Welcome to this site featuring the work of award-winning nonfiction author Karen Blumenthal. Here you will find information about her nonfiction books for young people, including a digital trailer for promoting her book, Bootleg, a video clip of the author speaking to an audience at the Dallas Public Library, and articles Blumenthal has published about her research and writing process. You also have access to an in-depth Question-and-Answer dialogue between teachers and librarians and the author herself.
Special thanks to Karen Blumenthal for sharing so generously of her time and herself in her thoughtful responses. You'll find her postings highlighted in purple text for quick access. Thanks also to the graduate students (teachers and librarians) who read Blumenthal's books and offered such insightful questions and comments.
Enjoy!
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Karen speaks
Karen Blumenthal spoke at the Dallas Public Library about her writing of nonfiction for young people. Here's just a short clip.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Steve Jobs
Audrey, you ask why I wanted to do a biography of Steve Jobs. I’ve asked myself that question a few times in recent weeks!
In this case, I was actually asked to do it. The publisher called my agent and he recommended me. Because I’ve been a business journalist almost all my adult life, I felt like I could bring some unique understanding to his story, which is incredibly interesting! Also, my biography of Sam Walton just came out this year, and there were a lot of similarities in their business successes. In addition, I had actually worked on a chapter about Jobs and Apple for an adult business book earlier this year, so I was familiar with his history.
Funny that you think he’s more modern. I actually thought Title IX was pretty modern—shows you how old I am!
While I would like to continue to write about historical events, I also would like to carve a niche as the writer that publishers go-to for nonfiction that touches on business or economic issues.
Hope that answers your question!
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!
Karen
In this case, I was actually asked to do it. The publisher called my agent and he recommended me. Because I’ve been a business journalist almost all my adult life, I felt like I could bring some unique understanding to his story, which is incredibly interesting! Also, my biography of Sam Walton just came out this year, and there were a lot of similarities in their business successes. In addition, I had actually worked on a chapter about Jobs and Apple for an adult business book earlier this year, so I was familiar with his history.
Funny that you think he’s more modern. I actually thought Title IX was pretty modern—shows you how old I am!
While I would like to continue to write about historical events, I also would like to carve a niche as the writer that publishers go-to for nonfiction that touches on business or economic issues.
Hope that answers your question!
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!
Karen
Ebooks and photos
Wendy asks about e-books. (Glad to know Bootleg is now an ebook—that has only happened recently!)
As a writer first, I want people to read my books. So any way they can do that is fine with me. I am worried, however, about what the e-reader revolution means for nonfiction as it’s published now. As several of you have noted, the photos, cartoons, charts and other images are part of the story, part of bringing the history alive. But those won’t show up well on the Kindle, for instance, and in the past, my books haven’t been designed with e-readers in mind.
To be honest, I don’t know where this is going—but I expect to have this conversation with editors on the next book I plan to propose. Personally, I think the iPad is a game changer and we can’t look at books the same way anymore. (Or newspapers. But that’s another, really complicated conversation!)
As for royalties, the price of an ebook is less, but I get a slightly higher percentage. I think I calculated that I make about 15 cents less on an ebook than on a hardcover. Of course, authors make a smaller percentage of a smaller price on paperbacks.
Laurie asked about photos for Let Me Play. I made a real effort to find photos that truly matched the text, so I didn’t want random images of female athletes. I spent hours upon hours tracking down the cover photo (which I had seen in a 1970s book). I called up the writer of Tank McNamara to get those comic strips. And I searched all kinds of archives for other photos. Altogether, I submitted about 85 images, thinking the publisher would use half that. But she and the designer liked the images so much, they used more than 70 of them. When I had to go back and get permissions for all of them, I regretted submitting so many!
With Bootleg, there were an overwhelming number of great images. It was truly hard to choose what to submit, and I’m afraid I probably drove the designer crazy with possibilities. But it was fun for me!
Best,
Karen
As a writer first, I want people to read my books. So any way they can do that is fine with me. I am worried, however, about what the e-reader revolution means for nonfiction as it’s published now. As several of you have noted, the photos, cartoons, charts and other images are part of the story, part of bringing the history alive. But those won’t show up well on the Kindle, for instance, and in the past, my books haven’t been designed with e-readers in mind.
To be honest, I don’t know where this is going—but I expect to have this conversation with editors on the next book I plan to propose. Personally, I think the iPad is a game changer and we can’t look at books the same way anymore. (Or newspapers. But that’s another, really complicated conversation!)
As for royalties, the price of an ebook is less, but I get a slightly higher percentage. I think I calculated that I make about 15 cents less on an ebook than on a hardcover. Of course, authors make a smaller percentage of a smaller price on paperbacks.
Laurie asked about photos for Let Me Play. I made a real effort to find photos that truly matched the text, so I didn’t want random images of female athletes. I spent hours upon hours tracking down the cover photo (which I had seen in a 1970s book). I called up the writer of Tank McNamara to get those comic strips. And I searched all kinds of archives for other photos. Altogether, I submitted about 85 images, thinking the publisher would use half that. But she and the designer liked the images so much, they used more than 70 of them. When I had to go back and get permissions for all of them, I regretted submitting so many!
With Bootleg, there were an overwhelming number of great images. It was truly hard to choose what to submit, and I’m afraid I probably drove the designer crazy with possibilities. But it was fun for me!
Best,
Karen
Great questions!
Hi!
I’ve gotten behind here and there are many questions to answer. I’ll tackle some here and in two other posts.
Annette asks about the most challenging part of the process. For me, it’s the writing. Blank pages mock me. Before I can start a chapter, I have to “see” it in my mind’s eye—what it will say, in what order and how. But most challenging is getting it down in a way that is engaging and that moves along easily, while also capturing the right tone and information and remaining accurate. Great anecdotes and details make that easier. But oh, it’s so hard to leave out good stuff! There are choices to make every step of the way.
Tammy asked about how I wrestle all the research into submission. Well, like your high school English teacher probably said, organization is everything.
In order to pitch a book to an editor, we have to write a proposal and come up with chapter outlines, or at least a list of the chapters you envision. This is a great way to organize your thoughts early on, so you have a road map for where you’re going. If you don’t know what the chapters are going to be, roughly, it’s very hard to know what research to do. Of course, the chapters will change as you go along, but if the proposal is good, they won’t change much.
On Six Days, I gathered up everything I could find about the crash and even recruited some of my friends in NY to meet me at the public library, where we copied every story about those October days in every newspaper—and there were several newspapers in those days!
Before writing, I make file folders for each chapter (or sometimes, part of a chapter). Then, all of the material for each section goes in a folder. If it doesn’t fit in that chapter, it is set aside. If it is a key resource that will be used in a lot of chapters, it goes in a folder at the front. I have two or three rolling file carts, from Target and Container Store, and I usually fill one for each book.
With so much electronic now, I also create a “notes” file for each chapter. Then I can use the “search” function to find things. Once the writing starts, there is more filtering. But if I’ve organized well, the documents in each chapter file are more or less in order when I’m done, which makes fact-checking easier.
More than you really want to know, I’m sure!
Best,
Karen
I’ve gotten behind here and there are many questions to answer. I’ll tackle some here and in two other posts.
Annette asks about the most challenging part of the process. For me, it’s the writing. Blank pages mock me. Before I can start a chapter, I have to “see” it in my mind’s eye—what it will say, in what order and how. But most challenging is getting it down in a way that is engaging and that moves along easily, while also capturing the right tone and information and remaining accurate. Great anecdotes and details make that easier. But oh, it’s so hard to leave out good stuff! There are choices to make every step of the way.
Tammy asked about how I wrestle all the research into submission. Well, like your high school English teacher probably said, organization is everything.
In order to pitch a book to an editor, we have to write a proposal and come up with chapter outlines, or at least a list of the chapters you envision. This is a great way to organize your thoughts early on, so you have a road map for where you’re going. If you don’t know what the chapters are going to be, roughly, it’s very hard to know what research to do. Of course, the chapters will change as you go along, but if the proposal is good, they won’t change much.
On Six Days, I gathered up everything I could find about the crash and even recruited some of my friends in NY to meet me at the public library, where we copied every story about those October days in every newspaper—and there were several newspapers in those days!
Before writing, I make file folders for each chapter (or sometimes, part of a chapter). Then, all of the material for each section goes in a folder. If it doesn’t fit in that chapter, it is set aside. If it is a key resource that will be used in a lot of chapters, it goes in a folder at the front. I have two or three rolling file carts, from Target and Container Store, and I usually fill one for each book.
With so much electronic now, I also create a “notes” file for each chapter. Then I can use the “search” function to find things. Once the writing starts, there is more filtering. But if I’ve organized well, the documents in each chapter file are more or less in order when I’m done, which makes fact-checking easier.
More than you really want to know, I’m sure!
Best,
Karen
Why did you want to write this book?
Hello Ms. Blumenthal:
I would also like to thank you for taking the time to visit with our class, Advanced Literature for Young Adults, at Texas Woman's University.
My question for you is inspired by a interview I read on young adult author James Cross Giblin. In the interview Giblin provides the following insight:
"In question and answer sessions, authors are almost always asked where they get their ideas. I think a more interesting question is, "Why did you want to write this book?"."
My question for you is in reference to your book, Steve Jobs; The Man Who Thought Different. It seems that a lot of your other books are more of what one would consider "classic historic fiction" Whereas, your book on Steve Jobs is a very modern topic of interest. I was wondering what personally motivated you to write Steve Jobs; The Man Who Thought Different?
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Audrey L. Hopkins
Bootleg digital trailer
Here is a digital trailer for BOOTLEG created by graduate student Virginia Osborne.
History = boring
Dear Ms. Blumenthal:
Thank you for taking the time to visit with our class, Advanced Literature for Young Adults, at Texas Woman's University. Your comments are inspiring.
I too, as a child, thought that history was boring—just a bunch of dates and facts. I saw history as a chore, drummed into my head by rote memory. I can envision the flashcards now. Major catastrophes I definitely remembered but I found myself still emotionally detached from the actual events.
I find your research and depiction of one of the worst economic events in the Six Days in October: The Stock Market Crash of 1929 remarkable. This book has great reference appeal especially in regards to relating it to our nation’s current economic crisis.
Thank you for what you do. You bring an added quality and unique perspective to history that is lasting—sans flashcards.
Latoya Williams
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Lessons in Preserving History
Ms. Blumenthal,
After reading in your article about the trials you went through finding historical photographs for two of your books, I realized how little consideration I had given to this particular format of history. Your assessment that photos were handled with greater care back when the medium was new made me consider the role I play as a school librarian and historian. The historical (and so to be) photos that I have in my care in our school library should be carefully preserved and displayed as they tell the history of our school, community and students. I appreciate you offering tips to help guide nonfiction writing and research, too.
Dori Pruzan
TWU MLS student
After reading in your article about the trials you went through finding historical photographs for two of your books, I realized how little consideration I had given to this particular format of history. Your assessment that photos were handled with greater care back when the medium was new made me consider the role I play as a school librarian and historian. The historical (and so to be) photos that I have in my care in our school library should be carefully preserved and displayed as they tell the history of our school, community and students. I appreciate you offering tips to help guide nonfiction writing and research, too.
Dori Pruzan
TWU MLS student
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Let Me Play
Let Me Play
I enjoyed reading your article about photographs and cartoons in writing non-fiction. I can only imagine the research time that is spent searching for photographs for your books. As a photography fan, I am glad that my local public library has “scan days” for the local citizens to bring in their pictures and attach an explanation of the person and place to the photos.
In Let Me Play there are so many wonderful photographs that capture the essence of the time period and changing role of women in society. The political photographs are some of the most telling photographs with one of my favorites being the Kennedy Oval Office and the Equal Pay Act.
I wonder how many photos you initially had in Let Me Play and how instrumental you were personally, putting editors aside, in the final edition. The Title IX topic is such a controversial one, were there were many photos of female athletes from the time period?
Thank you for your time with Dr. Vardell’s class.
Laurie Kent
I enjoyed reading your article about photographs and cartoons in writing non-fiction. I can only imagine the research time that is spent searching for photographs for your books. As a photography fan, I am glad that my local public library has “scan days” for the local citizens to bring in their pictures and attach an explanation of the person and place to the photos.
In Let Me Play there are so many wonderful photographs that capture the essence of the time period and changing role of women in society. The political photographs are some of the most telling photographs with one of my favorites being the Kennedy Oval Office and the Equal Pay Act.
I wonder how many photos you initially had in Let Me Play and how instrumental you were personally, putting editors aside, in the final edition. The Title IX topic is such a controversial one, were there were many photos of female athletes from the time period?
Thank you for your time with Dr. Vardell’s class.
Laurie Kent
E-books
Ms. Blumenthal,
Thank you very much for taking time out of your busy schedule to spend time with Dr. Vardell's classes. I have enjoyed your comments and insights so far. In preparation for this discussion I started reading one of your books Bootleg: Murder, Moonshine and the Laws of Prohibition, which I am enjoying very much; but, it brought up a different question of what is an author's perspective on the hot debate of e-books?
I usually prefer actual books for all the reasons you usually hear: the smell of books, the tactile sensation, and so forth. I also get distracted by turning the pages on the e-reader. I chose an e-book in this case because I needed it quickly and the bookstore and the library both did not have copies. I would really like to know how you feel about e-books from an author's perspective. Is it easier or harder to get your book published this way? What about profit margins? Is it different for different types of books? Please share your thoughts on how e-books have affected your profession.
Wendy Pitts
Thank you very much for taking time out of your busy schedule to spend time with Dr. Vardell's classes. I have enjoyed your comments and insights so far. In preparation for this discussion I started reading one of your books Bootleg: Murder, Moonshine and the Laws of Prohibition, which I am enjoying very much; but, it brought up a different question of what is an author's perspective on the hot debate of e-books?
I usually prefer actual books for all the reasons you usually hear: the smell of books, the tactile sensation, and so forth. I also get distracted by turning the pages on the e-reader. I chose an e-book in this case because I needed it quickly and the bookstore and the library both did not have copies. I would really like to know how you feel about e-books from an author's perspective. Is it easier or harder to get your book published this way? What about profit margins? Is it different for different types of books? Please share your thoughts on how e-books have affected your profession.
Wendy Pitts
Friday, November 18, 2011
Writing Challenges
Dear Ms. Blumenthal,
Thank you for taking the time to be a part of Dr. Vardell’s Advanced Literature for Young Adults
class. I found your response to Sylvia interesting since I too didn’t particularly like history class in my youth due to the dry textbooks, rote memorization, and disinterested staff, but I am drawn to it now. It may stem from when my own children were learning about historical events; I’ve also grown fond of historical novels, which in turn, makes me want to learn more about the “background” of those novels.
I enjoyed your article in the Wall Street Journal entitled “When It’s Right to ‘Unwrite.’” I have
not written anything professionally, but can relate to your comments when writing papers for university classes. I think the art of “fine-tuning” is not as easy as some may think. I especially appreciate how you consider your audience carefully and decide whether adding or “unwriting” a part is necessary to their understanding of the topic.
As an author of nonfiction, what do find to be the most challenging aspect of creating your books? You mentioned the challenges of finding (and paying for) just the right photographs and cartoons in your September 19th post on the Cynsations blog. Is this the most challenging?
Again, thank you for your time!
Annette Pierce
Thursday, November 17, 2011
A Question Regarding Research
Ms. Blumenthal,
Thanks you for sharing your time with our literature class. I read Six Days in October as part of our coursework and was intrigued by the amount of research that went into documenting the life and times of the great stock market crash of 1929.
I aspire to write a book someday about a locally famous friend of my parents who lead a very intriguing life and is in the Cowgirl Hall of Fame.
My question for you is your method for keeping accounts, stories, pictures, interviews, etc. organized. I find the research aspect interesting but the organization of materials and the volumes you must go through to chose to include or to omit makes the task seem daunting though a rewarding one in the end.
Any secrets you would like to share would be appreciated.
Tammy Reed
Thanks you for sharing your time with our literature class. I read Six Days in October as part of our coursework and was intrigued by the amount of research that went into documenting the life and times of the great stock market crash of 1929.
I aspire to write a book someday about a locally famous friend of my parents who lead a very intriguing life and is in the Cowgirl Hall of Fame.
My question for you is your method for keeping accounts, stories, pictures, interviews, etc. organized. I find the research aspect interesting but the organization of materials and the volumes you must go through to chose to include or to omit makes the task seem daunting though a rewarding one in the end.
Any secrets you would like to share would be appreciated.
Tammy Reed
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Hello, again!
Thanks for all your kind comments about the books, and your questions.
Sylvia, I hated history as a kid, too. But I blamed it on the textbooks we had here in Dallas, which were booooring, and the fact that history was nearly always taught by a coach, who wasn’t very interested in the subject. (Although one year, I had a teacher whose name was—I’m not kidding—Winston Churchill.)
Kids are so lucky today to be studying primary materials and going beyond the textbook!
I would hope that teachers and librarians might offer great nonfiction history books simply as interesting books and the student would see them as great stories, rather than as a school subject. For instance, I think girls who are playing sports would be interested in Let Me Play, without thinking of it as “history.” And I don’t see how anyone could read Marching for Freedom by Elizabeth Partridge and not be totally blown away by the power of that story.
In addition, there are lots of kids who develop a particular fascination or interest around 13 or 14—one of my girls was really into FDR and Eleanor; another loved Broadway musicals. I’ve met many boys who are avid readers about World War II or the Civil War. Hopefully, there’s good nonfiction for all of them to read.
Cheryl asked how Sam Walton could keep his private life private. It helped that he lived before the Internet took off and that he lived in Arkansas, where his neighbors were proud of him and protective of his family. I hate to say it, but people were also a little scared of him—he was very powerful. So that deterred people from gossiping, too. A few times when I asked for a photo for the book from someone in the region, the person checked in with the family first.
I’m finding the same is true of Steve Jobs. Apple was very protective of his private life and his health and so were his friends, colleagues and neighbors. Despite all the gossip websites, I think most famous people can keep their personal lives private if they really want to.
Happy reading!
Karen Blumenthal
Sylvia, I hated history as a kid, too. But I blamed it on the textbooks we had here in Dallas, which were booooring, and the fact that history was nearly always taught by a coach, who wasn’t very interested in the subject. (Although one year, I had a teacher whose name was—I’m not kidding—Winston Churchill.)
Kids are so lucky today to be studying primary materials and going beyond the textbook!
I would hope that teachers and librarians might offer great nonfiction history books simply as interesting books and the student would see them as great stories, rather than as a school subject. For instance, I think girls who are playing sports would be interested in Let Me Play, without thinking of it as “history.” And I don’t see how anyone could read Marching for Freedom by Elizabeth Partridge and not be totally blown away by the power of that story.
In addition, there are lots of kids who develop a particular fascination or interest around 13 or 14—one of my girls was really into FDR and Eleanor; another loved Broadway musicals. I’ve met many boys who are avid readers about World War II or the Civil War. Hopefully, there’s good nonfiction for all of them to read.
Cheryl asked how Sam Walton could keep his private life private. It helped that he lived before the Internet took off and that he lived in Arkansas, where his neighbors were proud of him and protective of his family. I hate to say it, but people were also a little scared of him—he was very powerful. So that deterred people from gossiping, too. A few times when I asked for a photo for the book from someone in the region, the person checked in with the family first.
I’m finding the same is true of Steve Jobs. Apple was very protective of his private life and his health and so were his friends, colleagues and neighbors. Despite all the gossip websites, I think most famous people can keep their personal lives private if they really want to.
Happy reading!
Karen Blumenthal
Student Question
Dear Karen:
My name is Sylvia Pachecano and I am a student of Prof. Vardell's Advanced YA Literature class. I am also Teen Librarian in San Antonio, TX.
I love history, now as an adult. But as a teen (or even younger) I hated it. How do you response to those young students who think history is boring and find it a chore to study and read about it?
I can appreciate your work in educating the young through your books- so they might not need to rely on those "boring" textbooks.
Thank you.
My name is Sylvia Pachecano and I am a student of Prof. Vardell's Advanced YA Literature class. I am also Teen Librarian in San Antonio, TX.
I love history, now as an adult. But as a teen (or even younger) I hated it. How do you response to those young students who think history is boring and find it a chore to study and read about it?
I can appreciate your work in educating the young through your books- so they might not need to rely on those "boring" textbooks.
Thank you.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Karen's talk at the Dallas library
Our very own author, Karen Blumenthal, was a guest speaker at the Audelia Branch of the Dallas Public Library tonight (Nov. 10, 2011) and I was able to attend and take some photos which I'll post here. It was a great talk and I picked up more great details about her writing approach and her latest project on Steve Jobs.
Plus, here's a picture she shared of her faithful writing assistant.
:-)
[I also made a few video clips and will post one sample as a separate posting.]
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Ms. Blumenthal -
I really enjoy reading your book "Let Me Play: The Story of Title IX." All I can say, this book is very easy to read and I learned better about myself as woman. I was born into where all girls can play sports, it was hard to believe that women weren't treated equal before I was born. It's a worth read and well informative as if I'm taking a quick course in the women's history!! I was fascinated the part of the book about "The Battle of the Sexes" of 1973 where Billie Jean King shook the world that she can beat a MCP, tennis player Bobby Riggs in 3 straight sets!!
I'm going to read more of your books!! Thank you!
Marsha Helmuth
Hello!
Hi, Folks!
Karen, here. I want to thank Prof. Vardell for inviting me to join you here. I’m excited to participate, and thrilled that you’re reading my books. I’ve very much enjoyed reading your comments. I’ll try to answer some of your questions here and more over the next week or two.
First, a little background: I began writing nonfiction for kids after a really bad day at work. My oldest daughter had a deep interest in history and biography, and I was distressed to see the quality of a lot of stuff out there. I thought maybe I could combine my growing interest in kids’ books with my experience as a business journalist in making complicated topics clear to readers.
I write for young people with a particular mantra in mind: Nonfiction provides context for a complicated world. You all know how complex our world is. But how do young people make sense of that? How can they put today’s news in some broader place, so that it has more meaning? They just don’t have much experience to bring to all this information flowing in. But as they move into their early teen years, they will begin to see a bigger world beyond their own and they should have great resources, beyond Google and Wikipedia, available to them. I think that’s one place where libraries, librarians, and books remain really important.
I also have a passionate interest in social change, how it happens, and why— all related to the power of any one individual to make a difference. (Or, as Steve Jobs said, “to make a dent in the universe.”) My “big picture” books—SIX DAYS, LET ME PLAY, and BOOTLEG—all try to get at this subject. One day we could drink and the next day we couldn’t—and that profoundly changed us. But how? One day, we had money and then we didn’t? Why, and what happened then? There was a time when girls couldn’t play sports—or go to med school. Who knew?
So, to answer Kathleen’s great question right at the start, I do set out to write social histories. Informational surveys are for textbooks, or Wikipedia. Christina and Jessica ask about why I included specific stories—the car salesman in SIX DAYS and Leroy Ostransky in BOOTLEG. There’s an old adage for writers: Show, don’t tell. Personal stories that illustrate specific themes move a story along and provide lots of valuable information in a readable, memorable way. To me, that’s what separates good narrative nonfiction from the run-of-the mill stuff. It takes a lot more research and persistence to find great, meaningful stories and substantive, entertaining details than to just gather some facts and figures and write them up. That’s what sets Candace Fleming’s and Jim Murphy’s books apart from everyone else’s.
As for Leroy, I especially wanted to show young people what prohibition looked like from a kid’s perspective. There is an enormous amount of material out there about prohibition, but none of it looked at it from the view of a young person. I did a ton of research to find those stories—Leroy’s, Raymond Parks’, Kenneth Nestell’s. For whatever it’s worth, not one review that I know of has mentioned this—but I thought it was very important. In fact, my own, personal subtitle for the book was “Drinking for Children.”
Okay, I’ve gone on too long now. I’ll answer Cheryl’s question about Sam Walton and privacy next time. I’m running into the same issue with this new project on Steve Jobs.
Thanks so much for your interest and your questions!
Karen Blumenthal
Karen, here. I want to thank Prof. Vardell for inviting me to join you here. I’m excited to participate, and thrilled that you’re reading my books. I’ve very much enjoyed reading your comments. I’ll try to answer some of your questions here and more over the next week or two.
First, a little background: I began writing nonfiction for kids after a really bad day at work. My oldest daughter had a deep interest in history and biography, and I was distressed to see the quality of a lot of stuff out there. I thought maybe I could combine my growing interest in kids’ books with my experience as a business journalist in making complicated topics clear to readers.
I write for young people with a particular mantra in mind: Nonfiction provides context for a complicated world. You all know how complex our world is. But how do young people make sense of that? How can they put today’s news in some broader place, so that it has more meaning? They just don’t have much experience to bring to all this information flowing in. But as they move into their early teen years, they will begin to see a bigger world beyond their own and they should have great resources, beyond Google and Wikipedia, available to them. I think that’s one place where libraries, librarians, and books remain really important.
I also have a passionate interest in social change, how it happens, and why— all related to the power of any one individual to make a difference. (Or, as Steve Jobs said, “to make a dent in the universe.”) My “big picture” books—SIX DAYS, LET ME PLAY, and BOOTLEG—all try to get at this subject. One day we could drink and the next day we couldn’t—and that profoundly changed us. But how? One day, we had money and then we didn’t? Why, and what happened then? There was a time when girls couldn’t play sports—or go to med school. Who knew?
So, to answer Kathleen’s great question right at the start, I do set out to write social histories. Informational surveys are for textbooks, or Wikipedia. Christina and Jessica ask about why I included specific stories—the car salesman in SIX DAYS and Leroy Ostransky in BOOTLEG. There’s an old adage for writers: Show, don’t tell. Personal stories that illustrate specific themes move a story along and provide lots of valuable information in a readable, memorable way. To me, that’s what separates good narrative nonfiction from the run-of-the mill stuff. It takes a lot more research and persistence to find great, meaningful stories and substantive, entertaining details than to just gather some facts and figures and write them up. That’s what sets Candace Fleming’s and Jim Murphy’s books apart from everyone else’s.
As for Leroy, I especially wanted to show young people what prohibition looked like from a kid’s perspective. There is an enormous amount of material out there about prohibition, but none of it looked at it from the view of a young person. I did a ton of research to find those stories—Leroy’s, Raymond Parks’, Kenneth Nestell’s. For whatever it’s worth, not one review that I know of has mentioned this—but I thought it was very important. In fact, my own, personal subtitle for the book was “Drinking for Children.”
Okay, I’ve gone on too long now. I’ll answer Cheryl’s question about Sam Walton and privacy next time. I’m running into the same issue with this new project on Steve Jobs.
Thanks so much for your interest and your questions!
Karen Blumenthal
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Mr. Sam:
I had the pleasure of reading Mr. Sam this week, and I must say, I am thoroughly impressed by the way you manage to make such high-minded concepts as business and corporate competition seem accessible to adolescents and younger readers. While it is no secret that Walmart is something of a controversial symbol of American consumerism, you manage to make Mr. Sam seem not only human, but likable at that. I feel that readers can learn a lot about business, and perhaps even a future career, by reading this book. Mr. Sam makes the American Dream seem both realistic and attainable. I feel is a positive lesson for students, who may even be ready to write business plans of their own after reading it. Your book takes business, by all accounts a mysterious topic for younger readers, and explains it to them in their own terms, as something they could even do someday themselves. I quite enjoyed the book, and would love to use it in my class should the occasion arise.
So, if you don't mind my asking, my question for you is this: How did you decide on Sam Walton as a topic for a book? And, if I may, what draws you to a topic in general?
We are honored to have you as a guest for our class!
-Patrick Yercich
So, if you don't mind my asking, my question for you is this: How did you decide on Sam Walton as a topic for a book? And, if I may, what draws you to a topic in general?
We are honored to have you as a guest for our class!
-Patrick Yercich
Let Me Play
The title is what caught my attention. The first thing I asked myself was: What is title IX, why have I never heard of it, and why would anybody not let girls play? From the beginning I was hooked and the more I read I began to realize how much I took the freedom to do and become whatever I wanted for granted. As an educator and a woman I hope to empower young women by informing them about title IX and about all the women before us that helped lay the foundation for our rights.
Leticia Penn
Leticia Penn
Let Me Play!
Ms. Bluementhal, that you so much for working diligently to gather together all the stories of struggles and courage woman faced in their quest for equal opportunities for women in sports. Their stories of struggle were engrossing and a reminder that women in sports were once frowned upon. Speaking on behalf of myself, who loves to play sports, and my sister who is an athletic girl’s coach, thank you for your research and bringing to light the women who made Title IX life changing for many of us. Due to their efforts, we can play!
- Raquel Solis
- Raquel Solis
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Six Days In October
I too read your book Six Days in October, I enjoyed reading it because it explained many things in connection with the stock market that I have never fully understood. One of the things that I found interesting about your book was the story of the car salesman accounted in The American Magazine. May I ask what made you decide to include his story in your book? Thank you for all of your hard work.
Christina Ehlig
Christina Ehlig
Let me Play
I just finished the book "Let me Play" and could not put it down until I finished it!
I have to admit I am not a history buff and I completely relate to Jennifer Capariti's comment about not knowing what Title IX was, because prior to reading your book I did not know either. It was such an eye opener and quite intriguing how there were such strong supporters behind the movement and quite disheartening to see and read about the opposition.
My favorite quote from the entire book was by Edith Green who says "if you can make every young girl know that there's no ceiling of expectations, that there is no height to which that young girl cannot go, she'll aspire to that." Truly inspiring!
Six Days in October: The Stock Market Crash of 1929
I read Six Days in October: The Stock Market Crash of 1929. The book provided great information about the Stock Market Crash of 1929. As the book relates the devastating events of those six days, it also provides the reader with background information explaining what stocks are, the stock exchange, bonds, the process of borrowing and buying, and much more. This information helps the reader gain even more knowledge to better comprehend the events that occurred.
The book also includes lots of images of the people who played a major role during this era, newspaper clippings, actual documents used, advertisements and many photographs. These images add clarity to the text and help the reader make the connection needed for better understanding.
The quality of work that was put forth into making this book is impressive and evident. The information it provides is presented in such a manner that readers of all ages could understand.
Posted by Luisa Isidro
The book also includes lots of images of the people who played a major role during this era, newspaper clippings, actual documents used, advertisements and many photographs. These images add clarity to the text and help the reader make the connection needed for better understanding.
The quality of work that was put forth into making this book is impressive and evident. The information it provides is presented in such a manner that readers of all ages could understand.
Posted by Luisa Isidro
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)