The Missouri State Fair

the long version

"Richard Gaskell first visited the Missouri State Fair in 1968 while serving as a VISTA volunteer in Boonville, Missouri. Completely captivated, he vowed to return to the fair and photograph the people and events associated with it. Although it was not until 1986 that he was able to keep that promise, he has made the long trip from New England to Missouri every year since then to photograph sights that can be found only at the state fair, capturing dramatic images that say more than any written words could." "The Missouri State Fair chronicles more than a decade in the life of a historic American tradition. Through his evocative and compassionate portraits, Richard Gaskell provides a link between the state's rural past and its present, paying tribute to farmers and their animals - the real life and breath of a state fair's existence."--Jacket.