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infogdss29's reviews
3012 reviews
Hippie by Barry Miles
3.0
Is this a history of the 1960's, a musical biography, or both? Can you really talk about one without the other? Apparently not. Hippie is a broad biography of an era that examines the clothes, the art, the politics, the bands, and the generation that tuned in, dropped out and changed the world in 1965-1971. Covering not just entertainment, Hippie is also a history of issues: womens rights, civil rights, gay rights, and the right to gather peaceably.
Interviews with Ken Kesey, Abbie Hoffman and Bob Dylan paired with photos of ephemera yield primary source material about the counterculture of the times. The number one fact that sticks with me after reading it is that Dylan turned the Beatles onto hard drugs.
Although Woodstock is prominently featured, the book has a California-centric focus. It's not big enough or colorful enough to be called a coffee-table book, about half of the 600 illustrations are in black and white. More for browsing, there are no page numbers, making this a difficult title for reports, although one could read the volume straight through or skim. Might make a nice gift for someone who lived through it but doesn't remember it.
Interviews with Ken Kesey, Abbie Hoffman and Bob Dylan paired with photos of ephemera yield primary source material about the counterculture of the times. The number one fact that sticks with me after reading it is that Dylan turned the Beatles onto hard drugs.
Although Woodstock is prominently featured, the book has a California-centric focus. It's not big enough or colorful enough to be called a coffee-table book, about half of the 600 illustrations are in black and white. More for browsing, there are no page numbers, making this a difficult title for reports, although one could read the volume straight through or skim. Might make a nice gift for someone who lived through it but doesn't remember it.
Cinderellis and the Glass Hill by Gail Carson Levine
4.0
Part of Gail Carson Levine's new "Princess Tales" series, this title in the series is just as much about the prince. Cinderellis, boy inventor, is lonely because his brothers have bonded and exclude and discredit him at every turn, while Princess Marigold confides to her cat how lonely she is, because her father is always off on quests. Their stories are told in alternating chapters as the years pass. On the year the king is determined to quest for a son-in-law, he is cursed by an imp and the suitors must come to the palace. Cinderellis, who has captured 3 magnificent horses that conveniently come with a suit of armor, enters the contest to climb a glass hill to get to get the Princess.
The story is charming, and Levine's unique blend of humor (in one scene, the king quests for a goose that lays golden eggs, but returns with a turkey that lays tin ones) and practicality (Cinderellis' horse treats contain horse chestnuts, among other things) make a powerful invention.
The volume is attractively packaged in a slim petite butter yellow library bound book, with delicate scrollwork decorating the cover. The cover picture looks too "Disney" for my taste, and the prince inside is a Leonardo DiCaprio look alike.
Readers familiar with fairy tales will get the most out of Levine's twisting of common fairy tale elements. Although not as stellar as her awarding-winning Ella Enchanted, this is a fun book that will find an audience in fans of fractured fairy tales.
The story is charming, and Levine's unique blend of humor (in one scene, the king quests for a goose that lays golden eggs, but returns with a turkey that lays tin ones) and practicality (Cinderellis' horse treats contain horse chestnuts, among other things) make a powerful invention.
The volume is attractively packaged in a slim petite butter yellow library bound book, with delicate scrollwork decorating the cover. The cover picture looks too "Disney" for my taste, and the prince inside is a Leonardo DiCaprio look alike.
Readers familiar with fairy tales will get the most out of Levine's twisting of common fairy tale elements. Although not as stellar as her awarding-winning Ella Enchanted, this is a fun book that will find an audience in fans of fractured fairy tales.
Speaking of Journals by Paula W. Graham
2.0
The concept-and content - of this book is superb! Interviews with children's authors about their personal writing and how it relates to their lives and life's work. Unfortunately, bad editing and art design turns this excellent book into a poor one.
Each interview is preceded by a biographical sketch written by Graham. Nearly half of the information is gleaned directly from the following interview, so each entry becomes redundant. The interviews themselves are summarized in a static first person point of view format, instead of simply transcribed into a more dynamic question-and-answer format. This is a shame, because it is evident from the answers/summaries that Graham asked interesting questions about choice of tools, styles and habits of journal-keeping, how often to write (and re-read!) and tips for beginning diarists.
Graham captured excellent inspiring quotes from the authors that would have made lovely chapter headers and looked classy next to the author's photos. Instead, shorter, less interesting quotes are paired with the pictures. The photos themselves are inconsistent - ranging from toddler to adult portraits, head shots to full body shots.
The cover of the book is unappealing brown, meant to resemble a leather-bound journal perhaps? No less than five different fonts compose the title, author, and teaser list of included authors.
The original journal entries and sketches by such greats as Jacqueline Woodson, Jean Craighead George, Richard Ammon, Jack Gantos, and more are the single redeeming quality. Children who are interesting in emulating their favorite authors would do better to turn to a singular, rather than collective, biography.
Each interview is preceded by a biographical sketch written by Graham. Nearly half of the information is gleaned directly from the following interview, so each entry becomes redundant. The interviews themselves are summarized in a static first person point of view format, instead of simply transcribed into a more dynamic question-and-answer format. This is a shame, because it is evident from the answers/summaries that Graham asked interesting questions about choice of tools, styles and habits of journal-keeping, how often to write (and re-read!) and tips for beginning diarists.
Graham captured excellent inspiring quotes from the authors that would have made lovely chapter headers and looked classy next to the author's photos. Instead, shorter, less interesting quotes are paired with the pictures. The photos themselves are inconsistent - ranging from toddler to adult portraits, head shots to full body shots.
The cover of the book is unappealing brown, meant to resemble a leather-bound journal perhaps? No less than five different fonts compose the title, author, and teaser list of included authors.
The original journal entries and sketches by such greats as Jacqueline Woodson, Jean Craighead George, Richard Ammon, Jack Gantos, and more are the single redeeming quality. Children who are interesting in emulating their favorite authors would do better to turn to a singular, rather than collective, biography.
The Magician King by Lev Grossman
4.0
This was as good as the first book - just enough explanation to fill the gap, and the balance of Quentin's continuing adventures with What Happened to Julia was deft. Really enjoyed all the allusions, and the satisfying conclusion.