The Berkshires are famous for their stunning beauty and the almost eerie way in which they dominate the western sector of Massachusetts. They tower over the towns in their valleys. Williamstown, Pittsfield, North Adams, Stockbridge, and Lenox among them - and effect life there in many ways.

This landscape was of tremendous appeal to photographer Bill Tague, who lived on a flank of Mount Greylock. Tague possessed a unique talent: he was equally capable of creating haunting landscape images as he was drawing out the diverse personalities of his human subjects. Between January 1952 and his death in November 1990, Tague produced "Eagle Eye," a weekly page of photographs for The Berkshire Eagle. From images of Mount Greylock through the seasons to candid portrayals of faces at Tanglewood, at Lake Pontoosuc, and at the Clark Art Institute, to telling shots of Norman Rockwell and anna Mary "Grandma" Moses, Tague's eye was so astute that his life's work constitutes a discerning mirror held up to his time and place on earth.

Through this wonderful selection of Bill Tague's work, gathered by historian Tyler Resch, we not only begin to understand some of the recent history of The Berkshires, but more importantly, see this vibrant and yet traditional region through the "eagle eye" that gives us a fresh, and always entertaining perspective

Bill Tague's Berkshires
Volume II - Massachusetts
Edited by Tyler Resch

Residents of and seasonal visitors to the Berkshires greeted the publication of Bill Tague's Berkshires with tremendous enthusiasm in 1996. Many lifelong fans of Tague's work were delighted to view it in completed form, and others were introduced to the majesty and vividness of his work for the first time.

The editor of the volume - Tyler Resch - has worked together again with the photographer's wife - Irene Tague - to produce an all-new second book on the region that presents more stunning photographs many times accompanied by Tague's original captions. Bill Tague's Berkshires Volume II covers the history of the region from the 1950s through the 1980s, and highlights the human spirit and natural vitality that make the area what it is. From skiers to school children and from noble mountains to picturesque farmyards. Tague's images captured the essence of the area for over forty years.

In poring through the vast archives of Tague's work, Tyler Resch has produced two books destined to bring back memories and enliven interest in the Berkshires' recent past. His appreciation of this photographer's work and his knowledge of the area's history make for a meaningful and resonating presentation.