Books
Deciphering The Cat in The Cat, ed 2
13/07/24 13:40
The long awaited publication of the 2nd edition of The Cat, Clinical Medicine and Management, just arrived by UPS yesterday. It weighs around 8 lbs and is pretty heavy. My chapter as in the 1st edition is Chapter 3 - Deciphering the Cat, Physical Exam and Medical History. It is thrilling to see this since it was written to be submitted in early 2015 and the prior edition was published in 2012. Here are images showing the book & chapter.
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The Brothers Grimm
23/07/23 08:33
Information about the Brothers Grimm and their tales from the internet:
| The cultural impact of the Brothers Grimm fairy tales, originally published in 1812 as “ |
A Storybook Land of Oz
13/06/23 08:54
In May, we took an 11 day trip to South Dakota and back through Yellowstone National Park. While in Aberdeen, SD where we visited David, Renee, Nicolas, Ryan, and Jesse, Ryan had his birthday party at Storybook Land where the theme is of The Wizard of Oz. The story was written by L. Frank Baum who lived in Aberdeen and owned a store there in the late 1800s.
Here is some background about The Wizard of Oz:
The Wizard of Oz — L. Frank Baum’s book and the beloved 1939 film it inspired — is a quintessentially American fairy tale. It features the hallmarks of a Brothers Grimm story, with a young adventurous child bumping into wizards, witches, and talking animals. Yet it transports these classic conventions to scenes of middle America, a place of scarecrows, prairies, and hot air balloons. All of this imagery is neatly wrapped into a reflection on the American dream, or the idea that brains, heart, and courage — combined with hard work — can help you reach what you desire. Even when that desire is simply to go back home.
Here is some background about The Wizard of Oz:
The Wizard of Oz — L. Frank Baum’s book and the beloved 1939 film it inspired — is a quintessentially American fairy tale. It features the hallmarks of a Brothers Grimm story, with a young adventurous child bumping into wizards, witches, and talking animals. Yet it transports these classic conventions to scenes of middle America, a place of scarecrows, prairies, and hot air balloons. All of this imagery is neatly wrapped into a reflection on the American dream, or the idea that brains, heart, and courage — combined with hard work — can help you reach what you desire. Even when that desire is simply to go back home.
Dracula Beckons with Halloween
04/10/22 10:10
Halloween is coming! The last and latest Halloween movie will be out on the 14th.
But let's start with the novel, Dracula, written by Bram Stoker.
Here are some facts found in a recent fact of the day email.
But let's start with the novel, Dracula, written by Bram Stoker.
Here are some facts found in a recent fact of the day email.
| "If you know anything about Transylvania, it’s probably that Dracula calls it home. Yet the author of Dracula, Irish writer Bram Stoker, never even visited Romania’s spookiest region. The town of Whitby, England — home to a 13th-century monastery called Whitby Abbey, which is surrounded by gravestones and has been in ruins for hundreds of years — was actually the most direct influence on the setting of the 1897 vampire novel. Stoker spent four weeks in Whitby between July and August of 1890, a visit that helped inspire his depiction of Dracula’s lair." There have been 272+ depictions of Dracula in film. Largest number of any character. It took Bram Stoker 7 years to write the novel; he wrote 11 other novels beyond Dracula. |
Charles Dickens Bio
26/07/20 08:24
I have always been a Charles Dickens fan as an author. In high school, we had to pick an author to read three of their books and then write a report. I initially picked Ernest Hemingway. This did not go over well since for some reason Hemingway and I were not simpatico. My grades in advanced English class were not doing well. I asked to switch authors and given the OK, I went with Dickens. This is where I also became a lifelong fan of A Tale of Two Cities.
It appears that based on Dickens life, he was a troubled man or trouble seemed to intrude. This article gives a synopsis of what they see as questions about his lifestyle and choices. His writings likely demonstrated much of his what was occurring. Enjoy the read and maybe we can avoid bringing on such troubles in our lives.
"The Mystery of Charles Dickens is a biography ready to take risks. Wading away from the shore – where the crowd laughs at comic turns and weeps at the pathos of orphans – AN Wilson takes six deep-sea dives in search of the monsters of the lower waters. He is after the darker things Dickens could conceive, and the question is how much of Dickens himself went into what appear distorted fantasy creatures moving about in the murk and preparing to injure others."\
It appears that based on Dickens life, he was a troubled man or trouble seemed to intrude. This article gives a synopsis of what they see as questions about his lifestyle and choices. His writings likely demonstrated much of his what was occurring. Enjoy the read and maybe we can avoid bringing on such troubles in our lives.
"The Mystery of Charles Dickens is a biography ready to take risks. Wading away from the shore – where the crowd laughs at comic turns and weeps at the pathos of orphans – AN Wilson takes six deep-sea dives in search of the monsters of the lower waters. He is after the darker things Dickens could conceive, and the question is how much of Dickens himself went into what appear distorted fantasy creatures moving about in the murk and preparing to injure others."\
Iconic Book Quotes
11/07/20 08:04
I came across this linked article about the 100 most iconic book quotes. I love books and it is interesting to see a list that people come up with. In addition, one can use such a list to find a quote that fits where needed. One such quote is a favorite of "A Tale of Two Cities" which to me seems to fit these turbulent times where so many people act like Jacobins with too many female Madame Defarges present. The list is here, the one quote is -
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.” — Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.” — Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities
Kipling and the first World War
24/05/20 07:07
Rudyard Kipling is a famous figure in English Literature and part of English history and culture during the early 20th Century. He gave an ultimate sacrifice with the loss of his son in the Battle of Loos during World War I. So many gave the ultimate and in so many ways, unnecessarily.
Kipling and his wife went after the war to visit the battlefield hoping to find their son's body or to hear more of the story around his death. It is hard to say if they got comfort by doing this.
Here is an article about this and how this episode relates to the current pandemic.
Kipling and his wife went after the war to visit the battlefield hoping to find their son's body or to hear more of the story around his death. It is hard to say if they got comfort by doing this.
Here is an article about this and how this episode relates to the current pandemic.
