Humanity and Inhumanity: The Photographic Journey of George Rodger

HUMANITY AND INHUMANITY: THE PHOTOGRAPHIC JOURNEY OF GEORGE RODGER, Bruce Bernard, foreword by Henri-Cartier Bresson, illustrated with 260 B/W photos by George Rodger, hardcover with unclipped dust jacket (price never printed), first edition, 1994. BOOK CONDITION: fine. The text block and illustrations are in fine condition with no tears, marks, or dog ears. There is no bookplate or signature of a previous owner. Not a library item or remainer. The illustrated wraps are in near fine condition (some shelf rubbing). 11 ½ x 10, 320 pages, 82 ounces. XX “HUMANITY AND INHUMANITY: THE PHOTOGRAPHIC JOURNEY OF GEORGE RODGER is a major retrospective of the work and life of George Rodger (1908-1995), one of the founding photographers of Magnum Photos alongside Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Capa, and David "Chim" Seymour. The book traces Rodger's remarkable career through two dramatically different phases: War Photojournalism: Rodger worked for Life magazine during World War II. He photographed the London Blitz and military campaigns across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. He became the only photographer present at the liberation of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. The images he made there became some of the most important visual records of Nazi atrocities. The Search for Humanity: Deeply affected by what he saw at Belsen, Rodger turned away from war photography. Beginning in 1948, he undertook extensive journeys through Africa, including a famous overland trip from Cape Town to Cairo. He produced celebrated photographs of African peoples and cultures, seeking images that emphasized dignity, community, and the human relationship with nature. Why the book is important: The title encapsulates Rodger's life's work. The photographs move from some of the darkest examples of human behavior, including war and genocide, to images of resilience, ritual, family, and cultural continuity. Rather than being simply a photo album, the book functions as both a visual autobiography and a history of twentieth-century photojournalism. Many photography historians consider Rodger's career unique because it spans World War II combat coverage, the documentation of the Holocaust's aftermath, the founding of Magnum Photos, and some of the most influential ethnographic documentary photography of the postwar era.”.…