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160 pp.
| Twenty-First Century
| April, 2008
|
LibraryISBN 978-0-8225-7604-4$33.26
(3)
YA
Literary Greats series.
Cather's own words are expertly woven into this lively, accessible biography. Photographs of Cather and the people and places she loved set the scene as Meltzer draws connections between the author's life and works, including an honest treatment of her intimate relationships with Isabelle McClung and Edith Lewis. Extensive back matter reveals Meltzer's in-depth research. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., ind.
32 pp.
| Holiday
| March, 2008
|
TradeISBN 978-0-8234-1966-1$16.95
(3)
4-6
This slim volume elegantly summarizes Einstein's life and work. Meltzer skillfully foregrounds important scientific information, such as the theory of special relativity, then explains it with Einstein's own example of time spent "with a pretty girl" contrasted with time sitting "on a hot stove." Biographical facts are informative and accessible. Many well-chosen black-and-white photos illustrate the text. Timeline. Bib.
237 pp.
| Viking
| January, 2008
|
TradeISBN 978-0-670-06139-6$16.99
(3)
YA
Cather's own words are expertly woven into this lively, accessible biography. Photographs of Cather and the people and places she loved set the scene as Meltzer draws connections between the author's life and works, including an honest treatment of her intimate relationships with Isabelle McClung and Edith Lewis. Extensive back matter reveals Meltzer's in-depth research. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., ind.
168 pp.
| Clarion
| November, 2007
|
TradeISBN 978-0-618-87445-3$16.00
(3)
YA
Joey aspires to be the first in his family to attend college, but they can barely scrape together their next meal. With the Great Depression looming, Joey and his father join the WWI veterans' Bonus March. The effects of war and financial hardship on 1930s society are channeled into an affecting plot brimming with astutely observed historical detail.
158 pp.
| Twenty-First Century
| February, 2007
|
LibraryISBN 978-0-8225-5893-4$31.93
(3)
4-6
Meltzer carefully details the life of the writer and naturalist, who was barely known in his own time. The respectful, affectionate account ambles along, like taking a walk in the woods with the man himself. The many well-captioned photographs, historical documents, and other illustrations give additional observations and information. A list of Thoreau historical sites is appended. Timeline, websites. Bib., ind.
(4)
YA
American Literary Greats series.
Almost no excerpts from Hawthorne's writings are included in this volume, nor does Meltzer elaborate the specific qualities that marked his work. Instead, the biography emphasizes the vicissitudes of Hawthorne's life--his government jobs, limited commercial success as a writer, and personal relationships. Meltzer also addresses Hawthorne's self-interested and biased opinions on the pressing social issues of the day, including abolition. Timeline, websites. Bib., ind.
80 pp.
| Benchmark
| September, 2004
|
LibraryISBN 0-7614-1607-2$29.93
(4)
4-6
Great Explorations series.
Six explorers--including three Spanish conquistadors--are profiled alongside the lands and peoples they discovered and subjugated. Written in a colloquial style, several of the titles skate over the effects the Europeans' conquests had on the native populations, but for the most part these books are thorough. All six titles contain good-quality reproductions. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., ind. Review covers these Great Explorations titles: Vasco da Gama, Zebulon Pike, Samuel de Champlain, Francisco Pizarro, Juan Ponce de León, and Vasco Nuñez de Balboa.
159 pp.
| Random
| October, 2004
|
TradeISBN 0-375-81563-5$18.95
|
LibraryISBN 0-375-91563-X$20.95
(2)
4-6
Landmark Books series.
Corporate and personal greed, political corruption, and the backbreaking, dangerous labor of immigrants are recurring themes in Meltzer's ambitious exploration of the nineteenth-century rush to connect the North American continent by railroad. Illustrated with compelling photos, the hard-hitting account is impressively informative and thought-provoking. Bib., ind.
Reviewer: Margaret A. Bush
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2004
125 pp.
| Benchmark
| October, 2003
|
LibraryISBN 0-7614-1537-8$$37.07
(3)
YA
Great Inventions series.
Each of these books gives an account of an invention that changed the world, chronicling its history from inception through the present day, including effects the invention has had on civilization. Young history buffs will find these books both fascinating and useful for research. The well-written books are enhanced with archival photographs, paintings, and drawings. Websites. Bib., ind. [Review covers these Great Inventions titles: Clocks, Gunpowder and Weaponry, The Cotton Gin, and The Printing Press.]
125 pp.
| Benchmark
| October, 2003
|
LibraryISBN 0-7614-1536-X$$37.07
(3)
YA
Great Inventions series.
Each of these books gives an account of an invention that changed the world, chronicling its history from inception through the present day, including effects the invention has had on civilization. Young history buffs will find these books both fascinating and useful for research. The well-written books are enhanced with archival photographs, paintings, and drawings. Websites. Bib., ind. [Review covers these Great Inventions titles: Clocks, Gunpowder and Weaponry, The Cotton Gin, and The Printing Press.]
(3)
4-6
This adeptly written biography traces the life of Poe and details his astonishing literary output despite (or perhaps because of) his often tortured existence. Illustrated with black-and-white photos and reproductions, the book also contains the full text of Poe's "The Raven" and excerpts from some of his other works. Reading list, timeline. Bib., ind.
132 pp.
| Scholastic/Orchard
| April, 2002
|
TradeISBN 0-439-31293-0$$21.95
(4)
4-6
Illustrated by
Bethanne Andersen.
This handsomely illustrated volume comprises biographies of ten legendary leaders, including Hammurabi, Alexander the Great, Attila, Kublai Khan, and Peter the Great. Meltzer's sources for discussing these lives and their cultural contexts are impeccable, and he writes knowledgeably and thoughtfully. The unevenness of available information means that some sections are less focused than others. Bib., ind.
(2)
YA
Meltzer's presentation of Whitman's life is interpretive rather than being a portrait of the man in the many stages of his life. By scrupulously analyzing the poet's work in relation to his various experiences, Meltzer offers unusual insight not only into the man but also into his times. Analysis of the poetry combined with lengthy excerpts provide a literary dimension. Photos and reproductions illustrate the book, and a chronology is appended. Bib., ind.
Reviewer: Mary M. Burns
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2002
261 pp.
| Random
| July, 2002
|
LibraryISBN 0-375-92260-1$$10.99
|
PaperISBN 0-375-82260-7$$5.99 1985, Harper
(2)
YA
This somewhat updated edition examines the role and fate of the conscientious objector in the United States. Meltzer's sympathies lie with the COs, but he attempts to present all sides of a very complex issue. Illustrated with black-and-white photos, the book is a clear and fascinating account of an issue of ever-increasing importance. Bib., ind.
(2)
YA
In this revision of his book The Terrorists, Meltzer "examine[s] the motives and the actions of terrorists. Not only for September 11, but for acts that took place long before." This carefully researched book includes black-and-white photos and a discussion guide at the back. Bib., ind.
(3)
YA
Meltzer offers a fresh overview of the American civil rights movement and its legislative and other triumphs. His authoritative prose is written with a flair unusual in the genre and culminates in a bittersweet look at the status of African Americans today. Historical black-and-white photos and testimony from scholars of and participants in the movement are featured. Bib., ind.
80 pp.
| Benchmark
| October, 2001
|
LibraryISBN 0-7614-1240-9$$28.50
(4)
YA
Great Explorations series.
The well-researched books in this series will be useful to students writing reports. Maps and archival reproductions in both black and white and color extend the text, but the illustrations aren't always captioned and maps from antiquity aren't always labeled as such. Nevertheless, these are engaging introductions. Each book includes a chronology. Bib., ind. [Review covers these Great Expectations titles: Daniel Boone, Robert e. Peary, L Salle, Lewis and Clark, Captain James Cook, Ferdinand Magellan.]
80 pp.
| Benchmark
| October, 2001
|
LibraryISBN 0-7614-1238-7$$28.50
(4)
YA
Great Explorations series.
The well-researched books in this series will be useful to students writing reports. Maps and archival reproductions in both black and white and color extend the text, but the illustrations aren't always captioned and maps from antiquity aren't always labeled as such. Nevertheless, these are engaging introductions. Each book includes a chronology. Bib., ind. [Review covers these Great Expectations titles: Daniel Boone, Robert e. Peary, L Salle, Lewis and Clark, Captain James Cook, Ferdinand Magellan.]
86 pp.
| Dutton
| November, 2001
|
TradeISBN 0-525-45857-3$$24.99
(3)
4-6
Illustrated by
Bruce Waldman.
In spare and incisive language, Meltzer rebuts the romance of piracy often offered. Twenty-six short sections reveal the history, motivation, codes, geography, and infamous practitioners of this cutthroat occupation, as well as its clandestine relationship with certain governments and their merchants. Dramatic black and brown artwork, as well as maps, reinforce the text. Bib., ind.
88 pp.
| Scholastic/Orchard
| September, 2001
|
TradeISBN 0-439-29315-4$$18.95
(4)
4-6
Brief chapters with black-and-white photos describe the work police detectives do, examining evidence and questioning witnesses, and explain how a crime laboratory assists the investigation by analyzing DNA, bullets, fingerprints, and other materials. A section about famous detectives of the past diverts from the main topic and contributes to the unfocused quality of this overbroad but substantive survey. Bib., ind.