Best as a starting reference for kids researching fandom-related topics—or perhaps for adults baffled by said kids’ hobby.
A historical overview of fandom.
Exploring the reason for fandom’s existence—community in shared passions and desire for more from the fandom’s source materials—this book looks at common forms of creative expression in fandom. The five chapters are devoted to fan fiction, fan videos, cosplay, fan visuals (comics, memes, fan art, and so on), and games. The book’s greatest strength is its exploration of the historical origins of the various fandom forms, demonstrating that while the internet has transformed fandom, fan fiction and the like have been around for hundreds of years—even chess was once thought to be dangerously addictive in the same way Dungeons & Dragons and computer games have been. The highlighted fandoms skew American- and Eurocentric, leading to odd omissions of the influence of anime and manga fandom, beyond the coining of the word “cosplay.” Occasionally, arguable ideas are presented as fact (such as which video was the first to go viral), and readers might find themselves wishing for more information regarding the tenuous relation of fandom and copyright. Overall, the book is upbeat and optimistic, and it has a prominent social justice lens that highlights fan creators of color and the ways fandom allows for greater diversity in media so often dominated by straight white men.
Best as a starting reference for kids researching fandom-related topics—or perhaps for adults baffled by said kids’ hobby. (glossary, source notes, selected bibliography, resources, index) (Nonfiction. 10-16)Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-5124-5049-1
Page Count: 124
Publisher: Twenty-First Century/Lerner
Review Posted Online: Oct. 15, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
The most reluctant of readers will find it difficult to resist this consistently disgusting chronicle of the gruesome deaths of 19 famous people. Bragg opens with King Tut, discussing in gory details the embalming and mummification processes of the ancient Egyptians. Among the many macabre details is an explanation for why mummy eye sockets look empty: "Eyeballs shrink to almost nothing during the drying process" (the author notes that if mummy eyeballs are rehydrated, they return to almost normal size). Among the other famous figures profiled are Henry VIII, whose corpse exploded in its coffin while lying in state; George Washington, who was drained of 80 ounces of his blood by doctors before dying; and Marie Curie, who did herself in with constant radiation exposure. The accounts of how ill or injured people were treated by doctors through the 19th century reveal that medical practices were usually more lethal than the maladies. Between each chapter, there is a page or two of related and gleefully gross facts. Bragg's informal, conversational style and O'Malley's cartoon illustrations complement the flippant approach to the subject; the energetically icky design includes little skulls and crossbones to contain page numbers. Engaging, informative and downright disgusting. (sources, further reading, websites, index) (Nonfiction. 10-14)
Pub Date: March 15, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-8027-9817-6
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Walker
Review Posted Online: Jan. 25, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2011
Flawed and no longer groundbreaking in its perspective, this nevertheless offers a readable description of an essential part...
A wrenching account of the injustices the Sioux endured from white men and the battles that ensued, based on Dee Brown’s classic Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee.
Brown’s work, considered groundbreaking in 1971, told the painful history of Native Americans in the late-19th century from their perspective. Rather than just shorten the weighty original, Zimmerman draws from chapters about the Sioux as representative of the broken treaties, battles, suffering and death. The fluid chronological adaptation conveys the view that “an overwhelming number” of settlers, soldiers and men in authority were “arrogant, greedy, racist, murderous, and cruel beyond belief,” a conclusion supported by the many well-told accounts of travesties. Except for references to the Civil War, the author offers little historical or social context. He rarely mentions women, although the controversial term “squaw” appears once. The overall effect feels dated, including occasional flowery prose from the original book, such as “the remnants of the once proud woodland Sioux awaited their fate.” Except for material supporting the introduction and epilogue, source notes are not included; readers are referred to the original for Brown's. Photographs, including many by Edward Curtis, and illustrations with useful captions appear frequently in the attractive, open design.
Flawed and no longer groundbreaking in its perspective, this nevertheless offers a readable description of an essential part of American history. (time line, glossary, suggested websites, recommended reading, index) (Nonfiction. 11-15)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-8050-9364-3
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: July 27, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2011
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