| March 1, 2000 Fire from Heaven by Mary
Renault (1969). This book precedes Renault's The Persian
Boy, which I read last fall. The two novels together tell the story of the life
of Alexander the Great, with Fire from Heaven presenting his life from
the age of 4 to the age of 20. What an incredible book. And what a character! I was
enthralled by Alexander. His charisma and appeal drew me in just as they draw almost
everyone he encounters.
There were so many good things about this book. Alexander is
a character with an abiding need for love and a great capacity for it. I loved the
treatment of Alexander's relationships with his mother, his father, and Hephaistion. The
historic treatment of classical culture is fascinating. While I was reading, I found
myself going back and rereading sections of the book just because I had enjoyed them so
much the first time through. I really can't do this book justice. I'll just say what I
felt -- I wanted it to go on forever.
Inside Picture
Books by Ellen Handler Spitz (1999). Art is, in the words of Baudelaire,
"an evocation, a magical operation," requiring the responses of a viewer to
bring it fully into existence. As viewers, our responses reveal much about our own
fancies, imaginations, cares and needs. Even as children, all of us are equipped to
respond personally to art, and we frequently develop that skill by thinking about and
responding to the books that are read to us. This new book by Ellen Handler Spitz explores
children's picture books and the magical world they open wide.
The book will be fascinating to anyone who remembers fondly
their favorite picture books from childhood. I especially enjoyed reading about other
adults who, as children, loved the same books I did and were confused by the same things I
was. For instance, I learned that there are others in the world who were equally mystified
by the ambiguities of The Tale of Peter Rabbit. I also enjoyed reading
Spitz' explanation of the power of Goodnight, Moon and Where the
Wild Things Are, both undeniably influential books in the lives of many children
of the 20th century. It was also gratifying to learn that many other adults find Robert
Munsch's Love You Forever as creepy and troubling as I do.
While this book has been published as a scholarly treatment
of picture books, it is likely to be interesting and understandable to any adult reader
with an interest in children's picture books, academic or not. However, I must admit that
my inner grad student got a little thrill out of the discussion drawing parallels between
Beatrix Potter's Tale of Peter Rabbit and Sophocles' Oedipus Rex.
Girl in Hyacinth
Blue by Susan Vreeland (1999). This new novel by Susan Vreeland, a
California art teacher, also examines the human act of responding to art. More a
collection of stories than a traditional novel, this book traces the life of a Dutch
painting from the late 20th century United States back to its creation in the mid-17th
century Netherlands. Along the way, the reader learns how the painting affects the lives
of those who own it, and what it means to each of them. Almost through the eyes of the
girl in the painting, we are granted a private look at the daily realities of its owners'
lives, from the beautifully mundane to the inexpressibly tragic. As each story reveals new
secrets about the painting and the lives through which it passes, what emerges is a
reflection on beauty and its role in the world.
Harriet the
Spy by Louise Fitzhugh (1964). This was one of my favorite books when
I was 10 years old, and I still reread it from time to time. I'm pleased to report that
it's just as good as I remembered. What I love about this book is that Harriet in some
ways lives a very sheltered life -- she's the only child of an affluent Manhattan couple
-- yet she looks beyond the world that is shown to her. Harriet is one of my favorite
characters in children's literature. She's awkward and intelligent, and although from the
start she has a good heart, she has to learn to overcome poor judgement. I also like the
honesty with which Fitzhugh presents Harriet's experience with depression. I understand
more about this book each time I read it. I love books like that.
The View from
Saturday by E. L. Konigsburg (1996). This book
captures the complexities of being an intelligent sixth-grader with such clarity that I
suddenly remembered what those days were like. For me, back then, it was exciting to
realize that I could learn anything, read anything, become anything. I only wish I'd known
kids like the characters in this book -- Ethan, Nadia, Julian, and Noah. The novel focuses
on a year in their lives and the journeys they take individually and together. The four
main characters -- and their teacher, Mrs. Olinski -- bring their individual talents
together to form a perfect team. I loved this book. It was one of those books I wanted to
keep reading past the end; it was over way too soon.
This Newbery Medal-winning novel was written by the author of
From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (for which she also won the
Newbery, in 1968). I highly recommend both books.
The Emperors
of Chocolate by Joël Glenn Brenner (1999). It's highly
unusual for me to read a book from the business section of the bookstore, but
this one is an exception. This book provides a fascinating glimpse of a secret world that
most of us will never gain access to -- the candy industry. Painstakingly researched and
richly detailed, The Emperors of Chocolate reveals the history and the
business practices of Hershey, Mars, and many other American candy companies (despite the
ultra-private policies of most of those companies). The book also examines the world's
fascination with chocolate, and traces the shifting demands of the candy-eating public for
the last century or more. The only negative? I found myself craving Hershey's Kisses and
Snickers bars the entire time I was reading it. |
