An Eye for Beauty: A Photographer's Odyssey

Being a red-blooded man, I naturally flipped to the photographs of Bo, the moment I got this gorgeous book in the mail. They do not disappoint; lovingly chosen, and beautifully printed, each of them is a work of art - as is the woman in them. However, I am finding the interviews that Robert Vavra did with various people to be as (or more) intriguing. John Derek's history is really an interesting one: from old school cinema (he was in the "Ten Commandments" - and people like Leni Riefenstahl are quoted in this book) to being a defining person of 1970's and 80's pop culture. It is a fascinating cross section of several decades -- and a vision of how it once was (if you were lucky enough to be one of the beautiful people) I also find interesting the reaction from people seeing the book in my living room. Upon thumbing through it, Men and women of all ages, say the same thing: "My God, she really was something."

In our world of today, so lacking in beauty, what a gift is this book. John's eye for beauty is needed now more than ever. And here we have it to touch us and treasure forever in this lovely book created by Robert Vavra. -Ursula Andress

I feel so fortunate to have loved and married a man who opened my eyes to the beauty all around us. Once you see the world through the lens of John Derek's eyes it will never look the same! What an exceptionaly talented man. Robert Vavre has done a magnificent job of sharing these unseen, unknown photos of Bo with all of us. Linda Evans

As a professional photographer myself, I have long appreciated and admired the work of John Derek. When I heard that the book "An Eye for Beauty" was out, I was excited to get my hands on it. I wasn't disappointed! This fantastic book shows the beauty that is Bo and the talent of the photographer, John. If you are a fan of photography or of beautiful women, than this is the book for you.

This handsome volume will surely be treasured by admirers of both Dereks as well as a vast audience of others who have `un ojo por belleza'...of a heavenly body...and will surely come to appreciate the photographer who captured it. I didn't realize who the late John Derek was - other than a photographer - until I saw those photos of him as a young actor. I knew there was something haunting about his face, but couldn't place it until now. Robert Vavra has certainly done justice to John by creating this elegant album, looking back on a unique partnership. Derek's collection would surely have been filed and forgotten if Vavra hadn't undertaken the selfless initiative to create another masterpiece from someone else's photos. (He even resisted the impulse to include a few of his own shots of Mrs. Derek `a la Godiva' that have appeared in other volumes.) To have done so with Bo's wholehearted support makes the resultant package especially significant and all the more valuable. Of course, there's the problem of being distracted from the prose by so much flesh on display (what a treat for mankind that she's so unselfconscious about nudity), but this octogenarian - who's been a fan since "10" - will risk the coronary by re-visiting a few dozen pages a few dozen times. I can only envy Vavra's having "strolled Seville's jasmine-scented darkness with Bo"...and others during the course of the preparation of this book Just in case you missed another recent Vavra volume (2007) - to further enhance his own reputation as the world's premier photographers of horses - treat yourself to a copy of Vavra's Vision, a 60-year retrospective of equine images. His 2006 classic, Michener's the Name, a photographic tribute to the famed author who first recognized his behind-the-lens and writing talents, is another must-add-to-your-collection treasure.