The first complete publication of the first and second versions of Lawrence's famous and/or infamous Studies in Classic American Literature. The first proves saner, shrewder and in many ways better, and the reasons relating to the revampking remain a uzzle, with the explanations from editor Armin Arnold only whetting the appetite for more. Arnold indeed has an investigatory book about Lawrence and the American adventure, published in England but unfortunately not yet available here. Lawrence it seems wrote the original essays before his trip to the States; after arrival he rewrote them and not only the style but even the emphases changed: what was once viewed with an almost ustere (for him, anyway) appreciation turned apocalyptically mocking. Those discussed are Franklin, Crevecoeur, Cooper, Poe, Hawthorne, Dana, Melville and Whitman. An enlightening essay, The Two Principles, not part of Studies, is also included. Leavis has controversially called Lawrence "the finest literary critic of our time". Let us say he is the most original; his understanding of America's transcendental element coupled with his stance as prophet of the solar-plexus is as remarkable as it is rare. Doubly remarkable now: against Studies' brilliance we can set the new (or older) collection's balance and beauty. Either way, must reading.
Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: 0900000600
Page Count: 264
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: April 4, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 1964
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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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