A shimmer of possibility

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First published in late 2007, this work was quickly recognized as a significant advancement in contemporary photographic practice, marking a paradigm shift in the medium. The initial edition redefined the photobook format, featuring 12 individual hardback books that sold out immediately. This second edition combines the 12 books into a single volume at an accessible price. Inspired loosely by Chekhov's short stories, it presents a series of photographic narratives depicting everyday life in America. Each story consists of small sequences of images, such as a man waiting for a bus in Las Vegas or a stroll through Boston on an autumn afternoon. Often, multiple sequences intertwine within a chapter, reflecting the interconnected lives in suburban America. The narratives occasionally break into sublime moments, like a child dancing with a plastic bag while a couple carries groceries home or sunlight illuminating raindrops during a lawn mowing in Pittsburgh. These filmic haikus eschew the typical summation found in photography, allowing life to flow around us, revealing its beauty and grace. The work's radical form prioritizes the flow of life over conclusiveness, where nothing much happens, yet everything shimmers with possibility.