With nothing near the sympathetic engagement he finds with Joyce, Burgess comes rather diffidently to this once-over-lightly biography of Hemingway—short text, page-sized pictures, the barest critical attention to the work. But saying that (which might be said of many in this series), it's also true that Burgess' not over-fond tone works nicely: "Superstitious, morbidly touchy, he growled about wringing various bastards' necks, and then he went moodily off to kill elk and moose, black bears and little birds." There's probably nothing here that can't be found in Carlos Baker or A. E. Hotchner or Scott Donaldson, but it's the picking-over that lends spice; Burgess has a taste for the curiously eclectic biographical detail, such as Hemingway's speech defect: "lambdacismus (an inability to pronounce the lateral consonant, so that lilies in his mouth were wiwwies)." On Hemingway's early, mean, and inept parody of Sherwood Anderson, The Torrents of Spring: "The only author Hemingway ever proved capable of parodying was himself." Burgess shows respect for Hemingway's innovative prose procedures and sadness about his increasingly pathological life—all in that graceful Burgess style, not too tricky for once—but finally it's like a little wave too late and from too far away: a gesture, and of no consequence whatsoever.
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 1978
ISBN: 0684185040
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Scribner
Review Posted Online: May 15, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1978
An enjoyable slice of 20th-century music journalism almost certain to provide something for most readers, no matter one’s...
Music journalist and musician Wald (Talking 'Bout Your Mama: The Dozens, Snaps, and the Deep Roots of Rap, 2014, etc.) focuses on one evening in music history to explain the evolution of contemporary music, especially folk, blues, and rock.
The date of that evening is July 25, 1965, at the Newport Folk Festival, where there was an unbelievably unexpected occurrence: singer/songwriter Bob Dylan, already a living legend in his early 20s, overriding the acoustic music that made him famous in favor of electronically based music, causing reactions ranging from adoration to intense resentment among other musicians, DJs, and record buyers. Dylan has told his own stories (those stories vary because that’s Dylan’s character), and plenty of other music journalists have explored the Dylan phenomenon. What sets Wald's book apart is his laser focus on that one date. The detailed recounting of what did and did not occur on stage and in the audience that night contains contradictory evidence sorted skillfully by the author. He offers a wealth of context; in fact, his account of Dylan's stage appearance does not arrive until 250 pages in. The author cites dozens of sources, well-known and otherwise, but the key storylines, other than Dylan, involve acoustic folk music guru Pete Seeger and the rich history of the Newport festival, a history that had created expectations smashed by Dylan. Furthermore, the appearances on the pages by other musicians—e.g., Joan Baez, the Weaver, Peter, Paul, and Mary, Dave Van Ronk, and Gordon Lightfoot—give the book enough of an expansive feel. Wald's personal knowledge seems encyclopedic, and his endnotes show how he ranged far beyond personal knowledge to produce the book.
An enjoyable slice of 20th-century music journalism almost certain to provide something for most readers, no matter one’s personal feelings about Dylan's music or persona.Pub Date: July 25, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-06-236668-9
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Dey Street/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 15, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
This is not the Nutcracker sweet, as passed on by Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa. No, this is the original Hoffmann tale of 1816, in which the froth of Christmas revelry occasionally parts to let the dark underside of childhood fantasies and fears peek through. The boundaries between dream and reality fade, just as Godfather Drosselmeier, the Nutcracker's creator, is seen as alternately sinister and jolly. And Italian artist Roberto Innocenti gives an errily realistic air to Marie's dreams, in richly detailed illustrations touched by a mysterious light. A beautiful version of this classic tale, which will captivate adults and children alike. (Nutcracker; $35.00; Oct. 28, 1996; 136 pp.; 0-15-100227-4)
Pub Date: Oct. 28, 1996
ISBN: 0-15-100227-4
Page Count: 136
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1996
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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