In my time, taxon has moved towards complexity. Class has turned into identity. It is harder and harder to generalize or predict on the basis of common ideas. Critics and writers are hard-pressed to focus on a rising tide, and curatorial influence has ebbed over what the crowd will see as beautiful, or meaningful. The effort to influence, when accomplished, makes one think the victory is pyrrhic, at best. Nevertheless, I wanted again this year to show the books that affected how I think about photography.

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