Cover 1

An Emergency in Slow Motion

An Emergency in Slow Motion: The Inner Life of Diane Arbus

2011

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Average rating3

15

Diane Arbus is a fascinating subject. I learned a lot about her from this book.

However, I was annoyed that the author pathologizes Arbus in some instances, but that may be the nature of psychobiography. Also, some conclusions that the author comes up with should be taken with a grain of salt. And the author focuses on single facts or statements of Arbus's and may exaggerate their importance.

The narrator's habit of putting on funny voices for different people is slightly annoying.

I recommend the book if you are an artist, and/or like contemporary/female/artist biographies. Be aware that the book doesn't shy away from disturbing topics such as suicide and incest. Lots of obscure psychology terms that are hard to understand.

December 15, 2014