More solid work from a fire expert.
In a world on fire—literally and figuratively—a scholar revisits and reinforces the science behind the conflagrations.
Both the scientific world and professionals who work in forestry management view Pyne’s seminal Burning Bush: A Fire History of Australia (1991) as something between a road map for preventing future disasters and a work of poetry. This follow-up is a hybrid of sorts, adding a new preface and epilogue to a previous sequel with the same title but also including contemporary context to the concepts that were reiterated in the 2006 edition. It’s impressive that Pyne, an American scholar at Arizona State, commands such respect when it comes to the problem of Australian bush fires, but the ideas and context that he revisits here form the basis for strategies that are actionable across regions. The author also acknowledges that no geographic area can be addressed with a single method of containment. As in his previous works, Pyne’s primary totem is the “firestick,” the method of creating fire since prehistoric times that has become an instrument of both power and destruction, which often travel hand in hand. “Fire will happen, with or without people,” he writes. “But what people do with fire speaks volumes about how they live on the land, and what they do to reconcile those firesticks says much about how they live with each other.” The book covers a wide variety of subjects, from the history of humanity’s experience with fire and subsequent wildfires to the complicated philosophies involved in forest management, fire conservancy, environmentalism, and politics. Pyne’s insights remain sound, and he provides a few new ones, as well—e.g., the fact that the spread and intensification of industrial combustion is “the new prime mover of fire on Earth.” Fire is both a gift and a curse for the human race; how we choose to face it can mean all the difference.
More solid work from a fire expert.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-950354-48-1
Page Count: 176
Publisher: Scribe
Review Posted Online: July 21, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2020
Raekwon’s raw memoir holds nothing back about his stormy life in Wu-Tang Clan and as one of hip-hop’s most-admired artists.
A memoir from the celebrated rapper.
The Wu-Tang Clan has always cultivated an air of mystery, and Raekwon is one of the most secretive of the Staten Island rappers, so it’s refreshing to see how forthcoming he is in his first book. Unlike most rappers, Raekwon, aka The Chef, doesn’t really speak or rhyme directly. The force behind the Wu-Tang hit “C.R.E.A.M.” and the classic solo album Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… makes his points more through imagery and vivid descriptions than straightforward boasts. However, with the help of noted biographer Bozza, Raekwon tells his own compelling story with a limited number of artistic flourishes. The author tells his truth unflinchingly, refusing to gloss over his mistakes or the mistakes of others. He covers his troubled youth of petty robbery and drug-dealing and the realization after he was shot that he had a skill for writing rhymes. He offers a cleareyed walk-through of the decision-making process struggling hip-hop artists go through when faced with their first record deals. Even though they may not be getting what they are due, they often have no real leverage. The author applies his no-nonsense approach to the world around him. “When you grow up a young black man in a poor urban community,” he writes, “you become accustomed to what is in front of you and numb to circumstances that ain’t right. If you keep your wits about you and find a potential way out, you grab it and hold on with all you’ve got. As a fan, hip-hop was my escape from reality.” Raekwon offers revelations about how his relationship with Wu-Tang Clan leader RZA soured. He also discusses the Hulu series Wu-Tang: An American Sagaas well as how a rare Wu-Tang album ended up in the hands of “Pharma Bro” Martin Shkreli.
Raekwon’s raw memoir holds nothing back about his stormy life in Wu-Tang Clan and as one of hip-hop’s most-admired artists.Pub Date: Nov. 9, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-982168-72-8
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Oct. 6, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2021
PERSPECTIVES
A sumptuous, nostalgic ode to a disappearing landscape
An oversized album compiled in response to the recent omission by the Oxford Junior Dictionary of many natural-science words, including several common European bird, plant, and animal species, in favor of more current technological terms.
In his introduction, Macfarlane laments this loss, announcing his intention to create “a spellbook for conjuring back these lost words.” Each lost word is afforded three double-page spreads. First, the letters of each lost word are sprinkled randomly among other letters and an impressionistic sketch in a visual puzzle. This is followed by an acrostic poem or riddle describing essential qualities of the object, accompanied by a close-up view. A two-page spread depicting the object in context follows. Morris’ strong, dynamic watercolors are a pleasure to look at, accurate in every detail, vibrant and full of life. The book is beautifully produced and executed, but anyone looking for definitions of the “lost words” will be disappointed. The acrostic poems are subjective, sophisticated impressions of the birds and animals depicted, redolent with alliteration and wordplay, perhaps more appropriate for creative writing prompts than for science exploration. This book is firmly rooted in the English countryside, celebrating such words as “conker,” “bramble,” and “starling” (invasive in North America), but many will cross over for North American readers. A free “Explorer’s Guide” is available online.
A sumptuous, nostalgic ode to a disappearing landscape . (Picture book/poetry. 10-adult)Pub Date: Oct. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4870-0538-2
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Anansi Press
Review Posted Online: Sept. 22, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2018
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