A Different Mirror for Young People: A History of Multicultural America (For Young People Series), Hardcover by Stefoff, Rebecca (Used)

Hardcover
Used: Good
9781609804848
1609804848

Publication Date: 2012-10-16
Publisher: Triangle Square
Hardcover : 384 pages
Author: Stefoff, Rebecca
ISBN-10: 1609804848
ISBN-13: 9781609804848

Product Description A longtime professor of Ethnic Studies at the University of California at Berkeley, Ronald Takaki was recognized as one of the foremost scholars of American ethnic history and diversity. When the first edition of  A  Different Mirror was published in 1993,  Publishers Weekly called it "a brilliant revisionist history of America that is likely to become a classic of multicultural studies" and named it one of the ten best books of the year. Now Rebecca Stefoff, who adapted Howard Zinn's best-selling  A People's History of the United States for younger readers, turns the updated 2008 edition of Takaki's multicultural masterwork into  A Different Mirror for  Young People. Drawing on Takaki's vast array of primary sources, and staying true to his own words whenever possible,  A  Different Mirror for Young People brings ethnic history alive through the words of people, including teenagers, who recorded their experiences in letters, diaries, and poems. Like Zinn's  A People's History, Takaki's  A  Different Mirror offers a rich and rewarding "people's view" perspective on the American story. From School Library Journal Gr 6 Up-This established adult classic of multiculturalism has been pared down for a younger audience. Stefoff, who previously adapted Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States (Longman, 1980), takes a crack at Takaki's look at America and its people. Focusing on a variety of groups-Jews, Chinese, Japanese, Africans, Irish, Mexicans, Afghans, Vietnamese, and more-this volume tells America's story through the millions of people who came here seeking the Land of Opportunity only to find low wages, pitiable living conditions, and bigotry at every turn. Yet Takaki keeps bitterness at bay, writing with hope and conviction about the many opportunities for young Americans to make change in a country where, soon enough, "we all will be minorities." Stefoff adds a few nice touches-the short stories of individuals ending each chapter definitely make the content more relatable-but many young people would be better off sticking with Takaki's original text.-Sam Bloom, Blue Ash Library, Cincinnati, OHα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. From Booklist In 1993, Takaki wrote his seminal work, A Different Mirror. In the second edition (2008), he revised some chapters and added others that focus on newer immigrants, legal and illegal, presenting views from the perspectives of both minority and immigrant groups and white, Eurocentric populations. As he stated in the final chapter, “White Americans will not be a majority for much longer—America will truly be a nation of minorities.” Here Stefoff takes Takaki’s book and adapts it for middle-grade and younger high-school readers, reducing the original by about 150 pages and revising some vocabulary to make it more accessible for the intended audience. She has retained quotations from the original and maintained the carefully cited chapter notes. Sidebars toward the end of each chapter highlight a particular person or event discussed. This book, whether Takaki’s original or Stefoff’s adaptation, is important reading, and few other titles look at American immigration in such a thorough way. Grades 7-10. --J. B. Petty Review “This 375-page book would be an excellent way to include multi-ethnic materials in the classroom as a way to ensure that your students see their unique identities reflected in their coursework.” — Skipping Stones “This is a great introduction to Takaki’s path-breaking scholarship.” — Good  About the Author RONALD TAKAKI (1939–2009) was recognized as one of the foremost scholars of American ethnic history. Born and raised in Oahu, Hawaii, the descendent of Japanese immigrant field workers, Takaki became the first member of his family to receive higher education, attending The College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio, and later receiving a doctorat