What Matters: The World's Preeminent Photojournalists and Thinkers Depict Essential Issues of Our Time

by David Elliot Cohen

For more than a century, photography has revealed truths, exposed lies, advanced the public discourse, and inspired people to demand change. Socially conscious pioneers with cameras transformed the world—and that legacy lives on in this eye-opening, thought-provoking, and (we hope) action-inducing book. Like Jacob Riis’s How the Other Half Lives, Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, and Jonathan Schell’s The Fate of the Earth before it, we believe that What Matters will fundamentally alter the way we see and understand the human race and our planet.
What Matters asks: What are the essential issues of our time? What are the pictures that will spark public outrage and spur reform? The answer appears in 18 powerful, page-turning stories by the foremost photojournalists of our age, edited by The New York Times best-selling author/editor David Elliot Cohen (A Day in the Life and America 24/7 series), and featuring trenchant commentary from well-recognized experts and thinkers in appropriate fields. Photographer Gary Braasch and climate-change guru Bill McKibben provide “A Global Warming Travelogue” that takes us from ice caves in Antarctica to smoke-spewing coal plants in Beijing. Brent Stirton and Peter A. Glick examine a “Thirsty World,” chronicling the daily search for clean water in non-developed countries. James Nachtwey and bestselling poverty expert Jeffrey D. Sachs look at the causes of, and cures for, global poverty in “The Bottom Billion.” Stephanie Sinclair and Judith Bruce present the preteen brides of Afghanistan, Nepal, and Ethiopia.
Sometimes the juxtaposition of photographs can be startling: “Shop ‘til We Drop,” Lauren Greenfield’s images of upscale consumer culture, starkly contrast with Shehzad Noorani’s “Children of the Black Dust”—child laborers in Bangladesh, their faces blackened with carbon dust from recycled batteries.
The combination of compelling photographs and insightful writing make this a highly relevant, widely discussed book bound to appeal to anyone concerned about the crucial issues shaping our world. What Matters is, in effect, a 336-page illustrated letter to the next American president about the issues that count. It will inspire readers to do their part—however small—to make a difference: to help, the volume includes extensive “What You Can Do” sections with a menu of web links and effective actions readers can take now. This year give What Matters.

Genres: Photography, Nonfiction, Philosophy, Social Justice, Essays, Art, Science

336 pages, Hardcover

First published September 2, 2008

Reviews

[A · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some essays were decent and informative (such as the Chernobyl essay), but I found that the majority of them were soapbox speeches disconnected from the pictures strewn throughout. It seemed that many of the writers didn't even acknowledge the pictures... they were essays with pictures slapped onto them. Photojournalism should be the other way around... pictures complimented by essays. Essays should bring context to the photos, but I found myself asking many a time, "and what does this political opinion have to do with this picture?" It is a disservice to the subject of the photograph to use them for a soapbox speech instead of talking about their dignity, their reality, and what exactly is happening in the picture. I couldn't bring myself to finish this book. I feel that there are better photo essays out there that I can spend my time reading.

[Brian Page · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eighteen superb essays: and while it’s nearly criminal to single out one for special comment, I will anyway. Fawaz Gerges’s essay, “Global Jihad” alone makes it worthwhile to chase down a copy of this book. Gerges is penetrating in his analysis of the West’s confrontation with Islamic fundamentalism and makes one weep for the lost opportunities for peace. As for the other 17 essays, they also will make you weep.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A prior employer routinely set up speaking engagements with their award-winning photojournalists to talk to employees about their work and the issues they encountered. I loved attending those lectures and this book seems to capture some of that spirit.

[Jennifer Marie Cambra]

This book is a household essential.

[Judith · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderfully inspiring book. Magnificent photography and moving journalism covering topics that we would all like to ignore.

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Informative. Powerful photos. Great for the classroom.

[Pat Loughery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fantastic examples of photojournalism and photo essays which show the power of image and information to invite us to see the hard realities all around our world.

[MB (What she read) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very powerful photographs. I don't think you can see these pictures and not be moved.