A collection of essays and two plays that affords a lively array of topics. From a revision of Lars Porsena which deals with swearing and improper language, to the English Symbols of Col. Blimp and Tommy Atkins, to incest and travel, how mad are hatters, avocado pears, barge life on the Thames, on to charity appeals, feminine endings, tolerance, humor, etc., etc., these pieces, in their concern for derivations, historical backgrounds, personal opinions and bits of life story, literary merit, have an erudition which is tempered by the liveliness of the presentation, by the stylistic excellence. Followers of his recent novels will find this a cordial introduction to his breadth of interests and his exhaustive knowledge of a variety of things, and those who remember his earlier non-fiction works will be glad to enjoy themselves with his enthusiastic absorption in his motley of subjects. For contemplation — and controversy.
Pub Date: Feb. 23, 1950
ISBN: 0374932379
Page Count: 344
Publisher: Creative Age
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1950
Stricter than, say, Bergen Evans or W3 ("disinterested" means impartial — period), Strunk is in the last analysis...
Privately published by Strunk of Cornell in 1918 and revised by his student E. B. White in 1959, that "little book" is back again with more White updatings.
Stricter than, say, Bergen Evans or W3 ("disinterested" means impartial — period), Strunk is in the last analysis (whoops — "A bankrupt expression") a unique guide (which means "without like or equal").Pub Date: May 15, 1972
ISBN: 0205632645
Page Count: 105
Publisher: Macmillan
Review Posted Online: Oct. 28, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1972
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
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