CHINA: Portrait of a People
by Tom Carter
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Book Reviews of CHINA: Portrait of a People
Book Review: opened eyes
Summary: 5 Stars
First of all, I'd like to say that China: Portrait of a People has given me a wide-ranging view of a country I barely knew before reading this book. It would be difficult for the average person to go and see the multitude of things, people and places that Tom Carter has brought to us in his book.
If I never go to China, it will have left me knowing China as well as anyone could have by reading a book, although, China: Portrate of a People has made me want to go there and see some of what was in the book and possibly other things. Having lived in two other East Asian countries, the book has spawned a new interest for my next Asian destination. I have used it as a reference source to help me decide which part of China to steer toward or avoid.
Photographic style shows an eye for colour, texture and patterns; good use of lines and patterns depicting buildings. Tom captures what could be considered mundane and intrigues the viewer with his vivid photos. There is an obvious knack in dealing with people and thus eliciting photos of them. Most of the photos were daytime shots avoiding the superficial nature of artificial light of nighttime shots.
It is well organized into 5 main regions in the table of contents and there are very useful point-of-reference maps at the beginning of each province.
The book comes to life with its provocative content that illustrates and discusses the social fabric of China thoroughly; from economic, demographic facts to historical plugs to contemporary street-level trends. The writing is succinct and flows well.
Book Review: Which was YOUR favorite photo?
Summary: 5 Stars
I really enjoyed this book. I'm pretty sure it's the only photo book that shows every province in China this completely. If you're interested in learning about the different kinds of Chinese people, you'll love this book. There are so many pictures, it takes weeks to look through. These are just some of my favorites. Which were yours?
BEIJING: "Well-dressed family turned begging into a full-time career."
LIAONING: "Marriage begins and continues on the beach."
HEILONGJIANG: Red lantern village in the blue light of dawn.
INNER MONGOLIA: "110KG Mongolian wrestler."
SHANDONG: "Karaoke xiaojie entertaining their patrons."
SHANGHAI: "Things that hang in the Shanghai Sky."
FUJIAN: "Tulou clusters" village.
GUANGDONG: "Midday naps by the Pearl River."
HONG KONG: "Hooker Menu."
HAINAN: "Coconut vendor."
GUANGXI: "Ladies of the Hong Yao" minority.
GUIZHOU: "Big sister learning to share rice with baby sister."
ANHUI: "Poultry farmer slits a chicken's throat, and has fun while doing it."
HUBEI: "Young student practicing Shufu."
HENAN: "Mentally ill woman."
HEBEI: "10-year old contortionist."
CHONGQING: "1,700 year-old Gongtan."
SICHUAN: Monkey harassing human.
XINJIANG: "Inside Id Kah Mosque."
TIBET: "Pilgrim prostrating on the highway."
Book Review: Marco Polo, has Arrived through the Lens..of the 21st C. !!!
Summary: 5 Stars
Marco Polo,,has Indeed Arrived through the Dreamy..But.very detailed images that race across the pages,as the Viewer is taken along..an Epic adventure behind the Fabled..and Mysterious Ancient Empire ..behind the Great Wall !!! Past and present,are captured in Passionate and vivid Colors of Reds..Blues..Oranges..etc and even the wrinkles on the Very weathered Faces..are like tiny road maps that tell the Story, Not only of great Monuments..But of an even greater story..The Peoples Of CHINA !! Here We All get to See for Ourselves..The diversity ..the Grandeur..to the Very simple farms and Villages..and the Overwhelming Past of a Nation that can..Not. be capture in One Book..But..like for one, who Has Never seen an..Iceberg..at least We can See the Tip !!
Tom Carter..Has taken, I am sure Many Risks, as any Adventurer before and After have..But..as the saying ..goes.."One Who Never risks..Never Wins !!! Here then is a Glorious Journey..through Mountains..Valleys..Deserts etc..taken at No Risk to US..but just basking in page after page of incredible images, Colors,Hues..Sunsets.....My only Complaint...is that. the Book is, while very practical and Compact..this particular Book should be in a 10"by 14" Large Coffee Table format..to allow the Viewer the Chance to Fall Through the Pages, and Get Lost in Them !!! Hopefully,there will Be another Edition in this format...MARCO POLO, would Indeed Be PROUD..of TOM CARTER..The Man with The..Lens !!!! Raphael H.C
Book Review: Read together with Hessler's 'Country Driving'
Summary: 5 Stars
I read CHINA: Portrait of a People together with Peter Hessler's Country Driving: A Chinese Road Trip (P.S.). These two wonderful books compliment each other very well as they both tell of amazing cross-country journeys through modern China. Actually, Carter's road trip was much more encompassing - 2 years and 35,000 miles through all 33 provinces - whereas Hessler concentrated his trip to the outskirts of Beijing and then a factory town in southern China. But this is exactly why these books are best read at the same time.
Carter's medium is photography, and while CHINA: Portrait of a People does include provincial descriptions, poetry (his own) and first-person narratives along with informative captions for each photos, he is no Peter Hessler when it comes to words. Hessler, a professional journalist, is a master wordsmith who, while short on the action-packed adventures Carter experienced, is nonetheless able to hold our interests with engrossing accounts of his jaunt in China.
Think of CHINA: Portrait of a People as the illustrated version of Country Driving; consider enriching Hessler's words with Carter's vivid illustrations of the 800+ people and places he photographed. Thank you, Peter Hessler and Tom Carter, for daring to travel where most vacationing Americans in China dare not. Five stars for each of your books!!!
Book Review: Amazing Photo Collection
Summary: 5 Stars
I have a collection of many books with photos of China, and I have determined that many of the books are almost redundant with similar photos of landscapes, architecture, and beautiful people. While the photography in those books is often stunning, it still is a bit sterile or "touristy". However, "China, Portrait of a People" is quite the opposite--no stock photos here; instead the photos truly capture the spirit of the everyday people throughout this vast, fascinating country. I have been to China three times, and these pictures reflect the heart and soul of its amazing people. I always enjoyed seeing glimpses of life "behind the scenes" of the group tours--a walk into the traditional neighborhoods, shopping at the local shops, visiting towns that normally did not host tourists. This book will take you even further from the tourist stage, as Tom traveled where few, if any, foreign visitors had stepped foot. The pictures are poignant, heartwarming, funny, and sad--depicting REAL LIFE, REAL PEOPLE, and REAL EMOTIONS. When guests in our home look at my China books, they usually flip through the other "coffee table" books quickly, but they become totally engrossed in Portrait of a People. I love going through it time after time, as I always see something (or someone) in a different light each time.
This book is a prize, a rare gem, reflecting an incredible undertaking. Thank you to Tom for sharing his amazing photos with us!