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Great Women Sculptors

The beautifully printed, encyclopedic Great Women Sculptors brings together more than 300 artists who have been excluded from institutions and canons on the basis of gender.
The beautifully printed, encyclopedic Great Women Sculptors brings together more than 300 artists who have been excluded from institutions and canons on the basis of gender.
NonfictionSocial ScienceLGBTQ+

American Teenager

Nico Lang’s powerful American Teenager closely follows seven transgender young adults, rendering complex, searing and sensitive portraits of their lives.
Nico Lang’s powerful American Teenager closely follows seven transgender young adults, rendering complex, searing and sensitive portraits of their lives.
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Biography

Review

Review by bookpagedev

Readers who are unfamiliar with Gary Giddins’ earlier musical biographies or his commentaries on jazz for the Village Voice may recall him as one of the more animated talking heads in Ken Burns’ recent PBS documentary, Jazz. In this first of two projected volumes, the author brings his enthusiasm and painstaking scholarship to the task of resurrecting one of America’s most influential cultural figures. It is a noble mission. Besides being the consummate jazz and pop vocalist on stage, Bing Crosby also became a radio star, an Academy Award-winning actor and one of the world’s most successful recording artists. Giddins’ first chronicle covers Crosby from birth to 1940, by which time he had reached the top as a band singer, started a family, charted dozens of hit records and begun his series of “Road” movies with Bob Hope.

If there is a criticism to be made of this immensely informative book, it is that Giddins sometimes tells too much. It takes him 30 pages to get Crosby born (in 1903 in Tacoma, Washington) and another 80 or so to get him away from home and on his way to Los Angeles. In the interim, though, we learn a great deal about early 20th century show business and watch as Crosby evolves into the easygoing, self-assured figure he would remain in the national consciousness until his death in 1977. Unlike most of his peers in the business, Crosby was well-educated in addition to being naturally bright. He received a classical education at Gonzaga University and was on his way to a law degree there when the call to music became irresistible.

Although he was passionate about his music, Crosby appeared casual in his performance of it. He brought attention to lyrics by caressing, understating and playing with them. He was one of the first singers, Giddins points out, to master the microphone. Later generations would pigeonhole Crosby as a “crooner” or forget about him altogether. But Louis Armstrong proclaimed him “the Boss of All Singers,” and ultracool Artie Shaw tagged him as “the first hip white person born in the United States.” A well-written and entertaining work, Giddins biography will, with any luck, revive interest in Crosby the way Nick Tosches’ Dino: Living High in the Dirty Business of Dreams did with Crosby’s disciple, Dean Martin.

Edward Morris is a Nashville-based writer.

Readers who are unfamiliar with Gary Giddins’ earlier musical biographies or his commentaries on jazz for the Village Voice may recall him as one of the more animated talking heads in Ken Burns’ recent PBS documentary, Jazz. In this first of two projected volumes, the author brings his enthusiasm and painstaking scholarship to the task […]
Science Fiction & FantasyNonfictionFiction

5 short reads for the shortest month of the year

Feature by the editors of BookPage

Spring is getting closer every day, and with all that excitement bubbling up, perhaps your attention span is short circuiting. No need to worry—the editors of BookPage have just the ticket in the form of five quick but stunning reads.

The Buddha in the Attic

Julie Otsuka is a master of the short novel, and her National Book Award finalist, The Buddha in the Attic, is an epic saga written with brevity. In just 144 pages, Otsuka captures the lives of a group of Japanese women who immigrate to America, meet their husbands (many of whom lied about their ages and occupations), find work as farmers and maids, navigate the racist and classist minefields set by their white employers, raise children and scratch out a living, only to disappear suddenly as the United States enters World War II. The story is relayed by a first-person plural narrator who encompasses dozens of experiences, and it unfolds in a series of snapshots that coalesce into an astonishing mosaic of Japanese American life at the beginning of the 20th century. You can sense the mountain of research that Otsuka distilled into each beautiful sentence. It’s innovative, surprising and deeply moving.

—Christy, Associate Editor

The Body in Question

A courtroom drama that spotlights the jurors’ sequestration instead of the case itself, Jill Ciment’s The Body in Question enraptured me from the start. The protagonist, a middle-aged photographer whose life is consumed by caring for her much older husband, views the jury’s three-week isolation as a respite from assisting him. Her liberation leads to an affair with another juror that, though initially secret, begins to bleed into their surroundings with far-reaching consequences. At 192 pages, The Body in Question keeps readers engaged with fast-paced developments and characters who are eccentric in their ordinariness. Ciment’s sparse writing enhances the mundanity of sequestration, even when a case is as monumental as this one. Though the subject matter is complex, the narrative progresses without judgment, in the same way a jury must consider only the facts laid before them before reaching a verdict.

—Jessie, Editorial Intern

In Waves

A comic book moves more quickly than other types of literature, so even though AJ Dungo’s graphic memoir is actually quite long, the total time readers spend with the book isn’t. In Waves is powerful, as Dungo blends moments from surfing history with memories of falling in love with and then losing his partner to cancer. The sections on their time together will absolutely wreck you, but as those dark waters ebb and flow, the story of surfing offers levity, revealing the sport’s legacy as a refuge for Hawaiians. An especially helpful dose of hope comes from the friendship between surf legends Duke Kahanamoku and Tom Blake: “Duke represented the blissful nature of surfing. Tom personified the idea that surfing could provide comfort to those who felt broken.” In Waves engages with both the depths of Dungo’s grief and the safe haven of surfing, offering a quick dip that will leave readers a bit battered by the waves.

—Cat, Deputy Editor

A Spindle Splintered

We are currently living through an absolute gold rush of sci-fi and fantasy novellas, and among all those tiny universes, Alix E. Harrow’s A Spindle Splintered contains a multiverse. It’s a Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and “Sleeping Beauty” mashup that’s just as fun as it sounds and way smarter than it needs to be. It follows Zinnia Gray, a young woman with a rare condition that will cause her to die before her 22nd birthday. During her “Sleeping Beauty”-themed 21st birthday party, Zinnia jokingly pricks her finger on a spindle and ends up in a fairy-tale world, complete with a princess on the verge of succumbing to her own curse. You can sense Harrow’s glee on every single page, especially when she drops references and jokes tailor-made for a specific type of Tumblr-using, fandom-­obsessed, very online reader. But this novella is as poignant as it is pop-culture obsessed, spinning a tale of sisterhood that defies the bleakness of every reality.

—Savanna, Associate Editor

A Psalm for the Wild-Built

Have you ever gone on a walk with a friend in nature and ended up in a highly personal or philosophical conversation? That’s sort of what reading Becky Chambers’ novella is like. It’s a thoughtful fable that effortlessly incorporates profound questions—such as, why does human life need a purpose?—into what is essentially a road-trip story about a monk and a robot. The novella’s first half is so charming and soothing that by the second half, when Chambers’ protagonists are forging paths through the literal and metaphorical weeds, you’ll find yourself hanging on their every word. It all works because Chambers never loses the trees for the forest. In one moment, her characters will be discussing whether death is necessary to give life meaning, and in the next, they’ll be discussing the point of onions. Imaginative and comforting, A Psalm for the Wild-Built is a sheer delight.

—Stephanie, Associate Editor

Keep it short and sweet with these five succinct books.
Memoir

Review

Review by bookpagedev

The man who was Mission Control during the early days of NASA has written a fascinating autobiography called Flight, a book that takes us back to a time when space exploration was still a fledgling project. As one of the leaders of the army of pencil pushers that made the space program happen, Chris Kraft, the chief of flight operations for the moon launches who later became head of the Johnson Space Center in Houston, had a unique vantage point. Full of insight into the technical, political and familial aspects of putting a man into space, his book is a delight to read, a memoir that conjures up all the optimism and bravado of a younger America.

Flight begins in the Tidewater region of Virginia, where Christopher Columbus Kraft Jr. grew up a hard-working child of the Depression. He attended college at Virginia Tech, then took a job testing aircraft for the government, eventually joining a new organization called NASA. Kraft does a good job of conveying the intricacies, personalities, excitement and frustration that characterized a career with the organization. He is also surprisingly blunt, singling out some astronauts as incompetent, some as sycophants and some as cool and intelligent. He gives similar assessments of his coworkers; at this point in his life, he clearly has no reason to pull his punches.

Indeed, Kraft writes with honesty throughout Flight. He has little patience with bureaucracy, either governmental or scientific, and blames both for the delays that kept the United States from putting the first man into space, and for subsequent decisions that have kept us from returning to the moon for the past three decades. If Kraft had his way, America would have had a base on Mars years ago. Part of what makes his memoir a genuine and refreshing read is that Kraft doesn’t spare himself from criticism. The three Apollo astronauts that perished in an on-pad fire clearly trouble him to this day. Yet, despite such bitter losses, he takes obvious pride in what he and his comrades accomplished. Kraft also seems to savor the title bestowed on him "Flight." Sometimes a mark of respect is all that we desire, and Chris Kraft certainly deserves the respect of us all.

James Neal Webb would hitch a ride on the Space Shuttle in a heartbeat.

The man who was Mission Control during the early days of NASA has written a fascinating autobiography called Flight, a book that takes us back to a time when space exploration was still a fledgling project. As one of the leaders of the army of pencil pushers that made the space program happen, Chris Kraft, […]
History

Review

Review by bookpagedev

The formidable task of marshalling the resources and experts necessary to create a multi-volume Civil War reference work probably rivals the logistical demands of that conflict’s greatest battles. Perhaps that explains why few comprehensive Civil War encyclopedias have made their way onto the scene. But now this conspicuous void has been filled. Editors David S. Heidler and Jeanne T. Heidler undertook the challenge of producing a work of encyclopedic scope, and the result is a 2,733 page Encyclopedia of the American Civil War that distinguishes itself as the most exhaustively researched resource to have come out since the Encyclopedia of the Confederacy (Simon ∧ Schuster, 1993).

At the invitation of the Heidlers, noted Civil War historians such as Gary W. Gallagher, James I. Robertson, Jr., William C. Davis and Charles P. Roland composed the encyclopedia’s 1,600 entries. Military subjects predominate, but the editors also survey political and social aspects, achieving a judicious balance of topics. Biographies compose the majority of articles; the likes of Joseph Bailey, Edouard de Stoeckl, Barbara Frietschie and countless other lesser known figures are presented in addition to all the more famous ones. Battles from Antietam to Yellow Bayou are also aptly treated. The entries reflect recent advances in scholarship and interpretation, and the editorial perspective throughout is evenhanded. As purely a reference work, the encyclopedia admirably fulfills its duty of facilitating further research on the Civil War. Cross-references that accompany each article make textual navigation easy; short bibliographies following each entry provide the reader with relevant sources. The Encyclopedia of the American Civil War is essentially functional in design. It is not a splashy picture book destined for the coffee table, but rather a research tool. Ample pictures and maps supplement the text, but there are no fancy graphics or color photos.

With a price that matches the heft of its pages, this fine set may be more affordable for libraries and academic institutions than for individuals.

Charles L. McCollum is a copy editor for the Civil War Book Review.

The formidable task of marshalling the resources and experts necessary to create a multi-volume Civil War reference work probably rivals the logistical demands of that conflict’s greatest battles. Perhaps that explains why few comprehensive Civil War encyclopedias have made their way onto the scene. But now this conspicuous void has been filled. Editors David S. […]
Pop CultureArts & Culture

Review

Review by bookpagedev

Think you’re worth a million? Can you guess the identity of this tubular sensation? He’s been a TV personality for nearly four decades. In the 1960s he played second banana to talk-show host Joey Bishop. In the 1970s he hosted two game shows, The Neighbors and Almost Anything Goes, both of which fizzled. Then came a career boost in the late ’80s via a network morning show. More recently, he’s been in the prime-time spotlight, giving away a million dollars to lucky winners. Yes, yes, you’ve got it! It’s Regis Philbin! Come on down! Since last August, when Who Wants to Be a Millionaire debuted on ABC, the avuncular 68-year-old Philbin has become one of TV’s ubiquitous figures. After all, he’s doing double duty. Teamed with the giggly, gregarious mother of Cody and Cassidy on ABC’s Live! With Regis and Kathie Lee, he helps millions of Americans begin their day. Then he’s on again at night, hosting the surprise hit game show, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Airing three nights a week to an audience that averages 28.5 million viewers, the quiz show an Americanized version of a top British series has been credited with giving commercial TV a much-needed shot in the ratings. No wonder there’s a tie-in book. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? The Official Book from the Hit TV Show purports to deliver Everything You Need to Practice, Play, and Win! In fact, there are several dozen pages devoted to how the show operates: how to become a contestant, what a contestant goes through ( The Details and the Drama ), as well as how the show came to be. By and large, though, this is a book of trivia a series of questions (and answers) that allows readers to test their skills.

Some of the questions are unquestionably goofy. (Which of the following is found inside an Eskimo Pie? A. Whale blubber B. Ice cream C. Caribou meat D. An Eskimo). Some are historical, others pop-cultural. If the book’s topics are eclectic, so are those on the TV show which has become so popular it’s sent TV critics and pundits alike on a quest to figure out why, exactly, there’s so much interest in a game show. Here’s one theory, as espoused by U.S. News ∧ World Report: ÔMillionaire’ is the one show on network television that shows ordinary Americans for better or for worse. Executive producer Michael P. Davies says the appeal lies in the show’s democratic approach to its contestants: We treat everybody the same. The show broadly reflects society. And of course, there is Philbin. As John Carpenter, the show’s first (and much publicized) millionaire put it, I can’t imagine the show without him. He brings his own unique style and just the right amount of drama and humor. He doesn’t try to intimidate you. Reege’s nice-guy demeanor has made him the host with the most a position he candidly relishes. After all, he admits, I’ve never had this kind of attention before. Pat H. Broeske is a producer of the feature film remake of Champagne for Caesar, a spoof about a quiz show.

Think you’re worth a million? Can you guess the identity of this tubular sensation? He’s been a TV personality for nearly four decades. In the 1960s he played second banana to talk-show host Joey Bishop. In the 1970s he hosted two game shows, The Neighbors and Almost Anything Goes, both of which fizzled. Then came […]
NonfictionEssays

Writing about remoteness

Review by bookpagedev
Once upon a time there was a young writer named Meghan Daum whose work won the admiration of one of cyberspace’s many inhabitants. The fan in question, a certain PFSlider, emailed Daum, told her he had a "crazy crush" on her, proposed marriage and asked her to lunch. The meeting that ensued between reader and writer—boy meets girl, with a contemporary twist—is recounted in "On the Fringes of the Physical World," an essay in Daum’s new collection My Misspent Youth.

Such is the effect of Daum’s work on her readers. Full of honesty, insight and wicked wit, My Misspent Youth is her first book, and it has garnered Daum comparisons with Joan Didion. Examining a society lost in the allure of material possessions, the collection probes modern life using Daum’s own experiences as a filter. With velvet incision, she pierces "the personal banalities to something larger and worth telling," both issuing invitation and provoking challenge to readers interested in having an authentic relationship to the world around them.
 
Heard frequently on NPR’s Morning Edition reading sharp pieces about her new home in rural Nebraska, Daum may be best known for the essay, "In My Misspent Youth." Originally published in The New Yorker, the narrative examines the clash of romantic fantasies and financial realities that characterize living in New York City.
 
In this wonderful debut collection, Daum escorts her readers through such diverse subjects as the publishing industry, polyamorous subcultures and the world of flight attendants.
 
Despite their disparity, these pieces successfully hang together because, as Daum puts it, "they are about remoteness. They are about missing the point. They are about the fictional narratives that overpower the actual events, the cartoon personae that elbow the live figure out of the frame."
 
These essays, written not in breath-taking, but in authentic, breath-giving prose, probe experiences to which we can all relate. My Misspent Youth marks the arrival of a brave new writer.
 
Temple West writes from Norfolk, Virginia.

 

Once upon a time there was a young writer named Meghan Daum whose work won the admiration of one of cyberspace’s many inhabitants. The fan in question, a certain PFSlider, emailed Daum, told her he had a "crazy crush" on her, proposed marriage and asked her to lunch. The meeting that ensued between reader and […]

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