Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Hauntingly evocative photographs of houses ravaged by time and abandonment.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Library Journal Review

The Irish country houses, shops, and garages portrayed in this award-winning Irish photographer's latest book were abandoned between the 1960s and 1990s, judging from the calendars and postmarks on letters left inside them. The occupants of these dwellings emigrated in search of better opportunities in larger cities and other countries, and Creedon's images document the poignant aftermath of their economic migration. Nearly every indoor shot contains either a crucifix or a picture of the Sacred Heart, a commentary on what residents chose to take or leave behind. Though the accompanying textual interpretation of the images occasionally lacks orienting details-for example, when and where the photo was taken-the photography is absolutely gorgeous and will haunt readers for days. -VERDICT In faded jewel tones, Creedon captures the melancholy of abandonment and neglect and evokes nostalgia for simpler times in Irish society. Recommended for readers fascinated by abandoned homes and the genre of urban-decay photography, such as Camilo Jose Vergara's American Ruins, Andrew Moore's Detroit Disassembled, and RomanyWG's Beauty in Decay.-Rachael Dreyer, Univ. of Wyoming, Laramie (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Publishers Weekly Review

Irish documentary photographer Creedon offers, in his first book, lush, colorful interiors of abandoned Irish rural houses, with such striking images that it becomes easy to forget that he is documenting the crushing effect of years of emigration and poverty in his native land. Shot throughout Ireland, the book features omnipresent religious icons, stoves, and beds and delicate closeups of commonplace personal items: an ornate Singer sewing machine, a bicycle, teapots, and radios. Creedon's narrative proves charmingly nonlinear, with childhood memories and even an elegant two-page fictional account of country life written by Linda Keohane. However, the book's format requires the reader to constantly shift the book from vertical to horizontal-which may become tiresome. While Creedon's rich photographs provide an excellent record of Irish rural life, his work constantly reminds us of the sadness of a nation of people who left so much behind. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.