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blackberryandleaf's review
5.0
What is the value of a story? Our story? That is the question at the heart of the book “Gone: A photographic Plea for Preservation”. Whilst the question addressed in the book is a little more specifically angled, at its core the message is about the value of our collective stories. “Gone” is a photographic essay entwined with a short story about the Civil War fought in the United States of America in the 1860s.
The photos depict the ruins of buildings and houses that have fallen into a dilapidated state over the many decades since the events took place. The images themselves have been shot with care and reverence. The reader is taken through a journey into rooms that lie crumbling, or walks between columns wondering what has happened to the rest of the house. The images are saturated in mood and whilst they make you feel alone and silent among the ruins, you can almost hear the ghostly sounds of what may once have been. The images beg questions and stories begin to form in one’s mind.
Contrasted with the lengthy process of decay depicted in the images, the short story narrates the life of one southern dweller as it revolves around his home and the speedy end it receives in flames. The reader, having lived through important family events in that house feels the utter futility, destruction and sadness that it is to see it all end so quickly. It is easy to feel this way about the acts of the long-dead soldiers in the story, but as a society are we just as bad for not actively preserving the symbols of our heritage?
The book clearly states its aim is to compel people to want to preserve their southern heritage. I believe it does a fine job. I can see this book making people want to ask questions – to learn more about history, to visit these sites, to tell relatives and maybe, just maybe to inspire action. In any case it will help to perpetuate the story. As an Australian, it has piqued my interest in the Civil War and southern culture. Whilst it may not be part of my direct heritage, it is part of my collective human heritage. And this is important.
The photos depict the ruins of buildings and houses that have fallen into a dilapidated state over the many decades since the events took place. The images themselves have been shot with care and reverence. The reader is taken through a journey into rooms that lie crumbling, or walks between columns wondering what has happened to the rest of the house. The images are saturated in mood and whilst they make you feel alone and silent among the ruins, you can almost hear the ghostly sounds of what may once have been. The images beg questions and stories begin to form in one’s mind.
Contrasted with the lengthy process of decay depicted in the images, the short story narrates the life of one southern dweller as it revolves around his home and the speedy end it receives in flames. The reader, having lived through important family events in that house feels the utter futility, destruction and sadness that it is to see it all end so quickly. It is easy to feel this way about the acts of the long-dead soldiers in the story, but as a society are we just as bad for not actively preserving the symbols of our heritage?
The book clearly states its aim is to compel people to want to preserve their southern heritage. I believe it does a fine job. I can see this book making people want to ask questions – to learn more about history, to visit these sites, to tell relatives and maybe, just maybe to inspire action. In any case it will help to perpetuate the story. As an Australian, it has piqued my interest in the Civil War and southern culture. Whilst it may not be part of my direct heritage, it is part of my collective human heritage. And this is important.
sawcat's review
4.0
Gone: A Photographic Plea for Preservation is a selection of photographs of antebellum structures which in some way, some as limited as columns, survived the American Civil War but have since fallen into disrepair. The photographs are presented in tandem with the short story, " Pillar of Fire" by Shelby Foote. While the story is a nice read on its own, the photographs selected for each page of the text makes it seem like the story was telling the history of these particular structures, even though the story was written nearly 50 years prior. The photographs on their own are stunning and worth looking through for anyone interested in antebellum architecture. My biggest wish would have been more captioning of the photographs like the photographer's notes, as the history and battle scars of these structures is fascinating in their own right.
I received this book from the author for review.
I received this book from the author for review.
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