First off, anyone who travels by bicycle through war torn Germany in 1945 to document signs of the early recovery after the war (as the photographer did) deserves a special nod. This book is a selection of photos from that trip through Germany as well as trips across Europe in the following two years. Fantastic concept, I'll admit. The end product, however, is mixed. There are some photos worthy of framing, but also some shots that leave one wondering: "they picked this shot from the many that must have been available?" The cover photo, of course, is priceless. Others that warrant a gasp include the Reichstag as a mere ghost of itself, the Hungarian soldier whose coat flaps in the breeze symmetrical and opposite to that of a figure cast as towering statue, and an Italian woman with stones perched upon her head, carrying her find away from a bombed building. But others lack oomph and stand up less well to the many post war images that any educated adult has seen over the years. ( )