In a biography as elegant as its subject, Freedman (Out of Darkness, 1997, etc.) delves into the life of the dance pioneer who not only revolutionized modern dance but married it with theater, music, literature, and art in a dazzling and emotional way. Graham began her serious dance study already too “old” (at age 19), according to prevailing standards; despite critics and a public who didn’t initially understand her work, Graham was so fiercely dedicated to her art that she became one of the 20th century’s most important influences on modern dance. Freedman discloses Graham’s intensity in work and relationships, and explains her techniques and dances in lively, theatrical language; he doesn’t canonize Graham, however, but portrays her as a passionate woman, with a fiery temperament, whose every aspect of life was reflected in her art. Extraordinary black-and-white photographs coalesce with the clear and stimulating chronicle of her life and art, until a complete picture of a genius emerges from the pages of this enlightening, liberating volume. (Biography. 10-15)
Pub Date: April 20, 1998
ISBN: 0-395-74655-8
Page Count: 176
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 1998
In a sequel to the well-received I Have Lived a Thousand Years (1997, not reviewed), Bitton-Jackson writes of her life as Elli Friedmann in 1945, when she, her brother, and mother were liberated from Auschwitz and sent back to their former home in Czechoslovakia. Finding only a shell of the place they had known, they struggled to rebuild some semblance of life and waited for the return of Elli’s father. When they realized he was gone for good, their only hope through all their efforts was the prospect of obtaining papers that would allow them to emigrate to America. Through the long years that they waited, Elli found work teaching, and helping other Jews escape to Palestine, a dangerous and illegal undertaking. When they finally arrived in New York City, relatives welcomed them; an epilogue collapses most of the author’s adult life into a few paragraphs so readers will know the directions her life took. Interesting and inspiring, this story makes painfully clear how the fight to survive extended well beyond the war years; the discomforts and obstacles the author faced and articulates in such riveting detail will make readers squirm at the security and ease of their own lives. (Memoir. 12-14)
Pub Date: March 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-689-82026-7
Page Count: 258
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 1999
BOOK REVIEW
Fans of this new professional sport will have to ease past the forced pitch of these capsule looks at some of the better-known stars of the game. Each biographical note contains the person’s vital statistics and an impressing listing of honors. Another section introduces each of the WNBA teams, with rosters, records, and notes; the same attention is given to the upstart American Basketball League. A final section consists of a brief women’s basketball trivia quiz. This text feels hastily assembled; Ponti equates a conversational tone with infractions of grammar and lazy transitions. Those who want to know why this sport, which dates back—barely—to 1996, has burst on the scene so quickly and continues to draw crowds, will have to turn to more solid coverage found in national magazines. (Nonfiction. 10-12)
Pub Date: May 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-671-03275-5
Page Count: 120
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 1999
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