“ONE OF THE GREATEST OF WAR PHOTOGRAPHERS”

McCULLIN, Donald. The Destruction Business. (London): Open Gate, (1971). Oblong quarto, original laminated stiff photographic wrappers. $450.

First edition of McCullin’s dramatic first photobook —“a series of iconic images of war, images that still have the power to shock” (Parr & Badger)—featuring 81 black-and-white photogravure plates.

Through his award-winning coverage of wars throughout Africa and Asia, “Don McCullin is recognized as one of the greatest of war photographers” (Photobook, 287). As seen in Destruction Business, “McCullin’s photographs are dramatically harrowing in their depiction of the battlefield, and almost painfully intimate when showing the soldiers’ dedication to each other” (Panzer, 156). In images of his native Britain and wars across Cyprus, Africa and South-East Asia, “McCullin was one of the bravest of the war photographers covering these conflicts, and always heeded Robert Capa’s dictum to get in close. The result, at some cost to himself, was a series of iconic images of war, images that still have the power to shock” (Parr & Badger II:249). Text by McCullin. First edition in wrappers, printed coincident with that in boards; without dust jacket as issued. Precedes 1973 first American edition, Is Anyone Taking Notice?, printed in a different format.

Images clean and fresh, minimal dampstaining to edges of a few leaves, not affecting plates; lightest wrappers bright and clean. A scarce, near-fine copy.