Best Books 2013: Rob Hornstra

Best Books 2013 Best Books 2013 Rob Hornstra Best Books picks from photographer Rob Hornstra of The Sochi Project.

In an age where everything – including photobooks – is consumed at high speed, my choices are an ode to authors who conduct in-depth research and translate the results into stunning books. This list is not suitable for people in a hurry.

Food By Henk Wildschut Post Editions Commissioned by the Rijksmuseum, Henk Wildschut set out to unravel the complexities of the food industry. In collaboration with designer Robin Uleman, his photography has been translated into a book concept that does the story maximum justice.	A Period of Juvenile Prosperity By Mike Brodie Twin Palms Publishers   Brodie’s photography and essay are so sincere and powerful that this book simply can't be overlooked.	Two Rivers By Carolyn Drake Self-Published    Long-term project about a geographical area between two rivers in Central Asia, with weighty overarching themes such as global warming and changing political systems.
She Dances on Jackson By Vanessa Winship HCB Foundation/MACK   Wonderfully understated document of contemporary America, great combinations of portraits and landscapes and the year's most beautiful cover.	The Grey Line By Jo Metson Scott Dewi Lewis A book about British and American soldiers who oppose the Iraq war (in which they participated). However, the focus of the project is the hermetically sealed system that silences every murmur of dissent.	The Canaries By Thilde Jensen LENA Publications   Wonderful study of people who suffer from Environmental Illness. Ludicrous and alarming in equal measure.
The Pigs By Carlos Spottorno RM & Phree   It seems like a fun gimmick to use The Economist as a template for your publication, but it is chiefly cynical. The Pigs documents the causes of the economic crisis in the four southern European countries.	Empire By Jon Tonks Dewi Lewis Beautiful document of daily life on four remote British islands in the South Atlantic Ocean. With the exception of the Falklands, few people will have heard of these islands.	Via PanAm* By Kadir van Lohuizen Paradox and Ydoc Publishing Over the course of a year, Van Lohuizen travelled from the southernmost tip of South America to the northernmost tip of Alaska, visualizing migration along the Pan-American Highway. Partly due to the addition of stories, charts and graphs, the book has become an intriguing reference work. *This title is not currently available from photo-eye. Email us to be notified if copies become available.
Ezekiel 36:36* By Nick Ballon Self-Published The LAB Project looks at Bolivia’s failing airline, Lloyd Aéreo Boliviano. Brilliant subject and beautifully subtle design. The book contains small extras like an actual ticket receipt and a small booklet compiled from found materials printed exclusively in the airlines’ colors of blue and red. *This title is not currently available from photo-eye. Email us to be notified if copies become available.

Rob Hornstra (born in Born, The Netherlands, 1975) is a photographer and self-publisher of slow-form documentary work. In 2009, together with the writer and filmmaker Arnold van Bruggen, he started The Sochi Project, which over five years would document the area of Olympic Sochi. He is the founder and former artistic director of FOTODOK – International Space for Documentary Photography in Utrecht. Hornstra is represented by Flatland Gallery, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.