The year’s social and cinematic concerns are captured in this well-sculpted inaugural volume on film from guest editor and cameo actor Plimpton (The X Factor, 1995, etc.). Beginning with Libby Gelman-Waxner’s gleeful trashing of Barbra Streisand’s The Mirror Has Two Faces, the collection lopes nimbly among subjects and moods, from sly critique to Evan Hunter’s wistful recollection of Hitchcock to Gerald Peary’s amiable portrait of John Waters regulars in Provincetown. Together they fulfill series editor Jason Shinder’s belief that movies are “arguably the most influential form of communication we have today,” and that film writing is an “emerging genre.” Equally varied are article sources, which include not only Premiere and Vanity Fair but such small magazines as the Michigan Quarterly Review and Parnassus, and authors ranging from film writers (Donald Bogle) to filmmakers (Martin Scorsese) and novelists (Alice Walker). Despite the assortment, some common threads for the year emerge, notably in the treatment of black women and gays in the cinema. The dismal state of choices for black actresses is seen in two pieces, including one on current biopic hot property Dorothy Dandridge. Likewise the gay experience of films is seen in two works, one of which is a trenchant analysis of the necessary death of diva worship. A thought-provoking commingling of shop talk, sociological meditation, and personal memoir that shows the range of responses possible for an art form at the height of its popularity.
Pub Date: April 1, 1998
ISBN: 0-312-18049-7
Page Count: 336
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1998
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A well-executed, socially conscious proactive and rigorous call to action.
Everything you wanted to know about alcohol-fuel production but were afraid to ask.
For those who think ethanol is the be-all and end-all of the alternative-energy revolution, think again. More than 20 years ago, veteran biofuel guru Blume (Alcohol Can Be a Gas, 1983) beat the drum for alcohol-based alternative fuels. Despite an impenetrable foreword by R. Buckminster Fuller, Blume’s latest book is a well-researched and expanded update to his original work, incorporating 21st-century concerns over global warming, domestic-energy policy, grassroots biofuel solutions and the challenges of going green in a world dominated by the fossil fuel “oiligarchy.” Blume systematically and entertainingly builds his case for individual responsibility and activism in dealing with the nation’s domestic-energy challenges, and he excludes no one in preaching his gospel of alcohol-fuel independence. For the novice, Blume tells the story of alcohol production’s rich history in America, from the Civil War to today, and effectively demystifies the thorny pros and cons of the current national energy-policy debate regarding ethanol. This education alone is worth the cover price. Make no mistake, the book is more than a bully pulpit for championing sociopolitical opinions on global-energy woes–it is a technical how-to book. Written with enterprising do-it-yourselfers in mind, Blume offers countless hands-on technical solutions ranging from home stills to for-profit manufacturing strategies and builds chapters on detailed charts, graphs and step-by-step building instructions, giving activist-minded readers the data and resources they need to implement personal and individualized energy solutions.
A well-executed, socially conscious proactive and rigorous call to action.Pub Date: Aug. 11, 2007
ISBN: 978-0-979-04379-6
Page Count: 596
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
Words to live by.
A man shares the wisdom and inspiration he’s collected throughout his life.
Anthony doesn’t just file away bits of insight whenever he happens upon them; he seeks them out, initiating conversations with other people about life and their own experiences and outlook. In this collection of short essays, the author shares these ideas and stories and what they have meant to him, in hopes that they will inspire others. He argues that successful people largely create their own luck by how they respond to the circumstances around them. Conversely, those who feel that only bad things happen to them help fulfill their own prophecy through their attitude and expectations. Though he was deeply grieved by his mother’s death, the author decided to write this book to work through that pain, to turn that experience into something positive and to help others find better ways to respond to life’s challenges. He asserts that one can begin to change his or her life simply by altering how one looks at each day–as a grind or as an opportunity. He urges readers to appreciate the time they have and to make the most of it by improving themselves and helping others to do so as well. Many of his discussions are illustrated by stories in which he learned something new from someone in his daily life, or he attempted to turn someone around toward a more positive outlook. The essays are interspersed with poems, which offer more emotionally charged meditations on similar themes. He concludes with slightly more stern chapters, addressing how many people approach self-help books as quick fixes, arguing that changing one’s life requires a constant commitment. An outgrowth of his website, SomethingToShare.com, this succeeds because the author’s advice is directly derived from his own experience. Some may perceive his values as old-fashioned, however, particularly those about children and parenting.
Words to live by.Pub Date: May 1, 2007
ISBN: 978-0931761-25-5
Page Count: 220
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
