BOOK REVIEW: A IS FOR ATTICUS
The
Book: A is for Atticus
The Author: Lorilee Craker
Publication
Info: Published August, 2008, by Center Street Publishing,
New York
Author’s
Track Record: Lorilee Craker is the author of ten books, including A
is for Adam: Biblical Baby Names, published in 2000. Recently, she co-wrote, with Lynne Spears, mother of Britney Spears and Jamie Lynn Spears, the memoir Through
the Storm: A Real Story of Fame and Family in a Tabloid World.
What You Get:
One of the most refreshing, original baby
name books to appear on the shelves in recent years. Refreshing,
because Craker understands very well that when it comes to
choosing a baby name, less is often more, and rather than wading
through a million baby name definitions that tell you very
little, many parents, seeking meaningful names for their children,
want quality over quantity in baby name books. Original, because
Craker has tapped an under-mined resource for baby names, the
world of literature, and tapped it well. A
is for Atticus brings
you a surprising, delightful trove of baby names, some five
hundred in all, culled from 'Great Books,' spanning many centuries
and cultures.
Craker, a writer and self-professed book
addict, knows her subject matter. She is clearly very well-read,
a lover of classic literature ranging from Shakespeare to Jane
Austen, from
Gulliver's Travels to Anne of
Green Gables, and, it seems,
everything in between. The name Atticus, of course, is taken
from the hero of Harper Lee's To Kill
A Mockingbird.
A is for
Atticus is
divided into two sections, for girls and boys. For each name,
Craker provides an in-depth profile which in every case delivers
enough new background material to help parents make an informed
choice. Readers will learn how popular a name is, what others
might think of it, and whether it is likely to get your child
teased. The literary heritage of a name is fully described,
along with how a name has waxed and waned in popularity over
the years. Modern cultural references, such as which celebrity
popularized a name, sit side by side with the Roman and Greek
roots of names. Best of all, Craker turns the description of
each name into a tiny story itself, resulting in a book that
is packed with interesting facts and literary references.
Craker
has chosen
her names well, providing a range from familiar to obscure,
from 'safe,' to 'cutting edge'. There are classic names such
as Charles, and contemporary (though still literary) names
like Emily. Names like Tarquin appear alongside names like
Thomas. Different ethnic backgrounds, including African-American
and Latino,
are well-represented with names from their
literary heritages.
For parents who want a thoughtful, and thought-provoking book
of baby names, with meaningful information, A
is for Atticus is a must-read.
There's a reason why it's currently the top-selling baby names
book on Amazon.