HCB book advice, please....

[flip]

In the next day or so, I plan to place an Amazon order to coincide with my trip to the States. I thought I might get a (1st) book covering works of Cartier-Bresson. Looking online, I see a couple contenders:
Henri Cartier-Bresson: Photographer
Henri Cartier-Bresson: The Man, The Image & The World: A Retrospective

I'm looking for a broad arc, with good quality printing. On Amazon, the second title (which is also cheaper, but contains more - and likely smaller - shots) takes hits on account of the printing, but obviously contains a broader arc of photos. I am admittedly a bit naive about the significance of "duotone" printing as the former is said to employ.

Any recommendations?

 

[Bingley]

i've got the second volume, which includes some essays on HCB's work as well as a selection of photos. It contains biographical information as well. It's not a slim volume -- more like a museum catalogue (which it essentially is), but it gives you as good an overview of his work as you're likely to find in a single tome. I think the photo printing is fine.

 

[tom_f77]

The Man, The Image... is a very good overview with lots of interesting words to read as well...

Most of my favourite photos are in "The Europeans" though, which is a lot easier to carry around.

Tom

 

[not_in_good_order]

I'd recommend buying Henri Cartier-Bresson: Photographer.

 

[Vilk]

Another vote for The Man, The Image & The World... Print quality of my copy is very good. Photo selection is relevant and adequate. My only objection is the relative scaling of the images--some of his iconic shots are obviously played down on purpose (I groaned when I saw that thumbnail of "Behind Gare St-Lazare").

 

[kermaier]

Another vote for The Europeans, in the modern 2nd edition, of course. 🙂 The first edition runs a couple thousand dollars. Too bad there's never been a new edition of The Decisive Moment....

 

[not_in_good_order]

Another vote for The Man, The Image & The World... Print quality of my copy is very good. Photo selection is relevant and adequate. My only objection is the relative scaling of the images--some of his iconic shots are obviously played down on purpose (I groaned when I saw that thumbnail of "Behind Gare St-Lazare").

I should have added more context to my eariler post, but my reason for choosing Photographer over The Man, The Image & The World is the fact that Photographer is made up solely of large reproductions. After flipping thorough it, I was a bit put off by the many small images present in The Man, The Image & The World.

 

[gdmcclintock]

I have The Photographer - my version is in French, however, with a fine essay by Yves Bonnefoy, well worth reading. I am not sure if it's the same essay translated in the English version. The photographs are beautifully printed. -George

 

[larmarv916]

Let me suggest....Jean-Pierre Montier's...."The Artless Art" Published by Bulfinch
ISBN 0-8212-2285-6 299 illustrations Over 300 hundred pages and extensive historical notes. This is the best of several books on HCB that own. It is large than most books and $75 USD new. It will provide not only excellent source of images...but also many hours of reading.

Best of Luck. Laurance

 

[Nando]

I completely agree with Laurance. Montier's "The Artless Art" is the best book on HCB that I've ever seen.

 

[Vilk]

okee, so here's what i did--out of curiosity, since i had never seen the montier book, on my way home i visited the central reference library and laid out the volumes referenced in this thread side by side. i'm staying with the retrospective, even tho' perfect it ain't. while montier does offer cute anecdotes as well as some solid biographical information, his critique of the formal and semantic aspects of the images made me suspect he might need new eyewear. flip, if you have eyes, you can do better. go for selection and print quality. ciao!

😎 <-- says who? 😀

 

[flip]

This has been most informative. Thank you!

 

[peter_n]

If you want a broad arc I agree that the retrospective is the best overview but many of the pictures are quite small, and I have seen better printed books. Travel light, it is heavy. My own personal favorite is Henri Cartier-Bresson The Early Work edited by Peter Galassi, an exhibition catalog from MOMA in the late 1980's. Before Capa got to him his work was very imaginative and this is an excellent example of it with a great commentary by Galassi.

 

[lawrence]

My own personal favorite is Henri Cartier-Bresson The Early Work edited by Peter Galassi, an exhibition catalog from MOMA in the late 1980's. Before Capa got to him his work was very imaginative and this is an excellent example of it with a great commentary by Galassi.

I second this -- the Galassi book is really wonderful. HCB's early street photography was radical at the time and even now has quite an edge. The photogaph of three dogs 'having fun', the bloody pelts dragged over to the gutter from the slaughterhouse and the Mexican brothels spring to mind. For my taste also there is too much social commentary in many of the later photographs, where he seems less involved than in the early work.

 

[wilonstott]

Agree with 'The Artless Art'--has systematic breakdowns of his photographs and approach to photography. It's an academic text, and his language reflects this. I don't find it dense, but I know that some do.