While assembling this issue on The Americans, we found that much of the discourse surrounding the work is essentially personal. Reactions, relationships and interpretations vary widely—perhaps this flexibility is key to understanding the book's continued influence, even 50 years after its first publication. Interested in exploring this further, we asked some prominent photographers and members of the photoworld to share their experiences with Frank and The Americans by responding to a set of questions designed to be answered directly, or simply used as a starting point. What we received was absolutely tremendous, some funny stories, some touching revelations, many including personal photographs. Taken as a whole they are a portrait of The Americans itself, and give shape to the impression it has left in history.

We are honored to present: