Authors

Not only is the book a blending of traditions and methodologies, but also the authorship is a blending of talents in the field of rhetorical theory. Robert Hariman, professor of communication at Northwestern University and author of Political Style: The Artistry of Power co-wrote the book with John Louis Lucaites, an associate professor of communication and culture at Indiana University and co-author of Crafting Equality: America's Anglo-African World. As is true of the best of collaborations, their writing throughout the book is seamless. As is not always true, even the "Acknowledgements" section, giving a history of the text (initially over conversation in a coffee shop), is an enjoyable read. In this paean to their helpers and influences, they take the time to remark that "[t]oo often in the humanities we think of the production of knowledge as a solitary affair. This is an impoverished model of scholarship that ignores our many relationships as writers, teachers, and colleagues" (p. x). Their successful collaboration extends to the blog for the book. Updated almost every day with analyses of thought-provoking photographs and other visual arguments, the blog is a timely and incisive look at photography in news media and popular culture, as well as other visual media in public realms.