A dense, somewhat unfocused historical tale that boasts compelling characters and a plot that ultimately packs a wallop.
Allen explores an early, largely uncelebrated patriot who helped bring about American independence.
Nearly every American recognizes the names George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, but Allen’s tale dips a bit further back in time to follow the exploits of the overlooked James Otis, Jr. (also known as Jemmy), one of the men who struck the first blows for the independence of the United States—his words kindling a fire that grew into the American Revolution. While the material dealing with the radicalized Jemmy (who forfeits the life of comfort his family had built over generations) is strong and straightforward, the journey to those incidents, which takes up roughly the first third of the book, is often convoluted. Allen is skilled at portraying how Jemmy’s drives stemmed not just from his intelligence and nascent political philosophy but from his feelings of inadequacy—the upper echelons of Boston society perceived his family as country bumpkins. In the sections that speculate as to Jemmy’s motivations (as well as the motivations of others who accompanied him, all fascinating figures in their own rights), the plot comes to life. But earlier passages—many of which deal with the complexities of the 18th-century legal system, the Otis family history and the economic models used by businessmen of the time—feel too loosely bound together. The author jumps somewhat haphazardly from historical tidbit to historical tidbit, and while some add to the vivid portrayal of the world Jemmy and his cohorts would so radically change, many others could easily be edited out. Still, once Jemmy begins his march toward revolution, the material is much stronger and more focused, and the book makes an effective case that he and his fellow patriots should be better remembered by Americans looking to celebrate their country’s infancy.
A dense, somewhat unfocused historical tale that boasts compelling characters and a plot that ultimately packs a wallop.Pub Date: July 10, 2011
ISBN: 978-0983644606
Page Count: 309
Publisher: Griffins Wharf
Review Posted Online: June 9, 2011
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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
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
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