Robert Capa: The Paris Years 1933-1954

Perhaps best known for his iconic photo of a Spanish soldier as he is being shot%E2%80%94known as "Death of Loyalist Militiaman," which hangs in New York's Museum of Modern Art%E2%80%94Robert Capa (born Endre Ern%C5%91 Friedmann) was one of the progenitors of modern-day war photojournalism, covering the Spanish Civil War, D-Day, the beginnings of the Vietnam conflict, and many other momentous occasions during his tenure behind the lens. Though these milestones and others are addressed in war correspondent Lebrun (Normandie 44) and Le Monde journalist Lefebvre's biography of Capa, their primary focus here is the work he and his colleagues produced while based out of an apartment in Paris' fourteenth arrondissement. Led largely by Capa, the collective's commitment to immersing themselves in the moments they sought to document had serious consequences%E2%80%94Capa's longtime collaborator and girlfriend Gerda Taro was crushed and killed by a tank while covering the Spanish Civil War%E2%80%94but their commitment to documenting life in a war zone, from both a military and civilian perspective, revolutionized reporting and brought the battles home. Historians and photographers alike will be rewarded by the authors' excellent blend of narration and academic analysis, coupled with a generous helping of groundbreaking photos, many of which have never been published before. Photos & illus. (Mar.)