Dorr, Nell. Of Night and Day by Nell Dorr.

New York Graphic Society, 1968.  Near fine hardcover in illustrated boards with protected, price-clipped good dust jacket that is chipped and has tape repairs. (See photos for dust jacket’s condition.) 97 pages.  Poetic black and white photographs by Dorr with texts by E.E. Cummings, Sheldon Cheney, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, Jacques Mareitain, Carl Sandberg, Dag Hammarskjöld, et al.  One of seven books by Dorr. This one is her response to the Vietnam War.  A highly respected photographer, Nell Dorr was included in the books Women See Women and Recollections: Ten Women of Photography. Dorr, a close friend of Hollywood star Lillian Gish, is profiled on Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nell_Dorr  Summary:

Of Night and Day by Nell Dorr (first published 1968) is a contemplative photographic essay that pairs ethereal black-and-white imagery with poetic and philosophical text to explore profound themes about life, existence, and the human experience. The book stands apart from a traditional narrative; instead it functions as an artistic meditation on contrasts—darkness and light, introspection and outward vision, and the deeper rhythms of life itself.

Dorr, an American photographer known for her sensitive and expressive work, created this book during a period of personal and cultural introspection; according to biographical sources, Of Night and Day was her “photographic essay on man’s quest for the meaning of life.” Her images in this volume often lean toward semi-abstract or dreamlike compositions, using light, shadow, and form to evoke emotion rather than document specific events or people.

The book intersperses lines from poets and philosophers with carefully sequenced photographs, creating a dialogue between image and word. This interplay encourages readers to reflect on existential questions and the everyday moments that shape human life. Reviewers and readers describe the experience of viewing the book as “mystical” and emotionally evocative, with the grayscale imagery eliciting a sense of reverence and contemplation.

Ultimately, Of Night and Day is less a documentary record and more a visual and textual exploration of inner life, memory, and the poetic sensibilities that connect people across time. It occupies a unique place in Dorr’s oeuvre alongside her other major works like Mother and Child and The Bare Feet, offering a deeply personal and artistic perspective on themes that transcend specific places or events.