bookshelf

THE PLEASURE POLICE

Name: THE PLEASURE POLICE
Author: David Shaw
ISBN: 0-385-47568-3

HOW BLUENOSE BUSYBODIES AND LILY-LIVERED ALARMISTS ARE TAKING ALL THE FUN OUT OF LIFE

by David Shaw ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 7, 1996

bookshelf

Shaw raises important questions about balancing pleasure and responsibility in modern society but defeats his own purpose with superficial analysis and smug prose. The Pleasure Police, according to the rather vague defintion offered by the Los Angeles Times media critic, have ``narrow minds, unbending wills, [and] dictatorial ways'' and, to promote their crabbed vision, would dictate most aspects of our personal lives. The fascinating irony raised by Shaw is that these ``new Puritans . . . are increasingly trying to leech all joy from our daily lives'' at the very time when, for many, living has never been better. Much of Shaw's discussion is thoughtful and informative, such as his history of the movements in opposition to smoking and alcohol. Unfortunately, the book's strengths are overwhelmed by its failings. With rare exception, Shaw's writing is unrelentingly smarmy and trite. Describing a new fat substitute which may cause gas, Shaw states, ``Trading fat for farts will be the odor—er, order—of the day.'' Similarly, Shaw's frequent references to his sex life, his family, his hobbies, and his preferences are cloying and self-important. Moreover, Shaw's analysis is often distressingly shallow. Due to their ruinous effects, he opposes legalization of hard drugs. Yet, despite equally dire consequences, with regard to alcohol, Shaw counsels only education and moderation. And it is typical of Shaw's lack of definition that we remain unsure as to who these ``pleasure police'' really are. Furthermore, Shaw, despite his stated dislike of intolerant proselytizing, indulges in it frequently. He is amazed that his compromises and standards regarding private pleasures have not been universally embraced. With no overriding theory to help us reach a useful balance between striving for fun and accepting responsibility, this thesis devolves into a superficial, rambling, cocktail party monologue.

Pub Date: June 7, 1996

ISBN: 0-385-47568-3

Page Count: 320

Publisher: Doubleday

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1996

Categories:

GENERAL NONFICTION

bookshelf

NUTCRACKER

by E.T.A. Hoffmann ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 28, 1996

bookshelf

This is not the Nutcracker sweet, as passed on by Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa. No, this is the original Hoffmann tale of 1816, in which the froth of Christmas revelry occasionally parts to let the dark underside of childhood fantasies and fears peek through. The boundaries between dream and reality fade, just as Godfather Drosselmeier, the Nutcracker's creator, is seen as alternately sinister and jolly. And Italian artist Roberto Innocenti gives an errily realistic air to Marie's dreams, in richly detailed illustrations touched by a mysterious light. A beautiful version of this classic tale, which will captivate adults and children alike. (Nutcracker; $35.00; Oct. 28, 1996; 136 pp.; 0-15-100227-4)

Pub Date: Oct. 28, 1996

ISBN: 0-15-100227-4

Page Count: 136

Publisher: Harcourt

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1996

Categories:

GENERAL NONFICTION

- BOOK REVIEW
THE NUTCRACKER AND THE MOUSE KING
by E.T.A. Hoffmann ; adapted by Natalie Andrewson ; illustrated by Natalie Andrewson

- BOOK REVIEW
THE NUTCRACKER
by E.T.A. Hoffmann & illustrated by Julie Paschkis

bookshelf

TO THE ONE I LOVE THE BEST

EPISODES FROM THE LIFE OF LADY MENDL (ELSIE DE WOLFE)

by Ludwig Bemelmans ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 23, 1955

bookshelf

An extravaganza in Bemelmans' inimitable vein, but written almost dead pan, with sly, amusing, sometimes biting undertones, breaking through. For Bemelmans was "the man who came to cocktails". And his hostess was Lady Mendl (Elsie de Wolfe), arbiter of American decorating taste over a generation. Lady Mendl was an incredible person,- self-made in proper American tradition on the one hand, for she had been haunted by the poverty of her childhood, and the years of struggle up from its ugliness,- until she became synonymous with the exotic, exquisite, worshipper at beauty's whrine. Bemelmans draws a portrait in extremes, through apt descriptions, through hilarious anecdote, through surprisingly sympathetic and understanding bits of appreciation. The scene shifts from Hollywood to the home she loved the best in Versailles. One meets in passing a vast roster of famous figures of the international and artistic set. And always one feels Bemelmans, slightly offstage, observing, recording, commenting, illustrated.