An upbeat and honest guide for teens already considering writing careers.
Advice on writing from an experienced writer.
Majors, founder of YARN, the Young Adult Review Network, an online journal of YA essays, poetry and short stories, offers a series of essays on writing for aspiring writers. Essentially a memoir, the volume is earnest and practical in tone, covering every angle of writing, from buying a planner and revising to finding an audience and learning from mistakes. More philosophical concerns include what to do for a living before hitting the big time, deciding whether writing is a hobby or a job, and dealing with hating friends who find success before you do. Finally, for those committed to publishing, helpful advice is offered on dealing with agents, editors and publishers, discovering the right journals and finding inspiration. The best advice of all is to write for pleasure, even if the ultimate goal is publication. Clearly, Majors knows what she’s talking about, and readers will recognize they’re getting advice from someone who knows. However, considering that the author says, “I prefer to think of this book as therapy for writers,” it’s not always clear if this is really therapy for herself or for aspiring newbies already becoming intimidated and discouraged by the whole process.
An upbeat and honest guide for teens already considering writing careers. (Nonfiction. 13 & up)Pub Date: July 9, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-59963-688-7
Page Count: 208
Publisher: Writer's Digest Books
Review Posted Online: May 10, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2013
Not for artists only; an engaging introduction to a critical feature of our modern, design-rich environment.
Beginning with the striking cover design—a red stop sign reading “GO”—this book challenges our assumptions about what we see and read.
Kidd skillfully uses typography and illustration to demonstrate how graphic design informs the ways we make decisions that affect our lives. In his introduction, he emphasizes that graphic design, unlike industrial or architectural design, is “purely a head trip, from your eyes to your mind.” We are bombarded with thousands of images every day, all of which influence our decisions about what to wear, do, see or buy. Everything that is not made by nature is designed by someone, even such mundane objects as TV remotes and baseballs. Beginning with a comprehensive analysis of form, Kidd explains key fundamentals of design in an engaging, colorful style, with extensive visual references to his own and others’ designs and an eclectic range of ephemera, from book covers to razor-blade wrappers. Budding graphic designers will relate to his emphasis on the importance of developing one’s own visual style; the 10 design projects at the end include, appropriately, creating your own visual identity. In spite of its trendy presentation, this book is firmly rooted in traditional graphic design for printed products; the specific technical knowledge required today to design for the Web is not touched upon.
Not for artists only; an engaging introduction to a critical feature of our modern, design-rich environment. (further resources) (Nonfiction. 13 & up)Pub Date: Oct. 8, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-7611-7219-2
Page Count: 160
Publisher: Workman
Review Posted Online: Aug. 27, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2013
Clarity, accessibility and spot-on relevance to issues facing modern society make this a must-read.
Part biography, part history, part exploration of Spinoza’s philosophy: wholly engaging.
The philosopher Benedict de Spinoza was born Bento Spinoza in 1632—a son of Jewish parents who had fled persecution in Portugal to settle in the relatively safe Amsterdam Jewish community known as the Nation. Raised and educated in the Jewish faith, Spinoza nonetheless began developing alarming (to his Jewish community) ideas about religion, culminating in his cherem—excommunication—at 23. Undaunted, he moved to another part of Amsterdam, took up the trade of lens grinding and continued his studies. Influenced by the writings of René Descartes, Spinoza developed a philosophy that promoted rational inquiry and tolerance over blind acceptance of tradition and superstition, especially in the matters of religion and government. Needless to say, religious and government leaders considered his views threatening. Generally reviled during his lifetime, Spinoza’s influence on future generations has nonetheless been far-reaching, informing the thoughts of John Locke, Thomas Jefferson and Albert Einstein, among others. Throughout this ambitious and thorough narrative, Lehmann does an outstanding job of illuminating Spinoza’s concepts in a clear, concise and logical manner and gives them contextual relevance by illuminating the pertinent political and social upheavals of the time. Archival illustrations add depth to the narrative.
Clarity, accessibility and spot-on relevance to issues facing modern society make this a must-read. (sources, notes, index) (Nonfiction. 13 & up)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-60898-180-9
Page Count: 280
Publisher: Namelos
Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2014
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