An interesting, if slightly overwrought, book on responsibility and the role of government in America.
An expansive work of political theory on the decline of American civic life.
Nadin’s (The Privilege of Memories, 2011, etc.) main contention in this ambitious work is that America is in decline—economically, militarily, socially—but that Americans themselves are to blame. Instead of rising to the occasion and overcoming these obstacles, people remain ignorant about their history and apathetic to their current conditions. According to the author, this attitude has resulted in a somewhat ironic state of affairs: Americans are more dependent on government as their skepticism of it grows. As Nadin sees it, Americans have been “conditioned to be less responsible for themselves than were their forebears.” Consequently, “today’s Americans are seduced by increased dependency on the government—while (demagogically) opposing such increases.” For him, this contradiction is the leading cause of America’s downfall, proof of which he sees in almost everything, from its mammoth debt to the breakdown of cultural norms, like marriage. Especially well-versed in the economic and political history of America, he essentially tracks this decline in Americans’ sense of responsibility for themselves. Of particular note is a section on media and the decay of civic life. He offers especially fresh takes on the idea of attention, suggesting that while the “public bids with its attention—on American idols, friends, movies, messages,” such action is only a pale imitation of real civic responsibility. Unfortunately, despite these positive elements, the book is unwieldy, and certain chapters feel tangential, like one on the general uselessness of lawyers. It can also be hard to gauge Nadin’s tone; he seems to sympathize with the downtrodden and those on the “losing” side of America’s unequal distribution of wealth, but he also has no qualms about making sweeping, insensitive generalizations about the poor. For instance, he characterizes school dropouts as those who simply think that others owe them, when in fact many factors contribute to such a decision. In other words, a good edit and a more balanced, respectful treatment of opposing views would have served the book well. Despite these shortcomings, it’s still a unique, well-researched contribution to the history and present state of civic life in America.
An interesting, if slightly overwrought, book on responsibility and the role of government in America.Pub Date: July 3, 2013
ISBN: 978-3939381563
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Synchron Publishers
Review Posted Online: Dec. 22, 2013
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
In more ways than one, a tale about young creatures testing their wings; a moving, entertaining winner.
A fifth-grade New Orleans girl discovers a mysterious chrysalis containing an unexpected creature in this middle-grade novel.
Jacquelyn Marie Johnson, called Jackie, is a 10-year-old African-American girl, the second oldest and the only girl of six siblings. She’s responsible, smart, and enjoys being in charge; she likes “paper dolls and long division and imagining things she had never seen.” Normally, Jackie has no trouble obeying her strict but loving parents. But when her potted snapdragon acquires a peculiar egg or maybe a chrysalis (she dubs it a chrysalegg), Jackie’s strong desire to protect it runs up against her mother’s rule against plants in the house. Jackie doesn’t exactly mean to lie, but she tells her mother she needs to keep the snapdragon in her room for a science project and gets permission. Jackie draws the chrysalegg daily, waiting for something to happen as it gets larger. When the amazing creature inside breaks free, Jackie is more determined than ever to protect it, but this leads her further into secrets and lies. The results when her parents find out are painful, and resolving the problem will take courage, honesty, and trust. Dumas (Jaden Toussaint, the Greatest: Episode 5, 2017, etc.) presents a very likable character in Jackie. At 10, she’s young enough to enjoy playing with paper dolls but has a maturity that even older kids can lack. She’s resourceful, as when she wants to measure a red spot on the chrysalegg; lacking calipers, she fashions one from her hairpin. Jackie’s inward struggle about what to obey—her dearest wishes or the parents she loves—is one many readers will understand. The book complicates this question by making Jackie’s parents, especially her mother, strict (as one might expect to keep order in a large family) but undeniably loving and protective as well—it’s not just a question of outwitting clueless adults. Jackie’s feelings about the creature (tender and responsible but also more than a little obsessive) are similarly shaded rather than black-and-white. The ending suggests that an intriguing sequel is to come.
In more ways than one, a tale about young creatures testing their wings; a moving, entertaining winner.Pub Date: Nov. 11, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943169-32-0
Page Count: 212
Publisher: Plum Street Press
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2018
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A YA novel that treats its subject and its readers with respect while delivering an engaging story.
In the ninth book in the Bluford young-adult series, a young Latino man walks away from violence—but at great personal cost.
In a large Southern California city, 16-year-old Martin Luna hangs out on the fringes of gang life. He’s disaffected, fatherless and increasingly drawn into the orbit of the older, rougher Frankie. When a stray bullet kills Martin’s adored 8-year-old brother, Huero, Martin seems to be heading into a life of crime. But Martin’s mother, determined not to lose another son, moves him to another neighborhood—the fictional town of Bluford, where he attends the racially diverse Bluford High. At his new school, the still-grieving Martin quickly makes enemies and gets into trouble. But he also makes friends with a kind English teacher and catches the eye of Vicky, a smart, pretty and outgoing Bluford student. Martin’s first-person narration supplies much of the book’s power. His dialogue is plain, but realistic and believable, and the authors wisely avoid the temptation to lard his speech with dated and potentially embarrassing slang. The author draws a vivid and affecting picture of Martin’s pain and confusion, bringing a tight-lipped teenager to life. In fact, Martin’s character is so well drawn that when he realizes the truth about his friend Frankie, readers won’t feel as if they are watching an after-school special, but as though they are observing the natural progression of Martin’s personal growth. This short novel appears to be aimed at urban teens who don’t often see their neighborhoods portrayed in young-adult fiction, but its sophisticated characters and affecting story will likely have much wider appeal.
A YA novel that treats its subject and its readers with respect while delivering an engaging story.Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2004
ISBN: 978-1591940173
Page Count: 152
Publisher: Townsend Press
Review Posted Online: Jan. 26, 2013
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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