Who We Were: A Snapshot History of America

by Michael F. Williams, Richard Cahan, Nicholas Osborn

Since the first snapshots were taken in 1888, Americans have used simple, inexpensive cameras to record their life stories. In the process, they have left behind millions of pictures that document the story of America. Now, for the first time, these personal photographs have been gathered together to tell the nation's history.

Genres: Photography, History, Nonfiction, Art

240 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2006

Reviews

[Heather Shaw]

Who We Were is a visual commentary of America, but with the push of a button rather than the labor of paint, of special moments rather than the everyday. This collection begins in 1888 and ends in 1972, 350 photos later. (The authors say they looked at a million photos over ten years.)

There are kids and kisses, neon, airplanes, floods, hangings, a family’s pig, Homestead Act houses, patriotic displays of vegetables, four mice dead in a trap (a woman holds the trap) double exposures, and plain silliness. Great good fun and highly inspirational; you’ll want to haul the old pics out of the closet and send them to scan my photos to make your own book.

[Dee Renee Chesnut]

I like the concept of this book: the USA history as depicted by snapshots of ordinary people, right there, right then. I was not fond of the execution of the concept but I don't know that I could do better selecting snapshots from the sources they chose.

The last snapshot of the book is compelling. It was taken by an astronaut who photographed a snapshot of his family he left on the moon.

This last snapshot was taken in 1972, 37 years before this book was published. To end the book so far away from current history reminded me too much of outdated school history textbooks and teachers who never got to the Korean conflict even though our country was in the midst of the Vietnam War. It left me feeling frustrated because it seems inadequate as a history book and it seems inadequate as an art book to spark creativity in those who read it.

[Evanston Public Library]

Spend an hour or so paging through this book, and you will find an informal history of America through the lens (literally) of personal snapshots taken with simple, inexpensive cameras. Family photos, vacation pictures, group shots, and amateur photos of historical events capture nearly a century of life in the USA, from 1888 when the first simple cameras were introduced to the 1970s. Humor, pathos, pride, excitement, and even a small measure of artistry can be found in the shots in this collection. The creators of the book offer us insights and an authentic, by-the-people take on our nation. (Barb L., Reader's Services)

[Alison]

This has a refreshing perspective on the value of the amateur, or "non-professional" to art. The camera, when its cost decreased, became a common household item, valuable documentary tool, and often unknowingly, a use for creative expression in families everywhere. The "amateur" takes risks that a professional does not, often offering a unique view of the world in which they lived. This book is a collection of snapshots from the 1900's to 70's, which together became a world in which Americans shared.

[Colleen]

How do you go about creating a history of America with snapshots? The authors figured it out. The book is a collection of ordinary photos depicting life from the early 1900s through early 1970s which when combined help to tell the history of America. The research that went into discovering the details on many of the photos is remarkable. This book is simply amazing.

[Jennifer]

A brief, but interesting look at how personal photography has influenced Americans. Each section is prefaced by a short account of what was going on in the world and what new ideas were affecting photography. The photos were great, but there weren't enough. It's a large book, and with only one snapshot per page (with a few exceptions), there was just too much white space.

[David Ward]

Who We Were: A Snapshot History of America by Michael Williams, Richard Cahan, Nicholas Osborn (City Files Press, Chicago 2008) (779.9973). This art book is basically a collection of polaroids taken by Americans of America, Americans, and Americana. My rating: 7/10, finished 2009.

[Faith]

Wonderful look at the history of America through the eyes of those who lived it. This book is a historical account of life in America through the accumulation of interesting and telling snapshots from the late 1800s through the 1970s.

[Rose Ann]

This is a book of abandoned/found pictures -- the author found them in thrift shops, at garage sales, etc. Very nicely done and a fascinating look back at American culture through the lenses of ordinary folks.

[Joel Wiebner]

While this book had some great images it was just too brief. It left me wanting more from each section. This is mire of a bathroom reader :/