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The Face of America
Cameron + Co.
July 2012
On Sale: July 4, 2012
300 pages
ISBN: 1937359158
EAN: 9781937359157
Hardcover
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Non-Fiction
How have Americans changed, ten years after 9/11? The subtle answer to the question appears in photographer Piero Ribelli s new book. With 50 Main Street: The Face of America, Ribelli creates an instant classic, a collection of 50 portraits and 50 stories of 50 people in 50 towns in each one of the 50 states, all found at the same address: 50 Main Street. In telling the stories of people with something undeniably in common, the book inspires us to focus on the fundamental similarities we experience in our lives, rather than dwell on our differences. Ribelli flew 31,000 miles, drove another 16,000 miles, spent a few hours on trains and even enjoyed some ferryboat rides to reach all of his destinations. In a time when our society seems more divided than ever, whether it be by political party lines, religious beliefs, social issues or immigration policies, Ribelli chooses to focus on Americans with something in common their address to rediscover the people that embraced him when he first moved to the U.S. And that s when we find out that, despite all the hardships that our nation has endured in the last ten years, Americans are still the same warm, intriguing and welcoming people he encountered twenty-five years ago. 50 Main Street is an honest observation of who we are as a people; a reminder of our roots, values and history, based on immigration, integration, opportunities and hard work. It shines a light on all that we share in the core aspects of our lives: a desire for freedom and social justice, dreams and aspirations, faith and a yearning for a better future. A non-judgmental, modern-day Alexis De Tocqueville and more positive than Sinclair Lewis, Ribelli takes us on an intimate journey across the country; he shares laughs, tears and even the occasional fried pie recipe.The book seamlessly takes us from state to state and introduces us to Main Street, from the twin firefighters in Pennsylvania to one-hundred year old Ralph, in Nebraska. Recent immigration is described in the stories of a Christian Iraqi girl in Michigan and a Puerto Rican pediatrician in Massachusetts. We share in the heartache of losing a child in the stories of people found in Colorado and Nevada. We realize the impact of war experiences in the stories from Arizona and the Dakotas. We meet a sixteenth-generation American descendent of the Brown family in Rhode Island and the Muslim version of Will Smith, Delaware. 50 Main Street is the quintessential Americana coffee table book; its message of unity and solidarity is timely, especially considering the recent ten-year anniversary of 9/11 and this year s presidential elections. The patriotic subject matter will stimulate a discussion on tolerance, diversity and community, resulting in a more positive and respectful interaction with each other.
 Media BuzzToday - July 6, 2012
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