The Fat Baby

by Eugene Richards (Photographer)

The Fat Baby  is an epic collection of poignant and often controversial stories photographed and written by acclaimed social documentary photographer Eugene Richards. The culmination of a dozen years of reporting, both on and off assignment, these stories, each one different in style and tone, immerse us in the lives of Honduran coffee growers, members of a Kansas City street gang, drought-plagued villagers from Niger, and doctors in an embattled Bosnian hospital. They chronicle the birth of a first child, an explosion of family violence, the struggle of a farming family to hang on to its ancestral home, and the unearthing of a half-hidden grave said to hold the remains of a slave. Described as having an acute, sometimes hard-edged visual sensibility and a literary voice, Richards writes in order to come to terms with the complexities of what he is observing. At a time when photojournalists are often relegated to illustrating the ideas of others, he persists in interweaving his words and photographs to create boldly narrative stories that bear witness to the dramas of real lives and comment on the times in which we live. Deeply personal and prodigious in scope, The Fat Baby is a tribute to the emotional power of photography and a celebration of storytelling.

Genres: Photography

432 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Julie Grace Immink · Rating 5 out of 5]

Judge this book by the cover

[seshulka]

Read in FAMU library

This is a new medium for me, photography with prose. Very heartbreaking, makes you more aware about the world around you.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I stumbled upon this book and was stunned at how profoundly good it is. Richards really draws you into the lives and stories of his subjects, and somehow manages to end each piece by leaving you wanting just a little bit more. I hope to read more by him soon.

[Jenava · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is an excellent book, one of my favorite photo books I have.

[Laura Cashavelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

The compositions of his images are so beautiful and haunting. My school had a show of his work in the gallery, and his images enlarged are so overwhelming, I can't even describe it.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best photojournalists of our time.