African visions

Library Journal

In her diary of her years in Africa, Ricciardi collects memories of places, people, and experiences in words and in pictures exuding joy, beauty, pain, and even horror. This great photographer (Vanishing Africa; Vanishing Amazon) presents an intimate account of Africa to the reader and viewer with such sincerity that it may be experienced first-hand, unadulterated. The book centers on East Africa, only occasionally veering into other parts of the continent. Through stories and commentaries as well as pictures, the people emerge full of life and emotions, the landscape flows as the stage for their lives, and the reader gets a subtle lesson in history. Anyone interested in African adventure and travel should at least peruse this work once. Unlike Ricciardi, Turner (Pete Turner Photographs) allows the camera to do all the talking through 140 images capturing the outrageous natural beauty, simple humanity, and intriguing past of Africa. Turner lives not just by the power of his lenses; he composes with the intuition of a painter and the empathy of an anthropologist. The resulting images display a depth of color, imagery, and perspective that can only come with commitment to a mission and an affinity for the scenes and people being photographed. The simplicity of indigenous folks and the vivacity and range of the colors displayed in clothing, buildings, ornaments, objects, landscape, and wildlife transform this volume into a splendid work of art. Turner's pictures speak in a way that words often cannot. His book is recommended for all public libraries, while Ricciardi's is recommended for both public and academic libraries.--Edward K. Owusu-Ansah, Murray State Univ. Lib., KY Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.