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Mural entitled "Future Positive" by Kevin Ledo aka @kevinledo and @findac, curated by @therawproject_, seen at the Cheltenham Elementary School at 1580 Julien Street in Denver, Colorado.
The artist (Kevin Ledo) states: "On the right is Rihelle, a student that goes to the school that I photographed for this piece. On and the left is one of Fin’s muses, @christel_lakhdar who shares a resemblance which creates a beautiful narrative."
Drone photo by James aka @urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.
Edit by Teee.
dress entitled...
"She Was Evasive And Her Elbows Were Rough"
(LOL, I just love her dress names! So, Annie is trying to look
"evasive" - elbows smooth as plastic tho ;)
Mural entitled "The King and the Young Prince" by Jackie Danger aka @jackie_danger, seen at 5th Street and NW Flagler Avenue in the Fat Village Arts District of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Photo by James aka Urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.
Edit by Teee.
The neologism vietnameseness could be defined as the quality or state of being or feeling Vietnamese. It could be translated into Vietnamese by "hồn sắc Việt" (hồn for soul and sắc for color, hue, tint). This picture will be the cover of a 12-min trilingual podcast entitled "The Imagined Vietnameseness".
Mural entitled "La Reina de Thaitown" by ELMAC aka @mack_arte, seen at 1685 North Wilton Place in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles, California.
Photo by James aka Urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.
Edit by Teee.
Mural entitled "Band of Brotherhood" by Michael Vasquez aka @michaelvasquez_, seen at the Wynwood Walls Outdoor Museum at 2516 NW 2nd Avenue in the Wynwood Arts District of Miami, Florida.
Photo by James aka @urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.
Edit by Teee.
Mural entitled "Swept Away" by Amy Rheinhardt seen at 803 Broad Ripple Avenue in the Broad Ripple Village area of Indianapolis, Indiana.
Photo by James aka Urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.
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Mural entitled "Rhinoride"by Emit One DF aka @emit.df and D. Ross Scribe aka @scribeswalk seen in the RiNo area of Denver, Colorado.
Photo by James aka @urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.
Edit by Teee.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUcKeKt8C1k
PS it's not related to the picture but I just saw this sickening piece of badger news entitled :
' Potential badger cull areas asked to start application process '
m.farmersguardian.com/61501.article?mobilesite=enabled#.U...
There is an email address they want potential badger killers to use to contact Natural England, I'm sure they would also love to hear from opponents of the cull too, if you know what I mean : )
BTB@naturalengland.org.uk.
Natural England is a disgusting organisation.
Painting on the Berlin Wall in former East Berlin.
East Side Gallery,Berlin.
Rising Japanese sun
This mural, entitled ‘Detour to the Japanese Sector’ was painted by East German artist Thomas Klingenstein. It depicts his desire to explore and live in Asia, saying, “as a child, I dreamed of living in Asia, specifically Japan. I wanted to find out more about that culture than was allowed in Communist East Germany because at the time Japan, like the US, was considered an imperialist power.”
Mural entitled "Sweet Baby" by Cara To aka @caratoes seen on the wall of the Peabody Hotel at 149 Union Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee.
The artist states: "This wall is dedicated to the origins of blues music. Transforming pain into something beautiful. You can see the cotton plants transform into the notes in the sky."
Photo by James aka Urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.
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Mural entitled "Lady of Deep Waters" by Art of Subtle Codes aka @subtlecodes, seen at 3620 NW 3rd Avenue in Miami, Florida.
Photo by James aka @urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.
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Mural entitled "Tidal View" by ER. aka @everydayresearch for Mural Mania 2024, seen at 701 South Main Street in South Bend, Indiana.
Photo by James aka @urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.
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Mural entitled "Save the Youth" by M*Code aka @martiancodeart, seen at 1926 Dunlap Street in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Photo by James aka @urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.
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Mural entitled "Li'l Gal" by Isamar Medina aka @kawaii.sugar for Mural Mania, seen in the Racine Avenue viaduct north of 16th Street in the Pilsen area of Chicago, Illinois.
Photo by James aka @urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.
Edit by Teee
This remarkable sculpture, entitled 'Iron-Bowl' (the famous Alabama Vs. Auburn annual matchup) stands on the campus of the United States Sports Academy in nearby Daphne, Alabama...it is one of several sports sculptures on campus by Alabama artist Bruce Larsen who transforms discarded scrap into powerful, compelling works of art...he has received world-wide recognition for his work and is also a prominent special effects artist for major motion pictures...
This year's Alabama versus Auburn Iron Bowl game takes place this afternoon at 2:30...all I can say is...ROLL TIDE!!!
Mural entitled "Deluge Of Abundance" by Steven Teller aka @steventellerarts for BBX Capital Fund for the Arts, seen on the wall of Hoffman’s Chocolates store, 601 East Las Olas Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Drone photo by James aka @urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.
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Mural entitled "Secret Garden" by Thomas Turner aka @thomasturner_tt for the Outer Space Project 2022, seen at 1989 College Avenue NE in Atlanta, Georgia.
Drone photo by James aka @urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.
Edit by Teee
Attention Gallery presents our December Exhibit for 2020 entitled "Winterscapes and Snowy Stills"
For this exhibit we invited 60 SL artists to share a landscape photo with us. Some are already seasoned landscape photographers and a few had never taken a landscape photo. It was requested that the photo be a winterscape or a still life in a winter setting. 44 artists accepted the challenge and the results are wonderful.
This exhibits opens on Saturday, December 5 at Noon SLT (12 PM). DJ Irish will be providing her special brand of musical magic and we know you will enjoy yourself.
Please join us in celebrating the last month of 2020.
Here is the list of the artists:
Nams Piers
Malinda Aeon (Lin Talbot)
Helka Alchemi
Karole Batista
Michiel Bechir
Bellisima Benelli
Sandi Benelli
Ben John (BenJohn9)
Morgaine Warblood
Kit Boyd
David Daniels (DavidDaniel999)
Lizabeth Demonia
Hayley Dixon
Doc Mercury
Doddy Meiler
Hazel Foxtrot
Cari Franizzi
Melodie Heartsong
Josephine Hotshot
Jenny Inglewood (JennyLover)
Charly Keeley-Keating
Alsatian Kidd
Tobi Larroane
Sparklebottom Lasertits
Elaine Lectar
Rachel Magic
Loegan Magic
Dusty Pedroia
Justice Pedroia
Tresore Prada Hawkins
Heidi Rewell
Ed Rhode
Metukah Rhode (metukah.lenroy)
Persephone Smythe (leriadraven resident)
Sam Steele
Pavel Stransky
Morgan Talbot
Nino Ventura
Lotje Winkler
Liz Winterstorm-V
Jon Wyck
Val xox
Vrir
ZanyaSL
We look forward to seeing you there. LM below.
maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/HaStArA/57/239/3503
Mural entitled "Redemption" by Gaia aka @gaiastreetart, seen at 1599 Central Street in Dubuque, Iowa.
Drone photo by James aka Urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.
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Mural entitled "Race Against Time" by Joe Iurato aka @joeiurato, seen at 219 NW 44th Street in Miami, Florida.
Drone photo by James aka @urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.
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Mural entitled "What Fuels You" by Kristine Campbell aka @_kristinecampbell for Ren Art Walk, seen at 103 Washington Street in Rensselaer, Indiana.
The artist states: ‘'What Fuels You’ — 8 very full days, all brushwork, acrylic on masonry. When I found out I was doing the outside of an auto business I knew I wanted to incorporate a vintage car, the owners were hoping for one too so it worked out! I love bringing in purpose and symbolism when I can, choosing flowers native to the area to bring in the balance of nature and when I found out owners Deana and Troy Rule had 8 kids, I painted 8 gears for each knowing the importance of family and how they keep you going. The plate number is the date they opened, and ever since seeing Bottle Rocket, any early 70’s Broncos make me all googley eyed. Icing on top was finding out a 72 is one of their daughter’s favorite cars and Troy loves Fords. It’s so inspiring to see businesses launch after the year we’ve had, couldn’t be happier creating something to help them celebrate that."
Drone photo by James aka @urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.
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In my adjacent photograph entitled "Bapaume and forgotten", I told the story of the Pikedale Soldiers Settlements and Amiens railway branch line on the Granite Belt in Queensland. This included the naming of localities along the railway after battles in France during WWI.
The nearby Stanthorpe Museum has the railway station (really sidings) name boards from along the line which closed in 1974. It also has a number of other railway relics from the area. Quite appropriately, red poppies are "planted" at the base of these signs. Except for Amiens at the end of the line, all of the other names define general localities, no towns as such. When you drive to Amiens today, these localities are still identified with green tourist signs beside the road, usually in front of a forest!
If you are interested, here is a small Wiki article on the history of the old railway.
This sculpture is entitled Summer by John O'Connor, now i'm no art critic or great expert, but if this is his idea of Summer then I dont want to be holidaying anywhere near this guy. I actually really liked it as a piece of work but SUMMER !!!!!! nah, more like a tribute to The Scream by Edvard Munch.
Have a great weekend one and all.
Mark x
Mural entitled "New Day Rising" by Thomas Turner aka @thomasturner, seen at 2174 South Main Street in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Drone photo by James aka @urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.
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A few years ago I published a shot which I entitled Finally - the Gherkin - it had taken me ages to get a shot that I really liked. The building is wonderful its shape so curvaceous - but its this very shape that made it so difficult to shoot. The shot was straight up to the top with the clouds whizzing over head. I was really pleased to get the shot. But over time I've looked at it and grown to think that the shot really didn't do the building justice - it didn't show off the beauty. So since then I've hunted all over the city for that view - and I'd pretty much given up it just didn't exist. That was until recently (well earlier this year) when a view opened up as the ever changing cityscape devoured another nondescript 60s building to be replaced - well by another probably nondescript office block. I've no idea how long this view will last below and the right the construction is well under way (one of the reasons for the long exposure) - but for now its there - I feel this shows off why I like the building so much.
I'd also like to say a big hello to all those photographers (and their friends and partners) I met on Monday at the opening night of Landscape Photographer of the Year - it was great meeting and chatting to you all. I have to say this years show is fabulous - some really fantastic photography on show - and well worth a visit - its free to enter and pretty much open all of the time - there's also loads of other fantastic exhibitions in london at the moment too - have a look here Must see Exhibitions
Technical Details
Nikon D700
Nikon 28mm - 200mm @ 80mm
f8.0
62 seconds
ND110
ISO 200
_________________________________________________________________________________
web | blog | tweet | art international | 500px | old flickr (kantryla) | google+
The Krazy Katalogers have entitled this "Semaphore of Haulbowline lighthouse, Irish Lights Department flag displayed, Co. Down"! That means that there are two conundrums therein. There are at least three signalling systems on display, the Semaphore Flags, the Signalling Flags and the light for Morse Code Signalling. The other conundrum, at least for Morning Mary, is Haulbowline and Co. Down being listed together? The only Haulbowline we are familiar with is down in Cork Harbour but perhaps that one has a twin up North like the recent shot of St. John's Lighthouse?
Photographer: Ball, Robert S. (Robert Stawell), 1840-1913
Collection: Commissioners of Irish Lights Photographic Collection
Date: Circa 1890 - 1909
NLI Ref: NPA CIL195
You can also view this image, and many thousands of others, on the NLI’s catalogue at catalogue.nli.ie
Mural entitled "Lucid Wisdom" by Nychos aka @nychos and VYAL aka @vyalone, seen at 1499 de la Torre Way in the Boyle Heights area of Los Angeles, California.
From three photos by James aka Urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.
Edit by Teee.
Mural entitled "Voyager" by Joy Hernandez aka @joythestampede located on the Monkey's Tale property at 925 East Westfield Boulevard in the Broad Ripple area of Indianapolis, Indiana.
Photo by James aka Urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.
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Mural entitled "An Enduring Spell" by Elmac aka @mac_arte, seen at 9249 Scholars Drive South in La Jolla, California.
Photo by James aka Urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.
Edit by Teee.
I count myself extremely lucky to have been able to enjoy this view on a regular basis in 2017.
It is only in the last year I have really had the time to fully experience & enjoy my neighborhood as before I was consumed with a demanding yet sometimes rewarding career. A career path change has enabled me to see where I live in a new light & I love the area with all its faults, history, diversity & beauty.
This year I started a Flickr group entitled Woolwich & Plumstead, please join & add if you have photographs from this area. There are some fabulous photographs old & new which I hope you enjoy.
I wish you all a very Happy New Year!
Mural entitled "Luchando por mi Patria" by Victor Quinonez aka @marka_27 and Don Rimx aka @donrimx, seen at 2214 NW 1st Place in the Wynwood Arts District of Miami, Florida.
The artist, Quinonez, states: "Luchando Por Mi Patria translates to Fighting For My Homeland. This print represents two Latino artists who currently reside in the U.S. Both artists call the United States home and are heavily influenced by American cultures like graffiti and hip-hop, but have never forgotten their roots from Puerto Rico and Mexico. We continue to blend traditions while paying homage to our respective heritage and bring legendary Luchadores to this collaborative mural. Hailing from Puerto Rico is José Huertas González aka 'El Invader' and heavy hitter Alejandro Muñoz Moreno aka 'Blue Demon' from Mexico. We chose Luchadores because similar to graffiti artists they have alter egos and fight to be the best in the game! They also represent their homelands of Puerto Rico and Mexico."
Drone photo by James aka @urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.
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Soprano Viorica CORTEZ' critical biography is accompanied by Quotations, Iconography and a substantial bibliography which are presented in a new Anthology entitled;
"Blouse Roumaine - the Unsung Voices of Romanian Women"
Presented and Selected by Constantin ROMAN
Anthology E-BOOK (11BM)
DISTRIBUTION: Online with credit card
COST: $ 54.99, £34.99 (ca Euros 35.50)
LINK: www.blouseroumaine.com/orderthebook_p1.html
CONTENTS:
2,250,000 words,
over 1,000 pages,
ca 160 illustrations in text
160 critical biographies,
58 social categories/professions,
600 quotations (mostly translated into English for the first time),
circa 3,000 bibliographical references (including URLs and credits)
6 Indexes (alphabetical, by profession, timeline, quotation Index, place
index and name index)
AUTHOR: Constantin Roman is a Scholar with a Doctorate from Cambridge and a Member of the Society of Authors (London). He is an International Adviser, Guest Speaker, Professor Honoris Causa and Commander of the Order of Merit.
INDEX BY PROSFESSION: 58 CATEGORIES by Call, Profession or Social Status
Academics (22), Actresses (9), Anti-Communist Fighters (14), Architects/Interior Designers (2), Art Critics (9), Artist Book Binders (1), Ballerinas (6), Charity Workers/Benefactors (20), Communist Public Figures (2), Courtesans (3), Designers (2), Diplomats (4), Essayists (11), Ethnographers (6), Exiles & First-generation Romanians born abroad (87), Explorers (1), Feminists (12), Folk Singers (1), Gymnasts, Dressage Riders (2), Historians (5), Honorary Romanian Women (15), Illustrators (3), Journalists (13), Lawyers (4), Librarians (3), Linguists (2), Literary Critics (1), Media (15), Medical Doctors/Nurses (5), Memoir Writers (16), Missionaries and Nuns (4), Mountainéers (2), Museographers (1), Musical Instruments Makers (1), Novelists (24), Opera Singers (16), Painters (14), Peasant Farmers (6), Philosophers and Philosophy Graduates (4), Pianists (6), Pilots (4), Playwrights (5), Poets (29), Political Prisoners (30), Politicians (5), Revolutionaries (2), Royals and Aristocrats (34), Scientists (8), Sculptors (4), Slave (1), Socialites/Hostesses (20), Spouses/Relations of Public Figures (51), Spies (2), Tapestry Weavers (4), Translators (25), Unknown Illustrious (6), Violinists (4), Workers (3)
NOTE:
Most of the above 160 Romanian women, in the best tradition of versatility, are true polymaths and therefore nearly each one of them falls in more than just one category, often three or more. This explains why adding the numbers of the 57 individual categories bears no relation to the actual total of the above 160 women included in Blouse Roumaine.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LIST OF 160 CRITICAL BIOGRAPHIES (each supported by Quotations and Bibliography)
AA *Gabriela Adamesteanu *Florenta Albu *Nina Arbore *Elena Arnàutoiu *Ioana Raluca Voicu-Arnàutoiu, *Laurentia Arnàutoiu *Mariea Plop - Arnàutoiu *Ana Aslan *Lady Elizabeth Asquith Bibescu
BB *Lauren Bacall *Lady Florence Baker *Zoe Bàlàceanu *Ecaterina Bàlàcioiu-Lovinescu *Victorine de Bellio *Pss. Marta Bibescu *Adriana Bittel *Maria Prodan Bjørnson *Ana Blandiana *Yvonne Blondel *Lola Bobescu *Smaranda Bràescu *Elena Bràtianu *Élise Bràtianu *Ioana Bràtianu *Elena Bràtianu- Racottà *Letitzia Bucur
CC *Anne-Marie Callimachi *Georgeta Cancicov *Madeleine Cancicov *Pss. Alexandra Cantacuzino *Pss.Maria Cantacuzino (Madame Puvis de Chavannes) *Pss. Maruca Cantacuzino-Enesco* Pss. Catherine Caradja *Elena Caragiani-Stoenescu *Marta Caraion-Blanc, *Nina Cassian, *Otilia Cazimir *Elena Ceausescu *Maria Cebotari *Ioana Celibidache *Hélène Chrissoveloni (Mme Paul Morand)*Alice Cocea *Irina Codreanu *Lizica Codreanu *Alina Cojocaru *Nadia Comàneci *Denisa Comànescu *Lena Constante *Silvia Constantinescu *Doina Cornea *Hortense Cornu *Viorica Cortez*Otilia Cosmutzà *Sandra Cotovu *Ileana Cotrubas *Carmen-Daniela Cràsnaru *Mioara Cremene *Florica Cristoforeanu *Pss. Elena Cuza
DD *Hariclea Darclée *Cella Delavrancea *Alina Diaconú *Varinca Diaconú *Anca Diamandy *Marie Ana Dràgescu *Rodica Dràghincescu *Bucura Dumbravà *Natalia Dumitrescu
EE *Micaela Eleutheriade *Queen Elisabeth of Romania (‘Carmen Sylva’) *Alexandra Enescu *Mica Ertegün
FF *Lizi Florescu, *Maria Forescu *Nicoleta Franck *Aurora Fúlgida
GG *Angela Gheorghiu *Pss Grigore Ghica *Pss. Georges Ghika (Liane de Pougy) *Veturia Goga *Maria Golescu *Nadia Gray *Olga Greceanu *Pss. Helen of Greece *Nicole Valéry-Grossu *Carmen Groza
HH *Virginia Andreescu Haret *Clara Haskil *Lucia Hossu-Longin
II *Pss. Ileana of Romania *Ana Ipàtescu *Marie-France Ionesco *Dora d’Istria *Rodica Iulian
JJ *Doina Jela *Lucretia Jurj
KK *Mite Kremnitz
LL *Marie-Jeanne Lecca *Madeleine Lipatti *Monica Lovinescu *Elena Lupescu
MM *Maria Mailat *Ileana Màlàncioiu *Ionela Manolesco *Lilly Marcou *Silvia Marcovici *Queen Marie of Romania *Ioana A. Marin *Ioana Meitani *Gabriela Melinescu *Veronica Micle *Nelly Miricioiu *Herta Müller *Alina Mungiu-Pippidi *Agnes Kelly Murgoci
NN *Mabel Nandris *Anita Nandris-Cudla *Lucia Negoità *Mariana Nicolesco *Countess Anna de Noailles *Ana Novac
OO *Helen O’Brien *Oana Orlea
PP *Hortensia Papadat-Bengescu *Milita Pàtrascu *Ana Pauker *Marta Petreu *Cornelia Pillat *Magdalena Popa *Elvira Popescu
RR *Ruxandra Racovitzà *Elisabeta Rizea *Eugenia Roman *Stella Roman *Queen Ana de România, *Pss. Margarita de România *Maria Rosetti *Elisabeth Roudinesco
SS *Annie Samuelli *Sylvia Sidney *Henriette-Yvonne Stahl *Countess Leopold Starszensky *Elena Stefoi *Pss. Marina Stirbey *Sanda Stolojan *Cecilia Cutzescu-Storck
TT *Maria Tànase *Aretia Tàtàrescu *Monica Theodorescu *Elena Theodorini
UU *Viorica Ursuleac
VV *Elena Vàcàrescu *Leontina Vàduva *Ana Velescu *Marioara Ventura *Anca Visdei *Wanda Sachelarie Vladimirescu *Alice Steriade Voinescu
WW *Sabina Wurmbrand
ZZ *Virginia Zeani
VP-14/VP-102/VPB-102 Special Collection
From album #4 Entitled “Second Tour”
SOURCE INSTITUTION: San Diego Air and Space Museum Archive
From my set entitled “The Flight Crew”
www.flickr.com/photos/21861018@N00/sets/72157607477197733/
In my collection entitled “Uncle Bill Watson”
www.flickr.com/photos/21861018@N00/collections/7215760783...
In my photostream
www.flickr.com/photos/21861018@N00/
Hi, All:
I’m back for a day or two. While I was down, I started work on pulling my Uncle Bill’s story together. I have so much stuff. I’ve scanned almost thirty of his letters home. I’ve also scanned letters from my grandmother to Bill, miscellaneous documents, a moving account of Bill’s memorial service, a letter from the chaplain who buried him in Chester and letters to my grandparents from the parents of Bill’s flight crew. The boys died when the Wellington bomber in which they were training ditched into the Irish sea during a training mission.
In January, I will be going to Archives Canada in Ottawa to pull the files on the whole flight crew, as well as the second world war records pertaining to Bill’s friend, Cam Devine, my father, Herb Barber, and Karen’s father, George Pepper. I will also pull the first world war files for my uncles, John and Art Barber, and my great uncle, Wilbert MacDonald. It’ll take a few days of research to go through all the files. I pulled the records for Bill and his crew once before…in early 2003. At that time I photocopied quite a few records, but there are more I should have obtained.
This set of pictures were taken at #1Y Depot in Halifax, just before each of the boys shipped overseas at various times early in 1944. They still hadn’t met each other at this point, and would not meet until they crewed up in May, 1944. These images are photocopies of originals which are in Ottawa. I will try to have the originals duplicated in high quality when I go to the archives.
You’ll see the boys’ formal photos in the flight crew link given above. What a difference.
Over the next month or so, I will post the letters and documents. I think you will find them an interesting account of life in the early 1940s. Bill did a lot of things in a matter of eight or nine months.
I hope you are transported by his story as I was.
Bob was born in Seattle Washington to John Andrew Johnson and Annie Ione Brown, and was raised in Kapuskasing, Ontario. He went to high school for one year, and then studied drafting at technical school. He joined the Boy Scouts. Bob worked as a clerk at the Dominion Store in 1941-42, and as a showcard painter at Farbs Clothing store from 1942-43. His hobbies included bowling, basketball, swimming and sketching.
Bob enlisted at North Bay, Ontario, then undertook pre-aircrew education at St. John’s Technical School in Brandon, Manitoba, where he studied English, math, aircraft recognition and signals. After graduation, he entered the service at 32 Manning Depot, Brandon, Manitoba. His second posting was at #3 Wireless School in Winnipeg, Manitoba. From Winnipeg he was posted to #17 Service Flying Training School at Souris, Manitoba. His next stop was #1 Air Gunner Ground Training School in Quebec City, after which he attended #3 Bomber and Gunner Training School at MacDonald, Manitoba. His final Canadian posting was at #3 Air Gunner Training School at Three Rivers (Trois Rivieres), Quebec.
Upon landing in Britain, he was stationed at #3 Personnel Receiving Centre in Bournemouth, Dorset where he awaited further posting. He arrived at #83 Operations Training Unit, Peplow, Shropshire, on May 23, 1944. On a night training mission, on July 22/23, Bob was killed when the Wellington bomber in which he practicing gunner duties ditched in the Irish Sea
The recruitment interviewing officer marked Bob as a ‘slight lad, but [who] seems sincere in his desire for aircrew”. He was also noted as a “malleable type of chap who is quite willing to accept guidance and instruction. He would have preferred a chance to fly as pilot but accepts selection as air gunner gracefully and impresses one as good material for training in that trade. Keen, alert well-motivated, Likes guns and has no fear of fighting”.
“Makli was entitled as World Heritage by UNESCO in 1981”
#Architecture #Shape #Closeup #Line #Detail #texture #Architectural #Pattern #Ancient #Art #Carved #Carving #Culture #Decorated #Design #Detail #Heritage #History #Human #Ornamental #Ruin #Sandstone #Sculpture #Textured #Wall #Artwork #Makli #Sindh #Pakistan #Nikon #KK #Kashi #Klicks #KKlicks #KashiKlicks
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But which is the less travelled?
Class 720 electric multiple unit No. 720537 arrives at the south Essex outpost of Southminster with 2J34, the 14:16 service from Wickford on Tuesday 14th May 2024.
The quotation "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by" is from the poem entitled "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost (1874-1963).
I'll mention in passing that English progressive rock band Pendragon gave the title Two Roads to part IV of their multi-part track The Wishing Well, which appears on the 2005 album Believe.
Mural entitled "El Sonido de Mi Patria" by Evaristo Angurria aka @angurria, seen at 2401 NW 5th Avenue in the Wynwood Arts District of Miami, Florida. The model is the artist's wife Venus Patricia Diaz.
Photo by James aka Urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.
Edit by Teee
Antique painting entitled, "Mary Magdalen in Ecstasy" by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio.
Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, known mononymously as Caravaggio, was an Italian painter active in Rome for most of his artistic life. During the final four years of his life, he moved between Naples, Malta, and Sicily. Wikipedia
Mural entitled "Mitotli" (A Dance in the Nahautl language) by Bimmer Torres aka @_youngbeam, seen at 3750 Wynkoop Street in Denver, Colorado.
The artist states: "(This is) a dance between the old and the new, a dance between the prehispanic and the mestizo. The black and white figure represents the essence of the past, which transcends through force to the colorful Hispanic dancer. This mural depicts the beauty hidden behind the chaos of events that occurred in the mid 1500s. Dedicated to all the Hispanic women who have fought for their families to survive adversity. Thank you, Grandmothers, Mothers, Wives, Sisters, Daughters, and Granddaughters! This is one for you. By sacrificing so much without remorse and through unconditional love, you have led a people to prosperity.
Drone photo by James aka @urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.
Edit by Teee
Army Invasion and teargassing of Kahnawake, a Canadian Mohawk reserve in Quebec. Sept.18,1990.
Teargassing of the Bridge. I had to change film at this point, opening the back, and my subsequent negatives were affected strangely by the chemicals- almost unprintable at the time and when I last checked 10 years later, in steady decline. Thank you Photoshop for your magic wand- I've managed to clean up some impossible damage and present some photos in this set which I've never shown before. I was one of two non-Natives present on the Bridge, and was at one point surrounded by a group of frantic and angry women, who shouted at me,
"YOU GO BACK TO YOUR PEOPLE AND YOU SHOW THEM, YOU TELL THEM WHAT THEY'RE DOING TO US!!!"
I have rarely felt so acutely "Other" and must admit, I would not have readily identified many of the people I saw there on the bridge with me as being of Native origin, but it was evident to them that I was NOT. I looked across the water towards the Island at what were allegedly "MY people"- more resembling an invading mass of locusts with guns, advancing through a cloud of smoke- (the gas masks made them appear decidedly insect-like), and I shouted back in all sincerity,
"They're NOT MY PEOPLE! MY people wouldn't do something like this!"
I thought, it doesn't matter what you stand for, what you believe in, what you strive towards all of your life. Racism erases all of that and reduces you to the colour of your skin or assumed heritage and so you are judged. We all are. I wondered it THEY (the army) thought of me at that moment as one of THEIR people. Not likely they saw a difference. I had just been targeted by the Montreal police that same summer for my role as the photographer in the SexGarage incident (see my other set), been beaten twice, threatened and arrested in a demo against police violence, so was not feeling particularly aligned with the military at that moment.
Photo © Linda Dawn Hammond / IndyFoto.com '90
Photographs and text by Linda Dawn Hammond
Behind The Barricades: OKA
BOOKS
2015 "HerStory 2015", (Coteau Books, Saskatoon Women’s Calendar Collective). Photo of Jenny Jacks, First Nations activist at Oka, from “Behind the Barricades” series.
2010 "Incident at Oka" (D&M Publishers), 1 photograph from Behind the Barricades: OKA " Jenny Jacks", Author: Harry Swain
2001 The Women's Daybook 2002, 'Women and Food' (Sumach Press), 1 Photograph and text by Linda Dawn Hammond: Behind The Barricades: OKA
1994 Semiotext(e) canadas (Columbia University Press)
Back cover Photograph and 3 within by Linda Dawn Hammond: Behind The Barricades: OKA
1991 The Possessed Individual: Technology and the French
Postmodern (New World Perspectives)
Author: Arthur Kroker
Photography by Linda Dawn Hammond: 2 from Three Part Bodyseries , 4 photographs from Behind the Barricades: OKA
www.scribd.com/doc/7426491/The-Possessed-Individual
EXHIBITIONS
May, 2017
Collège La Cite à Toronto
Exhibit and auction for MSF
Photos Sans Frontières
Solo exhibit entitled,
Derrière les barricades: OKA- Behind the Barricades: OKA,
6 photographs on exhibit, 3 additional in auction for MSF
June - Aug 2005
Compton Verney, Warwickshire, UK
Group exhibit entitled, The American West
Behind the Barricades: OKA, 6 photographs,
REVIEW
www.birminghampost.co.uk/whats-on/find-things-to-do/a-pio...
Oct 2004
Photopolis, Halifax Festival of Photography
Group exhibit entitled, Documents and Dreams: A Group Exhibit of Canadian Documentary Photography
Organized by Narrative 360 At ViewPoint Gallery, Oct.7, 04 - Oct. 31, 04, "Mohawk Child at West Gate Barricade" Giclee print (dim. 36" by 56")
Nov 2003
Bfly Atelier, Vancouver
Group exhibit entitled, Documents and Dreams: A Group Exhibit of Canadian Documentary Photography
Organized by Narrative 360 At Bfly Atelier, Nov.13, 03 - Nov. 25, 03, "Mohawk Child at West Gate Barricade" Giclee print (dim. 36" by 56")
2000
Les Vivres, Montreal
Solo exhibit entitled, "Hot July: Oka and Sexgarage"
Behind the Barricades: OKA, and Sexgarage: Serve and Protect - Silver prints, (dim. 8" by 10", 11" by 14"),
Quickprint/ Mylars (dim. 3' by 5'),
Nov 90
Union Francaise, Montréal
Benefit for the Mohawk Defense Fund, Solo exhibit entitled,Behind the Barricades- Oka:
28 B&W documentary photographs (dim. 11" by14")
Oct 90
Le Festival du Nouveau Cinema et de
la Video, Montréal
Solo exhibit entitled,Behind the Barricades- Oka:
28 B&W documentary photographs (dim. 11" by14")
bridgeSM
Are you in Toronto? I have a street photography exhibit displayed at The Drake Hotel, 1150 Queen St. W, for the Contact Photography Festival. It's entitled, "The Covid Rolls."
You can find the photographs in two spots in the hotel.
The first installation you can see is located in the lounge area. There are two photographs printed on vinyl and installed directly on the windows.
The second installation is located in the Sky Yard. Just go to the front desk and let them know you would like to go to the roof top to have a look!
You can drop by anytime to see it!
scotiabankcontactphoto.com/2022/exhibition/dzesika-devic-...
Mural entitled "Disconnect" by ZMED aka @zmedstudios seen in Lafayette, Indiana.
Photo by James aka Urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.
Edit by Teee
Mural entitled "Divine Feminine" by C. Finley aka @iamfinley, seen at Pico and Grand in Los Angeles, California.
Drone photo by James aka Urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.
Edit by Teee.
Mural entitled "Move" by Thomas Evans aka @detour303, seen in the 1400 Block of the Boulevard of the Arts in the Rosemary District of Sarasota, Florida. The person on the left is Congolese dancer Enock Kadina aka @brotha.e; the person on the right is singer and dancer Canela Vasquez.
Waimea Valley Botanic Gardens
"If John Walker had never done anything else, his work in creating hundreds if not thousands of new varieties of hibiscus would entitle him to the gratitude of the people of Hawaii." - John Walker obituary, 1928
The first half of the twentieth century marks the golden age for Hawai'i breeders like John Walker, who creates 2,500 new hybrids and sends cuttings from his personal collection around the world.
Pre-1950 Hawai'i hybrids, the theme of this section, are created by a large and diverse group of local breeders, from Matanai Kataka in Honolulu to Lucy Vrooman Cooper of Hau'ula's famed Cooper Ranch Inn.
Desired for their beauty and vigor, Hawaii hybrids are imported by botanical gardens and fellow breeders in Australia, Bermuda, Fiji, Panama, Sri Lanka, and the United States mainland.
John Walker's Hawaii legacy extends far beyond hibiscus hybrids. As the founder of Walker-Moody Construction Company in 1895, he builds many of O'ahu's most iconic
structures and public works, including Honolulu's original sidewalks, Honolulu Hale (City Hall), and the Kalãkaua Crypt at Mauna 'Ala, the Royal Mausoleum of Hawaii.
Born in Hiroshima, Matanai Kataoka is the first recorded Hawai'i breeder of non-Caucasian descent. Migrating from Japan in the 1890s, Kataoka works on a Kauai sugar plantation before moving to Honolulu and founding his own hibiscus and anthurium nursery.
I read 255 books last year and I tried to be as diverse as possible in what I read. Many of these books were not released in 2018 (some were) but just reflect what I did read in the past year. So far, I have read three books this year and hope to read 300 by the end of the year. The photograph of the above sculpture was taken by myself yesterday at The Cultural Center in Chicago and is entitled In the Center There Were Librarians and other Gestures. The artist for this photograph is Susan Giles. I worked on the following list for the last week so sorry I haven’t been as active lately. I hope you all had a wonderful New Year’s!
1.Call Me Zebra by Azareen Van Der Vliet Oloomi
I saw this Iranian American Author speak at Printer’s Row this year and talk about her journey writing this novel, a really strong sense of the beauty and power of words along with the loss of human life in this one. It has reminiscences of the honoring of literature that often come about in Rabih Alameddine and Salman Rushdie’s work.
www.azareenvandervlietoloomi.com/about/
2.Dear Friend, From My Life I Write to You in Your Life by Yiyun Li
This has been classified as an autobiographical nonfiction memoir but it is so much more than this. It is endlessly philosophical about depression and suicide and an examination of life fully lived as well. It is very different than her fiction and not for casual readers who don’t want to feel deeply. Still, she has given us a gift of insight not just into herself but into the nature of humanity and that cannot be taken for granted. In the few months that have followed, I have thought back on this book and what a strong presence it made on my psyche. Yiyun Li is a Chinese American and I’m so grateful for immigrants like her adding to the canon of books we have available in this country to help make us better Americans and, more importantly, better humans.
www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/59088/yiyun-li
3.We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
I read all of Adichie’s books this year and they are all very worthwhile to read. So many tackle issues of racism within American as well as in Africa (you have to remember, what is mass marketed overseas to Africans are shows like COPS that reinforce racism against African Americans). There seems to be so many strong Nigerian authors emerging at the moment and Adichie is the best of the best. Though some might not consider this text to be a full nonfiction work, I still consider it the most important one I read. Adichie explores in such insightful ways how sexism hurts not only women but men also in our current world. It’s something I would recommend for everyone (male, female, or gender neutral) to read or watch the lecture of.
www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_ngozi_adichie_we_should_all_...
4.Born Bright: A Young Girl's Journey from Nothing to Something in America by Nicole C. Mason
Ta-Nehisi Coates has so much to offer American in terms of understanding racism in all facets and the insights of someone who is an extremely intelligent man trying to raise a family in America. Nicole C. Mason does one thing better, though, which is to say she offers more solutions. As an African American woman, she has had to deal with her own challenges in terms of extreme poverty and racism and has overcome this to become a professor at Georgetown University and Executive Director of the Center for Research and Policy in the Public Interest at the New York Women's Foundation. Her insights into our current institutionalized racism and classism are something everyone should be educated on.
5. My Favorite Thing is Monsters by Emil Ferris
I only read five graphic novels this year, which is somewhat surprising considering I read about ten the year before that. Although I am not opposed to the classic superhero type of graphic novels, I’d really rather read more autobiographical type of novels or those that explore the human psyche more than anything else. My favorite graphic novel of all time is by David B. called Epileptic (French). I tend to enjoy the really creepy Tim Lane, Daniel Clowes, or Black Hole by Charles Burns. Anyway, this is also somewhat creepy but, even more so, richly artistic. The way that the drawings match the words in terms of both content and quality is truly a wondrous experience. This is a book you’ll delve into and have a hard time putting down and it is thick and fulfilling. It also takes place in the 1960s in the north side neighborhood of Uptown, Chicago, which is really interesting to see depicted. I love the scenes from the streets and the Art Institute especially. Within the book, the protagonist grapples with disease, murder, racism, sexual identity, and even the Holocaust. Apparently, this is only Book One and there might possibly be Book Two to look forward to later on this year. In any case, a really rich delight.
6.Lagoon by Nnedi Okorafor
I read many books by Nnedi Okorafor this year but this one was by far my favorite…fantastical Nigerian Science Fiction at it’s finest. This book is intensely creative and extremely well written. It will make you wonder why Okorafor isn’t celebrated in every household in America but I think it’s well acknowledged that racism and sexism within the science fiction genre go hand in hand. Those who really pride themselves on appreciating the genre, however, better start getting woke fast. Reading this one might be a good place to begin.
7.We Were Eight Years in Power by Ta-Nehisi Coates
It isn’t enough to really consider yourself to be aware of racism in America and its history because, in order to be truly understanding of this, you have to know how racism has truly pervaded every aspect of America in an institutionalized way both historically and in modern times. I am pro-reparations and what I mean by that is that white people have stolen and oppressed people of color for so long that they are owed by us in so many ways. That is one reason why I don’t vote for white people any longer or donate to their campaigns. In any case, the racism that James Baldwin wrote about so eloquently in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s is still happening today and explored thoroughly and with in depth research by Coates. If you think racism is obsolete in America, you will have much to learn from this book of essays.
8.Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler
Octavia is another African American science fiction author that should be a cherished household name. She passed away when she was only in her 50s but she gave the world some of the most imaginative texts. I read quite a few of her novels this year but I liked both Parable of the Sower and Parable of the Talents best. It takes place in an apocalyptic America and, in the second of the series is a “leader” who takes over who literally screams “Make America Great Again” as his mantra, which is super creepy in its prophetic warning. I also love this concept she explores as a “sharer” who feels extreme and even physical empathy and a development of a new religion. Also really interesting to note is that Octavia was diagnosed with Dyslexia as a child….what a strong author she became despite it!
www.cnn.com/2018/06/22/culture/octavia-e-butler/index.html
9.Every Man Dies Alone by Hans Fallada/ Rudolf Wilhelm Friedrich Ditzen
I hate to put a white male author’s book on my list. I really do and, unfortunately, this is the first of three. But, in any case, Rabih Alameddine recommended this when I saw him at Printer’s Row Book Festival in Chicago and, as I love his novels, I felt I had to give it a chance. I admit, I didn’t regret it. This story is loosely based on the true story during the Holocaust of a man and a woman who decide they are going to write anti-fascism postcards against the Nazis. It was originally published in 1947 and takes place in Berlin. Fallada himself was not Jewish but led a really difficult life where quite early on, he was meant to die in a supposed duel, a suicide pact made with his male lover. His male lover died and he obviously did not. In any case, mainly this book is about the idea of resistance in any small or large way, even if it seems small, silly, or gets you killed. To resist fascism is to reaffirm your own humanity and the protagonists the Hampels can’t exist any other way. I have to admit, I found myself crying several times while reading this book, especially considering the relevance to modern day times. Alameddine commented on how silly and stupid it was for this couple in real life and in this book to do this…they knew they would be caught….but they managed to distribute hundreds of postcards that put in mind inklings of doubt into the German population about what Hitler was doing and that is extremely important. These days, we just tweet about how much we hate Trump but, back then, there were some who assumed the vast majority of the population approved of the human rights violations the Nazis were committing….which makes me wonder if perhaps social media could prevent another Holocaust.
www.nytimes.com/2009/03/01/books/review/Schillinger-t.html
10.Confessions by Kinae Minato
This is some grueling psychological craziness that you will go through but man is it ever worth it. Kinae Minato was an actual teacher in Japan before she decided to write the kind of horror that will haunt you. This one is mainly about the evil that children can commit and the parents that condone and/or encourage it…and, it’s about a society that subconsciously promotes it too or, as in American society, gives attention/press to those who harm and confuse others into thinking this is the best way to get noticed. It’s so much more than that, though, and it will mess you up for days. I read Haruki Murakami’s Killing Commendatore this year as well and this was far more effective in my opinion but this is also about vengeance and made me think of the Chan Wook Park series on the subject (though, he’s Korean vs. Japanese which is an important distinction).
www.latimes.com/books/jacketcopy/la-ca-jc-kanae-minato-20...
11. Jesse Ball: Census
There is no one who can write quite like Jesse Ball. It is almost as if it has been removed from time and space completely and exists in its own strange universe. And yet, it is not science fiction…it’s more like humanistic fiction…like a deep feeling realistic fiction. Though Census isn’t my favorite of his novels (my favorite is actually The Curfew followed by Silence Once Begun as a close second), it is as always well worth reading. There’s such a beautiful sense of this relationship of a father and son as they collect information about strangers…an almost fairy tale esque sort of feeling at times but not quite. It’s difficult to explain except to say that each moment of the story seems one in your life you’d cherish and therefore each word is a pleasure, which is odd considering that some categorize it as Dystopian Fiction. I guess one person’s Dystopia is another’s Utopia.
11.Colossus of New York by Colson Whitehead
Such a beautiful poetic and still realistic ode to a city that is always teeming with lives and energy. I’m originally from upstate NY (Rochester) and have visited NYC a few times…what exists there has changed over time but some things to remain more constant. Whitehead captures the essence in a way that is true and in a way that so many others have failed to. I’ve read quite a few of his books this year and have enjoyed all of them but none quite as much as this one. Although, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention he wrote an awesome zombie book, Zone One, that was excellent to read around Halloween.
13. Alice Walker
It’s very difficult to talk about Alice Walker at this time when there are so many accusations of anti-semitism. This is nothing new, in fact, as she’s supported Palestine and traveled there to learn about what has been happening to its people for a very long time. She has witnessed suffering and she has written poetry and accounts where she separates the beliefs of what she sees as radical Zionists and those who are Jewish who don’t advocate for suffering. Still, I don’t think it’s ok that she’s defending David Icke’s work and I am very concerned about that. Earlier this year, before all of the controversy surfaced, I had the chance to see Alice Walker as part of the Chicago Humanities Festival and so I read just about everything I possibly could beforehand from novels to poetry to essays. Alice Walker married a Jewish man and had a child with him in 1967…that’s probably important for people to consider. She has also done a ton of work to stop the practice of female genital mutilation in Africa. Her message is solidly one of peace and equality in the Middle East and I hope nothing has changed in that regard.
In any case, I am not going to devote multiple entries to Alice Walker but if you are interested in reading her work and deciding for yourself, your local library should have many selections without you needing to look any further. I greatly enjoyed the novels Meridian, By the Light of My Father’s Smile and the essay collections Cushion in the Road and Anything We Love Can Be Saved as my favorites. I’ll also remind people to realize that reading something objectively will not make you a harmful or hateful person. Be ready to learn from all perspectives, to reject some and consider others. That’s what being an intelligent human being is all about. Still, I don’t support anti-semitism or any other discrimination against humans and I hope the world continues to become a more accepting and loving place.
14.We Crossed a Bridge and it Trembled: A collection of the voices of Syrian Immigrants by Wendy Pearlman
Now more than ever it is very important to read about what is happening to this group of persecuted people and understand their perspectives…it is easy to see the anger and desperation, the sadness and sometimes bitterness in these lives but, at the same time, you connect with them on some small level. I can’t begin to imagine how it feels or how badly the US has messed up in this situation. I only know I care and am so very saddened and helpless by it all. Reading their thoughts and about their life experiences is the very least one can do.
www.theguardian.com/books/2017/aug/12/we-crossed-a-bridge...
15.Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue
Such an interesting book about hard working immigrants who are doubly affected by the economic crash in 2008 and who go to such great lengths to stay in America, a country which is basically ruining their very lives. This book really shows a strong sense of the immigrant struggle and the cluelessness of the white people around them in NYC but it has a strong storyline and sense of characters besides that which makes it all the more compelling.
16. I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez
This one is so much more than a coming of age story. It combines culture and criticism of contemporary society and has such a witty writing style and takes place in Chicago, which made it an even better read for me. I think there’s an interesting exploration of what is expected of immigrants and their children and also what immigrants are expected to like and the conflict that comes from when those aren’t in sync. Very interesting read and also a very engaging writing style.
17.Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie
This book is really something…it’s a little about politics and family but it’s a great deal about love in this modern world, in all its messed up ways. It’s hard for me to talk about this book without giving away the ending, which has still stayed with me after many months but let’s just say it’s very effective and leaving a lasting image with you. Technically, this book is a reworking of Sophocles’ Antigone (it’s been too long since I read this actually) but with a modern retelling that includes the current political climate and ISIS. She won the Women’s Prize for Fiction this year for this book.
www.theguardian.com/books/2018/jun/06/kamila-shamsie-wins...
18. An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon
This science fiction novel combines a little bit of everything-class struggle, race struggle, and sexual identity struggle along within the overarching power struggle of what is written as postmodern space based slavery with an incredibly strong female protagonist leading the revolution. Well written and a fantastic addition to the genre.
www.npr.org/2017/10/06/548665897/unkindness-of-ghosts-tra...
19. All You Can Ever Know by Nicole Chung
This is an autobiographical novel based around Chung’s experience being adopted by a white family living in Oregon and explores both the nature of adoption and all of the difficulty that comes from that as well as racism and racial identity. It’s really interesting to see both an evolution of her thoughts and the way she interacts with her biological and adopted families. It’s possible that no one who was not adopted could understand how it feels just like it’s possible that a white person could never truly understand what it is like to be of another race. However, this book is quite honest, revealing, and a perspective that should be learned from.
20.Mischling by Affinity Konar
Affinity comes from a Jewish perspective with a Polish ancestry. This novel is based on some of the texts and non fictions surrounding the Holocaust based on twin studies and experiments. I’ve read quite a few books about the Holocaust but I didn’t realize myself the extend of these twin studies and ended up looking up a couple of the names of the most heinous individuals in this book. Affinity rightfully so pulls you into the characters, these two female twins in particular, and their unique bond as well as the overall bond of their family. Because the Nazis wanted to do scientific experiments on identical twins, parents were encouraged to give them up so that they wouldn’t be killed. However, the torture they endured (sometimes also leading to death) was worse than death in some instances. The worst of humanity can be found within these pages…it’s a harrowing read but I also learned from it and feel texts like this are important to remind us that we can never repeat this history.
21. One Amazing Thing by Chitra Divakaruni
I loved the concept of a group of people trapped in a situation where, though they are total strangers and come from very different backgrounds, must trust each other with their life stories. And, what really comes through is the richness of a life and of diverse experiences and the nature of their memories. This is so far the only thing I have read by Divajaruni but I look forward to reading more of her work this year!
22.Reality is Not What it Seems by Carlo Rovelli
Rovelli is an Italian theoretical physicist and this book is a great deal about the history of the science evolving as well as about time and black holes. I have to admit, there was quite a bit I learned but also quite a bit I couldn’t quite wrap my head around. What the book left me feeling is oddly calm, however. Because, since Trump became president, I’ve had a real strong sense that we are all trapped in a black hole of some sort and this basically confirmed some of my suspicions. Now, if I could just get to a different alternative reality where someone like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is president….perhaps, we’re at least headed in the correct direction, though.
23.Electric Arches by Eve L. Ewing
It was such an honor to see Ewing speak as part of the Chicago Humanities Festival this year and such a wonderful thing for Chicago that this extremely talented poet, graphic novelist, and nonfiction writer resides here. This collection of poetry really speaks to growing up on Chicago’s south side in the 1990s but it’s so much more than that. It’s an important collection of poetry not just because of Eve L. Ewing’s voice but because of the strength of her words and imagery. My only disappointment with this is that it wasn’t longer so I could keep reading.
Eve L. Ewing also just published a nonfiction work, Ghosts in the Schoolyard, covering the closure of 50 public schools that Rahm Emanuel imposed as one of his very first acts as mayor. This is probably one of the most important books that was written this year but I haven’t read it yet (which is horrible, I know). It’s a little too close to home for me as I remember with horror all of the striking and the aftermath from this from the fake community meetings (literally set up by Charter school profiteers to gather information) I attended to all of the marches in the streets. In one of the most horrible things, the “welcoming schools” that were taking in students from the closing schools had no information on the students with disabilities showing up. Working with students who are nonverbal and have severe autism, some of these students couldn’t even tell us their names and so we couldn’t look them up in the system to even know their allergies and medical precautions. Most people are familiar with making children cross gang lines, I realize, which is also horrific, but this was something that also haunts me still today. In any case, people need to realize how damaging to a community it is when public schools are not supported and kids are placed in danger.
24.Feel Free by Zadie Smith
I am really impressed by the range of topics these essays address, though I would have loved more political essays. Zadie Smith does have an insightful essay on Brexit but she also talks a great deal about her parents, Italy, and such a huge variety of art between paintings and films as well as meeting famous actors and musicians. Never before did I think I would come across a selection of essays about Anomalisa and Get Out for example and also she wrote an essay on Christian Marclay’s The Clock. There’s something here for everyone, basically.
25.Memoirs of a Polar Bear by Yoko Tawada
I felt haunted and a dream like state reading this book written from the perspective of a polar bear. Between zoos and circuses and effortless wandering, it seems we are all, in some ways, polar bears, meditating on existence itself. I felt like I could be a human being and a polar bear at the same time.
www.nytimes.com/2016/11/25/books/review/memoirs-of-a-pola...
26. Three Daughters of Eve by Elif Shafak
This novel is a thrilling mix of the personal and the political by this Turkish author. It really looks at the ideas behind religion and class struggle in an insightful way with a riveting plot that goes back and forth between present day and when the main protagonist was going to college.
27 .God Loves Haiti by Dimitry Elias Léger
I really hope we get more from Léger as this is story telling at its finest….an earthquake, a love story, a hideout, and a sense o heavy life choices with different protagonists each strong affected by the earthquake that occurs here. It’s interesting to use the earthquake that happens at the very beginning as the stimulus to drive the rest of the plot but it works well here. One senses that, earthquake or no, each life choice matters greatly.
observer.com/2015/01/on-the-page-god-loves-haiti-is-a-stu...
28.Speak No Evil by Uzodinma Iweala
This novel does such a good job of exploring white hypocrisy as well as highlighting the difficulties of being an immigrant in America and being gay in a culture that is homophobic. The male protagonist in this story is forced to go back to Nigeria in order to be freed from his homosexual “affliction” but has to deal with his own troubles back in America in terms of racial profiling and police brutality. This is a story that could happen today easily and we should all make sure it doesn’t.
www.theguardian.com/books/2018/feb/20/speak-no-evil-uzodi...
29. The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery
This affected me more than I thought it would. I am vegan, sure, but I’ve never really been all that fascinated by marine life (nor have I ever wanted to eat any kind of seafood) and I really felt the strong sense of empathy between Sy and the octopuses she writes about as well as the journey she takes overall in terms of understanding them. The empathy she feels and the strong sense of personality and intelligence she senses should not be ignored. I found myself by the end of this wondering aloud how I often do when it comes to many animals…how could anyone eat such a lovely living creature?
symontgomery.com/soul-of-an-octopus/
30. The Secrets Between Us by Thrity Umrigar
All of Umrigar’s books are fantastic and this isn’t even my favorite of hers to be honest-The World We Found is the one I like best. But, this is still a fantastic story set in India this time about making unlikely friends and survival, it’s about living under a rigid caste system as well and hints at some changes taking place slowly but surely with time and access to higher education. It’s also about apologies and redemption. Btw, Thrity is a wonderful speaker to see if you get the chance.
Honorable Mentions:
Short story collections I loved this year include Ted Chiang’s Stories of Your Life and Others, N.K. Jemisin’s How Long ‘TIL Black Future Month? Friday Black by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, Sour Heart by Jenny Zhang, and Revenge by Yoko Ogawa. I also liked most of Carmen Maria Muchado’s Her Body and Other Parties. I also found Valeria Luiselli’s Tell Me How it Ends: An Essay in 40 Questions informative and valuable but I thought it needed to be much longer. Hanif Abdurraqib’s They Can’t Kill Us Until They Kill Us essays on music was also really well written and offered interesting insights into music and culture and W. Kamau Bell’s Awkward Thoughts had me thinking about race in a different way AND had me, at times laughing with his very geeky but cool sense of humor. I also really loved the graphic novel, Saga.
Mural entitled "Chosen Family" by Koni aka @konicheewaa for Mural Mania, seen in the Racine Avenue viaduct north of 16th Street in the Pilsen area of Chicago, Illinois.
Photo by James aka @urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.
Edit by Teee
Mural entitled "Linky" by Dale Grimshaw aka @dale_grimshaw for the Raw Project, seen at the at the Dr Henry W. Mack/West Little River school at 2450 NW 84th Street in Miami, Florida. The title was chosen by the students at the school.
Drone photo by James aka @urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.
Edit by Teee