There are roughly 300 photos in here, all Polaroid Instant, not all readily identifiable as such. Some of them are so amazing I got lost while staring at them, admiring the composition and shapes and shadows; amazed by how sometimes we really can capture a perfect moment on film. There are lots of those in here, and you may lose a couple of hours while poring over them.
It loses a star - reluctantly - for 2 reasons. I don't know what it is about art that necessitates controversy and pretentiousness... art, controversy and pretense - an unholy trinity, it seems, and a few of the photos in here don't disappoint. Of course there's the myriad female nudes (beautifully done, all) but that's the norm now. There are also, however, a couple of child nudes scattered throughout and, frankly, I don't want to see it. I don't believe there's any reason to include photos depicting child nudity, unless it's to court controversy and debate and prove how so-cutting-edge-it-bleeds it all is. I could do without it, and so could this book.
Secondly, they've spread a few of the most extraordinary photos slap-bang across the middle of 2 pages, so they've been dissected; cut in half and distorted. Why on earth would they be placed there? In a book that's all about the visual, making a few them impossible to see is crazy.
But, this is still one of the most sumptuous books I've ever had the pleasure of flicking through, and with photos that range between obscure, altered, atmospheric and absurd, almost every single image warrants a minute or 2 of perusal and admiration. For anyone who is a fan of photography - in particular, yummywonderful Polaroid instants - you can't not have this be a part of your collection.