Big Brother

Living Magazines Big Brother

Big Brother
by Louis Quail
Dewi Lewis Publishing, £35
Berkhamsted Photographer Louis Quail is a talented man – his 2015 show ‘Before They Were Fallen’ won various awards, and he spends much of his time on personal, long term projects.

This gorgeous hardback book is the culmination of years of work. Deeply personal, Big Brother is essentially a  collection of photographs of Louis’ older brother Justin, who has suffered from paranoid schizophrenia for most of his adult life. But it’s not just about the illness. In Big Brother, Louis examines mental illness and a mental health sytem in crisis, but also tells the story of the man behind the illness: his brother.

Among the photographs are inserts of doctors’ notes and drawings by Justin as well as police records and scribbled notes by Justin.

The result is a stunning book, which shows the love Louis has for his brother, while also making you stop and think about life, love and family.

  • Louis will be giving a talk and signing copies of Big Brother at Waterstones in Berkhamsted at 6.30pm on Thursday 27 September.