New England : A Pictorial Souvenir

Rating:
Summary: FALLS WAY SHORT OF THE MARK
Review: I expected this book to be filled with beautiful shots of the New England countryside, scenic lighthouses, and historic sites. While there are certainly some fine photos here, there are way too many shots which are nondescript at best. The first twenty pages are devoted to brief history and old b/w photos from from 1890's and this section is enjoyable. Unfortunately, its downhill from there. I was not looking for photos of the Kennedy birth home, a full page devoted to an 8-yr-old girl sunning on the beach, a two-page spread of a rusty "junk shop", a full page showing only a boat shed with buoys hanging off it, single photo spread of a barge on the river (yuk), two pages allocated to a diner in RI, etc. The photography is sharp and colorful and the few photos of the NE countryside, Sturbridge Village, and the like are stunning. Unfortunately, the less interesting subjects prevail in this book.

Rating:
Summary: Wish I was there.
Review: Masterfully photographed, and printed on high quality paper, this book is a must have for any armchair traveller.
The book provides a map of the region on the inside cover, and then follows a brief and informative historical overview, which introduces the region to the reader. From that point onwards the book consists of one splendid photograph after the other, very often on a full page, or even spread over double pages, all with short descriptions to accompany them.
I am also the proud owner of Ireland (Photographic Tour) by the same author and photographer and as such, I can highly recommend any one of the books in this series.