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Average Customer Rating:

a book about Barthes and not about photography

Customer Rating:

To get a feeling for this book read the most negative coments from reviews of his "Mythologies" and you'll be on the right track. Incorrect assertions are presented as fact. Incorrect conclusions are built on those assertions. Language is used to obfuscate rather than elucidate meaning (if you don't know those words don't even try to read Barthes). Actually, language appears to be used more to say "I am clever." Clever people communicate clearly, monsieur! Unbearable, and you won't learn a thing about photography, which he more or less rejects in his opening chapters in favour of contemplating his own navel

I'm sure it's very good if I could only understand it

Customer Rating:

This book was recommended to me by a philosopher friend who thought I might enjoy it as I'm about to embark on a photography course. I'm not a serious academic, but I'm not an idiot either and I have to admit I found this a pretty tough read. I understood the general meaning, but felt the language and structure of the book meant that I missed out on being able to really appreciate what seems like quite an exceptional piece of work with some fascinating alternate views. I'd do your research on Barthes before you buy this to determine whether you might or might not be comfortable with his style, otherwise, give it a go - might just take a couple of reads!

A Classic in the Theory of Photography.

Customer Rating:

Barthes wrote this book out of urge to discover the real nature of Photography. In the first part of the book he establishes his own system to do that. This system is based on two "cathegories" that Photography contains, studium and punctum. In the second part he wants to come closer to eidos, the nature of Photography. Therefor he takes one of his photographies, showing his mother as a child. Out of his emotions by this photography he builds the theory, often comparing it with another art, Film and sometimes also with Theatre. The book can also be recomended to wider public, not only philosophers, because it is written in a simple, understandable way, but is still opening some major questions regarding its subject.