Lower East and Upper West

Book excerpt: The vibrant street life and people of New York City's Lower East Side and Upper West Side in the 1950s and 1960s are presented in this book of black-and-white photographs by Jonathan Brand. A census taker and later an advertising copywriter, Brand chronicled life as he encountered it on his walks through the city.The book offers 104 striking images of New Yorkers engaged in everyday pursuits, from the Bowery to Riverside Park, juice stands and barbershops to Theatre in the Streets.With an introduction by Julia Dolan, The Minor White Curator of Photography at the Portland Art Museum, Oregon, this is the first book from a photographer who developed his art alongside many of the best-known in his discipline. Brand's photographs capture the energy, odd juxtapositions and intimate moments of life in mid-century New York City.