Publisher Description

Mathew B. Brady was already a famous photographer by the time the Civil War began. But the war gave Brady something else:
The chance to make a RECORD OF A WAR -- this war -- in a way that had never been done before: WITH TRUE-TO-LIFE PICTURES INSTEAD OF JUST WORDS. He hired field photographers to travel with the troops, equipped them with cameras and wagons filled with supplies, and sent them out with the directive to make a visual record of the war and to show people scenes they could have only read about before.
The pictures the field photographers sent back were HAUNTING, BEAUTIFUL, DEVASTATING, AND TOTALLY UNFORGETTABLE. And thousands of them included the notation "Photo by Brady." Though Brady didn't actually take the photographs, he was the genius behind them. His vision and foresight gave the country images that not only touched the people at the time, but have gone on to leave an indelible mark on the collective memory of this country. And the name of Mathew Brady will always be remembered with them.
In Photo By Brady, Jennifer Armstrong tells the story of the Civil War as seen through the lenses of its recorders. It is a moving and elegant look at the brutal and deadly time.

Author Biography

Jennifer Armstrong is the author of numerous award-winning picture books and novels. Her works include Hugh Can Do, Chin Yu Min and the Ginger Cat, The Dreams of Mairhe Mehan (a BCCB Blue Ribbon Book), and Black-Eyed Susan. Her first novel, Steal Away, was an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, an ALA Notable book, and a Golden Kite Honor book. Other titles include Pockets, Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World, Magnus at the Fire, Photo by Brady, and Once Upon a Banana. She lives in New York state.

Kirkus US Review

Using photographs to document the Civil War was right up Mathew Brady's alley. In the 1840s, he had created a photographic catalogue of America's most distinguished citizens, and his influence became such that Lincoln could say, "Brady and the Cooper Union speech made me president." It was Brady's art that helped Lincoln gain a national reputation before the 1860 election. Now, Brady brought the war-remote and unseen-to the people, and the war, the president, and the photographer will forever be entwined in our imaginations. Just as a photographer frames his subject, Armstrong frames hers, focusing on the war in Virginia and photographers based in New York City and Washington. The narrative is chock full of fascinating details, many drawn from soldiers' diaries and letters, and photographs are liberally sprinkled throughout the volume. Extensive picture credits and a useful bibliography round out a handsome volume sure to be a fixture in Civil War collections. (source notes, index) (Nonfiction. 9-14) (Kirkus Reviews)

Prizes

Commended for James Madison Book 2006
Commended for Capitol Choices: Noteworthy Books for Children and Teens (Ten to Fourteen) 2006
Short-listed for Beehive Awards (Informational) 2007

Long Description

Mathew B. Brady was already a famous photographer by the time the Civil War began. But the war gave Brady something else:The chance to make aRECORD OF A WAR --this war-- in a way that had never been done before:WITH TRUE-TO-LIFE PICTURES INSTEAD OF JUST WORDS.He hired field photographers to travel with the troops, equipped them with cameras and wagons filled with supplies, and sent them out with the directive to make a visual record of the war and to show people scenes they could have only read about before.The pictures the field photographers sent back wereHAUNTING, BEAUTIFUL, DEVASTATING, AND TOTALLY UNFORGETTABLE.And thousands of them included the notation "Photo by Brady." Though Brady didn't actually take the photographs, he was the genius behind them. His vision and foresight gave the country images that not only touched the people at the time, but have gone on to leave an indelible mark on the collective memory of this country. And the name of Mathew Brady will always be remembered with them.InPhoto By Brady,Jennifer Armstrong tells the story of the Civil War as seen through the lenses of its recorders. It is a moving and elegant look at the brutal and deadly time.

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