Saturday, December 5, 2009

“Book Reviews - Egypt Today” plus 2 more

“Book Reviews - Egypt Today” plus 2 more

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Book Reviews - Egypt Today

Posted: 04 Dec 2009 03:29 AM PST


Ahlam Fatret Al-Naqaha (Dreams Of Recovery) Naguib Mahfouz (LE 8)


The book's 'dreams' are 146 short narratives written by Nobel Prize laureate Naguib Mahfouz, one of Egypt's most significant contemporary writers, in 1994, while he was recovering from an attempt on his life. Some of the dreams are only made up of a few words and most of them are less than a page long. Mahfouz was injured and depressed, but his dreams offer a surprisingly fast-paced and entertaining read.

Through this brief journey, the reader shares the writer's loneliness, isolation and fear of death: " When we lifted the lid of the box, we saw a terrifying snake that warned of death to whomever approached it," Mahfouz writes in one of his dreams. In his 129th dream, he imagines being on a mountaintop, extending his hand to help another climber; but far from being grateful, the man pulls his benefactor down. A few of the narratives are pleasurable fantasies: In one of them, a beautiful woman on a cart pulled by winged horses flies over minarets and rooftops, eventually landing on the peak of Giza's Great Pyramid. Most of the book's dreams are nostalgic memories of people and places, such as the famous nationalist musician Sayed Darwish and his old home in Abbassiya.

In general, a somber, melancholic and, in some instances, almost macabre atmosphere prevails throughout the anthology. In his 119th dream, the author writes: "I arrived at the station at a critical time and took my place in the queue leading to the ticket booth. I remained between the cart and window until the final whistle sounded. I was still so far from the window. And this is how I missed the train."

The 11-page preface was written by journalist and writer Sanaa el Beesy as a tribute to Mahfouz, on the occasion of his 93rd birthday.

Farouk: Min Al-Milad Ila Al-Raheel (Farouk: From Birth To Departure) Latifa Mohammed Salem (LE 70)

This is the third edition of the single most unbiased reference written on the life and times of King Farouk. Salem takes us through the controversy surrounding his life using solid references to shed light on previously unknown facts. The book begins with a look at the young King's upbringing in preparation for his future position. It then takes a closer look at political life in Egypt under his rule, examining the majority and the minority parties, the schism between Islam and Arabism, the positions of different ideological groups, life at the Palace and the military.

The chapter "The Eagle and The Bear" — metaphors for the United States and Russia — analyzes the foreign political scene; Britain is also mentioned more than once in this section. The 10th chapter is one of the most interesting, as it gives a detailed account of the King's lavish lifestyle as well as focusing on his apparently possessive nature and reputation as a gambler.

After the 11th and final chapter, entitled "The Fall," the third edition also contains a special supplement about the King's experiences during his final days in exile. The only major drawback of this book is the relative lack of images – the few photos are crammed at the end in a tiny appendix.

Asr El-Elm (The Age of Science)Ahmed Zewail (LE 30)

In the preface, Egyptian Nobel Prize laureate Naguib Mahfouz describes Asr El-Elm as, " a book that deserves to be read word by word, if for anything then for the extreme importance of its critical topics." The book is an investigation of the reasons behind the extreme development of some nations, the recent extraordinary upheaval of others and the continuous decline of the rest of the world.

The book comprises two parts, separated by an interesting full-color photo gallery that includes a collection of pictures portraying the author with many celebrities on different occasions over the years.

The first part is dedicated to the tremendously engaging autobiography of the author, divided into five eras, from his birth and upbringing in Egypt to his life in the United States, where he obtained a postgraduate degree — with a 'behind the scenes' look at his journey toward winning the Nobel Prize.

The second part includes enlightening articles, public lectures, an outline for the implementation of a non-profit educational and research facility (the University of Science and Technology and the Technology Park, for which land was allocated in 2000 at Sixth of October City but implementation did not follow) and the speech that Zewail gave during his decoration by the Egyptian government in 1999.

This is an inspiring book, written by an inspired writer who is not only evidently a talented economist, but also a great storyteller.

Nithar Al-Mahw, Dafatir leltadween: Al-Daftar Al-Khamis (Scatterings of Obliteration, Notebooks: Notebook Number Five) Gamal El-Ghitany (LE 20)

As the title suggests, this is a sort of scrapbook put together by one of Egypt's greatest contemporary thinkers. It's the fifth of El-Ghitany's intriguing personal journals and it takes the reader on a journey inside the brain of this true master.

The highest points of the book are the occasional paragraphs entitled "Question." In some of them, the author philosophizes on issues such as "Where did yesterday go?" "Do we get born to die? Or die to get born?" and "White, Black Black, White which comes first?"

Another topic that seems to grab El-Ghitany's attention is architecture, as confirmed by his recent appearance on a satellite TV show about this topic. In his notebook, El-Ghitany analyzes traditional Islamic architecture both in Egypt and Morocco.

He also often recalls personal experiences, such as hearing news of the war on the radio while he was going back home from work or listening, as a child, to the words of an old teacher in class. Sometimes, through his words, the author draws caricatures of people seen through his window as they walk on the street.

A mixture of reality and fantasy, pessimism and optimism, tragedy and humor, El-Ghitany's notebook is an interesting read – and not just for die-hard El-Gheitany fans. et

All books reviewed here are 2005 editions from Dar El-Shorouk, available at Madbouli and finer bookstores everywhere. See et guide/listings, page 182 for the address of your neighborhood book shop.

Children's Book Reviews - Publishers Weekly

Posted: 30 Nov 2009 04:38 AM PST

Picture Books

Bubble and Squeak: The Great Cheese Hunt Charlie Fowkes. Anova (Trafalgar, dist.), $8.99 paper (32p) ISBN 978-1-84365-106-2

Taking their name from a common British dish, Bubble, a spotted hound with a big schnozz, and his friend Squeak, a mouse with a similarly dominant sniffer, awake to find their owners gone and—horrors—no cheese in the fridge. They spend the day on daft cheese-finding schemes, then stay up all night trying to launch Squeak toward the round piece of cheese they discover up in the sky. Fowkes's spreads hit a nice rhythm, the duo's plan on the left, the consequences on the right (they set up a trap baited with crackers when they go "hunting for cheese," but "cheese, they discovered, cannot be tempted by crackers"), and a closeup of Squeak set in the lower right corner ("Squeak can be tempted by crackers, however. Yum!"). Fortunately, the new cheese store in town has a surprise for the two. Running gags supply extra giggles; Bubble's sandbox toy makes a tiny Taj Mahal, and witty clues point to the arrival of the cheese shop. Fowkes's storytelling voice is amiable, and the die-cut bite out of the book's upper corner adds a distinctive touch. Ages 2–5. (Dec.)

Milo Armadillo Jan Fearnley. Candlewick, $15.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-7636-4575-5

When the pink and fluffy stuffed rabbit that Tallulah wants for her birthday proves impossible to find, Grandma offers to make one for her. But the haphazardly knitted and patched result—christened Milo Armadillo—falls far short of Tallulah's expectations ("He wasn't a pink fluffy rabbit, but Grandma had clearly gone to a lot of trouble. Milo Armadillo would have to do"). Can Tallulah learn to love Milo as much as he loves her? Or will the heartbroken Milo finally give up and ask Grandma to "unravel him" and try for a rabbit again? There'll be little suspense for readers: Milo—or rather, his fantasy counterpart—is pretty awesome. He pole vaults expertly, is an excellent sailor, and even plays a funky saxophone. But as Fearnley (Martha in the Middle) has proven many times before, she's an expert at proffering lessons in emotional maturity with a light touch. And her pictures, which combine winsome drawings with elements of real yarn and knitwear, should keep kids turning the pages until Tallulah finally comes to her senses. Ages 2–up. (Dec.)

One More Hug for Madison Caroline Jayne Church. Scholastic/Orchard, $16.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-545-16179-4

Madison, a genial gray mouse, has no trouble getting ready for and into bed (in fact, parents may be in awe of her unwhiny self-sufficiency). It's following through with actual sleeping that has her hung up: "Madison tried to sleep, but without the light her room felt dark and she felt lonely." She tries to delay the inevitable by making numerous requests of her mother: a dolly, another blanket, a glass of warm milk, and so on. This is familiar territory, but Madison's anxiety feels genuine, and her mother, in a bandanna and polka-dot dress, is a sweetly reassuring figure. Instead of losing her cool (as she would in many similar stories), Madison's mother remains the picture of patience—until, that is, she collapses with exhaustion at the foot of her stubbornly awake daughter's bed. The cozy details of the mice's home (Madison sleeps in a hollowed-out log as a lantern hangs from a tree beside her) and the twist ending should prove especially kid-pleasing. Ages 3–5. (Jan.)

Brownie & Pearl Step Out Cynthia Rylant, illus. by Brian Biggs. S&S/Beach Lane, $12.99 (24p) ISBN 978-1-4169-8632-4

A birthday party ("Cats are invited") is the outing spotlighted in Newbery Medalist Rylant's sweet snippet of a story, first in a planned series, which introduces a happy if a bit timid girl (Brownie) and her similarly sanguine cat (Pearl). As they arrive at their destination, a front stoop festooned with balloons, Brownie has second thoughts: "Uh-oh. Brownie feels shy. Maybe she'll go home." But Pearl leaps through the cat door, forcing the issue ("Now Brownie has to knock"). She's warmly welcomed and enjoys games, cake, and ice cream. Short, snappy sentences ("Look! Pearl went in the kitty door!"), a bold font, and spot-on themes for this age level—birthday party, spunky pet, and the rewards of overcoming shyness—tailor this for girls just beginning to read on their own. Bubblegum pink and lime green pop from Biggs's (the Roscoe Riley Rules series) digitally rendered cartoon art, which features such endearing flourishes as Brownie's mismatched striped socks and floral dress, as well as the pink flowers she and Pearl wear in hair and fur. Cheerful from start to finish. Ages 3–5. (Dec.)

Paulie Pastrami Achieves World Peace James Proimos. Little, Brown, $15.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-316-03292-6

Parents are more likely to appreciate Proimos's (Patricia Von Pleasantsquirrel) blend of irony and parody than his target audience; the book's wry tone is similar to that of a documentary about a historical hero. How does an ordinary boy ("no more special than you are") achieve world peace? Paulie begins by being kind to animals and reading to trees, but eventually "turn[s] his attention to mankind. He apologize[s] to his little sister for something he did when he was five years old." The text consistently exaggerates Paulie's achievements (as do his parents) while the black-outlined illustrations and Paulie himself demonstrate what's really going on; when the narrator says that Paulie "was even kissed by a girl," Paulie adds, "by my Aunt Margie." Proimos's artwork is full of droll details that adults will chuckle about (Paulie mimics Nixon's famous peace pose and thinks he'll achieve world peace by passing out cupcakes). Although some young readers may find the theme difficult to understand because of the hyperbole, the message, as one character says, is "as much about the simple act of giving as it is about the cupcakes." Ages 3–6. (Dec.)

Night Lights Susan Gal. Knopf, $14.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-375-85862-8

Gal's cozy, spare debut plainly identifies sources of nighttime illumination as enjoyed by a curly-haired girl and her mother who live in the outskirts of a city. Together, they ride their bikes home by "streetlight," their excited puppy jumping up to greet them under a beam of "porch light." After roasting sausages over a backyard grill, mother and daughter celebrate the dog's birthday with a candlelit cake and play outside as fireflies surround the girl's smiling face with an orange glow. Inside their home, a collage of patterns pair with chalky designs to soporific effect. Before falling asleep under a beam of "moonlight," the girl forms shadow puppets on the wall, and her dog barks at a band of nocturnal animals snacking on a bag of marshmallows under the glare of a "spotlight." Gal's muted nightscapes emphasize the unique qualities of each kind of light shown, from the fireflies' eerie green glow to the comfort of a reading light. With intimate details and a tender vitality, this bedtime book may assuage some nighttime fears. Ages 3–6. (Nov.)

Kiss Kiss Selma Mandine, trans. from the French by Michelle Williams. Random/Golden, $9.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-375-86431-5

A small boy explains to his raptly attentive teddy bear that "[t]here are many kinds of kisses, and they're all different." But whether a kiss is "supersoft, like cuddly wool," prickly like a cactus (courtesy of his father's stubble), or wet (if it's delivered by Rex, the boy's dog), it's a "really wonderful" experience—especially because they tend to come in groups. The text in Mandine's U.S. debut is sweet if unmemorable; the main draw is the endearingly spheroid characters, who bring to mind the cast of Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer and other classic Rankin-Bass TV specials (the boy's grandfather, whose fluffy "cotton candy" beard covers an entire spread, could easily double for the stop-motion Santa). Their doll-like adorableness transforms what would otherwise be a pedestrian book into one wholly capable of sneaking its way into readers' hearts. Ages 3–7. (Dec.)

I'm Number One Michael Rosen, illus. by Bob Graham. Candlewick, $16.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-7636-4535-9

A windup soldier shows the other toys of the house who's boss in this light tale about dealing with bullies. Blowhard toy soldier A-One needs fellow playthings—Sally the doll, Maddy the duck and Sid the pig—to wind his key. But A-One berates each of them in turn, and, once he's full of energy, goes on to make fun of their assorted accessories (" 'You look mad in your hat,' he said. And he made up a song, 'Maddy is a mad hat!' "), while confiscating the items for his own. When the other toys show resiliency and have a gentle laugh at A-One's expense, he appreciates the humor, sparking an about-face. Children will also appreciate the quiet humor and easily find real-life parallels. Graham, previously partnered with Rosen on This Is Our House, introduces a cast of believable ragtag pals who play out their adventure under the bemused gaze of the family dog. Graham's clean lines, pastel hues, and dot-eyed faces work together to enliven this imaginative, child-friendly fantasy. Ages 3–up. (Dec.)

The King and the Seed Eric Maddern, illus. by Paul Hess. Frances Lincoln (PGW, dist.), $16.95 (32p) ISBN 978-1-84507-926-0

Maddern and Hess (collaborators on Nail Soup, among others) revisit the story of the farm boy in a land whose king distributes seeds, saying he will award his throne to the most successful grower. On the appointed day, Jack's is the only seed that has failed to sprout, and Jack reluctantly confesses his failure before a throng of lords and nobles, whose pots are filled with blossoms. But the King shocks Jack with a confession—"I don't know where those knights got their wonderful flowers from.... I boiled those seeds for a whole hour before giving them out"—and, for his truthfulness, Jack is appointed the king's heir. Hess paints with smooth, careful strokes, hiding Jack in a crowd of knights in splendid armor and gorgeously adorned helmets, zooming in on the king's bejeweled but aged hands as he distributes the seeds, and watching along with the spectators as the king leans down to confer with Jack. This retelling, set in medieval Europe, will appeal to fans of gallant knights, and the story's twist remains provocative. Ages 5–9. (Dec.)

Fiction

Raiders' Ransom Emily Diamand. Scholastic/Chicken House, $17.99 (352p) ISBN 978-0-545-14297-7

This watery—and watertight—adventure, winner of the Times/Chicken House Children's Fiction Competition in the U.K., takes place in the 23rd century after "the Collapse," which survivors interpret as "punishment for the greed of the olden times." Inhabitants of villages, the waterlogged city of "Lunden," and marshes controlled by raiders survive by fishing or by searching ancient landfills for "stuff the olden-times folks thought was rubbish." Two 13-year-old protagonists, Lilly, a fisher, and Zeph, a raider, narrate. After raiders attack Lilly's fishing village and kidnap Lexy, the prime minister's daughter, Lilly seeks to prevent war by disguising herself as a boy and attempting to offer a jewel for Lexy's ransom. Her plans go awry when her DNA activates the jewel, which is actually a computer that awakens with entertaining peevishness: "Am I safe? Is someone going to smash me?" When Lilly and Zeph meet, an unlikely friendship develops due to their shared moral compass (both question their elders' supposed wisdom). Good-hearted, engaging protagonists, dramatic sea battles, a solid sense of humor, and a novel blend of medieval and futuristic technologies distinguish this notable debut. Ages 8–12. (Dec.)

A Faraway Island Annika Thor, trans. from the Swedish by Linda Schenck. Delacorte, $16.99 (256p) ISBN 978-0-385-73617-6

Twelve-year-old Stephie and eight-year-old Nellie Steiner, two Jewish sisters, are forced to leave their home and their parents in Vienna when the Nazis invade, and are placed with different families on an unfamiliar Swedish island ("Gray-brown cliffs and rocks extend along the edge of the ocean.... The end of the world, Stephie thinks. This must be the end of the world"). While their parents plan to meet up with them in a few months to escape to America, as time passes and the war advances, hope begins to fade. Adapting to Swedish life is easy and fun for Nellie, but Stephie struggles with the chilly disposition of her caretaker, Aunt Märta. She is a good student, taking to the Swedish language quickly, but she remains an outsider in school. Throughout the year Stephie suffers hardships big and small, and is conflicted after she and her sister are baptized Pentecostal. Thor's debut novel, inspired by true events and first in a series of four books, depicts a vivid and sometimes frightening picture of life as a WWII refugee, as well as the complexities of sisterhood. Ages 8–12. (Nov.)

The Ever Breath Julianna Baggott. Delacorte, $16.99 (240p) ISBN 978-0-385-73761-6

Truman Cragmeal, beset by allergies, asthma, and cowardice, has been taken with his fearless twin sister, Camille, to stay with their grandmother, Swelda, for what is meant to be a three-week stay. Despite Swelda's oddities, the children are entranced by her stories and the unearthly snow globes she gives them, which show disturbing, inexplicable images amid the swirling flakes. But the night of their arrival, Truman is lured through an underground passage into the marvelous and frightening Breath World of Swelda's stories. This world and ours have been endangered by the theft of the Ever Breath, an amber ball that keeps them in balance. Truman soon learns that his missing father is wrapped up in the mystery of the Ever Breath's disappearance and commits himself to finding them both. Baggott's (The Prince of Fenway Park) inventiveness and whimsy never flags; there is some light grisliness: "The man on the ground was wearing a white shirt, but it was turning red." Once Truman forgets about his inhaler and embraces his new purpose, it's a dizzying, nonstop romp through the imagination. Ages 9–12. (Dec.)

The Boy in the Dress David Walliams, illus. by Quentin Blake. Penguin/Razorbill, $15.99 (240p) ISBN 978-1-59514-299-3

Actor and Little Britain cocreator Walliams debuts with the charming, Billy Elliot-esque coming-of-age story of 12-year-old Dennis, who lives with his father and older brother in a dull British town whose "[t]iny differences... only really pointed out the sameness of everything." Still despondent two years after his mother walked out, Dennis is chastised for his interest in fashion, but continues to secretly read Vogue ("He could lose himself in the pages for hours. The glamour. The beauty. The perfection") and admire people's differences. When Dennis befriends Lisa, "the most beautiful girl in the school" (and his crush), they bond over their shared passion and begin to play dressup. The stakes are raised when Lisa challenges him to attend school for a day dressed as a female foreign exchange student. This is a prototypical tale about the joys and trials of nonconformity, told by a quirky and self-conscious narrator. Walliams has a talent for emotional honesty (be it in Dennis's sensitivity or his father's gruff remoteness), and Blake's distinctive illustrations capture the boy's thoughtful nature. Ages 9–up. (Dec.)

The Shadow Project Herbie Brennan. HarperCollins/Balzer & Bray, $16.99 (368p) ISBN 978-0-06-175642-9

Brennan (Faerie Wars) offers a thriller that starts solidly but bogs down under the weight of too many clichés and plot elements that simply don't mix well. Danny Lipman, a teenage London orphan who lives with his grandmother, stumbles across a secret joint MI6/CIA operation called the Shadow Project, working with remote viewing (akin to astral projection). The program only uses teens with special powers, and sure enough, Danny turns out to be more powerful than his fellow operatives. Things get further muddled as demon-summoning terrorists, a secret organization of magic users, and an ancient multidimensional war between good and evil soon dominate the plot. While the initial development of the remote viewers and the teen spy organization is interesting, the later additions merely underline the clichés. Explaining away WWI and the Holocaust as the results of supernatural machinations while dismissing the actual underlying political situations is naïve and unbelievable, at best. There are some enjoyable character interactions, and Brennan's writing style is breezy and accessible, but there's little that's genuinely original or engaging. Ages 10–up. (Dec.)

The Lonely Hearts Club Elizabeth Eulberg. Scholastic/Point, $17.99 (320p) ISBN 978-0-545-14031-7

Penny Lane Bloom (named for the Beatles song) suffers a broken heart over the summer at the hands of Nate, her longtime love, and is determined to put him out of her head. "I would, for once, focus on me. Junior year would be my year." Debut novelist and children's book publicist Eulberg creates characters who, inspired by Penny's plight, join her "Lonely Hearts Club," which requires members to swear off boys. The club gains momentum quickly, though inevitably there are roadblocks. Penny finds herself interested in Ryan, the former boyfriend of fellow club member Diane. And, improbably, the school principal seeks to shut down the club when male students complain that no one will date them. Penny's closure regarding Nate and Diane's willingness to give Penny and Ryan her blessing come with unrealistic ease, and larger issues, like a classmate's battle with an eating disorder, are glossed over. Still, the celebration of sisterhood and the amended club rules ("Members are allowed to date, but must never, ever forget that their friends come first") emphasize the campy fun. Ages 14–18. (Jan.)

By the Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead Julie Anne Peters. Disney-Hyperion, $16.99 (224p) ISBN 978-1-4231-1618-9

After a few suicide attempts, the most recent of which left her unable to speak, teenage narrator Daelyn joins a Web site called Through-the-Light, which gives her 23 days to prepare for death. Although rules state that "[p]articipants may not attempt to dissuade or discourage self-termination," the site does send provoking questions so she can think through her choice. Through Daelyn's rants in the site's forums and in her embittered internal narrative, readers will come to understand her struggles (from being molested in the boys' bathroom to being sent to fat camp) and see people trying to connect with her, including offbeat Santana, who is dealing with his own pain—cancer. Peters (Luna) doesn't pull any punches (Through-the-Light details various suicide methods, each with an effectiveness rating, and the users' stories are painfully real). Readers may find some plotting heavy-handed (such as Daelyn's growing friendship with a boy who really wants to live), but even so, this book and its open-ended conclusion will challenge teens to think about the impact of bullying—including cyberbullying—and Through-the-Light's controversial stance that "self-termination is your right." Ages 14–up. (Jan.)

The World Is Mine Lyah B. LeFlore, illus. by DL Warfield. S&S/Simon Pulse, $8.99 paper (288p) ISBN 978-1-4169-7963-0

LeFlore's debut, first in the Come Up series, introduces six Washington, D.C., teenagers with big ambitions. High school junior Blue is pressured to go to law school, but decides to follow his dream of being an entertainment impresario, signing musicians and planning parties ("Diddy unlocked the door, and I'm gonna kick it in!"). His best friends Collin, brilliant but stressed out by his demanding father, and Whiteboy (a gang member turned tattoo artist) join him, along with rapper Tre and ascendant deejay Mamie, who is living with her aunt after being kicked out of her home. Her best friend Jade, Blue's love interest, is striving to become a doctor to care for her sick mother. Teens, especially the hip-hop obsessed, will relate to the characters' stratospheric aspirations, their struggles to balance their passions with parental demands, as well as the sharp dialogue and narration ("You don't count, Whiteboy. You ain't really white!" I joked. "Aw, young, how you gon' play me out like that?"). The drama, punctuated by song lyrics and Warfield's high contrast photo collages, is easily resolved, but several doors are left open for the next installment. Ages 14–up. (Dec.)

Poetry

The Tree That Time Built: A Celebration of Nature, Science, and Imagination Edited by Mary Ann Hoberman and Linda Winston. Sourcebooks/Jabberwocky, $19.99 (224p) ISBN 978-1-4022-2517-8

"Science and art have often been cast as opposites, but the division is an artificial one," reads the introduction to this expansive collection of poems about the natural world. Hoberman, current children's poet laureate, and Winston, a teacher and cultural anthropologist, gather more than 100 poems, grouped by subject (prehistory, trees, reptiles, etc.) from such poets as Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, Langston Hughes, D.H. Lawrence, Jack Prelutsky, and Sylvia Plath, among others (including Hoberman). Footnotes encourage readers to approach the poems both rationally and imaginatively, and a glossary defines scientific and linguistic terms; several poets read their works in an included CD. One provocative highlight is an excerpt from Tomas Tranströmer's March '79, shown in three different translations, underlining the creativity translators employ. Taken in total, the poems encompass nature's multitudinous qualities, from harsher realities ("On my early walk/ I passed the Frog Prince/ dead in a rut of the road," in Virginia Hamilton Adair's Early Walk) to its ability to inspire at its most microscopic, as Ralph Waldo Emerson writes, "Atom from atom yawns as far/ As moon from earth,/ as star from star." Ages 7–12. (Nov.)

...And the Rest Is History

These insightful books take a fresh look at diverse historical topics.

The Greatest Moments in Sports Len Berman. Sourcebooks/Jabberwocky, $16.99 (144p) ISBN 978-1-4022-2099-9

Veteran sportscaster Berman offers his selections for the most groundbreaking moments in sports, with color photographs and stats throughout. The broad grouping kicks off with Michael Phelps's swimming victory at the 2008 Beijing Olympics; other highlights include Hank Aaron beating Babe Ruth's home run record, Billie Jean King's match against the boastful Bobby Riggs ("it may not have been the greatest of sports moments... but it was certainly one of the most memorable"), and the U.S. Women's World Cup Soccer win in 1999. It's an eclectic roundup that's likely to have readers mulling their own personal favorites. An audio CD featuring broadcasts of 10 featured moments is included. Ages 7–up. (Nov.)

We Shall Overcome: A Song That Changed the World Stuart Stotts, illus. by Terrance Cummings. Clarion, $18 (80p) ISBN 978-0-547-18210-0

This book on the subject of the storied anthem "We Shall Overcome" traces its African and Christian influences through its evolution as a '60s-era protest song. Photographs and bold clip art–style illustrations capture the turmoil of the civil rights movement, with particular focus on the music that helped inspire and unite its proponents: Martin Luther King Jr., the Freedom Singers, and Joan Baez, among others. Bringing the song's significance to a poignant full circle, a 2007 photograph features then Senator Obama joining others in Alabama, to commemorate the Selma to Montgomery march. A thoughtful examination of a song that, as Stotts writes, "seems to tap into our deepest emotions." Ages 8–12. (Jan.)

A Thousand Years of Pirates William Gilkerson. Tundra, $32.95 (96p) ISBN 978-0-88776-924-5

Beginning with Vikings and conquistadores, this account of pirate history chronicles swashbucklers up through the 19th century, accompanied by alluring illustrations. Gilkerson's paintings have exceptional detail, as moonlit seascapes evoke both danger and grandeur. The notorious Blackbeard, described in his own time as "altogether an idea of a fury, from hell," is shown armed with multiple muskets and a menacing glare. Gilkerson's affection for the subject is clear, especially in an epilogue about a sailing trip with a few modern-day smugglers in the Caribbean: "the cast of characters had not changed, nor the moon, nor the dark seas sliding under us." Readers should be entranced both by the art and the visceral descriptions of life at sea. Ages 10–up. (Nov.)

109 Forgotten American Heroes Chris Ying and Brian McMullen. DK, $19.99 (192p) ISBN 978-0-7566-5405-4

In their children's debut, McSweeney's editors Ying and McMullen redefine the notion of the American hero with a montage of tributes to unsung figures. The stylish and colorful displays juxtapose photographs with drawings and digital images, producing a zine-like effect that is perfect for browsing. Minor celebrities like Edmund McIlhenny, inventor of Tabasco sauce; journalist Nellie Bly; and killer whale Shamu are given accolades, along with Victoria Woodhull (the first woman nominated for president), the hero sandwich, and the Navajo code talkers. There's a satisfying balance between tongue-in-cheek humor (on releasing nutria into the U.S.: "It's fine to make money, but don't set gigantic rats free in the process!") and valuable historical insights. Ages 11–17. (Oct.)

The Smart Aleck's Guide to American History Adam Selzer. Delacorte, $12.99 paper (336p) ISBN 978-0-385-73650-3

This 11-chapter, tightly condensed guide to history posits that most know little on the subject, and that's a shame: its aim is to provide an overview of significant topics speeding along on humor, Daily Show–style. The first chapter declares, "Any idiot will tell you it was Columbus [that discovered America], but that's just proof that he or she is an idiot." The following chapters (such as "A Nation Declines to Bathe" and "The Depressing Thirties") give profiles of historical figures, events, and concepts, along with photographs, sidebars, end-of-chapter questions ("Who would have made a better president than Harding?"), and assignment ideas. The irreverent, often laugh-out-loud approach should win over reluctant readers. Ages 12–up. (Dec.)

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Tumnus’s Bookshelf: The NarniaFans Book Reviews: ” Surprised By ... - Narnia Fans.com

Posted: 04 Dec 2009 09:27 AM PST

Hey, Everybody! Welcome to Tumnus's Bookshelf where we review any and all books relating to the land of Narnia and her creator, CS Lewis. For today's review we will be looking at CS Lewis's Spiritual Autobiography, Surprised by Joy.

Title: Surprised by Joy

Author: CS Lewis

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; Revised edition (November 1, 1995)

ISBN-10: 0151001855

ISBN-13: 978-0151001859

 

Summary

                From his boyhood in Ireland to his trip to the Whipsnad Zoo where he finally accepted Christ as his savior, CS Lewis tells his journey of faith. Along the way we encounter all the sign posts that pointed him along the road to salvation and are briefly introduced to the major players in his early years.

 

Review:

Allow me to start with a  disclaimer. This book is by no means a "tell-all autobiography" that you may typically find now a days chronicling the lives of authors, film makers, actors or sport stars. Surprised by Joy falls more in line with St. Augustine's Confessions, or Thomas Merton's Seven Story Mountain. Like St. Autustine or Merton, this book is CS Lewis's "spiritual autobiography."

Also it should be noted that this book does not at all go into any details about his romance with Joy Davidman, despite the title. The book actually ends with CS Lewis's conversion to Christianity, many years before he meet Joy. The title actually comes from the poem "Surprised by Joy" by Wordsworth, and deals with how the little "hints" of joy that he got in life helped him become a Christian.

 We do not hear about the ups and downs of being part of the Oxford English faculty. We do not hear CS Lewis's war stories from World War I. We do not even get to hear of the antics of the Lewis, Warnie, Tolkien and the other Inklings in the pub the frequented. Instead of all of that, as fun or worth while as they may be to read, we get something much better: We get a recollection about one man's journey from disbelief to faith.

Of Lewis as a youngster, we discover that in some ways he was not that unlike Eustace Clarance Scrubb in Voyage of the Dawn Treader. We also find out he hated large social functions loved reading,  especially epic myths. We learn about the pain he felt at the death of his mother and how that loss effected him. Most importantly e learn that every instance in his life, good or bad, be it the friends he made to the books he read how it was all used by God to point him towards salvation.

Despite being a book similar to Confessions in some respects, Surprised by Joy is much easier to read then Augustine's work. Much of that is due to the fact that Lewis as a narrator is no different in this book then he is in the land of Narnia. He isn't trying to wow you or impress you with anything hard hitting and there is nothing overly controversial that the describes, at least not in detail, and much like in his Narnian Chronicles, he spares readers of the horrors of war and merely brushes upon the subject. All of this makes it an acceptable read for children and adults. There are also plenty of excellent theological insights that he  provides.

For those looking for a good book about CS Lewis's life this is the perfect place to star. It not only tells a good story about his life, but is one of the last great Spiritual Autobiographies out there . In a time of sleezy tell all biographies it is great to read a book that focus on much deeper aspects of a persons life then just life itself. Surprised by Joy is a celebration of those things.

 Five out of Five Shields

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This entry was posted on Friday, December 4th, 2009 at 12:16 pm and is filed under C.S. Lewis, C.S. Lewis Books, Tumnus's Book Shelf. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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