Ronald D. Lankford, Jr.Reseñas

Rudolph has been an annual viewing event. This book was a treat for this fan to read. I was able to include this book during our office cubicle decoration contest this past year as Rudolph was my theme. Rudolph was ahead of its time with inclusion and dealing with bullies. Those messages weren't lost on me as a child.

An engaging history about how Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer became an American icon. I remember reading it as a child. And I remember singing it in tune with Gene Autry. R-u-d-o-l-p-h the R-e-d ––N-o-s-e-d R-e-i-n-d-e-e-r...

This book was both fun and informative. I admit to paging through and looking at all the photos first, finding those of the records and books that I still have today. Beyond that, though, the narrative was interesting, especially details of some of the marketing strategies and about Gene Autry's recording. I was less interested in the later iterations of Rudolph, those occurring after my childhood, but overall, I liked this book quite a lot. It was detailed, but very readable, with a real trove of historical photos. Recommended.½

Television was an important part of growing up in the 1970s for me, especially the animated specials that were shown at the holidays. I was a big fan of Charlie Brown (which had 2 or 3 throughout the year) but at Christmas there was also How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Frosty the Snowman, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, and especially Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer to look forward to. Each one had its own charm, and although my kids didn't appreciate them as I did, I still feel a bit nostalgic for such simple pleasures.

Ronald D. Lankford has written an excellent history of how the story of Rudolph came about. He sorts through the various stories (myths, perhaps?) that have been told over the years to tell about Robert May, a staff copywriter at Montgomery Ward, who wrote a simple poem for a giveaway promotion in 1939. World War II put things on hold, but Ward again brought out Rudolph in 1946, and eventually signed over the copyright to May. But for most of us, Rudolph is the reindeer from Gene Autry's hit song (written by Johnny Marks, brother-in-law to May) and the stop-motion television special by Rankin/Bass in 1964. Lankford examines the spin-offs and product tie-ins that were sold, but also the themes that made Rudolph so popular, such as being an underdog or 'misfit,' and why that resonated with Americans. It's a thoroughly researched history that I found very fascinating. It's not an overly lengthy book and includes lots of photos, although it might be more information than most people are looking for - but it's still a great read at the holidays.

Don’t let the playful topic, decorative layout, and colorful images fool you – this is a detailed historical study of Rudolph and his place in American history and culture. Probably not the best choice for someone looking for simple holiday nostalgia, but a great read for the history-buff. Lankford’s work is well-researched and interesting. Recommended.

I can see this deep dive into a slightly random topic making a nice addition to Christmas coffee tables. The kitchy Rudolph ephemera used as illustrations keep the well-researched story from being too academic for winter break. Fun-fact-lovers and those looking for a distraction from the Christmas dinner dishes or politics discussions will find plenty of conversation starters in this book.

I'm sure that I am not the only one who holds Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer dearly in childhood Christmas memories. I was so pleasantly surprised by Lankford's work in illustrating Rudolph as "An American Hero." His writing paired with relevant pictures made for an enticing and enjoyable read. I especially appreciate that this book was not only a fun read, but it was more importantly very well researched. This is everything that you never knew about Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer and everything that you did not think to even ask. It's a perfect for a good read or gift around Christmas and year-round!

I received this book from the LibraryThing for an honest review.

http://hebrideshermit.blogspot.com/2016/12/ronald-lankfords-rudolph-red-nosed.ht...

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: An American Hero is an academic and well-researched study of the marketing that underscored the development of an iconic cultural Christmas hero. The 177 page text includes extensive footnotes, a lengthy bibliography, and an index. Photographs reinforce the content.

This "biography" of Rudolph is intended for an adult audience. Lankford speaks of being "in sync with the zeitgeist". (p. 166) He describes Rudolph spin-offs as being "shambolic messes". (p. 166)

In my opinion, Lankford describes his own book when he extolls that "The very innocence for which we praise Rankin/Bass's Rudolph spells out a mythic dead end: when the object we love evokes no more than the past, we have lost something; when what we love requires a conscious effort to explain its relevancy, we no longer feel it; no longer living folklore, a myth becomes a shadow of its former self." (pp. 166-167)

This book was fun to pick up. When Robert May, a copywriter for Montgomery Ward, penned a tale about a little reindeer for a holiday giveaway, I would guess all involved wouldn't have dreamed the impact he would have. Taking off from there, Lankford leads us to Gene Autry and the Rankin/Bass years too. Some of it is very skimmable, it gets kind of wordy at times, but that is broken up by the pictures of old memorabilia and stars that have long connections to the Rudolph story.½

Apparently well-researched, Lankford's exploration of the history of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer can be a bit exhausting for such a slight topic but some of the stories about Rudolph's rise to stardom are interesting. Created as a poem by Robert May for a Montgomery Ward holiday giveaway in 1939, Rudolph become a beloved part of American Christmas tradition but it was by no means a sure thing. Lankford details the truths, half-truths, and probable lies that have emerged around the legendary reindeer. Photos of early incarnations make this book fun for casual browsing, too.

This is dense text that will not encourage reluctant readers to engage in reading, but the information is well-rounded in the sense that it provides multiple perspectives on the issue of book banning. The text has to be read and explained as a class so that all students may achieve an acceptable level of understanding.

I am currently using this anthology of essays in a unit on censorship in my English class. My students are using excerpts from the book to aid them in writing a research paper on books that have been banned or challenged in the United States.

A little disappointing....

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