Book Reviews

Hidden Napa Valley; photographs by Wes Walker, introduction by Linda Reiff, edited by Peter Beren; Welcome Books; $19.95; (ISBN: 978-1-59962-080-0)
Explore the lush green and fertile landscape of California’s Napa Valley with noted photographer Wes Walker. For this book he assembled a beautiful collection of well-crafted images that tell the story of the rich vineyards and the many experienced vintners who transform the fruit into delicate wines. It’s a colorful virtual tour that is certain to inspire you to explore the valley for yourself.

Carved By Time: Landscapes of the Southwest; photographs by Jake Rajs, essay by Hampton Sides; The Monacelli Press; $75; (ISBN: 978-1-58093-218-9)
Carved By Time uses a beautiful collection of 200 expertly crafted full-color images to explore the rugged landscape and ancient Native American ruins of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah. The abstractly beautiful rock formations that rise up from vast lonely deserts complement the complex architecture of the long abandoned pueblos and cliff dwellings, familiar and haunting sights that this area is most noted for. This book is a treasure that is certain to spark your imagination and fuel your desire to see these wonders with your own eyes.

Yvon’s Paris; by Robert Stevens; W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.; $40; (ISBN: 978-0-393-05148-3)
Master photographer Pierre Yves Petit, also known as Yvon, is noted for his beautiful documentary-style photographs that expertly capture life in Paris in the late 1800s and beyond. Many of his crisp black-and-white shots were used as postcards and as a result he became famous among postcard collectors, but little is known of his work outside of that circle. This book features a collection of more than 75 images and an insightful introduction by photography historian Robert Stevens. Presented in a format that perfectly showcases the collection, this book will inspire art lovers to take a closer look at this talented photographer.

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