Mark Twain, who was born Samuel L. Clemens in Missouri in 1835,
wrote some of the most enduring works of literature in the English
language, including The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures
of Huckleberry Finn. Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc was his
last completed book--and, by his own estimate, his best. Its
acquisition by Harper & Brothers allowed Twain to stave off
bankruptcy. He died in 1910.
Trina Schart Hyman's Saint George and the Dragon was honored with a
Caldecott Medal. She lives in Lyme, New Hampshire. In Her Own
Words..."I was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1939. I spent
my growing-up years in the little town of Wyncote, which was just
north of the city. Our house was across the road from a lovely and
mysterious old farm, so I grew up with horses and cows and geese
and chickens, along with hay and manure and all the smells and
sounds of farming. In those days there were woods and fields all
around our house. We lived in the couritry, but we were only an
hour away from the city. Both places seemed exciting and dangerous
to me, and full of romance and magic.
"Romance and magic were very important to me. Fairy tales,
folktales, and myths were--and still are--my favorite things. I
loved to read and draw pictures more than anything, but I hated
school and was miserable there. I couldn't concentrate, and I
always felt like a dummy, because I didn't understand the rules
that everyone else seemed to know. I have to admit that I still
feel that way sometimes. I did manage to graduate from high school,
though, and then I went to an art school in Philadelphia instead of
college. It was so much fun that I actually learned a lot.
"It was there that I found out about the great book illustrators of
the early 1900s: Arthur Rackham, Edmund Dulac, and the crazy
Pre-Raphaelites in England; and Howard Pyle, N. C. Wyeth, and the
serious students of the Brandywine School here in American. Their
romantic and magical storytelling pictures inspired me and gave me
courage. I was determined to follow in the footsteps of these
artists and to carry on their tradition.
"In 1959 I got married and left Philadelphia. I spent the next few
years traveling and attending art schools in Boston and in
Stockholm, Sweden. I learned about book design and printmiaking,
and how to cook and do laundry. in Sweden I learned about the
artists Carl Larsson, Jon Bauer, and Sulamith Wulfing, Whose work
inspired and influenced me.
"In 1961 I 'Illustrated my very first children's book, for a
Swedish publisher. The editor who gave me the job was Astrid
Lindgren, the author of the Pippi Longstocking books. Since then, I
have illustrated about 150 books, give or take a few. I've tried to
make each and every book special and beautiful. I've put a lot of
myself my beliefs and interests, my friends and family and the
places I've been -- into my pictures. All of the connections that
I've figured out in my life are there for everyone to see, in all
of my books.
"For the past thirty years I've lived in a big old farmhouse in
northwestern New Hampshire. Some part of it always needs fixing --
there's always a room falling off or a roof caving in -- but to me
it is home. Mostly there are walls and walls of books that hold it
up and keep out the cold. I live here with my partner, jean, who
helps me keep it all going, and our two dogs, two cats, and five
sheep. jean is a teacher and the director of a little school where
kids actually have fun learning.
"My daughter, Katrin, and her husband, Eugene, and their two sons,
Michou and Xavi, live in a house that is only a few miles away,
over the river and through the woods of Vermont. Michou goes to
Jean's school. We are a close family, and we have a lot of fun
together. That's it so far."
Peter Glassman is the owner of Books of Wonder, the New York City
bookstore and publisher specializing in new and old imaginative
books for children. He is also the editor of the Books of Wonder
Classics, a series of deluxe facsimiles and newly illustrated
editions of timeless tales. And he is the author of The Wizard Next
Door, illustrated by Steven Kellogg. Mr. Glassman lives in New York
City.
When Hank Morgan is transported from 19th-century Hartford, Conn., to sixth-century England, his misadventures begin as he navigates a host of dangers en route to becoming "The Boss" of Camelot. William Dufris's enthusiastic narration is perfect; the deep drawl he produces might very well be the voice of Twain himself, and his pacing and comedic timing will delight listeners. Dufris is clearly enjoying himself, and he produces a series of unique voices for the knights and damsels Morgan meets in Camelot. (June) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Gr 5 Up-While Mark Twain is most often identified with his childhood home on the Mississippi, he wrote many of his enduring classics during the years he lived in Hartford, Connecticut. He had come a long way from Hannibal when he focused his irreverent humor on medieval tales, and wrote A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. The hit on the head that sent protagonist Hank Morgan back through 13 centuries did not affect his natural resourcefulness. Using his knowledge of an upcoming eclipse, Hank escapes a death sentence, and secures an important position at court. Gradually, he introduces 19th century technology so the clever Morgan soon has an easy life. That does not stop him from making disparaging, tongue-in-cheek remarks about the inequalities and imperfections of life in Camelot. Twain weaves many of the well-known Arthurian characters into his story, and he includes a pitched battle between Morgan's men and the nobility. Kenneth Jay's narration is a mix of good-natured bonhomie for Hank and more formal diction for the arcane Olde English speakers. Appropriate music is used throughout to indicate story breaks and add authenticity to scenes. This good quality recording is enhanced by useful liner notes and an attractive case. Younger listeners may need explanations of less familiar words, and some knowledge of the Knights of the Round Table will be helpful. Libraries completing an audiobook collection of Twain titles will enjoy this nice, but not necessary, abridgement.-Barbara Wysocki, Cora J. Belden Library, Rocky Hill, CT Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.
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