by Rafal Gerszak & Dawn Hunter photographed by Rafal Gerszak ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 1, 2011
As one journalist's perspective, this stands as an excellent supplement to a more comprehensive overview.
Author/photographer Gerszak first went to Afghanistan to spend a year embedded with an American military unit documenting house searches, disputes with village elders and the aftermath of battles. He returned as an unaffiliated photographer without a military escort, determined to document civilian life.
This "photo journal" features images from both trips to Afghanistan, accompanied by diarylike accounts of his travels. Gerszak's frank and descriptive observations effectively convey the ugliness, monotony and tragedy of war. Most compelling are descriptions of civilians he meets, encounters that put a human face on the conflict Gerszak was unable to experience as an embedded journalist. His powerful images never romanticize or sensationalize the war. There are scenes of bloody battles, wounded people in hospitals and dazed refugees, but also remarkable images of busy marketplaces and vibrant street activity revealing that life goes on in the midst of death and destruction. The snippets of Gerszak's observations often lack cohesion and context. Though good background information is provided throughout in sidebars on such subjects as the Taliban, Muslim traditions and ethnic groups, this book alone will not give readers insight into the complexities of the Afghan conflict.
As one journalist's perspective, this stands as an excellent supplement to a more comprehensive overview. (maps, photographs) (Nonfiction. 12 & up)Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-55451-293-5
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Annick Press
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2011
Share your opinion of this book
More by Sharon E. McKay
BOOK REVIEW
by Sharon E. McKay & photographed by Rafal Gerszak
by Joshua Muggleton ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 1, 2012
Although mostly intended for parents, many teens will also find this to be a very enlightening, often optimistic work on a...
With about one percent of the population fitting somewhere on the autistic spectrum, accurate insight into this condition is welcome.
Muggleton, in his debut, is particularly well-suited to comment on Asperger syndrome, since he was diagnosed with it at age 15 and is studying to be a psychologist. In concise, logically arranged chapters, he provides a brief history of autistic spectrum disorders and then offers experience-based insight into a number of aspects of AS, including ritual behaviors, problems making friends and dealing with difficult social situations, increased sensitivity to sensory input, bullying, dealing with changes in normal routine, etc. While many of his comments about schooling are Britain-centric, American audiences will, nonetheless, find this a useful work. The combination of personal experience and helpful, research-based suggestions is especially welcome. Particularly poignant and thought provoking is his description of his grade-school ritual of pacing athletic-field marking lines, with his parka zipped up and hood raised—in all weather—just to find relief from stressful recess problems and bullying, a behavior that made good sense to him given the situation but must have seemed highly dysfunctional to anyone watching.
Although mostly intended for parents, many teens will also find this to be a very enlightening, often optimistic work on a challenging topic. (foreword by Tony Atwood, not seen) (Nonfiction. 12 & up)Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-84905-022-9
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2012
Share your opinion of this book
by Walter Dean Myers ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 24, 2012
Good advice on the craft of writing from someone who should know.
The third National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature offers a how-to guide for young writing enthusiasts.
Who’s more qualified to write about the craft of writing than Myers, one of the biggest names in children’s literature and author of 100 works for young readers? Though this volume is far from flashy, the straightforward, no-nonsense, you-can-do-it tone may well inspire young readers and beginning writers. Myers tells about his own life and how he became a writer before moving on to the craft itself, offering advice on structuring fiction using a six-box outline and nonfiction with a four-box outline. Excerpts from his own notebooks and commentaries on his work with teen writer Ross Workman (Myers' collaborator on the soccer novel Kick, 2011; Workman contributes to the backmatter) are enlightening, and readers will find themselves in the presence of a friendly mentor and writing co-conspirator. Ultimately, since writers draw on their own lives and interests, this is a writer’s guide to life. Myers advises, “The best way to find inspiration is just to live your life doing these things that interest you most…. Pursuing your passions will expand your world. This will make you a better writer.”
Good advice on the craft of writing from someone who should know. (writing tips, further reading on writing, about the author, a list of the author’s books) (Nonfiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: April 24, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-06-220389-2
Page Count: 176
Publisher: Collins
Review Posted Online: April 3, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2012
Share your opinion of this book
More by Walter Dean Myers
BOOK REVIEW
by Walter Dean Myers ; illustrated by Floyd Cooper
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
by Walter Dean Myers ; adapted by Guy A. Sims ; illustrated by Dawud Anyabwile
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Hey there, book lover.
We’re glad you found a book that interests you!
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.
Don’t fret. We’ll find you.