by Helmut Glenk with Horst Blaich and Peter Gatter ‧ RELEASE DATE: Dec. 13, 2007
An occasionally pedantic historical account whose pros nevertheless outweigh its cons, and which should be taken up by...
Traces the history of a group of 19th-century German Christians whose initial desire to bring the kingdom of God to Palestine eventually led to East Africa.
Formatted in the style of a high school textbook, this work exhibits some of the weaknesses frequently associated with the genre. The writing is informative but dry, and neither characters nor events are propelled forward with the help of a driving narrative force. That said, the book does delve into an unusual amalgamation of European, Middle Eastern and African history and provides a wealth of insight for anyone who comes new to the topic of German colonialism in Africa and the German immigrants known as the Templers. Committed to the prospect of creating God’s kingdom on Earth, the German Templers of the 19th century originally immigrated to Palestine, where they developed socially and economically viable communities primarily based on agricultural ventures. But as land grew scarce and economic opportunities dwindled, a new generation of Templers relocated from Palestine to the vast lands of Germany’s African colony in the area around Mount Kilimanjaro. There, the Templers repeated the economic and cultural successes they had fostered in the Holy Land, only to see their efforts fail as Germany embroiled itself in two successive world wars. There are many compelling stories to be told about these intrepid pioneers, from developing coffee plantations in the plains of Africa to enduring the deprivations of incarceration during times of war. The book is at its most engaging when the authors (themselves descendants of German Templers) allow the Templers to speak for themselves. The excerpts from diaries in which men and women describe their day-to-day lives are the most vivid passages in the book, and the many historical and family photographs offer a panoramic view of this bygone era.
An occasionally pedantic historical account whose pros nevertheless outweigh its cons, and which should be taken up by readers curious about a frequently overlooked moment in German and African history.Pub Date: Dec. 13, 2007
ISBN: 978-1425139223
Page Count: 269
Publisher: Trafford
Review Posted Online: Jan. 7, 2011
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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by Helmut Glenk with Horst Blaich and Manfred Haering
by E.T.A. Hoffmann ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 28, 1996
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
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by E.T.A. Hoffmann ; adapted by Natalie Andrewson ; illustrated by Natalie Andrewson
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by E.T.A. Hoffmann & illustrated by Julie Paschkis
by Ludwig Bemelmans ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 23, 1955
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.
Pub Date: Feb. 23, 1955
ISBN: 0670717797
Page Count: -
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1955
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developed by Ludwig Bemelmans ; illustrated by Steven Salerno
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by Ludwig Bemelmans ; illustrated by Steven Salerno
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