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Biography & Autobiography
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From: Ginny Kruse <gmkruse>
Date: Thu, 30 May 1996 14:37:00 -600
On May 5, Ruth Gordon offered to share observations about editing biographical writing - the balancing act between honesty, age appropriate information, and admiration for a subject. Among other participants already mentioned by Megan, Lynn McCree [5/3] and Dorian Chong [5/3] provided convincing statements favoring "warts and all." What can you tell us as an editor about the challenges an editor confronts when looking at a manuscript of biography or autobiography? I'm certain I'm not the only person looking forward to your comments, Ruth.
Jane Kurtz remarked [5/29] about the increasing number of picture book biographies. Jane, currently I share your enthusiasm for Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph Became the World's Fastest Woman written by Kathleen Krull & illustrated by David Diaz (Harcourt Brace, 1996) and for Minty: A Story of Young Harriet Tubman written by Alan Schroeder & illustrated by Jerry Pinkney (Dial, 1996). Both of these books will be discussed in the CCBC on Friday, June 7, 3:30pm along with several other newly published books. All are welcome to come here at that time. I expect to learn a lot about each book then. Both of these new books have author notes giving a context for the brief biographical narrative. Will such notes be adequate for the dilemma posed by Susan Daugherty [5/13]?
Several others in the CCBC-NET community find brief picture book biographies to be useful and shared helpful comments about specific uses and titles: Anne Oelke [5/5], Rob Reid [5/28], Sharon Grover
[5/29] and Micki Nevet [5/29]. Can these brief fictionalized illustrated narratives be called biographies or autobiographies? or literature? Do they serve the subject and also an information need? This brings us back to Ruth Gordon's question [5/5].
An obvious observation about autobiographies of published writers of fiction is that they are uniquely skilled in shaping and fictionalizing any material. I always wonder how "shaped" some of these author autobiographies are - I think about this as I read the Gale reference book autobiographical material, too. Just call me Suspicious. Regardless, I fully agree with Ruth Heespelink [5/29] that the three Self Portrait books published by Addison-Wesley
(conceived of and edited by Kathleen Leverich - correct me, please, if I'm inaccurate here) represent inspired examples of illustrated autobiography for young readers of a written text and of visual information, as well. These books are: Self Portrait - Margot Zemach
(1978), Self Portrait - Erik Blegvad (1979), and Self Portrait Trina Schart Hyman
(1982). I can also argue that they are literature. ... Ginny
******************************************************************** Ginny Moore Kruse (gmkruse at ccbc.soemadison.wisc.edu) Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) A Library of the School of Education University of Wisconsin - Madison (corner N. Park & Observatory Dr.) 4290 Helen C. White Hall, 600 N. Park Madison, WI 53706 USA
Received on Thu 30 May 1996 03:37:00 PM CDT
Date: Thu, 30 May 1996 14:37:00 -600
On May 5, Ruth Gordon offered to share observations about editing biographical writing - the balancing act between honesty, age appropriate information, and admiration for a subject. Among other participants already mentioned by Megan, Lynn McCree [5/3] and Dorian Chong [5/3] provided convincing statements favoring "warts and all." What can you tell us as an editor about the challenges an editor confronts when looking at a manuscript of biography or autobiography? I'm certain I'm not the only person looking forward to your comments, Ruth.
Jane Kurtz remarked [5/29] about the increasing number of picture book biographies. Jane, currently I share your enthusiasm for Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph Became the World's Fastest Woman written by Kathleen Krull & illustrated by David Diaz (Harcourt Brace, 1996) and for Minty: A Story of Young Harriet Tubman written by Alan Schroeder & illustrated by Jerry Pinkney (Dial, 1996). Both of these books will be discussed in the CCBC on Friday, June 7, 3:30pm along with several other newly published books. All are welcome to come here at that time. I expect to learn a lot about each book then. Both of these new books have author notes giving a context for the brief biographical narrative. Will such notes be adequate for the dilemma posed by Susan Daugherty [5/13]?
Several others in the CCBC-NET community find brief picture book biographies to be useful and shared helpful comments about specific uses and titles: Anne Oelke [5/5], Rob Reid [5/28], Sharon Grover
[5/29] and Micki Nevet [5/29]. Can these brief fictionalized illustrated narratives be called biographies or autobiographies? or literature? Do they serve the subject and also an information need? This brings us back to Ruth Gordon's question [5/5].
An obvious observation about autobiographies of published writers of fiction is that they are uniquely skilled in shaping and fictionalizing any material. I always wonder how "shaped" some of these author autobiographies are - I think about this as I read the Gale reference book autobiographical material, too. Just call me Suspicious. Regardless, I fully agree with Ruth Heespelink [5/29] that the three Self Portrait books published by Addison-Wesley
(conceived of and edited by Kathleen Leverich - correct me, please, if I'm inaccurate here) represent inspired examples of illustrated autobiography for young readers of a written text and of visual information, as well. These books are: Self Portrait - Margot Zemach
(1978), Self Portrait - Erik Blegvad (1979), and Self Portrait Trina Schart Hyman
(1982). I can also argue that they are literature. ... Ginny
******************************************************************** Ginny Moore Kruse (gmkruse at ccbc.soemadison.wisc.edu) Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) A Library of the School of Education University of Wisconsin - Madison (corner N. Park & Observatory Dr.) 4290 Helen C. White Hall, 600 N. Park Madison, WI 53706 USA
Received on Thu 30 May 1996 03:37:00 PM CDT
