Stephen Shore

Considering the magnitude of this book, that is, what it is asked to do in 336 pages, it is exceptionally informativeand well-done. Not unlike the quality we have come to generally expect from MOMA publications, it is a superbly designed book in its organization and presentation of text and images. While it is primarily about looking, its accompanying text is direct, minimal, refined, and supportive.At 9.25X10.75 inches, it is for me an ideal size for comfortably holding in my lap and leafing through. Consideringits great number of images - and some sense of accommodating what marketing notes refer to as Shore's "kaleidoscopic vision", many of its images by necessity are small and should be regarded more as informative than aesthetic. There are however, numerous one-to-a-page reproductions measuring 6X7.5 inches (or close variant) with white space surrounding; they are perfectly sized for relatively close viewing and can be taken in as a whole - rather than in parts as is the case with other books on Shore which measure close to16 inches on a side. If you have a need (as do apparently some other reviewers here) for mammoth-sized coffee table books, this is not for you. If, however, you prefer a more intimate and involving viewing/reading experience, do buy this.Shore's aesthetic contributions to art are significant. Making a case for this is surely unnecessary. However, because of the magnitude of the work covered here, not all images are of equal quality; as with all artists, some do not achieve the level to which the artist aspires. I found, for a variety of reasons, all of the work here to be interesting and worthwhile. Through his aesthetic, which is about selectivity and formality - and ability to find interest in our world where others do not - several of these photographs are beautiful in their revelation and transcendence.

I saw the museum show for which the book was written. At first, my reaction was: "What's the big deal. These photographs are pretty ordinary - certainly not worthy of a museum show". In fact they seemed less than ordinary, maybe like pictures that were not worth taking in the first place. After a little while, however, it dawned on me that they are based on a little bit different aesthetic - one that I had never seen before. The more and deeper I looked, the more fascinating the pictures became, at least for me. In my opinion, Stephen Shore is a unique, amazing and fascinating photographer. If you are really interested in photography and think you've seen it all, this is a must-have book.

This is as comprehensive as it currently gets in regard to a review of Shore's career. Beginning in his youth with a gift of a Kodak developing kit and continuing to the present (2017), we are treated to a taste of all Shore's projects. Admittedly, some of his work is not very interesting to me personally but that doesn't prevent me from giving the book a full 5 stars as an insightful career retrospective. There can be no doubt about Shore's work influencing generations of young photographers and having an impact on the art in a global sense. Reproductions are mostly excellent and the text is informative albeit sometimes longwinded as is usual for these types of books.

Great book and pictures.

Trying to organize the work using every letter may sound like a cute idea (after 3 or 4 drinks) but it simply does not work. It makes it hard for the novice (and does not make much sense), it is too arbitrary and frustrating for the non-novice. Just like the Family of Man, it looks like a show-off for the editor but not so much for the artist!