This is one of my favorite portrait photography books. It's often profoundly disturbing, with such poignant images capturing girls on the verge of womanhood, offering us glimpses not only into the children that they were but into the lives they're going to lead as women, and it isn't all pretty.
Sally Mann is wonderful at capturing the souls of those she photographs, often poor, rural-living individuals, full of pride and hopes and dreams. I have collected many of her books, and this has always been my favorite. It's very controversial - her work always has been - but if you look at it with your eye on that cusp of womanhood, you will see more than you ever dreamed.
Sally Mann is a true visionary photographer who will certainly be hailed in the years to come as one of the greatest photographers of her time.