Arcana:

(WEBER, BRUCE). Nan Bush and Bruce Weber.. Little Bear Press, I00221215, 2022. 9 1/2 x 12 in. 152 pages • 97 color & 64 duotone plates. Softcover, 1/1000. New.

Consider the sky on a new moon night; gaze out at horizon by the sea as the waves roll in. That “towering feeling” explored in this year’s edition of Bruce Weber’s All-American journal can be experienced in such moments—when the immensity and inscrutability of human emotion intersect with the practical vagaries of life on this fragile earth.

Time is a central presence in this 22nd edition. A rich, poignant photo essay by Weber lies at the heart of the issue—a reunion with Aungelique Patton-James, a poet he met while working in Detroit sixteen years ago. Equal part reminisce and reverie, this story presents a new, unexpected take on central themes of Weber’s oeuvre: the tension between fantasy and reality, the importance of family, the seduction of romance and the joys of juxtaposition—in this case Aungelique with the beguiling actress and model Tina Kunakey from Biarritz.

The hopeful pursuit of Dr. Denise Herzing, a marine biologist who has spent the better part of her career trying to crack the language to dolphins, is beautifully documented by the photographer Tanya Burnett. An intimate view of Dr. Paul Farmer, the celebrated co-founder of Partners in Health and tireless advocate for the poor, is shared by the photographer and writer Behna Gardner, who traveled with him extensively. And Bruce Weber shares a deeply personal tribute to Alden Powers, a young musician and student who he photographed for many years.

All-American XXII: That Towering Feeling includes lyrics by Geoff Stephens and Les Reed and a suite of poems by William Stafford. 9798218093464 Inventory Number: I00221215