Reviews

The Harlem Book of the Dead by Camille Billops, James Van Der Zee, Owen Dodson

aliciaprettybrowneyereader's review

fast-paced

4.0

The title and subject matter may seem a little morbid but this book is the inspiration for Toni Morrison’s Jazz.  She mentioned it in the foreword so I thought it would be interesting to read it. This book is a collection by famed photographer, James Van Der Zee.  He is best known for capturing the images of Black New Yorkers during the Harlem Renaissance era.  One of the requests for his services was to capture images of deceased loved ones after their bodies had been prepared for the funeral.  Mr. Van Der Zee gives a description of how he took the picture and why he chose the technique or pose for each one.  The book is a piece of art and a study in photography technique prior to the digital age.