Photography - History, Criticism, & Collections

Amazing Men

Name: Amazing Men
Author: Joyce Tenneson
ISBN: 9780821228555

by Joyce Tenneson

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Overview

Following her successful Wise Women, acclaimed photographer Joyce Tenneson shows a new vision of masculinity and aging today in this book of powerful portraits, which includes many celebrity subjects.

The much-anticipated follow-up to Joyce Tenneson's hugely successful Wise Women, Amazing Men presents portraits of a wide cross-section of men aged 60 and over, from varying professions, lifestyles, and geographic locations. Many are well-known figures—Tom Brokaw, Bill Cosby, Robert DeNiro, Ben Kingsley, B.B. King, and Joe Torre among them—and many others are unsung heroes of the heart, men whose insights and experiences transcend the traditional male stereotypes to reveal sensitivity and wisdom, inner power and humility.

Last year's Wise Women was the subject of a six-part Today show special, was serialized in both O: The Oprah Magazine and Modern Maturity, and became a cultural phenomenon. Amazing Men is certain to generate the same kind of debate and critical attention and will also be an ideal Father's Day gift. Quotations from the amazing men accompany their portraits, offering a wide range of reflections and revelations about the masculine image today.

Joyce Tenneson is among the most respected photographers of our time. Her work has been shown in over 150 exhibitions worldwide and has appeared on the cover of Time, Life, Entertainment Weekly, Newsweek, Premiere, Esquire, and the New York Times Magazine.

About the Author, Joyce Tenneson

Joyce Tenneson is one of the most celebrated photographers of our time. She is the author of six books, including Wise Women (Bulfinch, 2002), and her work has appeared in countless publications. Tenneson has had more than 150 exhibits in galleries and museums worldwide, and is a respected lecturer and speaker. She lives and works in New York City.

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Editorials

Publishers Weekly

This black-and-white collection of photographs of 60-and-over men follows Tenneson's collection of similar photographs of older women (Wise Women). Obviously intended as a full-on celebration of older manhood, the subjects range from actors (Ben Kingsley, James Earl Jones, Bill Cosby and Patrick Stewart), politicians (John Kerry and Rudolph Giuliani), journalists (Tom Brokaw), writers (Frank McCourt), artists (Andrew Wyeth) and musicians (B.B. King, Willie Nelson) to more ordinary folk, many of whose professions aren't even identified. Many of the 90 photographs are absolutely luminous, with the subject's skin seeming to glow from the inside out, giving the impression that the photographer is indeed starstruck by her subjects. Each photo is accompanied by a brief motivational quote from the subject, but unfortunately no biographical information, other than the age, is included with each man, going against the book's intention to commemorate long, interesting lives. Rather, each man becomes only a pretty face, and one can't help questioning, why, out of all of the 60- to 80-year-olds out there, did Tenneson choose these men and not others? Why Ben Kingsley and not Mickey Rooney? Why Joe Torre and not Yogi Berra? The 7 1/2" x 10" collection is small enough that some sort of explanation beyond Tenneson's introduction ("my assistants did Internet research to help me find men like Archbishop Demetrios and men from the Polar Bear Club") would have been welcome. (May 11) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.