Welcome back English, Communication & Literature faculty!
It's a new fiscal year, which means we have money budgeted to spend on library materials that support your classes. I'll be posting reviews of books and other media on this blog throughout the upcoming academic year. Please let us know if there's anything you think we should add to the library or instructional media collections.
Since the first of the year, we've added 197 items to the Language and Literature section of our collection (the Ps), along with another 41 titles in our new ESL section. If you're interested I can email you a list of the all the new language & literature titles. The ESL titles are available via our web site in a brand new live list. Details follow:
This semester we've started using a new feature of our online catalog called "Featured Lists." We've been able to pull a group of catalog records into a live list that connects directly to the individual cataloging records. You can check out our first six featured lists on the Alpine Campus Library page of the CMC Virtual Library. The Make a Purchase Suggestion link is located directly above the featured lists.
All of the new ESL titles are in the ESL-English as a Second Language featured list and are sorted by title.
The Eco Focused Resources are titles we selected this year to support the greening of our curriculum. This list is sorted first by item type (books before DVDs) and then by Library of Congress call number so similar subject areas are listed together.
Finally, please notice the New Instructional Media featured list. These items were purchased to support your classroom instruction. They are sorted by locally assigned call number and general subject area.
Kristin Weber
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Monday, February 11, 2008
Titles & Links February 2008
Book Reviews
Che in Verse ed. by Gavin O'Toole and Georgina Jimenez "For the 40th anniversary of Che's execution, journalist and author O'Toole and writer Jimenez have compiled a tribute of poems, many published for the first time in this anthology, while others are the work of well-known poets like Pablo Neruda, Allen Ginsberg, Julio Cortázar, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Derek Walcott, and Thomas Merton." Library Journal 2/15/08
Donoghue, Denis. On Eloquence "While there are a number of works that analyze the role of eloquence in politics and oratory, this book examines eloquence solely in a literary context. An enlightening read; recommended for academic libraries." Library Journal 2/1/08
Frost, Robert. The Collected Prose of Robert Frost "This title contains every work of prose that Frost 'prepared for print,' including a wide range of materials, for example, prefaces, speeches, talks, newspaper columns and stories (including his high school newspaper), and essays. " Library Journal 2/1/08
George Oppen: Selected Prose, Daybooks, and Papers ed. by Stephen Cope. "This trim, meticulously edited collection of objectivist American poet George Oppen's (1908–84) unpublished prose writings offers an unusually candid and sometimes challenging picture of the Pulitzer Prize winner's brilliant, questing, often guilt-ridden mind. " Library Journal 2/15/08
Hanson, Jarice. 24/7: how cell phones and the Internet change the way we live, work, and play. "Hanson provides a concise, readable overview of the impact of cell phones and the Internet on every aspect of our lives, from individual habits and relationships to national and international social and cultural norms. " Choice Jan 2008
Lunsford, Andrea A. Writing matters: rhetoric in public and private lives. "Literacy is at the heart of teaching writing, discussing language and culture, creating student agency in the classroom, and implementing teacher training in English departments. This book provides fodder for rethinking aspects of the profession and challenging some existing practices." Choice March 2008
Mavor, Carol. Reading Boyishly: Roland Barthes, J.M. Barrie, Jacques Henri Lartigue, Marcel Proust, and D.W. Winnicott. "Mavor writes that as we grow up, our memories of childhood become hopelessly fuzzy and fragmented, and this is why these mostly early 20th-century artists' works, with their ability to recapture an irretrievable past, so fascinate her. Her book is essentially a passionate study of nostalgic representations of the maternal in the artistic creations of five distinguished and famous—albeit boyish—men." Library Journal 2/15/08
Che in Verse ed. by Gavin O'Toole and Georgina Jimenez "For the 40th anniversary of Che's execution, journalist and author O'Toole and writer Jimenez have compiled a tribute of poems, many published for the first time in this anthology, while others are the work of well-known poets like Pablo Neruda, Allen Ginsberg, Julio Cortázar, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Derek Walcott, and Thomas Merton." Library Journal 2/15/08
Donoghue, Denis. On Eloquence "While there are a number of works that analyze the role of eloquence in politics and oratory, this book examines eloquence solely in a literary context. An enlightening read; recommended for academic libraries." Library Journal 2/1/08
Frost, Robert. The Collected Prose of Robert Frost "This title contains every work of prose that Frost 'prepared for print,' including a wide range of materials, for example, prefaces, speeches, talks, newspaper columns and stories (including his high school newspaper), and essays. " Library Journal 2/1/08
George Oppen: Selected Prose, Daybooks, and Papers ed. by Stephen Cope. "This trim, meticulously edited collection of objectivist American poet George Oppen's (1908–84) unpublished prose writings offers an unusually candid and sometimes challenging picture of the Pulitzer Prize winner's brilliant, questing, often guilt-ridden mind. " Library Journal 2/15/08
Hanson, Jarice. 24/7: how cell phones and the Internet change the way we live, work, and play. "Hanson provides a concise, readable overview of the impact of cell phones and the Internet on every aspect of our lives, from individual habits and relationships to national and international social and cultural norms. " Choice Jan 2008
Lunsford, Andrea A. Writing matters: rhetoric in public and private lives. "Literacy is at the heart of teaching writing, discussing language and culture, creating student agency in the classroom, and implementing teacher training in English departments. This book provides fodder for rethinking aspects of the profession and challenging some existing practices." Choice March 2008
Mavor, Carol. Reading Boyishly: Roland Barthes, J.M. Barrie, Jacques Henri Lartigue, Marcel Proust, and D.W. Winnicott. "Mavor writes that as we grow up, our memories of childhood become hopelessly fuzzy and fragmented, and this is why these mostly early 20th-century artists' works, with their ability to recapture an irretrievable past, so fascinate her. Her book is essentially a passionate study of nostalgic representations of the maternal in the artistic creations of five distinguished and famous—albeit boyish—men." Library Journal 2/15/08
Please let us know what we should purchase!
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Spring Semester 2008 - New Book Titles!
Welcome Back!! Here are some English, Communication and Literature book titles for your consideration. Please let us know if you think we should purchase any of these books!!
Kristin Weber or David Willis
American Speeches: Political Oratory from Abraham Lincoln to Bill Clinton, and, Political Oratory from the Revolution to the Civil War. Library of America, 2007 (c2006). 2 volumes "These speeches are indispensable reference points from America's oratorical heritage. " Choice Aug 2007
Black Goat imprint of Akashic Books "Under Akashic, Black Goat will release three poetry collections beginning in September: Gomer's Song by prolific black poet Kwame Dawes; eel on reef by Nigerian writer Uche Nduka; and Auto Mechanic's Daughter, a debut by poet Karen Harryman. In 2008 Black Goat plans to release at least four titles and hopes to eventually to publish six books a year." Publisher's Weekly 9/10/07
Haynes, Judie. Getting Started with English Language Learners: How Educators Can Meet the Challenge. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2007. "Haynes's book is based on her 26 years of experience in English language education, and her target audience is educators, especially classroom teachers. The volume is filled with practical suggestions and classroom examples that are well supported by research." Choice Sept 2007
Kumar, Martha Joynt Managing the President's Message: The White House Communications Operation "Having been a regular in the White House Press Room since the early years of the Clinton administration, Kumar can offer an insider's view... Political science and journalism scholars will appreciate the rich detail and scholarship here." -- Library Journal 10/15/07
Ostler, Nicholas Ad Infinitum: A Biography of Latin "In this delightfully rich book, Ostler, an Oxford-educated classicist with a Ph.D. in linguistics from MIT, thoroughly tackles the deep and complex history of the Latin language. Library Journal 12/1/07
Plant, Deborah G. Zora Neale Hurston: A Biography of the Spirit "An inspiring read recommended for all libraries" Library Journal 12/1/07
Rogak, Lisa. A Boy Named Shel: The Life and Times of Shel Silverstein "An authoritative and accessible biography, absorbing from cover to cover..." Library Journal 1/15/07
Shell, G. Richard & Mario Moussa The Art of Woo: Using Strategic Persuasion to Sell Your Ideas "Students of rhetoric, language arts, and marketing would all benefit from this book..." Library Journal 1/15/07
Kristin Weber or David Willis
American Speeches: Political Oratory from Abraham Lincoln to Bill Clinton, and, Political Oratory from the Revolution to the Civil War. Library of America, 2007 (c2006). 2 volumes "These speeches are indispensable reference points from America's oratorical heritage. " Choice Aug 2007
Black Goat imprint of Akashic Books "Under Akashic, Black Goat will release three poetry collections beginning in September: Gomer's Song by prolific black poet Kwame Dawes; eel on reef by Nigerian writer Uche Nduka; and Auto Mechanic's Daughter, a debut by poet Karen Harryman. In 2008 Black Goat plans to release at least four titles and hopes to eventually to publish six books a year." Publisher's Weekly 9/10/07
Haynes, Judie. Getting Started with English Language Learners: How Educators Can Meet the Challenge. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2007. "Haynes's book is based on her 26 years of experience in English language education, and her target audience is educators, especially classroom teachers. The volume is filled with practical suggestions and classroom examples that are well supported by research." Choice Sept 2007
Kumar, Martha Joynt Managing the President's Message: The White House Communications Operation "Having been a regular in the White House Press Room since the early years of the Clinton administration, Kumar can offer an insider's view... Political science and journalism scholars will appreciate the rich detail and scholarship here." -- Library Journal 10/15/07
Ostler, Nicholas Ad Infinitum: A Biography of Latin "In this delightfully rich book, Ostler, an Oxford-educated classicist with a Ph.D. in linguistics from MIT, thoroughly tackles the deep and complex history of the Latin language. Library Journal 12/1/07
Plant, Deborah G. Zora Neale Hurston: A Biography of the Spirit "An inspiring read recommended for all libraries" Library Journal 12/1/07
Rogak, Lisa. A Boy Named Shel: The Life and Times of Shel Silverstein "An authoritative and accessible biography, absorbing from cover to cover..." Library Journal 1/15/07
Shell, G. Richard & Mario Moussa The Art of Woo: Using Strategic Persuasion to Sell Your Ideas "Students of rhetoric, language arts, and marketing would all benefit from this book..." Library Journal 1/15/07
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
English, Communication & Literature Videos
Howdy, E, C & L Faculty! It's finals week and I'm sure you're very busy, but here are some video titles that you might want to consider for the Alpine Campus instructional media collection. If you'd like to suggest that any of these videos be added to the instructional media collection, please contact Sandy Kent, Kristin Weber or David Willis.
Bill Moyers Journal: Jon Stewart on Humor and an Informed Public In this program, veteran journalist Bill Moyers interviews Stewart, the long-standing anchor of the award-winning Daily Show with Jon Stewart, about why so many viewers get their news and analysis from his fake news show. Check out the preview clip!
The Communication Series This series outlines effective speaking, writing, and listening skills in a business environment. A Cambridge Educational Production. Preview clip available.
Do You Speak American? This PBS series shows how the standard for American English--if one exists--is changing quickly and dramatically.
Information Literacy: The Perils of Online Research With a focus on the Internet, this video explains how to conduct solid online research by collecting information in an organized, efficient, and ethical way. Check out the preview clip!
It’s Not What You Say: Mastering the Art of Communication This four-part series—three videos and the landmark book they’re based on—reveals Bill Cakmis' approach to improving communication skills and learning how to set goals.
Sexual and Racial Stereotypes in the Media This two-part series scrutinizes the media in order to both expose and understand common sources of bias and the intentions behind them. Preview clip available.
Shakespeare's Globe An intimate look inside a living time capsule, this program explores the planning and reconstruction of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, presenting a day in the working life of the unique artistic institution.
Understanding Media Literacy This program promts students to question the messages they ar bombarded with daily.
World of Ideas: Doris Lessing In this program, Ms. Lessing talks with Bill Moyers about her life and work, including her new novel, The Sweetest Dream.
Bill Moyers Journal: Jon Stewart on Humor and an Informed Public In this program, veteran journalist Bill Moyers interviews Stewart, the long-standing anchor of the award-winning Daily Show with Jon Stewart, about why so many viewers get their news and analysis from his fake news show. Check out the preview clip!
The Communication Series This series outlines effective speaking, writing, and listening skills in a business environment. A Cambridge Educational Production. Preview clip available.
Do You Speak American? This PBS series shows how the standard for American English--if one exists--is changing quickly and dramatically.
Information Literacy: The Perils of Online Research With a focus on the Internet, this video explains how to conduct solid online research by collecting information in an organized, efficient, and ethical way. Check out the preview clip!
It’s Not What You Say: Mastering the Art of Communication This four-part series—three videos and the landmark book they’re based on—reveals Bill Cakmis' approach to improving communication skills and learning how to set goals.
Sexual and Racial Stereotypes in the Media This two-part series scrutinizes the media in order to both expose and understand common sources of bias and the intentions behind them. Preview clip available.
Shakespeare's Globe An intimate look inside a living time capsule, this program explores the planning and reconstruction of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, presenting a day in the working life of the unique artistic institution.
Understanding Media Literacy This program promts students to question the messages they ar bombarded with daily.
World of Ideas: Doris Lessing In this program, Ms. Lessing talks with Bill Moyers about her life and work, including her new novel, The Sweetest Dream.
Monday, October 22, 2007
New English, Communication & Literature Titles
More recently reviewed English, Communication & Literature titles:
Almond, Steve. (Not That You Asked): Rants, Exploits, and Obsessions "Almond is leading a life as interesting and entertaining to read about as are the lives of fellow pop-lit contemporaries Dave Eggers and David Sedaris. Highly recommended for public and academic libraries." Library Journal 10/1/07
Crystal, David. The Fight for English: How Language Pundits Ate, Shot, and Left. "This engaging book encourages one to make appropriateness rather than correctness the cornerstone of usage--and along the way offers fascinating bits of linguistic history. " Choice Oct 2007Gillett, Amy Speak Business English Like an American: Learn the Idioms & Expressions You Need to Succeed On The Job! "Enhanced with the addition of an audio CD, Speak Business Like An American is the ultimate instructive guide to the hundreds of expressions and idioms heard at the workplace daily." Midwestern Book Review March 2006
Golley, Nawar Al-Hassan. Arab Women's Lives Retold: Exploring Identity Through Writing Examining late twentieth-century autobiographical writing by Arab women novelists, poets, and artists, this anthology explores the ways in which Arab women have portrayed and created their identities within differing social environments.
Hamilton, Nigel. Biography: a Brief History "Supported and explicated by lively studies like this one, biography may finally get the respect it deserves. Essential." Choice Oct 2007
McCall, Jeffrey. Viewer Discretion Advised: Taking Control of Mass Media Influences. "Eschewing media literacy that focuses on one week without television or take-control-of-the-remote-control campaigns, McCall offers analysis of media elements from the First Amendment to the advent of video news releases." Booklist "Highly Recommended" Choice Oct 2007
Orem, Richard. Teaching Adult English Language Learners (The Professional Practices in Adult Education and Lifelong Learning Series) This resource brings together information about policy, second language acquisition theory and research, methods and materials for teaching adult English language learners, program design, and cross-cultural issues that effect learning in adult ESL classrooms.
Shaw, Robert B. Blank Verse: A Guide to Its History and Use "This conversational, engaging study offers a much-needed reconsideration of blank verse and the poets who explore its intricacies. Essential." Choice Nov 2007
Kristin Weber
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
English, Communication & Literature Titles: October 2007
Howdy, English, Communication & Literature Professors! Here are some recent releases that received favorable reviews:
Baxter, Charles. The Art of Subtext: Beyond Plot "The beauty of Baxter's inaugural entry in Graywolf's new "Art of" series, which draws on examples in literature to instruct on the writing craft, is that it doesn't assume to try and capture the whole of subtext. What book could? Instead, it focuses on very specific qualities composing it: the art of staging in a story, the importance of inflection in dialog, the ambiguity of motivation." Library Journal 9/1/07
Bayard, Pierre. How to Talk About Books You Haven't Read "...In a grand Swiftian style, the author offers a staunch, psuedodefense of the art of what he calls "non-reading," in which one must claim as all but divine the right to hold forth about books that one has skimmed, forgotten, or failed to read at all." Booklist 9/15/07
Capote, Truman. Portraits and Observations: The Essays of Truman Capote "...It is easy to believe, with this book in hand, that Capote's true metier was the essay." Booklist 9/15/07
Martin, Philip. The New Writer's Handbook 2007: A Practical Anthology Of Best Advice For Your Craft & Career "Editor Martin begins a new annual anthology and from the preface by Erica Jong to the closing piece by Mary Pipher, it surprises and satisfies." Library Journal 9/15/07
Miller, Tom. How I Learned English: 55 Accomplished Latinos Recall Lessons in Language and Life "...The essays cover issues that affect any immigrant population: the navigating of two worlds, language learning as lifelong learning, and the importance of bilingualism and maintaining connection to a native culture. A timely book, as immigration and bilingual education are current topics of debate in this country." Library Journal 9/15/07
Pamuk, Orhan. Other Colors: Essays and a Story "More than 75 short essays and interviews make up this collection, in which Nobel prize winner Pamuk passionately shares his thoughts and insights about growing up, his understanding and appreciation of the Mediterranean and Turkish cultures and their role in world politics, and his love of writing and literature." Library Journal 9/15/07
Pinker, Steven. The Stuff of Thought "...Drawing on philosophy, evolutionary psychology, physics, neurology, anthropology, and jokes, Pinker presents a convincing theory of conceptual semantics, itemizing the "fundamental ideas" that form the "language of thought." From politics to poetry, children's wonderful malapropisms to slang, Pinker's fluency in the nuances of words and syntax serves as proof of his faith in language as a window into human nature." Booklist 9/15/07
Revell, Donald. The Art of Attention: A Poet's Eye " Revell defines what it means to be fully attentive, describes the consequences of such a state, and explains how poets can renew their own lapsed attentions through the art of translation. " Library Journal 9/1/07
Be sure to let us know if you'd like for us to purchase any of these or any other titles!
Kristin Weber or David Willis
Baxter, Charles. The Art of Subtext: Beyond Plot "The beauty of Baxter's inaugural entry in Graywolf's new "Art of" series, which draws on examples in literature to instruct on the writing craft, is that it doesn't assume to try and capture the whole of subtext. What book could? Instead, it focuses on very specific qualities composing it: the art of staging in a story, the importance of inflection in dialog, the ambiguity of motivation." Library Journal 9/1/07
Bayard, Pierre. How to Talk About Books You Haven't Read "...In a grand Swiftian style, the author offers a staunch, psuedodefense of the art of what he calls "non-reading," in which one must claim as all but divine the right to hold forth about books that one has skimmed, forgotten, or failed to read at all." Booklist 9/15/07
Capote, Truman. Portraits and Observations: The Essays of Truman Capote "...It is easy to believe, with this book in hand, that Capote's true metier was the essay." Booklist 9/15/07
Martin, Philip. The New Writer's Handbook 2007: A Practical Anthology Of Best Advice For Your Craft & Career "Editor Martin begins a new annual anthology and from the preface by Erica Jong to the closing piece by Mary Pipher, it surprises and satisfies." Library Journal 9/15/07
Miller, Tom. How I Learned English: 55 Accomplished Latinos Recall Lessons in Language and Life "...The essays cover issues that affect any immigrant population: the navigating of two worlds, language learning as lifelong learning, and the importance of bilingualism and maintaining connection to a native culture. A timely book, as immigration and bilingual education are current topics of debate in this country." Library Journal 9/15/07
Pamuk, Orhan. Other Colors: Essays and a Story "More than 75 short essays and interviews make up this collection, in which Nobel prize winner Pamuk passionately shares his thoughts and insights about growing up, his understanding and appreciation of the Mediterranean and Turkish cultures and their role in world politics, and his love of writing and literature." Library Journal 9/15/07
Pinker, Steven. The Stuff of Thought "...Drawing on philosophy, evolutionary psychology, physics, neurology, anthropology, and jokes, Pinker presents a convincing theory of conceptual semantics, itemizing the "fundamental ideas" that form the "language of thought." From politics to poetry, children's wonderful malapropisms to slang, Pinker's fluency in the nuances of words and syntax serves as proof of his faith in language as a window into human nature." Booklist 9/15/07
Revell, Donald. The Art of Attention: A Poet's Eye " Revell defines what it means to be fully attentive, describes the consequences of such a state, and explains how poets can renew their own lapsed attentions through the art of translation. " Library Journal 9/1/07
Be sure to let us know if you'd like for us to purchase any of these or any other titles!
Kristin Weber or David Willis
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Welcome to the EC&L Collection Development Blog!!
What would you like to see in our collection? This blog's for you! As your library liason for English, Communication & Literature, I will post regular entries of reviews I have read with links to the more colorful entries on Amazon. You can email me (kweber@coloradomtn.edu) or use the comments feature of this blog to let me know what you'd like for us to order, or even what kinds off reviews you'd like to see. Let's get started! Kristin
Literature Reviews from August 2007 Library Journal
American Poets in the 21st Century: The New Poetics. Wesleyan Univ. 2007. c.406p. ed. by Claudia Rankine & Lisa Sewell. ISBN 978-0-8195-6727-7. $75; pap. ISBN 978-0-8195-6728-4. $27.95 with audio CD. LIT
Based on the sample of poets in this book, one might think that 21st-century poetry is more grounded in language and sound than in concrete images or personal confessions. Even at its most avant-garde, the poetry that editors Rankine (Don't Let Me Be Lonely: An American Lyric) and Sewell (Name Withheld) here present is often formal, e.g., Kenneth Goldsmith's versified retyping of an entire issue of the New York Times. The accompanying CD of the poets reading their work makes it possible to hear Tracie Morris's sound poems, which could not be reproduced in print. More traditional poets include Juliana Spahr, who celebrates a common American stream, and Susan Wheeler, whose "The Debtor in the Convex Mirror" bows to John Ashbery but has its own artistry. All of the poets are challenging, and many are inspiring. Following the poetry selections are a statement by the poet and a critical essay on his or her work. A web site (www.Wesleyan.edu/wespress/americanpoets.html) features more readings by the poets. A fine overview of contemporary poetry; highly recommended for academic libraries.—Amy K. Weiss, Univ. of California Lib., Santa Barbara
Dromgoole, Dominic. Will & Me: How Shakespeare Took Over My Life. Pegasus. Sept. 2007. c.320p. ISBN 978-1-933648-46-0. pap. $14.95. THEATERThis passionate memoir by the artistic director of the Globe Theatre serves to introduce readers to Shakespeare and offers new insights into the plays and characters. Dromgoole ties his personal history to Shakespeare's work, illustrating how his own life and the contemporary world have been enriched, explained, and illuminated by the plays and poems. Through such topics as love, death, family, friendship, and war, readers come to know both Dromgoole and Shakespeare. Dromgoole posits that Shakespeare is "hard wired" into the British psyche in part from World War II: e.g., after losing their theater during the Blitz, the Old Vic company produced "nation-defining performances" with greats like Laurence Olivier and John Gielgud. Writing that "no one could ban Shakespeare," Dromgoole illustrates how the plays could work covertly in politically repressive countries to provoke thought for new solutions. This is a marvelous text in which Shakespeare (and Dromgoole) spring to life in unexpected and delightful ways. Recommended for theater, academic, and large public library collections.—Susan L. Peters, Univ. of Texas, Galveston
Erard, Michael. Um...: Slips, Stumbles, and Verbal Blunders, and What They Mean. Pantheon. Aug. 2007. c.304p. index. ISBN 978-0-375-42356-7. $24.95. LANG
In this well-researched, in-depth study of "speech disruption" analysis, Erard, who holds a Ph.D. in English and a master's degree in linguistics, uses his strong sense of the humor inherent in his topic to good effect. He begins with an account of the life of the renowned verbal blunderer Rev. William Archibald Spooner, after whom the spoonerism is named. He then looks at the Freudian slip, which Freud originally conceived as a spotlight on the unconscious self but that has evolved in its popular usage. After examining other notable scholars in the area (e.g., Austrian linguist Rudolf Meringer's investigations of the connection between the evolution of language and blunders and Yale psychiatrist George Mahl's studies of the speech disruption "um"), he devotes an entire chapter to President George W. Bush's verbal stumbles and envisions the future of verbal blunders. This entertaining and detailed text is suited to larger public and academic libraries.—Rebecca Bollen Manalac, Sydney, Australia
Green, Bill & others. I'm a Lebowski, You're a Lebowski: Life, The Big Lebowski, and What-Have-You. Bloomsbury, dist. by Holtzbrinck. Sept. 2007. c.256p. illus. ISBN 978-1-59691-246-5. pap. $15.95. FILMIn 1998, the Coen brothers followed up their Oscar-winning film, Fargo, with The Big Lebowski. Although it initially failed to make a big splash commercially, it has generated a cult following strong enough to support an annual Lebowski Fest. This book by four such devoted fans and founders of the Lebowski Fest—Green, Ben Peskoe, Will Russell, and Scott Shuffitt—includes enough behind-the-scenes trivia and inside information to impress even the most hard-core Little Lebowski Urban Achiever (as dedicated Lebowski savants dub themselves). The authors managed to score interviews with every major actor (and many of the minor ones), and they all have interesting stories to tell. Also interviewed are some of the real-life inspirations behind the outlandish characters of the film, such as Peter Exline, whose rug really tied the room together, and Jeff Dowd, who first called himself "The Dude." Notably absent, however, are the Coen brothers, who "neither bless nor curse" the book. Sure to be of interest to anyone who enjoys the film, this is recommended for all libraries.—John Helling, NYPL
Leland, John. Why Kerouac Matters: The Lessons of On the Road (They're Not What You Think). Viking. Sept. 2007. c.224p. ISBN 978-0-670-06325-3. $22.95. LIT
On the 50th anniversary of the publication of On the Road, New York Times reporter Leland (Hip: The History) provides a fresh, thought-provoking examination of the Jack Kerouac classic. He explores the novel's themes of male friendship, love and death, family values, jazz, and religion and argues that narrator Sal Paradise's road trips with saintly fool Dean Moriarty constitute an inward journey leading to manhood and maturity. Drawing on Kerouac's own letters and journals as well as on the work of earlier biographers, Leland discusses Kerouac's use of autobiography, focusing on the role of the novel's narrator. He notes that where Sal Paradise succeeds, Kerouac too often fails. Leland's book is one of the first to take advantage of the availability of the original scroll typescript of Kerouac's novel for comparison with the 1957 volume. (Viking will be releasing On the Road: The Original Scroll simultaneously with the novel's anniversary edition.) Written in an informal, accessible style, it will appeal to Kerouac fans as well as academics. Highly recommended for all literature collections.—William Gargan, Brooklyn Coll. Lib., CUNY
Malcolm, Janet. Two Lives: Gertrude and Alice. Yale Univ. Sept. 2007. c.240p. photogs. ISBN 978-0-300-12551-1. $25. LIT
Malcolm (The Journalist and the Murderer) presents a masterful glimpse into the lives of Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas, whose 40-year relationship is one of the most intriguing of the 20th century. Rather than attempting to include as many details as possible, Malcolm wisely chooses to illuminate the truth of several perplexing questions as thoroughly as any biographer possibly could. The result is a remarkably readable, honest, intelligent, and insightful book in which she reveals some ugly truths about the man who protected Stein and Toklas during World War II and shares her struggles to comprehend Stein's most enigmatic work, The Making of Americans. Several other Stein scholars disclose their frustrations with Leon Katz, the Columbia doctoral student who in the 1950s discovered Stein's notebooks on the novel and interviewed Toklas extensively. Despite the potential of Katz's work to change the course of Stein scholarship, he has yet to publish it. Malcolm's attempt to interview the elderly Katz ends in failure, and the secrets of the notebooks and the results of the Toklas interviews remain largely untold. Preserving something of the mystery is perhaps exactly what Stein would have wanted. Highly recommended for academic and larger libraries.—Anthony Pucci, Notre Dame H.S., Elmira, NY
Mauldin, Joanne Marshall. Thomas Wolfe: When Do the Atrocities Begin? Univ. of Tennessee. 2007. 376p. illus. index. ISBN 978-1-57233-494-6. $38. LIT
When many Americans today hear the name Thomas Wolfe, they think of The Right Stuff. During the 1930s, however, it was the first Thomas Wolfe, author of Look Homeward, Angel (1929), who spoke to the country's yearning, vaguely disconsolate youth on the cusp of the Great Depression. The subject of Wolfe's four huge, rambling novels and miscellaneous shorter prose works was himself and his experiences growing up in the small town of Asheville, NC. Yet as much as modern readers may feel they know the real Thomas Wolfe from these works, the amount and nature of the material Maudlin here unearths will surely startle them and send them back for a second reading of his novels. Mauldin's astonishingly detailed account of Wolfe's last two years on earth (1937–38) involves in part legendary Scribner editor Maxwell Perkins, who helped shape Wolfe's disorganized text into coherence, and Perkins's successor, Harper's Edward C. Aswell, who added and deleted material from Wolfe's manuscripts to his heart's content. Of all the words written about Wolfe, including his own, Mauldin's are among the most fascinating. Highly recommended for academic libraries.—Charles C. Nash, formerly with Cottey Coll., Nevada, MO
Writers Under Siege: Voices of Freedom from Around the World. New York Univ. Sept. 2007. c.330p. ISBN 978-0-8147-6742-9. $65. LIT
The human rights/literary organization PEN has a history of working on the behalf of writers who have suffered government persecution. This book commemorating the organization's 85th anniversary represents the work of 50 writers from more than 20 countries, most of whom have been persecuted, prosecuted, imprisoned, tortured, or killed as a result of their writing. Contributors include those well known in the English-speaking world—e.g., Nobel Prize winners Orhan Pamuk (Turkey) and Harold Pinter (England); Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi (Burma)—as well as less famous figures. Their poetry, stories, letters, book excerpts, and other short pieces, which vary in style, form, and content, are gathered into four sections: "Prison," "Death," "Exile," and "The Freedom To Write." The selections make clear that many countries not ordinarily thought of as authoritarian are nevertheless not really safe for free expression. A compelling and worthwhile purchase; recommended for all libraries.—Denise J. Johnson, Bradley Univ. Lib., Peoria, IL
Some publishers I like:
Everyman's Library
Library of America
Oxford University Press
Which publishers do you Like?
Literature Reviews from August 2007 Library Journal
American Poets in the 21st Century: The New Poetics. Wesleyan Univ. 2007. c.406p. ed. by Claudia Rankine & Lisa Sewell. ISBN 978-0-8195-6727-7. $75; pap. ISBN 978-0-8195-6728-4. $27.95 with audio CD. LIT
Based on the sample of poets in this book, one might think that 21st-century poetry is more grounded in language and sound than in concrete images or personal confessions. Even at its most avant-garde, the poetry that editors Rankine (Don't Let Me Be Lonely: An American Lyric) and Sewell (Name Withheld) here present is often formal, e.g., Kenneth Goldsmith's versified retyping of an entire issue of the New York Times. The accompanying CD of the poets reading their work makes it possible to hear Tracie Morris's sound poems, which could not be reproduced in print. More traditional poets include Juliana Spahr, who celebrates a common American stream, and Susan Wheeler, whose "The Debtor in the Convex Mirror" bows to John Ashbery but has its own artistry. All of the poets are challenging, and many are inspiring. Following the poetry selections are a statement by the poet and a critical essay on his or her work. A web site (www.Wesleyan.edu/wespress/americanpoets.html) features more readings by the poets. A fine overview of contemporary poetry; highly recommended for academic libraries.—Amy K. Weiss, Univ. of California Lib., Santa Barbara
Dromgoole, Dominic. Will & Me: How Shakespeare Took Over My Life. Pegasus. Sept. 2007. c.320p. ISBN 978-1-933648-46-0. pap. $14.95. THEATERThis passionate memoir by the artistic director of the Globe Theatre serves to introduce readers to Shakespeare and offers new insights into the plays and characters. Dromgoole ties his personal history to Shakespeare's work, illustrating how his own life and the contemporary world have been enriched, explained, and illuminated by the plays and poems. Through such topics as love, death, family, friendship, and war, readers come to know both Dromgoole and Shakespeare. Dromgoole posits that Shakespeare is "hard wired" into the British psyche in part from World War II: e.g., after losing their theater during the Blitz, the Old Vic company produced "nation-defining performances" with greats like Laurence Olivier and John Gielgud. Writing that "no one could ban Shakespeare," Dromgoole illustrates how the plays could work covertly in politically repressive countries to provoke thought for new solutions. This is a marvelous text in which Shakespeare (and Dromgoole) spring to life in unexpected and delightful ways. Recommended for theater, academic, and large public library collections.—Susan L. Peters, Univ. of Texas, Galveston
Erard, Michael. Um...: Slips, Stumbles, and Verbal Blunders, and What They Mean. Pantheon. Aug. 2007. c.304p. index. ISBN 978-0-375-42356-7. $24.95. LANG
In this well-researched, in-depth study of "speech disruption" analysis, Erard, who holds a Ph.D. in English and a master's degree in linguistics, uses his strong sense of the humor inherent in his topic to good effect. He begins with an account of the life of the renowned verbal blunderer Rev. William Archibald Spooner, after whom the spoonerism is named. He then looks at the Freudian slip, which Freud originally conceived as a spotlight on the unconscious self but that has evolved in its popular usage. After examining other notable scholars in the area (e.g., Austrian linguist Rudolf Meringer's investigations of the connection between the evolution of language and blunders and Yale psychiatrist George Mahl's studies of the speech disruption "um"), he devotes an entire chapter to President George W. Bush's verbal stumbles and envisions the future of verbal blunders. This entertaining and detailed text is suited to larger public and academic libraries.—Rebecca Bollen Manalac, Sydney, Australia
Green, Bill & others. I'm a Lebowski, You're a Lebowski: Life, The Big Lebowski, and What-Have-You. Bloomsbury, dist. by Holtzbrinck. Sept. 2007. c.256p. illus. ISBN 978-1-59691-246-5. pap. $15.95. FILMIn 1998, the Coen brothers followed up their Oscar-winning film, Fargo, with The Big Lebowski. Although it initially failed to make a big splash commercially, it has generated a cult following strong enough to support an annual Lebowski Fest. This book by four such devoted fans and founders of the Lebowski Fest—Green, Ben Peskoe, Will Russell, and Scott Shuffitt—includes enough behind-the-scenes trivia and inside information to impress even the most hard-core Little Lebowski Urban Achiever (as dedicated Lebowski savants dub themselves). The authors managed to score interviews with every major actor (and many of the minor ones), and they all have interesting stories to tell. Also interviewed are some of the real-life inspirations behind the outlandish characters of the film, such as Peter Exline, whose rug really tied the room together, and Jeff Dowd, who first called himself "The Dude." Notably absent, however, are the Coen brothers, who "neither bless nor curse" the book. Sure to be of interest to anyone who enjoys the film, this is recommended for all libraries.—John Helling, NYPL
Leland, John. Why Kerouac Matters: The Lessons of On the Road (They're Not What You Think). Viking. Sept. 2007. c.224p. ISBN 978-0-670-06325-3. $22.95. LIT
On the 50th anniversary of the publication of On the Road, New York Times reporter Leland (Hip: The History) provides a fresh, thought-provoking examination of the Jack Kerouac classic. He explores the novel's themes of male friendship, love and death, family values, jazz, and religion and argues that narrator Sal Paradise's road trips with saintly fool Dean Moriarty constitute an inward journey leading to manhood and maturity. Drawing on Kerouac's own letters and journals as well as on the work of earlier biographers, Leland discusses Kerouac's use of autobiography, focusing on the role of the novel's narrator. He notes that where Sal Paradise succeeds, Kerouac too often fails. Leland's book is one of the first to take advantage of the availability of the original scroll typescript of Kerouac's novel for comparison with the 1957 volume. (Viking will be releasing On the Road: The Original Scroll simultaneously with the novel's anniversary edition.) Written in an informal, accessible style, it will appeal to Kerouac fans as well as academics. Highly recommended for all literature collections.—William Gargan, Brooklyn Coll. Lib., CUNY
Malcolm, Janet. Two Lives: Gertrude and Alice. Yale Univ. Sept. 2007. c.240p. photogs. ISBN 978-0-300-12551-1. $25. LIT
Malcolm (The Journalist and the Murderer) presents a masterful glimpse into the lives of Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas, whose 40-year relationship is one of the most intriguing of the 20th century. Rather than attempting to include as many details as possible, Malcolm wisely chooses to illuminate the truth of several perplexing questions as thoroughly as any biographer possibly could. The result is a remarkably readable, honest, intelligent, and insightful book in which she reveals some ugly truths about the man who protected Stein and Toklas during World War II and shares her struggles to comprehend Stein's most enigmatic work, The Making of Americans. Several other Stein scholars disclose their frustrations with Leon Katz, the Columbia doctoral student who in the 1950s discovered Stein's notebooks on the novel and interviewed Toklas extensively. Despite the potential of Katz's work to change the course of Stein scholarship, he has yet to publish it. Malcolm's attempt to interview the elderly Katz ends in failure, and the secrets of the notebooks and the results of the Toklas interviews remain largely untold. Preserving something of the mystery is perhaps exactly what Stein would have wanted. Highly recommended for academic and larger libraries.—Anthony Pucci, Notre Dame H.S., Elmira, NY
Mauldin, Joanne Marshall. Thomas Wolfe: When Do the Atrocities Begin? Univ. of Tennessee. 2007. 376p. illus. index. ISBN 978-1-57233-494-6. $38. LIT
When many Americans today hear the name Thomas Wolfe, they think of The Right Stuff. During the 1930s, however, it was the first Thomas Wolfe, author of Look Homeward, Angel (1929), who spoke to the country's yearning, vaguely disconsolate youth on the cusp of the Great Depression. The subject of Wolfe's four huge, rambling novels and miscellaneous shorter prose works was himself and his experiences growing up in the small town of Asheville, NC. Yet as much as modern readers may feel they know the real Thomas Wolfe from these works, the amount and nature of the material Maudlin here unearths will surely startle them and send them back for a second reading of his novels. Mauldin's astonishingly detailed account of Wolfe's last two years on earth (1937–38) involves in part legendary Scribner editor Maxwell Perkins, who helped shape Wolfe's disorganized text into coherence, and Perkins's successor, Harper's Edward C. Aswell, who added and deleted material from Wolfe's manuscripts to his heart's content. Of all the words written about Wolfe, including his own, Mauldin's are among the most fascinating. Highly recommended for academic libraries.—Charles C. Nash, formerly with Cottey Coll., Nevada, MO
Writers Under Siege: Voices of Freedom from Around the World. New York Univ. Sept. 2007. c.330p. ISBN 978-0-8147-6742-9. $65. LIT
The human rights/literary organization PEN has a history of working on the behalf of writers who have suffered government persecution. This book commemorating the organization's 85th anniversary represents the work of 50 writers from more than 20 countries, most of whom have been persecuted, prosecuted, imprisoned, tortured, or killed as a result of their writing. Contributors include those well known in the English-speaking world—e.g., Nobel Prize winners Orhan Pamuk (Turkey) and Harold Pinter (England); Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi (Burma)—as well as less famous figures. Their poetry, stories, letters, book excerpts, and other short pieces, which vary in style, form, and content, are gathered into four sections: "Prison," "Death," "Exile," and "The Freedom To Write." The selections make clear that many countries not ordinarily thought of as authoritarian are nevertheless not really safe for free expression. A compelling and worthwhile purchase; recommended for all libraries.—Denise J. Johnson, Bradley Univ. Lib., Peoria, IL
Some publishers I like:
Everyman's Library
Library of America
Oxford University Press
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