Retronaut
Subtitle: the photographic time machine
By: Chris Wild
Published: 2014
Language: eng
Number of pages: 351
ISBN-13: 9781426213830
Subjects: Sources; Visual anthropology; Photograph collections; Eccentrics and eccentricities; Pictorial works; History
Description: ""An emporium of retro treasure...from shocking sculptures of the 1700s, to Kodachrome snaps of 1950s Piccadilly Circus, to biblical scenes captured by Google Earth. Rather than nostalgia or folly, the aim is enlightenment, wonder and the pleasure of weirdness." --The Guardian. Based on the widely popular blog that started as a side project in a basement, Retronaut reveals strange yet enlightening photographs from the past that somehow seem to depict another version of now. Martha Stewart as a fashion model, Kim Jong II in a bumper car, and Ronald Reagan modeling for a sculpture class--this quirky page-turner enriched with author Chris Wild's unique wit and oddball knowledge is a must-have for collectors of the unusual. Wild, a former museum archivist, has revolutionized the way we think of dusty photos--turning them into a sensation that has taken the Internet by surprise. He has selected over 300 of the best photographs from the site's most visited eras and themes, mashing up Victoriana with vintage advertising from the '60s and '70s and unearthing rare snapshots of evil dictators taking vacations. Page by page, this unconventional, thought-provoking photographic time machine will change what you think you know about history.--

"This quirky blast to the past is a page-turner of some of the world's most jaw-dropping photographs, based on the wildly popular Retronaut.com, and Chris Wild's unique wit and oddball knowledge. A crocodile walking a child, Queen Victoria caught smiling, and ponies at parking meters, all curiously depicted in this addicting photo album through time. "An emporium of retro treasure...from shocking sculptures of the 1700s, to Kodachrome snaps of 1950s Piccadilly Circus, to biblical scenes captured by Google Earth. Rather than nostalgia or folly, the aim is enlightenment, wonder and the pleasure of weirdness." --The Guardian. Strap on your goggles and prepare to time travel with Retronaut to the past as you've never seen it. A space suit for dogs. Munchkins enjoying a cigarette break on the set of The Wizard of Oz. These images, and thousands more, make up the captivating world of the Retronaut, the Internet's most popular destination for vintage photography. In the words of Retronaut founder and chief curator, Chris Wild, the past is as exciting as a visit to a foreign country. Here, Wild has selected more than 400 of the best photographs from the site's most visited eras and themes, mashing up Victoriana with vintage advertising from the 60s and 70s with amazing inventions like pants for cows and breast wasershers for women. A launching pad for hours of conversation and a browser's delight, Retronaut is thought-provoking fun, and as perfect for collectors of unusual and humorous photography as it is for gift tables and special markets--
Table of contents: title: Future worlds; title: Icons unmade; title: The power of the trivial; title: Alternative realities; title: It's a big, small world after all.