First published in 1996, Mary Street Alinder's biography of Ansel Adams remains
the only full biography of one of the greatest American photographers. Alinder i
s a respected scholar, and also had a close connection to Adams, serving as his
chief assistant in the last five years of his life. The portrait she creates of
him is intimate and affectionate; it is also clear-eyed. She takes on his diffic
ult childhood in San Francisco, the friendships and rivalries within his circle
of photographers, his leadership in America's environmental movement, his marria
ge, his affairs, and his not-always-successful fatherhood. Enriched by her uniqu
ely personal understanding of Adams the man, she explains the artistic philosoph
y that, paired with his peerless technique, produced an inimitable style. Her bi
ography is likely to remain unrivaled.This new edition will bring the classic up
to date and includes research that reveals new information and a deeper underst
anding of his greatest photographs. It will also include thirty-two pages of rep
roductions of Adams's work and snapshots of the artist and close friends.