IM HINBLICK: DER AMERIKANISCHE ALBTRAUM

The first German edition of the seminal work Nothing Personal, created by Richard Avedon in collaboration with James Baldwin, stands as one of the most powerful photographic and literary critiques of twentieth century America.

Originally conceived during the 1960s, the project brings together Avedon’s stark, psychologically charged portraits with Baldwin’s incisive and deeply critical text. Together, they construct a fragmented vision of a nation marked by contradiction, ambition, and underlying tension.

The photographs reproduced in rich gravure depict a wide spectrum of figures from politics, culture, religion, and entertainment, including Dwight D. Eisenhower, Allen Ginsberg, Arthur Miller, Marilyn Monroe, George Wallace, Malcolm X, Billy Graham, and Bertrand Russell.

Designed by Marvin Israel, the publication reflects a refined balance between image and text, where sequencing and pacing heighten the emotional and conceptual impact of the work.

Baldwin’s opening text sets the tone for the entire project a sharp meditation on identity, memory, and the moral contradictions of American society.

A defining collaboration that transcends the photobook format, functioning as both cultural document and enduring critique.

Publisher: C.J. Bucher
Collection: Nothing Personal (German Edition)
Year: 1969
Edition: First German Edition
Language: German
Format: Hardcover with dust jacket and slipcase
Dimensions: 37 × 28 cm
Pages: 92 pages
Condition: Very good condition. Slipcase shows light wear to corners consistent with age; book and dust jacket remain well preserved. Protective interleaving paper present, carefully placed to prevent adhesion and preserve the integrity of the plates.