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Abandoned America: Dismantling The Dream Hardcover – September 15, 2016

by Matthew Christopher (Author), Don Wildman (Foreword)

4.7 191 ratings

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If the creation of a structure represents the values and ideals of a time, so too does its subsequent abandonment and eventual destruction. In Abandoned America: Dismantling the Dream, internationally acclaimed photographer Matthew Christopher continues his tour of the quiet catastrophes dotting American cities, examining the losses and failures that led these ruins to become forsaken by communities that once embraced them. From the heartbreaking story of a state school that would become home to one of the country's worst cases of fatal neglect and abuse to the shattered remains of what was once the largest mall in the United States, "Abandoned America: Dismantling the Dream" asks what leads us to leave places behind and what are the consequences of doing so.Explore the magnificent remnants of two theaters fighting for survival, the largest privately owned zoo in the United States, a beachfront community left for dead when the bridge to it burned, a massive crumbling asylum with a dark past, a derelict ocean liner that was the fastest passenger ship ever built, a ghost town built around a gold mine that caused unimaginable bloodshed, an eerie relic of the days of the megamalls, a steel foundry destroyed by escalating rivalries between management and labor, a haunting Maryland institution that gained a terrible reputation for killing its residents, a city struggling to cope with 13,000 blighted properties left behind when the industries disappeared, and more. Prefaced by a thoughtful foreword by Mysteries at the Museum host Don Wildman, Matthew Christopher's collection of photographs and essays chronicling these dangerous and hard to access sites force us to confront who we were, who we are, and who we wish to become.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

For the last decade, photographer and writer Matthew Christopher embarked on a journey to document the ruins of American infrastructure, including asylums, industry, churches, schools, theaters, hospitals, prisons, resorts and hotels, as realized in his best-selling book, “Abandoned America: The Age of Consequences” and his critically acclaimed website Abandoned America. His work has gained international attention and has been featured in the L.A. Times, BBC, NBC Nightly News, ABC News, NPR, Philadelphia Inquirer, Washington Post, Yahoo News, Business Insider, The Telegraph, Daily Mail, Buzzfeed, the Weather Channel, the Huffington Post, New York Daily News, the Metro, Photo District News, Photographer’s Forum, Juxtapoz, and many others. He has lectured on the art of ruins, abandoned spaces, and preservation, and displayed his photography at galleries and museums across the United States.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Carpet Bombing Culture; First Edition (September 15, 2016)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1908211423
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1908211422
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 3.33 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9.84 x 0.79 x 10 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,175,271 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #89 in Individual Photographer Essays
- #257 in Photography Criticism & Essays (Books)
- #347 in Landmarks & Monuments

Customer Reviews:
4.7 191 ratings

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Christopher Matthew
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Matthew Christopher
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Matthew Christopher has had an interest in abandoned sites since he was a child, but started documenting them a decade ago while researching the decline of the state hospital system. Matthew has an MFA in Fine Art Photography from Rochester Institute of Technology and has taught photography at a college level. He has had gallery shows across the US, been featured on NBC Nightly News, lectured on abandoned spaces and mental health history for the Pennsylvania State Museum, Preservation Pennsylvania, Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Preservation Austin, and many others, and his work has been in dozens of publications and media outlets including the LA Times, ABC and NBC News, PDN, The Atlantic, Photographer's Forum, the Weather Channel, The Huffington Post, Buzzfeed, the Daily Mail, NY Daily News, and more. His website, Abandoned America, has gained international attention and is considered one of the leading collections of images of abandoned spaces on the internet.
Follow Matthew's work on Twitter at @abandonedameric
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Amazon Customer

Beautiful book!

Reviewed in the United States on July 2, 2020

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Matthew Christopher has created an amazing book that does more than just chronicle abandoned spaces. I initially followed his work because I enjoy urban exploration, but discovered his amazing depth and thoughtful perspective on the places he visits. I bought this as a gift for a family member who isn't the urban exploration fan that I am, but loves history, and we have been passing the book back and forth between us, talking about what we've read. This is why this book rocks--Matthew is an accomplished photographer and writer, and draws the reader into the environment in a way that you can soak up the details and think about who was there, and why this place is abandoned. The colors are beautiful, and his work does not look over processed or shot to highlight himself, versus the subject. I highly recommend this for anyone who wants a look back at history through the lens of someone who cares about who was there, and what they left behind. It's absolutely appropriate for a wide range of ages and interests, and is beautifully bound and printed.

10 people found this helpful

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Jason Toews

excellent and evocative

Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2016

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I received this book and read the whole thing cover to cover. Very very impressed. The amount of research that Matthew Christopher has done on these places is astonishing. I know Matthew personally, have attended a few of his workshops, and his sensibility and personality shines through on every page - for me, that's what sets his books apart from other similar collections.

As a side note, I know the story of Long Beach / Pleasure Beach is tragic, but (for me) it also has a Pythonesque absurdity that makes for compelling reading. I kept hearing Michael Palin's landowner from Holy Grail: "The first one sank into the swamp. The second one burned down, fell over, and sank into the swamp..." Almost unbelievable.

The photos are, of course, excellent and evocative. The text is well-researched and a joy to read. The whole package is beautifully designed and printed. I might deduct a quarter of a star for a few proofreading errors, but that's because I'm picky like that. Without a doubt, the finest book of abandoned photography in my library, and that's saying something.

One person found this helpful

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dvd

Much more than a coffee-table book

Reviewed in the United States on September 25, 2017

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Although I have known Matt for several years through his workshops, have followed his work, and loved his images – his books (this and “The Age of Consequences”) are more than just powerful images with a story to tell. Initially purchased to see more of the places he has explored, I soon realized that Mr. Christopher’s books were not only thought provoking, but a revelation of the history of every structure that was explored. With an extensive amount of research behind every chapter, Matt’s books are more than coffee-table books. He not only outlines the history and causes of the demise of the structure, but leads the reader to question and ponder our own frailties. His writing style is unique, refreshing, and honest – and often profound: he speaks of the accomplishments and struggles of those that once lived in these places that he photographed…”I’m always chasing their echoes but never quite manage to hear their song.” – and for those of us that have succumbed to the lure of the abandoned, know exactly the feeling.

17 people found this helpful

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L.A.

So much more than a photo book.

Reviewed in the United States on April 10, 2022

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I have always been fascinated by abandoned buildings. What was their history? Why were they abandoned? What would become of them? This book answers those questions. Along with the beautifully haunting photos, Matthew Christopher gives the (sometimes terribly heartbreaking) histories of these once-majestic and grand places, and delves into what caused them to become derilect and forgotten. An incredible photographic and historical journey.

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Michael Curtis

Believe it or not, a truly riveting coffee table book

Reviewed in the United States on December 19, 2019

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There are a number of photograpy books out there that focus on crumbling architecture. What sets this one apart is the compelling narrative attached to each chapter. Christopher recognizes that in every abandoned structure there is a human history connected to it and he tells these stories. He also mixes in details of how he was able to take the photos, which often involve breaking into off-limits buildings. The reader feels involved in the adventure. The photography is technically pure, no ostentation or effects needed, just high quality, clean and bright pictures on big, thick pages. This is an easy book to get lost in.

3 people found this helpful

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cyngrad

Matthew Christopher has outdone himself.

Reviewed in the United States on September 20, 2016

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While Abandoned America: Dismantling The Dream can be a stand-alone book, this is in fact the second book published by Matthew Christopher. I reviewed the first one comprehensively:

https://www.amazon.com/review/R3BYAUK9EBCYUU

What can I say for the second, other than it could stand alone? That it -shouldn't-. While the books complement each other, the subject material does not overlap. Instead, Mr. Christopher has found more locations, documented them in words and beautiful photographs, and presented each story for us to take in and absorb.

This is not something you'll read in one night, nor will you discover everything in one read. I still go back to the first book and notice things I didn't the first time around. While you may be disappointed and saddened in what has become of the places, you cannot be anything except awed by the author and photographer.

10 people found this helpful

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Sam&Fred

Bravo! Mr. Christopher

Reviewed in the United States on October 5, 2016

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Courageous and Well executed. True patriotism sometimes requires looking at America's learning curve. We build BIG and then occasionally dismiss. Matthew has captured this in vivid detail. I approached this book from the point of view of a professional photographer, historian and architecture fan and was not disappointed on any count. Many of the locations found in the volume would be exceedingly difficult to capture (nearly impossible on film) showing not only skill, but courage. Information regarding locations is well-edited and therefore, protective of these sites. I have thoroughly enjoyed this book, that I pre-ordered as soon as I read that it was in the works. I've followed with interest Matthew's online images and have found that print is intriguing in it's own right. There is just "something" about sitting with a book on your lap. Bravo!

8 people found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

Excellent Portrayal of Dereliction

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 23, 2022

Verified Purchase

If you like these type of publications, and I personally DO(!), this book is well worth buying. The images are beautifully executed, and warrant repeated browsing. Unlike some books of this genre, this one is beautifully printed too. Highly recommended!