Today, one month before the first day of Christmas, I decided to make a selection of thirteen author/photographer books and one exhibition catalogue to represent the high quality of photobooks issued in the highly productive calendar year 2014. What is remarkable is that, except for the children book and the photo magazine for kids, all covers are extremely sober, some sheer gloomy. And one way or the other all of the bookworks deal with history and hierarchies, political issues, both local and global, with gender and everyday life, with surveillance and leisure. I will mention the publications in no particular order.  

1. FRIET speciaal. Schrift voor kinderen over archeologie in Amsterdam en omstreken (French Fries special. Notebook for Kids on Archeology in Amsterdam and its Surrounding Areas) published by Van Zoetendaal and BMA. This booklet in a plain cardboard cover, is designed and published by Willem van…