Book Description
Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) is a field which crosses many disciplinary boundaries. It is a rapidly changing field that uses the latest innovations and technologies to aid the language-disabled, and requires fluency not only in the hands-on technological aspect, but the service-delivery side as well. This well-written handbook addresses that need and is filled with practical information and extensive referencing. A valuable text for graduate students studying communication disorders and special education, the book would be a useful addition to the professional library of anyone working with AAC users, most especially for those working with children.
Customer Reviews:
Great AAC information for beginner & beyond..........2000-06-06
I feel this is a great book for Graduate students or specialists interested in AAC. It takes you from the basics to more detailed information regarding different types of devices. Definitely a keeper!
Customer Reviews:
A must buy!!.........2002-03-25
This is a necessary addition to the current body of literature on literacy. The book begins with a concise review of the current research on out-of-school literacies and proceeds to provide fascinating theoretical and practical insights from educators and researchers. An interesting component to the volume is the brief practitioner response that accompanies each chapter. This is a must read for anyone interested in improving the literacy practices of marginalized youth.
Book Description
Over half a million Lee Hammond books sold!
*Over 20 step-by-step projects walk readers step-by-step through painting realistic and detailed life-like people *Specific demonstrations simplify difficult features such as eyes, noses, hair, and mouths *Includes everything a beginner needs from a quick reference materials list to a glossary of terms Bestselling author Lee Hammond is known for providing artists with friendly and easy-to-follow instruction. Perfect for beginners, this guide shows how to get started with comprehensive lessons on basic techniques using photos as a reference. Focusing mostly on painting portraits from the neck up, each project builds on the previous so readers progressively develop their skills. Ultimately, they will master the art of painting a wide assortment of people--of all ages and ethnicities--from a variety of angles.
Customer Reviews:
Paint People in Acrylic with Lee Hammond.......2007-07-16
I love Lee's instructional art books...she is so down to earth and her easy to follow suggestions make learning fun. I have been drawing portraits for a few years and people can't believe that I never went to art school, this new book has helped me go on to painting portraits in acrylics. I did a baby's portrait in acrylic for the first time and when I presented it to my client she cried. She said it was so beautiful and lifelike. This was due to Lee Hammond's wonderful insight into the world of acyrlic.
Excellent!.......2007-01-10
Having learned to draw from Lee Hammond's books and enjoying her first acrylic book I was on tenterhooks waiting for the publication of this one! I wasn't disappointed. Ms.Hammond's style is straightforward and enables you to tackle the exercises with confidence in order to build skills. This is an important part of Ms. Hammond's technique - the progression and she makes the process enjoyable. I truly believe anyone can learn to draw and paint via Ms. Hammond's techniques and be encouraged by their steady progress. Buy this book you won't be disappointed!
Book Description
"Kim Vicente puts human simplicity back into technology."
TIME Magazine
Technological innovation is progressing so quickly that we have fallen behind our ability to manage it. Our world is filled with objects that invite human error-from VCRs to stoves to hospitals, airplane cockpits, and nuclear power plants. Problems-some potentially catastrophic-continuously arise when designs are developed without human nature in mind. What we really need, argues Kim Vicente, is technology that works for people.
In this incessantly readable, groundbreaking work, Vicente makes vividly clear how we can bridge the widening gap between people and technology. He investigates every level of human activity-from simple matters such as our hand-eye coordination to complex human systems such as government regulatory agencies, and why businesses would benefit from making consumer goods easier to use. He shows us why we all have a vital stake in reforming the aviation industry, the health industry, and the way we live day-to-day with technology.
The award-winning The Human Factor offers solutions that have enormous implications for human life. Accessible, entertaining, and provocative, it is certain to create much debate for years to come.
Customer Reviews:
Kim Vicente is one of the clearest authors I've read........2004-07-18
This was one of those books that is totally effortless to read. I attribute this to Kim Vicente's obvious passion for what he does, and his interesting ideas, research, and teaching, but most of all to his extraordinary ability to express himself.
I've read many similar books, like Normal Accidents, Human Error, and most of Donald A. Norman's books, and enjoyed them all, but this one was probably the most enjoyable. It's very logical and well-designed, and does a great job of clearly explaining past disasters like Chernobyl and TMI. I was especially enthralled, as well as appalled, by the description of the Walkerton Ontario public water disaster as an example of a system failure. This was the first I heard of that one.
His recommendations and predictions for the way forward are eminently sensible and practical. I especially liked the possibility of instituting anonymous incident reporting systems like the Aviation Safety Reporting System in medicine and industry.
But most of all I'm very glad that such an excellent thinker, author, and teacher is following up and developing the groundbreaking and critically important work of Jens Rasmussen.
not an original idea.......2004-06-27
Human-tech is a phrase Vicente supposedly coined...however, it is a phrase found throughout the human factors profession and is even the name of a human factors company. This example is a metaphor for the entire book - a restatement of other people's ideas, much of which has been published in countless other domains - absolutely no new thinking here. The idea that systems should be designed from a legal, sociological, psychological, engineering, etc. approach has been in practice for some time and Vicente seems to ignore an entire field of research that has taken place in the science, technology, and society (STS) domain.
A scientific and social assessment of modern technology.......2004-05-03
Modern technology may ably supply the equipment and new convenience features people desire, but lacks the ability to consider or correct human error in using it. Kim Vicente argues for the need for technology that works easily for its users in his The Human Factor: Revolutionizing The Way People Live With Technology, which goes beyond argument to pint out how to bridge the widening gap between people and technology. From hand-eye coordination to matching complex human systems to easier consumer products, this provides both a scientific and social assessment of modern technology.
Making technology safe for humans.......2004-04-08
Ever since Charlie Chaplin parodied automation in Modern Times, we have known what happens when we ignore the human factor in technology, but we continue to produce dangerous and unusable devices.
Dr Vicente, a professor of human factors engineering, claims that we need to define technology in much broader terms than we usually do in order to avoid a "Cyclopean fixation on either mechanistic or humanistic world views." We need, in fact, to consider the entire legal, psychological, organizational and political environment in which technology is embedded. The author calls this approach Human-tech.
Consider that one of the reasons that hospitals continue to kill patients, even after badly designed equipment is identified, is that medical personnel dare not openly admit error, because of the severe career and legal consequences. This type of problem goes beyond traditional technical design issues of usability or ergonomics.
Ultimately, Dr Vicente is optimistic that we can and will resolve these problems. He offers the commercial airline industry as an example. In 2001, despite the horrendous murders on September 11th, the total number of major airline crashes was fewer than in any year since World War II. What the aviation industry did for commercial flights, we can do for our healthcare system, airport security, or anything we want to turn our hand to.
Insightful and entertaining.......2003-10-21
With an open, friendly style, Vicente manages to explore the use - and misuse - of technology all around us, from our day-to-day life to critical systems like health care and nuclear plants. Vicente has a gift for weaving a web and linking elements from seemingly unrelated fields and linking them together in a thoroughly convincing manner. As he himself advocates here, the author has not written this book to assign blame for the current "bad fit" between technology-for-its-own-sake and people, but instead focuses on laying a groundwork towards a more balanced, manageable and safe design and application of technology.
This fascinating, engaging book is a must-read for anyone whose car has grown too complicated, whose VCR keeps blinking 12:00, or who feels that technology has got out of hand. It's probably not the best book for someone about to undergo a stay in hospital...
Average customer rating:
- Good read
- Truly inspiring!
- a great book written by two extraordinary legends.....
- Candid look at the theater, Hollywood, marriage and America
- The Black King and Queen of the Arts
|
With Ossie and Ruby: In This Life Together
Ossie Davis , and
Ruby Dee
Manufacturer: William Morrow
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ASIN: 0688153968 |
Amazon.com
Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee met in 1945, when they were both performing in the same play on Broadway; Davis, resuming an acting career that had been interrupted by a World War II tour of duty in Liberia, was cast as the male lead, while Dee was originally hired as understudy to the female lead and soon found herself taking over the part. Three years later, still working together, they took advantage of a rehearsal-free day in their schedule to get married--and have been together through thick and thin ever since.
Trading turns with one another, Davis and Dee discuss the high and low points of more than a half century in each other's company. With Ossie & Ruby has enough stories for at least three books, covering the world of stage and film, the history of the civil rights movement, and the endurance of love and marriage. Their telling, in alternating first-person narration, is unflinching in its portrayal of the hardships they endured for being black-skinned and "left-wing" political activists--and equally firm in their continued dedication. This is a first-rate memoir by a man and a woman--each with a thriving career--who have collaborated to form a union even greater than the sum of its parts.
Book Description
Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee are legendary stars of the American stage, television, and film, a beloved and revered couple cherished not just for their acting artistry but also for their lifelong commitment to civil rights, family values, and the black community. Now they look back on a half- century of their personal and political struggles to maintain a healthy marriage and to create the record of distinguished accomplishment that earned each a Presidential Medal for Lifetime Achievement in the Arts.
With Ossie and Ruby overflows with consummate storytelling skill developed by decades in the spotlight. From their early years as struggling actors in Harlem's black theater to Broadway and Hollywood stardom, they regale the reader with colorful, entertaining tales of the places they've been and the people they've met. But their charming humor is leavened with a more serious side, as they share their experiences of keeping a family together in a world where scandal and divorce is the rule, and of being artists and political activists in an era of intense racial ferment. Born into the struggle, their characters were shaped by the dynamic collisions of life, politics, and art; and from those experiences, they achieved some sense of their worth as married people, friends, and lovers.
Warm, positive, and compelling, this is a book that will surprise and challenge readers everywhere -- black and white, male and female, young and old. Lifting the veil of public image, media hype, and mystique, Ossie and Ruby speak of the real-life dilemmas and rewards of their lifelong search for purpose and value.
Customer Reviews:
Good read.......2007-07-09
Good read for anyone that wants to see what can keep a marriage together for a few decades. Also, great perspective on why they are both of historical significance and should be more praised as icons.
Truly inspiring!.......2007-02-05
I love Ossie and Ruby. Their story is inspirational. They are true survivors. I loved hearing them tell their story in their own words. It was funny, touching and at times heart wrenching what they went through. They are true icons of not only African American history, but American history.
a great book written by two extraordinary legends............2006-10-31
I am so glad I read Ruby Dee's biography on the internet or I would have never known that she and her (late) husband, Ossie Davis, had written memoirs together, recounting their 50(+) year relationship. This book is a combination of genuinely warm and humorous passages, as well as insightful, deeply profound and moving chapters. They literally have a dialogue together, at some points of the book, even gently (and not so gently) correcting each other on stories and minute details that the other omitted.
Not only is this book wonderful from an historic point of view (it delves into the Civil Rights Movement and Dee's and Davis' role in that, as well as their experiences with racism, discrimination and the struggle to succeed in their craft, as actors of color--particularly African-American actors), but we also get a sense of how these two great individuals came to be the amazing actors/writers/producers/directors that we know today. While Dee always knew she was going to be on stage, Davis was initially going to become a playwright (though, fate had different plans). Together, they had children, grandchildren, and multitudes of life adventures (with plenty of bumps and u-turns along the way). Some may be surprised (and shocked) by the fact that Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis had an open marriage, when their jobs took them on the road and away from each other. Surprisingly, this brought them closer together. This was unexpected, to me, and it was intriguing to read their take on that (controversial) marriage choice that they made mutually.
I really reccomend this book, and I think more people should know about it. These people are legends in their craft, and they are not only wonderful actors, but very talented writers. I look forward to reading Ruby Dee's "My One Good Nerve" from which she adapted a touring show by the same name, in 1996.
Candid look at the theater, Hollywood, marriage and America.......2006-06-30
Legendary husband and wife actors Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee tell, with much seriousness, whimsy and candor, their respective humble beginnings, their ultimate meeting and romance in the theater, and the struggles they faced as actors, as well as African-Americans in a time of civil and political change. Though they both sought success on the stage and screen, they were also influential in achieving rights for actors, as well as African-American during the Civil Rights Movement.
The pair mingled with the powerful on the Broadway stage (Howard da Silva, Lorraine Hansbury, etc.), rising stars of the movies (Sidney Poitier, Marlon Brando, John Cassavettes, Richard Widmark, to cite a few), and political powerhouses like Paul Robeson, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Never afraid to voice their political views, the pair even became "persons of interest" during the Communist "witch hunts" of the fifties.
Davis and Dee also reveal interesting tidbits about their married life. Speaking of their "open marriage" is quite a surprise but as one reads on, it is discovered that "infidelity" was not something that was not the norm, just an understanding that should something occur outside the bonds of marriage, it would be honestly admitted.
The book's format allows each of the actors to reveal his/her take on common events in their lives. Both come across as truly unique yet complimentary and complementary of the other.
An informative appendix at the book's end provides the reader with all the theatrical, television, and stage productions, along with audio performances, made by them individually or together. Of course, it is incomplete, considering that that book was published six years ago, and both have had additional performances to add to their lengthy career.
Even though Ossie has since passed on, this reminiscence is a fitting tribute to him, as well as homage to both their marriage and their talents as thespians.
The Black King and Queen of the Arts.......2005-02-26
I just had the pleasure of reading this marvelous book. This book is done with class and shows celebrities do not have to write memoirs that are full of trash. I have always loved Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee. I have always said people who have been married for many years usually have had many ups and downs in their relationships. It just goes to show if you have faith and are not willing to give up easily you can have a relationship of longevity and is an inspiration to others. An excellent book. They may have made mistakes but in the end they are truly role models. My heart and prayers go out to Ruby Dee in the loss of her lover, friend and colleauge Ossie Davies. Ossie Davis and Ruby together were a class act and they have written a celebrity memoir with class.
Book Description
This selective annotated bibliography includes more than 650 fiction titles that promote acceptance and understanding of the disabled. A continuation of Bowker's Notes from a Different Drummer and More Notes from a Different Drummer Portraying Persons with Disabilities (Fiction) covers books written for an audience ranging from children to young adults--and encompasses genres from picture books to junior novels. Annotated to assist in title selection, Portraying Persons with Disabilities (Fiction) details the plots, perceptions and credibility of each book and identifies specific impairments and plot themes related to featured characters who are disabled. Titles are grouped by broad disability categories, making it easier when searching for particular titles. A discussion of evaluaton guidelines and a bibliography of recommended titles from the Different Drummer guides are also included.
Book Description
Quezada creates stunning pots in the traditional style of the Casas Grandes people, including using human hair to make brushes and cow dung to feed the fire. This real-life story is written in the form of "The House That Jack Built," and relays how Juan's pioneering work has changed a poor village into a prosperous community of world-class artists. Illustrated by Caldecott Medal winner David Diaz.
Customer Reviews:
The Pot That Juan Built By Seth.......2007-03-21
The Pot that Juan built by: Seth K
If you want to know what pottery evolved from read this book. I think it's funny but one part is disgusting, Juan uses cow manure to make a fire to harden the pots. A potter Juan and his burro are the main characters. Juan lives in the village of Mata Ortiz. Juan loves to make pottery and rides his burro up the mountains to get the clay to make the pots. Juan also makes the paint out of rocks and uses hair to paint the paint on to the pots. I recommend this book to people that like funny and a little nasty stories and who are 8-10 years old. The genre is realistic fiction because it actually could have happened. This book won the Pura Belpre Honor book award. If you want to learn about Mexico and how they make pottery, read this book.
Could have been Better for Those in the Know.......2006-03-16
For those in the know, the book suffers for want of careful editing. It is flawed, for example, by illustrator David Diaz' arrogance in placing his own designs on Quezada's pottery. Had this book been about van Gogh, Picasso or any other well-known artist, it is unlikely he would have portrayed their art with no concern for what it looked like in reality. This puts down Juan Quezada. Diaz also carelessly depicts Quezada building a pot by the continuous-coil method of the Indians of the American Southwest rather than by the distinctive method that he innovated and for which he is known. Better editing would have caught these problems with the illustrations as well as a multitude of minor inaccuracies that occur in the text, nearly one to a page. For example, in speaking of using a bean to burnish pottery, the author comments, "Of course dried beans can be found in any kitchen in the village." The bean in question is an inedible wild bean, the chilicote-not the kind that would normally be found in anyone's kitchen. Such editorial problems do not, however, detract from this production as a children's book. They are the sort that only one in the know would see.
My kid is obsessed with this book.......2004-01-23
The absorbing subject matter of this book, presented through catchy rhymes and alliteration and strong, colorful illustrations, has completely captured the imagination of my four-year-old. For three days now, he's been "Juan" almost exclusively, following ants to a vein of "the very best clay, all squishy and white," pretending to make vessels for every conceivable purpose, and peppering me with questions about Mexico, pottery-making, and Juan himself. I've had to draw the line at cutting my hair for paintbrushes and gathering the "dried cow manure" left by the neighborhood dogs. "The Pot That Juan Built" appeals to pre-schoolers' burgeoning interest in rhyme and other aspects of language; making things out of simple materials; and the world around them generally. I give it my highest recommendation!
Excellent, Beautiful Book!.......2003-11-15
I'm appalled at the lack of love for this book! I am a teacher of a 3rd grade classroom in California where my children are learing about how humans use the world around them to create their life and build their culture. This book is a perfect tie-in to this concept. The illustrations are beautiful and I found the rhymes to be intelligent and descriptive. Two thumbs up from me, and 48 thumbs up from my class!!
A Modern Classic.......2003-10-21
This is a beautiful book, in illustration and in content. It is the true story of Juan Quezada, a potter, and a celebratory tale of the village of Mata Ortiz, Mexico. Quezada's discovery of ancient pottery methods transformed Mata Ortiz from an impoverished village into a prosperous community of world-renowned artists. The story is cleverly told in the form of "The House That Jack Built". It is sing-song-y in it's rhythm and children will be enraptured by the story Ms. Andrews-Goebel has written and the beautifully vibrant illustrations of Caldecott Award winning illustrator, David Diaz. A more complete story of the famous pottery is told on the facing pages, providing intricate details of a fascinating process. A photo-illustrated afterward follows Quezada through the process of creating a pot, from the digging of the clay to the completed product. This book is a great addition to any child's multicultural library and informs us of one of the great contemporary and nationally recognized Mexican artists. DELIGHTFUL!!!
Book Description
Through an analysis of various disabled performance artists and companies, this book investigates core issues affecting both "everyday" and "art-framed" performances. Disability and Contemporary Performance addresses performances as social and cultural interventions, and as acts on the edges of representational categories and embodied presence. Disabled performers challenge established aesthetic norms everytime they enter the public domain. In their performance of their bodies, they upset ideas of "ideal bodies", normative beauty, as well as postmodern concepts of the cyborg, the malleable, extendable, non-physical body, and the body as spectacle. Disabled performers have over the last decades found their way into the mainstream art scene, using and subverting disciplinary categories, upsetting ideas surrounding art practice and therapy, professional and community work, mediality and presence.
Amazon.com
In this marvelous collection, the words in Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Rita Dove's "Primer" find wings in Jacob Lawrence's stylized painting, "The Library." Elizabeth Catlett's stunning print, "The Sharecropper," brings even more depth to Langston Hughes's softly sad poem, "Aunt Sue's Stories," and it's almost as if Emilio Cruz's swirling, colorful painting, "Figurative Composition #1," was created for Maya Angelou's poem, "Human Family": "I note the obvious differences / between each sort and type, / but we are more alike, my friends, / than we are unalike."
Editor Belinda Rochelle imaginatively pairs 20 poems by African American poets with 20 works of art by African American artists. Each poem and piece of art evokes the history, identity, and pride of African American people, whether it addresses slavery, family, childhood joy and woes, or racism. In Alice Walker's poem "How Poems Are Made: A Discredited View," she writes: "I know how poems are made. / There is a place the loss must go / There is a place the gain must go. / The leftover love." Readers will pore over this extraordinary compilation for hours, weeks, and years, as it becomes a permanent treasure in their collections. Artists and poets also include William H. Johnson, Gwendolyn Brooks, Paul Laurence Dunbar, and Nikki Giovanni. --Emilie Coulter
Book Description
These are just some of the works of art you will find in this stunning collection that pairs twenty poems by distinglushed African-American poets with twenty works of art by acclaimed African-American artists.
Alice Walker's poem "Women" -- about women who "battered down/Doors/And ironed/Starched white/Shirts" so their children would get a good education -- is paired with the breathtaking portrait Harriet Tubman, by William H. Johnson. The tender "Little Brown Baby" by poet Paul Laurence Dunbar, and artist Romare Bearden's Family reflect the deep love parents feel for their children.
African-American identity and history are powerfully evoked in art and poetry about slavery, racism, and black pride. But African-American poetry and art have no boundaries, and these poets and artists explore many other themes as well, that will touch your heart, and dazzle your eyes.
This important collection inspires imagination as it pairs splendid poets and artists in a way that has never been done before.
Book Description
When James Warhola was a little boy, his father had a junk business that turned their yard into a wonderful play zone that his mother didn't fully appreciate! But whenever James and his family drove to New York City to visit Uncle Andy, they got to see how "junk" could become something truly amazing in an artist's hands.
Uncle Andy's offers an exciting and unique perspective on one of the most influential artists of our time. Through James' eyes, we see the things that made his family visits memorable-including the wonderful disarray of Andy's house, waking up surrounded by important art and incredible collected objects, trying on Andy's wigs, sharing the run of Andy's house with his twenty-five cats (all named Sam), and getting art supplies from Andy as a goodbye present. James was lucky enough to learn about art from an innovative master and he shows how these visits with Uncle Andy taught him about the creative process and inspired him to become an artist.
Customer Reviews:
A look at an artist's family life.......2007-05-14
This story held my 4 year old's interest. I have purchased many art history for kids books so that my daughter will be exposed at an early age to art, but this is a great story that deals more with the personal side of Andy Warhol. Indirectly, readers get a description of Warhol's background and mannerisms. Great read.
A Modern Masterpiece.......2006-07-09
James Warhola's "Uncle Andy's : A FAABBBULOUS VISIT WITH ANDY WARHOL" is a complete joy from cover to cover. Even for kids who've never heard of Warhola's famous uncle, this is a marvelous book that's certain to inspire children to reach for the paints and crayons. But that's just the start of this book's appeal. For anyone interested in Andy Warhol, this is an indispensible portrait of the man behind the pop art, "superstars," and Manhattan nightlife. It reveals a very warm, loving and dare I say "normal" side of a great artist whose sharp eye for modern culture was grounded in the blue collar practicality of his Pittsburgh roots. James Warhola, whose own keen eye is apparent in his wonderful words and pictures, has filled every page with fond and detailed memories. And reading his description of Uncle Andy, it's obvious that affection was mutual.
A Little Boy and His Wierd Uncle.......2006-02-21
"Uncle Andy's" isn't realy about Andy Warhol. It's about a boy who has a wacky uncle who lives in a wacky home and does wacky things. It reminds me of the movie "Unsung Heroes" with Mike Richards and Andie McDowel, where a boy retreats to his offbeat uncles in the 1960's.
James Warhola lived with his HUGE family in rural Pennsylvania, where his father is a (happy) junkman. They take trips to New York, where they crash at Uncle Andy's brownstone. The place is like a funhouse, full of cast-off tchotchkes and Andy's wierd art. They spend their time helping Andy with his paintings, exploring the house, and playing with his 20 cats. What kid wouldn't want to visit a place like this?
When I did a school project on Warhol at age 16 I was fascinated by this guy, but I wondered what it would be like to have him for a relative. Did he behave around his family the way he did with the press? The answer is YES, but that's what makes it so humorous. People say he hid under a wig and glasses, but Andy gives them all his old wigs to play with, and that's a funny twist on his personality; he made no secret of what he did with himself.
Some critics say that in truth, Andy's mother was bipolar and lived in the basement, smoking and drinking all day. We'll never know how he realy felt about the arrival of these country mice to his townhouse, but from the boy's perspective, the guy's cool. Uncle Andy's Place is the ultimate children's book about a wierd relative. I'm not as eccentric as Warhol, but I bought my nephews this book, and after 3 years they love to read it again and again.
Not-so raggedy Andy.......2004-06-16
With all the great picture books out there, it's no wonder that one or two fall through the cracks. I was very partial to "Uncle Andy's" when it came out last year, but no one seemed to pay it any mind. And this is a real shame when you sit down to look at it. Imagine, if you will, being related to one of the hippest New York artists working in the Pop Art scene. James Warhola has taken one of his childhood experiences and woven it into a faabbbulous story about visiting his rather well known uncle, Andy Warhol.
Living with his family in the countryside just a little ways from Pittsburgh, James Warhola always looked forward to the regular trips to Uncle Andy's. James's father was Andy's eldest brother, and worked in a junkyard. Always taking Andy a couple choice junk pieces, the family would pile into their station wagon and make the trip to visit Andy and their Grandmother Bubba. Once there, Andy's home was a kid's dream house. It was filled with crazy junk, pop art, and millions of different peculiar odds n' ends. It had twenty-five cats (all named Sam), paint by number paintings, wigs, art, you name it. Warhola goes on to recount some amusing problems that would arise from staying with Andy. For example, Andy was prone to staying out late partying and then sleeping in. One morning, James's little sister Maddie got tired of waiting for Andy to wake up so she walked right in. The house was pierced with a shriek (on the part of Andy) when it was clear that he hadn't put his wig on yet. James then goes on to explain that everyone in the family knew that Andy was bald, and that once Andy sent a box of his old wigs to his brother, allowing the family to goof around and try them all on. In the end the family would usually leave in the early morning when Andy was asleep, but he'd always leave a box of gifts for the kids by the front door to take home with them.
There's something so bizarre about this story that it makes perfect sense. For anyone doubting the possibility that Andy Warhol (he dropped the extra "a" from the end of his name when he moved to New York) would have country nieces and nephews, you need only look at a photograph supplied on the back book flap. There, beside two clean-cut early 1960s youngsters grins a devilish Andy Warhol, sunglasses and white wig intact. The authenticity of the tale doesn't stop there, however. Warhola has a wonderful sense of detail and intricacy that help him to tell his story well. When little James wakes up in a makeshift bed (a door set atop four strategically placed paint cans) he finds himself in a room filled with junk, art, and scattered clothing. There are Fantastic Four comic books and cats perched in every nook and cranny. Every picture in this book has at least fifty different tiny details and moments in it that make it worth rereading again and again.
So let's say you want to introduce your children to the great artists of the 20th century, but the last thing you want to do is to bore them. "Uncle Andy's" is not only the perfect choice, it is the ONLY choice in many respects. You can keep your Jasper Johns and Sally Manns to yourself. I'm an Andy fan through and through. And unlike other biographies of artists, this book is remarkable because it is:
a) A true story
b) A tale in the vein of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. You know. The mysterious proprietor and his amazing collection of wonders and marvels.
c) Well illustrated and well written.
There are other reasons to read this book to your kids (or to have them read it to you) but I think the ones I've listed should be sufficient. There may have been only one Andy Warhol, but he was a heckuva uncle and friend to his nieces and nephews. Take a little time to read something a little wild and I guarantee you'll enjoy it. That goes double for your kids.
Faabbulous...........2004-03-30
I was drawn to this book due to its wonderful drawings and the first page that said something about a junk yard... only when I brought the book home I learned that the wonderful drawings were no coincidence as we soon understand - and nor is the junkyard connection.
My son was immediately hooked and has asked me to read this story for the past three nights in a row. There are many things to like about this book: the large eccentric family (where the eccentric uncle fits like a glove), the very rich drawings that have you checking details on every page, and the interesting different story which seems to appeal to all ages.
There are many things to look for when reading the book together and our favorite page seems to be the one showing Uncle Andy's house "which is like an amusement park". What occupies us is our search for the twenty-five cats ("all named Sam"). Mysteriously we can only find twenty-four cats and are still looking for the missing Sam. We also have many other questions and wonders such as "Can't Bubba cook anything other then Salami and Cheese"? (that's the mother asking) and "What job did Uncle Andy assign to the young members of the family"? (that's the child asking).
The story has a very inherent artistic philosophy (art is everywhere and can be found everywhere) which is very easily understood by children and seems to perfectly suit their way of thinking. Also a lot of legitimacy to any kind of "art".
Books:
- Handbook of Reading Research, Volume III (Handbook of Reading Research)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7)
- Harry Potter Schoolbooks Box Set: From the Library of Hogwarts: Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, Quidditch Through The Ages
- Hidden in Plain View: A Secret Story of Quilts and the Underground Railroad
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Come Back: A Mother and Daughter's Journey Through Hell and Back
- To Inherit the Earth: The Landless Movement and the Struggle for a New Brazil
- Oscar Niemeyer: Houses
- The Kurt Vonnegut Jr. Audio Collection
- Textile Designs: Two Hundred Years of European and American Patterns Organized by Motif, Style, Colo
- The Mature Mind: The Positive Power of the Aging Brain
- The Original Jesus: The Life and Vision of a Revolutionary
- Art & Reality: The New Standard Reference Guide and Business Plan for Actively Developing Your C
- Sex, Boys & You: Be Your Own Best Girlfriend
- Dumont's Lexicon of Perennials: Origin - Habitat - Planting - Care
Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Anomalies: Effects on Speech and Resonance
Voice Therapy: Clinical Case Studies
Motor Speech Disorders: Substrates, Differential Diagnosis, and Management
Cleft Palate & Craniofacial Anomalies: Effects on Speech and Resonance
Clinical Management of Swallowing Disorders
