by Debby Applegate
Library Journal The 2007 Pulitzer Prize jumps the gun on book award announcements, selecting the spring rather than the fall to declare its winners. The best biography nod went to Debby Applegate's The Most Famous Man in America: The Biography of Henry Ward Beecher (Doubleday. 2006. ISBN 978-0-385-51396-8. $27.95; pap. 2007. Three Leaves. 2007. ISBN 978-0-385-51397-5. $16.95). The brother of Uncle Tom's Cabin author Harriet Beecher Stowe was a fascinating figure-a reverend with big ideas and bold actions. He became a media celebrity through his ardent speeches and newspaper columns, was a vocal opponent of slavery, and helped change much of Christian thinking. As an iconic figure of his day, Beecher has much to teach us about our own media-driven culture and the fleeting appeal of fame. Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. |
