Through the Lens: National Geographic Greatest Photographs by Leah Bendavid-Val (Editor), National Geographic Society

Publishers Weekly

This monumental collection of 250 photos, mostly in color and drawn from the National Geographic Society's archive of 10.5 million, will be published simultaneously in 20 languages, with an eye toward the 113-year-old magazine's international readership of 40 million. As in the magazine, the society's signature blend of dramatic, rigorously composed natural shots and "family of nations"-style culture peeps are backed by broad captions and text ("Perfecting la dolce vita, the people of Europe are renowned for their wholehearted embrace of life's rewards, from festivals to fine dining to stolen moments with friends or loved ones") often far exceeded by the pictures themselves. Meticulously (and sympathetically) deconstructed in Catherine Lutz and Jane Collins's early '90s book Reading National Geographic, the society's broader-crossing humanism is in full effect here-and it retains its arresting power. The six sections ("Europe"; "Asia"; "Africa & the Middle East"; "The Americas"; "Oceans and Isles"; "The Universe") include the first color underwater photographs, as well as collaborative work with NASA, and prominently credit the 84 photographers whose work is featured, giving the book a less homogenous feel. More than 50% of the photos, crisply printed and mostly double-truck, are from the last 10 years, with iconic favorites (like the 1985 cover portrait of a green-eyed Afghan woman and its 1997 full-burqa reprise) threaded in. Weighing in at seven pounds, with an initial international printing of 375,000 and with an accompanying exhibition this fall at the society's Washington, D.C., Explorer's Hall museum, this book should make a considerable impression. (Oct. 1) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal

National Geographic's latest is a testament to the society's contributions to the art of photography over the past 100 years. The book showcases 250 photographs from an archive of 10.5 million images. This enormous archive contains everything from early glass Autochromes to digital photographs. Additionally, this book is the society's largest single volume ever published. Some images included are the first underwater color photographs ever taken as well as photographs from missions to space, which came out of National Geographic's collaboration with NASA. This volume's six chapters are "Europe," "Asia," "Africa and the Middle East," "The Americas," "The Islands and the Seas," and "Space and Space Exploration." The photographs in each section are prefaced with an essay by a mix of magazine contributors, scholars, and freelance journalists, which discuss the unique geographic qualities of each area of the world highlighted. The individual images, by 84 different photographers (e.g., Sam Abell, Annie Griffiths, Nick Nichols), are all obviously striking enough to stand out on their own, but when placed in a single volume, the overall effect is astonishing. Highly recommended for both academic and public libraries.-Sheila Devaney, Univ. of Georgia Libs., Athens Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Product Details

• ISBN: 079226164X
  
• ISBN-13: 9780792261643
• Format: Hardcover, 504pp
• Publisher: Random House Inc
• Pub. Date: October 2003
• Sales Rank: 5,753
• Series: National Geographic Ser.