After Weegee: Essays on Contemporary Jewish American Photographers

In his latest book, Morris (The Poetry of Louise Gl%C3%BCck: A Thematic Introduction) explores the works of 10 Jewish photographers and how their work relates to their Jewish heritage, as well as why and how Jewish photographers have distinguished themselves in their field. Morris begins with Weegee (Arthur Fellig), "a chronicler of death and heartbreak," and moves on to the photographs of Bruce Davidson, Jim Goldberg, Mel Rosenthal, Diane Arbus, Lee Friedlander, Allen Ginsberg, Annie Leibovitz, Tyagan Miller, and Marc Asnin. The subjects studied by the photographers are interesting in their own right, but Morris's text provides additional insights, such as Tyagan Miller's observations about youth and the relationship between family, church life, and future success. From Asnin's three-decade study of his uncle to Friedlander's photographs of historical American landmarks in the context of modern times to Goldberg's Rich and Poor, with poignant comments penned by the photo subjects, Morris concludes that photography is one means of "witnessing as a form of social responsibility related to the biblical imperative, the injunction to Remember (Zakhor)." With small reproductions of some of the compositions cited, this book of essays could serve as a companion to collections of the photographers' works for those seeking context, biographical information, and analysis. 62 b&w photos. (Aug.)