Celebrate America: In Poetry and Art [Hardcover]

Nora Panzer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 21, 1994 | Age Level: 11 and up

A collection of American poetry that celebrates over 200 years of American life and history as illustrated by fine art from the collection of the National Museum of American Art.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Panzer, a director of educational programs at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American Art, pairs American poems with paintings, sculpture, drawings, photographs and other works of art from that museum, in the hopes of forming "a kind of synergy... a complementary way of expressing the dynamic rhythms of American life." Toward that end she also takes pains to represent artists and poets of both sexes and various socioeconomic groups and cultures. Although the intent is praiseworthy, the volume overall is weak. Neither the design nor the pairing and selection of poems and art seems apt or thoughtfully considered. The blaring typeface used for the titles and the narrow margins make many pages look too busy, and the integration of art and text can seem perfunctory; for example, Joy Harjo's poem "Remember," about the "dance that language is, that life is," is teamed with a fan quilt. The emphasis here is on inclusivity rather than excellence, on art that fits particular categories rather than art that will be accessible to children. Interested parties might prefer Charles Sullivan's brilliant selection of American art and poetry in Imaginary Gardens. Ages 10-up.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 6 Up-This anthology of about 50 poems and reproductions of art works is a metaphor for the collective attributes that constitute this nation and demonstrates the constructive possibilities of pluralism. Short poems by both well-known poets like Langston Hughes, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Eve Merriam as well as many less-familiar writers are grouped in five sections with rather poetic headings: "A Place of Eagles"; "Remember the Sky You Were Born Under"; "A Great Pulse Beating"; "Lift Every Voice"; and "Timeless Is the Wheel." They tell about the Japanese relocation of World War II; life on the Mexican border; a Mississippi African American. They also describe a baseball game, traffic in a city, a corn harvest, and assorted historical events. Each piece focuses on a quality of our lives in a positive, even celebratory fashion. The artwork is matched with the poems in ways that are mutually complementary rather than merely illustrative. Helen Lundeberg's painting of pioneer women adds solid substance to Margaret Walker's "Lineage" about her grandmothers. William Johnson's "Jitterbugs 1" gives visual vitality to Langston Hughes's "Juke Box Love Song." Not that poetry needs any visual analog, nor do pictures demand verbal amplification. But this collection offers ideas about our nation and its varied peoples in a tandem, collaborative fashion that honors both forms of communication. Browsing through this cleanly designed book can be both aesthetically rewarding and also thought-provoking. It surely lives up to its title.
Kenneth Marantz, Art Education Department, Ohio State University, Columbus
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 11 and up
  
• Hardcover: 96 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion; 1st edition (October 21, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1562826646
• ISBN-13: 978-1562826642
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 8.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,458,544 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

The author is thrilled to announce his debut novel THE PROSPECT OF MY ARRIVAL has been published in trade paperback as of Sept. 16, 2011! The book is available on Amazon.

His book signing in Chicago last October 2011 was a great success. A terrific crowd and 45 books were sold. Dwight would love to be the first self-published, literary fiction writer to sell a million copies of his e-books/softcovers. (Prospect is general fiction with a sci-fi spin. It was named one of the top three books of 5,000 in the Amazon novel contest in 2008, garnering raves from Publishers Weekly in 2008 and 2009.)

Visit the website...dwightland.homestead.com

Born and raised in Chicago, Dwight Okita started his writing life as a poet with Tia Chucha Press publishing his book of poetry Crossing with the Light. He wrote personal essays for WBEZ, the Chicago affiliate of NPR, and read his poetry on Ira Glass' popular radio show "This American Life." He soon found himself reincarnated as a playwright, with produced plays including The Rainy Season, the darkly comic short play Richard Speck, and the collaboratively written The Radiance of A Thousand Suns.

To see a book trailer for his novel PROSPECT OF MY ARRIVAL,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzRMzye7Qbo

In his third and current incarnation, he finds himself writing novels. Okita continues to live in Chicago where he drinks too much coffee and is grateful for the diverse circle of friends, family, and colleagues that allow him to be part of their lives. You're welcome to visit his website at dwightland.homestead.com for Dwight's latest projects. His second novel-in-progress is called The Hope Store.