Libraries and Museums Books

everything went well at checkout but when it came to delivery, it left much to be desired. i paid for overnight delivery and did not recieve the book until 4 days later.

This is a remarkable book, one that I've reread with pleasure & profit
about once/decade since it was published. RETURN TO LAUGHTER was based on the
author's fieldwork in West Africa in the 40's &/or 50's. The most
memorable part is the recounting of people's reaction to a smallpox
("water") epidemic -- required reading for anyone essaying a fictional
plague. It's as powerfully written as the best of Farley Mowat.
Absolutely not to be missed.

Happy reading--
Peter D. Tillman

An enjoyable book by an American anthropologist in a small Nigerian village. Honestly portrays life in a foreign culture and successfully probes the relationship between culture, individuality, and community.

Although the politically correct and socially aware reader may be inclined to huff and puff a little bit over this anthropological journey through Africa, it is neccessary to take into account the actual year that this book was first written. Aside from a few "dated" remarks, this book provides a tender glimpse into the field work of an anthropologist. I think this a great book for those who travel extensively. It really depicts the frustration and loss of pride that come with trying to adjust to another way of life.

A young anthropologist is confronted with a quagmire ethical and moral ambiguity as ideals and unconscious assumptions meet the reality of living within a human community. Witch trials and a smallpox epidemic provide a dramatic context for problems familiar to anyone living among strangers, whether in the next town or the next continent. Along the way, Return to Laughter also serves as an engaging, impressionistic, ethnography. In fact, I'm amazed at how many different layers of book Smith Bowen has squeezed into such a quick read.

This is an invaluable study of the representation of the American past at Colonial Willimaburg. It shows us that as much as CW presents itself as a reproduction of the past, it nonetheless refelcts the social positions of its present-day curators, visitors, and financial backers.

As a current employee of The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, I have found this book to be very truthful. I have many passages highlighted. The official response of the museum was to ignore it. The front line employees of the Foundation were really hopeful that this book would be a lesson, and that they would make some needed changes. Now it is 2003, and the museum is facing some really bad times. For the past 8 years, millions and millions of dollars have been spent on back up facilities like libraries, stables, hotels, bridges, and now a fictious plantation. There has been very little done as far as the upkeep of the historic area itself, and quite honestly the place is falling apart. And now the most important element of all is in grave danger, the historic interpreters who pour their hearts and souls into CW could soon be a thing of the past. Layoffs are to be announced this September 2003. The recent purchase of recording devices, are also a giant threat to the interpreters. The interpreters make the town come alive. Colonial Williamsburg has become a place where the history really does not matter any more! For the past 2 years many of the middle management positions have been filled by former Disney employees!! Ever since the "Disney" people arrived, they no longer offer training about history at all, just customer service training. Please, if you donate money to this worthy cause, stipulate that the money be kept in the historic area, and or go into a fund to help keep the interpreters!!!

This book was assigned in one of my classes and I was very impressed by it. It, despite the opinions of the above reviewer, clearly strove to be balanced and sympathetic in its discussion without losing sight of its academic aims. I found it extremely helpful in finding another way to look at the history I have been presented with at every museum or class I've been to, not just Williamsburg. I went to Williamsburg for the first time after I read this book and was much more interested in what I was seeing than I might otherwise have been -- actually thinking about what I was hearing and reading rather than simply swallowing it whole. The book itself is very well written and enjoyable as well as informative to read -- a rare thing among scholarly works. Handler and Gable did an excellent job.

Colonial Williamsburg is an elaborate fake, run by corporate devils who mercilessly exploit their workers, while badly distorting America's colonial history. At least that is what Handler and Gable would have us believe. There is more than a grain of truth in some of their contentions, but they undermine their case by digressing into political correctness and left-wing dogma.

The authors relate how Colonial Williamsburg's political agenda has changed to suit successive generations of scholars and managers, who have massaged "facts" accordingly. Front-line interpreters (costumed characters) are trained to parry controversial questions in order to avoid open discussion of them and to maintain the "official" line. They can become impatient with visitors' ignorance of history, and may resort to insulting them. When historians convey new or corrected information to the staff, interpreters sometimes override those directions in favor of their own views.

The historical message is contaminated further by interference from corporate officials, who are more concerned with boosting attendance and competing with theme parks than with running an historically accurate museum. The authors condemn Colonial Williamsburg as a museum that has abandoned its educational mission in favor of showing tourists a good time by building more hotels and golf courses, and which has crassly expanded retail merchandising to compete for tourist dollars. Ironically, Colonial Williamsburg sold Anheuser-Busch the land on which the Busch Gardens theme park now stands, thus helping to create its stiffest competition and spurring its efforts to increase attendance.

The authors make a number of telling points against Colonial Williamsburg's version of history, but they lose credibility by suggesting that the existing presentation merely be replaced with one designed to serve their own politically correct agenda. Although Colonial Williamsburg has come a long way in portraying the role of slaves in the colony, it isn't enough for Handler and Gable, who view those efforts as half-hearted, if not hypocritical, even on the part of some African-American interpreters. While criticizing Colonial Williamsburg for speculating about unknown areas of history in order to create a seamless presentation, the authors promote use of just such hypothetical, unsubstantiated "information" as part of a more politically correct view of 18th Century Williamsburg. For example, whether or not it can be proven that Williamsburg patriot George Wythe kept a female slave as his mistress, and perhaps fathered a child by her, the authors believe that Colonial Williamsburg should tell visitors that he did, since so many white slave owners were guilty of miscegenation.

The book bogs down badly during a lengthy leftist harangue against capitalism and corporate structure, which the authors dislike and consider inappropriate for Colonial Williamsburg, but for which they offer no alternative. Although that digression is followed by a valuable discussion of the struggle between corporate and educational priorities, the authors often confuse issues of education and history with those of corporate policy and labor relations without convincingly linking them. The result is a muddled examination of Colonial Williamsburg as a place of learning.

The work suffers from a lack of systematic data collection, relying instead on anecdotal information gleaned from interviews with officials, interpreters, visitors and others, and there is no sampling or survey data to support the book's broad contentions. The final chapter provides a lucid summary of the book's major points, but the authors have rambled for too long before reaching that point, and many readers will find the preceding chapters heavy going.

Moreover, Colonial Williamsburg is not really a museum, and it is doubtful that patrons expect to see a flawlessly accurate reproduction of the late 18th Century city. Visitors know that the costumed interpreters they encounter are performers and they accept the convention. Even with its shortcomings, Colonial Williamsburg can stimulate interest in the people and ideas that dominated political discourse on the eve of revolution and encourage visitors to learn more about them on their own.

This should be a "hit" for anyone interested in the history of our 1st National Park. The in-depth accounts of the parks "growing pains" bog down a bit at times but still makes for an enjoyable journey into the past. From the detailed historical facts to the enlightening little "stories" and quotes, this "history book" is tough to put down.

Haines' complete "Yellowstone Story", vol. 1 and 2, are what can only be described as sensational. The sheer volume of intricate detail leaves the reader feeling as if he or she had lived each moment or event. From the race to "discover" the area to the push to "civilize" it, the reader is left feeling sad that an era of exploration, inginuity and discovery is now far behind us. But, at least for a few brief moments, Haines is able to bring us back to that time and to impart to us the sense of history and pride and wonder that many of the parks earliest vistors must have felt. This book is not for the casual visitor of Yellowstone, rather, it is for the rabid fan of Wonderland!! Enjoy!!

When I went to Yellowsone N.P. and was researching the Archives there the librarian there said that they consider this book the most complete and accurate account of the history of the park. I liked it because it was well written and nicely illustrated, making it not just a good reference, but enjoyable to read as well. This park is truly a unique place and the first of a most wonderful concept. If you have any intrest in Yellowstone, or plan to travel there, this book will provide some rich history you should not miss.

This book isn't what I'd call a "light read." It's a hard-core history book packed with detail, verification of the detail, and even more detail. At times, this depth is fascinating. At others, it's a little dry. If you're looking for the facts mixed with some really great stories, you'll love this book.

To me, this book too often is a vehicle to mention and thank the many museum colleagues and associated art scholars from Mr. Laclotte's long and distinguished career rather than an exciting view into the politics and work of a world treasure house.

If you have a deep interest in the Louvre and the Musee d' Orsay, you may well enjoy this book. However, I do not see this memoir as being a classic of its type. (One example of what I think to be a well-written and enduring art memoir is Kenneth Clark's "Another Part of the Wood.")

One of the finest minds I have ever encountered, a Noble prize winner said to me one day, "If you could live not one life over, but three lives, what lives would you live." It's interesting because most of my time is spent with an involvement with Wall Street and international finance, but my passion is art and learning. I couldn't put this book down. I read every page, cover to cover, while on a business trip to Texas.


Art is timeless, and makes us aware of the all too short a period that represents our own time on earth. The author Michel Laclotte has spent his entire life in the art world, moving through various positions in his native France and finishing up as Director of the world's most important art museum - The Louvre.


If you read this book, you will gain an understanding of the art world that simply cannot be obtained any other way, unless like the opening sentence of my review states, you are able to live your own life over in the art world. The author takes us on a journey of what it's like to run a museum with the outsized egos that are involved. What's it like to bid on paintings, and pay $50 million or a $100 million for an object that you can hold in your hand?


Laclotte was instrumental in both the reshaping of the Louvre utilizing the skills of world-renowned architect I.M Pei, and the building of the Musee d'Orsay, which was done under the direct guidance of the author. There is a religious saying that says that "nothing is owned, everything is borrowed, and we are merely the custodians." This is certainly true of great art objects that have passed down through the ages, and Laclotte speaks with a poetical beauty through his words about the objects that he has been the custodian of, for his entire lifetime.


There is an appreciation that is gained by reading this book for all that has come before us. A lady I know is reputed to have the highest IQ of anyone on the planet. One day she told me that she doesn't read books anymore because they are merely the author's subjective opinion regardless of topic. Instead she said she uses her time to go to museums, because there she is directly in touch with TRUTH. She doesn't need anyone to explain what she is looking at. She lets here own brain do the work.


When you read Laclotte's book, you will have an understanding what she means. The lives of the great artists, the works they created, thousands of years of art history, it's all here. It's in a tightly woven tale about one man's commitment to art, and the life he lived guided by that commitment. Read this book, you will love it.


Regards,

Richard Stoyeck

I got this book while writing a research paper on the Louvre and found myself reading it just for fun - I am a Art History and Curatorial Studies student planning on doing this as my career so I may be biased, but It was so interesting to hear Laclotte's experiences. I love the sections where he gives his own personal reactions to experiences such as I.M. Pei's plan for the glass pyramids. So good! Anyway, fun read, interesting cultural information.

Once again updated with new insight and suggestions, this remains one of the best books to guide small museum organizations in managing and registering their collection materials. It's also helpful to those who find themselves in a position to "clean house."

Written in a style so that anyone, from volunteer to senior (non collection backgrounded) staff person will understand, it's a must have for any collection manager, registrar, archivist, etc. in training. I'd also recommend it to any other museum staff person to get a better grasp of the challenges the collection departments face.

I am president of a small museum, just getting started. This book has become our 'bible.' It answers questions we didn't know we had. Everything is written so us newbies can understand it. I would recommend this to anyone involved in museum work. I mentioned it to our state curator and he said they referred to it often also.

This book provides a really useful guide for organizations on how to manage small museums, as it covers basic topics such as the acquisition of items, accessioning, accession number systems and documentation. When doing research on how to manage our church's heritage exhibition, the book was one of the few books on the subject that we were able to find, and certainly the most up-to-date one. We have not followed exactly what was suggested in the book, but have found the advice given useful for adapting to our purposes.

In the introduction to A Traveler's Guide to the Civil Rights Movement, Congressman John Lewis reminds us that in order to understand and appreciate our nation's history, we must live it and visit its birthplaces. This new guide to an important part of our collective history takes visitors to Montgomery, Little Rock, Selma, and Memphis and tells the stories of these and many other places where the chronicle of civil rights should be preserved for the next generation.

Beginning with Washington D.C. where the author casts familiar venues in a new light, and continuing state by state through the South and beyond, this beautifully written guide shares stories of well-known memorials and the not-so-famous street corner stops. An award-winning journalist and author of eight books, Jim Carrier does more than point out places of interest. He writes about the Rosenwald Schools built all over the South by a partnership between Booker T. Washington and Julius Rosenwald, the president of Sears, Roebuck & Co. He takes us to the first state memorial to African American history, the South Carolina Capitol in Columbia. He points out seven spots on a suggested driving tour of Greenwood, Mississippi, ground zero for the civil rights struggle in the Delta. And tucked between place names, maps, and black and white photographs are essays about topics from sports heroes and music to women of the movement and the military. More history than guidebook, this is a fascinating look back as well as forward at the ongoing struggle for civil rights.

With the idea of heritage tours of historical sites becoming more and more important, Carrier's book comes in a timely fashion. Along with Townsend Davis' "Weary Feet, Rested Souls" the two books form an indispensable guide to the places important to the Civil Rights movement in America.

Where Carrier shines is in the unsung areas. He highlights the places were things happened, especially in the country, where there are no markers, but should be. So while you might not find these places normally, you learn about their important role in a century long movement. He pulls no punches, often times pointedly noting the important part played by the unsung heroes whose place in history has been usurped by the big names, including Martin Luther King, Jr. The book is up to date, noting actions by the National Park Service in 2003, and sites in progress expected to be ready in 2004-2008.

One thing that comes from reading this book is the lack of formal recognition of the lives and struggles of African-Americans in the south - from plantation sites that usually don't acknowledge the lives of the slaves, to states such as Mississippi that give very little space to the African American experience in state heritage museums. A lot of this is changing, so hopefully this guide will have to be updated and revised in the near future to hopefully indicate more museums and exhibits are open.

Though most of the events noted in the book happened 30 to 150 years ago, it gives the reader the chance to walk in the footsteps of those who came before us. Most importantly to keep history alive, so that we never forget what has happened.

This book is fascinating even if you never leave home. It's both a travel guide and a reference for anyone wanting to learn more about the Civil Rights Movement. But it's not limited to modern times; like many historians, the author takes the view that the struggle for civil rights began the moment the first enslaved African set foot on these shores and tried to break free. And it continued anywhere that people fought for dignity and equality.

Consequently, the sites described here include sites of slave rebellions, legal battles, Underground Railroad safe houses, historically black colleges, churches, museums...even the minor league stadium in Florida where Jackie Robinson broke through the color line.

I particularly enjoyed the author's honest and opinionated style. Black history has been overshadowed by white interpretation for a very long time, even in locations where the majority population was black. Visit a Southern plantation and you will learn about the lifestyle of the owners, but very little about the slaves who made that lifestyle possible. You may ogle the beautiful handcrafted furniture, yet never be told that a black artisan created it. He notes that much depends on which particular docent you end up with. Regarding Monticello, he says "...some guides more comfortable with the old Jefferson story of his inventions and quirks acknowledge the Hemings affair in clipped tones. Others discuss it volubly."

The National Park Service is among those working toward a more inclusive interpretation of their historic sites, and Carrier tells us when changes are planned. He provides web sites for further study. He also writes about planned memorials.

Women are equally represented here. For example, he notes that the Montgomery bus boycott was Jo Ann Robinson's brainchild and that a "reluctant" Martin Luther King Jr. was brought in to head the movement the day after the Women's Political Caucus had distributed leaflets to every business and church in town. He also notes that despite black women's long history of struggle for civil rights, the male leadership refused to allow any to speak at the 1963 March on Washington...in fact, Coretta King and other wives weren't wasn't even allowed to march with their husbands. "...after all their work and sacrifice, deliberate rebuff by male activists was unforgivable" he says.

A book that belongs in every high school library!

Following a family on their first trip to the art museum (Son: "I can't go. "Dinosaurs and Dragons" is on! Dad: "You're going." Sound familiar?) this book takes the reader on a relatable, humorous field trip. The art is introduced by degrees, and in the end, everyone is nearly ecstatic that they went. Beginning with primitive art, the reader follow the family through Egyptian artifacts, Greek statues ("Wow! A nude Frisbee player.), European Arms and Armor, the Renaissance, Impressionism, up through Andy Warhol. Of particular interest to parents and educators, the "More About the Art" section in the back gives descriptions and brief explanations of each of the specific pieces of art depicted in the book, and offers tips for enjoying an art museum.

Marc Brown's soft, colored-pencil and watercolor illustrations are carefully, thoughtfully drawn. Each page features at least one real, specific piece of art which has either been rendered in illustration with careful attention to detail, or, if the publisher was able to acquire printing rights (a sticky wicket in the case of famous art), they have been printed as photographs within the illustration. For example, in the Renaissance Gallery, a photograph of the actual painting "The Battle of San Romano" by Paolo di Dono is shown, but a rendering based on the painting "Saint George and the Dragon" by Raphael is used.

This book is in no way a comprehensive art study, nor was it intended to be: thirty-two pages is not a lot of space to cover an entire art museum, but if the goal is to educate children and (hopefully) inspire them to go to a real art museum, then Visiting the Museum succeeds admirably on both counts.

The idea for this book is cute. In the story a family decides to visit the art museum (presumably for the first time) and the book follows their visit through the museum with complaints and good times. Even though there are complaints in the beginning, everyone is glad they visited the museum in the end. The book is very low on actual content. The writing is done through the bubbles of each person speaking. There is no real information about the art or a museum and how to visit one. Since I have worked for art museums most of my life, I would have like to see something with more helpful information or some educational content along with the fun conversation between the family members otherwise when you have read it once, there is no reason to ever pick it up again.

This is an EXCELLENT book for children as well as parents. It covers artwork from New Guinea to Mexico, artists such as Renoir, Cassatt, Rousseau, Van Gogh, Cezanne, Pollack, Picasso and Warhol, silver items by Paul Revere and various sculptures. Works from Primitive to Twentieth Century. A must-have book for parents who wish to share their enthusiasm, and prepare their children for a visit to the art museum.

My 2 year old loves this book. It is one of her favorites (The Zoo is her favorite place to visit).

In this book, Gibbons includes all important facts about the zoo presenting the information clearly and directly. The organization of the text is sequential from early morning at the zoo until nightfall. The purpose of the book is portrayed through the text and illustrations. The bright, colorful illustrations compliment the text and are clearly labeled using appropriate vocabulary for the intended age level. The book is very appropriate for young readers and would be a valuable resource for learning about the zoo.

For all the children who go to the zoo and enjoy looking at the animals, Gail Gibbons presents a wonderful behind-the-scenes look at all the work that makes it possible. From the zookeepers arriving in the early morning to feed the animals and clean their cages and the vendors preparing for the zoo's visitors, to the security guard locking the main gate and patroling the empty walkways, the book does a nice job of giving children a more in-depth view of the zoo. Veterinarians help sick animals and monitor the birth of baby animals. Construction workers build a new exhibit. Zoo keepers prepare the special foods that the animals eat.

Both my boys were able to easily relate things they'd seen at our zoo to the book. Their next visit, too, was filled with applying what they'd seen in the book to our zoo.

Gibbons' books are always excellent. Zoo brings alive a favorite place to visit in a very unique way.

Nazi Germany in 1934 established the Gestapo museum, to help educate the public about the "Red menace." The museum displayed confiscated weapons from the German Communist Party, and displayed the methods they were concealed. The political motivation for this museum is apparent, to instill fear in the public about the communist threat. This is an extreme example of political influence on museums, but also an example of how museums can be manipulated to present an obscure message. Part I of Warren Leon and Roy Rosenzweig's History Museums in the United States deals with the constraints imposed on museums, and the necessity for them to be evaluated like any historian would judge written work. The structure of Part I is separated by essays that deal with: gallery exhibitions, big-city museums, outside gallery, historical homes, and case studies concerned with the Gettysburg battlefield and EPCOT Center at Disneyland, and are evaluated like a book review. Despite the various methods of presenting and evaluating history, these essays, and their authors, hold a common purpose of critically evaluating museums as the "central means of presenting history to the public" (xiii).
The constraints of institution politics, audience, and financing influence museum presentations, and bind these museum critiques (xx). Part I covers different types of museum presentations, which range from gallery exhibitions to Disneyland. One of the fundamental problems of these presentations is the idea of museums as "shrines" (31). Whether the museum is trying to illustrate progress through technology, or promote the "great man" theory through historic houses, these presentations do not deal with the conflict and darker sides of history. To the credit of these presentations their employees are relatively trained and attempt to represent history accurately, but like professional historians can never get to the truth, because history is not about truth but the pursuit of it. The fundamental problem is when corporate ventures become involved as is the case with Gettysburg and more interestingly EPCOT center.
Michael Wallace argues, "The past is too important to be left to the private sector. If we wish to restore our social health, we had better get beyond Mickey Mouse history," and is the main argument of his essay, "Mickey Mouse History: Portraying the Past at Disney World," (179). Wallace's essay presents the fundamental problems of presenting history to the public, and a fundamental flaw in reviewing Disneyland as museum. Walt Disney's portrayal of history was utopian in nature; Disney wanted to improve the past not reproduce it; a Disney designer refers to this as "Disney Realism," which is possibly influenced by the Soviet Union's idea of "Socialist Realism," or the idea that art can mold the human soul (161). This is a fundamental problem with Corporate Disney, and their presentations at EPCOT center, which takes audiences from the dim past to a model society of the future; the audiences become participants in the corporate vision of the past and future (169). The problem resides with the audience. Is the audience there becomes of some fascination with the past or just entertainment? Wallace is correct that history should not be left to the private sector, but I doubt the majority of people view the world through the idea of "Disney Realism."
Leon and Rosenzweig's compilation of essays effectively place museums in the context of historical works that need to be reviewed and scrutinized; especially given the fact that museums are one of the core methods of presenting history to the public. The essays in Part I demonstrate the constraints of museum presentation, and the ultimate problem of corporate intervention and entertainment on historical presentation. History should not be in the hands of corporations, or authoritarian regimes, but the people who question, evaluate, and attempt to synthesize historical documentation, to obtain the closest interpretation of truth.

A must have! Being a new student to the museum studies field this book's importance can not be understated. The editors collected 15 essays from the most predominant scholars in the field of museum studies. If you do not know who they are you will after reading this book. The book provides a great indrodution to all the problems, or another way of saying it philosophical thinking ,that goes into developing museums and exhibits. Once you read this book you can concentrate on a specific area, but this book is a great overview.

From Oliver Twist to Anne Shirley (of Green Gables fame), Harry Potter to the Baudelaires, orphans and their stories have fascinated young readers; the idea of trying to survive without parents both compels and repels. "A Home for Foundlings" tells the real story of how children who had no parents and -- possibly more tragically, children whose parents could not support them -- lived in London's Foundling Hospital. Starting with the author's search for his family roots, this book traces the history of the Foundling Hospital from its foundation by the kind Thomas Coram to its ultimate closing in 1953. Readers learn about the children's daily life, including work, education and diet, as well as some of the adult foibles that may have resulted in their placement in the founding hospital (the book gently but frankly addresses the struggles of unwed and/or abandoned mothers). With lots of illustrations and photgraphs, this is an interesting and uplifting look at the tough lives of more than 25,000 orphans and foundlings.

A Home For Foundlings is a beautifully written and incredibly informative book. Marthe Jocelyn manages to use the history of the Foundling Home to give a sense of the greater social history of England from the 18th century through the early twentieth century, particularly as regards the situations of women and children. At the same time the book is fun to read! The many photographs and illustrations are beautiful and fascinating, and the historical detail is carefully sifted through so that it is interesting, memorable and accessible. The stories of individual foundlings are very poignant. Even kids who aren't history buffs will enjoy this book very much; those who like history will be enthralled.