In August 2008 Monte Packham began taking notes of events unfolding around him during a typical working day as an editor at Steidl Publishers. Until January 2009 he made such daily jottings, candid observations of the organised chaos that is book-making at Steidl. These notes form the basis of "Concentric Circles", the first book to depict the eclectic personalities and experiences that shape Steidl.
Here the reader discovers the secret processes and comic facets of life at the publishing house: Günter Grass tapping tobacco into his pipe while refining the typography of his latest book, Gerhard Steidl at a Chanel fashion show or unsuccessfully trying to repair his fax machine, Paul Graham pondering binding materials, the sudden halt of the printing press…
The book is enriched by interviews with and original texts by some of Steidl’s most important collaborators including Robert Frank, Karl Lagerfeld, Lewis Baltz, Jim Dine, Roni Horn, Tacita Dean, David Bailey and William Eggleston. "Concentric Circles" is both an unconventional portrait of Steidl Publishers and a compelling insight into the craft of book-making today.