If I endorse this book as a monograph showcasing the photos of a man who worked for New York's Department of Bridges/Plant and Structures for 28 years, I'll be lucky to get a polite, uninterested smile.
But if I could share one of photographer Eugene de Salignac's extraordinary shots with you, you'd be hooked. Just look at the book's cover, showcasing painters nonchalantly draped on the rigging of the Brooklyn Bridge. (They are described in THE NEW YORKER as looking like "the notes of a jazz riff playing above the skyline.")
Thanks and kudos to Michael Lorenzini, who scoured New York's Municipal Archives and looked over about twenty thousand glass negatives to compile this retrospective of de Salignac's work. The photographer had the opportunity to record the astounding construction in New York that took place in the first third of the 20th century. That means much of this material has to do with transportation, and so we are treated to vintage shot after shot of subway tunnels, ferries, bridges, and trolley lines, as well as landmarks like the Municipal Building.
An extraordinary career is retrieved from anonymity here, and Kevin Moore's notes do a good job of putting the images into context. Highly recommended.