Stunning colour film from the 1920’s

It’s not often that there is anything these days that brings a smile, but in a search of things interesting and cool (thanks in part to my daily dose of DRB) I saw this link and had to click it.  Titled Stunning colour film of 1920s London, it presents a short film on the sights of London.  Sadly there was no sound that came with it, but it is in full colour.

From the original site:

Claude Friese-Greene was the son of pioneering cinematographer William Friese-Greene, and devoted himself to developing commercially his father’s colour process – Biocolour – but without great success. It was soon overtaken by Technicolor and Claude abandoned the process. His role as a pioneer of colour film has now been recognised.

The footage is part of London’s Screen Archives and the British Film Archive.

This film was amazing, and one that should be treasured not only for the picturesque beauty, but also for the innovation of the time.

 

Sask Books: This Is The Nightmare

“This is the Nightmare”

By Adrienne Gruber

Published by Thistledown Press

Reviewed by Carrie Prefontaine

$12.95 ISBN 978-1-897235-52-2

Adrienne Gruber’s “This is the Nightmare” is a collection of deeply reflective poems that will appeal to anyone seeking to understand the complexities of love and language.

“I don’t pick up foreign languages well,” the poet laments in “Dead Language,” and this is a theme carried throughout “Limbo,” the first section of the volume. In these poems, language is most meaningful when it manifests through the physical. In “How I Find You,” for example, emotional pain is written vividly all over the subject’s face.

The poems in section two, “This is the Nightmare” explore grief, carrying forward the complex search for connection, sense of self, and meaningful language. The poems in this section are steeped in loss: for lost loves, for missed opportunities, and for failed attempts at understanding one another. Gruber’s vivid lyricism makes each poem a heart punch.

The deep sense of mourning also shrouds the poems in the third and final section, “Why I Can’t Let Anything Go.” The poetry in this section explores the most familiar and intimate and yet most difficult to navigate bonds: those of family.

“This is The Nightmare” explores the illusions we hold about those we love, or would like to love, or have loved and lost. The fresh and crystalline imagery calls into question the effectiveness of language to convey what we really mean, while simultaneously affirming the power of words in the hands of a skilled wordsmith. Above all else, and without becoming pretentious, the poems offer a new perspective on the nature of our relationships with ourselves and with each other.

This book is available at your local bookstore, or visit www.skbooks.com.

 

Sask Books: A Terrible Roar of Water

“A Terrible Roar of Water”

by Penny Draper

Published by Coteau Books

Review by Karen Lawson

$8.95 ISBN 978-1-55050-414-9

Penny Draper once again hits the mark with her latest young adult novel in the /Disaster Strikes Series/. This exciting story is set in a remote fishing village in Newfoundland and focuses on the tsunami that hit there on November 18, 1929.

Draper is a gifted writer who understands how to combine historical facts and fiction. It is obvious that she conducts a great deal of in-depth research in order to maintain historical accuracy in her book. Draper weaves a page turner of a story that merges fictional characters and authentic historical facts. She also explores the culture and traditions of a fishing village to show what life was like at that time.

The hero of her tale is Murphy, a twelve year old boy who loves the sea and the life of a fisherman. He lives in a small outport with his aunt, uncle, and cousins. The life of a fisherman is full of struggle and danger but Murphy embraces it with passionate enthusiasm.

Murphy’s life is turned upside down in a matter of minutes one night when his community is demolished by a disaster called a tsunami tidal wave. Homes and buildings are literally torn apart and washed out to sea. Murphy is put to the test and is part of a rescue team that does its best to save as many people as possible. He is forced to grow up fast and live up to the meaning of his name which is “sea warrior”. His love for the sea has been challenged but in his heart he knows that he will do whatever it takes to help rebuild and restore the community after the devastating events of that night. His deep attachment to the sea never falters and he is more determined than ever to become a fisherman.

This book is not only a great adventure story but is also a valuable teaching tool.

This book is available at your local bookstore or online at www.skbooks.com