A thought-provoking, informative, and valuable literary analysis.
A literary critique examines portrayals of older women in fiction.
Throughout her life, Saxton has known many strong older women, like her mother, aunts, and grandmothers, who—despite the physical challenges of aging—possessed a lifetime of spirit and energy. As a professor of English at Mills College in Oakland, California, the author attempted to introduce her students to fiction that celebrated the vibrancy of real-life women, but she was often disappointed. Instead of stories about positive aging, in which women over 60 years old became their “truest selves,” Saxton noted that much fiction about older women was structured like “Deathbed Bookends”—in other words, the tales opened and closed with the memory of a youthful (often romantic) past, and the protagonist’s glory days were sadly over. In this well-organized presentation, the author lays out a thoughtful analysis of works of fiction from the 20th and 21st centuries, like Tillie Olsen’s powerful short story “Tell Me a Riddle” and Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg’s comedy-of-errors novel, The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules. Thirty stories are examined in five categories—"Romancing the Past,” “Sex After Sixty,” “Altered Realities,” “It’s Never Too Late,” and “Defying Expectations”—and each segment contains illuminating critiques of six tales grouped into pairs. Saxton’s conclusions are memorable; for example, in Chapter 1, she writes that Katherine Anne Porter’s short story “The Jilting of Granny Weatherall” and Susan Minot’s novel Evening both use Deathbed Bookends for their structures. The comprehensive work concludes with a compelling analysis of Margaret Drabble’s complex 2016 novel, The Dark Flood Rises. Though the chapters feel like individual essays that could be used in the classroom, Saxton’s beautifully fluid prose would be a pleasure to read while relaxing at the beach.
A thought-provoking, informative, and valuable literary analysis.Pub Date: Sept. 8, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-63152-797-5
Page Count: 304
Publisher: She Writes Press
Review Posted Online: June 18, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2020
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
An intriguing examination of a form of communication that’s often taken for granted.
A design consultant applies his expertise to the art of conversing with others.
The notion that a conversation is the most important form of communication may seem a stretch to some, but Stillman makes a convincing case that “Each and every conversation is an opportunity to change your life.” In this absorbing and stylishly designed book, he explores every aspect of these back and forths: why they matter, how they’re structured, and what goes into a good exchange of ideas. The book is divided into several sections anchored around a cleverly labeled “Conversation OS,” or operating system. The Conversation OS consists of nine elements, about which Stillman goes into considerable detail; some are easy to grasp (such as “Goals” and “Invitation”), but others are more subtle and deserving of extra attention (such as “Threading” and “Cadence”). Stillman’s insights about each element are intriguing; for example, about “Threading,” he writes, “Skill in weaving the threads of a conversation is the ability to change the story of any interaction. It’s a potentially dangerous power.” In comparing conversational “Cadence” to music, Stillman keenly observes that one can “shift the patterns and rhythms” of a dialogue, suggesting that “If we can feel the shifts in conversational cadence, we can assist or resist them, making conscious choices.” Stillman’s ability to dissect dialogues and expound on their tiniest details may weary some readers, but one can’t help but marvel at conversations’ complex nature. In one of the most engaging sections, Stillman covers coaching, mentorship, and group facilitation, among other concepts, and puts forth the idea that product design and even organizational change can, in the broadest sense, be conversations of their own. The final chapter concentrates on improving the reader’s interactive skills, with a focus on answering a key question: “What conversations, relationships or interactions are broken, dysfunctional or missing in your life?” The author also includes useful examples and questions for reflection throughout the book.
An intriguing examination of a form of communication that’s often taken for granted.Pub Date: May 1, 2020
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Management Impact Publishing
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A superb tool for young dancers, full of accessible poses to mimic.
A ballet dancer presents beginning positions and discusses body awareness in this picture book designed to get readers moving.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, a young White dancer collaborated with her mother to create videos, aiming to inspire others stuck at home to start moving. In this book by Once Upon a Dance, Konora (her stage name) recounts her ballet journey, complete with beautiful photographs of her onstage performances over the years, before launching into the types of instruction she has shared on YouTube. After providing solid warmup directions that will help kids visualize the movements, Konora describes ballet’s traditional five positions as well as basic instructions for performing pliés. Then she calls for readers to create shapes with their bodies, using their imaginations to mimic animals or fashion other poses. The clear, white backgrounds put the images of Konora in stark relief, and the lighting underscores each position’s details. Pages at the beginning and end offer students other shapes to mimic, and Konora urges readers to invent their own. The small font and frequently text-dense pages may intimidate newly independent readers. But confident readers and parents can use the work as a prompt to move in new ways. Konora emphasizes that “Dance is for everyone!” and encourages awareness: “Always be gentle with your body. Don’t do anything that hurts.” With constant support and innovative descriptions that will spark imaginations, Konora invites readers to share the joy of dancing.
A superb tool for young dancers, full of accessible poses to mimic.Pub Date: Nov. 29, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-73598-440-7
Page Count: 52
Publisher: Once Upon A Dance
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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