The Americans

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Armed with a camera and funded by a Guggenheim Foundation grant, Robert Frank traversed the United States in 1955 and 1956, capturing a portrait of the nation that reflects its present and hints at its future. He found hope in the faces of a couple at city hall in Reno, Nevada, and despair in a grimy roofscape. His lens captured the racial tensions, glamour, and beauty of the time, while also highlighting Americans' love for cars. Scenes include funeral-goers leaning against a shiny sedan, lovers kissing on a beach blanket by their parked car, and young boys in the back seat at a drive-in movie. A sports car under a drop cloth is framed by California palm trees, contrasting with a blanket draped over a car accident victim's body in Arizona. This exquisite volume by Scalo reintroduces Frank's work 40 years after its initial publication, featuring over 80 photographs, each displayed alone on a page with captions at the back, allowing for an uninterrupted viewing experience. Jack Kerouac's original introduction, written after Frank shared his work with him outside a party, provides the sole accompanying text, adding narrative depth to the imagery while the photographs resonate with Kerouac's own literary themes.