Thomas Nast: Political Cartoonist (Historical American Biographies)
Grade 4-8-This well-written, informative, and entertaining title can go a long way toward expanding the horizons of young people. The opening chapter introduces Nast in the prime of his career as he was going head to head with Boss Tweed. The next chapter backtracks to the subject's birth and proceeds to trace his life chronologically. Pflueger successfully gives readers a sense of Nast the man, not just Nast the cartoonist. She provides glimpses of his personality, his foibles, and his principles, and relates many colorful anecdotes about his career, such as his creation of the elephant and donkey as symbols for our political parties. The numerous illustrations include photos, maps, and, of course, cartoons. While the maps are not particularly helpful, and the photographs of Nast's famous contemporaries (such as Abraham Lincoln and Mark Twain) are readily available in any encyclopedia, there is still much to commend in this well-done effort.Marilyn Heath, East Tennessee State University, Johnson CityCopyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.