Rosanne Olson

A haunting image in This is Who I Am: Our Beauty in All Our Shapes and Sizes (Artisan, $25.95) shows a gorgeous, doe-eyed woman named Emily posing nude without an ounce of fat on her toned, 22-year-old thighs. In the accompanying text, Emily reveals she has cystic fibrosis, which kills most people in their 30s. Sure, we in media glorify taut young bodies, but Emily and Olson’s 53 other subjects here offer a different kind of beauty. For five years, the Seattle photographer interviewed women about body image and the multitude of experiences that shaped both their confidence and insecurities. This poignant photo-essay collection captures women coming to terms with sexual abuse, battling illness, and experiencing the joys of pregnancy. Though her inquisitive but sensitive lens, Olson asserts that true beauty lies in vitality, not just looks. ERIKA HOBART
Thu., Oct. 2, 7:30 p.m., 2008