From Library Journal

British photographer Deakin (1916-72) has most often been noted for photographing artists who worked in London's Soho area during the 1950s, some of whom included Francis Bacon, Lucian Freud, and Frank Auerbach. In addition to his Soho photographs and his employment as a Vogue photographer, this book addresses Deakin's lesser-known photographs of everyday scenes in Paris, London, and Rome. High-quality, full-page reproductions illustrate Deakin's effectiveness in using the shapes and textures found in city streets. By using material from the photographer's correspondence with journalist Dan Farson, Muir also succeeds in penetrating the personal side of Deakin, including his reliance on friends for financial support, his heavy drinking, and his failed efforts at painting and sculpture. A former picture editor of British Vogue and the Sunday Telegraph, Muir has produced a well-documented and nicely illustrated overview of Deakin's career. Though this volume and the earlier John Deakin, for which Muir wrote an introduction and selected the photographs, cover both his portraits and his street photography, the text of the new book focuses more on the latter. Recommended for academic libraries, specialized art collections, and larger public libraries. Eric Linderman, East Cleveland P.L., OH

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