Alberto Oliva

So much better than I was prepared for. It's big, very big, which is great because it means they have room for actual text—so often this kind of thing is pretty pictures with no context, and that's absolutely not the case here. They delve into personalities of editors, design choices and the rationale behind them, looks at the major photographers, it's all here. I was entertained and enlightened, and it only escapes five stars because I wasn't moved to tears, say. I wish I could give it show more 4.5 on this site—it's just so close to perfection.

(Note: 5 stars = amazing, wonderful, 4 = very good book, 3 = decent read, 2 = disappointing, 1 = awful, just awful. I'm fairly good at picking for myself so end up with a lot of 4s). I feel a lot of readers automatically render any book they enjoy 5, but I grade on a curve! show less

For anyone researching magazine history, fashion photography, or the evolution of 20th century style this is a great starter book. It covers every little detail about the most influential American fashion magazine, Vogue, through illustrative photos and illuminating text that follow the chronolgy of Vogue from its inception to the modern day. I found the early chapters a bit over my head because they deal with American culture that's far removed from my conscious, but the later chapters that show more deal with Anna Wintour and Diana Vreeland as editors in chief are extremely informative and dynamic. show less