America at the Crossroads: Great Photographs from the Thirties

Originally published in 1995 this photobook is now only available in the pre-used category but that means it can be picked up at a real low price. As such I think it is worth getting if you want an inexpensive introduction to the wonderful photographic record of Depression America. What I found interesting about the book is that it mixes FSA output with others, not so well known, who were also taking great images in the thirties. These include Kenneth Space, George Grant, Edward Mancuso, Benjamin Smith, Edward Norton and the photo division of the Rural Electrification Administration. Of this group George Grant has the most with seventeen photos taken while working for the Department of the Interior. Most of the photos rightly reveal a rural America where suffering was most desperate. Locations are generally the southern and western states. Each photo has the photographer's name and date plus some general words about the content. If you can pick this up for a few dollars it will be a worthwhile addition to any collection of Depression image books especially as it includes work from non-FSA photographers. ***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.