Best of
Books-About-Books

1994

A Broken Flute: The Native Experience in Books for Children


Doris Seale - 1994
    A compilation of work by Native parents, children, educators, poets and writers, A Broken Flute contains, from a Native perspective, 'living stories,' essays, poetry, and hundreds of reviews of 'children's books about Indians.' It's an indispensable volume for anyone interested in presenting honest materials by and about indigenous peoples to children.

Memoirs of a Bookbat


Kathryn Lasky - 1994
    As Harper grows older and realizes how valuable reading is to her, she comes to understand that her parents’ radical efforts in favor of educational censorship are related to a quest for control within their own family. And so Harper finds she must make the hardest choice of all. “Sure to be controversial, prepare for a stimulating conversation.”--The New Advocate

Books That Build Character: A Guide to Teaching Your Child Moral Values Through Stories


William Kilpatrick - 1994
     There are more than 300 titles to choose from, each featuring a dramatic story and memorable characters who explore moral ground and the difference between what is right and what is wrong. These books will capture your child's imagination, and conscience as well-whether it is Beauty pondering her promise to Beast, mischievous Max in Where the Wild Things Are, the troubled boys of Lord of the Flies, generous Mr. Badger in The Wind in the Willows, or the courageous struggles of such real-life characters as Frederick Douglass and Anne Frank. With entries arranged by category and reading level, there is something here for all readers-from preschoolers to teenagers-whatever their tastes may be. Each entry features a complete plot summary and publisher information so that you can find the book with ease in your local library or bookstore. It's not always easy to teach a child the difference between right and wrong, but stories-whether they are based on fantasy or rooted in real life-can speak to children more eloquently than any list of dos or don'ts and can impart moral values as they nurture a child's imagination.

The Culture of Literacy


Wlad Godzich - 1994
    Wlad Godzich, one of the animators of the turn toward literary theory, seeks to restore historical consciousness to criticism after a period of painful depression. In this sweeping study, he considers the emergence of the modern state, the institutions and disciplines of culture and learning, as well as the history of philosophy, the history of historiography, and literary history itself. He offers a powerful account of semiotics; an important critical perspective on narratology; a profound discussion of deconstruction; and many brief, practical demonstrations of why Kant, Hegel, and Heidegger remain essential resources for contemporary critical thought.The culture of literacy is on the wane, Godzich argues. Throughout the modern period, language has been the institution that provided the condition of possibility for all other institutions, from university to church to state. But the pervasive crisis of meaning we now experience is the result of a shift in the modes of production of knowledge. The culture of literacy has been faced with transformations it cannot accommodate, and the existing organization of knowledge has been challenged. By wedding literature to a reflective practice of history, Godzich leads us toward a critique of political reason, and a profound sense of how postmodernity can overcome by deftly sidestepping the modern. This book will bring to a wider audience the work of a writer who is recognized as one of the most commanding figures of his generation for range, learning, and capacity for innovation.

A Landscape With Dragons: The Battle for Your Child's Mind


Michael D. O'Brien - 1994
    Many Christians see the books as largely if not entirely harmless. Others regard them as dangerous and misleading. In his book A Landscape with Dragons, Harry Potter critic Michael O'Brien examines contemporary children's literature and finds it spiritually and morally wanting. His analysis, written before the rise of the popular Potter books and films, anticipates many of the problems Harry Potter critics point to. A Landscape with Dragons is a controversial, yet thoughtful study of what millions of young people are reading and the possible impact such reading may have on them. In this study of the pagan invasion of children's culture, O'Brien, the father of six, describes his own coming to terms with the effect it has had on his family and on most families in Western society. His analysis of the degeneration of books, films, and videos for the young is incisive and detailed. Yet his approach is not simply critical, for he suggests a number of remedies, including several tools of discernment for parents and teachers in assessing the moral content and spiritual impact of this insidious revolution. In doing so, he points the way to rediscovery of time-tested sources, and to new developments in Christian culture.If you have ever wondered why a certain children's book or film made you feel uneasy, but you couldn't figure out why, this book is just what you need. This completely revised, much expanded second edition also includes a very substantial recommended reading list of over 1,000 books for kindergarten through highschool.

Women of Words: A Personal Introduction to Thirty-Five Important Writers


Janet Bukovinsky Teacher - 1994
    Featuring 35 extraordinary writers, including Mary Wollstonecraft, Toni Morrison, Willa Cather, and Edith Wharton, this elegant treasury presents carefully selected excerpts from each woman's writings. A concise biography and original, full-color portrait accompany each profile.

The Potential of Picture Books: From Visual Literacy to Aesthetic Understanding


Barbara Z. Kiefer - 1994
    

Young Author's Do It Yourself


Donna Guthrie - 1994
    An easy-to-follow guide to writing a story, illustrating it with one's own pictures, and putting it all together in a bound book explains every step in the process and covers both fiction and nonfiction.

The Story of Webster's Third: Philip Gove's Controversial Dictionary and Its Critics


Herbert C. Morton - 1994
    This is the first full account of the controversy, set within the larger background of how the dictionary was planned and put together by its editor-in-chief, Philip Babcock Gove. Based on original research and interviews with the people who knew and worked with Gove, this is a human story as well as the story of the making of a dictionary. The author skillfully interweaves an account of Gove's character and working habits with the evolution of the dictionary. In spite of its rocky initial reception, Webster's Third is now widely regarded as one of the greatest dictionaries of our time.

500 Great Books by Women


Erica Bauermeister - 1994
    Organized by such themes as Art, Choices, Families, Growing Old, Growing Up, Places and Homes, Power, and Work, this reference book presents classic and contemporary works, from Lady Nijo's thirteenth-century diaries to books by authors including Toni Morrison, Alice Hoffman, Nadine Gordimer, and Isabel Allende. With annotated entries that capture the flavor of each book and seven cross-referenced indexes, 500 Great Books by Women is a one-of-a-kind guide for all readers and book lovers that celebrates and recommends some of the very best writing by women.

Edith Pargeter: Ellis Peters


Margaret Lewis - 1994
    Pargeter is best known as Ellis Peters, the author of the Chronicles of Brother Cadfael. These 20 novels have been televised and adapted for radio and have played a major role in turning crime writing into a literary genre and making historical detectives popular. Also discussed are Pargeter's series of 14 Inspector Felse novels, written under her real name, and her further novels, including two outstanding historical sequences. The Brothers of Gwynedd quartet and The Heaven Tree trilogy. The Eighth Champion of Christendom, a trilogy of novels about the Second World War, is also illuminated.

The Making of Textual Culture: 'Grammatica' and Literary Theory 350-1100


Martin Irvine - 1994
    Martin Irvine draws together several aspects of medieval culture--literary theory, the nature of literacy, education, Biblical interpretation, linguistic thought--in order to reveal the more far-reaching social effects of grammatica in medieval culture. The book is based on new and previously neglected sources, many of which have been edited from medieval manuscripts for the first time.

Bookscout


John Dunning - 1994
     Six days a week, Joel Beer hunts for books in Denver. He stalks them in bookstores and thrift stores, at yard sales and estate sales, his eyes scanning spines quickly and ruthlessly, searching for the $0.25 gem that he can resell for $250. If he were the only scout in town, he might be able to make a living, but there are close to a dozen full-timers now -- including his archrival, Popeye Lamonica -- and Joel is having trouble paying his rent. Facing eviction, Joel and his partner -- a slow-witted vagrant named Lacy -- go on the hunt. They are about to give up when they find an estate sale offering a $0.50 copy of Walter Behr's Something for Nothing that is worth $500. But Popeye sees it, too. To make this treasure his, Joel will do whatever it takes -- even if it means sacrificing his career.

The Work Of Jack Vance: An Annotated Bibliography & Guide


Jerry Hewett - 1994
    

Books Change Lives: Quotes To Treasure


Barbara Elleman - 1994
    Contributors include Tomie dePaola, Shonto Begay, and Jerry Pinkney. Each quote appears with the writer's signature. Published by Booklist Publications.

Let the Authors Speak: A Guide to Worthy Books Based on Historical Setting


Carolyn Hatcher - 1994
    The same listing is also sorted by author and by title to provide cross references. This book offers information not found on most book lists and the highlights point out some of the best children's literature. There are reading and interest levels for children and adults. an excellent resource.