CAPSULE COMMENTS

February 22, 2007

New Books

WHERE WE LIVED: DISCOVERING THE PLACES WE ONCE CALLED HOME by Jack Larkin

During the Great Depression a program called the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) was created. Draftsmen and architects who were unemployed used their skills to document thousands of structures from the early 1600s through the mid-1800s.

This wonderful collection of photographs and drawings focuses on homes and public buildings from 1775 to 1840. Eyewitness accounts from visitors during this time period add to the story by telling readers what it was really like to live in homes from all parts of America.

PLATINUM ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION: 70 YEARS OF EXTRAORDINARY PHOTOGRAPHY by Life Magazine

This book is not just a wonderful collection of Life’s best photographs; it is a timeline of life in America since the magazine started in 1937. World famous events and people are showcased in sections on the presidency, Hollywood, war, culture, and science. However, it’s not just the famous that are on these pages, there are photo essays of average Americans and how they have lived their lives, as well.

THE SCRAPBOOK IN AMERICAN LIFE editedby Susan Tucker, Katherine Ott, and Patricia P. Buckler

Essays in this book showcase how the scrapbook has been used throughout history in America. In recent years, scrapbooking has become a popular hobby, with people using this medium to tell a story about themselves and their relationships with family and friends. In the past, the scrapbook was used for this, but was also used for other purposes. For example, at the turn of the twentieth century, many physicians used these books to help them practice medicine. Scrapbooks have chronicled historic events such as wars and world fairs, but have also been a ledger of knowledge that is passed from one generation to the next with information on how to run households and family businesses. This is an interesting look into how a well-loved activity has evolved over time.