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Richard Kern
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Richard Kern: Action Hardcover – Download: Adobe Reader, May 1, 2011

English Edition by Richard Kern (Photographer), Dian Hanson (Editor)
3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars 101 ratings
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Richard Kern likes real women: unpretentious, unadorned, and definitely undressed. Those who love Kern know each book is an invitation to join him in his privileged world where natural young women share their most intimate moments. Kern has never lost his boyish curiosity with girls and their secrets, so instead of posing them in sterile sets he follows them through the house—or rather his New York apartment—from backyard to kitchen to bathroom to bedroom, capturing every sexy and embarrassing moment.Action is his most revealing book yet. Across 240 pages we careen through the life of Kern, accompanied by dozens of energetic, fun-loving, clothes-dropping exhibitionists. “Young women want to show the world they’re not like their man-hating women’s lib mothers,” a Kern model once told me, and these girls certainly get their point across. To further assist the young ladies in their rebellion, the book includes an hour-long DVD of an original Kern film with an exclusive musical score by Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth.

But since we know that sometimes it can be a little risky to look at a book this revealing in public, this special edition comes with TASCHEN’s clever new Panic Cover feature to end public censure once and for all. Simply slip off the attractive but explicit cover, reverse, and redress—those ladies in the park will think you’re reading The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire!

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Previous page
  1. Print length
    240 pages
  2. Language
    English, German, French
  3. Publisher
    Taschen America Llc
  4. Publication date
    May 1, 2011
  5. Dimensions
    6.69 x 0.79 x 8.66 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    3836523957
  7. ISBN-13
    978-3836523950
  8. See all details
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The Amazon Book Review
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“These photographs may strike some people as sexist and others as sexy. Either way they are uncommonly visceral.” ― The New York Times

About the Author

Richard Prince, painter, photographer, and collagist, was born in 1949 in the Panama Canal Zone. He is known as a critic of and commentator on American consumer culture and as a master of appropriated art. He currently lives and works in New York City.

Dian Hanson produced a variety of men’s magazines from 1976 to 2001, including Juggs, Outlaw Biker, and Leg Show, before becoming TASCHEN’s Sexy Book Editor. Her titles include the “body part” series, The Art of Pin-up, Psychedelic Sex, and Ren Hang.

Richard Kern was born in North Carolina in 1954 and has lived and worked in New York City since 1979. In the ’80s he produced a series of short films that are now recognized as the central works of the movement known as the Cinema of Transgression. In the ’90s he switched to still photography full time. Since 2000 he has primarily devoted himself to gallery shows and, beginning in 2005, to his VBS video series “Shot By Kern.”

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Taschen America Llc; Multilingual edition (May 1, 2011)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English, German, French
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 3836523957
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-3836523950
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.76 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.69 x 0.79 x 8.66 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars 101 ratings

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  1. Dian Hanson

    Dian Hanson

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    Dian Hanson was born in Seattle, Washington, November 2, 1951. A hippie and high school drop out, she moved east at age 20, first to Oxford, Mississippi, then Allentown, Pennsylvania, finally settling in New York City in 1976 to work on the sex magazine Puritan. Over the next 25 years she edited magazines including Partner, Oui, Adult Cinema Review, Harvey, Hooker, Juggs and Leg Show. She founded the magazines Outlaw Biker, Hawgs, Big Butt, Bust Out and Tight. In 1993 Hanson became friends with Benedikt Taschen, and in 2001 she finally agreed to leave sex magazines and take over the Sexy Book division of TASCHEN Publishing. She currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband, the novelist Geoff Nicholson.

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  2. Richard Kern

    Richard Kern

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Customer reviews

3.9 out of 5 stars
3.9 out of 5
101 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Peter A. Hopkins
5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding
Reviewed in the United States on June 23, 2011
Verified Purchase
For the price of the book I wasn't expecting perfection, but I was amazed with the quality of the book itself.
The photography is top notch, the models look great without being the supermodel type, the posing is edgy so not boring.
In fact the free DVD Alone, is worth more than I paid on Amazon for the book.
Highly recomended.
11 people found this helpful
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Bruce B.
4.0 out of 5 stars Quality Picture Book
Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2019
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The photos in the book are top of the line. The models are very attractive. There is a nice variety of poses. There is a little something for everyone. And the cleaver reversible cover is a nice touch. Would have given it a 5 star rating but it just lacks something. Not sure what that is but you know it when you see it.
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lidz
5.0 out of 5 stars INSPIRATION
Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2014
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Most of the 300,000,000 Americans in this nation are in deep despair, discouragement and frustration. I have recently had the opportunity to study "Action," and, as always, the portrayal of the nude, naked, bare human female is a wonderful and inspiring restorative. Perhaps it is seeing the wellspring of birth and life itself that awakens and re-awakens the possibilities of life. When all about us is in a state of Apocalypse and Armageddon, the full beauty of womanhood comes along to save some part of the day. Kern's work reminds me of the similar work of Andrew Blake. Both photographers bring out the better and best angles and angels of our nature. "Action" reflects the current vogue of the popularity of "mid-century modern," and in some frames from a particularly California perspective. We are not in "Porn Valley," but we are definitely in some of the well known Southern California valleys in this volume. I actually owned a butcher block style table exactly like the one shown within the first ten or eleven pages of "Action." When one can place oneself within the scene of Kern's photographs, it is quite gratifying. One can easily take part gratuitously in the vignette. I only regret that I had not come upon this book back in 2011 when it was published; but perhaps it serves an even greater purpose of uplifting the head, heart, mind, body and soul at this sorrowful juncture in history.
7 people found this helpful
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Hollis
1.0 out of 5 stars Waste of money
Reviewed in the United States on March 11, 2019
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Amateur photos at best. 80% of the girls in here look uncomfortable, and awkward. Maybe 5 images that have any artistical merit.
4 people found this helpful
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Zane R. Nobbs
5.0 out of 5 stars Yet Another Fine Publication from Dian Hanson!
Reviewed in the United States on April 23, 2016
Verified Purchase
This is a very interesting publication if you like the areas of glamour and fashion. The text is well written and the illustrations are very accurate, open and intriguing. May be a little to risque for some, but by modern standards, a well done book.
4 people found this helpful
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Stephen J. Triesch
2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing
Reviewed in the United States on July 15, 2011
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Kern has succeeded in the difficult task of making a collection of nude photographs relatively boring. These girls - and I say girls because they mostly appear to be in the 19-25 age bracket - just don't have much charisma or sexiness about them. The eroticism is too self-conscious and staged to be truly erotic, and the girls are too young and ordinary to convey a sense of powerful female sexuality. Some may find girls playing with sex toys or urinating for the camera to be stretching the envelope, but it just bores.
5 people found this helpful
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RODZILLA
3.0 out of 5 stars Slightly disappointed
Reviewed in the United States on May 1, 2008
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I was expecting more from this book. I am usually more fetish photgraphy oriented and was not expecting such "penthouse" type pictures. I was expecting something further from your everyday erotica. This being said the book does have its moments with lighting and composition. For a more varied look at this type of photography I recommend Taschen's The New Erotic Photography wich caters to varying tastes. Not a disappointment no matter what your flavor is.
6 people found this helpful
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Conussuer
5.0 out of 5 stars Good photo book
Reviewed in the United States on September 12, 2020
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Good photo book. Would recommend.
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Top reviews from other countries

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JPCar27
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant Brilliant Book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 22, 2020
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I love everything abou this book, clear colour, odd photos but just right for fe tishists particularly in the hosiery dept. recommend it!
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Xavi
5.0 out of 5 stars Todo correcto
Reviewed in Spain on August 13, 2019
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Perfecto
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Grapher21
3.0 out of 5 stars Ouvrage de nu destiné aux fans du photographe Richard Kern, quelques belles photos et beaucoup de moins belles photos.
Reviewed in France on January 30, 2015
Verified Purchase
“ Richard Kern - Action “ paru sous la direction artistique de Dian Hanson aux éditions Taschen et préfacé par Richard Prince, lui-même peintre et photographe ( Quelques rares peintures et photographies en tout début de livre ), est un livre relié de 240 pages, pesant 850 grammes et de format 17 x 22,5 cm.

Ce livre représente une compilation de photos de nus féminins, Peu de photos sont belles, beaucoup d'autres sont moins belles, voire laides. Richard Kern est un photographe américain né en Caroline du nord en 1954, connu pour ses nus féminins et pour avoir " inventé " le style " Porno chic ". Il est connu aussi pour avoir beaucoup fréquenté le milieu musical underground américain et réalisé des clips de " Sonic Youth " et " Marilyn Manson ".

Ce livre relié a été imprimé en Corée du sud en 2011 avec soin sur du papier de qualité, pour un prix correct. Il est en trois langues, anglais, allemand et français. L’idée de la jaquette réversible présentant un ouvrage classique " THE HISTORY OF THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE ( L'histoire du déclin et de la chute de l'empire romain ) " est excellente mais à double tranchant... Un DVD accompagne ce livre. Je conseille ce livre aux fans du genre, à ne pas mettre entre toutes les mains.
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RAF
5.0 out of 5 stars SEXY SEXY SEXY!!!!!!!!!!!
Reviewed in Italy on January 10, 2014
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BELLISSIMA OPERA, BELLISSIME LE FOTOGRAFIE, IMMAGINI DAVVERO EROTICHE ED ECCITANTI!!!!!!!!! PER TUTTI QUELLI CHE AMANO L'EROTISMO DELLE DONNE, COMPRESE LE DONNE!!!!!!!!!!
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BLITZ
5.0 out of 5 stars Einfach super
Reviewed in Germany on January 15, 2011
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Richard Kern präsentiert hier ein hochglanz Buch der Extraklasse. Wunderschöne Abbildungen heisser Girls in allen Variationen. Voll im Stile von Roy Stuart. Jede Seite ein Hochgenuss. Die beigefügte DVD ist natürlich auch eine Wonne. Eine Stunde lang kann man den schönen Mädels zusehen. Sie entledigen sich aller Textilien und zeigen sich in den heissesten Positionen und besorgen es sich. Alles in Allem ein Hochgenuss zum Blättern und zum Fernsehen. So etwas kann man nur weiterempfehlen.
5 people found this helpful
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