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The End: Montauk, N.Y. | 
 enlarge | Creator: Michael Dweck
Publisher: Harry N. Abrams
Category: Book
Buy New: $86.79
New (3) Used (3) from $86.79
Avg. Customer Rating:  8 reviews
Sales Rank: 439195
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 2nd
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 200
Shipping Weight (lbs): 4.6
Dimensions (in): 14.3 x 11.1 x 1.3
ISBN: 0810950081
Dewey Decimal Number: 974.725
EAN: 9780810950085
ASIN: 0810950081
Publication Date: May 11, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand new book delivered from the UK in 10-14 days. Over 1 million sold
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Product Description
In the 1960s the fishing village of Montauk became the surfer's paradise of the east coast. Located at the tip of Long Island's South Fork, the easternmost point of the Hamptons, this paradise existed primarily for locals-not surfers who migrated to the beach for the summer, but those who were out in the rocky reefs every day, year round. Today, a new tribe of surfers exists-young locals who live by their own rules. Rule number 1: Never tell anyone where the good surf spots are. Rule number 2: See rule number 1. In the 1990s photographer Michael Dweck rented a house on Ditch Plains beach (site of the best surf break) and gained unprecedented access to this insular community. The End follows the surfers through their daily rituals from early morning wave reports to evening bonfires on the beach, capturing their youthful hedonism. Through portraits, nudes, and photographs of the landscape, this book celebrates lives lived only to surf-an endless summer of perfect weather and languorous beauty.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 3 more reviews...
 Summary June 27, 2006
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
I was very fortunate to see Michael Dweck's exhibition "The Surfers Life" here at the renown Blitz Gallery in Tokyo last week and I was very impressed. The show was an astonishingly beautiful collection of images by a very gifted photographer who presents his subject with great sensitivity and warmth. And, though many of these images have been seen before in his book The End:Montauk, NY", it was worth a trip to Blitz to see the show live.
The End is Michael Dweck's breakthrough debut collection of extraordinary work. The true first. I believe The End was published to accompany an exhibition at International Center for Photography New York in May 2004. With its handsome production designed by Jeremy Miller and oversize-volume format, the book is a virtual stand-alone mini-exhibition in its own right. It is not really a book, but an art object: one that transcends the notion of a mere "book." It is an object of intrinsic beauty and the mere holding of it in one's hands conveys the good taste, fine quality, and the superb craftmanship that were blended to create The End. Sand-colored silk cloth boards with titles embossed on spine. Photographs and texts by Michael Dweck. Poetic fragment, "From Montauk Point" (from "Leaves of Grass"), by Walt Whitman. List of Plates appended at the end. Printed on thick coated stock paper in Singapore to the highest standards. In pictorial dust jacket with very large flaps, black titles on the spine and elegant glassine vertical band. This book presents the photographer's nostalgic (and erotic) tribute to the legendary beach community. Montauk is one of America's best-kept secrets: The ultimate surfer's paradise, it has remained largely unchanged since it was discovered in the 1960's. It has miraculously been shielded from the crass commercialism and corrupt hedonism that have ruined the magic of the Hamptons. There is something almost mystical about the fact that it is located at the tip of Long Island. "This paradise has existed primarily for locals, not surfers who migrate to the beach for the summer but those who are out in the rocky reefs everyday. In the 1990's, Michael Dweck gained unprecedented access to this insular community. His book follows the surfers through their daily rituals from early morning wave reports to evening bonfires on the beach. Dweck has an eye for the women but it is misleading to label him a female-nude photographer, as many commentators have done. There are photographs of Sonya, Shannon, Katarina, Lilla, Genelle, Jessica and other beach beauties but Dweck is also fascinated by a teenager surfing phenomenon named Kurt, who has been surfing since he was a little boy. Kurt is the Bruce Weber ideal: All-American, blond, blue-eyed, beautiful. What sets him apart from the fashion or commercial model-type is his care-free attitude and complete lack of narcissism. He looks like the young Peter Beard, who stays in Montauk when he is in the United States. Dweck pays tribute to the great artist/photographer with a lovely full-page portrait. A gorgeous book. Lavishly illustrated with black-and-white and color plates and 2 stunning foldouts. In my opinion, one of the most accomplished living American photographers.
 Save Your Money June 22, 2006
12 out of 23 found this review helpful
The book's title is, "The End." Let's hope that it is just that...the last of a sorry attempt of portrayal to nowhere. We don't need anymore of this crap shoved on us via a misleading cover photo on a dust jacket solely designed to sell a bad product. Most amazon.com people probably did purchase this book because of the nude surfer chick on the front cover. This is as good as it gets.
From the intro double-truck pic of a rear shot of 4 completely nude males, it becomes apparent that photographer Dweck has a jones for males. Lotsa males...128 at first count throughout this large coffee table size book. Had other reviewers pointed this out, I would not have wasted my $12 on a used copy of this $60 book. Why photog Dweck has several one-page deals of a close-up of a rear of a male's head is anyone's guess. Is he also a barber? Or is it just a rear head fetish? Or does Dweck just simply not know what to do with a camera? As far as one reviewer stating "Naturally beautiful women so gorgeous my teeth hurt", where has this person been? Hiding in a cave? Locked up in a basement? Yes, some of the chicks look ok, some are down-right hot, but I see them everyday.
Readers will tire of watching lower to lower-middle class males, some festooned with tatoos as visual crutches for identity, as markers for self-esteem to nowhere. Nor did the one or two shots of drunken derelicts still desperately clinging to the cup that did them in make an impression. I know, this is supposed to be artsy, but don't you outgrow this after art school? And I don't think photog Dweck has been to arts school. Now, if you want a craggy, dried up leather face that appears to have baked in a 120-degree desert for 100 years? Drink-up, but don't waste good paper and print on someone else's ill-begotten lifestyle. People bought this book sight-unseen in the anticipation of seeing others having fun, not on a slow ticket to suicide.
The photog appears to be an amateur and is grappling with what to do with a camera. From the wasted color shot (the only color shot in the entire book) of a double-truck of a blue sky with some clouds to an entire page devoted to a plastic shark.....what is the point? And then there is this chick riding her bicycle in another double truck scene, meandering to nowhere faithfully staying in the photog's viewfinder with an expression of "When is this going to end?"
Please read the other reviews as I have done. Where are they coming from? You might ask are they reviewing the same book as I have? What in the hell is going on?
this book sucks March 16, 2006
4 out of 10 found this review helpful
anyone who is from montauk or the hamptons will this this book is lame. number one the photography is bad. number 2 this guy knows nothing about the area. He rented a house at ditch for 1 summer? big friggin deal. The only bright spot in the book is his choice of models, who he photographed badly.
 Why is this named for Montauk?? March 30, 2005
3 out of 13 found this review helpful
Nice pictures but has not much at all to do with Montauk NY except for a few shots of local landmarks, the majority of the book is basically a teen clothing catalog,pretty people scantily clad,not much to taking pictures of beautiful 22 year olds?? Very disappointed using the name Montauk because there is too much natural beauty in this place to waste it on a book of pretty people that could be on any beach.
Stunning Youth July 29, 2004
11 out of 15 found this review helpful
Naturally beautiful women so gorgeous my teeth hurt. Michael Dweck seems to capture his subjects in obvious poses that reflect not stiffness, but natural ease that only youth allows. The beautiful women featured along with real surfer-dudes and beachscapes allow one to visually experience a culture and lifestyle that is private and doesn't tolerate gawking.
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