Publisher's Weekly Review
Collaborating as their subjects did, Aronson and Budhos (Sugar Changed the World) vividly and intimately recount the story of pioneering war photojournalists Robert Capa (1913-1954) and Gerda Taro (1910-1937). Writing in the present tense to heighten the sense of being there, the authors focus primarily on the period when the photographers' professional and personal lives were almost completely intertwined, from soon after their meeting in 1934 Paris to Taro's death in Spain three years later. Capa and Taro, Jewish immigrants with leftist leanings from Hungary and Germany, threw themselves into the Spanish Civil War with idealism, talent, intuition as photographers, and an exceptional willingness to take risks. Their photos-whether of fleeing civilians, snipers, refugees, bombed buildings, or soldiers-conveyed an immediacy never previously achieved and established a new standard for war reportage. The authors' analyses of the Capa-Taro relationship and the influence of their photographs on journalism are particularly strong; they conclude with the 2007 rediscovery of 4,500 negatives lost since the 1940s. Numerous reproductions of Capa and Taro's work appear throughout, along with maps, a timeline, and other resources. Ages 12-up. (Mar.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Horn Book Review
This passionate, sprawling, multilayered biography begins like a Robert Capa photograph: right in the middle of the action. Readers are thrust into the D-Day landing, with all the terror, fatigue, bloodshed, and danger of that harrowing day as Capa photographs the Normandy invasion. The narrative then flashes back to Capas childhood and emigration from Hungary to Paris, his budding career as a photographer, and his meeting and falling in love with Gerda Taro. The two reinvent themselves as photojournalists, traveling to Spain to document the Spanish Civil War. Fiercely supporting the Loyalists in opposition to Franco, Capa and Taro make no effort to cover the war impartially, a point that Aronson and Budhos stress as they discuss the development of the new field of photojournalism. In two separate Interludes the authors also provide a tutorial on reading pictures: how a photographers positioning, shooting angle, and framing can make a statement and create a distinct point of view. And they go far beyond the telling, showcasing multiple photographs and graphics substantiating these conclusions. The carefully selected and positioned photographs in each chapter create parallel narratives to the biography, adding depth to the fervor of Taro and Capas intense relationship, political beliefs, and art. An opening note sends readers to a website where ancillary material, such as a timeline and a discussion of the political parties in Spain, can be found. Extensive back matter covers topics as varied as the controversy over Capas Falling Soldier photograph; the parallels to the contemporary war in Syria; biographical notes of well-known individuals, from Langston Hughes to Benito Mussolini, involved in the Spanish Civil War; thorough source notes; an extensive bibliography; and an index. betty carter (c) Copyright 2017. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
*Starred Review* The team behind Sugar Changed the World (2010) presents a fascinating look at the evolution of photojournalism during WWII by getting behind the lens with photographers Robert Capa and Gerda Taro. Beginning with a dramatic account of Capa snapping pictures during the Normandy landings, the book then backtracks to the Spanish Civil War, the prelude to WWII, where Capa and Taro a romantic and professional team made names for themselves with their daring and insightful pictures. Reproductions of these powerful black-and-white photos appear on almost every page, depicting the times and the photographers' individual styles; political posters and magazine spreads further enhance the text. Rather ambitiously, Aronson and Budhos address the escalating tensions between socialist and fascist regimes, the emergence of photographic news magazines and compact cameras, and the lives of Capa and Taro into one seamless discussion. Readers not only get a strong sense of who these photographers were as people, they will understand what made their pictures so special. Thoroughly researched and cited, the text offers a unique perspective on WWII by focusing on two expatriates unaligned with a specific country. Detailed appendixes help clarify the myriad political parties and historical figures who grace the text, as well as some controversial topics raised. Dense but never dull, this book exposes art and humanity in history.--Smith, Julia Copyright 2016 Booklist
School Library Journal Review
Gr 7 Up-Robert Capa and Gerda Taro carved out careers as photojournalists, striving to capture the victories and defeats of the anti-Fascist freedom fighters during the Spanish Civil War. As European Jews, they understood the dangers of Nazi ideology. Thus, together with thousands of young idealists and a handful of literary giants (Ernest Hemingway and Pablo Neruda), they fought to defeat Franco and prevent another world war. Though their efforts were thwarted and countless lives (including Taro's) were lost, their photos, snapped in the middle of the action, were instrumental in bringing the war's horrors to the forefront of the global community and in firmly establishing a new kind of journalism that remains crucial to news reporting. Aronson and Budhos provide a detailed account of Capa's and Taro's sometimes conflicting romantic and professional lives. They also convey the brutality and senselessness of war in descriptions of battles and their aftermath. Original black-and-white photos complement the text, while explanatory charts, notes, and appendixes offer historical context. The use of present tense, interspersed with past tense references, occasionally distracts from the overall powerful content. VERDICT Intriguing and unusual subject matter for this age group; recommended for teen collections that serve patrons with an interest in journalism and history.-Nancy Menaldi-Scanlan, formerly at LaSalle Academy, Providence © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
