Meet the Masters (series).  New York: Cavendish Square, 2015.  112 p.  $30.00 ea.  Gr. 9-12.

Bowler, Peter J. An Interview with Charles Darwin. 978-1-62712-909-1.

Cox, Neil. An Interview with Pablo Picasso. 978-1-62712-912-1.

Curnutt, Kirk. An Interview with Ernest Hemingway. 978-1-62712-915-2.

Kaplan, Fred. An Interview with Mark Twain. 978-1-62712-900-8

Moor, Donald R. An Interview with Plato. 978-1-62712-906-0.

​Oliver, Joan Duncan. An Interview with the Buddha. 978-1-62712-903-9.               

These uniquely written biographies provide insight into the lives and times of important figures throughout history.  Each book begins with a brief biography of the person and then delves into a fictionalized interview with that person.  The interviews touch on each figure’s personal life and career, focusing on their inspirations, their accomplishments, and the legacies they  left behind  in their respective fields.  Each subject’s biography and career is presented in the historical context of the era during which they lived and worked, giving readers insight into the social, economic, and political climates of these eras.  Both black and white and color photographs add to the experience.  Each book ends with a glossary of terms and a list of books and websites for further information.

920; Biographies        Julie Ritter, Montoursville Area High School

As I was reading An Interview with Plato, a few thoughts occurred to me.  First, these titles would make an excellent addition to school libraries, as there are so many cross-curricular connections embedded within them.  Not only are they biographies of leaders in different fields presented, but there is a great deal of history included within the books.  In addition, the glossaries in each book present many vocabulary terms.  Another thought that occurred to me was that the format of these books is very unique.  I have never read a biography in the format of an interview with the subject.  I think this would be a great idea for a collaborative research project.  Rather than simply having students write a research paper on a person, teachers could have them use higher level thinking skills to create an interview with their subject.  These books would serve as a good example for such a project.