A Creature Obeys a Creature That Wants

2023
Softcover book with Swiss binding and two part rigid cloth slipcase
7 1/4" x 10 1/4"
128 pages
Edition of 400
Published by Mesæstándar, Medellín, Colombia

"In A Creature Obeys A Creature That Wants, photographer Tom Griggs shows he is as deft with a pen as he is with his camera. Devastating writing accompanies masterful photography to do the impossible: Condense a sprawling family saga into this slim volume." - Nicholas Casey, staff writer at The New York Times

"Any vernacular photo enthusiast will tell you that little skill is required to snap a great picture. But taking a series of such photos and sequencing them in a meaningful way requires a mastery far beyond an MFA. Adding text to this mix makes this task virtually impossible. It’s like adding weights to a house of cards. Tom Griggs is one of the few authors to achieve this balancing act. With A Creature Obeys a Creature That Wants, Griggs weaves his own text and photographs with his father's notes and snapshots. Authored with restraint and sophistication, the result is more like a powerful novella than a family album." - Alec Soth