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Richard Whelan

Robert Capa: A Biography Hardcover – September 12, 1985

by Richard Whelan (Author)

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Traces the career and personal life of the photographer, Robert Capa, and describes his experiences while photographing wars

Print length

341 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Knopf
Publication date

September 12, 1985
ISBN-10

0394524888
ISBN-13

978-0394524887
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Helena Janeczek
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Robert Capa
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Richard Whelan
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Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Robert Capa's war photos have such stunning immediacy it is hard to realize that those wars are long over. This authorized biography is published in conjunction with a retrospective exhibition at the International Center of Photography in New York. Capa, born in Hungary in 1913, later an American citizen, established a reputation as a daring war photographer with his photos of the Spanish Civil War, the Japanese invasion of China, World War II, and the Israeli War for Independence. He died in Indochina in 1954. The book records events and places, summarizes friendships. It includes a list of Capa's published photo-stories and an extensive bibliography. It is a good supplement to the photographs themselvesand Knopf is publishing a volume with 260 images. But although Whelan tells us a great deal about Capa's activities, the engaging, heedless, compassionate man is somehow missing. Illustrations not seen. J.R. Mosler, Hackettstown P.L., N.J.
Copyright 1985 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Knopf; 1st edition (September 12, 1985)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 341 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0394524888
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0394524887
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.8 pounds

Best Sellers Rank: #1,449,435 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #729 in Photography Equipment (Books)
- #2,648 in Artist & Architect Biographies
- #5,880 in Individual Artists (Books)

Customer Reviews:
17 ratings

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4.7 out of 5

17 global ratings

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ShoppersDelight

I enjoyed it

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on August 11, 2019

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I liked it, and you may as well. Typically you can review a book. But like movies I think books are subjective. People have different tastes and different styles so it's difficult to say if I would like something the same as you.

However I will say Capa is an amazing photographer without question. This book also speaks of other photographers that we're the true pioneers of photography. Whether you like the book or not I would say it's important to at least get to know the photographers that are mentioned in this book. Study their artwork within their photojournalism. Now and days too many people think a photographer is someone who carries a cell phone taking selfies. But not everyone can be a photographer. True photography cannot be taught, it's something people are born with. You have to be born with a photographer's eye and only a true photographer will know what that means.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on April 21, 2016

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I picked this up because I've recently gotten interested in the guy. I found the book excellent and well written covering all aspects of his life.

One of the most interesting parts of the book is the role Gerda Taro plays in it. She was according to everything I've read, the love of his life although she died (was killed in combat 17 years before he was). The book starts with his story alone, but when he is introduced to her while he was in Paris, the book goes back and gives her biography and for a part of the book it becomes almost a dual biography until her death in Spain.

Unfortunately it has neither foot notes or end notes. My assumption is, from the list of interviews in the back that the author did and transcripts from interviews others did that is where the author got his information. Would that he had been a little more scholarly.

It was a wonderful life with its share of tragedy, but lived almost larger than.

2 people found this helpful

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Alex Posner

Excellent book. Everything you wanted to know about Robert ...

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on December 2, 2016

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Excellent book. Everything you wanted to know about Robert Capa's life, and more. I have several books about the photographer, but none tells the story of his life and career better than this book. If you want to know how and why he made the pictures he did, there is nithing better. Highly recommend.

One person found this helpful

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Steve Ballard

Precise and well compiled

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on September 2, 2016

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Whelan's biography has its own controversy, especially when it comes to 'The Falling Soldier' discussion, but that one will always be like that, and most likely, will never be sorted. Apart from that, I found the work precise and well compiled.

One person found this helpful

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walkabout303

Fun Read

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 25, 2015

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Being a Capa fan, this was a fun read. The author exposes some of the truth stretching in Capa's "Slightly out of Focus" which I very much enjoyed.

One person found this helpful

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Barbara F.

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 20, 2015

Verified Purchase

good book, quick shipping!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on March 13, 2015

I adore this book.

A Biography from the Heart

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on December 7, 2008

It is amazing to me that no one has taken time to review this book ("Good read" is NOT a review). It is the story of one of the most enigmatic and interesting men of the 20th Century. Robert Capa is considered by all who have the right to critique his work as the greatest war photographer of all time. He earned this title by the time he was 25, and unfortunately, war finally took him when he stepped on a land mine in Vietnam in 1954.
The author, the late Richard Whelan, addresses any discrepancies ever brought up regarding Capa's work and writes about him with such understanding, one finds it hard to believe he never met the man. Whelan has passed on, but he left us with a fascinating portrait of an artist little known by the everyday man. Steven Spielberg designed the war scenes in "Saving Private Ryan" after Capa's photographs. What a gift it would be if he would produce a film of Capa's life, rather than staying with safe, commercial subjects. Better yet - George Clooney would realize the greatness of the subject and if "Good Night and Good Luck" is any example, he would do Capa's life justice.
Capa truly loved only one woman, Gerda Taro, who was also killed in action, but early on in the Spanish Civil War. He never married. He was born in Hungary but remained a citizen of the world and traveled and was loved by the very poor and the rich and famous, including Irwin Shaw, Hemingway, Steinbeck and Ingrid Bergman. He was universally loved and admired by men and women alike. His photographs of everyday life in Spain during the Spanish Civil War show his gift of catching the warmth and humanity in his subjects. Nothing is ever posed and they always have a sense of immediacy. He gives you a great sense of the drama of the moment and was absolutely fearless in going wherever necessary to capture the tragedy and grief of war. I highly recommend the reader view the film "Overlord" and listen to the commentary by Director Stuart Cooper. The film pays homage to Capa by its use of the camera, and Cooper knew and respected Capa's artistry in both film and the written word.
I am just finishing this book and how I hate to see it end. Oddly enough, I feel as though I am about to say goodbye to an old friend - that is how personal this biography is written. My only criticism is that Whelan does not keep you advised of the years when he talks of the events in Capa's life. You have to make notes and keep track to get a sense of what exact year it was to understand what was going on in the world at that time. I made notes on the pages to make it easier, but otherwise, this is a flawless book written with love and clear eyes. I hope they bring it back in print.
You might also look in your LOCAL INDEPENDENT BOOK STORE for the several books still in print of his photographs. (Some also available here on Amazon) When you look at his photos, they transport you. Don't be surprised if they put a lump in your throat. His was a gift we all lost. Thank God publishers realize what a mark this man continues to make on photography and of the era in which he lived and keep his pictures in print. He captured history with a camera better than anyone. He was bigger than life, and remains so in death. Capa - I hope you are reading this.

19 people found this helpful

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Robert Capa: A Biography Hardcover – September 12, 1985

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