I didn’t know who he was until later but I was a self taught student of the history of photography. When Bill showed me his book, I saw in the pages within all the greatest photographers of the 20th Century. Among them was Mary Ellen Mark whom I have admired now for decades. We talked about her some and he, to was a great admirer of her work. Coincidentally, at the time I was reading Son of the Circus by John Irving. If you read the authors introduction, he says it was inspired by Ms. Mark’s work on the small circuses of India. I lent it to him when I was through in late April and I believe it was one of the last books Bill read before he left us.

I am an environmental planner from Boston. I left the States disgusted with Bush and his legacy. Bill and I had that in common. He used to tell me how outraged he was that his tax dollars went to support torture. I’m sure if you knew him, this was no secret. He told me he used to speak up at faculty meetings in spite of resistance from the administration. Bless him! Silence is the voice of complicity. Those of us who have raised our voices have paid a price. May he rest in peace.

Thank you for writing your comment. I left Cangrejal after 8 months with a bitter taste in my mouth. Reading your piece about Bill reminded of the better parts of it. If you go, you will truly find a tropical paradise. Like many places that fit the description, it has an opposite side. Please contact me if you plan to go. Best Regards, HW Harts’horn