at the height of her achievements, is accompanied by a biography detailing contributions made and public response.

All of the photos capture the essence of the woman, as Cokie Roberts remarks in the Preface: "Look into the eyes of the subjects of these photographs and you see the triumphs, failures, hopes, and disappointments of some of the truly talented women of our time."

The album is a diverse collection of unique women, from Helen Keller to Dorothy Parker to Gertrude Stein to Gypsy Rose Lee to Shirley Temple to Ella Fitzgerald.

We learn that upon Grandma Moses's first visit to New York City she "told reporters, `It's nice to be here, but the city doesn't appeal to me.' `As picture material?' someone asked. `As any material,' she answered."

And, we discover that Joan Baez remembers singing the civil rights movement's anthem "We Shall Overcome" at the Lincoln Memorial, by saying, "...one of the medals which hangs over my heart I awarded to myself for having been asked to sing that day."

The revelatory photos and essays found in "Women Of Our Time" are a tribute to women, to our age, and to humankind.

- Gail Cooke