Footsteps: From Ferrante's Naples to Hammett's San Francisco, Literary Pilgrimages Around the World
Starred review from May 1, 2017
The introduction to this slim volume of 38 curated entries from the New York Times travel column "Footsteps" states, "all the world is a reliquary, filled with fields, forests, and city plazas that lead visionaries among us to create work that endures the ages." The following brief essays examine the relationships Western literary heroes have had with locales worldwide, looking at what inspired some of our most beloved literature. Arranged into three categories--"United States," "Europe," and "Beyond"--the book will appeal to travelers seeking new destinations and to fans of literature who will find the glimpses of how literary lions have been memorialized worldwide fascinating. From the dusty streets of Arthur Rimbaud's home in Harar, Ethiopia; Pablo Neruda's La Chascona residence in Santiago, Chile; to a hilarious account of Mark Twain's sampling of poi in Hawaii. VERDICT Perfect for browsing, this book will awaken a desire for questing and adventure, be it by plane or by page.--Erin O. Romanyshyn, Saskatoon P.L., Sask.
Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
September 1, 2002
As September approaches, a crop of titles reaches out to young readers. A Nation Challenged: A Visual History of 9/11 and Its Aftermath, Young Readers Edition, edited by Mitchel Levitas, photos edited by Nancy Lee and Lonnie Schlein, with an introduction by New York Times executive editor Howell Raines, presents an intimate account of one of America's darkest days, adapted from the stories that ran in the Times. Text pulled directly from the paper's pages plus Pulitzer Prize-winning photos create a sense of immediacy while helping readers make sense of the war in Afghanistan, the tragedy's impact on the global community and new security measures at home and abroad. A "How to Help" section and comprehensive resource listings put the focus on the future.