Indiana II by Darryl L. Jones and James Alexander Thom

Beautiful pictures, wonderful essay
  
Published in 1996 by Graphic Arts Press.
142 pages.

Darryl Jones captures Indiana's beauty like no one else. Jones has made several books filled with wonderful shots from all over Indiana, although he tends to focus on Southwestern Indiana hill country most of all. These are not all nature shots, like some of his other books. There are shots of small towns, grain silos, barns, the Colts, the Indy 500 and Conner Prairie.

Jones' work is paired with James Alexander Thom's essay on Indiana history, character, and its possible future. Thom's writing is not just mindless boosterism, but rather a thoughtful commentary by a Hoosier who is in love with his state, warts and all. The essay is just as wonderful as the pictures, if not better!

I am considering this as a gift for a relative who moved out of state just to remind her of home and its unique character.

I rate this book 5 stars out of 5. It can be found on Amazon.com here: Indiana II by Darryl Jones and James Alexander Thom. 

Reviewed on July 2, 2007.

The Spirit of the Place: Indiana Hill Country by James Alexander Thom and Darryl Jones

A wonderful coffee table book that espouses the beauty of much-maligned Indiana

Photographer Darryl Jones and author James Alexander Thom teamed together to make a wonderful little book about the natural beauty of the southern Indiana hill country in The Spirit of the Place: Indiana Hill Country. Thom's text complements Jones' photographs wonderfully.

Indiana does not have mountain vistas or magnificent buttes or gigantic canyons that overwhelm the senses.  Being a native Hoosier, I have an appreciation for the subtle beauties of the state.  Jones does as well. Most of his pictures are taken in hilly Owen county. He captures every season, as well as forest, field, stream, farm, and town scenes.

James Alexander Thom

Thom's text is part biography and part stories he heard growing up in Owen County. If you are a fan on Thom's other works, this one will be a nice addition. If you've never heard of Thom, this is a great place to get to know him and his motivations as an author.

I give this book 5 stars out of a possible 5.

This book can be found on Amazon.com here: The Spirit of the Place: Indiana Hill Country


Reviewed on April 12, 2006.