A simplified account for reluctant readers; richer pickings exist.
An overview of ancient Greek gods, heroes, monsters, and storytellers.
Distilling a set of alphabetically arranged rosters sprinkled with paraphrased exploits into an accessible overview, Nardo offers a general picture of the classical era’s teeming mythical storyscape—Heracles’ labors are cut to two, for example; Charybdis earns a nod but not Scylla; and though Odysseus’ faithful old dog, Argus, gets a full entry, his wife, Penelope, rates nary a mention. The author’s observations about how these myths have enduring value as “universal comments on the human condition” are well taken (though calling them “somewhat equivalent to the tales in the biblical Old Testament” may ruffle a few feathers). So is a rare chapter on specific ancient literary sources from Homer (treated as a single historical author) and Hesiod to Pseudo-Apollodorus. Aside from a reference to the “strange coupling” of a bull with King Minos’ wife, Pasiphae, that resulted in the Minotaur, the originals’ abundant sexual and romantic exploits are largely left between the lines. Considering the preponderance of strong female figures that, unlike Penelope and Ariadne, do make the cut, a claim that most of the women in this mythological tradition were presented as “subservient and largely powerless” may confuse readers. Text boxes scattered throughout introduce the Greek roots of a number of English words.
A simplified account for reluctant readers; richer pickings exist. (map, image credits, source notes, Greek and Roman mythology guide, further research, index) (Nonfiction. 12-16)Pub Date: March 1, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-67820-238-5
Page Count: 64
Publisher: ReferencePoint Press
Review Posted Online: Dec. 14, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Catnip for scandal junkies, with a bit of historical perspective stirred in.
A gleefully explicit catalogue of the past century’s headline-grabbing bad behavior.
Aimed at readers who don’t need to be told who Brangelina is but may be hazy on “twisted besties” Leopold and Loeb or even Monica Lewinsky, this edutaining survey presents a wide-angle array of murders, sexual follies, controversial trials, race violence, political corruption and general envelope-pushing from the 1906 killing of Stanford White on. Each of the chronologically arranged entries opens with a capsule “Scoop” followed by a slightly fuller account under a “What Went Down” header. Along with a small black-and-white photo and one or two sidebar quotes, the author tacks on subsequent developments, sometimes-perceptive suggestions about “Why We Still Care” and a short roster of similar incidents in recent history. Though she misspells “Symbionese” and repeatedly awards FDR only three Presidential wins, in general Fryd presents reasonably accurate summaries of events and issues while giving all sides of the more muddled conflicts at least a nod. Additional cred is provided by a teen panel of editorial advisors.
Catnip for scandal junkies, with a bit of historical perspective stirred in. (index) (Nonfiction. 12-16)Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-9827322-0-5
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Zest/Orange Avenue
Review Posted Online: Jan. 8, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2012
BOOK REVIEW
Fans of all things martial will echo his “HOOYAH!”—but the troubled aftermath comes in for some attention too.
Abridged but not toned down, this young-readers version of an ex-SEAL sniper’s account (SEAL Team Six, 2011) of his training and combat experiences in Operation Desert Storm and the first Battle of Mogadishu makes colorful, often compelling reading.
“My experiences weren’t always enjoyable,” Wasdin writes, “but they were always adrenaline-filled!” Not to mention testosterone-fueled. He goes on to ascribe much of his innate toughness to being regularly beaten by his stepfather as a child and punctuates his passage through the notoriously hellacious SEAL training with frequent references to other trainees who fail or drop out. He tears into the Clinton administration (whose “support for our troops had sagged like a sack of turds”), indecisive commanders and corrupt Italian “allies” for making such a hash of the entire Somalian mission. In later chapters he retraces his long, difficult physical and emotional recovery from serious wounds received during the “Black Hawk Down” operation, his increasing focus on faith and family after divorce and remarriage and his second career as a chiropractor.
Fans of all things martial will echo his “HOOYAH!”—but the troubled aftermath comes in for some attention too. (acronym/ordinance glossary, adult level reading list) (Memoir. 12-14)Pub Date: May 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-250-01643-0
Page Count: 192
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Review Posted Online: March 13, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2012
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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