Robinson—who's established himself as the literary equivalent of a .270 hitter with a string of solid but unmemorable baseball books (Iron Horse, 1990, etc.)—maintains his average with this bio of pitching great Christy Mathewson (1880-1925). ``Big Six,'' the sportswriters called him, for reasons lost in time—perhaps the only mysterious thing about Mathewson. Otherwise, he was the epitome of American openness, charm, and ingenuity, ``the first authentic sports hero,'' the incarnation of pulp- fiction ideal Frank Merriwell. Before Mathewson, baseball fans cheered the likes of the ``paranoid'' Ty Cobb or Cap Anson, a loudmouthed bigot. Then came Mathewson, handsome, blue-eyed, college-educated, generous—and America found an icon to worship. The pitcher hailed from a family of farming Baptists and, for a while, weighed pulpit against diamond as a career. Baseball won, to everyone's satisfaction. Soon he blitzed the Majors with his notorious ``fadeaway'' pitch (a primitive screwball); a no-hitter in his rookie year; four years of 30-plus wins; 373 total victories; and perhaps the best control of any pitcher in history. Mathewson joined forces with manager John McGraw (``an aggrieved bantam cock'') to revitalize the New York Giants and snare a World Series, during which Mathewson threw three shutouts in six days. Other triumphs followed, placed by Robinson within the context of a nation enjoying the new century with its social liberality and economic clout. Mathewson, however, remains singularly uninteresting here, apart from his amazing feats in uniform. Robinson tries to add color (``there were times when Matty spoke harshly about his teammates''), but it's like noticing the freckles on Shirley Temple. Disaster struck only after retirement, when Mathewson inhaled poison gas during a WW I training exercise and later contracted TB, leading to his death at age 45. A salutary but dull story, in these days of I-me-mine players, about a time of golden boys and Golden Years.
Pub Date: Aug. 1, 1993
ISBN: 0-19-507629-X
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Oxford Univ.
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 1993
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
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.
