LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
Booked Solid: The Eyes Have It |
by Constant Reader |
The Dog Days of Summer have a way of baking the brain, completely destroying the ability to concentrate, making following the plot line of a book tedious and daunting. So, how about some eye candy? No calories, plenty satisfying and the brain can go on idle. Lets start with one of my personal favorites, TEN WOMEN BY PETER LINDBERGH, Publishing House te Neues, 115 breathtaking pages, $35.00. Fashion photographer Peter Lindbergh has selected what surely must be ten of the most conventionally beautiful women in the world to populate this book. Feast for the eyes doesnt even begin to tell the story. Models Naomi Campbell, Helena Christensen, Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista, Kristen McMenamy, Kate Moss, Tatjana Patitz (isnt that just the greatest name?), Claudia Schiffer, Christy Turlington, and Amber Valletta are presented in breathtaking, sensuous and sexy poses that dazzle the eyes. Each section is devoted to one woman at a time. Theres a brief introduction to the model at the beginning of each chapter, followed by the photographs. No, you dont have to read it, but know that its there. The back cover of the book, which features Amber Valletta, is enough to make you hope and maybe believe that really there are angels. BODY & SOUL, Universe Publishing, 144 sultry pages, $27.50. This stunning collection of photographs is a visual tribute to black male beauty and style. Photographers such as Marc Baptiste, David LaChapelle, Michael Compte, Thierry Le Goues, Walter Chin, Greg Gorman and Bob Frame turn their lenses for a provocative look at some of the most talked-about black men who populate todays cultural scenefrom music artists and athletes to models and actors. Look into the eyes and souls of such well knowns as Dennis Rodman, "Puffy" Combs, Riddick Bowe, Chris Rock, Chris Webber and Tupac Shakur. See Cooliom manage to be outrageous even in still photos. Model/actor Djimon Hounsou is so rock solid and majestic that it looks as if hes been carved out of black granite. The stills of actor twins Charles and Charleton are studies in ebony ebullience. Sensuous, soulful and sassy, these men allow us to see some of their strengths, pride and tenderness. Greg Hines photo is so animated that you can almost hear his laughter. This treatment of men is a genuine treat. A CELEBRATION COMMEMORATING THE BIRTH OF A LEAGUE: THE WNBA, Kelly Whiteside, Harper Horizon, 102 action-paced pages, $20.00. A league of our own, FINALLY! Thats the way many women felt when the Womens National Basketball Association saw its inaugural season in 1997. Think baking a cake from scratch is hard? Try making a basketball league from scratchwhich is what WNBA President Val Ackerman had to do. Eight months away from seasons beginning Ackerman needed 96 players to flesh out the eight-team league and she had a total of zero. On October 22, 1996 her fax phone rang. The paper that popped out was the first signed player contract in the WNBASheryl Swoopes was officially a member of the league. The 1996 gold-medal-winning triumvirate of Swoopes, Rebecca Lobo, and Lisa Leslie were signed up and the WNBA had its foundation. Maybe the guys Got Game, but before you knew it, the gals said "We Got Next." And did they ever! In the Eastern Conference there was the Charlotte Sting, The Cleveland Rockers, the Houston Comets and the New York Liberty. The Western conference held the Los Angeles Sparks, The Phoenix Mercury, The San Francisco Monarch and The Utah Starzz. The league was born and the fans just couldnt seem to get enough. A signature of the league is that at the beginning of each game the home-team players line one side of the court, the other side is lined with kids from the hometown. The two lines advance and when they meet, the players hand off game balls to the kids. Can you imagine the thrills? Whitsides books give all the facts and statistics of the 1997 schedule but the photographs are the true story. Youll get to see the players at ease, in concentrated action and the rapture-filled faces of the fans. The book not only is historic, its a loving tribute to the women athletes and their ecstatic fans. Switching gears, for a walk on the wild side, try a peek at BEASTS, compiled by David Sprigle, Fotofactory Press, 110 mind-boggling pages, $40.00. One picture is worth a thousand words is an underestimation as you look at each plate in this beguiling book. Sprigle has collected ninety-nine photos by 52 international photographers reflecting on the relationship between men and animals and that of man as an animal himself. And, at times, what a strange animal. This is one of the most bizarre and fascinating books youll ever hold in your hands. Its a memorable trip into some strange lands but each plate stands on its own in beauty and imagination. The photographs are all of men holding, attached to or engaged with some sort of animal. It may be a bit heavy on the snake/phallus imagery but thats a small criticism for such a grandiose and gratifying album. This one is, for the right person, just the gift waiting to be given. |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 8, No. 12, August 28, 1998. |