by LaRonna DeBraak illustrated by Lorry Pearson ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 23, 2012
A quick and funny companion to He’s Just Not That into You.
If men truly are from Mars and women are from Venus, this field guide provides a simple way to demystify the cosmic differences between the sexes.
Written and illustrated by friends of over 30 years, this funny guide portrays the many types of men, affectionately referred to as Nimroddes, whom young women may encounter. The authors claim that Nimrodde is the “all-encompassing category for what is currently referred to as the human male,” and they provide a tongue-in-cheek evolutionary perspective on the development of man. DeBraak takes a scientific approach to classifying and categorizing the men, lending this book an air of authority. The author provides a witty chapter entitled “How to Use This Guide” that identifies the qualities of each Nimrodde that she discusses: ecology and behavior, similar types, habitat, range, breeding peculiarities and learning opportunities. DeBraak offers intriguing profiles, but there are a few highlights. One, for instance, is the Pinhead. While Pearson’s drawing depicts a typical businessman on a cellphone, smiling cockily, DeBraak explains that this type is called a Pinhead because of its “pin-striped suits or ties” and because it considers itself a “head honcho.” DeBraak says of its breeding peculiarities that “because this type thinks so much of itself, females are considered conquests.” She says that Pinheads are “obsessed with causing others to sweat.” The authors’ comical depiction and classification of the Pinhead reveals the type of self-absorbed businessman commonly found in television and other media. Another type is the Jock. Pearson’s drawing for the Jock is dead-on: a large-jawed man wearing a baseball cap. DeBraak describes the Jock as “carrying around various types of balls” to “display physical superiority and convince females of its desirability.” She notes that one can learn from the Jock that “getting hit in the head or dropped on the head causes brain damage.” Guys reading this book may be slightly surprised by the harsh characterizations and sometimes clichéd descriptions of their gender. When examining Pearson’s appealing illustrations, however, readers will recognize that although the book contains some truth, it also satirizes society’s expectations for men.
A quick and funny companion to He’s Just Not That into You.Pub Date: Nov. 23, 2012
ISBN: 978-1478267409
Page Count: 112
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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by William Strunk & E.B. White ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 15, 1972
Stricter than, say, Bergen Evans or W3 ("disinterested" means impartial — period), Strunk is in the last analysis...
Privately published by Strunk of Cornell in 1918 and revised by his student E. B. White in 1959, that "little book" is back again with more White updatings.
Stricter than, say, Bergen Evans or W3 ("disinterested" means impartial — period), Strunk is in the last analysis (whoops — "A bankrupt expression") a unique guide (which means "without like or equal").Pub Date: May 15, 1972
ISBN: 0205632645
Page Count: 105
Publisher: Macmillan
Review Posted Online: Oct. 28, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1972
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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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