The Environment of man Book

So often when I read historical novels, I wonder wat the characters looked like...how their hair was styled and their manner of dress. Even with the author's description of the character, there is always someting to be gained by a visual to enhance one's imagination. This is a wonderfully informative book. I would imagine that for someone who is writing an historial novel and wants a feel for the era, this book would be invaluable. A number of beautiful portraits are featured and the accompanying text is nicely written. Images of a number of famous African Americans are included:
-- Joseph Cinque, leader of the Amistad rebellion
-- Frederick Douglas
-- Benjamin Banneker
-- Sojourner Truth
-- Absalom Jones, a former slave who became a prominent religious leader

Additionally, there are interesting subjects such as a white man and his mulatto son, a self-portrait of a mulatto artists whose rendering of his features clerly shows his is confilicted about his racial origins and one of George Washington's cook garbed in traditional chef's hat and white linents. The portraits revealed to me some very talented artists and I am going to do a bit more research on 19th Century American painters and photographers. Some of the portraits truly magnificent.

The author has gathered an intriguing collection of artwork to illustrate 19th African Americans. This book is a keeper; a volumn that I'll enjoy referring to often as i read historical pieces.