Humans of New York: Stories by Brandon Stanton

In 2010, while working as a bond trader in Chicago, Brandon Stanton bought a camera and began photographing city sites and residents in his spare time. After losing his job, he moved to New York City to pursue photography full-time. Out of that career change came Humans of New York, a blog and book featuring photographs and profiles of people he speaks to on the streets of the city.  Now Stanton brings us Humans of New York: Stories, which delves even deeper into the lives of the strangers he meets.

At first glance, a book of interviews with New Yorkers may seem to have little relevance to those of us who don’t live in the city. But the strength of this book is the ways in which it highlights our similarities, rather than our differences. We are hopeful for the little boy who wants to grow up to build bridges, inspired by the woman who works two jobs so that her children can go to college, and heartbroken for those who seem to have no hope. Some of the stories are funny, some are sad, and some are just…strange! Stanton’s strengths as an interviewer are clearly evident, and the beautiful color photographs which accompany his subjects bring each one to life. 

Humans of New York: Stories helps us realize that most of us are very much the same - we want the best for our children, we want to belong, we want to be loved. As Stanton himself says, "... there's a comfort, an affirmation, a validation in being exposed to people with similar problems."