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BOOKS THOUGHTS ON BOOKS

Understanding Stanley

I have been thinking a lot lately about the readership of photobooks which is, in most cases, limited. Limited in quantity, breadth and diversity*. This is little concern for self referential and egotistical works but what about the bookworks that contain questions, answers and thoughts that a wider readership could benefit from.

One such project is ‘Understanding Stanley, Looking Through Autism‘ by Rosie Barnes, a “beautiful new photo book that gives a unique and powerful visual insight into life on the autism spectrum.” In the Kickstarter video featured below, Rosie mentions that she ideally wants this book to be seen by the person standing next to Stanley at a bus shelter who through reading the book may better understand and be more inclined to find out more about autism – what a powerful idea. The book is affordable, a digital edition would make it more so, perhaps this is a photobook that will really break the photobook bubble, find it’s way into school’s curriculums even?

Anyway, you can find out more and fund the project here. 

*Lately newspaper works have sought to fill this need but they are few and far between in relation to good photobooks and could be said to ignore people under 20/25 for whom the medium is un-relateable and cumbersome.

2 replies on “Understanding Stanley”

Understanding Stanley, is an amazing photo book, letting people see, just how people
With autism feel. Not everyone can understand thinking in a different way.
Rosie’s book is so moving, and will touch the hearts of so many people.
She has captured, through her photos the torment of living with autism, and the lack of
Understanding from the outside world.
I feel so passionate about this book. We all must try and promote the love and care put
Into every picture.
I am a mother who’s son is autistic, everyday I’m explaining, why my son acts in a different way to others.
Rosie’s book explains why.
It’s fantastic

Thank you Karen McCarty and thank you to Photobook Club for picking up on this. I’m glad my desire for this book doesn’t seem so outlandish! I really hope to reach this target in the next 5 days! Any help at all would be so appreciated. Understanding Stanley is about autism, but it’s also tells us a great deal about ourselves… communication, perception… It’s about life. Thank you. RB

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