Editorial Review

Each of the extraordinary portraits made by photographer Annie Leibovitz for her book Read more

Reviews (43)

Wonderful book
Superb photography, amazing subjects. Very interesting essay by Susan Sontag. Great to see all those wonderful women together. Gives a fresh perspective on half the human race.

Wonderful wonderful
I loved this book.It made me feel like a real woman.

Image as Everywoman
Fiction is my preference when writing book reviews, because I love the complexity of words, stories, and the vagaries of human nature with its endless permutations. But when I received Leibovitz's astonishing compilation of photographs as a gift, I thought I might attempt an impression of page after page of females, as seen through the professional eye of one of the most important photographers of our generation.Read more

Subjects:  1. 1949-    2. General    3. Individual Photographer    4. Leibovitz, Annie,    5. Photo Essays    6. Photoessays & Documentaries    7. Photography    8. Photography of women    9. Subjects & Themes - Portraits    10. Photography / General   

Reviews (1)

Amazing.
This book is beautifully put together.Like a picture story book, this documentary of women struggling with/recovering from eating disorders is an eye opening look at how quickly and deeply someone can lose themselves and become a hollow shell of who they once were.It's an honest portrayal of a serious disease and its sufferers. The photographs, as all of Lauren Greenfield's photography I've seen, are beautiful and haunting.**Possible trigger for those in recovery. ** I highly recommend this book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anorexia nervosa    2. Photo Essays    3. Photoessays & Documentaries    4. Photography    5. Pictorial works    6. Psychopathology - Eating Disorders    7. Photography / Photo Essays   

Subjects:  1. 1939-    2. Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions    3. Eggleston, William,    4. Individual Photographer    5. Individual Photographers And Their Work    6. Photo Essays    7. Photography    8. Photography, Artistic    9. Eggleston, William    10. Non-Classifiable   

Editorial Review

This revised and updated portfolio includes nearly 200 images by the master portrait photographer. The best known faces of our time have been memorably "Karshed"--a glowering Churchill (his trademark cigar having been just snatched out of his mouth), a beaming Khruschev peeking out from a massive fur coat, a serene Helen Keller reading a book of Braille with quiet delight, a pensive Tennessee Williams at his typewriter, an impish Margaret O'Brien yanking at her pigtails. Karsh's portraits of fellow artists--especially sculptors and architects--are among his most sensitive and intuitive. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

An insightful and sensetive look at famous 20th cent. people
A wonderful retrospective view of Karsh's most famous photographs.Most portraits are in black and white and capture rare insights of the most influential people in the arts, politics, academics and entertainment. Allphotographs are brilliantly reproduced, most in full page format. Thecomments by Karsh reveal personal insights adding a dimension ofaccessibility to the most revered in our century. There are also numerousexcellently reproduced color portraits, which along with the black andwhite portraits, are reproduced in a wonderful satin finish. There are manyportraits from the 40's and 50's including his most famous portrait ofWinston Churchill and powerful portraitssuch as the back of Pablo Casalsplaying the cello in an austerely but masterfully lit setting. Exceptional photographic studies of familiar faces.
This is a must have book for the portrait photographer. Or for anyone who just enjoys famous faces.Years of wonderful portrait studies of people we all know and admire. These portraits make us feel as if we are reallygetting to know these people up close. Such emotions are rare to becaptured as still images. A SUCCESS in portraiture!!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1908-    2. Celebrities    3. Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions    4. Individual Photographer    5. Individual Photographers And Their Work    6. Karsh, Yousuf,    7. Photo Essays    8. Photography    9. Portrait photography    10. Portraits    11. Individual artists    12. Karsh, Yousuf    13. Photographs: portraits   

Reviews (8)

fantastic photo book
annie's book is an incredible collection of celebrity images with a series of text that describes her ascent to the top in her field

One Of The Most Celebrated Photographer of the 20th Century!
Annie Leibovitz's name is as recognizable as her photos.This collection spans two decades filled with her best work mostly from Vanity Fair and Rolling Stone, but including some previously unpublished ones.She has the knack to bring out the side of a celebrities personality unexpected, and a way to turn a comic photo on it's side for another uplift of laughter.Some serious, some funny and many sentimental, Annie Leibovitz's photos invoke thought, humor, tenderness and empathy in every frame.A woman from modest beginnings shows the world what she has accomplished so far.It is an impressive feat.

Layers of Meaning Like the Brush Strokes of Old Masters
Seeing so many celebrity photographs from the beginning of Ms. Leibovitz's career unveils many of the most effective methods that she uses to create her deep insights into the subject of the portrait.Although you may feel the subtlety of her work viscerally, these comparisons make it easier to appreciate the purposefulness of how the effects are brilliantly captured.If you are like me, this book will enhance your already deep appreciation of her work.Read more

Subjects:  1. 1949-    2. Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions    3. Individual Photographer    4. Leibovitz, Annie,    5. Photo Essays    6. Photography    7. Photography, Artistic    8. Photographs: portraits    9. c 1970 to c 1980    10. c 1980 to c 1990   

Editorial Review

By a recent count, the continent of Africa comprises some 1,300 cultures. Some of them number millions of people, some only a few families; some are thriving, while others are in danger of disappearing, the victims of acculturation or, in extreme cases, of genocide. This diversity--and the dangers to it--is little known outside Africa. PhotographersCarol Beckwith andAngela Fisher highlight both matters in Read more

Reviews (12)

Book is good, but the supplement CD is...
There is no-doubt about the photos are more than good.
See it before it disappears
A beautiful look at cultural conventions that may soon be relegated to the quaint and unusual.

BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE
HOW CAN ANYONE SAY THAT THESE CULTURES DON'T EXIST ANYMORE, OR THIS IS AN AFRICA THAT NO LONGER EXISTS. THEY TOOK THESE PICTURESWITHIN THE LAST 10 YEARS.. DIDN'T THEY ? DUH ?EVERYONE KNOWS THERE IS A COMMON EVERYDAY AFRICA.. GOING TO WORK GENERAL LIVING ( JUST LIKE US HERE IN AMERICA FOLKS) BUT STILL THERE IS AFRICAN TRIBAL SPLENDOR. JUST LIKE IN AMERICA INDIAN'S GET TOGETHER FOR TRIBAL POW WOWS. THEY STILL EXIST TOO. THE PICTURES IN THIS BOOK ARE SHOCKINGLY GORGEOUS...AFRICAN PEOPLE STUNNINGLY BEAUTIFUL. PLEASE! THE MEN ARE HANDSOME, THE WOMEN WONDEROUS. IT JUST MAKES ME WONDER WHY THE EUROPEAN STANDARD, HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE "STANDARD" OF BEAUTY. THIS REVUE MAY SOUND SHALLOW, BUT IF YOUR INTO THE HUMAN HAS ART FORM ...BUY THIS BOOK!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Africa    2. Africa - General    3. Anthropology - Cultural    4. Customs & Traditions    5. Initiation rites    6. Marriage customs and rites    7. Photo Essays    8. Photography    9. Photojournalism    10. Rites and ceremonies    11. Ritual    12. Sociology    13. African studies    14. Anthropology    15. Customs & folklore    16. Photographs: collections    17. Religion / Ethnic & Tribal    18. Religious rites & ceremonies   

Reviews (3)

Master of landscape photography
Another stunning book of American Landscape!!
wonderful photos
After seeing these photos, I'm further inspired to visit all the national parks!
First class tribute to our parks
What a beautiful book! Covering all of our nation's National Parks, David Muench's photography is incredible. From the Great Sand Dunes to Canyonlands, from Carlsbad to Glacier, he's captured our nation's most beautiful land. Great quality book--I immediately wanted to hike up a mountain. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. National parks and reserves    2. Nature Photography    3. Parks & Campgrounds    4. Photo Essays    5. Photoessays & Documentaries    6. Photography    7. Pictorial works    8. Pictorials    9. Subjects & Themes - Landscapes    10. Travel - United States    11. United States    12. United States - General    13. Photographs: collections    14. USA    15. Zoos & wildlife parks   

Subjects:  1. Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions    2. Individual Photographer    3. Individual Photographers And Their Work    4. Photo Techniques    5. Photoessays & Documentaries    6. Photography    7. Subjects & Themes - Fashion    8. Individual photographers   

Reviews (5)

Richard Avedon Woman In The Mirror
This latestby our recently departed R.A. ( I cried like a little girl when he died) is one of his best. With images in his beloved black and white but also rare color that I've never seen before the book is a classic portryal of Avedon'simages ofwomen. Dovima with elephants, Suzy Parker, Rose Kennedy, the most erotic image of Stephanie Seymour ever. The color images of Nadja with a skeleton in fashion images that will stay withyou for ages, this book is a fantastic portfolio of Americas greatest photographer,( ok Irving Penn & Avedon share that title). If you were not in on Made In France,(which is now a $1500.00 book )get this one it has more substance aside from the beautiful design of MIF. I miss Avedon and this book brought some memory of his brilliant approach to photography once again.

Avedon's Last Gasp
Avedon's last book. He died in October 2004. This is a beautiful collection, all are full-page and a few double-page spreads. Many are fashion pieces, but a number are of the famous, including a wonderful Janis Joplin!
Female in the lens
Richard Avedon selected a portfolio of women he has photographed over the last 60 years for "Woman in the Mirror.". Here are 125 images ranging from 1946 (Zazi, a street performer in Rome) to 2004, the year Avedon died. Some of the images have been published but many have not. The majority of photos are from Avedon's career as a fashion photographer - familiar faces like Dorian Leigh, Dovina, Jean Shrimpton, Penelope Tree and Suzy Parker (who is featured on the cover). Women from other walks of life are featured as well - actresses (Katharine Hepburn, Brigitte Bardot, Tilda Swinton, Marilyn Monroe), writers (Isak Dinesen, Marguerite Duras, Renata Adler), singers (Tina, Turner, Patti Smith, Janis Joplin, Maria Callas) and many more. And there's also Elton John in drag! Fifteen pages are reproductions from a "photographic fable" titled "In Memory of the Late Mr. and Mrs. Comfort" (1995) which features models in bizarre poses with skeletons. An essay by Anne Hollander covers the career of this fascinating photographer. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Fashion photography    2. Individual Photographer    3. Individual Photographers And Their Work    4. Photo Techniques    5. Photoessays & Documentaries    6. Photography    7. Photography of women    8. Portraiture    9. Subjects & Themes - Portraits    10. Individual photographers    11. Photographs: collections    12. Photography / Individual Photographer   

Editorial Review

Our contact with great architecture tends to be indirect, through representations. Few of us have seen the Taj Mahal, yet we all know exactly what it looks like. The useful act of photographing buildings can be an art, particularly when the photographer's presence seems to recede, and a great architectural shot suggests that you're seeing things as they are rather than through someone else's prism.Read more

Reviews (6)

Brillant Book
This book has been my bible. From the pure joy of looking at the visuals to the wealth of knowledge perched on it pages. For anyone interested in architecture and photography this is a must read.

Buy this book
If one is ever to purchase a book concerning mid-century modernism, purchase this book. The photography is amazing, and inspiring. The text is informative without being verbose. This is definitely one of the top ten favourites in my collection. Shulman - A great Photographer of Architecture
A terrific insight into the professional career of Julius Shulman. His work, his thoughts on Architects and their work and a cross section of some of the most beautifully crafted Photographs of Architecture from his files. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Architectural & Industrial    3. Architectural photography    4. Architecture    5. Architecture, Modern    6. History - General    7. Individual Architect    8. Individual Photographer    9. Individual Photographers And Their Work    10. Photo Essays    11. Photography    12. Photography of art    13. Pictorial works    14. Shulman, Julius   

Reviews (9)

How Photography Made the Day
The 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center was not only the biggest news event in decades, it was also the most photographed one.Some people by chance got pictures of Flight 11 crashing into the north tower, and after that the cameras never stopped."Men and women by the hundreds, then thousands - bystanders with point-and-shoots, TV news teams, photojournalists by the score - felt compelled to snap history, fiery and cruel against the blue."So writes David Friend, who used to be the director of photography for _Life_ magazine, in _Watching the World Change: The Stories Behind the Images of 9/11_ (Farrar, Straus, and Giroux).You have heard plenty of 9/11 stories, but chances are you remember mostly the images.Friend makes the point that Americans who are old enough remember where they were when they _heard_ about JFK's shooting, but they remember where they were when they _saw_ the 9/11 terror attacks.The book is a lucid and fascinating recounting of how some of the most famous of the photographs came to be.It is not a coffee-table book full of photos; there are only forty or so reproduced here, but the recounting of the shots and the reflections on photography in the modern news era will make intense reading even for those who have seen the images over and over.And all of us have seen the images over and over; we cannot look away, which makes Friend's observations particularly pertinent.
Stunning, touching, excellent book
This book is a riveting read about the stories behind the photos of 9-11. It presents information within a context that explores both the personal point of view of the photographer, as well as different points of view when relevant.
The Craft of a day's shooting pictures
This is a prefect craft of the power of photographs and everything that comes into play around shooting a cataclysmic disaster such as 9/11. The author has navigated the wherabouts of several people and what drove them to shoot that day and the affects of certain photos on our lives. The NOTES section at the end, the bibliography, is the best and most detailed that I've ever seen. Photos in the middle of the book are well used and described throughout the book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. History    2. History: American    3. New York    4. New York (State)    5. Photoessays & Documentaries    6. Photography    7. Pictorial works    8. Political Freedom & Security - Terrorism    9. Political Terrorism    10. September 11 Terrorist Attacks, 2001    11. Terrorism    12. United States - 21st Century    13. United States - State & Local - Middle Atlantic    14. 21st century    15. American history: postwar, from c 1945 -    16. Photographic reportage    17. Photography / General    18. World history: postwar, from c 1945 -   

Reviews (8)

BEYOND WACK
You have got to be kidding me. This stuff was tacky when it ran in magazines...so now a book of it? Whatev... not to mention the horribly CHEAPO paper and way crummy binding. What was the guy thinking? Filthy lucre, I suppose. Three to six months until it hits the remainder table. A better subtitle might have been, "How I Stopped Worrying About What a Decent Book Should Be". Saveyourself the bread.

Essential Weber fashion primer
"Blood, Sweat and Tears" is an essential monograph. Impressive in it's sheer heft but magnificent for Bruce Weber's beautiful fashion imagery and cultural significance for a quarter century.
Truth be told: pretty lame
The paper quality is poor, and the colors are washed out and not at all crisp.If you already own "Men without Ties," you can definitely skip this book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art & Art Instruction    2. Fashion    3. Individual Photographer    4. Photo Techniques    5. Photoessays & Documentaries    6. Photography    7. Subjects & Themes - Fashion    8. Individual photographers    9. Photographs: collections   

Reviews (20)

so very boring and arrogant
I was forced to read this drivel for a graduate photo program. God I wanted to kill myself and quit photography by the time I was finished with it.
On Photography is Recanted in Regarding the Pain of Others
Susan recants many of the things she says in On Photography in her book Regarding the Pain of Others published in 2003.

Has Susan Sontag ever taken a picture?
I opened this book very neutrally--I had never heard anything about Susan Sontag except her name, in a preface to an Annie Leibovitz book.I still can't believe some of the things I read.Sontag mentions in the foreword that she has an "obsession" with photography.I would argue that she has an obsession with resenting photography.
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Subjects:  1. Artistic photography    2. Criticism    3. General    4. Photo Essays    5. Photography    6. Photography As An Art    7. Photography, Artistic    8. Photography / General   

Reviews (5)

Miami Then and Now
Having grown up in Miami, I found the book particularly interesting. The pictures were excellent. I thought the captions could have been a bit more informative.

Miami preconstruction boom and Investment
Execellent book - highly recommended, but get down here and see for yourself - what's happening to the Miami is magical and really a golden opportunity for all. Over the next few years Miami's Skyline will be transformed as builders and investors seek billions in pre-construction investments to turn the city into a the epicenter of the region.
Captiving Photo Book
If you have lived in Miami or have an affinity toward Miami, this is a must-have book.Few people in Miami like Arva Moore Parks have taken the time to document the City's rich history as the fastest-growing metropolis in the United States over the last 100 years.The "then and now" photos offer splendid matches, with interesting and informative historical notes in the caption.Great coffee-table book too! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architectural & Industrial    2. History    3. History - U.S.    4. Landscape    5. Miami (Fla.)    6. Photo Essays    7. Photoessays & Documentaries    8. Photography    9. Pictorial works    10. Subjects & Themes - Travel - U.S/South    11. United States - State & Local - General    12. Sale Books   

Editorial Review

It looks like a gorgeous nostalgia trip to judge by the cover imagealone. The photo is of an old school record player that lies unplugged, awhite label test-pressing waiting on the turntable, while a band of paperwrapped around the cover announces the title in ye olde woodblock-lookingtype, Read more

Reviews (8)

An intimate collection
I just saw this exhibit at our MoMA, and the work is outstanding. Some of the images are color, some black and white. There are a number of styles and artists, ranging from the very famous to those unknown outside of their small communities. The point is that these are images of musicians--it's that simple.
Spectacular Photos!
The catalog is gorgeous, the photographs are indeed spectacular.While the written entries were wonderful, they were too few and left me wanting more.I guess that's a good thing!

This is a photography book, not a music anthology
It seems to me that the other reviewers have mistakenly criticized the book for its choice of music artists. Such decisions are secondary to the nature of this work of art. Annie Leibovitz is a photographer of surpassing quality and her ability to capture the latent stories of her subjects is on full display in this book. The idea is not so much to produce stunning or provocative photographs as it is to make manifest the character and circumstances of the various pictured musical artists. Seen in this light, Leibovitz's book should be lauded for its ability to tell a story without getting in the way, and to highlight subtleties without resorting to contrivance. "American Music" is a wonderful work of art, as should be expected from such a distinguished artist. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Individual Photographer    2. Musicians    3. Photo Essays    4. Photoessays & Documentaries    5. Photography    6. Photography As An Art    7. Pictorial works    8. Popular music    9. Portraits    10. Subjects & Themes - Portraits    11. United States    12. Photography / Portraits   

Reviews (7)

WORDS OF WISDOM AND FOLLY
About Mario Testino and his work:
Testino's portraits stunning
This collection is superb and the size of the book is well chosen to display the images. It's a well rounded selection, including fashion, editorial, advertising, personal and celebrity. Reproduction of the images is high quality with good resolution and colour. Highly recommended to Testino fans.

This could be your book.
I think Mario Testino used to be a waiter. Be fearless, you can do it. All you need is a point of view. Use the shotgun approach to photography - shoot shoot shoot and you'll get at least one good one.
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Subjects:  1. Celebrities    2. Individual Photographer    3. Photo Essays    4. Photoessays & Documentaries    5. Photography    6. Portrait photography    7. Portraits    8. Subjects & Themes - Portraits    9. Testino, Mario    10. Photography / Portraits   

Reviews (2)

Great look at the "White City"
A beautiful collection of images, showing the wonders of the 1893 fair. A great look back.

Fantasy City
One book leads to another. After reading The Devil in the White City, I wanted to see the Exposition described in the book. It definitely was an amazing sight to see and this book satisfied most of that curiosity. To go one better, I might look for a book that goes even further into that time in life. The city is every bit the accomplishment as described in the afore mentioned book. Where is the America of that artful integrity, that is, to do the best that can be accomplished? Gone to disposable products including much of architecture. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. (1893 :    2. Chicago, Ill.)    3. General    4. History - General History    5. History Of Architecture+    6. Modern - 19th Century    7. Photo Essays    8. Pictorial works    9. United States - General    10. World's Columbian Exposition    11. History / United States / General    12. Other public performances & spectacles    13. Photographs: collections   

Reviews (21)

Consider it an investment!
This book is one of the first things i would grab if my house was on fire!An absolute must-have for MM fans or for anyone interested in photography.Bert Stern writes an account of his photo shoots with Marilyn, providing the reader insight into his experience and the back-story makes the photos even more fascinating.The book also includes prints of the negatives destroyed by Marilyn herself (provoking some controversy over disrespecting MM's obvious wish that the photos not be released).We are given a glimpse into how Marilyn saw herself, as well as how she wished to be perceived by the world, in the months leading up to her death.

Showcasing Marilyn Monroe at the height of her all too tragically shortened career
Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962) is perhaps America's most famous "sex goddess", a young woman whose life and death have taken on mythic qualities as having been a woman of beauty and sex appeal. Bert Stern is the fashion photographer who was the last to be granted a sitting by Marilyn Monroe six weeks before she died. The photography 3-day sessions was arranged by Vogue magazine and took place at the Los Angeles Bel-Air Hotel. The sessions produces a total of 2,571 photographs (375 in color) and included fashion, portrait, and nude studies from which only twenty went on to publication in Vogue magazine. Now all 2,571 photographs have been collected under one cover in Marilyn Monroe: The Complete Last Sitting (originally published in 1992 but until now having long been out of print) and are available for Marilyn Monroe fans in this unaltered compendium showcasing Marilyn Monroe at the height of her all too tragically shortened career.
Marilyn's Last And Best Photos
If you are true Marilyn fan you must get this book. It's more expensive than most coffee table books ($75) but it is so worth it. There are more than 2000 photos in it! The pictures were taken just six weeks before she died. The photos are stunning! Many of them are seminude and I don't think she ever looked better. It's hard to believe this was her last photo session.
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Subjects:  1. Individual Photographer    2. Individual Photographers And Their Work    3. Photo Techniques    4. Photoessays & Documentaries    5. Photography    6. Photography Of Specific Subjects    7. Subjects & Themes - Portraits    8. Films, cinema    9. Photographs: portraits   

Reviews (3)

Great Work
Being that Slim Aarons recently passed away, his work warrants an even closer work. What this book and the equally impressive Once Upon a Time have in common is that they portray true grace, elegance and class that makes todays celebrities look like a bunch of bums.

Farewell to a Bygone Era
With the recent death at age eighty of Slim Aarons the end of the time of the 'beautiful people' seems at an end - at least the photo documented class of the rich and famous as seen by the chief photographer of that elite group.
Town and Country
Slim Aarons really knew how to capture the jet set of a certain era, his images are so well crafted and the lucky subjects are always shown in there best light, literally and figuratively.The best picture in an array of amazing photography, and one that perfectly captures this rarified air, is the iconic picture of CeZe Guest standing by her pool, it captures all you need to know good and bad, through the prism of a beautiful woman, in a beautiful setting without a seeming care in the world, the very definition of, "To the Manor Born".Mr. Aarons captures so perfectly a life of unapolegetic jet setting opulance, and whether he means to are not he also captures the shallowness of it all, and you wonder, with all of this, are these people really any happier than the rest of us? ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Individual Photographer    2. Individual Photographers And Their Work    3. Leisure class    4. Photo Techniques    5. Photoessays & Documentaries    6. Photography    7. Pictorial works    8. Portrait photography    9. Portraits    10. Portraiture    11. Rich & Famous    12. Rich people    13. Subjects & Themes - Portraits    14. Photographs: collections    15. Photography / General   

Reviews (7)

A Yenne for the past
Bill Yenne's photographic essay about the similarities and differences between San Francisco's past and present is one of several "past and present" photographic themes published by Thunder Bay Press involving a number of prominent American cities. See for your self
When visiting S.F., one couldn't help wonder about the history of this "young city". When walking the Embarcadero, reading all the "history stands", you wish you could go back in time and see what it was really like. I did just that, when i bougth this book. It made it possible to visit some of the buildings that still exists and visit places that once was. nice book
What makes this book special for me is the "now" photographs.The book's editor/photographer has made a sincere attempt to reshoot the photos, physically, from as nearly as possible from the original, without changing the photographic perspective.This allows the books' reader to view and compare the photos and know that streets, buildings, and other landmarks give an accurate view of how the city looked at a certain time.Accurate directions and locations listed in both historical and contemporary photos greatly enchances the value and arm chair travelers' enjoyment of the book. Buy a map of the city if you're not familiar with it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. California - Local History    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History - U.S.    5. History: American    6. Photoessays & Documentaries    7. Pictorial works    8. San Francisco (Calif.)    9. Subjects & Themes - Travel - U.S./West    10. United States - State & Local - General    11. California    12. Local history    13. Travel & holiday guides    14. Sale Books