Learning to See
A Novel of Dorothea Lange, the Woman Who Revealed the Real America
by Elise Hooper
ebook
1 of 1 copy available
In 1918, a fearless twenty-two-year old arrives in bohemian San Francisco from the Northeast, determined to make her own way as an independent woman. Renaming herself Dorothea Lange she is soon the celebrated owner of the city's most prestigious and stylish portrait studio and wife of the talented but volatile painter, Maynard Dixon.
By the early 1930s, as the America's economy collapses, her marriage founders and Dorothea must find ways to support her two young sons single-handedly. Determined to expose the horrific conditions of the nation's poor, she takes to the road with her camera, creating images that inspire, reform, and define the era. And when the United States enters World War II, Dorothea chooses to confront another injustice—the incarceration of thousands of innocent Japanese Americans.
At a time when women were supposed to keep the home fires burning, Dorothea Lange, creator of the most iconic photographs of the 20th century, dared to be different. But her choices came at a steep price . . .
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
March 19, 2024 -
Formats
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Kindle Book
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OverDrive Read
- ISBN: 9780062686541
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EPUB ebook
- ISBN: 9780062686541
- File size: 7539 KB
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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December 1, 2018
Hooper (The Other Alcott) tells a fictionalized account of photographer Dorothea Lange, famous for her depictions of people suffering in the Great Depression and World War II Japanese internment camps. Starting with Lange's arrival in San Francisco in 1918, the book depicts her tempestuous marriage to artist Maynard Dixon, the birth of their two sons, her growing skill and fame as a photographer, her work with the Depression Era Resettlement Administration, and her eventual marriage to professor Paul Taylor. Lange felt conflicting desires to create art, serve the downtrodden, and be with her children, whom she sent into foster care for large portions of their childhoods. Short chapters set in 1964 show her continuing rocky relationship with son Dan. The book describes the creation of some of her most famous images, including source notes and small thumbnail pictures. The background depicts many other famous people Lange knew and worked with, such as novelist John Steinbeck and photographer Ansel Adams. VERDICT A fascinating and sometimes surprising introduction to a woman known for her iconic photographs but not her eventful life. Plenty for book groups to discuss about work-life balance.--Jan Marry, Lanexa, VA
Copyright 2018 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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