The self-styled radical educator (``I Won't Learn from You,'' 1994, etc.) collects meandering, utterly predictable essays on the importance of narrative in the education of children. The title essay is hardly the incendiary piece it purports to be. Rather, Kohl rehearses the standard worries about kiddie culture: It's too violent, racist, sexist, homophobic, etc. The Babar books in particular suffer from their Eurocentric power relations and their celebration of assimilation; Kohl's analysis, by way of Frantz Fanon, links Babar to the triumph of colonialism. Among the other diversions popular with children that come under attack along the way is the Barbie doll, derided as ``part of the complex that can lead to bulimia and anorexia.'' But Kohl lacks the courage of his convictions and soft-pedals his radicalism with caveats, usually in someone else's voice (``Sometimes an elephant in a green suit is just an elephant in a green suit''). After an essay in which he rewrites the standard textbook version of Rosa Parks's story, which focuses on the courageous individual, so that it reflects instead ``community-based social struggle,'' Kohl reveals his true agenda in ``A Plea for Radical Children's Literature,'' which includes a series of prescriptions reminiscent of old social-realist proletarianism and Soviet-style utopianism. He suggests what this sort of literature would look like by drawing attention to some neglected books by Geoffrey Trease, Virginia Hamilton, and Vera Williamsall of which allegedly embody ``working-class pride'' and ``democratic socialist ideals.'' Two essays on American progressive educators turn attention to forgotten figures on the Left, from New York educator Angelo Patri to radical textbook author Harold Rugg, the bane of fundamentalists and capitalists. Kohl's emphasis on the ``nurturing tradition'' reflects his love of the empty bromide and his annoying rectitude. The essence of PC educational ideals.
Pub Date: July 15, 1995
ISBN: 1-56584-258-8
Page Count: 192
Publisher: The New Press
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 1995
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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