《学校图书馆杂志》(School Library Journal)书评
Gr 4-8-This evenhanded and compelling account gives due attention to James's life and legend. Bruns never glorifies the man's criminal acts, though he points out that many others have done so. Carefully explaining how the political atmosphere of the 1850s, particularly in Kansas and Missouri, gave rise to radical acts among pro- and anti-slavery factions, the author shows how violence can be accepted in certain climates and manipulated for personal benefit. The book is heavily footnoted, thus providing not only avenues for further research, but also a more authoritative tone than many biographies for this age group. Even so, the scholarship does not impede the flow of the narrative or the clear analysis of events, and many students will undoubtedly read the book for the story alone, without ever looking at the documentation. The final two chapters focus almost entirely on the legend and its embellishment in popular culture, including a brief account of the 1995 testing that confirmed that the body in James's coffin really is his (and, by extension, that the numerous claimants to have been him after 1882 were fraudulent). The illustrative material includes black-and-white maps, photographs, reproductions of pertinent dime-novel covers, and period drawings. A clear and lively addition.-Coop Renner, Coldwell Elementary-Intermediate School, El Paso, TX (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
《儿童读物杂志》(Horn Book)书评
The lives of six famous figures are profiled in clear prose and illustrated with black-and-white photographs, reproductions, and maps. Information boxes provide diverting sidelights to the well-documented texts, and each volume ends with a chapter reiterating the achievements and historical legacy of the subject. Time lines are included. Bib., glos., ind. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
