American Character - by Peter Guttman (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Award-winning photographer Peter Guttman showcases the vibrant and wildly diverse American people in an unprecedented, multi-decade collection of sharply etched portraits"--

Book Synopsis

***LOWELL THOMAS AWARD GOLD MEDAL BEST TRAVEL BOOK OF THE YEAR***

Award-winning photographer Peter Guttman showcases the vibrant and wildly diverse American people in an unprecedented, multi-decade collection of sharply etched portraits

Like few nations, the United States flourished through the hard work and enterprising creativity of individuals from myriad identities. These cultural strands--along with sprinklings of imagination, eccentricity, even skullduggery--weave together an entertaining narrative of a fascinating country. American Character offers readers a peek into the seldom viewed worlds of Buddhist monks, "freak show" performers, and nuclear physicists, and an opportunity to tag along on the quests of gold miners and Bigfoot hunters. Diving into the ethnic enclaves of Yupik hunters, Amish farmers, Pueblo elders, native Hawaiian storytellers, and Hasidic bakery owners, the book also trains a lens on distant or underseen communities to cobble together an unforgettable American landscape.

Driven by an explorer's fearless instinct for investigating obscure cultures and hidden corners in all fifty states, photographer and journalist Peter Guttman presents this richly visual parade in stunning color photography, accompanied with evocative, deeply researched prose. Almost encyclopedic in scope, a dizzying array of arresting occupational niches and lifestyles are presented and enhanced with intriguing personal backstories, winding connections, and amusing historical tales.

When each half of a polarized country seems to view the other half with deep suspicions, American Character may provide a healing balm and offer much deeper understanding of the vast spectrum of Americans and our mutual aspirations.

Review Quotes

Praise for Peter Guttman:

"A legendary photographer and journalist whose travels have taken him across all seven continents."--Arts in the City

"Some of the most daring, thrilling, breathtaking photos of the last four decades have come from the camera of Peter Guttman, whose images have transported people to all seven continents and 250 countries."--Arts in the City

"He's braved molten lava, chased violent tornadoes, hung off cranes over Antarctica's icy seas, climbed presidential noses, and waded deep in cranberry bogs to get his shots."--Arts in the City

"How the photographs are placed in this exquisitely composed book reveals as much about the American character as Mr. Guttman's prose."--New York Sun

"His photographs, like Walt Whitman's poetry, paradoxically restore faith in a more perfect union."--New York Sun

"That Mr. Guttman is a fine writer, as well as a connoisseur of people and places, is evident."--New York Sun

"If only Whitman were alive to catalog Guttman's lineup of American types that are so well put together."--New York Sun

"You too will fall under his spell ... A marvelous dream book, sure to appeal to any traveler with a sense of wonder, where Peter is the map!"--The Longitude Blog

"Life on the edge: fearless travel journalist Peter Guttman chronicles the extreme end of what the world can offer."--Daily Mail

"This is armchair traveling at its best and just might give you the nudge you need to add more adrenaline-laced activity to your life."--Time Warner Cable News

"Using light to its fullest, Mr. Guttman creates stunning images no matter how far he travels ... sumptuous, dramatically lit shots ... a one-man Explorer's Club."--The New York Times

"Peter Guttman is a gutsy photographer who has taken pictures all over the world and paints glorious word-pictures with extraordinary photographs... legendary."--Popular Photography

"His photographs all seem to glow from an inner light."--Dallas Morning News

"One of the premiere travel photographers."--CNN

"Such a beautiful vision."--CBS This Morning

"One of the world's most accomplished photographers."--National Public Radio

"Guttman's photographs capture the spirit of a place."--Time

"Breathtaking... evocative... stunning. "--Kirkus Reviews

"It is his thirst for new experiences--and new subjects to photograph--that drives his life. He has chased tornadoes, skydived, gone spelunking, ridden Olympic bobsleds, and climbed high into the rigging of tall ships and to the top of a radio tower at the North Pole."--Kodak Guide to Shooting Great Travel Pictures

"His work is filled with joy, beauty and insight, and he conveys his sense of wonder with the world in every photograph. His work is inspiring and impressive."--Society of American Travel Writers

"His eye is magical, and he clicks his lens at the perfect moment--time and time again. Gifted photographer Peter Guttman thrives on discovering unusual destinations ... the photography is stupendous."--New Orleans Times Picayune

About the Author

Peter Guttman is a photographer, writer, author, lecturer, television personality, and adventurer, who has traveled on assignment to all seven continents and 260 countries. Guttman was named by the George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film as one of "20 of the World's Most Influential Photographers." The author of eight previous books, he has received the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Exploration and Storytelling, has three times won the Lowell Thomas Travel Journalist of the Year Award, and was given a Lifetime Achievement Award by the New York Travel Writers Society. Guttman created Beautiful Planet HD, the first number-one bestselling travel app, and has had solo exhibitions in museums and at Sotheby's and the United Nations. His work has appeared in Condé Nast Traveler, Geo, Men's Journal, National Geographic Adventure, the New York Times, and Outside. Joining the ranks of Jacques Cousteau and Buzz Aldrin, Guttman was named a Fellow of The Explorer's Club, requiring substantial contributions to mankind's geographical knowledge, in 2023.