Vietnam War. And/Or: Antonyms for Our Age by Marjorie Morris and Don Sauers.

Harper & Row, 1967.  95 pages. Wraps, fine, with slight curling of covers. Anti-war book that juxtaposes Vietnam photos with photos in the U.S., showing contrast between war and peace in black-and-white photographs, some of which appeared in The Family of Man.  Photographers: Ralph Crane; Bruce McAllister; Charles Moore; Akihito Okamura; Kosti Ruohamaa; Eve Arnold; Bruce Davidson; Elliott Erwitt; Charles Harbutt; Wayne Miller; Burk Uzzle; Dickey Chapelle; Sean Flynn; Catherine Leroy; Kyoichi Zawada; Horst Faas; Joe Kordick; Bill Strode; Larry Burrows; Alfred Eisenstaedt; William F. Pepper; Charles Pratt; Dang Van Phuoc; Danny Lyon; Garry Winogrand; Suanne Szasz; Dorothea Lange; et al. Summary:

And/Or: Antonyms for Our Age, published in 1967, is a poignant photographic essay that uses visual juxtaposition to comment on the stark contradictions of the 1960s. Compiled by Marjorie Morris and Don Sauers, with a preface by renowned photo editor John G. Morris, the book is a classic example of "concerned photography."

The Visual Concept

The book is structured around the concept of visual antonyms. It pairs contrasting black-and-white images on facing pages to highlight societal ironies, specifically:

• War vs. Peace: Images of the Vietnam War (combat, casualties, and destruction) are set against scenes of domestic American tranquility and consumerism.

• Prosperity vs. Poverty: The "Great Society" ideals of the era are challenged by juxtaposing middle-class leisure with the harsh realities of civil rights struggles and urban decay.

• Inclusion of Quotes: The photographs are accompanied by a wide range of quotes from politicians, poets, and philosophers, further emphasizing the moral and social friction of the time.

Notable Contributors

The volume features work from some of the most influential photojournalists and documentary photographers of the 20th century, including:

• Larry Burrows and Horst Faas (capturing the Vietnam front lines).

• Bruce Davidson and Elliott Erwitt (capturing social nuances and street life).

• Dorothea Lange and Garry Winogrand.

Significance: At its core, And/Or is a powerful anti-war statement. By placing the "here" (domestic life) and the "there" (foreign conflict) side-by-side, it forces the reader to confront the ethical disconnect of a nation living in comfort while engaged in a brutal overseas conflict.