November -- From the Magical to the Mysterious

 

                The illustration from Snow White is by Angela Barrett. The Queen, walking away, has just visited.

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A Collective Fantasy

"But instead of a dream that functions in the individual psyche, the fairy tale seems to function for an entire culture. It is effectively a collective fantasy. As it is told and retold, elements of the story added by the individual teller fall away, like sifted sand, while the more universal themes remain, so it becomes valid for the group of people (the listeners) in general."
 Excerpted from a lecture on Snow White by Nancy van den Berg-Cook. Link: The Magic Mirror in Snow White

The illustration of Snow White running through the forest is by Angela Barret.

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People Believed Them

Though it is impossible to trace the historical origins and evolution of fairy tales to a particular time and place, we do know that humans began telling tales as soon as they developed the capacity of speech. . . People told stories to communicate knowledge and experience in social contexts. Though many ancient tales might seem to us to be magical, miraculous, fanciful, superstitious, or unreal, people believed them; and they were and are not much different from people today who believe in religions, miracles, cults, nations, and notions such as “free” democracies that have little basis in reality. --  Jack Zipes

The illustration is by Hieronimus Bosch.

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Miracles Abounded

For centuries the unknown prevailed in daily life.  Life was hard and tales were told for relief, for amusement and for hope. Religion was omnipresent. People prayed for good weather, good crops, and good health; and for victory over invaders, satan, and the darkside. Holy men and women seeking salvation after death and a more spiritual life created sacred places of isolation: monasteries, convents, and often, caves. People experienced and heard of miracle cures, even occasions where someone returned from the dead -- usually with help from a saint. By the year 450 AD, 1,085 saints had been recognized by the Catholic Church of Rome. Over 800 have been canonized since then and many more saints have been proclaimed by other churches. 

The painting is of St. Martin of Tours who performed many miracles.

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Lyra Silvertongue's Alternative World Is Back                                             

Lyra was a fiesty and courageoous young girl having extraordinary adventures when I first read her story in Philip Pullman's trilogy, His Dark Materials. The photo on the left is from Northern Lights, Volume 1 in the trilogy.

Many years have passed, and she is now a young woman in The Secret Commonwealth, the second book in Pullman's new trilogy, The Book of Dust. There are many complex matters to be resolved in the new book. They range from the secret of dust to reuniting Lyra with her Daemon, Pan. Most of them involve magic, the nature of reality, and danger. The Magistarium is ever more powerful and brutal. The parallels with problems in our "real" world are apparent. Courage and loyalty will be sorely tested.  

Lyra Belacqua, seen here in the 2007 movie, The Golden Compass, was renamed Lyra Silvertongue by the bear, Iorek Byrnison . Photograph: New Line/Everett/Rex Features

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Who Is Philip Pullman ?

I read an exceptional, insightful, candid interview with Philip Pullman in the New Yorker. It was written by Alexandra Schwartz. Ms. Schwartz achieved a rapport with Pullman, partly through research, and partly because of her own relationship to his writings. Trust followed. Here are excerpts: "Well, reason is a good servant but a bad master. And I think it was David Hume, the English philosopher—Scottish philosopher, I should say—who said that 'reason is, and ought only to be, the slave of the passions.' In other words, reason is there to help us, but our governing passions are the emotions and feelings of human life, whether it’s love, or anger, or tenderness, or revenge, or whatever it might happen to be...

Those are the real governors. Reason points out all the flaws and the snags, and helps us find our way to what we want to do. But, if we lead our life according to reason, we would never fall in love. We wouldn’t look after old people; we’d just let them die. It would be a terrible thing to be governed by reason...

What I’m against is what William Blake called single vision—being possessed by one single idea and seeing everything in terms of this one idea, whether it’s a religious idea or a scientific idea or a political idea. It’s a very bad thing. We need a multiplicity of viewpoints. So I’m perfectly willing to entertain the prospect of 'The Secret Commonwealth'—this world of fairies, ghosts, witches, and so on—side by side with the world of reason. I wouldn’t want to be governed by one or the other....

It was my first real understanding of the fact that poetry is not a fancy way of giving you information; it’s an incantation. It is actually a magic spell. It changes things; it changes you. And that’s been the thing I’ve experienced with great poetry ever since."

Pullman also spoke in Ms. Schwartz's interview about Tolkien, Ginsburg's Howl, Sexuality, Milton, Atheism, his adolescense in the 60's, his books, and more. I found the interview to be remarkably open and candid. It added to the experiece of reading The Secret Commonwealth.

The photo of Pullman is by Daniel Leal-Olivas/AFB/Getty Images.

The illustration of the zeppelin searching for Lyra, from The Secret Commonwealth, is by Chris Wormell.

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The Mysterious Power of Imagination

John Mullan, scholar, author and critic, wrote an insightful article on vexing issues of contemporary culture that are woven into The Secret Commonwealth and The Book of Dust trilogy. Here are excerpts:

"Imagination, the mysterious power celebrated by the Romantic poets, is the holy spirit of this book. . . The satire of religious flummery is even more explicit and withering than in the original trilogy. Indeed, Pullman is more tempted to draw parallels with our world’s discontents than he has ever been. Our own refugee crises and confrontations with Islamic fundamentalism (here “the brotherhood of the holy purpose”) have their ready analogies in his fictional universe. Lyra is pitted against not only the agents of theocracy but also a ruthless multinational chemical company.

His main target here, however, is as much intolerant rationality as intolerant theism – the life-denying Reason that William Blake, his literary guide, deplored and mocked." Here is a link to the article: John Mullan the Guardian

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Imagination is the real and eternal world of which this vegetable universe is but a shadow -- William Blake

 

Lyra's Alethiometer.

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The Magic of Transitions

You are in a busy railroad station. You are soon to become a teen and the train will take you to your new school. You must find the track. At last, you do find a sign, but there is no train to board and the track has a number that makes no sense. With only moments to spare, a helpful family with the same destination urges you on, to do as they do, and run through the wall. Impossible, but with no other choice, you run through the wall -- success! - there is your train and you have entered a parallel universe. You are living in a Wonder Tale...

I am a wonder tale transition enthusiast. Alice had two transition routes: a rabbit hole and a mirror. And like Track 9 3/4, both allowed her, and me as a reader, to transition easily to another world.

This participation by the reader (or movie goer) in the transition process is woven into many modern classic wonder tales, from the storm in Oz to the young woman named Door in Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere. On The Planet of the Dogs, transitions occur in verdant meadows.

The illustration is from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.

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The ability of writers to imagine what is not the self, to familiarize the strange, and mystify the familiar, is the test of their power. --   Toni Morrison

 

The Big Box book was co-written with Slade Morrison (8 years old) and illustrated by Giselle Potter.

 

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MOVIES

Maleficent, Mistress of Evil, A War Movie

 

"If 'Mistress of Evil' had any of its predecessor’s flashes of self-aware humor, embellished beauty or basic filmmaking intelligence, it might be easier to take or at least ignore. But it’s a clotted mess. It’s also dispiriting because it has traded a fairy tale about female solidarity for a war movie about what happens when women assume power. It opens with a bent knee and ends with an ever-after kiss, but much of the rest is a convoluted brawl filled with noise and computer minions who are tossed like darts. At center is a grasping, malignant queen (Michelle Pfeiffer), the very stereotype that the first movie rejected."  Excerpted from the NYT review of: Manhola Dargis.

Here is a link to the trailer: Mistress of Evil

 

The illustration is from Disney.

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Box Office Power through Explosions

I have posted  about the huge spawn of brawl-filled, money-making CGI movies dominated by comic book super hero films from Marvel, DC Comics, Disney, and others. "Earlier this year, Avengers: Endgame became the highest grossing film in history after topping $2.8bn at the global box office (fifth highest after adjusting for inflation). Eight other titles from the same studio feature in the Top 30 (when factored without inflation)." This domination does not bode well for original, imaginative adult or crossover movies. 

 

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Scorsese Says Marvel Movies Are Theme Parks

"Martin Scorsese, one of cinema’s most venerated current directors, has decried superhero movies – the dominant force in today’s industry. The director of films such as Taxi Driver, Raging Bull and Goodfellas told Empire magazine that his attempts to get up to speed with contemporary superhero films had failed.

“I tried, you know?” the director said when asked if he had seen Marvel’s movies. “But that’s not cinema.”

He continued: “Honestly, the closest I can think of them, as well made as they are, with actors doing the best they can under the circumstances, is theme parks. It isn’t the cinema of human beings trying to convey emotional, psychological experiences to another human being.”  From a Guardian interview by Catherine Shoard: Scorsese.

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Coppola Says Scorsese is Being Kind About Marvel Movies

"Speaking to journalists in Lyon following his acceptance of the Prix Lumière for his contribution to cinema, Francis Ford Coppola, 80, said: “When Martin Scorsese says that the Marvel pictures are not cinema, he’s right because we expect to learn something from cinema, we expect to gain something, some enlightenment, some knowledge, some inspiration.”

Coppola continued: “I don’t know that anyone gets anything out of seeing the same movie over and over again. Martin was kind when he said it’s not cinema. He didn’t say it’s despicable, which I just say it is.”

Excerpted from an interview in the Guardian by Catherine Shoard: Coppola.

 

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A Six Minute Wonder Tale --

from the Canadian Film Board

Winds of Spring

by Keyu Chen

 

 

 

 

 

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Parasite

 

Parasite is a new crossover film (for adults and older teens) that has rave reviews.

Here is the Critics Consensus from Rotten Tomatoes (217 reviews): "An urgent, brilliantly layered look at timely social themes, Parasite finds writer-director Bong Joon Ho in near-total command of his craft."

Here is a link to the trailer: Parasite

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Folktale Week Starts November 4, 2019. It is interactive -- if you so choose. There is a lot going on. Here is a link to one of the artists: Folktale

"Originally created by a group of talented artists and children's book illustrators from all around the world, #FolktaleWeek has now expanded to include folks of all kinds, both amateur and pro, and people are encouraged to submit any form of creative work on the theme they wish. Last year they had writers, illustrators, painters, textile artists, embroiderists (!), photographers, papercrafters, cosplayers and more. They're hoping to see even more variety, from even more people this year." -- Gypsy Thornton

 

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The Music List of Gothic Sleeping Maidens

 

 

Brittany Warman, co-founder of the Carterhaugh School, posted a list of music she likes, and relates to, under the theme of Gothic Sleeping Maidens. I share with Brittany and co-founder Sara Cleto the bond of relating to and appreciating wonder tales and related writings. This closes the generation gap between us. The list of Gothic Sleeping Maidens music is introducing me to a new world. The first song that I listened to was Snow White by Xandria. I found this version of Snow White on youtube, far from Disney: Summer Breeze Festival. Here is a link to the list and its genesis: Carterhaugh Music.

 

Carterhaugh just announced that they are offering two more courses, one on winter folklore: Kindling a Light in the Darkness; and, a reprise of a self-guided Introduction to Fairy Tales. For more information visit: The Carterhaugh School.

 

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Two Hundred Years of Brutality A World of Miracles Gone Wrong

Scotland was the locus of an extensive witch-hunting craze from 1550 to 1750. The University of Edinburgh new interactive map shows for the first time the scale of the panic, when the authorities targeted more than 3,000 people throughout the country, from the largest cities to the most remote and sparsely populated islands.

The accused were teachers, nurses, domestic workers, tailors, farmers, ministers, coal miners, mostly female but also male, indicted by men and women alike. They were imprisoned, tortured with brutal creativity, and in many cases, executed. The intensity of the panic rose and fell more than once over these 200 years and, according to scholars, coincided with personal grievances and the state’s insistence that all citizens actively promote God’s will. And then it stopped. -- Excerpted from an article in the NYTimes by Whitney Curry Winbish.

The artwork is from the Scottish National Museum.

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CCBLOG Ten years ago, CherylMalindrinos Childrenand Teen 's Book Connection has evolved

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The Desire to Read, to Learn, to Become 

This photo (left) led me to a remarkable article (excerpts below), a reaffirmation in these painful and troubled times.

"The girls began appearing about 7 in the morning. Seen from a distance, they made up thin blue lines snaking across the barren tan mountainside along narrow trails traced in the dirt, converging from several directions on the little school in the bottom of the valley.

Wearing powder blue school uniforms and white headscarves, many of the girls, ages seven to 18, had already been walking for an hour or more by the time they arrived at the school. There were smaller groups of boys, too, mostly out of uniform, walking apart from the girls.

Only five percent of the students have parents who can read and write, but that doesn't stop these students and their teachers from having college aspirations..." 

Excerpted from a touching article by Rod Nordland, New York Times via SBS.

 

The photo is by Jin Hulebroek NYTimes

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Healing and the Human Canine Connection

Dogs are quite special. Dogs are forgiving, affectionate, helpful, and unconditionally loyal.

Therapy dogs help people to heal from emotional problems and support people with physical problems. And they enable kids, helping them to learn to read.

Therapy Dogs have given critical help and support in restoring the lives of veterans devastated by PTSD.

A new feature length documentary film about therapy dogs, vets and PTSD is now being released: To Be Of Service.

"TO BE OF SERVICE explores the remarkable life enhancements resulting from the introduction of trained service dogs into the lives of veterans with PTSD. A service dog helps them navigate their days more comfortably and independently, helps them sleep without night terrors and, over time, restores their ability to feel safe, to trust and to love. The unconditional love and support offered by these dogs become the bedrock for veterans to re-engage with the outside world and to learn to feel again." 

Here is a link to the trailer: To Be Of Sevice. 

The photo is from the film.

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More Rescue Smiles -- A New Book

The heart of the animal rescue world lies in its stories—of freedom, of love, and of sacrifice by those who not only acknowledge but embrace the human-animal bond and its wondrous gifts.

The rescue story compilation "More Rescue Smiles" shares a glimpse into the emotional lives of animal rescuers and the living beings they hold close.

You will be captivated by the kinship between humans and animals in their stories, and will get a behind-the-scenes look into the relationships between rescuers and not only dogs and cats, but horses, cows, pigs, birds, and even a ferret.

Stories by: Darla Purgason, Heather Leughmyer, Laurie Lee, Sidney DuBois, Ron Smith, Brece Clark, Thalia Dunn, Stephen Plyler, Paul Ernest, Susan Hartland, Melody Whitworth, Rhi Banks, Johnna L. Seeton, Tamira Thayne, Joseph Horvath, C.A. Wulff, Liz Woloski, and Joe Maringo.

Here is a link: MoreRescueSmiles

 

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Snow Valley Heroes, A Christmas Tale

There can be no more Christmas. Two of Santa's reindeer have been kidnapped by the King of the North.  This is the true story of how dogs came to Snow Valley from the Planet Of The Dogs to save Christmas for children everywhere. Here is an excerpt:

"Miss Merrie waited a moment and then continued. 'The King of the North is an angry and bitter man. Several years ago, he and his Royal Guards were banned to the Ice Castle for their cruelty. And now, he has found a way to have his revenge. He has a plan to stop Christmas. Forever! The girls and boys of planet earth will never again have Christmas.'

An uproar of barking, yipping and growling filled the air until Rex, the biggest and oldest dog on the Council, rose up and barked for silence. Once again, Miss Merrie spoke. 'We believe that we must once again go to planet earth and help the people. We have a plan.' ”

A Reader's Reaction 

 …While I’m well out of the 4-12 year old range I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. The book brought me back to my youth, a time when it seemed my imagination was endless, something that gets lost in adulthood. The holidays are right around the corner and Snow Valley Heroes would make a great stocking stuffer!
Horst Hoefinger, author of Bad To The Bone, Memoir of a Doggie Blogger, reviewing for Dogster. 

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We have free reader copies of all the books in the Planet Of The Dogs series for therapy dog organizations, individual therapy dog owners, librarians, teachers and independent bookstores. Email us with a postal address to [email protected] and we will send you the books. 

To read sample chapters of any book in the series, visit PlanetOfTheDogs 

The Planet Of The Dogs series (including Castle In The Mist and Snow Valley Heroes, A Christmas Tale) is available from many Internet sources and through independent bookstores of all sizes. 

The illustration from Snow Valley Heroes is by Stella Mustanoja McCarty

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“Don’t accept your dog’s admiration as conclusive evidence that you are wonderful.”   Anne Landers

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