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Biography and Autobiography - An American Hero
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From: Megan Schliesman <Schliesman>
Date: Wed, 01 May 1996 16:06:00 -600
As a starting point for our discussion of biography and autobiography this month, I'm wondering what elements people look for when reading and evaluating biographies for young people. What makes a good biography in your opinion? Do you have a checklist of criteria? Are there intangibles you look for?
In the recently published book "An American Hero: The True Story of Charles A. Lindbergh" (Scholastic, 1996), author Barry Denenberg tackled what I think is a difficult task: presenting the life story of an individual whose actions have been and continue to be both commended and questioned by historians and others. Young people today, if they know of Lindbergh, are apt to know of him as a groundbreaking aviator; perhaps they have also heard about the kidnapping and death of his first child . They are less likely to know of the now of his controversial opinions opposing the United States' entry into World War II; or his work as a conservationist later in life.
I admire the way in which Denenberg presented a wide range of information and opinions about Lindbergh's life in "An American Hero." It left me feeling I had a balanced perspective in addition to facts that would allow me to understand the subject. This balanced perspective is one of the things I look for in biography for children - the sense that young people are not being shortchanged; that something isn't being held back for the sake of glorifying - or villifying - a subject.
I also liked the research and documentation that Denenberg undertook. His bibliography and source notes reflect the use of books about Lindbergh and related topics (such as aviation), as well as the writings of Lindbergh and his wife, Anne Morrow Lindbergh, excerpts from which are used in the text.
Has anyone else had a chance to read "An American Hero"? Did you find it interesting? Compelling? Did you think there were glaring omissions? Please comment, or provide us with your general thoughts on biography and autobiography.
Megan Schliesman Cooperative Children's Book Center School of Education University of Wisconsin-Madison schlies at macc.wisc.edu
Received on Wed 01 May 1996 05:06:00 PM CDT
Date: Wed, 01 May 1996 16:06:00 -600
As a starting point for our discussion of biography and autobiography this month, I'm wondering what elements people look for when reading and evaluating biographies for young people. What makes a good biography in your opinion? Do you have a checklist of criteria? Are there intangibles you look for?
In the recently published book "An American Hero: The True Story of Charles A. Lindbergh" (Scholastic, 1996), author Barry Denenberg tackled what I think is a difficult task: presenting the life story of an individual whose actions have been and continue to be both commended and questioned by historians and others. Young people today, if they know of Lindbergh, are apt to know of him as a groundbreaking aviator; perhaps they have also heard about the kidnapping and death of his first child . They are less likely to know of the now of his controversial opinions opposing the United States' entry into World War II; or his work as a conservationist later in life.
I admire the way in which Denenberg presented a wide range of information and opinions about Lindbergh's life in "An American Hero." It left me feeling I had a balanced perspective in addition to facts that would allow me to understand the subject. This balanced perspective is one of the things I look for in biography for children - the sense that young people are not being shortchanged; that something isn't being held back for the sake of glorifying - or villifying - a subject.
I also liked the research and documentation that Denenberg undertook. His bibliography and source notes reflect the use of books about Lindbergh and related topics (such as aviation), as well as the writings of Lindbergh and his wife, Anne Morrow Lindbergh, excerpts from which are used in the text.
Has anyone else had a chance to read "An American Hero"? Did you find it interesting? Compelling? Did you think there were glaring omissions? Please comment, or provide us with your general thoughts on biography and autobiography.
Megan Schliesman Cooperative Children's Book Center School of Education University of Wisconsin-Madison schlies at macc.wisc.edu
Received on Wed 01 May 1996 05:06:00 PM CDT
