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THE FRANK BOOK

Jim Woodring

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The Scots: A Photographic History (Thames x Hudson £25) 0...

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THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN VOL II NO 6

Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill

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You wonder if Louis Daguerre really knew what he was onto way back in " . '- '. ': ' 1" : z .w .- " --. --: : : r . 1839, when he was pioneering the devices and processes we happily now accept as modern photography. Here. history starts in the 18505 and the fortunes and misfortunes of the Scottish people are depicted in often unforgiving sepia tones.

This visual documentary allows access to an era in which our nation was changing and growing with the aftermath of the clearances and the onset of industrialisation. The Scots is divided up into thematic sections encompassing all elements of life: people, places, rural and coastal life, work and industry. transport and sport and leisure. Some shots are moving, a few are tragic. and many are historically monumental; the completing of the Forth Rail Bridge is one from this last category. Others. however, are quite unintentionally comedic: the Kilmarnock women‘s football team have what looks like a young Winston Churchill as their mascot.

When collected together. the photos give a wonderfully rounded idea of what life was once like in Scotland. While this is a strong indicator of what has changed. it also acts as a tool to show how little life has moved on: the transport may be utterly primitive and the fashion absurdly formal and functional. but our sporting habits and cuisine tastes appear to have barely altered. Australian Aboriginals may have believed that having your picture taken stole your soul. but this book might just convince you that you actually have one. (Mark Robertson) The ever so gracious Mr Hyde in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen

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