Book summaryTom Phillips, the English polymath painter, has assembled a unique collection of postcards, 2000 of them, spanning the entire 20th century--an informal history of the century through the postcards people sent home from their travels. Phillips adds his insightful commentary on each image and its message, showing how the postcards provide valuable and fascinating insights into travel, fashion, language, and social class and attitudes. Media reviewsIt is a monument, of sorts, an intimate portrait both of the last century, but also of Phillips himself. His affection for mankind in all its quirkiness extends to the collectors of cards themselves....It has the appearance of a coffee-table book, but beware--open it at any page and you will be there for the duration." |
The Postcard Century: 2000 Cards and Their Messagesby Tom Phillips
Book desription: Thames and Hudson, 2000 <i>The Postcard Century</i> shows and tells the story of the last hundred years in its own words and images. Two thousand picture postcards and their messages give a living account of the daily existence of people and a vivid glimpse of what mattered to them, please them, shocked or amused them via the cards they chose to send.<p>We bump into the high and the mighty, the low and the worthy and all degrees in between, and overhear them talking of the events, characters, and places of the 20th century. From saucy seaside jokes, the tragedies of way and the hazards of travel to the caprices of life and work, all life is here. <p>Each year includes views of Piccadilly Circus and the New York skyline. Though centered on the UK and the USA, cards come from every corner of the world, from Los Angeles to Beijing, from Antarctica to Alaska. Several themes emerge strongly, most notably those which evolved with the century for example transport the cinema, the role of women, fashion and holidays. Changes in the English language as used informally by Britons and Americans are powerfully registered. <p>The artist and writer Tom Phillips provides a commentary of the visual material, giving a perspective and thoughtful context for the messages. Here is a unique glimpse into the hearts and minds of the people who lived through the most turbulent century in our history.. Paperback. New.
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