This is a challenging book to review – on one hand, I learned a lot about a history that isn’t covered elsewhere; on the other hand, the writing style was hard to swallow. The book has a fascinating premise: How do you find out if a character (from literature, myth or song) actually existed as a person? How do you find the history of a person when they are a member of a group whose history is unwritten? Dr. Nelson set out to discover if the “John Henry” made popular in song was a real person. He chronicles his efforts to find evidence, showing the path to information (librarians love that) and ends up making a convincing case for the man he believes to be the “real” John Henry. The problem with the book is who it is directed to. Designed by National Geographic for schools, the “voice” of the book is fairly didactic … a learned college professor trying to speak plainly for a lower audience. IMHO, this does not work. The vocabulary is still high and the narration becomes rambling and convoluted, not to mention opinionated. Laden words flow through what should be informational text. Dr. Nelson interjects his frustration with the Library of Virginia several times (justifiable, but once was enough) and makes statements about the history of the phrase “Rock and Roll” without any outside documentation. The premise kept me turning the pages, the writing did not. So, is this a worthwhile book? I would say yes. It’s not going to be one of those nonfiction books which I recommend as a reading choice, but the information is none-the-less valuable. The images are well-done and reminded me of a museum exhibit. If the book is taken in that context, it works. So, take the time to “walk through” this unique view of a man who, I am now sure, was not only real, but more influential than he ever could have imagined.
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
“Ain’t Nothing But a Man: My Quest to Find the Real John Henry” by Scott Reynolds Nelson with Marc Aronson
This is a challenging book to review – on one hand, I learned a lot about a history that isn’t covered elsewhere; on the other hand, the writing style was hard to swallow. The book has a fascinating premise: How do you find out if a character (from literature, myth or song) actually existed as a person? How do you find the history of a person when they are a member of a group whose history is unwritten? Dr. Nelson set out to discover if the “John Henry” made popular in song was a real person. He chronicles his efforts to find evidence, showing the path to information (librarians love that) and ends up making a convincing case for the man he believes to be the “real” John Henry. The problem with the book is who it is directed to. Designed by National Geographic for schools, the “voice” of the book is fairly didactic … a learned college professor trying to speak plainly for a lower audience. IMHO, this does not work. The vocabulary is still high and the narration becomes rambling and convoluted, not to mention opinionated. Laden words flow through what should be informational text. Dr. Nelson interjects his frustration with the Library of Virginia several times (justifiable, but once was enough) and makes statements about the history of the phrase “Rock and Roll” without any outside documentation. The premise kept me turning the pages, the writing did not. So, is this a worthwhile book? I would say yes. It’s not going to be one of those nonfiction books which I recommend as a reading choice, but the information is none-the-less valuable. The images are well-done and reminded me of a museum exhibit. If the book is taken in that context, it works. So, take the time to “walk through” this unique view of a man who, I am now sure, was not only real, but more influential than he ever could have imagined.
Thursday, December 03, 2009
“Christo and Jeanne-Claude: Through the Gates and Beyond” by Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan
Nonfiction expert Jan Greenberg does an excellent job covering “The Gates”, an art installation by Christo & Jeanne-Claude in Central Park during the fall of 2005. The images are almost as stunning as the gates themselves (I had the privilege of seeing them in person) and the text is engaging and highly readable. Without doing a full biography on the two artists, Ms. Greenberg covers their origins, motivations and previous works enough to put the massive Central Park project in context. One comes away not only with a deeper appreciation for what this couple has accomplished but with a real sense of excitement as to what may come next. Much of the artwork of Christo and Jeanne-Claude defies verbal explanation, so I will not continue to expound on it here – but do take the time to savor this book.
“A Book” by Mordicai Gerstein
This fun new picture book by Mr. Gerstein is very tongue-in-cheek. There is a family who … live inside a book! When the little girl asks her parents what their story is, each responds with amusing self-centeredness that the story is about their own interests and professions. The girl isn’t convinced, and goes on a journey exploring a variety of book genres to discover her own story. With a great ending and subtle elements that will make you smile (the artwork is created as if you are looking down … into a book!) this book can be appreciated by both adults and children. This one is charming, delightful and clever and should be a big hit in the holiday season.
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