The Great Life Photographers--a book recommendation

[Christine Aguila]

Having spent the last week reading page by page this lovely 605 page book 
published by Thames & Hudson (paperback 2009), I'd like to recommend it to 
PDML folks.  Organized in alpha order, included is a brief biographical 
sketch of 88 photographers who were on Life's staff and, of course, photos 
made by the photographer.

So many of the photographers have passed away, which would follow given 
Life's run from 1936-1972.  The brief sketches do a great job of revealing 
the dedication and personality of the photographers, especially in their 
coverage of World War II.

I'd like to share this brief biography of George Strock (1911-1977):

" . . . Stroke joined LIFE and went off to the war in the Pacific. 
Initially he cabled editors that he saw so little action he was ready to 
quit and open a peanut stand.  Other photographers did leave, but Strock 
stayed on for the Battle of Buna, which cost more than 3,000 Allied lives. 
On that malarial New Guinea island, Strock scrambled along side the 
soldiers. . . . At the time, censors banned showing any dead American 
soldiers, but LIFE raised the point with the government, and FDR himself 
decided the public was growing complacent and should see some of the 
reality; thus 'Three Dead Americans' ran in LIFE."

I find that last bit about FDR very interesting.  Cheers, Christine