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The first thing that makes this book stand out from other similar books I have been reading for this course is that the book is organized. There are 11 articles by various authors and Mills does a great job in splitting these articles up into 5 categories.
Every article was easy to read and understand. There were many times when I would get so into a story that I didn't want to put the book down until I finished it. Mills did a great job in selecting articles that didn't just pour facts and statistics at you.
The most important thing I enjoyed about this book is that Mills did not take a side. The book contained articles that were for immigration, against immigration, and some articles that were neutral. I did not feel like I was being pulled in one direction with this book. Through these articles, the reader is left to decide whether he or she believes immigration is a good thing.
Immigration is a very big topic, but Mills did a great job in discussing almost every aspect of immigration in a very unbiased way.
By the time I arrived at the end of this gorgeous and graciously-written volume, I'd arrived at the conclusion that Fred Marcellino has contributed more to "the art of the book" than anyone in memory. And possibly more than anyone in the past century.
The book contains a treasure-trove of marvelously reproduced images. They span Marcellino's unique career as both the greatest-ever illustrator of book jackets and one of the greatest-ever illustrators of children's books.
Among the visuals are book jackets of astonishing conceptual power. Do you remember the famous jacket for Tom Wolfe's "Bonfire of the Vanities," a cityscape reflecting off a sleek glass table in a luxury apartment. Or, for "August," the iconic scene of a psychiatrist's couch in a sparely furnished room with the shadowy pattern of Venetian blinds running across a wall. Or, for "Birdy," the touching image of a bird cage, door open, with feathers drifting against a gorgeous sky. Or, the incredible winged arm chair (not wing-backed, but actually winged) for "The Accidental Tourist." Or, the mysteriously curved brick wall for "The Handmaid's Tale." The list goes on.
Simply put, Marcellino revolutionized the book jacket. He combined brilliantly pure concepts, pioneering graphic design, and an uncompromising aesthetic. If his career had ended before he illustrated a single children's book, he already would have won a permanent place as a major force in book art.
Yet Marcellino went on to a second career as a children's book illustrator whose artistry easily ranks with the likes of Maurice Sendak. Here again, "The Art of Fred Marcellino" offers a generous selection of stunning images that cover a wide range of the artist's work. There's the famously life-like portrait of "Puss in Boots," complete with ruffled collar, rakish hat, and whiskers drawn to the millimeter. The illustrations to Hans Christian Anderson's "The Steadfast Tin Soldier" equal Anderson's words in generating unforgettably poignant emotion.
Marcellino amazes with his talent at illustrating peasants in the field as evocatively as royalty at their banquets. His trademark aqua skies and sumptuous clouds are irresistible. His jaw-dropping use of bird's-eye and worms-eye perspective never fail to thrill. The sheer beauty of his pictures harks back to his favored period of art, the Italian Renaissance. This stunning tour through his work shows the highest standards upheld time and again.
Well, I'm really only mentioning the tip of the iceberg. Marcellino's bookshelf for children also includes his hilariously illustrated "Pelican Chorus," his engrossing "Ouch!" (with pictures both droll and spooky), his tender drawings for "Rat's Tale" and "Wainscott Weasel," his magnificent illustrations for E.B. White's classic "Trumpet of the Swan," and his charming watercolors for "The Story of Little Babaji," which made history by bravely peeling away a tragic layer of racism from an inherently innocent children's tale. Not least, there's the hero of "I, Crocodile," who is simply one of the greatest characters in all of children's literature. Marcellino didn't only illustrate this dazzling story, he wrote it as well.
One actually wonders, what couldn't he do? It seems that everything he touched turned into art of enduring quality. He was that rare incarnation, a Renaissance Man. Illustrator. Painter. Graphic designer. Typographer. Author. Furniture designer. Gardener. Maker of tromp l'oueil draperies. Among the special pleasures of "The Art of Fred Marcellino" is a lovely selection of quotes from the artist, sprinkled throughout the book. In these quotes (as in his work), Marcellino's genius and wit and intellectual integrity shine through.
All told, this beautifully designed book is worthy of the artist whose life and work it illuminates. I recommend it enthusiastically.
What's more, I sincerely believe that if you don't already know the work of Fred Marcellino, you'll be forever grateful to make its acquaintance.
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Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians could be used like a "Who's Who" if the musical world. While the Harvard Dictionary of Music is the reigning authority, written differently from Bakers, which is easier to follow.
Specifically, I wanted information on J.S. Bach. Baker's has a particularly well-detailed, extensive section on Bach: everything I needed.
I strongly recommend this book for anyone who wants to understand the finer facts of music history.
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This novel is rich in historical significance, but also based on the author's personal daily experiences which makes this novel truly enjoyable. Rosario shares her life as a young girl alongside her nanny and her family. Both Rosario and her nanny narrate this story at certain points, allowing us readers to infer their opinions and views on certain problems and dilemmas, which refer to a hard time in the history of Mexico. A hard time concerning the rebellin of the indian population, and the clear preocupation of those who were their owners, the white population.
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I'd like to see a new edition of this, with coherent beginning-to-end coverage of some of the high-profile cases that have surfaced in the years since its original publication. Younger scientists may have a hard time piecing together a complete story from the fragments of coverage in the news and in trade magazines.
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