Books and Reading in the Lives of Notable Americans: A Biographical Sourcebook

(Hardback)

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Description

Books and reading have contributed to the success of generations of Americans, many of whom have had distinguished careers and have left their mark on history. While the accomplishments of these notable Americans are well known, their adventures with books and reading are less familiar. Some have struggled to gain access to books, while others were fortunate enough to be exposed to literature at an early age. This reference surveys the role books and reading have played in the lives of notable Americans from colonial times to the present. Included are alphabetically arranged entries for 50 notable Americans from a range of historical periods, professions, and racial and ethnic backgrounds. Many are featured prominently in school and college texts, while others are a significant part of popular culture. Such diverse figures as Benjamin Franklin, Helen Keller, Willa Cather, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Mark Twain, Oprah Winfrey, and Ronald Reagan are covered. Each entry includes a discussion of books and reading in the person's life, a chronology, and a brief bibliography.

Reviews

"An excellent idea, well executed. Librarians, teachers, and parents should find Books and Reading in the Lives of Notable Americans a valuable resource. Young people and adults will find it informative and inspiring, filled with facts and insights about role models from many walks of life and a variety of racial, economic, and ethnic backgrounds."-Charles A. Bunge Professor Emeritus, University of Wisconsin, Madison Recipient of the Beta Phi Mu Award for Outstanding Contributions to Reference Librarianship and Library Education
"Books and Reading in the Lives of Notable Americans makes a unique contribution to the literature. The author has selected carefully to represent Americans from diverse backgrounds, including women and people of color, in addition to presidents and military figures. These biographies will provide valuable role models that illustrate the importance of reading in the lives of these significant Americans. Teachers will find this work useful for inspiring children to read. Librarians and libraries should find this work valuable for promoting books, literacy, and reading programs. Recommended for school, college, and public libraries."-Jo Bell Whitlatch President, Reference and User Services Association of the American Library Association, 1998-1999
"Exceptionally well written and researched....excellent source which demonstrates the power of books and reading in the lives of prominent Americans....appealing to a wide and diverse audience....information at the end of the chapers will be very useful."-Elizabeth Smith Dean of University Libraries, Rider University Lawrenceville, New Jersey
"I enthusiastically endorse this book. I believe it may be useful to inspire even reluctant readers."-Samuel Morrison Director, Broward County (FL) Library
"Reading the collection certainly excited my interest and should likewise interest other readers. Their stories give this book its distinctive appeal to readers young and old alike."-Margaret B. Fisher Dean Emeritus and Professor of English University of South Florida
"Should be of special interest to young readers and a useful addition to the library's reference collection."-Jean Key Gates Professor Emerita, School of Library and Information Science University of South Florida Author, Guide to the Use of Library and Information Sources
"Teachers, students....[should] find inspiration in this collection of narratives....I can heartily endorse this timely book which I think can be used with upper elementary classes on to college classes."-Rose Spicola Professor Emeritus, Department of Reading and Bilingual Education Texas Woman's University
"The concept of combining biographical data about prominent American personalities, past and present, with information concerning their reading interests is one that is certainly timely....models with their positive views toward reading should prove to be a valuable resource for teachers and students."-Darlene E. Weingand Professor, University of Wisconsin, Madison
"This is a marvelous mix of people, past and present, and their tastes in reading....Students should find the book very helpful as they prepare reports and term papers or try to decide what they want to read in preparation for their individual future directions."-Bernadette Storck Administrator, Pinellas Public Library Cooperative, Inc.
"Why must I read books Dr. McCrossan has armed the Language Arts (English, reading, and journalism) teacher with a quick on-target answer to this timeless question....What a resource! Reading in the Lives of Notable Americans is written in clear, inspiring language and is destined to become an essential supplementary text and resource book for teachers and students."-Sue Geen Texas Teacher of the Year Winner of USA Today's first National Teacher Contest, 1998.
This volume is well written and thoroughly researched by a librarian for librarians....this is an inspirational work, and those educators who admire the great and near great in history should be able to find creative ways to use this material with students.-The Book Report
"This volume is well written and thoroughly researched by a librarian for librarians....this is an inspirational work, and those educators who admire the great and near great in history should be able to find creative ways to use this material with students."-The Book Report

Author Bio

JOHN A. MCCROSSAN is Professor Emeritus at the University of South Florida School of Library and Information Science. He previously worked as a reference librarian, library director, classroom teacher, and State Librarian of Vermont. He has taught at the University of Michigan and Kent State University, and his many articles have appeared in such journals as RQ, Library Journal, American Libraries, Journal of Education for Library and Information Science, and Advances in Librarianship. An authority on reference services, he has served as president of the Reference and Adult Services Division of the American Library Association and remains active in the field.