The Family of Man

Rating:
Summary: A great look at the human spirit
Review: Ingrid Sischy, the editor of Interview Magazine, once taught her creative director the art of shutting up and just looking at a photo. It's a simple technique - yet it works. If you take 15 minutes to just look at a photo, eventually the photo will begin to speak to you. This lesson is even more profound when you allow the photos of "The Family of Man" to speak to you. Each photo encapsulates a tiny portion of the human experience and serves as a vivid mirror of our own spirit. As we journey from birth to death we see all the flaws and fascinating qualities that make the human being a beautiful work in progress. And while the book is only 5% words I've yet to complete it. Why? Because I've found myself watching closely each photo for the amount of time it takes to finish the chapter of a book. And each "chapter" that I've seen tells me several things: That we are all bonded by love, struggle, survival, passion, pain, fears, dreams, belief and hope.

Rating:
Summary: The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Review: It seems I've owned this book forever and never tire of browsing through it. The beautiful black and white photos are timeless and just as applicable to the stages of life in 2001 as they were in the fifties. My favorite photography book.

Rating:
Summary: The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Review: It seems I've owned this book forever and never tire of browsing through it. The beautiful black and white photos are timeless and just as applicable to the stages of life in 2001 as they were in the fifties. My favorite photography book.

Rating:
Summary: The pictures in this book will haunt your dreams.
Review: Many years ago, my sister gave me this book. It's the best gift she ever gave me. Through pictures, life is shown at both its best and worst. We follow generations through love, marriage, war, birth, death and all else in between. Occasionally, there are brief, starkly related quotations. I've been drawn back to this book so many times that I feel all of those pictured are my personal friends.

Rating:
Summary: This book is a classic - timeless and striking.
Review: The Family of Man - first published in 1955 - is the pictorial record of one of the most riveting exhibitions of photography of all time. The book, which contains some text, is a poignant treasure of the human condition - from birth to death. It shows man's relation and connection to life, regardless of country or language and all that we share through love, pain, rituals and simply coping. The phrase " a picture is worth a thousand words" comes alive in The Family of Man.

Rating:
Summary: What a way to see the world
Review: The only thing that could be better than this book would be the actual "Family of Man" exhibit. Steichen displays the character and humanity of the world as seen through the lens of some of the most famous (although unknown to the general public) photographers. For the reader\viewer "Family of Man" give a humanistic tour of the world while introducing famous photojournalists. If you enjoy getting new perspectives on life and the world in which we live, this book is a must have. The photographs in this book are stunning and capture the subjects naturally, which adds to the feel you get from each. I liked this book because I found myself looking through it over and over again each time discovering something new. You too may discover something - a new outlook, something new about yourself, or maybe something in a photograph that was overlooked.

Rating:
Summary: Have loved this book since I was a child
Review: The photos are top notch. The organization and message of the book are wonderful. I've always had this book in my home as an adult. My only criticism is the quality of the paper and images in this particular printing of the book.

Rating:
Summary: A brilliant presentation of the human spirit on film
Review: This book details the Family of Man photography exhibit composed of photos that Edward Steichen collected from photographers throughout the world. From the intro by Carl Sandburg (his brother in law), to the photographs of birth, life, death and the emotions and events in between, the book shows true humanity through the eyes of the camera. Featuring works by many famous, but yet unknown photographers, this book is a true treasure. When you glance at its pages you will discover new perspectives, or maybe something inside yourself. This is not a picture book, but a photo biography of the human race. If you are tired of coffee table books that sit unopened, pick up this book a few times and share it with your friends. You will read it again and again, discovering new secrets with every turn of a page.

Rating:
Summary: Note that all (but one) customer reviews are 5 stars!!!
Review: This is simply the best collections of photographs that I have ever seen. The book dates from the 50's, but the subject matter... humans... are the same today. Buy this for yourself, of as a special gift for a special person, and you'll not regret it. (I only wish it were still published in hard cover)

Rating:
Summary: Note that all (but one) customer reviews are 5 stars!!!
Review: This is simply the best collections of photographs that I have ever seen. The book dates from the 50's, but the subject matter... humans... are the same today. Buy this for yourself, of as a special gift for a special person, and you'll not regret it. (I only wish it were still published in hard cover)