Havana Then and Now (Then & Now)

Book Description

Established in 1519 as a harbor city to service the fleets bound for Spain from Mexico and Peru, Havana became the busy portal to the vast Spanish colonial empire. Largely unharmed by war or weather, many great examples of Spanish colonial architecture survive today. Dozens of archival photographs from Havana’s mid-20th-century heyday as a posh vacation spot are featured here opposite contemporary photographs, portraying a beautiful city undergoing restoration and struggling to regain its glory days.

Customer Reviews:

BITTERSWEET.......2007-08-16

THIS IS AN INTERESTING BOOK TO SAY THE LEAST. I HAVE SEEN MANY OTHER PICTURES OF THE PRE CASTRO TIMES AND THEY ARE BY FAR MUCH MORE ELGANT AND BOAST A MUCH MORE PROSPEROUS PRE CASTRO TIME. IT IS NOT FAIR TO USE SUCH ANTIQUATED PICTURES TO FURTHER USE WHAT THE CASTRO GOVERNMENT HAS GIVEN THEM TO COVER A SOCIAL AND POLITIAL DISASTER.
STILL, NO ONE SAID IT HAD TO BE THE YESTERDAY PICTURES FROM A SPECIFIC TIME SO ALL IN ALL IT IS AN INTERESTING BOOK AND I WOULD NOT CALL IT BAD BECAUSE EVEN DURING THE PERIOD IN WHICH THESE BEFORE PICTURES WERE TAKEN STILL SHOWS CUBAN ARCHITECTURE.

Another excellent entry in the Then and Now series.......2006-04-25

If you have an interest in the architecture of Havana and want a taste of what might welcome you if you visited there, this book is for you. Archival photos primarily from the early 1900s are matched with modern photos on the opposite page. It's nice to know there is a movement on now to save some of these historic gems and we get to see restorations. If you want to learn about politics, Cuban culture, or the countryside, you need to look elsewhere. This is about the history of the buildings, and by extension, the people who used them. The only improvement I would suggest would be to supply an approximate year with each of the old pictures.

It does not show anything.......2005-12-13

I have a small booklet called "Remembering the Cuba we left" with color pictures of Cuba during the 1950s, it is old and I suppose long out of print, it does not contain that many pictures, but the pictures of Havana and the rest of the country are really good. Some were shot from the sky; others captured the life and people walking through the city, buildings, nightclubs, parks, monuments, countryside, etc. I have searched for more of these same pictures and others like them and have not been able to find them. They truly capture what Cuba was before the revolution. No other, not only Caribbean nation, but many Latin American nations didn't even come close. It was the 3rd best economy in the American continent after the U.S and Canada, and followed closely by Argentina. By 1958 Cuba was the most immigrated Latin American country, with the largest European emigration, and more Americans living in Cuba than Cubans in the U.S. Havana even had a China Town.

This book is bad and I will tell you why, I have knowledge of the subject, and I am not stupid. The idea of these series of books is a "Then and Now" of cities, but when it came to do Havana they had a problem. (Says on the back of the book) They went straight to a present day government controlled Havana library in search of info and pictures of the past, that's the problem. Pictures of a prosperous 1950s Havana with commerce, billboards, and the largest middle class in Latin America walking the streets, they probably burned them a long time ago, or Castro has them in his closet. The past of Cuba is something the present communist system is not too interested in showing. There is no free press; all books, newspapers, and media are controlled by the mafia like communists, everything is a manipulation and lie that everyone has to repeat or else you get kicked in jail (the least).

In this book all the pictures of the past are in black & white, and if this was not enough, about 98% of all the pictures of the past are from the mid 1800s to the 1920s, how clever are they. There is only one picture of 1958, about some Ferraris in the Havana Gran Prix, that's it. This way people don't see the pre-Castro days, and the modern day imposed poverty, decay, and ruins won't stand out as much. It will go against the millions Castro spends in promoting his "progressive" slavish system. It has worked in a way, every day I see more morons with Che Guevara shirts but none of them go to live in Cuba or any other communist country, after all. That's where all the bla bla bla is cut short. Anyhow, this is the story here, this book has no photographic value, it will not show you the height of the beauty it ones was, it will not transport you anywhere, nor make a true comparison. You can find better pictures on a web search than on this book, truly. There have been other Havana picture books that although photographed in the present still give you a better idea of what it once was. Robert Polidori: Havana could be one of them, who knows?

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Great book for Indianapolis dwellers
Memory Lane
A joy to read and to give
WONDERFUL BOOK if you are from INDY A MUST FOR INDY RESIDENT

Indianapolis Then and Now (Then & Now)
Nelson Price
Manufacturer: Thunder Bay Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1592232086

Book Description

Explore Indianapolis, the vibrant heartland home of 790,000 people, with this visual journey through the past and present of America’s 12th largest city. In 1820, Indiana statesmen gathered to plan a new state capital to be built on centrally located undeveloped lowland. Historic photographs placed side-by-side with current views of the same locations provide a visual tour of the beautiful city that began to flourish in the late 18th century. Included are perspectives on historic landmarks as well as modern sites such as Monon Trail and Circle Centre. Some of the historic sites pictured are the Indiana Statehouse, the Sailors and Soldiers Monument, Lockerbie Square, and the Federal Building. Lifelong Indianapolis native, Nelson Price, provides the lively and informative text.

Customer Reviews:

Great book for Indianapolis dwellers.......2006-02-25

Side by side format of old pictures with the new. My husband saw this at a bookstore during Christmas break, and I made a mental note to order it for his birthday. The RCA/Hoosier Dome/whatever it's called now has a modern color picture side by side with what used to be on the site. The whole book is set up like this: old picture/what it looks like today.

We love Nelson Price, the author, who used to be with the local paper, The Indianapolis Star. If you like local history with pictures, this is a great gift book. I think I'll order it for my school beause my 4th grade studies Indiana history.

Memory Lane.......2005-10-04

I gave this book to my Mother this year (2005) on her 85th birthday. She was born and raised in Indy, but moved away in the 1950's. Mother is enthralled with the "then" and "now" photos of the places she knew. It has brought back memories of "home and family" for her to share with her sisters as they go down memory lane together. The book has wonderful photos and descriptions of the landmarks. We are very pleased with the book!

A joy to read and to give.......2005-03-05

Indianapolis: Then and Now is filled with wonderful photos accompanied by enchanting narration. It does not matter if you have never visited Indianapolis or are a native (as am I), this book will lead one through neighborhoods, down streets, and capture the allure of "Indy." Highly recommended for either a gift to yourself or others. The quality of the printing, photos, and binding give the impression of a much more expensive book than this.

WONDERFUL BOOK if you are from INDY A MUST FOR INDY RESIDENT.......2004-10-01

I have lived in Indianapolis for 3 years now and this book was great. I can see it being boring if you have never visited Indy. But if you know Indy this is a book. You just have to get it. It would also make a GREAT gift for that Indianapolis Friend you might have. I am buying them up for Christmas gifts.

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For every lover of Rome
Rome wasn't built in a day - and this book is proof!
A question of angles
Federica knows her stuff!
Fascinating Photographic Journey Through The Eternal City

Rome Then and Now (Then & Now)
Federica D'Orazio
Manufacturer: Thunder Bay Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1592232922

Book Description

Dating back to the beginning of the first millennium, some of Rome’s most famous architectural sites are among the most ancient in the world. They survive in an enchanting urban tableau of classicism and modern Italian culture. Here are all of Rome’s most famous tourist attractions — the Coliseum, St. Peter’s Square, the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps — represented in dozens of photographs, old and new, that bring the great city to life.

Customer Reviews:

For every lover of Rome.......2007-01-13

A beautiful book of photos, and a must-have for everyone who loves Rome.

Rome wasn't built in a day - and this book is proof! .......2006-02-03

When you visit Rome, the buildings lend the impression that in many respects the city has not changed to any large degree in centuries. This book makes clear that while Rome may be "eternal" the architecture of the city is not!

This book has a simple lay out. On the left hand side of the book are full page 19th and early 20th century images of Rome (the latest being in the 1940s) - on the right hand side is a modern image of the same location. The older images vary in quality, but all are clear, my only complaint with the newer images is that they aren't always taken from the same angle as the older one for a true comparison.

If you have ever travelled to Rome this book is fascinating to browse through. Its amazing how much some of the sights of the city have changed in only 150 years. Mussolini made a lot more changes to the city than I realised before I read the descriptions next to the images in this book by demolishing buildings all over the place to make roads and restore some of the ruins.

A question of angles.......2006-02-01

It's difficult to stand in front of an ancient building like the Pantheon or the Coliseum without wondering what these structures and the surrounding areas must have been like in times gone by. Rome: Then and Now helps answer some of the questions that pop into the Roman daydreamer's mind, through the contrast of old and new photographs and well-researched supporting texts.

Obviously, by using only photographs, passionate Roman author and guide Federica D'Orazio can't possibly show us Rome at its peak. But she can show us how much the city has changed over the last century and a half -- complete with goats resting near Trajan's Column, country folk washing their clothes in the Fountain of the Tritons, and a food market filling Circus Maximus -- all of which gives us plenty more ammunition for absent mindedly speculating about the still more ancient past.

The idea for this book is so simple and elegant that it's a wonder nobody thought of it before: the left-hand pages feature grainy sepia prints of important Roman sites; the right side more modern photos of the same areas. And La Dttsa. D'Orazio doesn't just focus on the sites everyone has heard of, but she takes us down the winding alleyways of the Eternal City to show us some sites that many visitors fail to see (there are six pairs of photos from my neighborhood, in fact, a couple of which were very surprising to me even though I've lived there for several years and consider myself a history buff). There are 68 pairs of photos in all, the collection of which must have required an extraordinary amount of research.

I have some relatively minor complaints, though.

Most importantly, I think the book would have been much stronger if the modern photographs had been taken from the exact same angle as their antique counterparts. Sometimes they are, but most of the newer shots are instead taken from the same general area photographers must have used for the older photos, and in a couple of examples they are even taken from a different side all together. Shooting from the exact angle every time would have made the fascinating comparisons this book prompts easier and better.

Also, the texts are written in a way that in some cases reveals the sort of halting style of translated text. I have worked as a translator myself, and I know the work isn't easy -- perhaps my background means my eyes are more sensitive to these shortcomings (they are minor things, such as writing "Column of Trajan" rather than "Trajan's Column"). The problem is nothing that prevents the enjoyment of the book, but the test doesn't quite flow like something written by a good native language writer (though it is better than many other books produced under similar circumstances).

Lastly, I would have liked to have had a table of contents listing the photographs in order, and perhaps a text at the beginning describing how the project came about and the process of tracking down some of these old gems of photographs. But I suppose if my complaint is that I wish I knew more about the book, then in the grand scheme of things it is sort of a compliment as well.

Federica knows her stuff!.......2005-07-12

Of course, I already knew that because I used her as a tour guide the last time I was in Rome! She's not just a tour guide, though, she's a native of her beloved Rome and has a master's degree in art restoration. Because of that combination of skills, the book is full of not only her amazing breadth of historical, architectural, and art knowledge, but it also has those wonderfully interesting little tidbits that only a good tour guide knows! So, yes, get the book for the cool, old black & white and sepia photographs and the new color ones, but also get it for the interesting information that will make you feel like you've been taken around Rome by one of its best tour guides. (And then when you're ready to actually go to Rome, look up her website and give her a call!) I'm thrilled to have this book...it will be a constant reminder of those wonderful days I spent in Rome.

Fascinating Photographic Journey Through The Eternal City.......2004-11-06

I recently had the pleasure of obtaining a copy of this newly released photographic study of Rome and I have to say it fulfilled all my hopes in it's exploration of one of my favourite cities in the world. "Rome Then And Now", is not just a book filled with photos of favourite monuments or streetscapes, it goes much further and in its unique format explores the ever changing look of one of Europe's oldest cities. Frederica D'Orazio has chosen the most interesting idea of devoting two photos to the one chosen area or building and provided shots often taken over a hundred years apart to show the changes that have occured to the subject being examined. The left hand side photos generally come from the 1800's in black and white or sepia, while those on the right hand page are recent shots in glorious colour.

Of course Rome being the "eternal city", there is alot of history to capture in this type of photographic journey. The topics chosen are those that obviously have the two contrasting photos available but they in themselves are also very well chosen to display the rich and varied heritage that makes up a cosmopolitan city like Rome. Featured prominently are such well known sites as St. Peters, The Colosseum, The River Tiber, The Pantheon, The Roman Forum, Trevi Fountain and The Spanish Steps. The real fascination however is in the lesser known streetscapes where the real development and alterations to the City can be seen. Of particular interst are the contrasting shots of such places as the Via Condotti, Piazza Barberini, Trajan's Market, Circus Maximus and the Jewish Ghetto. So fascinating are the contrasting photos that you will find yourself sitting for hours comparing every piece of masonary, changed window frame, or different view achieved from a demolition carried out between the time of the two photos.

Obviously in a book devoted to photographic views the quality of the pictures is of paramount importance and "Rome Then And Now", has gathered together some of the best cityscape photos one could expect. The older left hand side photos obviously drawn from numerous sources are wonderfully clear and sharp considering their age and their often deep sepia tones contrast vividly with the superb and very sharp modern photos of each site on the right hand side. These modern shots really succeed in capturing the charm of Rome as a colourful, historic, but also very active and modern city filled with a vibrant population. The photography is clear and makes great use of light and shadow to bring out the best in each site being examined.

"Rome Then And Now", is a photographic gem and is ideally suited to the armchair traveller or those like myself who want to revisit many of the much loved places in Rome that they might have seen first hand. The opening historical run down of Rome's history from a humble settlement on the Tiber to the great city of both the Roman Empire and now as capital of modern Italy is also informative and well worth spending time reading. I highly recommend "Rome Then And Now", devoted to the ever changing environment of this special city. Rome is a city of vivid contrasts and unique qualities and all of them are present in this superb photographic study. Enjoy

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this book
Now & Then Dubai
Stunning

Now & Then : Dubai (Our Earth)
Simone Nowell , and Robert Nowell
Manufacturer: Zodiac Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0953303500

Book Description

Now & Then Dubai is a large format, coffee table book showing the development of Dubai over the past 100 years using old photographs compared with new photographs taken from a similar angle. The modern photographs, taken using a 6x7 Mamiya RZ camera, are dramatic and colorful, especially compared with the old monochrome pictures shown on the same page. There are 14,000 supporting words of descriptive text. The foreword is by HH Sheikh Ahmed, the Chairman of Emirates Airline.

Customer Reviews:

this book.......2004-03-09

i have to admit that the pictures in this book are some of the most stunning i have ever seen off dubai. but unfortunatly the books narritive was poorly done. The writer is undescriptive and does not show dubai as a glorious city. its almost as if she was forced to write this book. such a dissapointment compared to the pictures!!!

Now & Then Dubai.......2002-10-26

Excellent Series. Book has a good comparison of pictures (NOW & THEN ). Loved it...

Stunning.......2002-08-29

A splendid look at the magnificent Dubai. I am a major fan of this family of photographers and authors.

School Then and Now (First Step Nonfiction)

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School Then and Now (First Step Nonfiction)
Robin Nelson
Manufacturer: Lerner Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 082254640X

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American Academics: Then and Now
Logan Wilson
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Communication Then and Now (First Step Nonfiction)

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Communication Then and Now (First Step Nonfiction)
Robin Nelson
Manufacturer: Lerner Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0822546388

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Earth Then and Now
Fred Pearce
Manufacturer: Mitchell Beazley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Earth Then and Now: Amazing Images of Our Changing World

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Browsers will love this one....
Disturbing yet totally captivating

Earth Then and Now: Amazing Images of Our Changing World
Fred Pearce
Manufacturer: Firefly Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1554072980

Book Description

300 stunning before-and-after photographs that show the staggering transformation of our world.

Earth Then and Now records the dramatic way our planet has changed over the past century. On one page is a specific part of the world as it was 5, 20, 50 or even 100 years ago. On the facing page is the same place as it looks today. Each stark visual comparison tells a compelling story -- a melting glacier, an expanding desert, an encroaching cityscape, a natural disaster.

Earth Then and Now reminds us that nothing is without a cost. Highly topical and thought provoking chapters in this book include:

Environmental change: Bearing witness to the effects of global warming
Industrialization: Revealing the hidden costs of "progress"
Urbanization: Showing the effects of our spreading cities
Natural disasters: Reminding us of the power of nature
War: Using comparisons to show the impact of armed conflict
Travel and tourism: Illustrating the predatory nature of development.

Concise captions explain the facts and then allow the reader to draw personal conclusions. Anyone concerned about the environment will enjoy and appreciate Earth Then and Now.

Customer Reviews:

Browsers will love this one...........2007-09-24

Fred Pearce in his Earth: Then and Now manages to capture the attention of anyone that picks this book up. Wonderfully done, the book compares current photos to historic photos of the same scene from various places around the globe.

Organized into 6 units or chapters ( Environmental Change, Urbanization, Land Transformation, Forces of Nature, War and Conflict, and Leisure and Culture) the images demonstrate how man can change his enviroment whether in a town or around a lake. Perhaps the most striking comparison are the images on page 30 of the Upsala Glacier in Patagonia. Having said that, there are other stunning images throughout the book. The most touching of the chapters in my opinion is the unit dealing with War and Conflict.

At 288 pages, Earth Then and Now will be a book you want to return to again and again. This would make a wonderful gift.

Disturbing yet totally captivating.......2007-09-21

I work at a library, and as I was covering this book, I just had to look inside. I'm a fan of satellite images of the Earth to begin with, so naturally my interest in this book was piqued. I only opened to a random page to take a peek, but I ended up completly hypnotized by the images and the concise captions. I literally could not put this book down. This book has an amazing magnetism to it; it draws you in and takes you for a ride around the world.

Unfortunatley, a majority of the photos and explanations reveal the horrid and destructive ways of man altering the Earth and choking the environment. If anyone is in doubt that the Earth is being ravaged, this book will make clear to anyone of any age just how abusive we are of the planet. The section on glaciers is seriously scary. The images are just unbelievable, but sadly, they show the truth.

From aerial shots of New Orleans before and after Katrina to satellite images of the recent growth of Las Vegas, this book explores not just the United States, but the world as well. Mountains after avalanches, volcanos after explosions, land after flood and drought, page after page you are assaulted with powerful imagery.

Mostly focusing on the effects of climate change and deforestation, Earth Then and Now shows the "progress" that modern man has acheived on this noble planet.

I reccomend that everyone on planet Earth read this book. It is a shocking eye-opener, and just simply unbelievable. A perfect coffee table book or addition to any library, you will not be dissapointed in Earth Then and Now.

I just hope they printed it on recycled paper...

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The Earth Then Now
Gerald; Johnson, Goldie M. Craig
Manufacturer: Boston: Ginn and CO, 1940
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000P7MAKG

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