Rio de Janeiro (Great Cities Series)

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: Rio de Janeiro may be the most beautiful setting for a city in the world - it is a photographer's dream. There are pictures of beaches, mountains, cliffs, parks, and gardens, but about half of the book is devoted to far less interesting pictures of buildings. I have nothing against buildings, indeed I live in a building, but it's a skinny book, and more architectural shots means less of the natural grandeur of the city is shown.

Most annoying is the many lame choices of pictures for the full page spreads. Rather than choose the sorts of pictures that really show off the city in all of its glory, they chose many "artsy" pictures of graffiti, a pole with lots of wires, etc.

The city is beautiful, and this does come through in many of the pictures, the 2 star rating is my opinion of the book given potential of the city.

Note to the authors: Take a look at the book Spectacular Israel, that's a book that lives up to, and almost exceeds the potential of its subject.