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This book for older children or teens is a biography of the famous photographer Dorothea Lange. This book would be a nice gift for any child interested in photography and/or 20th century U.S. history. ( )

Dorothea Lange was another name I thought I knew but didn't. That woman who took pictures of the Okies moving West. Remember, she was part of WPA maybe, or some other alphabet agency? Starving children, harsh conditions, dirty women and all that--big for women and the working artist movement, or something like that...Regrettably, that's what I remember about Dorothea Lange from my American History course. I suppose it could be worse; she could be completely unfamiliar to me. At least I knew she existed.

Elizabeth Partridge opened my eyes to Dorothea Lange, the woman. Albeit somewhat romanticized, I trust that Partridge's portrayal is genuine, as someone who knew her personally and drew extensively from interviews, films, and oral history from friends and family. Restless Spirit captures the image of a woman who wanted to make a difference in the world on her own terms. Unafraid to live on the road and get close and personal with her subjects, Dorothea Lange seemed to be a woman who still struggled with the expectations of womanhood of her time, fighting her own tension between domesticity and dreams of freedom through photography and independence. Lange saw injustice and hardship in the world even in childhood, and her photography seems to encapsulate that recognition of suffering as human. Partridge poignantly reveals how Lange attempted to share her perspective through a touching combination of narrative and photographic text.

Restless Spirit could be used in the classroom for any unit on the Great Depression or as accompaniment with a Steinbeck text, offering visuals and context from a powerful woman. The images are just as heart-wrenching today as they were eighty years ago. ( )

I thought this was an excellent biography of dorthea lange's extraordinary life. The prose was very detailed, engaging, and painted a beautiful portrait of her work, especially during the great depression and WW 2. I really enjoyed how Elizabeth partridge connected events in Dorthea's life to her work. For instance, she discussed how Dorthea photography suffered during her first marriage and during her times as mother and housewife ( )