A Few of My Favorite (Non-Fiction) Books
[by Barry Schwartz]
James Taylor – Timothy White.
As a long time fan (I saw the original Troubadour shows with Carol King in 1970), seeing how an artist can maintain the quality of their work and continue to grow as an artist for a real, real long time provides a perspective I find more than helpful.
The Log from the Sea of Cortez – John Steinbeck.
This is a record of a 1940 research expedition in Baja California run by Steinbeck’s good friend Ed Ricketts, the model for “Doc” in Cannery Row and other books. Ricketts was the real deal, a respected scientist. These days, particularly, photographers often sail into uncharted waters professionally – but you still need chops to do a good job. These guys had chops.
Anything whatsoever by John McPhee
McPhee has written non-fiction for the New Yorker since the 1960s, and is still at it. A writer’s writer, he’s considered a role model by many, including the New Yorker’s current editor, David Remnick. The man has written about everything from birch-bark canoes to pirates to chefs to geology (for which he won the Pulitzer), and knows how to tell a story. Reading McPhee, you can see his people skills at work in “real time” in the service of his job. Good people skills are a requirement to produce any kind of work, and any series of photos – commercial or editorial – has got to have some kind of narrative going on. Even a single portrait, if it’s any good, has got to tell some kind of story.
Don’t Tread on Me, The Selected Letters of S. J. Perelman.
Perelman was one of the great “comic” writers of the first part of the 20th century, writing stories, essays, plays, and screenplays, including for the Marx Bros. Calling his use of language “creative”, is to put a slur to the meaning of “creative”. The book took me a year to read because I couldn’t bear to finish it. Perelman saw things with an original mind, yet could communicate to anyone, clearly, what he thought. That’s what I strive for every time I pick up a camera.
The Life of a Photograph – Sam Abell.
Best known as one of the great National Geographic photographers, Abell earns his stature by making photos that transcend ordinary documentary work but remain totally faithful to the exercise. No small feat. In this book and in his appearances and workshops, if you’re lucky enough to attend one, he reveals his work processes – both technically and aesthetically – with a specificity that is startling, energizing, and clear-headed. No small feat, either.
Barry Schwartz is a photographer, writer, and designer in Los Angeles who tries not to compare himself to his role models but fails every day. www.barryschwartzphotography.com
