Anyone who has met the startlingly intense green-eyed gaze of adolescent Afghan refugee Sharbat Gula on the famous June 1985 cover of National Geographic knows the skill and empathy of photojournalist Steve McCurry.
As demonstrated in that unforgettable portrait—which is easily one of the 20th century's most arresting images—McCurry has a knack, writes travel essayist Pico Iyer in the foreword to a new collection of the award-winning photographer's work, for "finding the human behind the headlines and so restoring the humanity of us all."
In Search of Elsewhere (Laurence King; $70) gathers 100 previously unreleased images from McCurry's career, which stretches across 40 years and the entirety of the globe—from Italy to Antarctica, Cuba to Kashmir, and everywhere in between.
Capturing lively street scenes, grand landscapes, timeless ceremonies, and, above all else, a kind of quiet majesty in the everyday, McCurry's work inspires the viewer not only to seek far-flung places but also to appreciate the spark of individuality in each person met along the way.
Some of our favorite images from the book appear below.
In Search of Elsewhere: Unseen Images by Steve McCurry is available now from Laurence King Publishing.
Amid colorful doorways in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata, a Hindu priest prepares for evening puja, a worship ritual meant to ready the faithful for God's benevolence.
McCurry struck up a conversation with this woman on the streets of the Cuban capital. She told him about her time living in New York City in the 1950s; his camera caught her never-say-die commitment to bold style choices.
Myanmar's largest city, also known as Rangoon, is celebrated for its colonial architecture and Buddhist pagodas, but McCurry was drawn to the vibrant street life. This barbershop, set in a single cabinet elevated above the sidewalk, looks like a stage set in a living diorama.
Boys play on the beach in Belo sur Mer, a small coastal village in southern Madagascar. Many of the region's inhabitants are Vezo people, part of a semi-nomadic culture centered on sea fishing.
Opened in 1920, the Vesuvio Bakery in New York City's SoHo neighborhood called it quits 89 years later. But in March 2020, a revamped Vesuvio returned behind the iconic facade to resume churning out Italian breads, pastries, and atmosphere.
In Search of Elsewhere: Unseen Images by Steve McCurry is available now from Laurence King Publishing.