Work: The World in Photographs

by Ferdinand Protzman
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Editorial Reviews

Culled from National Geographic's vast photographic archive as well as other important collections, this fascinating, wide-ranging volume presents a wonderfully varied group portrait of people at work—in great cities and tiny villages; in 19th-century China and 21st-century New York; in fields, factories, food carts, four-star restaurants, and just about everywhere else we earn our keep. We see cowboys and clowns, dancers and dog groomers, miners and models. On one page, drill sergeants bark orders to U.S. Navy recruits; on another, young Tibetan monks study Buddhist scriptures; and on another, Kenyan women spread coffee beans to dry.

Work is a subject that is both worldwide and personal. It is a shared endeavor at the very core of our identity. From the glamour of a Parisian fashion show to the grit of an African diamond mine, there are countless ways to make a living. The book illuminates scores of them—many in never-before-published photographs—offering revealing glimpses into various eras and cultures and engaging the reader with entertaining text and informative captions.

With a wonderful mix of the utterly unexpected and the instantly familiar, this vivid panorama takes an essential human activity and shows us myriad ways in which work is at once universal and delightfully, unforgettably unique.

Customer Reviews

Interesting description of jobs around the world., 2008-11-11
by Patricia (Chile)
Although it shows and explains jobs around the world, some photographs were taken long ago, which is a bit disappointing.
It's about culture, way of life and, of course, work., 2008-10-04
by Parka (Singapore)
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R1CQYDD1E4ORTR The 190 evocative, wonderfully varied images collected from here span well over a century, from photography's early decades in the 19th century to the first years of a new millennium.
- A section from the book jacket

The collection of photographs showcases people of different jobs going about with their daily chores.

I like how each photo transports me to the scene where the photographer stood. One moment, I'm beside people cycling to work in the rain, the next, I'm watching workers mine sulfur. And it goes on and on. Although I might never visit these places, the feeling of being there just by looking at the photos is satisfying enough.

This book is not just about the different occupations, it's about religion, culture and people's way of life.
Photographs of work around the world, 2008-06-21
by Alan G. Elze (Auburn, Maine, USA)
Another of the National Geographic mini books. This one would have been much better with a larger format. Similar to other National Geographic books dedicated to photography, such as "Behind the Lens", "The Milestones". People at work around the world. Interesting in showing people doing things we don't usually see in our Western culture.
what is going on here?, 2007-10-18
by William D. Tompkins (New York, New York USA)
Sometimes with Geographic, the editorial staff choses images and as the reader im like 'What is going on here?'
There are very strong images in this book. I know some of the photographers as well, but some images ghave no relation to the theme of 'work' here. Geographic includes images that stimulate the viewer to think and that process is walking a thin line sometimes because some images need to be apparent and show the theme--in this case 'WORK' and they simply do not, in my opinion. I was disappointed. Redo this book and hire a different photo editor.
Disappointing, 2007-02-01
by J. Groom (Washington, United States)
I was disappointed by this book; many of the photographs do not even focus on work, and the rest are generally just sort of mediocre. Normally I would think of higher standards for a National Geographic book.