Andre Kertesz is one of the figures who shaped modern photography. From the First World War onwards, his independent spirit led him to practice an art based on spontaneity and sincerity, seeking out the chance moments that "capture the true nature of things." Tender, nostalgic, modest, he forged a new path for photography, a kind of poetic realism that was neither forced nor showy. "I never document," he said. "I give my own interpretation."

Andre Kertesz (1894-1985) was one of the most inventive, influential, and prolific photographers in the medium's history. This small volume, first published in 1971, became one of his signature works. Taken between 1920 and 1970, these photographs capture people reading in many parts of the world. Readers in every conceivable place--on rooftops, in public parks, on crowded streets, waiting in the wings of the school play--are caught in a deeply personal, yet universal, moment. Kertesz's images celebrate the absorptive power and pleasure of this solitary activity and speak to readers...