Nader himself headed the task force which produced this report, an alarming document which brands the Volkswagen as "the most hazardous vehicle used in significant numbers in the United States." Based on publicly available reports (Consumer Union; Cornell's Automobile Crash Injury Research Project), records of court cases instigated against VW, and individual case studies from the Auto Safety Center's fries, Small — On Safety charges categorically that the Beetle (Type I) has caused "the deaths and injuries of thousands of people" and that the Type II microbus is even worse — "by a wide margin the most dangerous four-wheel vehicle of any type designed for highway use and sold in significant numbers." Structural criticisms ranging from the Beetle's "erratic dance" (roll-over capability) before the crash to ejection problems during the crash (faulty door latches, etc.) to the "up in flames" potential after the accident (poorly designed fuel system, defective gas filler cap, etc.) are extensively documented; the microbus allegedly has all these defects plus lack of protection in front-end crashes, insufficient passing ability, inadequate uphill performance, frequent horn failure — the model "should be removed from operation entirely." VW is certain to contest the Nader blitzkrieg — in fact the campaign has begun in the company's trade publication Small World — but at the moment the people's car and the occupants in it seem headed for big trouble.
Pub Date: Sept. 11, 1972
ISBN: 0670652490
Page Count: -
Publisher: Grossman
Review Posted Online: May 22, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1972
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
Stricter than, say, Bergen Evans or W3 ("disinterested" means impartial — period), Strunk is in the last analysis...
Privately published by Strunk of Cornell in 1918 and revised by his student E. B. White in 1959, that "little book" is back again with more White updatings.
Stricter than, say, Bergen Evans or W3 ("disinterested" means impartial — period), Strunk is in the last analysis (whoops — "A bankrupt expression") a unique guide (which means "without like or equal").Pub Date: May 15, 1972
ISBN: 0205632645
Page Count: 105
Publisher: Macmillan
Review Posted Online: Oct. 28, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1972
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