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The Postcard Century | 
| Author: Tom Phillips
Publisher: Thames & Hudson
Category: Book
List Price: $29.95
Buy New: $19.00
You Save: $10.95 (37%)
New (20) Used (6) from $18.36
Avg. Customer Rating:  11 reviews
Sales Rank: 382347
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 432
Shipping Weight (lbs): 5
Dimensions (in): 12 x 9.5 x 1.2
ISBN: 0500975906
Dewey Decimal Number: 909.820222
EAN: 9780500975909
ASIN: 0500975906
Publication Date: November 2000
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: BRAND NEW
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Book Description
The Postcard Century tells the story of the last hundred years in the 1900s' own words and images. Two thousand picture postcards and their messages give a vivid account of the day-to-day life of people and of what mattered to them, pleased them, shocked or amused them via the cards they chose to send. Year by year, the high and mighty, the low and worthy, and everyone in between talk of the characters, events, and hot spots of the century. Jokes from seaside, the disasters of war, the hazards of travel, the caprices of life in work and leisure--all are pictured and discussed. Each year begins with postcard views of the New York City skyline and of Piccadilly Circus. Though centered on the USA and England, cards come from every corner of the world, from Los Angeles to Beijing, from Antarctica to Alaska. Several themes emerge, notably those that evolved with the century: transportation (aviation takes us from the Wright brothers to NASA), the movies, fashion, vacations, and the role of women. Changes in the English language as used informally by Americans and Britons are powerfully registered. 2000 color illustrations.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 6 more reviews...
 The Postcard Century January 9, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Excellant book in every way. Great pictures, and descriptions. Do not buy this book if you are looking for a price guide, as it is not set up for that purpose. A great book for the postcard historian. Divided into years, it can be a great asset to a collector who is trying to date cards in his or her collection.
 Postcard pictures July 22, 2006
2 out of 4 found this review helpful
I was disapointed in this book because I was looking for one that included more detailed information about postcards. The problem of buying online I guess.
Who thought postcards could be so fascinating? August 27, 2005
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
This is my third pass through this lengthy and thoroughly engaging book. While I'm not a normal fan of postcards, reading this book makes me want to rush out to the nearest flea market and see what I can find.
The best aspect of this book is that the author presents each postcard in terms of the publishing history, the story on the card, and the general scene on the card. The wonderfuly dry, British humor really makes me laugh out loud at time. His commentary on the postcards meant to woo a significant other are quite amusing.
This book will truly engage you in ways you would never imagine. It also is a great way to learn odd facts from history that have largely passed from our collective memories. These postcards bring them back for our consideration.
This is a fabulous book that you will find hard to put back down.
Like your own postcard show March 3, 2005
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
Tom Phillips has captured the quest for collecting postcards with an eclectic mix of cards from the last century. We may view old postcards as nostalgic (for a history that never was), but when printed the card often pictured the latest thing. Being English, there are many Winston Churchill cards (as early as 1908), Prince Charles, the Queen, and Margaret Thatcher. There are plenty of cards for Americans, and a 1960 Nixon card is a favorite, as well as the original Kentucky Fried Chicken in 1947. In each year, a card from Piccadilly Circus and the New York skyline are included, as well as 10-15 other subjects. The cards reflect the changes of the time but also constancy, and many of the old jokes and statuesque women are recycled in each decade.
Tom Phillip's artist eye is really used. Phillips commentary of each card is informative, sometimes humorous, sometimes irreverent, but always interesting and range from comments on punk fashion to statement about Kierkegaard liking a joke on a cow card. His pairing of cards is also enlightening: e.g. the King's head dress in 1935 is printed next to a Fiji headhunter head dress. A person's cards selection may be a Rorschach test, and I don't know what the fascination with camels (4 cards) tells us about this author. No matter what your interest or home, there are certainly cards to delight you here. A 1996 card of spaceships over St. Louis was a personal favorite.
This book goes a long way in making the case that this was the golden century of postcards. I can't imagine a book in 2099 with a similar collection, or a printing of emails. Phillips includes the writing on the cards also, and these also reflect the times and a certain concise but revealing formula. Those who enjoyed the messages of these cards would also enjoy Robert Butler's book " Had a Good Time: Stories from American Postcards
Quirky and fascinating March 4, 2004
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Thank goodness for Tom Phillips. This postcard-filled volume is packed with images and texts created by countless sets of hands and eyes. There are few artist/thinkers today who could create order out of this chaos, and Phillips has done so delightfully. Featuring a multitude of stories within its overarching theme, The Postcard Century reveals its numerous histories with insight and charm.
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