How does Boyd's use of photographs add to your reading experience?

How does Boyd's use of photographs add to your reading experience? Do you agree that a picture tells a thousand words?

He certainly selected the photographs very carefully. They were so much a part of the story, I had to keep reminding myself that this was not a true memoir, that Amory was not the photographer that took these photos. They definitely added to the story.

I loved the photographs. Glancing through the book before I started reading and seeing the photographs I thought this novel was historical fiction. Upon Googling I discovered the truth. I am amazed that the author found these photos in antique shops, junk stores etc. He did an excellent job in choosing them

They added such a sense of reality, it was almost impossible to think of the book as fiction. It was an intriguing and richly enhancing addition to an already enjoyable book.

I loved the photographs. They are so thoroughly integrated into the book that it is difficult to remember that the book was fiction and the photographer is fictional. They are a wonderful touch that adds tremendous credibility to Boyd's story.

The photographs are what makes this novel quality reading and not just a "romance" story. The pictures underscore a story that words alone cannot describe. I could put a face to the written descriptions and characterizations and this made the writing seem more factual.

I really enjoyed the photos. When I discovered that Boyd sort of wrote TO the photos, I found them even more interesting. This was a wonderful way to tell a story using photos of unknown people. I wonder if anyone will ever recognize him/herself in one of the photos.

I loved the photographs, although I started to notice that the people in them did not always look like who they were supposed to be - most notably the two photos of Sholto - who did not look the same in the 2 pics. I found the woman who was supposed to be Armory much less attractive than her description...this was also the case with Cleve's wife. That I found distracting. It did make the book fell more non-fiction than fiction!

This is the third fiction book I have read with real photos throughout. I found myself continually wondering as to how much the photos influenced the story, and as the characters emerged, did the photo selection change, etc. The photos are a definite, but at times confusing (like ruthless said) asset.

Here is a link to an article about the photographs in Sweet Caress. It's fascinating!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/authors/william-boyd-sweet-caress-photographs

I thought the photos added so much to the story, however, when I got to the pictures of Viet Nam I felt squeamish. All these young men. I began to wonder what if someone reading the book came across a photo of their brother or friend?

The photographs are a wonderful addition, enhancing the story. I knew the story was fiction but the photographs had me doubting this until I read about the author's use of them, very clever. It gave you a real taste of the time period.

I kept trying to decide if the photos came first or the story and Mr. Boyd ran around trying to find photos that fit. I love old photos but would never consider Amory a "good" photographer.

It took me far into the novel before I came across information that let me know that Amory was a fictitious photographer. The photos not only added to the believability of Amory, but also served as a photographic journey through moments in history. Loved the addition of the photographs.

I had to keep reminding myself I was reading a piece of fiction, about a fictional character. The photos did add an air of authenticity and were very reminiscent of those of the early pioneers of the profession especially Margaret Bourke-White.

Wonderful weaving of fictional characters with real photographs made this book come alive. It was tough to keep remembering that it wasn't all real! The author did a great job of putting everything together.

I agree with the sentiment that the photographs add to the effectiveness of the story telling. However, I think the reader's imagination is sufficiently challenged to make them a "nice addition" and not a necessity.