Closing the 2008 Olympics book

By now, I am sure there are enough images produced by the news outlets and personal cameras to fill the Beijing National Stadium to the brim.

Someone should produce a compilation of the theatrics put on by the Beijing government, from the fireworks to the sea of humanity. But please, don’t forget about the images unfolding outside. It should be a book of visual record, from the earth quake earlier this year to the violent backlash against the torch relay, in support of Tibet. It should also have images of the empty protest zones, about the shopping males full of memorabilia, from the moment the first international Olympian touching down at the airport to the final moment before Michael Phelps touched the Omega sensor.

Let’s not forget about the blue sky Beijing had in the closing days, or the images of the drummers, above, having the time of their life.

Society is a messy bunch. There are great times and worse times. Mix them together in a comprehensive volume and shrink-wrap it like a spectacle it was. I will buy it. Promise. Just try keeping the cost around $100 a tome.