First published in 1996, Mary Street Alinder's biography of Ansel Adams
remains the only full biography of one of the greatest American
photographers. Alinder is a respected scholar, and also had a close
connection to Adams, serving as his chief assistant in the last five
years of his life. The portrait she creates of him is intimate and
affectionate; it is also clear-eyed. She takes on his difficult
childhood in San Francisco, the friendships and rivalries within his
circle of photographers, his leadership in America's environmental
movement, his marriage, his affairs, and his not-always-successful
fatherhood. Enriched by her uniquely personal understanding of Adams the
man, she explains the artistic philosophy that, paired with his peerless
technique, produced an inimitable style. Her biography is likely to
remain unrivaled.
This new edition will bring the classic up to date and includes research
that reveals new information and a deeper understanding of his greatest
photographs. It will also include thirty-two pages of reproductions of
Adams's work and snapshots of the artist and close friends.