Contemplating Ireland

By James Gleason

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0967937507
• ISBN13: 9780967937502
• Release Date: September 2000
• Publisher: Atlantic Ireland Pub
• Length: 96 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.0" x 0.5" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

A perfect present

This is a stylishly presented gift book with excellent black and white photographs and carefully selected accompanying text. The thoughtful introduction is by one of Ireland's leading fiction writers and gives us a view of Ireland in all its depth and complexity. I recommend it to anyone thinking of visiting the country.

Excellent

Thank god, a photo book about Ireland that doesn't shove Emerald Isle cliches at you, with a lot of smiling red-haired children and gobs of green. Instead, you get understated, sophisticated design and black and white images that seem to be about light and shadow and shape as much as they are about the place. It is slightly stark, but the epigrams/readings warm it up. Really excellent.

Remembrances of My Father's Home

On a recent trip to Ireland with my family I encountered many landscapes similar to those shown in this magnificent book and it reminded me of my father's home. This is a great book to capture the visual texures of the Emerald Isle.

Contemplating Ireland

The first thing that struck me after viewing the book "Contemplating Ireland" was the sense of mystery I was left with and the spell it cast grew only stronger with the turn of the every page.I have seen several color books of Irish landscapes and ancient structures, but the black and white photo's of Mr. Gleason are the perfect complement to a land which holds secrets that must be unraveled over time. In this sense, the book works as a whole with some photo's seeming less remarkable until you meditate on the entire mood evoked in the setting. Mr. Gleason's eye is very subtle in this regard, and allows the viewer to breathe into the photo rather than be hit over the head with it's message.The variety of full bleed shots and double page spreads mixed in with smaller shots works well and creates a rhythm that only enhances the books magic and momentum.The intro by Ms. Purcell is perfect for it preps the viewer with what they are about to witness in the pages to follow. Sometimes people need a little understanding before receiving the full impact of a photo book as so much of what we see visually these days is so brazen in its attempts to enchant.In that sense, this book will release the viewer from being directed what to feel. If you can tap into your imagination you will find the stories you are looking for in these beautiful photos. It makes you wish that stones could actually talk!This is a great addition to the existing books on Ireland and would make a great gift item to those who have any interest in this beautiful country.