Impounded: Dorothea Lange and the Censored Images of Japanese American Internment

Impounded: Dorothea Lange and the Censored Images of Japanese American Internment | Dorothea Lange | The Courage of Dorothea Lange

books:

Impounded: Dorothe...

	Impounded: Dorothea Lange and the Censored Images of Japanese American Internment Dorothea Lange W. W. Norton, 2008 - 224 pages average customer review:based on 9 reviews view larger image
	for more information click here

highly recommended

"Unflinchingly illustrates the reality of life during this extraordinary moment in American history."?Dinitia Smith, New York Times

Censored by the U.S. Army, Dorothea Lange's unseen photographs are the extraordinary photographic record of the Japanese American internment saga. This indelible work of visual and social history confirms Dorothea Lange's stature as one of the twentieth century's greatest American photographers. Presenting 119 images originally censored by the U.S. Army?the majority of which have never been published?Impounded evokes the horror of a community uprooted in the early 1940s and the stark reality of the internment camps. With poignancy and sage insight, nationally known historians Linda Gordon and Gary Okihiro illuminate the saga of Japanese American internment: from life before Executive Order 9066 to the abrupt roundups and the marginal existence in the bleak, sandswept camps. In the tradition of Roman Vishniac's A Vanished World, Impounded, with the immediacy of its photographs, tells the story of the thousands of lives unalterably shattered by racial hatred brought on by the passions of war. A San Francisco Chronicle Best Book of 2006. 119 photographs.

for more information click here

Hauntng, riviting

When I first opened Impounded, I was a bit irritated at the length of the two written pieces that preceeded the actual photographs or Dorthea Lange. After reading the pieces by Linda Gordon and Gary Y. Okihiro I was much more aware of the depth of Lange's growing dislike of the idea of internment camps and just how valuable these photographs are to history. I confess, I had heard very little of these "relocations" during the war,barely aware that such a thing had happened. I had lived in Utah for over ten years before I knew one camp, Topaz, had been established in my own state. Page after page of Lange's clear eyed, unsentimental photos reveal just how stark and jarring these camps were. Photo after photo show American citizens lined up and submitting to the order to move. Faces show confusion, shame and sorrow. Other photos show the efforts made by camp inhabitants to bring horticulture, education and to instill a sense of community. Page of page of photos of fellow citizens being torn away from all they had built and worked for simply because they looked like the enemy. Page after page of Lange's clear-eyed documentation.
Many, if not most of these photographs have never been seen on any widespread basis. She was working as a photographer for a government agency and they could use these as they saw fit. They were simply put away and never saw any widespread distribution. It is a testament to the skill and inspiration of the photographer that we have this book of unsentimental and honest images of that shameful time in our nation's past. The only minus is the size of the photos. I woud have liked to have a larger photos to study.

for more information click here

The Courage of Dorothea Lange

As a teacher reading "Farewell To Manzanar," this book is invaluable describing the government attitude of the time. Yes it was wartime but, as Ronald Reagan said, "it was a mistake." These Lange photographs show the real hardships imposed on American citizens with no due process. They also show the courage and determination of these people. (Shikata ga nai)

The book itself is produced well with very good photo reproduction. It will be a personal favorite and a classroom resource for a long time.

The Face of Internment

Truly marvelous photos and insightful essays combine to make real for those of us too young to remember, as well as for those who lived outside of the camps. A moving tribute to an unfortunate, if not shameful, part of American history.

for more information click here

OK, But I Have Seen Better

I purchased the book based on previous photos by Dorothea Lange during the Japanese internment period in the United States. She is an excellent photographer, unfortunately the reproduction of her prints were fair in this book.

reviews: page 1, 2

products you might be interested in