Readings on "Our Town"

KLIATT

This anthology is one of the latest additions to a well-thought-out and well-organized literary analysis and criticism series for high school students. Articles by various authors offer differing points of view on aspects of the novels; for example, in To Kill a Mockingbird, an article from a law journal claiming that "Atticus Finch Is a Heroic Figure" is followed by one explaining why "Atticus Finch Is Not a Hero." The structure of this book is similar to that of the others in the series: a brief biography of Harper Lee is followed by sets of three or four articles each on aspects of the novel: its critical reception, its literary techniques, social issues, and the character of Atticus Finch. The table of contents is helpfully annotated. The articles are at most a dozen pages long, often half that, and edited to be accessible to YAs. Each article is prefaced by a brief summary, and boxes with enlightening quotations from other sources are scattered here and there. At the end of the book there is a summary of the plot and the characters, and a chronology that gives a historical context for the novel and its author. The brief bibliography includes Web sites as well as books and articles. Covers feature appropriate b/w photos; for example, Jack Nicholson in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (and this volume includes a section discussing the film version). These titles are accessible, brief, engaging, and valuable for teachers as well as students. KLIATT Codes: SA—Recommended for senior high school students, advanced students, and adults. 1999, Greenhaven Press, 176p, 22cm, bibliog, index, $13.96. Ages 16 to adult. Reviewer: Paula Rohrlick; May 2000 (Vol. 34 No. 3)