A Day Off by Tony Ray-Jones

Tony Ray-Jones. Introduction by Ainslie Ellis.

New York Graphic Society. Boston. 1977. First American edition. First published in the UK in 1974 Paperback, quarto; illustrated wrappers. [136 pages.] 120 black-and-white photographic plates. English. 265 x 235mm. 0.6kg. 9780821207086. Very good; some light shelf wear, a small crease to top forecorner.

The first and only book by the English photographer Tony Ray-Jones. It presents an affectionate look at the English and their eccentricities, focussing on seaside holidays and traditional customs. The book is divided into chapters - 'The Seaside', 'Summer Carnivals', 'Dancers', 'London', 'Society'. Ray-Jones casts a ironic eye over the idiosyncrasies of English customs, often with humour, and always with truthfulness and warmth. His style of social documentary is influenced by Bill Brandt's The English at Home and Robert Frank's The Americans. Ray-Jones began preparing the material for the book in 1970 but died suddenly in 1972 aged 30, before he had had a chance to complete it. The book was finally published in 1974 and is proof of Ray-Jones' immense talent as an artist who could find and capture life with perfect honesty.
 
[Hasselblad Center. The Open Book. p.302-303; Auer. 802 Photo Books. p.583]