Two Of Three For Christmas

The two things I want for this Christmas are Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher, The Epic Life and Immortal Photographs of Edward Curtis by Timothy Egan, and Orchard Beach: The Bronx Riviera by Wayne Lawrence. I'll abstain from placing World Peace on my list this year, since if we ever do achieve that in my lifetime, it will sadly and no doubt come in the form of a somewhat troubled basketball player.

Anxious to read how Edward C. Curtis managed to pursue his life long obsession despite the many obstacles thrown his way, not least of which was the American Indians initial reluctance to his photographic advances, before ultimately completing his self imposed, photographic opus- only to die penniless... Where have we heard that before? Have also been dying to get that most beautiful (if sometimes bizarre) collection of portraits by Wayne Lawrence celebrating the varying colors of the rainbow coalition of humanity that populates Orchard Beach.

Photo: Wayne Lawrence