Moments of Revolution, Eastern Europe

This book depicts, primarily through photographs, significant emotional moments in the struggle for democracy in Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Romania, East Germany and Bulgaria. In a brief, impressionistic introduction, Rosenblum, former editor-in-chief of the International Herald Tribune , touches upon the most salient events of these revolutions. He does a capable job of interweaving political and sociological analysis with straight reporting. Although there are shots of such notables as Vaclav Havel, Nicolae Ceausescu and Lech Walesa, the photographers focus, for the most part, on the average citizens of these nations: demonstrations in the capital cities, Germans astride the Berlin Wall during its many stages of deconstruction, older folk praying for freedom at impromptu religious ceremonies. Unfortunately, without sufficient background, even these heartfelt moments are repetitive and dull. The pictures long for the drama that a full chronicle of these events would provide. Twins David and Peter Turnley are photographers for the Detroit Free Press and Newsweek , respectively; David Turnley won a 1990 Pulitzer Prize for coverage of Eastern Europe and China. (Sept.)