Synopsis
Describes the life of the young German immigrant who became a noted illustrator of magazines and a political cartoonist.
| Details | | Publication Date: | 1998-03-01 | | Series: | Book Report Biographies Series |
| Size | | Length: | 127 pages | | Height: | 8.5 in | | Width: | 5.8 in | | Thickness: | 0.2 in | | Weight: | 10.4 oz |
Publisher's Note
Uncle Sam, the Republican elephant, the Democratic donkey the Tammany tiger, and the classic image of Santa Claus -- each of these symbols was either created or popularized by Thomas Nast, and all of them have become permanent parts of American popular culture.
Industry Reviews
Gr 6 Up Shirley introduces readers to the 19th-century illustrator and political cartoonist who created the images of Uncle Sam, the Republican elephant and the Democratic donkey, and popularized our current image of Santa Claus. The book deals chronologically with the major periods and issues of Nast's life through chapters that explain both the climate of the times and the man's influence on them, including the Civil War, Reconstruction, the Boss Tweed Ring, and various presidential elections. Chapters are further broken up by subheadings that summarize each section. While Shirley generally deals clearly and competently with his subject matter, there are some omissions. He makes it clear that cartoons in general and Nast's in particular were extremely influential in 19th-century news, but doesn't fully explain why. The writing style is straightforward, but not exciting. The author concentrates almost exclusively on Nast's professional life, leaving out potentially interesting, personal details. The biggest problem, ironically, is that there aren't enough pictures. Several of Nast's key works are described but not shown, and sometimes a description is juxtaposed with a completely different illustration. Overall, a marginal purchase. July Siebecker, Hubbard Memorial Library, MA
Lopate
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