Prince: A Private View Hardcover – October 24, 2017

Arrived in great shape. Beautiful pictures of a legend!!

The One Nite Alone time period from roughly 2001-2003 is my favorite time period from Prince. My favorite albums that go #1 and #2 for me are One Nite Alone Piano and Voice and The Rainbow Children. I have spent COUNTLESS HOURS and coins collecting every single artifact from this time period…like thousands of dollars of buying vinyl, art, and media, and dozens upon dozens of boots from this time.So you can imagine my EXTREME EXCITEMENT knowing that Afshin Shahidi was the official photographer of this time period and knowing he was putting out a book. This was MY BOOK that I pre-ordered as soon as it was announced! I even spent a good chunk of money on his Prince in Hawaii book as well because it was fringe my time period.I was avoiding spoilers left and right that were being posted to social media. I wanted my experience to be a shock with each turn of the page…an emotional experience….a cathartic experience…a “Princely” experience. NO SPOILERS I WANT TO HAVE REACTIONS WITH EACH TURN OF THE PAGE!I had plans…for 8 months…I would create environment, candles, incense from Salish Winds, his preferred incense place, wine, my favorite album One Nite Alone playing in the background…Salish winds essential oils in my bath even. THIS WAS ABOUT TO BE A TRUE PRINCE EXPERIENCE.I read the book by candlelight.I cannot tell you how much of a special experience this was.I laughed….I didn’t cry…but what I felt the most was MOTIVATION.I’d had a rough day at work, and was actually considering waiting until I had a less stressful day so I could be fully present in this experience I’d planned for 8 months, but I’m glad I just did it.I jokingly call Prince my “Fairy God Boyfriend” or my “Professor” but this book…solidified him as my Professor.Strong feelings of “I am not doing enough” and “it’s 100% okay to have high standards of performance and not feel bad about that” and “just because ‘society’ has a lower bar of acceptability…and you know your own bar is higher than that, doesn’t mean you can relax. Perform at YOUR level of standard no matter what.”Where before I was nervous about this book because it covered my favorite era and of course Prince is beautiful…it wasn’t about that at all…for me it was a kick in the butt to get busy..not living, but WORKING. He spent his whole life WORKING without compromise…."Get on the boat" or get left.Having that kind of work ethic is okay. Never be ashamed about that. WORK.I am soooo soooo motivated now….you only get one life. You only get one first time….so make the most of it. Never skimp on opportunities to live. Always “do the most”. You deserve nothing less that that…and you should never expect anything less than the best.Thank you Afshin for conveying this as a witness to his genius. And thank you Professor Nelson, for providing this example.Are YOU willing to do the work?

Awesome. Worth the money

Vary nice book-love all the photos.

Great book a private glimpse into Prince’s life ! Great photos

If you're reading this the answer is YES...this is the book you want to own. I knew the photos would be stunning. What I didn't expect was Afshin's poignant, beautifully written memories of Prince. I'll cherish these as much as his photos because together they reveal Prince...the man. And that's a beautiful portrait. In a few photos of Prince and Manuela in unguarded moments, Afshin captures Prince's tenderness. And yet, these shots are never voyeuristic. I get a sense of being invited in, as Prince clearly invited Afshin in. Then there are the iconic shots and private party montages! Could we ask for more? Yes - I still love books and this one is a work of art...the choice and quality of the photos, the layout, and the book jacket with it's lovely sheen and embossed print. And then there's the photo of Prince on the back jacket. There could not have been a more perfect choice...so bittersweet. It gets me every single time I see it...a fond farewell. In the intro Afshin says he wanted to "honor the memory of a man who gave his heart and soul to so many people". He's accomplished that and so much more. Thank you, Afshin.

Another beautiful photo book of Prince to add to my collection. Though it's certainly not a competition and comparison isn't necessary, some people have indicated a preference for this book over Steve Parke's but I prefer Steve's if I had to choose only one - the size (wish it were bigger), quality of Afshin's book and paper itself (thin with subtle ripples on every page even though it was packaged perfectly and was not damaged) and photos aren't as good in my opinion. I also prefer Steve's style of writing and his photos are drop-dead, jaw-dropping gorgeous and reflect not only Prince's outer beauty but his deep inner beauty and spirituality. To give proper credit to Afshin, his stories are also a treasure and Afshin obviously had a close relationship with Prince, loved him and vice versa. I think any serious follower of Prince should have both books as they also cover different time periods (Steve 90's, Afshin 00's). Thanks to both authors for sharing their relationship and photos with us and for helping to keep our beloved Prince alive. It brings me such joy to learn more and see more of the intimate side of Prince, whom I will love and be inspired by forever.

A deliciously intimate glimpse into Prince's life, told through the lens and heart of his trusted friend. The photographer/author enables us to not just wish we were there, but to feel like we WERE there; at the concerts, the parties, the back alleys in foreign countries, and beyond... Learning about the stories behind the pictures is what makes this book so unique. The author also weaves in his own dreams, which adds even more color to the vibrant journey we are privileged to take. Being such a huge fan of Prince, I was pleasantly surprised that it didn't leave me feeling sad, but actually brought some closure and peace to the sudden loss of this icon and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer. There are so many dynamic photos in the 230+ page book, it's difficult to pick a favorite. But, the image of Prince with Tom Petty is definitely worth the modest purchase price of Prince: A Private View. I'm so grateful to have found the perfect gift for anyone who appreciates stellar photography, music and prose!

Afshin Shahidi, fotógrafo americano de origem iraniana, praticamente iniciou sua carreira profissional ao lado do astro pop Prince. Tendo crescido em Minneapolis, mesma cidade onde o artista nasceu, cresceu e faleceu em 2016, ele teve essa relação de trabalho e amizade iniciada com o recluso músico de um "sem número de instrumentos e canções", em 1993. Duas décadas após, Sahidi lança seu olhar atento sobre o período, dando a chance ao leitor de adentrar de maneira elegante e respeitosa, na rotina do genial artista. Com textos breves, mas profundos e singelos, onde fica evidente o carinho e admiração que o autor dispensa ao seu mais célebre modelo, o livro nos dá a oportunidade de ver um lado de Prince que pouquíssimos tiveram a chance de conhecer. Bom humor, inteligência, sagacidade e, muitas vezes, simplicidade. Tudo isso é possível identificar através da bela coleção de fotos e histórias exibidas nas páginas dessa obra que, mesmo póstuma, é cheio de vida!

A must for any Prince fan. Wonderful coverage of Prince's remarkable style.

This book is beautiful. It's now one of my favourite Prince books. The stories are intimate and lovely. It's easy to read but there is a lot of insight into this most amazing man.

A beautiful book. Afshin Shahidi worked with Prince for over two decades, photographing him on and off stage, and this book is a collection of some of his favourite pictures and stories of working with the man. It's a quick read - I finished it over a couple short sessions over two evenings - but if, like me, you're a Prince fan it's an absolute joy. There are lots of pictures here that I've never seen before, and some of my favourites are the more candid ones taken during soundchecks or at parties. The anecdotes are often funny, frequently touching. I finished the book with a happy smile, tinged with sadness that Prince isn't with us anymore. If you've already got the Steve Parke book, this also deserves a place on your bookshelf.

This is a captivating photographic journey through a decade of Princes life. Afshin was P’s authorised photographer (& author of the amazing ‘Prince in Hawaii’ book) Every shot in the book was given the ok by the boss (any he disliked were deleted immediately) & I can only imagine the pride he would feel browsing this thoroughly enchanting tome of magical Purple-ness! 💜 A must 4 every being in any way enthralled with the beautiful, charming & extremely photogenic soul aptly named Prince. (Not a fan of the shiny paper though!) Congrats & many thanx 2 u Afshin 4 having the courage 2 c this through & sharing your private collection with the world, therefore allowing r beautiful Prince 2 live on in glorious photographic colour, a healer u r sir 🙌🏻💜