Ways of Seeing: Based on the BBC Television Series

The book itself is comprised of six independent, and yet linked, essays. The first textual essay opens with the words 'Seeing comes before words. The child looks and recognizes before it can speak'. This essay sets the scene for all of the following essays. It identifies that we live in a world of visual imagery. Three of the essays are collections of images. Many of these have been stripped of their titles or any explanation as to who or what they represent therefore allowing the spectator to interpret them themselves. Essay number 3 looks at the nude but more importantly how the social presence of a woman is different from that of a man. Essay number 5 looks at art though mainly explores the differences between looking at or seeing a painting and the desire to possess it. It draws on the work of the anthropologist Claude Levi-Strauss to illustrate this point. It then slowly teaches the reader how to deconstruct an image and goes into great depth to explain how every small detail is an integral part of the final overall reading. The final essay is about publicity. Which is as relevant now as it has ever been. Even in this technologically changing world publicity still uses the past to sell the future.

The essays do not need to be read in any particular order, which makes it a very useful dip-in book and its size makes it easy to carry it around either in a bag or perhaps a large pocket. It is well written and is therefore a delight to read.

As strange as this may seem, a quote published in the book from an article written by Dziga Vertov, a soviet film director, makes a timely eulogy for the book itself.

'My way leads towards the creation of a fresh perception of the world. Thus I explain in a new way the world unknown to you'.

Although Vertov was talking about a film camera this quote could so easily describe the intention of the book itself. So the answer to why this book continues to be held in such high esteem is simple. As long as we have eyes to see, visual imagery will remain an important signifier of our culture.

In order to understand our culture we need to be able to read these images. This book helps the reader achieve this. So this little timeless paperback book will remain in pride of place amongst the multitude of hard cover books on my office shelf and no doubt the shelves of many homes and University libraries for many years to come. I would recommend it to anyone.


A captivating read   April 9, 2005
Poor Richard (Texas)
65 out of 69 found this review helpful

I went to school in the UK, taking the full range of O and A-levels to go to University.

Looking back, the most memorable book that I read in school was this one.

It lived up to its title and gave me another way of seeing.

So much of school is about preparing people to lead dull 9 to 5 lives in offices, hospitals etc. as if they were working in some 19th century factory.

This book opened the door to creativity and independent thought, something that none of the other textbooks ever did.


ways of seeing - you won't if you don't read this   July 3, 2000
sgummer2k@ukonline.co.uk (london)
44 out of 55 found this review helpful

initially bought as a course book for a media course; this book soon turned into my seminal read of 2000. packed with insight into not only early european art and its somewhat seedy motives, but an extremely interesting affiliation is made between this and modern advertising. J Berger draws out the longest straw fom the pile and with it goes a long way to explaining womens percieved or expected place in society. These are all carefully placed together with the stongest of links, which would make a 'big breakfast presenter cry'. intellagent and more than relevant!


Brilliant   April 4, 2000
19 out of 24 found this review helpful

An excellent book, based on a groundbreaking TV series from the early 1970s, by a exceptional man. Opened my eyes 30 years ago, and now here I am, so pleased to be ordering a copy for my son 'cos its on his Art Foundation booklist. Not dated, still relevant.


A must read...a mind changer...   December 20, 2006
Ndouglas (london)
7 out of 13 found this review helpful

John et al's little book (it was a collective project, as John points out in the book), is a must read, some reviewers have described it as dated, they are wrong.

The world John describes, a world of Capitalism is still with us only now we are surrounded by even more ad imagery and commodification of life, a system that works even more on the principle of what you have you are, and that all human satisfaction, emotion, happiness and attractiveness can be obtained through the purchase of commodities, so we all live in the gap between what we are and what we could be, working in jobs where we lack any control over our labour whilst daydreaming of when we are not at work, 'the future deferred' as he says as choices of consumption dominating rather than political action necessary to make history now.

All we are left with is a 'culture' that reflects the wish to buy and nothing else...

BUY THIS BOOK!