Comments by Ruth Ostrow Most recent public comments by Ruth Ostrow https://nowcomment.com/users/23544 I like this interpretation. It humanizes the parties involved to devastating effect. https://nowcomment.com/documents/56408?scroll_to=640491 https://nowcomment.com/documents/56408?scroll_to=640491 Fri, 16 Dec 2016 00:12:10 -0500 "The world" sounds cooler. https://nowcomment.com/documents/56408?scroll_to=640487 https://nowcomment.com/documents/56408?scroll_to=640487 It also frames Plath and Hughes as a couple that were "meant" to be together such that the demise of their relationship is reflective of how "the world went terribly wrong." Fri, 16 Dec 2016 00:10:49 -0500 The last sentence relates Madison's beliefs as well as the treatment of his life to modern systemic and overall hypocritical racist rhetoric. https://nowcomment.com/documents/56410?scroll_to=640478 https://nowcomment.com/documents/56410?scroll_to=640478 The reviewer seems to state that, just as Madison gleamed over the rights of black Americans, biographers do not include full consideration of slaves in writing about Madison's narrative. I would argue that the reviewer uses both examples as further indications of modern racism. Fri, 16 Dec 2016 07:32:13 -0500 The reviewer flexes their own authority by including information that is not exclusive to the book they are commenting upon. https://nowcomment.com/documents/56410?scroll_to=640475 https://nowcomment.com/documents/56410?scroll_to=640475 By writing about the context of Madison's experiences, it becomes clear that the reviewer is well informed enough to be a viable commentator on the topic. (I used "they" as a singular, non-gendered pronoun.) Thu, 15 Dec 2016 23:57:08 -0500 No one can assume what "must have been," and it seems unbecoming of a biographer to make an inference as to what that means without any documentation or concrete evidence. https://nowcomment.com/documents/56410?scroll_to=640472 https://nowcomment.com/documents/56410?scroll_to=640472 Fri, 16 Dec 2016 08:17:15 -0500 The implication here is that a biography of Madison should not neglect to include the people, namely slaves, who were a large part of his life. https://nowcomment.com/documents/56410?scroll_to=640469 https://nowcomment.com/documents/56410?scroll_to=640469 The reviewer presents their own opinion in bringing light to the usual mistreatment of this narrative of Madison as a slaveowner in terms of incompletely representing history, but also as a poor measure to take in writing a book. Thu, 15 Dec 2016 23:49:17 -0500 The reviewer is suggesting that many authors, in writing about James Madison, do not consider his role as a slave owner and the injustice of that action in favor of otherwise exploring his career in politics. https://nowcomment.com/documents/56410?scroll_to=640454 https://nowcomment.com/documents/56410?scroll_to=640454 Slavery, instead, is assumed to be a system that is a staple for its time and not necessarily relevant to exploring Madison's life achievements. Fri, 16 Dec 2016 07:30:19 -0500 An unmediated historical document is a primary source that is viewed otherwise unchanged. https://nowcomment.com/documents/56406?scroll_to=636153 https://nowcomment.com/documents/56406?scroll_to=636153 Sat, 10 Dec 2016 06:59:19 -0500 Frank is typically depicted as being merely a victim of tragedy. By focusing on her as a writer, Frank is given more depth in a way in which she is not usually portrayed. https://nowcomment.com/documents/56406?scroll_to=636009 https://nowcomment.com/documents/56406?scroll_to=636009 Fri, 09 Dec 2016 12:38:54 -0500 The first paragraph is most important. https://nowcomment.com/documents/56406?scroll_to=636007 https://nowcomment.com/documents/56406?scroll_to=636007 It serves to set up the rest of the paragraph, and therefore, the premise of the review. The succeeding content begins to "prove" that Frank is the "mature write" we should come to know her as. Fri, 09 Dec 2016 12:38:54 -0500 The issues raised seem to culminate in two main questions of whether or not there is anything left to be expanded on in the Frank narrative, and if it is worth doing. https://nowcomment.com/documents/56406?scroll_to=636006 https://nowcomment.com/documents/56406?scroll_to=636006 Fri, 09 Dec 2016 12:38:54 -0500 Miller is an established and well-respected contributor to the literary and dramatic canon. https://nowcomment.com/documents/56356?scroll_to=612105 https://nowcomment.com/documents/56356?scroll_to=612105 By likening Monroe’s experiences to the severity of the themes presented in “Death of a Salesman,” her emotions are given a larger sense of validation. Further, Miller’s role as her ex-husband seems to implicate a deeper understanding of her person. Fri, 09 Dec 2016 12:38:54 -0500 Contrasting “witty” against “dumb” creates a juxtaposition against which Monroe’s character can be deeper understood. “Dumb” may be the way she is often thought of at face value, while “witty” provides insight to the way she actually was. https://nowcomment.com/documents/56356?scroll_to=612098 https://nowcomment.com/documents/56356?scroll_to=612098 Fri, 09 Dec 2016 12:38:54 -0500 The paragraph ends with a quotation to support the prior claims made about Monroe. https://nowcomment.com/documents/56356?scroll_to=612095 https://nowcomment.com/documents/56356?scroll_to=612095 Since the rest of the passage sets up Monroe as a thoughtful yet insecure person and focuses particularly on her writings, the quote introduces her voice into the narrative about herself. Fri, 09 Dec 2016 12:38:54 -0500 It is implied that most biographies seem to emphasize Monroe’s beauty or struggles. The second sentence clarifies the first sentence as it provides an example as to how she could be “thoughtful and accomplished.” https://nowcomment.com/documents/56356?scroll_to=611975 https://nowcomment.com/documents/56356?scroll_to=611975 Fri, 09 Dec 2016 12:38:54 -0500 The first paragraph leaves the impression of Marilyn Monroe as intelligent and complex. By doing this, the reviewer is shown to have knowledge of Monroe while introducing the book under review as true to her character. https://nowcomment.com/documents/56356?scroll_to=611952 https://nowcomment.com/documents/56356?scroll_to=611952 Fri, 09 Dec 2016 12:38:53 -0500 Poor phrasing on my end! I was referring to you as the writer of the review. https://nowcomment.com/documents/56355?scroll_to=562795 https://nowcomment.com/documents/56355?scroll_to=562795 Fri, 09 Dec 2016 12:38:53 -0500 The basic elements of a book review seem to be an introduction of the material at hand, basic sentiments on the quality of the book with examples, and a reiteration of what is important to remember about the book's quality. https://nowcomment.com/documents/56355?scroll_to=553990 https://nowcomment.com/documents/56355?scroll_to=553990 Fri, 09 Dec 2016 12:38:53 -0500 I agree. The last paragraph summarizes all that has been said prior as well as cementing the writer's feelings that the biography is just not deserving of high praise. https://nowcomment.com/documents/56355?scroll_to=553819 https://nowcomment.com/documents/56355?scroll_to=553819 Fri, 09 Dec 2016 12:38:53 -0500 Here, the phrase "rinsing out" means that the author should have more carefully selected what information they should and should not have included in their book. https://nowcomment.com/documents/56355?scroll_to=553679 https://nowcomment.com/documents/56355?scroll_to=553679 Fri, 09 Dec 2016 12:38:53 -0500 A compendium is a collection of information about a subject. https://nowcomment.com/documents/56355?scroll_to=553678 https://nowcomment.com/documents/56355?scroll_to=553678 By comparing the biography to a compendium, readers are made to think of it as lackluster, as they would hope that biographies would read like a story rather than merely just a stitched-together brick of information. Fri, 09 Dec 2016 12:38:53 -0500 An epigraph is meant to set the tone of the proceeding material. https://nowcomment.com/documents/56355?scroll_to=553677 https://nowcomment.com/documents/56355?scroll_to=553677 By commenting on Kaplan's epigraph, readers are made to understand how seriously he takes his own writing while recognizing the actual shortcomings of his book. Fri, 09 Dec 2016 12:38:53 -0500 The word order of this sentence is somewhat unconventional, probably primarily to make the statement more interesting to read. https://nowcomment.com/documents/56355?scroll_to=553676 https://nowcomment.com/documents/56355?scroll_to=553676 Fri, 09 Dec 2016 12:38:53 -0500 Kaplan's style is exposed as being sort of sensational for effect rather than streamlined for content. The author of the review provides a clear example of just what they mean by starting off their writing in a similar fashion. https://nowcomment.com/documents/56355?scroll_to=553675 https://nowcomment.com/documents/56355?scroll_to=553675 Fri, 09 Dec 2016 12:38:53 -0500 The first two sentences introduce the topic of the review, the credentials of the writer, and their attitude towards the material. https://nowcomment.com/documents/56355?scroll_to=553674 https://nowcomment.com/documents/56355?scroll_to=553674 The first sentence serves as an introduction to the review. Its brevity and content is written in a way such that readers immediately know that the review will be about Frank Sinatra. Additionally, its sentiment introduces the notion that the biography is merely one of many, rather than a book with its own distinctive and meaningful insight. The second sentence further indicates the topic and content of the biography as well as its subsequent review. The list of authors mentioned serves to establish the writer of the review's credentials regarding Sinatra biographies, as well as creating a further image of the "tome" in question as being "pedestrian" and not very special. Fri, 09 Dec 2016 12:38:53 -0500