Thursday, January 27, 2011

And the Pursuit of Happiness

Author & Illustrator: Maira Kalman

Publication Date: 2010

Category: Whimsical, artistic, creative and poetic non-fiction

Who'll want to read it? Anyone who thinks Abraham Lincoln would have made a great boyfriend.

Point of no return: If you are like me, you will be hooked from the very first page. I saw the Maira Kalman interviewed on "The Colbert Report" and had to read it. View the interview and I think you will be charmed into reading it also.

Classic line: "All of this history makes me want to embrace Lincoln and bring him into my world. I imagine us walking around New York. We would go straight to the Museum of Modern Art. Maybe we would look at self-portraits by Frida Kahlo. Would he be fascinated by a female artist with a unibrow and mustache flaunting her sexuality and visions? I think so." pg 83-85

What's it all about? It's an illustrated history lesson and love letter to all that is good in the USA. It doesn't skip over the bad bits, but makes you think about things without being confronted or horribly depressed. You don't even need to read this book to enjoy it, the illustrations and photos are so delicious. If you would like to borrow a copy contact the lovely staff at Newcastle Region Library - 02 4974 5344.

Publisher: The Penguin Press

Visit Newcastle Region Library's Catalogue and Website.