Hausman, Gerald & Loretta. A Mind with Wings: The Story of Henry David Thoreau.HAUSMAN, Gerald & Loretta. A mind with wings; the story of Henry David Thoreau. Trumpeter Books, dist. by Random House. 148p. bibliog. 1-59030-228-1. $15.95. J This fictionalized biography will serve the purpose of introducing Thoreau and his ideas to younger YAs, to prepare them for reading Walden when they are a bit older. It would be especially helpful in middle schools here in the Boston area, where the proximity of Walden Pond Walden Pond, Mass.: see Thoreau, Henry David. and Concord, Massachusetts Concord is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, in the United States. As of the 2000 Census, the town population was about 17,000. Although a small town, Concord is noted for its leading roles in American history and literature. make the field trip there inevitable. The authors are careful to stick to the facts of Thoreau's life, and they reconstruct conversations based on their reading of letters and diaries of Thoreau and his contemporaries. Because this is written for YAs, the emphasis is placed on Thoreau's schooling, his teaching of young people, his friendships, his close relationship with his brother, and his brilliant, original thinking. The cover shows a color drawing of a pensive pen·sive adj. 1. Deeply, often wistfully or dreamily thoughtful. 2. Suggestive or expressive of melancholy thoughtfulness. young man, which should appeal to the YA reading audience. Helpful are the addition of a glossary explaining such terms as transcendentalism transcendentalism, American literary and philosophical movement transcendentalism (trăn'sĕndĕn`təlĭzəm) [Lat. and the Fugitive Slave In the history of slavery in the United States, a fugitive slave was a slave who had escaped his or her enslaver often with the intention of traveling to a place where the state of his or her enslavement was either illegal or not enforced. Law as well as a bibliography with 22 entries to lead young readers further into an understanding of Thoreau's contribution to our history and culture. Claire Rosser, KLIATT |
|
||||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion