Dorothea Lange - Linda Gordon

I have come to think of Lange as a photographer of democracy, and for democracy. She was not alone in this commitment, for she had predecessors and colleagues, and today has many photographic descendants. From her family of origin, her two extraordinary husbands, and friends of great talent she absorbed sensitivity, taste, and technique. These people are part of her enabling context, and for that reason this book includes them as major characters. So too the unique cultures of Hoboken, New York, San Francisco, and Berkeley play major roles in this story.

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Gordon has written an incredibly researched biography of this icon of American photography. The writing flows and is kept interesting in a book that covers a lot of ground. There are over 120 pages of citations! Lange's life is somewhat challenging to cover, since she did not leave diaries or much writing.

Much of the book covers the social history of the times and persons influential in Lange's life. This is both the strength and weakness of the book. While discussing historically intriguing times and situations, such as the original bohemian movement in SF, the writer seems to sometimes lose track of Lange. The book is a combination social history and biography. I found some of the personal comments and asides in the book irritating, especially a short excerpt from a love letter in which the author inserts a comment in the middle. This is a good book if you want to read about Lange or have an interest in the historical period.