Despite two wars, complete economic meltdown, a domestic agenda in tatters and Iran's imminent acquisition of nuclear weapons, President Barack Obama has somehow found the time to write a children's book called Of Thee I Sing, which is being published by Knopf in November. It's a series of "letters to his daughters" about prominent American heroes and the inspirational lessons that can be learned from them. There better be some fart jokes in there too or this book is really going to be a bore for any kids that I know, but I imagine it will sell well as clueless grandparents buy it by the truck load for Christmas or Channukah. Knopf are also the publishers of Tony Blair's book which I've been reading all week and which has been poorly edited and disastrously indexed; so here's hoping they've done a better job with the President's book, although I do wonder why Knopf let Obama go with the title Of Thee I Sing which is, if I recall correctly, also the title of a Gershwin musical from the 30's about a silly, vacuous politician who somehow becomes President of the United States. Hmmmm....
I do like the cover illustration which looks cute and was done by Loren Long who did the art for, er, Madonna's books, but the Knopf people had to ruin that too by getting the typography wrong. I looked this book up in the Library of Congress Catalog: the title is Of Thee I Sing, not, of THEE I SING.
27 comments:
Not a book either of my kids would read, but they are 10 an 13.
As a follow up on your post about the picture of the author of "The Giving Tree". Not only did my son have the "Wimpy Kid" book, he remembered the exact book, and found the particular section right away. The text before and after Wimpy's drawing was hysterical.
One minute later, my daughter dug through her closet and found "The Giving Tree". Wimpy's rendering was spot on. Thanks for the laugh's we all got with this!
Well, he's a good writer, I guess, so it might be better than it sounds, but frankly, if I had to choose, I would rather be one of Tolkien's kids and get his Christmas letters than this.
Those girls have so much to live up to as it is that I really wonder about the terrible teen years.
I don't know any kids that read books -or that many adults either, come to think of it - but I know a few adults that buy books that they don't read that would buy this for their kids who, of course, wouldn't read it, so there's a market for everything.
Sean
I read Wimpy Kid after that. I thought the whole book was funny.
Seana
The girls will be fine just as long as they dont get too impressed by everything which this book wont help much.
Paul
Yes. An excellent point. Kids dont read books anyway, really, so they're never going to read something like this, god love them.
On the flip side, I found F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Letters to His Daughter", to be a fascinating read.
OH WHY DO I KEEP putting my email into blog comments?? sorry. Can you kill that one and post this instead please?
You're damn right about the type-setting: Gershwin's song has a full semibreve on the first syllable (and yes, I have checked it now).
That's FOUR beats, a whole bar.
Sean
Everything by FSF is at least interesting. I quite like his short stories too.
Gen
Consider it done.
What Knopf have done is very odd. Their work on the Tony Blair book is close to being a disaster in my opinion.
I'm guessing Fitzgerald had a lot more explaining to do to his daughter than Obama ever will.
Seana
Yeah but the explanation for everything is very simple:
"sorry sweetie, it was the drink..."
As a daughter, my word of warning to any drinkers who might possibly happen to be out there is, Daughters remember EVERYthing.
Actually that's a pretty good warning to the president as well.
Seana said: [As a daughter, my word of warning to any drinkers who might possibly happen to be out there is, Daughters remember EVERYthing.]
Actually, that is a pretty good warning to me too (I have 2 daughters!) Ah but I fear it is too late, unless I write a book to explain myself. It could be an amalgam of the Blair and Obama one: "Of ME I sing".
For the record, Obama wrote this before he was elected.
Good one, Philip. But yes, it's too late.
Rob, that makes sense. Although you still have to wonder where he found the time. I can just imagine him at his desk in Chicago and little Malia coming in wanting to play. "Not now, honey--I'm writing a book for you to read in the future."
Phil
Isnt Alatair Campbell's book called "never apologise, never explain?" actually not Campbell but someone like that.
Rob
I know thats what they're saying but I find it hard to believe. He was even busier the two years before he became President, making a thousand phone calls a day asking for campaign donations...
Adrian, "Never apologise, never explain".
I think this has been attributed to Disraeli and the Duke of Wellington among others - but Alistair Campbell made it his own! So he wasn't even original in his demonic strategising.
Sorry, maybe I should reserve my venom for the evil Lord Mandelson, alongside whom Alistair Campbell is a saint.
Rob, I'm glad to hear Obama wrote it before the election, it sort of gives him purer motives. Regardless of literary style (and content) I would not be inclined to read Blair's book as giving any insight into the man other than what he wants people to think of him.
It's like what the old MI5 Interrogation officer's Maxim: "Never ask yourself 'What is he telling me?' but ask yourself 'Why is he telling me what he's telling me?'"
Nope, I can't see my kids reading it, and I can't say I'd encourage them to read it either. My son loves to read and just started your Lighthouse series today though.
Just read that it is already top 100 on B&N and Amazon with a 500K first print run. It doesn't even come out for 2 months
Why do I feel like people should skip this and read Blueberry Girl by Neil Gaiman instead?
And all daughters and fathers of daughters should read and watch the Hayao Miyazaki mangas and movies.
But then again I’m slipping into a depression after getting my ass handed to me by the custody Master so right now West by Jim Perrin may better suit my mood. And now I’ll leave before my mood fouls this thread.
Apologies.
Brian, I haven't ever noticed anyone sparing others their foul moods around here, so I wouldn't worry.
Wonder how Hayao Miyazaki works for mothers and sons, as my sister and her boy are the family members who are currently fascinated with all things manga.
It sounds like it will be impossible to avoid of Thee I Sing even if you want to. It will be in every home post holiday, and yes, some well meaning older relative will have brought it there.
I think Hayao Miyazaki works for everyone. I got my kids to watch them from early on. What I was probably obtusely referring to was how the Miyazaki princesses compare to the Disney princesses (they don’t). I’m pretty sure that the Miyazaki princesses would kick the Disney ones asses. I’d much rather my daughter grow up to be the former then the latter.
But off all of the mangas the Nausicaa is the one to highlight because the movie version was made when the manga wasn’t completed so it represents really only a quarter of the story.
Nausicaa is available (legally) on Google video: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8704790173215648057#
Thanks for the link, Brian. Spirited Away is actually one of my favorite films of any category, and I don't know why I didn't connect to Miyazaki's name. Must have been pre coffee. Haven't seen Nausicaa, so I appreciate the link.
Brian
Well I watched Howl's Moving Castle and enjoyed it, however my better half took my two youngsters to Ponyo and they were FREAKED and had bad dreams for a week.
Sean
It will be unavoidable.
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