Lots of good photos, naturally. And it tells the stories behind the photos, which is nice.

Even as a child, I loved to read National Geographics. Actually, as a child, I was already a voracious reader but I was always drawn to the yellow covers they had back then, running my finger down the list and seeing what treasures were inside. National Geographic has long been revered for its superb photography, and it's one of the reasons I am a photographer today. This book is a group of 280 of its most iconic portraits. This book is proof that a photo can evoke deep feelings without even knowing the person in it.

A big book full of big, magnificent photos. It's almost too big and heavy to sit on your knee and is best looked at whilst sitting at a table. The tone is set by the beautiful and haunting image seen here on the front cover and it's the 'ordinary' folk who are the most striking.

As a photography book it's not exactly a book to read but to flick through at times and enjoy all those faces and wonderful (often sad) faces.

Una pubblicazione molto ben realizzata sia per le foto sia per i testi e gli interventi degli autori. National Geographic e la sua storia ci vengono presentati attraverso le parole e i lavori dei grandi fotografi ritrattisti della rivista. Parole ed immagini, senza troppi fronzoli e senza auto-incensarsi. Un volume di grande interesse.

Surprised myself. Really didn't like this book. Maybe I expected too much, it being a NatGeo and all....

This still is one of my favorite birthday presents ever. Exceptional work.

My relatives from Inisheer, Aran islands, County Galway, Ireland are in a photo in this book. I saw the exhibition of many of the photos in this book in Washington, D.C.

Absolutely WOW!! Amazing artistry and people picture inspiration my Nat Geo masters. Just enough information/ literature to bring back stories to each section of photography.

so natural...I love it

There are some wonderful photographs in this book!

La storia nelle foto del National Geographic

Interessante raccolta di fotografie del National Geographic, con un focus sul ritratto della persona umana - è divisa in sezioni storiche con valide introduzioni e alcune riflessioni non scontate sull'evoluzione del concetto di fotografia nel Novecento.
Una qualità è l'onestà intellettuale in cui la visione un pò conservatrice e a tratti retrograda del fondatore del National Geographic Grosvenor non viene nascosta - specie negli anni '50 - '60 - '70 le fotografie sono molte decorative con un chiaro intento propagandistico ed americano-centrico, con pochi obiettivi artistici e molti commerciali-promozionali.
Le foto degli ultimi decenni mostrano un chiaro cambio di prospettiva ed un tentativo di uscire dall'esotismo paternalista, con qualche risultato notevole come gli scatti di McCurry.

Lovely photos. Some good advice.