"Ports of Entry: William S. Burroughs and the Arts" is an
amazing book about an amazing man,
that provides a wonderful insight into genius. The bulk
of the book being dedicated to the art of William S.
Burroughs (yes, he wasn't just a literary giant). If you
appreciate work outside the bounds of the "common", everyday
junk, this is the book for you! Inspiring and breath-taking,
a *DEFINITE* must own!

I found this book to be a very rich and inspiring perspective on the historic use of photography. Wonderfully illustrated with examples from the beginnings of photo-experimentation to masters like Richard Avedon, this tome is worth buying for the illustrations alone. If you like this comprehensive analysis of the frisson between representation and being, I also recommend "Pictures of the Body, Pain & Metamorphosis" by James Elkins.

As a former tour guide for the Ghost in the Shell exhibit, i can honestly say that this book is a grat compilation of the works. While the pictures alone show the depth and richness of the exhibit, the text is used well and provides a great source of info for the reader. It is a great addition to any colletion of art books.

Don't get me wrong. This book is full of some wonderful and interesting photographs. It's the self-indulgent discourses at the beginning of each chapter that this book could live without. Just let the photographs speak for themselves.

On a purely superficial note, the binding of this book is ... a flimsy cardboard somewhere between a hardback and a softcover. Not what you'd expect from [the price of the] book.

Instead of seeing a photographer's work, it presents the B/W plus a few colour photographs collected by the world known graphic designer, Alan Siegel (to know more about his graphic design, see Sagmeister - Make You Look). He tells the story behind his profession, and how photography evoles from hobby, to professional photography, and to collection. At the end, the importance of the images is linking to him personally and impacting him.

An interesting section is about circus, where the cover picture is remarkably full of mystery. The book is in extra-large size, which allows photos to be printed in fine resolution and size, somehow like a framed picture.