Book Review: Wright Morris: Origin of a Species

The Midwest star

Published as a large paperback with seventy duotones in 1992 for a Wright Morris exhibition so it pre-dates the Merrell's excellent 2002 Distinctly American: The Photography of Wright Marris book with eighty plates. My review of that book equally applies to this one. Morris takes beautiful photos of American commonplace with his unique look: the quietness that comes across in all the images.

If you are new to Wright Morris both books are worth getting so it's really down to which one is cheaper. 'Origin of a species' has two essays by John Szarkowski and Sandra Philips plus a detailed Chronology in the back pages. 'Distinctly American' has a long essay by Alan Tractenberg and Ralph Lieberman writes An appreciation of the photographer.

Given the choice of one or the other I would go for 'Distinctly American'

*Incidentally copies of 'The Inhabitants', the 1946 book published by Scribner's, that made Morris, as a photographer, famous is still available on the net, usually an ex-library copy. The disadvantage of having a first edition (avoid the re-issue paperback) is that the photos were printed with a relatively crude 133 screen. 'Origin' and 'Distinctly' both have beautiful duotones

Wright Morris: Origin of a Species is available at Amazon (US | CA | UK | DE | FR | IT | ES | JP | CN)

Four essential Wright Morris books.

A spread from John Szarkowski's thirteen page essay.

A spread from the three page Chronology at the back of the book.

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