Customer Reviews

The New York World's Fair, 1939/1940: in 155 Photographs by Richard Wurts and Others

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I received this book not long after it came out in the 1970's. It is a book of photographs from the Wurts Brothers who were famous architectural photographers of the period. It has many photos that are not in other world's fair books, including a number that were taken during the construction of the fair. Most of the photographs are very beautiful (but no color photos) and many pictures of architectural details are included. Very nice book. It was the first item in what became my world's fair collection.

The New York World's fair, in 1939 and 1940, was New York's crack at selling itself and the nation's industry to the world. 3-D movies, robots, buildings designed to be the homes and business centers of the future fill the photos of this book. The idea of the fair, to give New York a new image was overwhelmed by the imagination and energy put into the fair by the artists, architects, industrial designers, and millions of others. The fair was about science and business and a better tomorrow. The book is almost like a guide to the fair, starting with a very detailed map and than exploring every area of the fair, building by building, exhibit by exhibit. New cars, radios, televisions, phones and the promise of a wonderful future was the theme. The fact that war was just around the corner just makes these dreams seem all the more fragile and lovely, like flowers we know are about to be crushed.

If one picture is worth a 1,000 words then this book makes bracingly clear the visual and visceral impact of the New York World's Fair of 1939.

Indeed, it is a fine companion to "Dream of Venus (Or Living Pictures)," a clever novel set in the New York World's Fair of 1939 also available from Amazon.

THIS IS A VERY VISUALLY DETAILED BOOK. IF YOU ARE A FAN OF THE NEW YORK WORLD'S FAIR
AND ITS ECLECTIC ARRAY OF BUILDINGS(ESPECIALLY THE ICONIC PERISPHERE AND TRYLON)THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU.THE UNIQUE PHOTOGRAPHS IN THIS BOOK ARE WELL WORTH EVERY PENNY.

This book has plenty of photography and facts about the 1939/1940 World's Fair. Very interesting!

Dear Reader - I've been searching for books on World's Fairs and Expositions without much success. Can you tell me of some of the titles in your collection, the publishers and where you purchased them. Nice to know someone else has a passion for these events.