“Paradise & Purgatory: SASSY ’70s Suburbia & The City” by Meryl Meisler

Meryl Meisler is at it again with a new book, “Paradise & Purgatory: SASSY ’70s Suburbia & The City.” This time, Meryl juxtaposes intimate images of home life on Long Island alongside NYC street and night life. Here’s a small excerpt from the press release:

“The photos and stories illustrate Meryl’s coming of age. She had to photograph it to make sense of it all, to hold onto the time, to release and now finally share it. The ’70s were sassy, but also sweet, and so was Meryl.

Meryl’s introduction to purgatory and the importance of being open-minded, not pre-judging people, began with a 1957 childhood incident, being told “You can never go to heaven, the best you can do is purgatory” because she was Jewish. That’s when Meryl learned about purgatory, and the importance of being open minded and not pre-judging people. Meryl moved to NYC in 1975, with her first paycheck she bought an antique edition of Dante’s Purgatory and Paradise illustrated by Gustave Doré. She needed to “own it” and take back the power.

Meryl carried her medium format camera everywhere with great delight – photographing the world she knew on Long Island– donning childhood uniforms and costumes for self-portraits, comedic insider views of family and friends homes, the hilarity of her parents’ Mystery Club circle. “Not in mine eyes alone is Paradise,” declares Dante in Paradiso. Many viewed ‘70s NYC as hell, purgatory at best. With an open mind and heart, Meryl found paradise photographing the streets and nightlife of The City, many so wild she never dared to show them until now.”

If you’d like more information about Meryl’s book or if you would like to purchase a copy, visit her website by clicking here.