The Great Nadar: The Man Behind the Camera

by Adam Begley

A dazzling, stylish biography of a fabled Parisian photographer, adventurer, and pioneer.
A recent French biography begins, Who doesn't know Nadar? In France, that's a rhetorical question. Of all of the legendary figures who thrived in mid-19th-century Paris a cohort that includes Victor Hugo, Baudelaire, Gustave Courbet, and Alexandre Dumas Nadar was perhaps the most innovative, the most restless, the most modern.
The first great portrait photographer, a pioneering balloonist, the first person to take an aerial photograph, and the prime mover behind the first airmail service, Nadar was one of the original celebrity artist-entrepreneurs. A kind of 19th-century Andy Warhol, he knew everyone worth knowing and photographed them all, conferring on posterity psychologically compelling portraits of Manet, Sarah Bernhardt, Delacroix, Daumier and countless others a priceless panorama of Parisian celebrity.
Born Gaspard-Felix Tournachon, he adopted the pseudonym Nadar as a young bohemian, when he was a budding writer and cartoonist. Later he affixed the name Nadar to the facade of his opulent photographic studio in giant script, the illuminated letters ten feet tall, the whole sign fifty feet long, a garish red beacon on the boulevard. Nadar became known to all of Europe and even across the Atlantic when he launched "The Giant," a gas balloon the size of a twelve-story building, the largest of its time. With his daring exploits aboard his humongous balloon (including a catastrophic crash that made headlines around the world), he gave his friend Jules Verne the model for one of his most dynamic heroes.

The Great Nadaris a brilliant, lavishly illustrated biography of a larger-than-life figure, a visionary whose outsized talent and canny self-promotion put him way ahead of his time."

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Photography, Art, France, History

256 pages, Hardcover

First published July 11, 2017

About the author

Adam Begley was for twelve years the books editor of The New York Observer. He has been a Guggenheim fellow and a fellow at the Leon Levy Center for Biography. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, Guardian, Financial Times, London Review of Books, and Times Literary Supplement. He lives with his wife in Cambridgeshire, England.

Reviews

[♥ Sandi ❣ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars ~~ Thank you to First-to-Read Digital and Duggan Books for the copy of this ARC.

Nadar, Gaspard-Félix Tournachon, was a man I did not know, in a time that I knew little about. His accomplishments were great - writer, caricaturist, photographer, balloonist, the first to develop the still used comic panels, in addition to the way our current newspapers are still laid out. Born April 6, 1820, died March 21, 1910, a few weeks shy of his ninetieth birthday. Married a woman half his age, Ernestine Constance Lefèvre, on August 11, 1854 and had one son Paul - who later in life took over not only his Paris photography studio, but also his very famous logo of "Nadar." Having lead an exciting Bohemian lifestyle, rich at times and totally broke at others, Nadar was praised by those who knew him. He was surrounded with famous poets, composers, painters, politicians, writers, actresses, ballerinas, opera singers and journalists - most of who had had their portrait taken by Nadar. The novel shows many many pictures of not only famous people, but of various projects and discoveries of Nadar, such as various hot air balloons and other things that interested him throughout his life. His many friends' photos are also included such as George Sands, Victor Hugo, Sarah Bernhardt, Verdi and John Winston Churchill.

One way to know more about Nadars life is to "read Julian Barnes’s Levels of Life, an unusual book, part essay, part short story, part memoir, in which Barnes briefly sketches the contours of Nadar’s curious career and irrepressible character. In addition Nadar’s work is scattered around the world in various libraries and museums."

At times a bit slow, as many biographies are, but overall a good read. Very informative, funny at times, heartbreaking at times, however the inclusion of all the photographs made this a very worthwhile novel to read.

[La · Rating 3 out of 5]

I expected to be a little more enthralled with this book than I was. The first few chapters were a slog to get through, and I never understood why he was such a fabulous dude. I have to admit, I abandoned it and read the last chapter just to know what happened.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Great Nadar.

Who?

The Man Behind the Camera.

I had no clue who Nadar was. But, reading the promo blurb and learning that this Nadar knew every important Parisian artist and writer, my interest was piqued.

Adam Begley's book The Great Nadar introduced me to this 19th c Parisian luminary who loved the 'new' and was on the cutting edge of every development.

Nadar (1820-1910) was born Gaspard-Felix Tournachon. His nickname, Nadar, came from his friends when a young man, and it became his "trademark and most valuable property."

He was a master in self-promoting. He was a risk taker who gave 100% to every new venture. He was a failed medical student. He "threw himself" into "startup newspapers and little magazines." He was the ultimate Bohemian living in poverty. He reinvented himself as a successful caricaturist and then as a pioneering photographer. He was a balloonist who envisioned helicopters and was the first to take an aerial photograph. During the Siege of Paris, his balloonists got news out to the world. He then helped get news into Paris through microfilm inserted into quills that were carried by homing pigeons.


A tall, thin man with orange hair, Nadar was beloved by his friends for his brilliant conversation and high spirits. He had impeccable taste in furnishing his photography studio and an impressive art collection. Nadar hobnobbed with the great stars of his time and they all sat for him to photograph.

His photography was familiar to me. He had the ability to capture his subject's nature and character. After reading Elizabeth Berg's novel on George Sand, The Dream Lover, I went online to learn more about Sand. It was Nadar's photographs that I found.

I had known his work long before I knew Nadar himself.

I enjoyed this biography. Nadar was forever fascinating. The many presentations of Nadar's work was wonderful.

I received a free ebook through First to Read in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably my recent trip to Paris has a lot to do with it, but I loved this account of the balloonist, bohemian, journalist, "Parisian to the tips of his fingernails," and first great portrait photographer who was friends with Baudelaire, Hugo, Nerval, Sand, Verne, and just about every other significant nineteenth-century French cultural figure.

[Barry Hammond · Rating 4 out of 5]

Writer, caricaturist, the first great portrait photographer (who also took the first aerial photographs and the first underground photographs in the catacombs and sewers of Paris), the Great Nadar was also a pioneering balloonist (a prime mover behind the first air mail service), one of the premier bohemians, a radical political thinker and a man whose flair for publicity, self-promotion and collecting celebrities has led him to be compared to a nineteenth century Andy Warhol. Adam Begley tells his story with appropriate flair, lots of photographs, and a solid grasp of the nineteenth century Paris milieu. An added bonus is a description at one of Nadar's studio guest books, with illustrations of some of the signatures, drawings, bits of music, and commentary on the history of the characters who signed. Nadar was at the epicenter of nineteenth century life and seemingly knew everyone who was anyone. A great glimpse into that section of the past. - BH.

[Dale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written biography of a man constantly reinventing himself in pre Haussmann Paris.

[John Lester · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've spent a lifetime in photography and was familiar with his works but little of his story. Almost wish I had kept it that way.
The Great Nadar is a good read of history; of Paris, artists of the period, and of Nadar himself. Reading this leaves you not knowing whether to be outraged or wanting to laugh loudly. Adam Begley was written an excellent book which I recommend to all.

[Adriana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was familiar with Nadar as one of the premiere portrait photographers of the dawn of photography (even just in general), but this book shows that not only was he a man of many talents, he was a true bohemian who rubbed elbows with many of the legendary names of Paris. It's fascinating to read about how he slowly developed his skills in different arenas and the persona of Nadar emerges.
Be prepared to know at least the basics of who's who in Paris during the nineteenth century or you won't be as impressed with the name dropping that takes place in this book. It seems like Nadar had dealings with pretty much everyone who was anyone. Which might explain part of his amazing talent of celebrity portraiture. He was friends (or at least friendly) with pretty much anyone he ever photographed.
The only thing that bothered me is that it's very obvious that the author is a big fan of Nadar's. He makes it seem like the man was incapable of doing anything wrong and all his life was full of triumphs. with failures and mistakes being just tiny little speed bumps that are hardly worth mentioning. I'm not saying that I wanted the book to be a big downer on the man, but it would have been nice to balance out the love-fest with some of the challenges Nadar surely faced.
Overall, it's a fantastic introduction to a lesser known light of Paris during the 19th century. You not only get to know the man, you learn about the history and the events that shaped both him and France. It's both an art book and a history book.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lively biography that presents a portrait of an energetic idea man with a captivating personality and a penchant for self-promotion. Although Nadar engaged in many different pursuits (ballooning, writing, photojournalism), the author underscores how important he was as a photographer. I think that is correct judging by the reproductions included in the book. I missed the exhibit of his work at the Met in 1995, but will make a point of seeing it if it ever comes around again.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Great Nadar--The Man Behind the Camera



That is the subtitle of the Great Nadar--The man behind the camera--but Gaspard-Felix Tournachon, born in Paris in 1820 to a book publisher from Lyon and his young mistress, became so much more. While it is true that photography may have been the profession in which he made his mark, Nadar, as he was known then, came to his renown through many paths. But I get ahead of myself in this review, since the book really begins with its interesting cover--a checkerboard of pictures of Nadar taken from many angles. He is a Frenchman but he does not look like a stereotypical Frenchman--he is not the dark, sensuous Louis Jordan nor is he the suave bon vivant, Maurice Chevalier. His hair appears much lighter than either of them, it is bobbed and curls under. He sports a bald spot not unlike a monk's tonsure and his has a Santa Clause moustache that curls just perfectly around a mouth, that even in repose seems to smile--as it does quite impishly in one of the shots. He appears to have a couple of hairy moles or growths on the side of his face near his jawline. All in all, a pleasant, inviting face that seems to gaze back at the camera with interest, as though studying the studier. Once into the book, we learn that Nadar did not become Nadar immediately--he actually was known as Felix within his family and in his early adulthood, when he decided to study medicine to support his widowed mother and younger brother, It was not until he left his medical studies, finding them much too constraining and structured, to pursue journalism that he entered the world of the Bohemians and became a starving artist that he was anointed with the nickname by some of his fellows. Initially, he found himself a caricaturist but in a short time found an interest in the more realistic portrayal of people by use of a camera. Throughout his life he rubbed elbows with the famous of Paris--artists, poets ,actors, politicians, novelists--with some he made friends early in life-some of them fellow bohemians--but others he encountered once he'd established himself as the foremost photographer of Paris. The book takes us through the early years and through the heyday on into his retirement. Along the way he supported, competed with, sued, reconciled and fought again with his younger brother, Adrien. He married a woman considerably younger than himself, Ernestine, whom he called, and others called, Madame Bonne. And she was--good to put up with his many impulsive interests that became obsessions and good for him, a settling influence on his mad pursuit of some of these interests. One of his most consuming pursuits was the development of a huge air balloon called Le Geant among other smaller versions. The descriptions of his flights in these balloons is as hair raising as the actual event must have been. He was a great proponent of air flight though he did not anticipate nor propose the concept of an airplane--he thought the lighter than air approach was the key to flight. He was a self-promoter with an ability to make lifelong friends, he was a defender of his name and brand against all comers, including his brother and, later in life, his son. He was grandiose and proposed a publication of a Livre d'or which would contain pictures and biographies of all the famous of France--he started the project but lacked the financial backing to complete it. Perhaps the most interesting part of the book is the final section which is a series of autographs in a studio livre d'or-- a guest book which Nadar asked various people whom he photographed to sign. The entries range from poetry to simple signatures, musical notation to pen and ink sketches. It is fascinating in both the type of entry and the authors who made them. A birds-eye view of Nadar's comtemporaries and friends. This tall, lanky, ever curious red head died fourteen months after his beloved Ernestine a few weeks before turning 90 in 1910. I received a copy of this book to review from Blogging for Books

[Stacy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The name Nadar is not well known today for those not in the field of photography, though the friends he surrounded himself with were. The likes of Manet, and George Sand, Victor Hugo and Baudelaire were within Nadar's circle along with hundreds others that were known in their time, but perhaps less so now. A true Bohemian, Nadar worked his way up in Paris starting as a satirist doing caricatures and then moved to photographs in which he distinguished himself in portraits as well as being the first to photograph an area in the absence of any natural light, the catacombs in Paris. His passions led him to be a huge proponent of aeronautical travels and he once had a balloon created with an attached wicker house of sorts which crashed dramatically. Twice. During the war he used balloons to attempt reconnaissance against the Prussians and deliver mail when cities were cut off. In short, he accomplished a great deal of things, though he never stuck with any for too long.

Full of never-ending energy,Nadar was quixotic at best, at worst he had his head too far in the clouds - literally at times - to attend the to finances of any one business endeavor. His life was a series of riches found and lost, but his compelling and ebullient character was what endeared him to so many.

Begley does a good job of documenting Nadar's life and noting those surrounding him. Unfortunately, as Begley notes in the ending chapter, Nadar, though fascinating in his own larger-than-life personality, seems hard to bond with on page. As Begley says, "There's a kind of poetic justice at work here. In all his professions, Nadar relied on the cult of celebrity to sell his work, whether it was a feuilleton, a caricature, or a photograph. Now his tireless efforts as a publicist returned to haunt his posthumous reputation: he was mourned not as an artist with a particular genius but as a boulevardier, a celebrity who consorted with celebrities." This seemed to sum up my issues with the biography. While I thought Nadar's persona entertaining, I found myself wanting to know more about the celebrities he was consorting with, the famed writers and artists whose names are still known today. In short, while the biography was well done, and I think Begley did a good job of noting the sociopolitical forces in the background, I found myself less drawn to Nadar, and more to his friends.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book through First To Read in Exchange for an Honest Review.

[Fred · Rating 4 out of 5]

When we in the 21st Century think about photography, we tend to think of a "great picture" the way we might think about a "great apartment": more for its functionality than its beauty. It may be beautiful, but we really appreciate it for what it can show us. So too, in the case of a photograph: the subject matter is what matters, most of the time. So it's hard to imagine that in the 19th century, when photography was in its infancy, it was seen, and practiced, as an art form. Not surprisingly, the photographers who first set up shop made portraiture their stock in trade. Its clientele not only wanted a lasting image which would remain long after they did; they were offering a poor man's commission of an art form that did more than just photograph the subject, but brought him or her to life, revealing personality and character through the lens of the camera.

Such was the greatness of the photographs of "The Great Nadar," the subject of this fascinating biography of the 19th century French photographer, artist, author, and aeronaut. A bit of a dilettante, his resume reads like a virtual catalogue of possible career choices: trained as a doctor, a caricaturist and artist, a balloonist, a photographer, entrepreneur, and essayist, Felix Nadar was a jack of all trades, one of those colorful French characters whose ambitions, experiences, friends, jobs, and overall life make the 21st century reader feel unaccomplished and provincial.

His photographs were pieces of art, and in this entertaining biography, Adam Begley gives us a glimpse of the man behind the camera. He delves into the more colorful aspects of Nadar's life, loves, family dramas, etc, highlighting the more entertaining episodes, like his infamous ballooning (mis)adventure that miraculously spared the lives of the travelers involved.

Nadar's portraiture photographs are mesmerizing, in their brilliance at capturing the subjects that sat for him. The photos are stunningly modern, capturing the essences of the models. The ones that spoke to me were his photos of a young Sarah Bernhardt, and those of an older George Sand. Nadar managed to expose something in each of his subjects that makes the viewer feel she is looking at an intimate moment rather than a posed portrait.

Begley, in his portrait, similarly allows Nadar's personality and character to shine through here. This was an entertaining read.

Thank you to the author and publisher for a review copy.

[Em Wong · Rating 2 out of 5]

The good part about the book is that it is short. Even at its current length, I found most parts of the story too uninteresting to quote.

You will learn that Félix Tournachon had many career switches in his life. He never seemed satisfied pursuing one thing. In that sense, you get the feeling he was not a true artist or photographer – Begley indicates that after some success with photography, he abandoned it, effectively retiring and and letting his assistants and son to run the studio (he maintained the promotional aspects to himself, and was obsessed about fighting in courts to his eponymous trademark "Nadar" to himself).

I am a photographer and I wanted to learn more about the photography process itself, particularly during its infancy. Begley, when he goes into detail about Nadar's portraits, is attentive to the compelling aspects of the portrait, like the expression on the face and pose, but I think he goes a bit too much into speculation for my tastes. Begley does not discuss any technical aspects of photography of the time, like the film or lenses used, the retouching process, or the quality of light that Nadar harnessed for his portraiture.

The book was in essence hagiography. There seems like nothing the author cannot praise about his subject. Through the writing, I don't get any sense that Nadar was any more exceptional at photography as his competitors, and it seems like the crucial work of polishing the image was executed by somebody else.

Nadar is sometimes portrayed by supportive art critics as a polymath and erudite person of many talents. Yet after this book, I see Nadar as a dilettante, whose main talent was his incredible willingness to engage in publicity stunts (i.e. balloons) which were always in a way an attempt to fight his way up the social ladder of Paris in the 19th century. That has, in a sense, been the story of photography itself, particularly portraits. You have to give credit to Nadar's talent as a caricaturist, though. He drew some fantastic, satirical cartoons of the day. His portrait of George Sand was fantastic, and I loved learning that it took much effort to get the famous image that come out of that sitting. But these could have been summarized in a few pages rather than a book.

[Jim Razinha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating book that I got an advance read of courtesy of First to Read. My copy was an uncorrected proof.

For someone as famous as Felix Tournachon was, and for all that he did, I really don't recall having heard of him before, even by his better known pseudonym Nadar. Writer, caricaturist, photographer, balloonist, inventor...he was a 19th century polymath who trafficked in circles of the French celebrities of the day. His caricatures were incredibly detailed, but it was the portrait photography, wonderfully reproduced in the book, that is extraordinary. In the dawn of the art, Nadar, with primitive tools, created stunning, beautifully composed photographs. For those alone, the book is worth the read.

One quote, written in the early 1860s, stood out to me:

Photography is a marvelous discovery, a science that engages the most elevated intellects, an art that sharpens the wits of the wisest souls - the practical application of which lies within the capacity of the shallowest imbecile. This prodigious art which out of nothing makes something, this miraculous invention after which anything seems possible, this Photography which with applied Electricity and Chloroform makes our nineteenth century the greatest of all centuries [...]
This much can be learned...which means that anyone without exception, can safely aspire to call himself a photographer by tomorrow at the least.
I am going to tell you what cannot be learned: it's a fell for light - it's the artistic apprectiation of the effects produced by the various qualities of lighting alone or combined - it's the application of this or that effect according to the nature of the physiognomy that as an artist you aim to reproduce.
What is even less likely to be learned is the moral intelligence of your subject - the rapid tact that puts you in communion with your model ...and allows you to give...a more familiar and favorable resemblance, the intimate resemblance - that's the psychological aspect of photography, the word seems to me not too ambitious.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Great Nadar created himself at the dawn of the cult of celebrity in the 1800's. He started as a writer, then moved on to caricaturist, photographer and balloonist. During this time he was at the center of the burgeoning colony of artist, writers, singer and actors that made Paris of the 1800's the "in" place for art and culture. Nadar undoubtedly would have his own reality show if he were alive today. Begley tells the story of this unique character in great detail, obviously after an enormous amount of research. For me, the telling of this trailblazers life was not quite as interesting as I'm sure the life itself was. There was a lot of name dropping and activity that somehow didn't quite translate to a "real" biography. I plowed through the book but found it only mildly enjoyable. If you're rabidly interested in French culture of the 1800's then this is the book for you. If not, then perhaps you can live without knowing who Nadar is. I was given this book through Penguins First To Read Program.

[Devyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this copy from Goodreads.

"Qui ne connait Nadar?" Who doesn't know Nadar?

I didn't, until about a week ago when I received this book and learned about this charming, energetic man who took the late 1800s by storm.

Gaspard-Felix Tournachon is thought to be the inventor of the Bohemian. The famously infamous Frenchman that made being a broke artist living off nothing but passion and dreams a popular fashion statement.
His irresistible charm made it far too easy for Felix to acquire lasting friendships that he relied on and took great advantage of all throughout his life.
His many enthusiasms enticed him to flit from caricature, balloonist, writer, and photographer during his lifetime.
A jack of all trades, but a genuine master of the camera. He's famous for his portraits and his pictures of the Paris underground.
The Great Nadar: The Man Behind the Camera includes many pictures that the man known as Nadar took, in addition to drawings of his caricatures. It's well written and expertly researched by someone with an obvious passion for both photography and Felix Tournachon. It may be tedious, but it's an excellent book for someone interested in early photography and Parisian history.

[Zivile · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from First To Read program for an honest review.

First I learned about Nadar in university when studying art history. But this book gave a full insight into Nadar's life: from his childhood and parents' philosophy (which, by the way, was shockingly modern), to his life as an artist of all sorts, to sharing his success with not-so-talented brother and son.
The book is filled with photographs which is important part of Nadar's visual story, and surrounded by well-researched historic contexts. Although I think some parts were not too necessary, nor too interesting - the several chapters just on the flying balloons... Small mentioning of them in the beginning was more than enough.

[Amber · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free ARC of this book through Goodreads' First Reads program. After having read this book, I am surprised to have never before encountered M. Nadar in my prior readings on French history. He definitely comes across as quite the character, with a diverse set of interests, a bit of a Renaissance man. His brilliant photographs may be his most lasting legacy, but his turns as a journalist, novelist, caricutrist, and ballonist all proved interesting. The only qualm I had was that the ending of the book seemed a bit abrupt, but it's possible that may have changed with the finished version.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The blurb on this book quoted a recent French Biography, "Who doesn't know Nadar?" Well, I didn't. And I thought his accomplishments fascinating: photographer, balloonist, entrepreneur, artist. Nadar did indeed lead a fascinating life, mingled with luminaries of the day, and in his way was the forerunner of the celebrity cult of today. His portraiture included in the book was a plus, enabling me to see some historic figures who have intrigued me. All in all, while the book was interesting, it didn't inthrall me, but I'm glad I read it.

Many thanks to Blogging for Books and the publishers for sending me this copy.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nadar, a mid 19th photographer, created the art of portraiture and celebrity photographs. He took famous photos of Sarah Berndhart, George Sand and Victor Hugo. He actually advanced the art of Post Mortim photography by photographing Victor Hugo after he died. Nadar was known for being flashy and self promoting. He embraced le vie boheme until marrying at age 34 to an 18 year whose dowry paid off his debts and kept him solvent after his marriage. Nadar also embraced flight through ballooning. This biography on him is both enlightening and fun. The photographs and cartooning of Nadar is included. Wonderful book.

[Elisa Goudriaan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zeer goed geschreven en ik ben nu heel nieuwsgierig geworden naar Begley's biografie over Updike. Ik kende Nadar nauwelijks, maar hij is dankzij Begley totaal voor me tot leven gekomen.

Het boek is heel mooi en origineel vormgegeven, met Nadars portretfoto's prachtig afgedrukt. Het enige dat ik miste waren onderschriften van de foto's of een lijstje hiervan ergens anders in het boek. Ik heb nu zelf maar alle namen erbij gezet, om er later nog een tweede keer van te kunnen genieten. Nadar maakte portretten zoals Rodin sculpturen maakte, met niet alleen het personage an sich, maar met het hele vlak eromheen ook gevuld door de uitstraling van het personage.

[Kira · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Penguin First to Read ARC e-book in exchange for an honest review.

Celebrities are such a huge part of our culture, and The Great Nadar was part of the original cast. He is a fascinating man that accomplished so much in his lifetime. From what we read he was so full of life and animation but the book itself was more like a dense textbook so it was hard to get engaged into right away. Once I became more invested it was worth the read if you like history and seeing how people get their starts.

[Kaitlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Félix Tournachon, or Nadar as he is better known, was a forward thinking photographer, caricaturist, writer, and balloonist in 1800′s France. He ran in bohemian circles that included legendary figures such as Victor Hugo, Alexandre Dumas, and countless others. Always described to be larger than life, Nadar is deserving of a biography to match. The Great Nadar is an interesting and engrossing read mainly for it’s subject matter, often feeling dry and slow.

Nadar played many roles throughout his life. This biography focused mainly on his exploits in portrait photography, which is what I found to be the most interesting. Begley spent a disproportionate amount of time describing various figures from the Paris bohemian and literary society who crossed paths with Nadar, giving unnecessary backstories and bios. Celebrity was clearly an important part of his life and career but reading back to back retellings of long forgotten historical figures was drudgery.

Regardless, this is a worthwhile read for anyone with an interest in photography or 19th century France. Nadar’s life and work is important and endlessly interesting. His portraits are still breathtaking, especially considering the equipment available at the time. The Great Nadar is full of photos and sketches along with descriptions of how they were made and insightful criticisms and descriptions. The author effectively contextualizes Nadar’s work both as an artist and an advocate for air travel, showing the reader how influential his career really was.

Although unbalanced, I still enjoyed reading this story of such an important photographer who I had previously never heard of.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Pardis TD · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nadar actually was the real father of impressionists, he helped them a great deal, as he wasn't intimidated, and he was scientific, as photography was a new invention and a scientific back up is like an evidence to your innovative/creative low self-esteem, which is what impressionists had to face, at the time, as they were really ridiculed over their techniques in their paintings. Everything is science, even art, and particularly modern-contemporary art.

[David Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Irrepressible, what an astounding figure! Writer, celebrated caricaturist, dare-devil balloonist, and the first great portrait photographer. Where did he get the energy? He thrived and survived in 19th century Paris amongst many of its most famous celebrities, most documented in his famous "Livre d'or," a guest book. Highly recommended.

[Matt Wong · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was hard to find any aspect of this book riveting. We learn about Pars in the mid 19th century, Nadar's personal life, his career, and his final decisions and conflicts with family members. There wasn't really much that interesting — having this read three years ago, I hardly remember much (except for the fact Nadar eventually lost interest photography).

[nikkia neil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks Penguin's First to Read for this ARC.

The pictures really are vital to this biography. It's amazing to see all the cool stuff Nadar and his team made without computers or green screen. A visionary who would feel at home if he time traveled to 2017!

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked it very much. I recognized many of Nadar's photographic subjects from art history, literature and politics and was fascinated by how they all intersected. I was aware of his interest in flight but did not realize how intently he pursued ballooning.

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whatta guy! I knew he was a talented photographer, I did not know how likable and inventive he was. (And that photography was only one manifestation of his talent.) This book is very charmingly written, with lots of quality reproductions of Nadar's photographs and cartoons. Great fun!

[AD · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting biography about a person of whom I was previously unaware. The photographs included are particularly interesting and I enjoyed the way they are explained.