 |
A classic coffee table book is produced well enough to handle many touches and provide easy entertainment for both the casual browser and someone taking a more dedicated interest. Bossert's book perfectly fits this description. This collection consists of nearly one hundred 3D photos taken at Disneyland. Most of the pictures are from the 50s and the 80s, with a few recent ones included near the book's end. This sturdy book also includes the 3D glasses necessary for viewing the photos. Additionally, opposite each photo is a description of the image and when it was taken. The images capture many of Disneyland's classic monuments and provide a glimpse into how the park has changed. In addition, looking at the visitors in the photos from the different decades opens a window into the changing dress and norms of the park's many visitors.
3D photos are a unique and interesting topic for such a book. When viewing the pictures with the glasses, the work takes on qualities similar to the ubiquitous pop-up book. Seeing each shot with the additional depth and spatial properties allowed by a 3D image brings each photo to life in a way a standard one is incapable of producing. The View-Master, a device introduced in 1939 and often used to look at 3D images, is not as popular today as it was in the 50s and 60s. However, older readers will delight in how this book and the viewing of these images remind them of their View-Master toys of the past and their trips to theme parks. Younger readers, who may not have as much exposure to this type of 3D image, should still be delighted by how the pictures seem to step off the page and come to life. Also, simply looking at the dress of the park's visitors and comparing the styles of yesterday to those of today can bring a spark of nostalgia to older readers and provide for interesting conversations with younger ones.
Bossert's book includes a great introduction that not only gives additional background on those who helped produce the book and their ties to Disney but also helps the reader get a better understanding of how 3D photographs work. A few of the photos are a bit dark, and some are of a higher quality than others with slightly fuzzier edges. However, considering how old some of the images are, they come together to give an excellent 3D experience of the world of Disneyland throughout the past seventy years. In addition, each of the photo descriptions offers a nice bit of history. Readers who take the time to go through the whole book will find that they have learned quite a bit of Disneyland lore and been given insight into how the park has changed since its opening. This book will pique the interest of those who see it sitting out and will not disappoint the person who picks it up, dons the glasses, and takes a virtual trip through the ages at Disneyland.
A 2021 Eric Hoffer Book Award Category Finalist
RECOMMENDED by the US Review