A journey through the New England landscape, and the turn of seasons, by a lifelong New Englander.
"Anthony Reczek’s book of masterful photographs and insightful text, ROAMING THE LAND: PHOTOGRAPHS OF NEW ENGLAND, makes a splendid addition to the photographic tradition of capturing the essential spirit of the four seasons in the American northeast.
He turns his camera eye and nimble mind on the natural world: field, forest, and hillside; river, lake, and seascape, but he focuses too on the human community: the parades, festivals and farmers markets in towns and villages, the work and play of farmers and fishermen; the climbers celebrating on a granite summit.
His written commentary on these photographs is wry, wistful, spirited, and spiritual, providing causation and context for many of these shots. All in all, Roaming the Land offers a breathtaking variety of photographic images for anyone with a longstanding passion or a newfound interest in the many moods and evocations of the north country.
Buy it and enter a world of delight!"
Neil Shepard, author of HOW IT IS: SELECTED POEMS
Quarter Finalist
Plot/Idea: 9 out of 10
Originality: 10 out of 10
Prose: 9 out of 10
Character/Execution: 9 out of 10
Overall: 9.25 out of 10
Assessment:
Plot/Idea: Reczek delivers a stunning homage to New England landscape and seasons, organized by each month of the year, through dramatic, expressive photography. He offers readers compact descriptions of the backdrop to each photograph, covering the wildlife, people, and lifestyles of the region.
Prose: The prose is natural and free flowing as Reczek describes the distinctive settings in each photograph. His stories of the local people, businesses, and way of life unique to New England are well-crafted and striking.
Originality: A patchwork of stark photography and absorbing storytelling, Reczek’s book will transfix readers. The snippets he includes for background on each photograph contain their own unique storylines and anchor the visuals in time and place.
Character/Execution: This is an arresting portrait of New England living, brimming with history and personality. Reczek’s photography sparks conflicting emotions in several renderings—the solemn alongside the awe-inspiring, the poignant juxtaposed with the lively—that give it an almost otherworldly feel at times.
Date Submitted: November 25, 2023
