Photographs of the Southwest

Photographs of the Southwest
By Ansel Adams
New York Photographic Society, 1976

Comments:  One of the photography courses I took in college was about how to use something called the zone system. It was essentially a method of pre-visualizing the dynamic range desired for an image and then adjusting the exposure/development/printing variables to achieve the proper result. In practice the process was quite analytical and required a fair amount of discipline to achieve predictable outcomes, particularly in the era of film. It was this line of study that first introduced me to the work of Ansel Adams, one of the most renowned practitioners of the technique. Adams achieved an extraordinary degree of artistry in his work and I've been an admirer and collector since I first discovered him. I have several of his books, including both image collections and instructional titles, with this one being the most recent addition to my library.

The book is a collection of 109 images taken by Adams during a wide span of his career, from 1928 to 1968, all thematically bound by having source locations in the U.S. Southwest. It features a variety of landscapes, architecture, and portraits of native people from the region, including a few of the most iconic images for which Adams is known, such as Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico, 1941, and White House ruin, Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Arizona, c. 1942. The reproductions are all rich, multi-tonal black and white images, each carefully manipulated to perfection in the classic Adams style. There is also a companion essay by Lawrence Clark Powell, but the photographs are clearly the prime subject. This published collection is certainly the equal of any other from Adams extensive body of work, and well worth a place on the bookshelf for anyone interested in great photography.

Copy Notes:  Hardback, first printing

Readymades

Readymades

American Roadside Artifacts
Photographs by Jeff Brouws
Chronicle Books, 2003

Comments:  I'm a great enthusiast of photographic typologies. The style of photographing similar objects and displaying them as thematic collections is fairly common, but as with any creative endeavor some examples are more artistic than others. I consider the work of Bernd and Hilla Becher to be among the best in this genre, but there are several other masterful photographers who have achieved a measure of recognition with this approach.

This book by photographer Jeff Brouws is a wonderful example of the style, faithful in every sense to the typologies concept. The overarching theme is scenes found through travel along roadways, but within that there are sub-sets such as tacky houses, farm forms, freight cars, trailers, signs, partially painted pickup trucks, and other subjects. One of my favorites is a black and white set of abandoned gas stations. The photographer works in both color and black and white, using different cameras and formats, depending on the subject. Companion text from various other contributors accompanies each section to add some context to thinking about the sets, but the images themselves are the real treasure.

Brouws must have traveled many highway miles to have captured so many roadside images, but the effort was certainly worth it. The body of work is technically well executed and visually engaging. I very much enjoy occasionally browsing through this book for inspiration with my own photography and I hope to find other work by the same photographer in the future.

Copy Notes:  Hardback, first edition

The Sailing Dictionary

The Sailing Dictionary

A Comprehensive Reference Book of Modern Sailing Terms
by Joachim Schult, translated by Barbara Webb
Adlard Coles Ltd., 1981

Comments:  Sailors use special language that is unfamiliar to most people for many reasons, but safety is one key purpose. Concern for the welfare of life and craft underlies almost every action in the nautical realm. It's essential that crew communications be absolutely unambiguous, and that degree of clarity requires many specialized terms. For instance, there can be many lines on a sailboat, but only one is the jib sheet. In an emergency quickly conveying to a crewman which line to adjust could be the difference between crisis avoidance or catastrophe. That analogy extends to numerous activities on any sailboat.

Developing an understanding of basic sailing terms is fairly easy, but beyond that the extent of special language can be daunting. Fortunately, there are numerous glossaries and dictionaries available to define even the most obscure terms. I've used many of these over the years, but this is my go-to favorite. Somewhat surprisingly, it's actually an English translation from an original German source, produced by a notable specialty publisher of nautical books. The definitions are well written but brief, containing no more than the most essential information, and the volume is profusely illustrated with helpful diagrams. The physical size of the book and its open typesetting also make it easy to use -- something not to be taken for granted with dictionaries. If your interests include the technical side of sailing and seamanship, this is a good companion reference to have within reach.

Copy Notes:  Notes: Hardback, first English edition, illustrated

Atlantic High

Atlantic High
A Celebration
by William F. Buckley, Jr.
Doubleday, 1982

Comments:  Many years ago when I was learning to sail I developed a keen interest in non-fiction sailing stories. One of the writers I discovered came as somewhat of a surprise, since his reputation was well established in a very different field, but it turned out that William F. Buckley, Jr. was actually an accomplished sailer who had written several books on the subject. Though I had little interest in his politics, I found Buckley's writing about sailing to be quite engaging.

This book is primarily an account of a transatlantic crossing Buckley made in 1980 with a group of close friends aboard a 71-foot boat named Sealestial. Typical of his other sailing books, the story covers a great deal of nautical minutia about cruising that is quite enjoyable for enthusiasts, as well as character studies of the various crew and their behaviors over the extended period at sea. There is little in the way of survival drama, with the expedition unfolding with workmanlike efficiency in generally agreeable weather, but there are the usual touches of Buckley's subtle humor on topics such as the importance of air conditioning and ice machines. On the whole this is a very enjoyable read for anyone with an interest in cruising, but be forewarned, with Buckley you will definitely need a dictionary handy.

Copy Notes:  I first read Atlantic High over 25 years ago as a paperback, but thoroughly enjoyed reading it again recently when I found this first edition hardback. The book includes numerous photographs that greatly enhance the story.

Tools And How To Use Them

Tools And How To Use Them
An Illustrated Encyclopedia
by Albert Jackson and David Day
Alfred A. Knopf, 1979

Comments:  For the mechanically inclined tools are objects of both necessity and delight. The urge to possess them to excess -- pejoratively known as tool lust -- transcends gender, but men especially more often seem to be in its grip. Most men would never admit to having too many tools and will readily acquire another with only the slightest hint of its potential usefulness. I suffer from this affliction myself and that probably explains why I was enticed by this book many years ago.

Though hardly a definitive work, it does cover a very broad range of tools, including many obscure ones. As the title implies, each tool is profiled with varying degrees of background information such as its history, intended uses, specific terms, variations of type, accessories, and basic tips for use. Although the mastery of most tools can hardly be learned from a brief description, the text generally provides enough information to make a serviceable start. One of the most appealing aspects of the book is the hand drawn illustrations of each tool and the techniques to use it. Relying on drawings rather than photographs gives the book an artistic feel that is more visually pleasing to peruse, and also better conveys each tool archetypically, rather than as a specific brand.

I've owned this book for over 30 years. In addition to being a useful reference it has been an entertaining source of periodic general reading. For anyone with tool lust, it's a wonderful way to feed your need.

Copy Notes:  Softcover, second printing, with over 1,500 illustrations

Mini House

Mini House
by Alejandro Bahamón
Harper Collins, 2003

Comments:  I've always been fascinated by minimalist architecture, particularly with regard to residential dwelling. The merits of thinking small in home design are many, with economy of construction, reduced energy consumption, and lower maintenance being key advantages, but living comfortably on a small footprint also requires serious concessions to space utilization. For practical reasons it is absolutely essential to achieve a high level of efficiency in building design, as well as a sense of aesthetic value to help users bond with such intimate spaces. This book presents a collection of exemplary projects from around the world that largely succeed in finding the right balance of the Vitruvian ideals -- firmness, commodity, and delight -- in unusually small, but elegant homes.

Most of the projects are quite different, each being driven by its own regional influences of landscape, weather, and materials. Not all of the projects are based on the strictest economy, with some using rich materials in modest ways for aesthetic advantage. But they are all innovative, elegant, and inherently livable designs where one can easily imagine thriving, not in spite of their small scale, but indeed because of it. This is a wonderful dream book for anyone intrigued by the idea of finding extreme simplicity and beauty in a home. Of the many architectural books I own, this is one of my favorite.

Copy Notes:  Hardback, first edition, color photos, floor plans, and diagrams

Mr. Jefferson's University

Mr. Jefferson's University

by Garry Wills
National Geographic Society, 2002

Comments:  Although well known for his achievements in government, one of the lesser recognized accomplishments of Thomas Jefferson was his talent as an architect. In fact, he was arguably one of the most important early proponents for the classical style so prevalent in American public buildings. One of the best examples of his work -- and generally regarded as one of the most important works of American architecture -- is his original design for the campus of the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. This book tells the history of that project and guides the reader through a tour of its structures and grounds, much of which are still in active use by the university. It provides an intimate, but approachable account of Jefferson's architectural philosophy and how the execution of his vision was ultimately achieved. For anyone with an interest in architecture or American history, this brief work is well worth reading.

Garry Wills is a Pulitzer Prize-winning author known for his works on American history, politics, and religion. The book was published by the National Geographic Society as part of a series on travel writing.

Copy Notes:  Hardback, first edition, with photographs and reproductions of documents