The Nader imprimatur is a sure sign of a necessary muckrake, with the accent on public responsibility, and in the aftermath of Watergate, disillusionment with these knaves who have a license to steal—the members of the legal profession—is at an all time high. As co-editor Mark Green, who blew the whistle on The Unseen Power of the Washington Lawyers recently, points out in one of the pieces collected here, the last decade has seen an explosion in the earnings of lawyers, pricing them out of the reach of middle-class as well as poor litigants and reinforcing their venal corporate ties. Only lawyers could document the tales of self-dealing, collusion and misplaced loyalties compiled here—yet apparently few of them have any regard for their Canon of Ethics or a sense of themselves as anything more than guns-for-hire, client instruments. Green et al. attack the ABA in several essays, citing chapter and verse of their shady judgments. There are several strong pieces on access to power through poverty lawyers, the public interest bar and class action suits, a scrutiny of the accountability of both corporate and government attorneys and some finger-pointing at judges of varying degrees of competence and honesty. Reform is the keynote, of course, with a little rhetoric and much solid research. Contributors include Martin Garbus, Rep. John Conyers, Beverly Moore, Fred Harris, Joseph Califano, Ramsey Clark, Victor Rabinowitz, Jack Newfield and John Tunney. A book to make you angry and also reassure you with its advocacy.
Pub Date: Feb. 1, 1975
ISBN: 0690016670
Page Count: 376
Publisher: T.Y. Crowell
Review Posted Online: May 22, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1975
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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