W. Eugene Smith: Shadow and Substance - The Life and Work of an American Photographer

Idealistic and socially conscious, Smith's photographs reflected his belief in the responsibility of photographers and editors to depict the human condition accurately. A photographer for Life magazine during the Second World War, Smith's post-war series included photo-essays on the victims of industrial pollution in Minimata, Japan; the day-to-day work of a country doctor and nurse-midwife; character studies of Albert Schweitzer, Charlie Chaplin, and many others. This biography, ten years in the making, examines the passionate, haunted, and brilliant artist whose quest for perfection resulted in an unparalleled photographic legacy.