Death in the Making

New York: Covici, Friede, Inc, 1938. First edition. Hardcover. Good- to very good condition. Quarto. Unpaginated. Original photographic dust-jacket over olive cloth. Scarce first edition of this remarkable photographic history of the Spanish civil war.

"Unlike Ehrenburg's book, Capa's diary in Death in the Making is picture- rather then text-led. It contains not just Capa's photographs - including many that defined modern war photography - but also images by his lover, the journalist Gerda Taro, who was accidentally killed by a tank near Brunete in 1937. In a real sense, this book is her memorial, as Capa's eloquent frontispiece announces... The Spanish Civil War was an important conflict, not just because it was the first direct challenge to fascism, but also in terms of modern photojournalism, it witnessed the birth of the modern war photographer, exemplified by Capa, a figure who, because of his nominal independence from the military authorities, could perhaps be considered a more reliable witness than the 'official' photographers." (Parr/Badger, Vol. 1, page 139).

Dustjacket with wear along edges, medium chips at lower foredge, tail of spine and, less pronounced along upper edge and lower back cover. Binding and block with light age-toning.