An inventive, perspective-broadening approach to examining different life philosophies.
A guide to various philosophies—presented musically.
In his offbeat and intriguing book, Cook (The Worldview Literacy Book, 2009) attempts to distill the world’s most prevalent cultural mind-frames into sets of objectively fair lyrics, then set those lyrics to the tunes of well-known rock and folk songs. A detailed opening analysis of human neuroscience and sociology includes a multipart discussion involving everything from Richard Dawkins’ concept of memes to the biochemistry of naturally produced substances such as oxytocin, “the cuddle chemical.” He then undertakes big-picture analysis of the underlying themes in what he sees as the 81 most prominent worldviews employed by humans today. The underlying themes are TFJD—thinking, feeling, joining, doing—which underpin worldviews ranging from monotheism to addiction to libertarianism to “Bitterness & Vengeance.” Cook attempts to generate lyrics describing all these views, and the results are unfailingly earnest. For instance, the lyrics for “Free Will” (sung to “Thick as a Brick” by Jethro Tull”) assure the listener: “I won’t interfere if you want to pray / May even laugh as you children play.” In “Apocalypticism” (sung to “Paint It Black” by the Rolling Stones), “The End Time is right now: / Fate all sealed and signed / I’m no believer, pal, I’ve been left behind.” Other lyrics are less successful. “Valuing Human Rights” (sung to “Glory Days” by Bruce Springsteen) goes: “Human Rights, we need to fight for them / Human rights, if not now, then when?” His attempts to assess the advantages of even the most repellant worldviews—scapegoating, fatalism, religious fundamentalism, etc.—aren’t always convincing, but open-minded readers will find them thought-provoking just the same.
An inventive, perspective-broadening approach to examining different life philosophies.Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-0962734946
Page Count: 124
Publisher: Project Worldview
Review Posted Online: April 27, 2015
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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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