An appealing introduction to voices and stories that need to be heard.
A concise yet comprehensive book that balances the historical and contemporary stories of Indigenous people.
“The stories people tell about us matter,” Yellowhorn (Piikani Nation) and Lowinger write in their introduction. They follow broad and inclusive definitions of stories and of storytellers, including, in addition to authors of various types, an anthropologist, a diarist, a comic book creator, fabric and bead artists, and those who bore witness in courtrooms. Within each section, the profiles cover diverse figures, such as popular Mohawk poet Pauline Johnson (1861-1913), who performed her poetry on stage and challenged racist and sexist limitations, and acclaimed contemporary writer Tommy Orange (Cheyenne and Arapaho), whose writing makes “urban Indigenous people visible.” The authors showcase Indigenous people as part of the present day, and their focus extends across the Americas, with people representing the Maya, Sioux, Métis, and Inupiaq, among others. In the process, they tell a more complete story of Indigenous existence than readers typically encounter. Throughout the book, images showing art, letters, portraits, and historical artifacts add to the visual appeal. Sidebars add context on topics such as “Urban Indigeneity” and “Mapping Our Story,” as well as offering mini biographical sketches. While celebrating individuals and communities, the authors don’t sugarcoat difficult information, like the trauma of boarding schools and poverty. The straightforward writing style makes this work accessible and welcoming.
An appealing introduction to voices and stories that need to be heard. (note about language and terms, sources and resources, image credits, index) (Nonfiction. 12-16)Pub Date: April 29, 2025
ISBN: 9781773219547
Page Count: 140
Publisher: Annick Press
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
Catnip for scandal junkies, with a bit of historical perspective stirred in.
A gleefully explicit catalogue of the past century’s headline-grabbing bad behavior.
Aimed at readers who don’t need to be told who Brangelina is but may be hazy on “twisted besties” Leopold and Loeb or even Monica Lewinsky, this edutaining survey presents a wide-angle array of murders, sexual follies, controversial trials, race violence, political corruption and general envelope-pushing from the 1906 killing of Stanford White on. Each of the chronologically arranged entries opens with a capsule “Scoop” followed by a slightly fuller account under a “What Went Down” header. Along with a small black-and-white photo and one or two sidebar quotes, the author tacks on subsequent developments, sometimes-perceptive suggestions about “Why We Still Care” and a short roster of similar incidents in recent history. Though she misspells “Symbionese” and repeatedly awards FDR only three Presidential wins, in general Fryd presents reasonably accurate summaries of events and issues while giving all sides of the more muddled conflicts at least a nod. Additional cred is provided by a teen panel of editorial advisors.
Catnip for scandal junkies, with a bit of historical perspective stirred in. (index) (Nonfiction. 12-16)Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-9827322-0-5
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Zest/Orange Avenue
Review Posted Online: Jan. 8, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2012
BOOK REVIEW
Fans of all things martial will echo his “HOOYAH!”—but the troubled aftermath comes in for some attention too.
Abridged but not toned down, this young-readers version of an ex-SEAL sniper’s account (SEAL Team Six, 2011) of his training and combat experiences in Operation Desert Storm and the first Battle of Mogadishu makes colorful, often compelling reading.
“My experiences weren’t always enjoyable,” Wasdin writes, “but they were always adrenaline-filled!” Not to mention testosterone-fueled. He goes on to ascribe much of his innate toughness to being regularly beaten by his stepfather as a child and punctuates his passage through the notoriously hellacious SEAL training with frequent references to other trainees who fail or drop out. He tears into the Clinton administration (whose “support for our troops had sagged like a sack of turds”), indecisive commanders and corrupt Italian “allies” for making such a hash of the entire Somalian mission. In later chapters he retraces his long, difficult physical and emotional recovery from serious wounds received during the “Black Hawk Down” operation, his increasing focus on faith and family after divorce and remarriage and his second career as a chiropractor.
Fans of all things martial will echo his “HOOYAH!”—but the troubled aftermath comes in for some attention too. (acronym/ordinance glossary, adult level reading list) (Memoir. 12-14)Pub Date: May 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-250-01643-0
Page Count: 192
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Review Posted Online: March 13, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2012
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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