National review accolade for Thame author and photographer

WITH his ‘Z Z Top’ type beard, well-travelled hat and traditional, non digital camera often hanging around his neck, author and photographer, John Comino James, has become a familiar sight at events like Thame’s Tuesday market, and has produced several books capturing points in the life and times of Thame.

John Comino James

These have included books of his pictures of Thame’s street market characters, of the proprietors and shopfronts of Thame High Street, and more latterly, three books recording the people and architecture of a neighbourhood in Havana, Cuba where John has friends and family.

Through his latest book, A Question of England, John explores our everyday landscape of advertising boards, signs and symbols, from roadside verge to traffic-free shopping centre, to high-rise cityscape, sharing with us his personal sense of how England has changed since, as a small boy, he stood in school cap and Sunday suit to have his snapshot taken beneath flags flown for Queen Elizabeth’s Coronation.

This month Sean O’Hagan has chosen A Question of England as his book of the month for the Observer New Review and The Guardian.com. You can read his brilliant review of the book which appeared in the Observer on Sunday, January 12, here: http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2015/jan/11/a-question-of-england-review-john-comino-james-images-fragemnted-land

And if you feel inspired to share John’s journey through A Question of England, the book is available from The Book House in the High Street.

(1) LINK story;   (2)  A Very English Town, by John Comino James;  (3)  From Thame to Havana in ‘Fortunate Steps’ ; (4)  More Images of Havana….