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The joy of reading : a passionate guide to 189 of the world's best authors and t
Van Doren, Charles Lincoln
Adult Nonfiction 011.73 V
From Library Journal:
This is a revised and expanded version of a 1985 work (with a different subtitle), this time organized chronologically rather than alphabetically. It starts with Homer and concludes with J.K. Rowling, covering not just literature and drama but also science, history, mathematics, and philosophy through the centuries. Van Doren (How To Read a Book) places authors within their historical context and gives us the subject matter and a flavor of their writing style. His aim: "to keep alive and warm the memory of some very great people. And ideas. And books." This is a worthy undertaking, and Van Doren's awe and admiration for the authors are evident in his writing. However, his suggestion that people undertake a ten-year historical reading program is not likely to get many takers. BOTTOM LINE The title is somewhat misleading, as this book's real value is as a reference tool, especially for researching particular authors. Recommended for academic libraries with extensive reference collections. [Available in print only.]--Gina Kaiser, Univ. of the Sciences, Philadelphia (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Van Doren, Charles Lincoln
Adult Nonfiction 011.73 V
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From Library Journal:
This is a revised and expanded version of a 1985 work (with a different subtitle), this time organized chronologically rather than alphabetically. It starts with Homer and concludes with J.K. Rowling, covering not just literature and drama but also science, history, mathematics, and philosophy through the centuries. Van Doren (How To Read a Book) places authors within their historical context and gives us the subject matter and a flavor of their writing style. His aim: "to keep alive and warm the memory of some very great people. And ideas. And books." This is a worthy undertaking, and Van Doren's awe and admiration for the authors are evident in his writing. However, his suggestion that people undertake a ten-year historical reading program is not likely to get many takers. BOTTOM LINE The title is somewhat misleading, as this book's real value is as a reference tool, especially for researching particular authors. Recommended for academic libraries with extensive reference collections. [Available in print only.]--Gina Kaiser, Univ. of the Sciences, Philadelphia (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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