RW Fisher

Peterkin’s text romanticizes the harsh existence of African American share croppers. Their economic inferiority is justified on the basis of white racial superiority. Her words exemplify patronizing attitudes towards economic / racial sub classes held by white urban elites in the early 20th century. She does capture vignettes of existence in an agrarian community and the conditions of her time. Ulmann’s photographs capture the reality of that life in soft photogravure prints which transcend Peterkin’s text but reinforce the romanticism for those who hold that bias. Her portraits capture the hardship of the times in the faces of many of her subjects; some of their happy moments too. Some compositions are masterful, others are not. The care the Ballou Press took in producing the book is exceptional. Beautiful lay out. Binding and design make ROLL JORDAN ROLL a classic of American publishing. That’s the enduring value of this work.

Bonfiglioli is brilliant! England’s human condition satirized in its 20th century skin . Bonfiglioli always chooses the exact word to craft his sentences.