Dorothea Lange, 60 Years of 'Revolver,' and a Massive Art Collection

Dorothea Lange was a photographer whose work documented life in 20th-century America. Lange contracted polio when she was seven and lived in poverty as a child, experiences that she said influenced her to focus on the less fortunate.

> Lange was interested in chronicling America's "walking wounded." (Read)
> Many of Lange's most famous photos were taken during the Great Depression. (Read)

Lange's best-known work is from her time working for a New Deal initiative aimed at combating poverty. "Migrant Mother, Nipomo, California," her most famous photo of that era, is one of the enduring images of the Great Depression and is believed by some to be among the most reproduced photographs in the world.

> The Resettlement Administration, later known as the Farm Security Administration, hired photographers to document rural poverty. (Watch)

> "Migrant Mother" was just one of many photos Lange took of the woman and her family. (Watch)

> The woman in the "Migrant Mother" photo felt she and her children had been exploited. (Read)

Lange also documented the relocation of Japanese Americans to concentration camps during World War II, as well as several Mormon communities in Utah. She remains one of America's most recognizable photographers and continues to define the country's vision of itself and its history.

> The US government hired Lange to document the forced removal of Japanese Americans, believing it would garner public support for the program. (Watch)

> ... but Lange's chilling images were instead censored. (Read)

Discover more: 

> Check out some of Lange's most famous photos. (Explore)

> Lange's collaboration with Ansel Adams took them to three Mormon communities in Utah. (Explore)

> Lange and her economist husband sought to document American poverty through collaborative works. (Read)

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Behind the News 

1440 brings you the knowledge behind the week's stories:

The Beatles' "Revolver" celebrates its 60th anniversary. (Listen)

> "Taxman," the album opener, called out two British politicians by name.

> The album's final track, "Tomorrow Never Knows," used innovative recording methods that helped redefine the sound of popular music.

"Spider-Man: Brand New Day" contributes to the biggest weekend in box-office history. (More)

> Check out the 1962 comic book that introduced the iconic character.

> Spider-Man debuted in the comic book industry's era of self-censorship.

FIFA backtracks on its plans to sell stakes in the World Cup. (More)

> Broadcast rights for the World Cup have become a massive revenue stream for FIFA.

> The 2010 announcement that Russia and Qatar would host back-to-back men's World Cups eventually led to the resignation of FIFA's president.

K-pop group BTS announces it will boycott the Grammy Awards. (More)

> The South Korean government strategically invests in K-pop.

> At the height of his popularity, Michael Jackson declined to perform at the Grammys.

Cultural Context

Beyond our weekly deep dives, we love finding great takes on the culture currently shaping our lives. Here are some of the best reactions, profiles, and think pieces we encountered this week.

20 Books You Can Read in a Day

The Guardian | Chris Power. If you're looking for some end-of-summer reading, this might be the best place to start. After all, the list is aimed at people looking to get back in the habit of consistent reading. The selections are great, too, highlighting works by Han Kang, Denis Johnson, Muriel Spark, and more. (Read)

> Short novels were often popular as mass market paperbacks, which were designed to fit in a pocket.

What Is Lost When We Make 'The Odyssey' Modern

Substack | Derek Thompson. Christopher Nolan's "Odyssey" is a massive hit, but it's also drawn criticism, including from Emily Wilson, whose 2017 translation of the poem inspired Nolan's film. In this interview, Wilson explains why she's disappointed with the movie and why historical critiques of it are misguided. (More)

> Translations of "The Odyssey" can differ greatly, with translators often focusing on different aspects of its language.

Is Nepotism Real?

Can't Get Much Higher | Chris Dalla Riva. Inspired by the success of Stella Lefty—a country-ish singer-songwriter who also happens to be the daughter of a Groupon cofounder—Dalla Riva digs into the data to find out if the musical "nepo baby" is really on the rise. (Read)

> The term "nepo baby" became popular in 2022, thanks in large part to social media.

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 Etcetera 

> Search the digital collections of over 4,000 art museums.

> The Atlantic proclaimed that "The End of Reading is Here," which might be alarmist but is based on significant data.

> Simone de Beauvoir, the influential feminist and existentialist philosopher and writer, was also a serious hiker.

> Before launching his cereal company, John Harvey Kellogg promoted a eugenics-inspired natural food regimen.

> Emily Dickinson's poems were heavily altered after her death, with editors removing many of the peculiar aspects that readers now identify with her work.

> Many believe modern fan fiction—the cultural phenomenon in which fans reimagine their favorite stories—began with "Star Trek."

> The Wassily chair, the iconic modernist armchair, was inspired by a bicycle.
 

> Only one region in France can legally call its sparkling wine Champagne.

> Legendary dancer Martha Graham refused to perform at the 1936 Berlin Olympics because she believed doing so would be a tacit endorsement of the Nazis.
 

> Billie Holiday's distinctive vocal technique was aided by new microphone technology, which allowed for quieter singing.

> Despite a popular maxim, 90% of restaurants do not close in their first year.

> More on the first hit comedy album, the Oscars of food, and Hitchcock's secret weapon at 1440's Society & Culture hub.