cover image On Reading

On Reading

Steve McCurry. Phaidon, $59.95 (144p) ISBN 978-0-7148-7129-5

In this homage to André Kertész, whose 1971 collection of photographs had the same title, Magnum photographer McCurry (Untold: The Stories Behind the Photographs) collects photos, taken over the course of his decades-long career, of people transfixed in the act of reading. The photos feature people young and old, from all walks of life, depicted in drastically different locations across the world, including war zones and beachside resorts, and sitting on many park benches. Some are reading books, others have newspapers and magazines, and there’s even an e-reader. The continuity comes from the act of reading—a seemingly subtle, often solitary activity—emboldened by the obliviousness of each reader to the surroundings. One prime example taken in what looks like an art galley in Foligno, Italy, features the feet of a large-scale sculpture of a skeleton in the forefront with a woman reading a magazine off to the side. Travel writer Paul Theroux contributes an insightfully autobiographical—if somewhat rambling—foreword in which he reflects on literacy around the world through his own travels. Other than short captions stating location, the photos are given no outside context and the order in which they appear is open to interpretation. With little to no text to preoccupy readers, it’s clear that McCurry wants viewers to reflect on the act of reading rather than engage in it. Color photos. (Oct.)