I just came back from admiring a number of Dan Nelken's county-fair photographs (all from this book) at a photo show at the Armory in NYC. I'm a longtime fan of upstate New York county fairs, and especially of the livestock section, as Nelken himself seems to be, from the cattle and horses to the rabbits. The pictures are beautiful, charming, and moving, and one looks with warmth and affection at both the humans and the animals they've raised. Often there's a distinct visual bond between the two. (And sometimes the animals seem to express feelings their owners may possibly be keeping inside; I'm thinking of one picture in which a couple -- presumably a farmer and his wife -- are seated, each holding a sheep. The people are staring straight ahead, looking fairly stern and serious, whereas the two sheep in their arms are sort of nuzzling each other.) This book was for sale at the show along with the individual prints; I only wish it were a bit less expensive!