Oakland Rhapsody: The Secret Soul of an American Downtown

Rating:
Summary: Great photo essay of individuals on the streets of Oakland.
Review: Richard Nagler did an excellent job photographing the residents of Oakland on their city streets. "Oakland Rhapsody" is not a pretty coffee-table book for tourists; it captures well the overwhelming isolation of individuals against a backdrop of urban decay. Yet the pictures are not all gloomy, as Mr. Nagler also catches the vibrancy and multi-ethnic makeup that gives Oakland its life and promise. Ishmael Reed notes in the accompanying commentary, Oakland is very liveable, attractive city in spite of the problems that plague it. This is the real value of the book, that it seeks to present both problems as well as hopes for the future. One note: Most of the photos were taken from the late 1970s through 1994. As a resident of West Oakland area, I can attest much has continued to change for the better since the early 1990's, but that in no way detracts from the book.