question
stringlengths 18
1.2k
| facts
stringlengths 44
500k
| answer
stringlengths 1
147
|
|---|---|---|
In which European city was Crimean War nurse Florence Nightingale born? | Florence Nightingale biography | birthday, trivia | Italian Activist | Who2
Florence Nightingale Biography
Nurse
Florence Nightingale earned the nickname “The Lady With the Lamp” for her tireless nursing of British soldiers during the Crimean War. Nightingale was born to wealthy English parents and proved to be a quick-witted and independent child. In 1837 she felt she heard a call from God, though the nature of the calling was unclear. She became interested in nursing and, despite opposition from her parents, trained as a nurse and began work in a London clinic. When the Crimean War broke out in 1854, she led a group of three dozen nurses to Constantinople to serve in British military hospitals there. (This was controversial: female nurses had not served in such wartime field hospitals before.) No shrinking violet, she cajoled army officials to change terrible conditions in the hospitals, thus earning the gratitude of soldiers and a measure of public fame. When the war ended in 1856 she returned to London and continued her reform campaign there. Her outspoken Notes on Matters Affecting the Health, Efficiency and Hospital Administration of the British Army (1857) and Notes on Hospitals (1859) helped create changes in hygiene and overall treatment of patients. She also founded the groundbreaking Nightingale Training School for nurses, and in later years published dozens of books and pamphlets on public health. Nightingale was awarded the Royal Red Cross by Queen Victoria in 1883, and in 1907 became the first woman to receive the Order of Merit.
Extra credit
According to the Florence Nightingale Museum, her parents were so wealthy they “toured Europe for two years on their honeymoon”… Nightingale was named for Florence, Italy, the city of her birth… Her older sister was born in Naples in 1819, and was given that city’s ancient name of Parthenope… Florence Nightingale never married… She is often compared to Civil War nurse Clara Barton … Nightingale was played by actress Anna Neagle in the 1951 film The Lady With a Lamp.
| Florence |
The St John’s River is the longest river in which US state? | Florence Nightingale - Women’s History - HISTORY.com
Florence Nightingale
A+E Networks
Introduction
Florence Nightingale was born in Florence, Italy on May 12, 1820. During the Crimean War, she and a team of nurses improved the unsanitary conditions at a British base hospital, reducing the death count by two-thirds. Her writings sparked worldwide health care reform. In 1860 she established St. Thomas’ Hospital and the Nightingale Training School for Nurses. She died August 13, 1910, in London.
Google
Early Life
Florence Nightingale was born on May 12, 1820, in Florence, Italy. She was the younger of two children. Nightingale’s affluent British family belonged to elite social circles. Her mother, Frances Nightingale, hailed from a family of merchants and took pride in socializing with people of prominent social standing. Despite her mother’s interest in social climbing, Florence herself was reportedly awkward in social situations. She preferred to avoid being the center of attention whenever possible. Strong-willed, Florence often butted heads with her mother, whom she viewed as overly controlling. Still, like many daughters, she was eager to please her mother. “I think I am got something more good-natured and complying,” Florence wrote in her own defense, concerning the mother-daughter relationship.
Florence’s father was William Shore Nightingale, a wealthy landowner who had inherited two estates—one at Lea Hurst, Derbyshire, and the other in Hampshire, Embley Park—when Florence was five years old. Florence was raised on the family estate at Lea Hurst, where her father provided her with a classical education, including studies in German, French and Italian.
From a very young age, Florence Nightingale was active in philanthropy, ministering to the ill and poor people in the village neighboring her family’s estate. By the time she was 16 years old, it was clear to her that nursing was her calling. She believed it to be her divine purpose.
When Nightingale approached her parents and told them about her ambitions to become a nurse, they were not pleased. In fact, her parents forbade her to pursue nursing. During the Victorian Era, a young lady of Nightingale’s social stature was expected to marry a man of means—not take up a job that was viewed as lowly menial labor by the upper social classes. When Nightingale was 17 years old, she refused a marriage proposal from a “suitable” gentleman, Richard Monckton Milnes. Nightingale explained her reason for turning him down, saying that while he stimulated her intellectually and romantically, her “moral…active nature…requires satisfaction, and that would not find it in this life.” Determined to pursue her true calling despite her parents’ objections, in 1844, Nightingale enrolled as a nursing student at the Lutheran Hospital of Pastor Fliedner in Kaiserwerth, Germany.
Career
In the early 1850s, Nightingale returned to London, where she took a nursing job in a Middlesex hospital for ailing governesses. Her performance there so impressed her employer that Nightingale was promoted to superintendant within just a year of being hired. The position proved challenging as Nightingale grappled with a cholera outbreak and unsanitary conditions conducive to the rapid spread of the disease. Nightingale made it her mission to improve hygiene practices, significantly lowering the death rate at the hospital in the process. The hard work took a toll on her health. She had just barely recovered when the biggest challenge of her nursing career presented itself.
In October of 1853, the Crimean War broke out. The British Empire was at war against the Russian Empire for control of the Ottoman Empire. Thousands of British soldiers were sent to the Black Sea, where supplies quickly dwindled. By 1854, no fewer than 18,000 soldiers had been admitted into military hospitals.
At the time, there were no female nurses stationed at hospitals in the Crimea. The poor reputation of past female nurses had led the war office to avoid hiring more. But, after the Battle of Alma, England was in an uproar about the neglect of their ill and injured soldiers, who not only lacked sufficient medical attention due to hospitals being horribly understaffed, but also languished in appallingly unsanitary and inhumane conditions.
In late 1854, Nightingale received a letter from Secretary of War Sidney Herbert, asking her to organize a corps of nurses to tend to the sick and fallen soldiers in the Crimea. Nightingale rose to her calling. She quickly assembled a team of 34 nurses from a variety of religious orders, and sailed with them to the Crimea just a few days later.
Although they had been warned of the horrid conditions there, nothing could have prepared Nightingale and her nurses for what they saw when they arrived at Scutari, the British base hospital in Constantinople. The hospital sat on top of a large cesspool, which contaminated the water and the hospital building itself. Patients lay on in their own excrement on stretchers strewn throughout the hallways. Rodents and bugs scurried past them. The most basic supplies, such as bandages and soap, grew increasingly scarce as the number of ill and wounded steadily increased. Even water needed to be rationed. More soldiers were dying from infectious diseases like typhoid and cholera than from injuries incurred in battle.
The no-nonsense Nightingale quickly set to work. She procured hundreds of scrub brushes and asked the least infirm patients to scrub the inside of the hospital from floor to ceiling. Nightingale herself spent every waking minute caring for the soldiers. In the evenings she moved through the dark hallways carrying a lamp while making her rounds, ministering to patient after patient. The soldiers, who were both moved and comforted by her endless supply of compassion, took to calling her “the Lady with the Lamp.” Others simply called her “the Angel of the Crimea.” Her work reduced the hospital’s death rate by two-thirds.
In additional to vastly improving the sanitary conditions of the hospital, Nightingale created a number of patient services that contributed to improving the quality of their hospital stay. She instituted the creation of an “invalid’s kitchen” where appealing food for patients with special dietary requirements was cooked. She established a laundry so that patients would have clean linens. She also instituted a classroom and a library, for patients’ intellectual stimulation and entertainment. Based on her observations in the Crimea, Nightingale wrote Notes on Matters Affecting the Health, Efficiency and Hospital Administration of the British Army, an 830-page report analyzing her experience and proposing reforms for other military hospitals operating under poor conditions. The book would spark a total restructuring of the War Office’s administrative department, including the establishment of a Royal Commission for the Health of the Army in 1857.
Nightingale remained at Scutari for a year and a half. She left in the summer of 1856, once the Crimean conflict was resolved, and returned to her childhood home at Lea Hurst. To her surprise she was met with a hero’s welcome, which the humble nurse did her best to avoid. The Queen rewarded Nightingale’s work by presenting her with an engraved brooch that came to be known as the “Nightingale Jewel” and by granting her a prize of $250,000 from the British government.
Nightingale decided to use the money to further her cause. In 1860, she funded the establishment of St. Thomas’ Hospital, and within it, the Nightingale Training School for Nurses. Nightingale became a figure of public admiration. Poems, songs and plays were written and dedicated in the heroine’s honor. Young women aspired to be like her. Eager to follow her example, even women from the wealthy upper classes started enrolling at the training school. Thanks to Nightingale, nursing was no longer frowned upon by the upper classes; it had, in fact, come to be viewed as an honorable vocation.
Later Life
While at Scutari, Nightingale had contracted “Crimean fever” and would never fully recover. By the time she was 38 years old, she was homebound and bedridden, and would be so for the remainder of her life. Fiercely determined, and dedicated as ever to improving health care and alleviating patients’ suffering, Nightingale continued her work from her bed.
Residing in Mayfair, she remained an authority and advocate of health care reform, interviewing politicians and welcoming distinguished visitors from her bed. In 1859, she published Notes on Hospitals, which focused on how to properly run civilian hospitals.
Throughout the U.S. Civil War, she was frequently consulted about how to best manage field hospitals. Nightingale also served as an authority on public sanitation issues in India for both the military and civilians, although she had never been to India herself.
In 1908, at the age of 88, she was conferred the merit of honor by King Edward. In May of 1910, she received a congratulatory message from King George on her 90th birthday.
Death and Legacy
In August 1910, Florence Nightingale fell ill, but seemed to recover and was reportedly in good spirits. A week later, on the evening of Friday, August 12, 1910, she developed an array of troubling symptoms. She died unexpectedly at 2 pm the following day, Saturday, August 13, at her home in London.
Characteristically, she had expressed the desire that her funeral be a quiet and modest affair, despite the public’s desire to honor Nightingale—who tirelessly devoted her life to preventing disease and ensuring safe and compassionate treatment for the poor and the suffering. Respecting her last wishes, her relatives turned down a national funeral. The “Lady with the Lamp” was laid to rest in a family plot at Westminster Abbey.
The Florence Nightingale Museum, which sits at the site of the original Nightingale Training School for Nurses, houses more than 2,000 artifacts commemorating the life and career of the “Angel of the Crimea.” To this day, Florence Nightingale is broadly acknowledged and revered as the pioneer of modern nursing.
Biography courtesty of Bio.com
| i don't know |
Sir Edward Burgh was the first husband of which wife of English monarch King Henry VIII? | Lord Of Gainsborough Edward Burgh (c.1508 - 1533) - Genealogy
Lord Of Gainsborough Edward Burgh
Birthdate:
Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, England, United Kingdom
Death:
in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, England, United Kingdom
Immediate Family:
Thomas Burgh, Agnes Burgh (born Tyrwhitt)
Siblings:
Circa Apr 1533 - Gainsborough, Lincs
Partner:
Circa Apr 1533 - Gainsborough, Lincs
Parents:
Thomas Burgh, Agnes Burgh (born Tyrwhitt)
Siblings:
...h, 2nd Baron Burgh Of Gainsborough, De Jure 5th Baron Strabolgi And 7th Baron Cobham Of Sterborough, Henry Burgh, Thomas Burgh, Margaret ...
Thomas Burgh, 1st Baron Burgh (Borough), Agnes Burgh (Borough) (born Tyrwhitt)
Siblings:
...mas Burgh, Dorothy Burgh, Anne Burgh, Eleanor Musgrave (Croftes) (born Burgh), Elizabeth Burgh, John Burgh, Richard Burgh, Margaret Burgh...
Circa 1508 - Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, England, United Kingdom
Death:
1533 - Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, England, United Kingdom
Wife:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_Edward_Burgh
Sir Edward Burgh (pronounced as Borough) (d. before April 1533) was the eldest son and heir to Sir Thomas Burgh, 1st Baron Burgh and his wife Agnes Tyrwhit. He is known for being the first husband of Catherine Parr, later Queen consort to King Henry VIII. 18th-century historians have mistaken him for his grandfather, the elderly, Sir Edward Burgh, 2nd Baron Burgh of Gainsborough.
| Catherine Parr |
Nancy Astley and Kitty Butler are the main characters in which historical novel by Sarah Waters? | Henry VIII | for shame!
Posted: May 27, 2011 | Author: lbar216 | Filed under: Theme Week | Tags: Anne Bassett , Bessie Blount , Catherine Willoughby , Elizabeth Carew , Extramarital affairs , Henry VIII , Jane Popincourt , Mary Boleyn , Sex | Leave a comment
Well, folks, this is the last you’ll hear of Henry from us.* That’s right. It’s our final post of what has been our most popular week of scandal-blogging ever! So before we get down to business , thanks for all of the love this week. We really appreciate it.
The story of H.8 is not complete without a brief discussion of his extramarital affairs. Because what is a king without a couple of slutty mistresses and a few royal bastards, AM I RIGHT?! So far we’ve discussed Henry’s 6 wives and those story are jam-packed with inappropriateness and those relationships were church-approved! So imagine what kind of historical shenanigans we’re talking about when the lays weren’t even kosher. We’re not going to cover all of the porker’s affairs, mostly just the ones with wiki pages, as per usual. Enjoy.
This is a Louis Vuiton bag called the “Popincourt.” It’s very french.
Jane Popincourt, similar to Mary Boleyn, liked to dabble in ding-dongs on both sides of the channel. She was a highly respected and well-educated royal tutor employed by Henry VII and later Henry VIII to wear low-cut bodices and teach the princesses Mary and Margaret (H8’s sisters) to speak and write Francais. During a battle in 1513 between the English and the French, the English captured a bunch of French nobles including the Duke of Longueville. He was around court for a while, negotiating the marriage of Princess Mary to the King of France (who Mary Boleyn was probably boning at the time — did I do that math right?) Probably pretty excited to have a young French guy around who she could speak with in her native tongue (and do other things with using her tongue), she started an affair with the duke and sort of kind of killed any chances she had of getting married. That’s probably why in 1514 after the Duke had returned to the homeland, it was NBD when Henry VIII was like, “Hey, come teach me how to French Kiss,” she was like, “All right. Whatevs.” So she had a brief affair with Henry in 1514, but she really wanted to go home. So somebody pulled some strings and got her assigned to be a maid of honor to Princess Mary who was going to become the Queen of France. But the king saw her name on the list, stood up, threw his beret on the floor and was like, “That slut?! No fucking way.” She didn’t get to go back to France until 1516 at which point most people think that she and the duke rekindled their love-flame. LHB
Listen, there are no contemporary portraits of our Bessie Blount. THIS Bessie Blount was a medical reformer who invented all kinds of useful shit for handicapped people. Same difference.
After he gave ol’ Jane the heave-HO (see what I did?!?), Henry started banging Bessie Blount. And he didn’t stop for EIGHT YEARS. Well I mean he probably stopped for meals and to sleep, but these two were pretty much going at it all the time. Bessie was one of Katherine of Aragon’s ladies in waiting, further proving that although she was beautiful and holy and lovely, Katherine was really a dumb bitch when it came to choosing her maids . Bessie was a certified hottie and she was discreet. Now I’m no Jamie Escalante , but let’s do a little math. If we’ve learned anything this week, it’s that physical attractiveness + the mental capacity to know when to keep your mouth fucking shut = Henry’s ideal slampiece. And in 1519, she bore him a son named Henry FitzRoy, proving that the king’s love juice could indeed produce a li’l man baby. And that subsequently, something had to be terribly wrong with Katherine of Aragon and/or her uterus. Little illegitimate Henry was the only bastard child that the King publicly recognized. And he had a LOT of those. Soon after she gave birth though, Henry came in chewing on his blue bubblegum cigar and said, “Thanks for the times, bitch, but we’re done here,” and then he went and found Mary Boleyn (see below) and the rest is 100% factual history . Bessie Blount wasultimately Henry’s longest-tenured strumpet – eight years was a long fucking time for him. Longer than most of his marriages. She was also probably the most well-known; there was a popular saying “Bless ‘ee, Bessie Blount,” following Henry FitzRoy’s birth, because people were so pleased that she proved the King could father a son. Further demonstrating that poor Katherine of Aragon was really getting shit on for a long, long time. MRG
Elizabeth Carew was either banging Henry or his BFF Charles Brandon or both in 1514. It was really a prolific year for royal fornication. She was a pal of Bessie Blount’s, which is probably why her relationship with Henry didn’t last all that long. And her brother was that terrifying man with the eyepatch on The Tudors who killed a lot of people and whose nickname was “The Vicar of Hell,” Sir Francis Bryan. She knew Henry because she and her husband were part of the King’s inner circle for a long, long time. Although there’s no concrete evidence that they had an affair, he did give her a lot of land and “beautiful diamonds and pearls and innumerable jewels.” I mean yeah, it’s not evidence per se, but this guy wasn’t into that “it’s better to give than to receive” bullshit. He was definitely receiving something. Probably fellatio. MRG
ScarJo is hotter.
Mary Boleyn is the subject of a super famous book which we’ve mentioned as least 4 times in this blog. She was Anne Boleyn’s older, more attractive and way sluttier sister. While being “educated” in France, she had an affair with the king (of France) who called her “the English Mare” (charming). When her family found out, they were like, “Ha ha. I don’t think so.” And shipped her ass to England faster than you can say “Ignorant Slut” and married her off to a courtier named William Carey. The guest of honor at their wedding was none other than the King (of England). I imagine that Henry and Mary eye-fucked through the whole ceremony/reception because shortly after, Mary was conveniently appointed a maid of honor to Katherine of Aragon, which required her presence at court. Coming out of his bang-fest with Bessie Blount, Henry started a 5-year-long affair with Mary that probably resulted in two offspring. Both kids had red hair, is all I’m saying. After her sister married her former lover (BURN), Mary met a man named William Stafford who was a commoner, one of Henry’s soldiers – not a stable-boy as Phillipa Gregory would have us believe. But they really did marry in secret, get pregnant, and then get themselves banished from court. They lived off by themselves in the countryside and had 2 kids together. All of Mary’s children ended up being influential players in the court of her niece, Queen Elizabeth I. Aside from being the sluttiest maid of “honor” on both sides of the English channel, bitch did pretty well for herself. She had affairs with two of the most powerful men in the world, she was the sister of the Queen, and after everything was said and done, she ended up married to the love of her life. Well done, Mary. But you’re still not as cool as your sister. LHB
Anne was probably as young and adorable as this BASSET hound puppy.
Another of our wild explorers into the sexual jungle of the Tudor court was Anne Bassett, born to a noble family in 1521, she was pretty damn young when Henry first took interest in 1538. See Anne’s mom had been a persistent bitch and got her daughter a place in Jane Seymour’s court after seeing a shitload of quail as a gift. I kid you not, but then again, I’d swap some game bird for the possibility of my daughter becoming the next queen of England any day . She entered the foray right as Jane Seymour was about to go into confinement for her pregnancy. See, during the 16th century, it wasn’t considered kosher for husbands to nail their pregnant wives, since the baby might get messed up, or some science crap like that. Whatever. But Henry was so desperate for a son that he accepted those blue balls for I’m guessing approximately 2 weeks before his eye began to wander. Thus, Anne and her sweet barely-legal ass show up at a particularly opportune time for on the sly bangin’. She was a particularly notable mistress for ol’ Henry, considering that lots of his bros though they were in fact married in 1540 and 1542. Now if you’ve convinced the court that you’re the wife of the king, but are in fact only his biddy on the side, what does that say about you, Anne Bassett? That you were kind of a dumb bitch who could seize a joystick but not the day? God, what did you mother send all those quail for?? You had him right in the palm of your sticky little hand (IFYAKNOWWHATIMSAYINYEAHYADO), and you gave it up to some she-male from the continent?? It was a case put up or shut up with Anne Bassett, and seems like all she could do was put out. JAF
No homo, I love this Holbein sketch of Catherine.
And finally, Catherine Willoughby, fourth wife of Charles Brandon, Henry’s bff, and bff to Catherine Parr, Henry’s sixth wife. Convoluted friendcest is the way we like it. Now, I’m just putting it our there right now, that even thought it’s been purported that Henry was spreading mad rumors about how he was gonna bag Catherine for his seventh wife, I legitimately doubt they ever had a physical relationship, considering many things including the afore mentioned social/marital ties, and the fact that Henry was about as capable of being a husband to the 20something Catherine as a beluga whale is to a housecat . They only ever met in the last years of his life, and I’m also betting that neither Brandon nor Parr were gonna stand for that shit. He may be king, but it was starting to get a little Grey Garden up in there, and Henry going about like it was the last days of Rome, so it very may well have been a waiting game until he died. Catherine Parr was certainly smart enough to not do anything at that point which would get her killed, and by all accounts Catherine Willoughby was not particularity enticed by whatever advances Henry made, considering he probably smelled real bad. The two Catherine remained good friends (Willoughby even took in Parr’s daughter after she was orphaned) and probably gossiped and giggled about how absolutely silly Henry was being as they painted their nails and watched Real Housewives. So no scandal here peeps, sorry! It must have mightily pissed Henry off, but he simply could not lay those bloated sausage fingers on this final slampiece. Oh well, you win some (approximately a bazillion), you lose some (approximately one). JAF
And so our week of Henry VIII has come to an end, and no one is more disappointed than us, because as you can probably tell from the lengthiness of the posts this week, we have very real and totally sincere boners for this renaissance king. Yeah, maybe he was sort of crazy and had a bit of a temper. But you could also just say that he was passionate. Right? And isn’t that an important quality in a king? Sure, he sort of bankrupted England, and led them on fruitless campaigns into France that ended in bloodshed, and sacked monasteries, and killed wives. But, doesn’t that just make the whole thing all the more exciting? I think most importantly what we’ve proved this week is that Henry has given us some pretty incredible stories. And you can’t fault him for that.
MRG, JAF, and LHB
*That was probably a lie.
Tell everyone how sexy this blog is:
Posted: May 25, 2011 | Author: freeja03 | Filed under: Theme Week | Tags: 1500s , Anne Boleyn , Catherine Parr , Henry VIII , Jane Seymour , Scandal , Sex | 2 Comments
To say it is an honor to be closing out the legally-legitimate-wives portion of Henry VIII’s Vagtastic Voyage is an understatement. I know LHB and MRG love these bitches like their own belly-fruit, and to be granted the opportunity is on a par emotionally with the time I received a participation certificate for having completed five years of ballet: part gratitude, part pride, part sorrow, part uncontrollable and inexplicable rage.
I may be a little biased because ermine scoop sleeves are TO DIE FOR, but she was a classy bitch.
To tell the truth, Catherine Parr is a real admirable bitch. Ever since I read the Royal Dairies: Elizabeth I at age 10, and she was described as having a real good relationship with young Cate Blanchett , I was sold on the lady. She not only had a great relationship with all of Henry’s children, she had Henry restore Elizabeth and Mary back into succession in 1543, and also took a deep interest in educating Elizabeth and Lady Jane Grey after Henry died. She was level-headed and politically savvy, successfully navigating accusations about her Protestant sympathies in later life, as well was ruling the country as regent while Henry was in France, and tactfully dealing with his erratic temperament brought on by tremendous pain in his last years. But, as is always the case with the chillest honies, she had some real tragic fucking times, a lot of haterz, and 4 husbands who ranked in various places on the dirtbag scale. Bear with me, cause there’s a lot of scandals wrapped into one quadruple-married woman’s life.
Born in 1512, her parents were exceptionally forward thinking, and despite the fact their child had a vagina, decided to educate her extensively. She was most likely the bestest learned of Henry’s wives, even surpassing dearest Anne Boleyn for smarts (also, she never got her head cut off- BOOM, CatherineParrRoasted.) Her dad died when she was but a wee bairn, and was close with her ma, but subsequently had to marry at the age of 17 to the (I’m guessing here) real hot, possibly gay, grandson of a real old dude who Mother Parr couldn’t actually pay a dowry too. Now if I know dem English Renaissances, Sir Edward Burgh the Elder wasn’t gonna take some dowryless little country bumpkin from the north of England (funny accent alert) into the family, even if she was fluent in several languages, widely read and able to play multiple instruments, ’cause talking in some deadass tongue like Latin isn’t going to turn your pansyboy grandson Sir Edward the Younger into a real man (IF YOU CATCH MY DRIFT). Oh yeah, and it’s also possible that Edward 2 had a violent mental illness, which ran in his family and whose afflicted members were all hid up in the attic Jane Eyre style. Great!!
But anyway, in her will, Maud Parr, Catherine’s mom, said she was “indebted” to Sir Thomas, E2’s dad, and E1’s son. To me, that spells bangin’. Certainly conjecture, but how else was Maud going to continue her daughter on the path her ancestors set in motion by marrying successfully and not pissing anyone off at court? THROUGH A GREAT EFFING MARRIAGE, NO MATTER WHAT, THAT’S HOW.
Her first marriage was not happy, successful or long (I know, I know, but I set it up to be so great, right?). Edward was weak and sickly, and his dad was a patriarchal control freak who made his own son live in constant fear of him, and perhaps caused Catherine to not be able to conceive a child due to stress. Catherine wrote to her mom like er’y day, but by 1533, after 3ish years of marriage, all her problems went away when Edward died from being a little bitch. She got a sweetass deal out it though, when her dad-in-law felt mad guilty/wanted her to get out of his life, and gave her the income of three of his estates as a dower. BOOM, CatherineParrRoasted (I’ll stop).
Husband numero 2 was Catherine’s somethingth cousin somethingtimes removed, John Neville. They met because after the Burgh family kicked her out since she was no longer riding their son, Catherine went to live with her cousin’s widow, Catherine Neville. She kicked around the Nevillle estate for like a year, then got hitched with John, who was twice her age (rawrrr), and you know that silver fox made her a lottt happier than poor Edward and his brow-beaten, boy-lovin’, mentally-unstable limp dick. She became Lady Latimer (well la-dee-da), and continued to climb the social ladder (if Edward had stayed alive long enough he would have become Baron, and Baroness outranks Lady, but still, woman is doing good by her own self at this point). A small problem arose however, because despite her second hubby’s good standing in the Pantheon of Assholes that is the English social hierarchy, he sort of kind of was a Catholic. Woops! Probs not the best ring to throw your that into in 16th century Britain there bud. In 1536, two years into that marriage, a mob came to their house and dragged John away. It gets real politically complex at this point, and people’s feelings get hurt. The dilemma arose from the fact that John’s 14 brothers and sisters (shutthefrontdoor) were being real assfucks about money, so John basically relied on the grace of Henry VIII to not get kicked off his estate, and if he was convicted of treason, Catherine and his two children from his first marriage would be up shit creek without a paddle.
Now, Catherine’s a smart bitch, and she’s not gonna sit by and watched her husband waste in prison while she quaked in boots and waited to be next on the chopping block. She got her brother and uncle, who were both close to the king, to fight against the rebellion and convince Henry to bring John back into favor. He survived, but there were several trying years where Catherine acted out Adrian Brody’s Academy Award winning role in 2002’s Holocaust masterpiece, The Pianist (And by that I mean she ran from safe house to safe house, barely surviving, and artfully playing the piano). John was blackmailed by Thomas Cromwell, Henry’s yesman, from 1537 to 1543, and it effectively killed him. She was once again a rich widow, and at the age of 31, she wasn’t exactly the hot new slice on the block, but she had the fatal trait that probably did the most to slay our boy Henry in his final, morbidly obese years: she wasn’t a dumb little shit. Catherine became part of Mary, Henry’s first daughter’s household, and not only caught the eye of Thomas Seymour, Jane Seymour’s scheming pile of horsepoop brother, but also Henry. Hmmmm, who’s she gonna pick???? (also, Henry shipped Seymour’s ass out to Brussels. He wasn’t taking chances with this one.)
I’ve already prior listed her accomplishments as queen, and if I haven’t lost y’all by this point, I’ll be amazed, but throughout this writing process, I’ve been distracted by the lifestyle porn that is It’s Complicated: horrible movie, but I was drawn to it after MRG’s recommendation since I look like Meryl Streep, and she said something way back in Bath about how it would be like looking in a mirror to my more successful, future life. ANYWAY, long story short, Catherine’s tenure was Henry’s last wife was plagued by the fact he was sort of going batshit over everything, including his health, the state of Europe as he had made it in his younger, more virile years (as also, speaking of, his new lack of virility, since he was too fat to even mount a horse without a special crane thing, let alone a lady), and his insane jealousy over whether Catherine was cheating on him (either with dudes, or with the Church, your pick). She managed to assuage his fears on both points though, and by all accounts they seemed to have had a lively and intellectual marriage. Probably since he couldn’t really continue in the ways of secular flesh, but hey, I’m betting she was cool with that.
Henry circa 1540. I mean, it could be a loooooot worse.
After he died in 1547 and less than four years of marriage, Catherine got a boatload of money (this seemed to have happened a lot), had a few altercations with some hobag, the Duchess of Somerset about jewels and titles and crap, but mostly seemed like she could have cared less, and promptly went on to marry Thomas Seymour. Now you may go ‘Awwww, that’s so GD sweet! They really did love each other, and he waited for her! AWWWWWWW!!!!’ Wrong, shut up, let me finish.
They married in secret because it was like 6 months after Henry croaked and that’s kind of considered insensitively soon for a dowager queen—like ‘big slutty-slut’ soon. Eventually everything got uncovered and people were all betrayed and shit, including the new King Edward, and his sis, Mary, who forbid Ebeth from talking to Catherine, even though they were toight like toigers. Also, Seymour wasn’t helping too much by making a big deal out of this and begging everyone he could think of for help. Tasteless, Tom, tasteless.
Catherine dusted off that shoulder though, and did what she always did , which was be a strong black woman and figure things out on her own. She promised Elizabeth and her cousin Jane Grey education, so they lived with her for a while and got in good BUT, then fucking Thomas has to get all ‘obsessed’ with Elizabeth and kind of sort of try to rape her a bunch, so Catherine sent her away. At this point she was pregnant with her first child, so she couldn’t really kick Thomas’ ass to the curb (though I bet she would have). In August, 1548, she had her baby and named it Mary, after Mary Tudor (mayb’s a little desperate there, Cate…), and since she was 36, which was waaaaay past child bearing age at that point, she died six days later. Let’s all have a moment of silence for this great lady and her 4 unworthy husbands.
Good? Good.
Thomas Seymour. A real fucking catch.
So Thomas continued to be a douchenozzle and was beheaded for treason less than a year later, probably because Catherine wasn’t there to keep his ass in line. Catherine’s daughter was taken into custody by Catherine’s biffle, the Duchess of Suffolk, but then she drops off the map and probably died. WHY IS THIS SHIT SO SAD??
So that was long, sorry bros. I feel as though I do not need to feel as though I should have a conclusion. You guys are smart, you know how sicknasty this bitch was. No, she wasn’t Henry’s number one lay, but neither was he for her. Yeah, she wanted social advancement, but no she wasn’t willing to sacrifice her dignity and backstab her way to the top. She was savvy, streetsmart, and some other ‘s’ word. She is the way Henry Week: Wives Portion should be concluded: with the greatest .
JAF
Full disclosure: I had a few margaritas tonight. So this should be interesting.
Creepy Catherine Howard doll.
Catherine Howard (wife numero fivo) is unofficially considered by historians to be the consort with lowest IQ. Here’s why:
She might have had an affair with one of H8’s “favourites” during their year-long marriage.
The guy she had an affair with was her cousin. I know it’s normal for the time. But EW.
While at finishing school, she slept with at least 2 men (and probably more and maybe a couple of girls).
She trusted corrupt, shady and borderline cray-cray people to help her with love-affair-related activities.
She got caught.
(SPOILER ALERT) She got her head chopped off.
Here are the reasons why Henry should have fucking known what was coming to him:
Catherine was Anne Boleyn’s goddam 1st cousin.
She was really fucking good at giving head and Henry, like a doofus, was like, “WOW!! I wonder how my virginal new wife is so good at blowing me especially when she’s never seen a ding-dong before.” (Like I said. Doofus.)
When they met, she was sixteen and he was forty fucking nine. (MATH LESSON: 49-16= WAY TOO FUCKING BIG OF AN AGE DIFFERENCE, PEOPLE.)
"When it cannot be prevented, sex should be practised in total darkness."
But listen. As I gathered from reading Starkey , girlfriend has sort of been misrepresented in historical accounts of the period. Mainly because her reign was first interpreted and written about during England’s strictly moralist Victorian era where any talk of sex was immediately poo-pooed. Since a big part of Catherine’s story (let’s be honest-all of it) has to do with her fondness for pleasure (who can blame her!), Victorian historians weren’t big fans of her’s. But we’re past that now and some historians like Starkey are starting to look at her as a lighthearted bitch who understood sex as something that was fun and awesome but also as a valuable and powerful social tool.
Mandy Moore in "The Princess Diaries." Greatest movie of my adolesence after "Now and Then?" Probably.
I imagine that Catherine Howard was a lot like the Mandy Moore type of girl at your high school. But a little sluttier. You know, some girl who was like really pretty and skinny who got boobs before everybody and was the first girl to get a straightener, and she was really good at school and was all the teachers’ favorite. And you wanted to hate her because she was so fucking popular, but you couldn’t because she was also really nice and awesome. THE POINT IS you would have wanted to be friends with Catherine Howard because I bet she was just like that. She was full of energy, always looking out for her main bitches, always down for a partay. She probably loved doing the Electric Slide. And body shots.
But let’s contextualize shall we? And I’ll pretend like I didn’t just go off for a whole paragraph about how much I want to be BFFs with Mandy Moore/Catherine Howard.
Chesworth House. Where Catherine was educated. And by "educated" I mean "learned how to give handies."
So Catherine’s mommy, Joyce Culpepper (REMEMBER THAT NAME!!) died when she was young, so she grew up without a close female role model who could tell her that boning a bunch of dudes before you marry the king of England is the worst idea ever. She was sent off to finishing school at her step-grandmother, the Dowager Duchess’s house. From the Starkey book, I gather that Chesworth House was a lot like summer camp. Lots of virile young men and women in a confined space where the main events of the evening were (1) figuring out how to get into the girls’ bunk (2) learning how to give handies (3) testing how long you could stay and play without getting caught by the counselors. Since our little minx was related the Duchess, she was the ringleader of all of the mischief and got away with everything.
It was also because of her relationship with the Duchess that she was allowed private music lessons with a guy named Henry Mannox. Now, what about letting your adolescent step-granddaughter who’s already been caught having “midnight banquets” in her dormitory have private lessons with a smoldering hot (probably) music teacher sounds like a good idea to you? None of it. When Catherine got in trouble with King H8 in 1541, Mannox was questioned and it came out that while they never consummated their love affair (which happened when she was like 11 or 12), she had let him touch her vag in the house’s chapel!! Slluuuuut! Mandy would never have done that.
While at Chesworth, she met the household’s secretary, Francis Dareham and the two fell in love. HARD. They entered into a two-year long relationship and precontracted themselves to one another. As in they promised to marry each other which was as good as married in the eyes of the church and meant it was kind of OK that they boned before he put a ring on it. And everyone at Chesworth knew about it (since all the girls slept in the same big room with each other and they were practically having sex in front of a ton of other people on a regular basis) but no one said anything about it once Catherine arrived at court and caught the eye of the King.
I don't blame her.
H8 was not Catherine’s first love at court, however. He was her second. Her first little affair was with a man named Thomas Culpepper. Remember that name? It’s her mom’s maiden name. As in this guy was her cousin. He was really hot, really fun, the king’s favorite man, had a ton of girlfriends all over court – he was the guy version of Catherine, pretty much. So no wonder they were so into each other. They hung out for a while, probably did it a couple of times, and a lot of people (although H8 was apparently oblivious to all of this) thought that they would get married. But then they had a little tiff or something and stopped talking.
Then, she caught Henry’s eye and the rest is history. Or maybe you’re not too familiar so I’ll irreverently summarize, shall I?
She and Henry entered into a whirlwind Romance that was almost assuredly consummated time and time again before they got married. (RED FUCKING FLAG, HENRY!!) But he was blinded by his love for her. And why wouldn’t he be? She was 17 or so and he was almost 50!! She was history’s ultimate trophy wife and Kingy was loooovin’ it as much as a McDonald’s commercial. His friends wrote that he was simply smitten with her. He really believed that after getting rid of his Spanish brother-fucker , all his bad luck with Boleyn , the “tragic” death of Jane , and the unfortunate portrait debacle of Man of Cleves , he had finally found his true Queen.
Spoke too soon, dude, spoke too soon.
Henry and Catherine and the rest of the court went on progress in the summer of 1541. This means that they went on a tour of northern England where they slept in tents (which were pretty much inflatable castles) or in rich people’s houses. These houses were much smaller than the palaces that the court was used to staying at, so it would have been really fucking stupid for the queen to rekindle an affair with her former lover in one of these houses while on progress. But she did.
A real portrait of Catherine Howard. I mean, she's not THAT cute is all I'm saying.
It was during the summer progress of 1541 that she and Culpepper started doing it again with the help of Catherine’s lady-in-waiting, Lady Rochford. Lady Rochford was George Boleyn’s wife. Let’s review:
George Boleyn.
Brother of Anne.
Beheaded for treason, incest, and sodomy.
Don’t you think Lady Rochford/Jane Parker might be a little effed up from all of that and maybe not someone to trust with your top-secret romantic trysts? Yeah. Instead of saying, “Hey Catherine, this is a bad idea,” she was more like, “Pshhhh, he’ll never find out, did you want me to take your handkerchief or something over to Tommy? Maybe a love letter?” Great influence, Lady. A lot of historians think that she might have been, like, certifiably insane and was acting out all of her psycho issues with her own failed marriage on Catherine. It seems likely to me.
This post is getting long so I’ll sum up the end with a list shall I?
Most women who end up at court had been at finishing schools and boned dudes before they got there. But people kept their mouths shut about it because it was NBD.
But some bitch went to Thomas Cranmer, the archbishop of Canterbury, and told him about Catherine’s shady past.
He liked Catherine, but thought that her lack of religious conviction and her (supposedly) papist Howard family were a threat to the English Reformation.
So he told Henry.
Henry was like, “Nawwww! She’d never cheat on me. She’s totally into this!” (And then grabbed his junk. I imagine.) But then he had some people investigate the whole thing anyway, just for safesies.
When it became clear that she was guilty, H8 peaced out of Hampton Court in the middle of the night and Catherine never saw him again. (The legend about Catherine running down the halls of Hampton Court to beg him to believe in her innocence isn’t really true.)
She was convicted of treason, along with Thomas Culpepper and Francis Dareham.
Francis Dereham definitely got the fuzzy end of the lollipop — he was hanged, castrated, drawn, and quartered. OUCH.
Culpepper was beheaded. LUCKY!
After being told she was just going to have to go to a nunnery, Henry changed his mind and decided he wanted her beheaded.
She made a really nice speech and then fucking lost it and started sobbing and saying “I don’t want to die!!” right before she got her head chopped off.
Lady Rochford got the axe right after her lady.
According to the internets, this is what Henry was looking like in 1541. Like I said, I don't blame her.
Moral of the story: What’s tragic is that all Catherine needed to do to survive was keep other guys’ weiners out of her vag bun. But she wasn’t able to do so. And that’s why a lot of people think she was the dumbest of the 6 queens. But I would like to posit that she was very mature for her age and handled her short tenure as queen pretty well, as far as family/diplomacy/being queenly goes.
And as for the whole sleeping with other people thing, let’s not forget that she was also A FUCKING TEENAGER, a Teenage Queen if you will! So who can blame her for wanting to canoodle with a hot little number who was her age? Not me. Sure, it was stupid. She made a big mistake, but ultimately, she was the victim of religious ambitions at court in the midst of the Reformation.
And her pubescent libido.
Posted: May 21, 2011 | Author: mgiac3090 | Filed under: Theme Week | Tags: Anne of Cleves , Butterface , Flanders Mare , Germany , Hans Holbein , Henry VIII | Leave a comment
Okay. It’s Day 4 of Henry VIII Week, and he’s sort of looking like a big ol’ douche. I mean he kicked his first very kind and loving wife out of the palace to die a lonely death because he wanted to bang a smart, sexy hottie who couldn’t give him a male heir and was subsequently and swiftly beheaded, and he concurrently banged a very quiet and nice lady who gave him his heir and then died (probably because he sort of let her die). That was a very long sentence with a lot of adverbs, and I’m sorry if you’re feeling a little overwhelmed. Because like Matt Weiner does every summer Sunday, I’m about to complicate a character REAL fucking hard. And that character is our ever-growing ginger king with an insatiable libido, Henry VIII.
This is how Henry looked in the 1530s. That's what the interweb told me, anyway.
Let’s set the scene. It’s 1537, and sweet Jane Seymour has kicked the bucket, but little Edward VI is doing okay and that’s all Henry can really ask for. And he’s like “Hey, let me take a little break from the whole ‘wife’ thing. I need some ME time. I know, I’m going to get some monasteries and images of saints destroyed, and maybe burn some more Catholics or go golfing with my BFF Charles Brandon or something.” Because I believe that dear JAF might have forgotten to mention that Jane Seymour was VERY sympathetic to the Catholic cause. I mean she was a Protestant in name, but she became close with Mary, Henry’s uber-Catholic eldest daughter and tried to get her more rights in court. She also asked him to pardon the men involved in the Pilgrimage of Grace. What is it about Henry VIII that makes me digress so much? I don’t know. There’s just too many fun facts.
Anyway, Henry spends a couple of years living the single life, burning down beautiful examples of Gothic architecture and banging chambermaids. In 1540, his advisers are thinking that it’s time to get this guy back in the marital saddle. Because if royal history has taught us anything, it’s that one boy-child isn’t enough. You need an heir and a spare. But this time, Henry didn’t have Wife #4 on deck in the palace somewhere. Rest easy, people. His chancellor, Thomas Cromwell, had it all figured out. It was a total PR move. Where’s the most Protestant place in the world? Germany! Who are the most eligible ladies in Deutschland? Anne and Amelia of Cleves, docile young German noblewomen sisters!
So Henry’s not really into the whole wife thing. He’s enjoying his time hunting and burning people. But he knows it’s probably a good idea, so he tells Cromwell to have his favorite court painter, Hans Holbein, go do portraits of the sisters and then bring them back to jolly old England, at which point Henry would make a decision based on their appearance. Much like a fleshy customer at any American chain restaurant where the menus are 80% food porn, 20% words.
I can't joke about this portrait because I love it. Square-facing portraits from this time are really rare. It feels really modern. And I feel like an asshole now.
Hans Holbein – that sounds German, doesn’t it? Yeah, it sure fucking does. Anne and her li’l sis weren’t exactly models . And Hans might have given Anne (Amelia’s portrait disappeared/doesn’t matter in this story) higher cheekbones and lighter hair and a daintier mouth than she actually had. But he was just being a fucking patriot . He wanted some German blood in the English court, so he did what he had to do. Henry was like “Yeah, okay. I can deal with that,” upon seeing the portrait of Anne, and girlfriend was spirited away to the English port of Rochester faster than you can say “blind marriages ALWAYS work out!”
Remember when I said that I was going to complicate the character that we’ve LAID (get it?!) out for Henry? Well forget I said that for this part.
Anne stepped off the boat and Henry said “AW HELL NO.” A seventeenth-century historian later misquoted him as calling Anne a “Flanders mare,” and that name sort of stuck forever. Meaning she looked like a horse. Henry was NOT into it. He felt duped by Hans Holbein. I don’t want to say that he thought she was repulsive, but I mean, he didn’t have sex with her. And this guy would have sex with ANYTHING that had a vagina, soooo. Yeah, apparently she was a butterface. Or a Carson Palmer, as my high school history teacher would say ( nice uniform, ugly helmet ).
Not only that, but Anne was a classy, classy bitch. She was very modest, quiet (mostly because she didn’t speak English), gentle, and docile. Like a sweet lady librarian . Except she didn’t read books all that much. Anyway, what I’m getting at is that she was everything a sixteenth-century noblewoman should be, but she looked a little bit like a man. Man of Cleves.
But Henry went through with the wedding anyway because an alliance with the Germans was a BFD. And to make English Protestantism more legitimate. The two lovebirds got hitched in January 1540, and Anne converted to Anglicanism as expected. They didn’t bone on their wedding night (or ever), and the next day Henry told Cromwell, “I liked her before not well, but now I like her much worse.”
By June, Henry was so over it. Anne was removed from court and told that her husband wanted to reconsider their marriage. And when you’re the King of England, “reconsider” means “get the fuck out of.” So it was annulled on July 6, 1540, on their six-month anniversary. He wanted out, I get it. But couldn’t he have waited one more day? I mean that’s just a douche move.
Here's Hever Castle, the former Boleyn estate. Because who wouldn't want the former home of a bunch of condemned people?
BUT this is where the character complication comes in! Henry fucking SHOWERED her with parting gifts. Like a reverse prenup. She got THREE CASTLES. One of which was the former Boleyn estate. PRECEDENCE OVER EVERY WOMAN IN ENGLAND. Except his future wives and daughters, but still. That’s a nice-ass settlement. She was an honorary member of his family for the rest of her life, and was known as “the King’s Sister.” Which seems a little weird. But she was just very close with Mary, Elizabeth, Edward, and even Henry. So much so that she never returned to Germany. For funsies, let’s compare her fate to say, I don’t know, Anne Boleyn’s:
Anne of Cleves: so many castles, so much land, lifelong court status, precedence over everyone, close relationships with the royal family 4eva.
Anne Boleyn: a French swordsman rather than an English executioner cut her head off.
So as you can see, even though he didn’t want to hit that, Henry really loved Anne of Cleves. And I’m not saying that because he gave her a lot of material shit. I’m saying that because she was the ONLY woman given that much access to his personal life that he wasn’t banging, and she had that access until she died well after he did. I really think that he respected her and just wanted to keep her around. I mean, which of his slampieces were getting this much respect? None. None of them.
I guess when it came to the ladies, Henry VIII either gave his dick or his honor, but never both.
MRG
Posted: May 20, 2011 | Author: freeja03 | Filed under: Theme Week | Tags: 1500s , Anne Boleyn , Edward VI , Henry VIII , Jane Seymour , Scandal , Sex , Tudor | 2 Comments
When first discussing Henry’s Bonetastic Adventure Week with MRG and LHB, I made the mistake of saying Jane Seymour was ‘sort of a pussy.’ This had been bred from many years believing that since Jane had a blipster marriage, and pooped out one weakass manbaby only to die shortly after, she was, well, you know, a pussy. A shitstorm ensued in which both of them said something to the tune of, “Woah woah WOAH, slow down bitch, Jane Seymour was awesome. Plus there’s that actress with her name.” Ok, I can take that, I can look into this more, I can try and do this kingbearing wench some justice.
Jane Seymour: The 'Wild West look' was very in vogue for the Tudor court, except they called it 'New World Futurism for Those of Lesser Economic Standing with a Penchant for Cattle.'
A quick flip through the internets and my Starkey (which everyone should own, ’cause the man writes like academic salaciousness is going out of style… since it was never actually in style) told me that one Jane Seymour was actually quite scandalous in her own right. And now I will educate all you plebs; you with whom I used to keep company, but will now forever deny having connection. Be grateful.
Born most likely in 1508, Jane Seymour was distantly royal, but, more importantly, gifted with a family more misguidedly ambitious than Stalin’s Five Year Plan. She herself was mostly likely not too involved in climbing the ol’ social ladder, but she was certainly along for the ride. Educated in France at the same time, and in the same court as Anne Boleyn, it seems like a bit of a suckerpunch on Jane’s part since she was a lot of the reason Anne had her head chopped off, but hey, business is business. Jane’s sister had married Henry’s backstabbing secretary, Thomas Cromwell, and since pimping his own wife would be a little cheap, why not sneak that sister in instead! Jane was first made a lady-of-honor to Katherine, and then a lady-in-waiting to Anne, and her brothers coached in her in how to attract the king’s attention. Little things like good conversation (“Oh Henry, you’re so smart/funny/well-hung.”), being in the right place at the right time (as in around Henry 24/7), and how to effectively heave a bosom (that one’s self explanatory).
Jane's brohan Edward Seymour. Yeah, he looks legit.
Say you’re Henry: you’ve got yourself a hotass wife, but she’s also crazy jealous as balls, and you sort of pushed your county to the brink of civil war for her, and now she’s not even doing her wifely duty and turning your magic juice into a viable heir! The nerve. So, when you see this nice little honey-dip with child-bearing hips by the name of Jane Seymour, the gears start to turn. Basically right after she was introduced at court in 1532, Henry started trying to seduce her. He supposedly gave her a necklace with his portrait inside, which Anne, as a good den mother to her ladies, took interest in and asked to see. Jane got all shy and shit, and Anne made her hand it over, like a teacher confiscating a dirty magazine disguised in a copy of The Scarlet Letter.
Now Jane was a little mousefuck of a person, and though she was attractive, she wasn’t sex on a stick like her predecessor; a better descriptor is maybe, ‘safe.’ I equate hers and Henry’s relationship to when you break up with a real crazy, but real hot bitch (Anne), and you just want somebody to take home to the parents who doesn’t give you a handy in the car before you go in, so you’re at half-mast when your mom opens the front door (Jane).
For about a YEAR AND A HALF before Anne passed on to the sweet bye-and-bye, Henry and Jane were basically doing it. PUBLICALLY. Bitch had balls, you gotta give her that. She wasn’t too good at ‘booklearnin,’ but she could sew and embroider, and was very well mannered, and could run a household with great aplomb, so that made her an outwardly good match after a woman who spent money faster than LHB at a unicorn store. Her court would be described as austere and formal, much like herself (Even though she was corrupt enough to bang his mistress’ husband, she still felt the need to impose Protestant strictness and moral superiority over e’ryone else). The wild coke parties and orgies were done; this was the dawning of an Age very unlike that of Aquarius.
After Anne had a second miscarriage in either late 1535 or early 1536, Henry moved Jane into a royally appointed shagpad, and shit started to get serious.
Not exactly a dimepeice, but at least a 7/10 if we're looking at it from the perspective of the proto-WASP. I mean, just look at those lips pursed in disapproval of Catholics/ethnics!
I’m 99% positive that while Henry was calling Anne a sorceress and incestuous and all sorts of nasty, nasty things, he lived a nice little domestic life with Jane, much like a 1950’s household. Their conversations would revolve around sales this week on canned corn, the linen rotation for the spring, and, oh yeah, Jane, I’ll make you my mothereffing queen if you be quiet and bear me a son. Yeah, that’s cool. Supposedly less than a day after Anne was executed, Henry married Jane, but didn’t announce it until nearly two weeks later. Well, he had to look like he cared.
Fun Fact: Jane was never actually crowned queen because of a plague at Westminster, and when it finally died down, she was already in the final days of her pregnancy and whoop! she died. BUT, she is also the only one of Henry’s wives to have been given a queen’s funeral (hmmm…), and is buried next to him. Too cute.
SUPER MEGA FOXY AWESOME FUN FACT: The Brits absolutely love reliving this relatively shameful period in their history with multiple cinematic versions of Henry’s poonicide. One of the best is the 1969 classic, Anne of the Thousand Days , in which Jane Seymour plays a relatively small role (BUT, in which Henry is played by Richard Burton, and Liz Taylor pops up for a brief cameo/conjugal on-set visit), but one in which she is portrayed as not particualrly all that great. This is kind of a big deal, since history has generally turned a very kind eye to Jane Seymour, even though she was a husband stealing shit-for-brains who weedled her way into the hearts of the British Isles by staring blankly and having that sexy, dead-fish palor.
Not that I’m trying to cast this woman as something less than smart, but Anne was a hard act to follow, cause it must be admitted, she was brilliant. Jane on the other hand… less so. I mean she was fine and everything, but she got the right side of the genetic cointoss when she had Edward VI, and before that she mostly had to just follow other people’s directions and put out. Who doesn’t want that life???
Thing was, after she got married in May, 1536, and became pregnant by early 1537, it had become clear that she was both sickly and weak, as well as kind of a drag, and nobody wants an unfun queen. She basically said and did nothing interesting to try and avoid Anne’s fate, and though she did get a baby in her belly pretty quick, it might not have been one of Henry’s favorite husbandly duties to do the nasty with a silent bangmaid.
Edward: Sickly as fuck.
Jane’s labor was difficult and lasted two days, and when Henry was asked if it got down to the wire, which one he wanted saved, he answered like the sly dog he was, “If you cannot save both, at least let the child live, for other wives are easily found.” After she did deliver Edward safe and sound, she was forced by Henry to take part in the lavish christening ceremony that lasted like five hours and only served to kill her faster. Within two weeks of Edward’s birth, Jane died from complications or infection or some science crap like that. It has been speculated that Henry sort of, you know, let Jane die. I’m not sure how he really could have helped her not die, considering that even with the might of the British empire behind him, the best medical advice that could be offered was to bleed her and keep her away from Jews, but still, he can’t have been all that sad when she offed it ’cause it was pretty clear she wasn’t going to push another watermelon-sized human out of her vajay any time soon.
All in all, Jane Seymour could either be regarded as a social-climbing numbskull who was pushed along by her male family members into the open and lustful arms of a rapidly expanding ginger, OR, as a victim of circumstances whose husband let her die when she proved that she could put a penis on the throne at least once. Either way, I’m still not her biggest fan, but she had enough gusto to shove Anne Boleyn off Henry’s lap, and that is certainly not something a pussy could do. …Well, no, actually, shit, whatever, you know that I meant.
JAF.
Anne Boleyn. Anne Bullen. Anna Bolina. Six-fingered whore-bag. Home-wrecking witch. Brother-fucking traitor.
Anne Boleyn rockin' the French hood. In your face Spanish Queen Katherine!
These are some of the names we call history’s most scandalous woman. What do I call her, you ask? My fucking IDOL is what. Last semester in Bath , I would often attempt to offer scholarly remarks on the aforementioned perp in class, and Ruth would look at me quizzically and say something like, “are you saying that because you read it in The Other Boleyn Girl.” The answer was always a sheepish, “yes.” But for the record, I’m currently reading David Starkey’s Six Wives of Henry VIII, which might not be scholarly, but it’s a step above historical Romance, ok?! The point is, I have reveled in this story for some time and have fallen very deeply in love.
Other than being the strongest Strong Black Woman we’ve written about to date, Anne Boleyn was the second wife of Henry VIII whose feminine power and intellectual prowess started the English Reformation and changed the course of western civilization, and perhaps most importantly, she was the mother of England’s greatest queen.
The story begins at a small estate called Hever, and ends exactly 475 years ago TODAY at Tower Green atop a charming little scaffold. But we have a while before things get grim, so let’s enjoy our heroine’s childhood while we can, am I right?!
Anne was the second daughter of Thomas Boleyn and Elizabeth Howard. They were a power couple if I’ve ever heard of one. They probably sat up in bed at night with their Macbooks and a copy of the wall street journal, moving little chess pieces that looked like their children around on a map, plotting world domination.
This is the first thing that comes up when you do an image search for "power couple laptops." Moral of the story? Beyonce and JZ are plotting world domination.
Their first daughter was a sassy little tart named Mary. Contrary to Phillipa Gregory’s entertaining but inaccurate portrayal of Mary, Anne’s older sister was probably kind of a dumb-dumb. She got kicked out of the French court in 1519 for boning too many dudes, namely the King. Let me repeat that. The FRENCH kicked HER out of court. For boning TOO MANY dudes. Not something the Frenchies are typically concerned with, so she must have been getting WAY too many D’s wet is all I’m saying.
See, while Mary was off learning how to give BJ’s and having two of King Henry’s illegitimate children (YUP!), Anne was sent off to the most elite educative households on the continent where she learned French and Latin, read Aristotle and Socrates, was exposed to the new Humanism of the English Renaissance, learned french fashion, dance, and music, theology and political theory and became quite the smarty pants along with her brother and best friend, George Boleyn. Aside from her excellent education, one of the most indelible marks on Anne’s adolescence was her sister’s affair with the King and how she never became anything other than the Other Woman. Savvy and sexy young woman that she was, girlfriend knew she was never going to spread her legs unless he put a ring on it (to quote another strong black woman I know.)
Uhhh...This is Mary Boleyn. (Portraits are going to get boring, so I'm trying to keep it interesting ok?)
At the court of H.VIII, where she was a lady in waiting to wifey numero uno, she had an affair with a man named Henry Percy. They entered into a secret betrothal but then Percy’s dad found out and was like, “HA! No.” and Anne was sent off to the country to lay low for a while. She came back to court eventually and then might have had a little flirtation with the poet Thomas Wyatt. Or maybe he was just obsessed with her. We don’t really know. What we do know is that Wyatt wrote some beautiful poetry that was later used as evidence to condemn Anne to death on charges of adultery. WOOPSIES. But let’s not get aHEAD of ourselves (DO YOU GET IT?! It’s not a BJ joke this time! It’s an execution joke!! HA! Those are the best kind.)
See? You can totally tell that he's hot, right?
In 1526, H.VIII fell in love with Anne and wanted to get what was his one way or another. He spent a year begging her to be his mistress — who would say no to that you ask? the answer is NO ONE which is why Anne was so incredible — she was like, “I’m a lady! I do lady things! And you’re going to have to marry me if you want to see what’s under these bloomers.” I want you to forget the image of Henry as a fatty right now because he didn’t put on those lbs for a few more years. When he met Anne, he was said to be the handsomest prince in Christendom. (And Anne, Catherine of Aragon said, was the “scandal of Christendom.”) So, reason number one why Anne was a badass, she refused to lay one of the hottest, most powerful men in Europe and he stayed real fucking interested for, like, 6 years! According to wiki, scholars maintain that they probably weren’t doing it for MOST of their relationship. I think we can all agree that Blue Balls champion of the world for the years 1526-1533 goes to King Henry VIII of England. Rock on, man. After a year, Anne coyly (I imagine) agreed to marry Henry. But OOPS, Henry was still married to Queen Kat.
OK. I know the Tudor promotional images are going to get old. But ladies, HOT right? I'm sure they both looked exactly like this and spent a lot of time doing it on royal couches.
We’ll skip over the next six years because MRG pretty much covered the basics in our last post. Here are the highlights:
Bye bye Queen Catherine!
Aloha absolute power!
After that delightfully linguistic summary, let’s conclude our story.
So Catherine was stripped of her title and sent to die in a very drafty castle built on a swamp, and on June 1, 1533, Anne’s coronation took place at Westminster. At the time of her coronation, she was pregnant with a baby that everyone was SURE was a boy. SO…FUN FACT courtesy of MRG…because everyone was so certain that she was pregnant with the future King o’ England, she was crowned using the crown that is only used for Kings. Pretty cool, huh?
Apparently they didn't take baby pictures in the 1530s, so this is Liz as a teenager.
But, SHOCKER, it wasn’t a boy! Anne gave birth to princess Elizabeth who later became my number two favorite historical figure ever, Elizabeth I of England. (Number One goes to Anne and a Number Three goes to early 20th century American attorney, Clarence Darrow.) Not to get all sappy, but I think you can tell the kind of woman Anne must have really been when you look at Elizabeth. She was brilliant and beautiful, with a terrible temper (that probably came from her father), fiercely outspoken, assertive, headstrong, and an inspiring leader with impeccable taste.
People were OK with the baby being a girl. This time. But pressure was ON for her next pregnancy. It HAD to be a boy. Or else. (Jeezuz, can you imagine carrying a baby to term under that kind of stress?! Yeah. Me neither.) She was pregnant again in 1535 and everyone was SURE it was going to be a boy. I mean, all of the best astrologists told them it would be. Early in 1536, Anne was watching Henry joust in a tournament when he was unhorsed and knocked unconscious for, like, 2 hours. Miscarriage 5 days later. Who can blame her?
Answer: a lot of people. Vicious court rumors about her started to flare up around the time of the miscarriage. People said she was a witch, some people blamed her for the Henry’s tyrannical government, others said that she had a secret miscarriage or stillborn early in 1534 and that the baby was a monster, and that she maybe kind of was having affairs with several other men and maybe kind of also her brother. Uh. Oh.
As she was recovering from the miscarriage after the tournament, Henry started to lose interest. What was the easiest way to get rid of your wife when you’ve already changed the religion of an entire country in order to get permission for a divorce from your first wife? Answer: Kill the bitch.
Anne was brought up on charges of adultery, incest and treason. George Boleyn and Mark Smeaton, a court musician that he was probably boning were brought up on charges of treason and sodomy (ie doing it in the butt.) After probably hours of torture, Smeaton admitted to being the Queen’s lover. The two perfectly coiffed men were executed on tower green outside Anne’s tower room window on the 16th of May, 1536.
A swordsman just like this one probably executed Anne.
Anne was originally sentenced to execution by burning, but loving husband that he was, Henry had it switched to a beheading. He also had a skilled swordsman sent from France to execute her with a sword rather than the typical axe. SO KIND! According to Showtime’s The Tudors (which is all about historical accuracy) Henry had her execution delayed several times to fuck with her mind. I don’t know how true that is, but it makes a good story. She saw Thomas Cranmer on the morning of her execution for her last confessions and swore that she was never unfaithful to the King.
On MAY 19 1536, Anne Boleyn’s head was chopped off by a French swordsman in a private execution in the Tower of London. And just like that, one of the most brilliant but fatally ambitious women in history was gone.
What do I think? Did she do her brother? Did she have any affairs? Was she a witch? WELL I’M GLAD YOU ASKED!
I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this yet, but Anne Boleyn was brilliant. So no, she probably didn’t do any of it. She was too smart, too ambitious, too cautious, too aware of the system of the English Royal Court to make a wrong move. I think that she was the victim of an immature, resentful, and impatient King and a jealous court. And that’s it.
So let’s call this post what it is. A love letter to my historical idol. Let’s just make it official, shall we?
Anne and I share a last initial. No big deal.
(Queen) Anne Boleyn,
I wish you hadn’t died when you did because it was probably really unfair, but your story has provided inspiration and material for countless artists, playwrights, novelists, Showtime producers, and college girls who write history blogs. So for that reason I’m not entirely upset about your untimely and probably unfair execution. I just have a really big historical boner for you and your sexploits, OK?! There, I said it. It’s true.
Just in case you haven’t heard, your daughter ended up leading England through its greatest years all by herself, no cray-cray king by her side.
In conclusion, you are super interesting and I love learning about you.
With an embarrassing amount of nerdthusiasm for your story,
LHB
PS — I love that necklace you always wear! I have one just like it!
Tell everyone how sexy this blog is:
Posted: May 18, 2011 | Author: mgiac3090 | Filed under: Theme Week | Tags: Anne Boleyn , Annulment , Arthur , Henry VIII , Katherine of Aragon , Sibling , Widow | Leave a comment
Once upon a time in a little land called “Sixteenth-century Europe,” the lines of succession in England and Spain were all kinds of fucked up thanks to a few wars, intermarriage, and some big ol’ coups d’etat (not sure if that’s the plural, this is America, DAMMIT. Deal with me). Then the royal mommies and daddies in both countries boned, bringing Spain a sweet baby girl and England the heir presumptive to the throne. And faster than you can say “marriage by proxy,” Ferdinand and Isabella arranged that marriage right up and little Katherine of Aragon and strapping young Arthur of England were hitched.
SCREEEEEECHHHHHHHH. Wait, MRG, I thought this week was all about Henry’s wives …who’s this Aruthur motherfucker? Well I’m so glad you asked.
Arthur, Prince of Wales wearing a beautiful necklace.
Hey I'm Katherine of Aragon, I'm fucking tragic and beautiful.
Dear Arthur was the eldest son of Henry VII, and due to the aforementioned European shitshow, Henry wanted to get his son betrothed real quick while simultaneously taking a huge shit on France. Literally (not literally). And the best way to do that was to secure a marital alliance with the other country who hated the Frenchies, Spain. It didn’t hurt that young Katherine had a lot of English royal blood in her due to
inbreeding
similar arranged marriages, thus giving any offspring all kinds of legitimate claims to the throne.
On paper, the practice of arranged marriage seems sort of icky. But Katherine and Arthur really liked and respected each other. Sure, they were married by proxy when they were fifteen, but that was only after they exchanged letters in Latin for years and Arthur felt like he knew her well enough. Why Latin? Because they didn’t have any other language in common. And when they finally met in real life, they couldn’t even use the Latin because they’d learned different pronunciations. Anyway, I’m digressing, big-time. They met, they had an un-proxied wedding, they had a few months of marital bliss, and then they both got the sweating sickness in Wales. He died in April 1502, and she recovered only to find out her new hubby didn’t make it.
A woodcut of the coronation of Henry VIII and his wife Katherine.
And that motherfucker Henry VII was like, “HELL NO. Not returning that sweet-ass dowry back to Spain. France probably had something to do with this. SON, GET THE FUCK OVER HERE.” So to avoid the “complications” of “reasonably allowing Katherine to return to her homeland with her stuff,” Henry VII decided that the seventeen-year-old widow would marry his TWELVE-year-old son, Henry VIII. Ostensibly, they would wait until Henry was a little older, but also until Katherine’s mom died and her inheritance fucking ballooned to include lots of Spanish lands.
OKAY. They finally got married on June 11, 1509. And they got right to the business of baby makin.’ But although poor sweet Katherine got knocked up six times, only her fifth child, Mary, survived to adulthood (and turned out to be a real bitch, but that’s another story). As a result, she became a lot more religious (in the Catholic persuasion, which will be important later) in a scholarly way as well as in practice. She was just a good, good woman, she was virtuous, well read, beautiful, smart, modest. The English people just loved her. And despite his numerous affairs, Henry loved her too. And they were very happy together for a long time.
UNTIL 1525, THAT IS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
That’s when Katherine was like, “Hey, I need a new lady-in-waiting. LET ME CHOOSE THIS FOXY REDHEAD WHO’S SUPER SEXY AND SMART AND EVERYTHING MY HUSBAND COULD EVER WANT IN A SEXUAL/LIFE PARTNER.” And by this time, Katherine is 50. She’s really not looking her best. And she can’t have kids anymore, which means no legitimate male heirs for Henry. And that whole male heir thing was sort of a big deal for him, as you’ll see in the next few posts. Anne Boleyn was a very sassy, very fertile, first-class minx, and poor Katherine, although she was a strong, beautiful, moral, dignified woman, just didn’t stand a fucking chance once Anne Boleyn and her French hood hit Whitehall.
This pre-coital photo of Anne Boleyn and Henry is NOT a publicity still from The Tudors.
And seeing that Anne was smoking hot and that poor Katherine was as barren as Death Valley in August (there was a lot more going on, but I don’t want to prematurely steal LHB’s Boleyn-loving thurnder), Henry was like, “Hmmmm…how the fuck can I get out of this whole multiple-decade, formerly-loving, non-heir-producing marriage thing I got going on here?” So he skipped on over to his favorite Bible, found a passage that could kind of sort of be interpreted as proof that his marriage to Katherine was cursed because she had already boned his brother, and tried to get a good ol’ fashioned annulment from the Holy Roman Emperor.
EXCEPT said Holy Roman Emperor was Katherine’s nephew, and girlfriend swore up and down that she and Arthur had never ever done it. And they probably hadn’t, because 1) Arthur was mortally ill for like 80% of their marriage and 2) she was really really really Catholic, and apparently the lying is frowned upon in the whole Catholic theology.
Now, if you’ve been in a history class past the eighth grade level, you’ve probably heard of The King’s Great Matter or The Act of Supremacy. And guess what? BOTH of those things have to do with this sexy scandal. The sexiest scandal of all time, probably. Anyway, your education has come full circle. You’re welcome.
So no one wants to give Henry his annulment. And he’s like, “FUCKKKK I just wanna bone Anne but she won’t let me until she’s queen and I just want Katherine to go become a nun or something and get the fuck over herself and why is it so harddddd to rule a country and get laid at the same time?” And sneaky little Anne Boleyn’s like, “Hey boii, why don’t you read these Protestant texts that I like? They’re so hot. And they’re also your window out of this miserable situation and subsequently into my vagina.”
So Henry says, “Suck on this, Rome!” and writes up this little ditty called The Act of Supremacy that makes him the Supreme Head of the Protestant Church of England and forces everyone and their mom to swear by it. And as head of the Church he gives himself that annulment and said sayonara to poor Katherine. Well, that makes it sound like she died. She didn’t. Lots and lots and lots of other Catholics did, including Thomas More, the writer and theologian expertly played by Mr. Knightley in The Tudors. But no, Katherine was sent to live in Kimbolton Castle, where she pretty much confined herself in one room, prayed nonstop, and continued to refer to herself as the Queen. She and her daughter Mary weren’t allowed to see each other until they each acknowledged Anne Boleyn as the rightful Queen. To which both said “Hahahahaaaa NO.”
Katherine pre-annulment, pre-exile.
Katherine’s health deteriorated rapidly, and knowing she was going to die soon, she wrote this fucking tragic and beautiful letter to her ex:
My most dear lord, King and husband,
The hour of my death now drawing on, the tender love I ouge [owe] thou forceth me, my case being such, to commend myselv to thou, and to put thou in remembrance with a few words of the healthe and safeguard of thine allm [soul] which thou ougte to preferce before all worldley matters, and before the care and pampering of thy body, for the which thoust have cast me into many calamities and thineselv into many troubles. For my part, I pardon thou everything, and I desire to devoutly pray God that He will pardon thou also. For the rest, I commend unto thou our doughtere Mary, beseeching thou to be a good father unto her, as I have heretofore desired. I entreat thou also, on behalve of my maides, to give them marriage portions, which is not much, they being but three. For all mine other servants I solicit the wages due them, and a year more, lest they be unprovided for. Lastly, I makest this vouge [vow], that mine eyes desire thou aboufe all things.
Katharine the Quene
She was such a great bitch, right? A little delusional about the whole annulment thing, but I mean, just a really good person trying to do things the right way. She was literally royally screwed. Even though she only screwed one royal.
Moral of the story: don’t marry your dead husband’s brother, and don’t hire slampieces to work at your house.
MRG
| i don't know |
English architect Sir Horace Jones designed which London bridge? | Sir Horace Jones | Tower Bridge
Sir Horace Jones
Sir Horace Jones was born 20th May 1819 at 15 Size Lane, Bucklersbury, London.
Sir Horace Jones
The son of a prosperous solicitor, he studied architecture and spent some years in Italy and Greece to further his classical knowledge. In 1843 he commenced practice as an architect at 16 Furnival’s Inn, Holborn, and during 18 years designed and carried out many buildings of importance, such as the British and Irish Magnetic Telegraph Company’s office in Threadneedle Street, the Sovereign Assurance office in Piccadilly, Marshall & Snelgrove’s premises in Oxford Street, the Surrey Music Hall, Cardiff town-hall, and Caversham Hall.
He was surveyor for the Duke of Buckingham’s Tufnell Park estate, for the Barnard estate, and the Bethnal Green estate.
On 26 February 1864 he was elected architect and surveyor to the City of London. The City bridges came under his control and he prepared a scheme for widening London Bridge but this did not obtain Government approval.
He completed the City Lunatic Asylum at Dartford in 1864, and in the same year designed a new roof for the city Guildhall. In 1868 he designed and carried out the Central Meat Market, Smithfield, followed in 1875 by the adjoining poultry and provision market, and in 1883 by the fruit and vegetable market. In 1871 he converted the Deptford dockyard into a foreign cattle market, in 1877 he entirely reconstructed Billingsgate Market, and in 1882 rebuilt Leadenhall Market. In 1872 he designed the Guildhall library and museum, and the new council chamber in 1884.
He prepared the memorial surmounted by a griffin to mark the site of Temple Bar (November 1880).
From 1882 to 84 he was president of the Royal Institute of British Architects.
Whilst preparing his report of 1876, on the need for another road crossing, he became convinced that the best solution would be a suspension bridge, supported from two piers, with a central opening section 200 feet wide for the larger ships.
In collaboration with (Sir) John Wolfe-Barry he produced the design for Tower Bridge. Within a month of the construction work starting Sir Horace Jones died, one day after his 68th birthday.
His last important work was the Guildhall School of Music on the Thames Embankment.
He died at 30 Devonshire Place, Portland Place, London, and was buried in West Norwood Cemetery on 27 May 1887.
| Tower Bridge |
A group of which birds is known as a ‘Charm’? | Tower Bridge: Tower Bridge Road, London, England, SE1
Map This
Tourists usually think this is the "London Bridge" from the children's song, but it isn't That is further upriver, and a lot less interesting looking. This is the Tower Bridge, so called because it is adjacent to the Tower of London. It is actually a drawbridge, but the decks are rarely raised these days, as most heavy shipping happens downstream. It is interesting to keep an eye on the river when you visit. The Thames is given to wild swings in tide. Dinghies that are tied to buoys and floating 20 feet from shore may be resting on the muddy bottom of the river by the time you're done with the tour.
Quick Facts
| i don't know |
On which island is the former royal residence Osborne House, built for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert? | 1000+ images about Royal Residences - Osborne House - Isle of Wight on Pinterest | Queen victoria, Isle of wight and Prince albert
Forward
Osborne House on the Isle of Wight. The residence was built in the 1850s for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert as a home away from the pressures of court life. Albert himself designed the house and the royal family stayed there for several periods throughout the year including Victoria’s birthday, Albert’s birthday and the lead-up to Christmas. Victoria died at Osborne on 22 January 1901 with her son and successor King Edward VII by her bedside.
See More
| Isle of Wight |
In the children’s fairytale, what was transformed into a carriage for Cinderella? | Osborne House, 1859 Pictures | Getty Images
Osborne House, 1859
January 01, 1859 License
Osborne House', 1859. Former royal residence in East Cowes, Isle of Wight, United...Osborne House', 1859. Former royal residence in East Cowes, Isle of Wight, United Kingdom. The house was built between 1845 and 1851 for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert as a summer home and rural retreat. After William Henry Bartlett (1809-1854). From The History of England Div XVI by David Hume & Tobias Smollett. [Virtue & Co., London, 1859]. Artists: Edward Paxman Brandard, William Henry Bartlett. LessMore
| i don't know |
How many pins are in the back row in ten-pin bowling? | Scoring – TalkBowling
Scroll Up
Scoring
Ten-pin bowling has a unique scoring system that can be complex for newcomers who try to score the game themselves. Because of the various multiplier effects and bonus roles that can be attained in the game, scoring is not always intuitive.
A player generally receives one point for every pin knocked down on each roll of a frame. For a pin to count, it must be knocked over entirely. If it wobbles but stays standing, or moves without being toppled over completely, it is still considered standing and a score is not awarded for that pin.
If a player knocked down seven pins on their first roll and one of the remaining three pins on their second, they would have a count of eight points for that frame. The number of pins knocked down in the frame is referred to as the “pinfall”.
A player who rolls a ball into the gutter or fails to knock down any pins will receive a zero for their roll.
In the event that pins are left standing at the end of the frame, it is referred to as an “open frame”.
The score for each frame is added up at the end of the game to give a cumulative total. The maximum score attainable is 300 (see below), while professional level bowling starts with scores of 200.
Scorecard
On the bowling scorecard, each frame is divided into two boxes in which the individual score from each delivery is recorded. The cumulative score after each frame is written underneath. The pinfall for each roll must be entered into the scorecard straight after the roll, and electronic scoreboards do so automatically. However, the current total cannot always be entered until the value of strikes and spares have been decided by subsequent shots (see below for further details).
If a player knocked down nine pins, they would mark down a “9”.
A strike is designated in the first box of the frame by an “X”.
A spare is marked down on the scorecard with a “/”.
A zero is recorded with a “-“.
Fouls are recorded with an “F” on the scorecard.
If the first roll of a frame results in a split, then this is usually recorded on the scorecard by enclosing the pinfall in parenthesis. For example if a player knocked down eight pins and was left with a 7-9 split on the second shot, the first box of the frame would be filled with “(8)”. See below for more information on splits.
1
120
Splits
A split is the name given to the pins left standing on the second ball in a frame if the head-pin (1-pin) was knocked down on the first delivery and either of the following two conditions are true:
The standing pins are separated by at least one fallen pin. For instance, if the 7-pin and 9-pin were left standing, there would be a 7-9 split. A 3-10 split is another example.
At least one pin is down immediately ahead of two or more standing pins, for instance a 5-6 split.
There are 459 possible split combinations in ten-pin bowling. Some of the more notable include:
Baby Split: 2-7 or 3-10
Bed Posts/Goal Posts: 7-10
Christmas Tree: 2-7-10 or 3-7-10
Clothesline: Any group of four pins in a line, e.g. 1-3-6-10
Greek Church: Any split in which two pins remain standing on one side and three on the other. The 5-pin must be knocked down.
Lily/Sour Apple: 5-7-10
Poison Ivy: 3-6-10
The hardest shot in bowling is generally considered to be the 7-10 split, because the two remaining pins are at the furthest possible distance apart. It is extremely difficult to deliver the ball so that it hits the outside of one pin hard enough to deflect it into the other. This is particularly so because the pins are standing at the very edge of the lane and players who miscalculate their target line by even a few centimetres will end up rolling a gutter ball
Strikes
If a player knocks down all ten pins on their first roll, they are awarded a strike. When a strike is achieved, a player is given ten points for the ten downed pins, plus the total of their next two rolls. For this reason, the value of a strike is not known until the end of the next frame.
Player rolls a strike on ball one of frame one (ten points awarded).
Player knocks over five pins on ball one of frame two (five points awarded).
Player knocks down two pins on ball two of frame two (two points awarded).
Player earns an additional seven points (total from frame two) for the strike in frame one.
The total pinfall for frame one is 17 (10 + 7).The total pinfall for frame two is 7 points.
After two frames, the player has 24 points.
1
17
24
For larger points, players must score multiple strikes in a row. Two consecutive strikes are referred to as a “double”, while three strikes in a row are called a “triple”, or “turkey”. A perfect game (12 strikes) is referred to in the US as a “Thanksgiving Turkey”.
Player rolls a strike on ball one of frame one (ten points awarded).
Player rolls a strike on ball one of frame two (ten points awarded).
Player rolls a 3 on ball one of frame three (three points awarded).
Player receives 13 extra points for the two rolls after the first strike.
Player rolls a 4 on ball two of frame three (four points awarded).
Player receives seven extra points for the two rolls after the second strike.
Total pinfall for frame one is 23 points, frame two pinfall is 17 points, frame three pinfall is 7 points.
After three frames, player scores 47 points.
1
40
47
If a player scored three strikes in a row, they would receive a total of 30 points for the first frame strikes. This is the largest number of points that can be scored in any one frame.
Spares
If a player knocks down all ten pins in a frame after two rolls, they are awarded with a spare, which earns the player ten points for the ten pins that have been knocked over as well as the score of the next ball.
Player bowls a 6 on ball one of frame one (six points awarded).
Player bowls a 4 on ball two of frame one (four points awarded).
Player bowls a 7 on ball one of frame two (seven points awarded).
Player awarded seven extra points for the roll after the spare.
Player rolls a gutter ball on ball two of frame two (zero points awarded).
The total pinfall for frame one is now 17 (6 + 4 + 7) while frame two is worth 7 points.
After two frames, player scores 24.
1
| 4 |
In which year was gender testing introduced in the Olympic Games? | Bowling Pin Specifications
Use and distribution of this article is subject to our terms and conditions
whereby bowlingball.com's information and copyright must be included.
Bowling Pin Specifications
Everyone should learn about bowling pin specifications . Since knowledge is always key in the path to improvement, let's examine useful bits of information about United States Bowling Congress (USBC) bowling pin specifications.
First, bowling pins are made of hard maple wood and are either plastic coated or constructed in one piece or laminated in two or more pieces? Of course, as pins age or wear from use and constant collisions with bowling balls, there are maintenance procedures allowed by USBC which preserve the life and usefulness of the pins. The use of steel wool or sandpaper to remove dirt and surface splinters and the application of finish and/or the patching of plastic coated pins are permitted but must meet USBC specifications.
The weight of a standard wood pin or a plastic coated pin is not less than 3 lbs 6 ounces and not more than 3 lbs 10 ounces. The average weight pin is about 24% of the weight of a 15 lb. bowling ball. It is easy to understand how a ball will deflect excessively upon contact with a pin if a fairly precise bowling ball angle of entry is not created. Allowing for pin deflection is an important part of strike and spare alignment systems.
It is also easy to understand that if a bowling ball is not delivered with a sufficient average velocity, either too much speed or not enough speed, the ball will deflect more than a ball deflects if delivered in an optimum speed range. Typically, a ball measured from the release point to impact with the pocket should be between 2.1 seconds elapsed time and 2.4 seconds or about an average speed of 18-21 m.p.h. at release and about 16-18 m.p.h. at impact with the pins. Bowling balls are manufactured to be delivered in this optimum speed range to maximize pin carry and produce a consistent ball motion traveling down the lane.
The height of a bowling pin is 15" but certainly appears much shorter when viewing the pins from the lane approach area. The diameter of the cup at the base of the pin is 3/4". The base diameter of a pin is 2 1/4". The narrowest pin diameter is 1.8" and about 10" above the base of the pin and is sometimes referred to as the "neck" of the pin.
The Center of Gravity of a pin, measured from the bottom of the pin, is 5 5/16" or about one third way up the height of the pin and approximately one inch above the widest pin diameter area of 4.76" measured 4.5" above the pin base. The CG of a bowling pin and the widest part of the pin diameter are both very near the same point where a bowling ball contacts the pin given that the radius measurement of a bowling ball is also about 4.5 inches above the lane surface.
Because of this, pins can deflect more predictably than one might expect. The bowling ball manufacturing engineers, therefore, can use core and coverstock technology to create ideal ranges of bowling ball entry angles to optimize pin carry. A bowling ball entering the pocket in a straight line parallel to the edges of the lane will deflect more than a ball hooking into the pocket and is at a disadvantage to produce a "strike" result to due to the deflection factor.
For a right handed bowler, the straight line delivery reduces the ability of the bowling ball to also contact the 5 pin in the second row of pins and the 9 pin in the third row of pins (in most cases the 9 pin and in some cases the 8 pin as well) due to excessive deflection off of the head pin on strike deliveries which also may result in reducing the pin carry and the likelihood of getting a strike.
It is also useful to know something about the pin spots on the pindeck and their relative locations to the edges of the lane and back of the lane. The center of the 7 and the 10 pin spots are located 2.75" from the edge of the lane. The pin spots are 2 1/4" in diameter and must be spaced 12" apart in an equilateral triangle formation.
The 7, 8, 9, & 10 pins center of spot is 3" from the pit at the back edge of the pindeck. The distance from the center of the 7 and 10 pin spots to the nearest kickback panel is 12 1/16". This 12' distance from the kickback panel plus the additional 2 3/4" the ten pin is spotted on the pindeck from the edge of the lane yield total of 15" a pin must travel from the kickback to also contact the 10 pin and produce a strike result.
The term "weak 10" (for right handed bowlers) refers to the 10 pin remaining standing on a good pocket delivery. Because the pin deflecting off of the right side kick panel (usually the 6 pin) did not make it back to also contact the 10 pin due to the excessive room between the kickback panel and the 10 pin on the pindeck and generally remains in the channel, the bowler thereby leaves the "weak 10 pin" spare to convert.
The head pin is equidistant from both kickbacks and edges of the lane and is located 34 3/16" from the center of the pin spot to the pit. The overall lane width is 41.5", not including the channel measurements.
With these bowling pin specifications and lane measurements in mind, it is easier to understand how a bowling ball is wide enough to contact both adjacent pins in the same row of pins such as the 4-5 pin combination or the 5-6 pin combination. A bowling ball can deflect enough if it contacts the right edge of the 3 pin to also contact the left edge of the 10 pin for the right handed bowler's "baby split." Same on the left side of the lane with the 2 and 7 pins for left and handed bowlers.
If, however, a bowling ball hooks too sharply just prior to impact with the 3 pin, then it will not contact the 10 pin as well. That is why most top-flight amateur and professional bowlers will use a cross angle delivery and/or a non-aggressive coverstock bowling ball to avoid the bowling ball hooking too severely upon impact when attempting to convert the 3-10 pin split. We hope you find this pin specification information useful.
While you are visiting our site today, please check out the vast menu of bowling consumer products we offer at great prices, with no shipping charges, and delivery right to your doorstep! bowlingball.com has become the No. 1 “e-tailer” of choice for bowling equipment by the consumers of America. Ordering is an easy process by following simple online instructions available 24 hours a day, every day of the year! Thanks for visiting bowlingball.com!
Customer Service
| i don't know |
The Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) is named after the Roman goddess of what? | Northern Lights Centre - Watson Lake, Yukon - Canada
Links
Watson Lake Yukon, Northern Lights Centre
northern Lights or aurora borealis are natural different colored light displays, which are usually observed in the night sky, particularly in the polar zone. Some scientists therefore call them "polar auroras" (or "aurorae polaris"). In northern latitudes, it is known as the aurora borealis, named after the Roman goddess of the dawn, Aurora, and the Greek name for north wind, Boreas. It often appears as a greenish glow (or sometimes a faint red), as if the sun were rising from an unusual direction. The aurora borealis is also called the northern polar lights, as it is only visible in the North sky from the Northern Hemisphere. The aurora borealis most often occurs from September to October and from March to April.
Aurora Borealis Viewing
Auroras are produced by the collision of charged particles, mostly electrons but also protons and heavier particles, from the magnetosphere, with atoms and molecules of the Earth's upper atmosphere (at altitudes above 80 km). The particles have energies from 1-100 keV. Most originate from the sun and arrive at the vicinity of earth in the relatively low-energy solar wind. When the trapped magnetic field of the solar wind is favourably oriented (principally southwards) it reconnects with that of the earth and solar particles then enter the magnetosphere and are swept to the magnetotail. Further magnetic reconnection accelerates the particles towards earth.
Yukon northern lights
Typically the aurora appears either as a diffuse glow or as "curtains" that approximately extend in the east-west direction. At some times, they form "quiet arcs"; at others ("active aurora"), they evolve and change constantly. Each curtain consists of many parallel rays, each lined up with the local direction of the magnetic field lines, suggesting that aurora is shaped by the earth's magnetic field. Indeed, satellites show electrons to be guided by magnetic field lines, spiraling around them while moving earthwards.
Welcome to the Northern Lights Space and Science Centre.
A unique facility built in 1996 to feature the amazing phenomena known as the 'Northern Lights' or 'Aurora borealis', the Northern Lights Centre boasts state-of-the-art panoramic video and surround-sound systems. The Northern Lights Centre also incorporates interactive displays that explain the science and folklore of the Northern Lights with the latest information about the Canadian space program. Canadian rocket technology played an important part in early Northern Lights research.
The spectacular dancing Northern Lights are showcased in Yukon's Northern Lights, a video that is broadcast in the NLC's domed 100-seat theatre daily throughout the summer season. During the winter season, nature puts on frequent displays of colorful lights outdoors so the Northern Lights Centre is used for community events, space science education, and movies.
Northern Lights Centre
| Dawn (disambiguation) |
Brazo is Spanish for which part of the body? | Northern Lights | Herschel Supply
Northern Lights
February 11, 2016
The pursuit of the Northern Lights can be elusive. It’s common to feel that you’re at the mercy of Mother Nature’s whims when the wrong timing, the wrong conditions or the wrong weather so easily thwart your plans. But despite the effort needed to find the ideal nighttime setting, watching the sky erupt in neon banners is nothing short of surreal.
Named after the Roman goddess of the dawn, Aurora Borealis — meaning “dawn of the north” — has enchanted us for centuries. Sometimes it’s a haze over the horizon, a flicker over the mountains or a slender, weaving wisp. On the best of nights, it’s akin to an explosion and you hardly know where to look. The most common colors are pale green and pink, but there have been sightings of red, yellow, blue and violet as well. The lights are caused by electrically charged particles from the sun colliding with gaseous particles in the earth’s atmosphere.
The best viewing of the Aurora cycles every 11 years, with periods of heightened activity called a solar maximum. The lights come out most often between the months of August and April (of course, the farther you are from light pollution the better). Here are some countries that offer the best chance of seeing the celestial display:
Photo: Robert Postma/Travel Yukon
Canada
The country’s northern territories — Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut — are prime viewing locations for the Aurora Borealis. Locals in Whitehorse, Yukon, are accustomed to seeing them on a regular basis, and local businesses host viewing tours throughout the winter months. You can also see the lights in Churchill, Manitoba, which is also known for its polar bear sightings.
Photo: Visit Iceland
Iceland
Reykjavik and other destinations in Iceland have exploded in popularity recently for their impressive natural sights, one of which is the Northern Lights . Imagine watching them while floating in one of Iceland’s famed lagoons .
Photo: Jorma Luhta/VisitFinland
Photo: Jouni Porsanger/VisitFinland
Finland
It’s said the Northern Lights are visible on roughly 200 nights a year in Lapland . Whether trekking on snowshoes or viewing the lights from the comfort of a glass igloo, you’ll find plenty of opportunities to view the Aurora here.
Photo: Alex Conu/visitnorway.com
Norway
The Northern Lights are so important to Norway’s landscape and culture that design firm Neue incorporated them into the country’s passport design ; when held up to a black light, the Aurora Borealis appears on the page. The real Northern Lights are visible near cities like Bergen , but the best place to view them is Svalbard — a string of islands in the Barents Sea between mainland Norway and the North Pole, known for their endless nights during the winter months.
Photo: Glenn Marsch
United States
Much like Canada’s northern territories, Alaska offers plenty of opportunities to see the Northern Lights. But you don’t have to travel quite so far north to see them: Cherry Springs State Park in Pennsylvania offers the occasional glimpse as well, and consistently delivers on incredible night sky viewing.
—
| i don't know |
Tracey Thorn was the lead singer in which English pop duo? | Tracey Thorn
New Single. Cover of Kate Bush song.
// Fri 23rd Jan 2015: 3h03 GMT
Tracey has released a cover version of Kate Bush's Under The Ivy on my imprint Strange Feeling. It was recorded especially for BBC Radio 4's flagship news programme, Today, for which Tracey was guest editor on Dec 27, and it is now a single. Ben Watt plays piano on the recording. Beautiful strings written by Nick Ingman too! Buy direct , or buy on iTunes . No vinyl or CD.
Tracey's new column for The New Statesman
// Sun 31st Aug 2014: 9h09 GMT
As she puts the finishing touches to her follow-up book to 2013's 'Bedsit Disco Queen' due next Spring, Tracey has been writing a regular column for The New Statesman. If you want to catch up on all her columns and read her on a regular basis, go here
New book and film music.
// Mon 24th Mar 2014: 5h05 GMT
Tracey is currently in the final stages of writing her new non-fiction book all about ideas and myths around singers and singing which she hopes to have published by Virago in 2015. She has also written, performed and sung new music and songs for the soundtrack of 'The Falling', the first feature film by English director Carol Morley (pictured), who made the brilliant semi-documentary 'Dreams of Life.'
Hear Tracey read her new essay on Germaine Greer for the BBC.
// Sat 1st Feb 2014: 8h08 GMT
Asked to write and read something for BBC's 'The Book that Changed Me', Tracey chose Germaine Greer's 'The Female Eunuch'. A deep influence on her lyrics and thinking ever since, hear her read her new 15 min essay here .
Molly Drake songs to be released for Record Store Day 2014
// Fri 31st Jan 2014: 7h07 GMT
Following the popularity of Tracey's performances of two Molly Drake songs for BBC Radio 4 recently, the tracks will be release as a special 7" vinyl single for Record Store Day 2104 on April 19, and then later as a digital download. Molly Drake was Nick Drake's mum. Tracey's partner in Everything But The Girl, Ben Watt, plays electric piano and guitar on the recordings.
Tracey sings songs of Molly Drake for BBC Radio 4
// Thu 21st Nov 2013: 4h04 GMT
Journalist Pete Paphides has made a half-hour documentary for BBC Radio 4 about the mother of acclaimed folk singer, Nick Drake. Molly Drake wrote her own songs which until recently were unknown to the general public. Alongside Nick's sister, actress Gabriella Drake, and producer Joe Boyd, Tracey takes part in the programme; she talks about Molly's songwriting and sings two of her songs accompanied by Ben Watt. Listen again for seven days here .
More readings and interviews announced for 'Bedsit Disco Queen'
// Sun 12th May 2013: 8h08 GMT
Tracey had added more dates to her tour for her ace memoir 'Bedsit Disco Queen'. Hear her read and chat in interview at the following -
Wed May 15 - Bristol, Festival of Ideas
Fri May 24 - Dublin, Writers' Festival
Sun June 02 - London, Literature Festival
Wed June 12 - Hull, Pave
Sat June 22 - Hebden Bridge, Arts Festival
Sat July 20 - Southwold, Latitude Festival
Sun Aug 18 - Edinburgh, International Books Festival
Sun Oct 13 - Cheltenham, Literary Festival
Tracey live Q&A's for Bedsit Disco Queen
// Thu 10th Jan 2013: 8h08 GMT
Tracey will be in conversation about her new memoir Bedsit Disco Queen at the following events. Tickets are available for most:
Feb 7th - Launch at Rough Trade East
Feb 13th - New Writing South, Brighton
Feb 19th - UEA Literary Festival, Norwich
Feb 27th - Virago Book Club at Foyles, London
6th April - Laugharne Weekend, Wales
12th April - Aye Write! Glasgow Book Festival
13th April - Cambridge Word Fest
2nd May - Liverpool Sound City
Tracey's new memoir 'Bedsit Disco Queen' is published on Feb 7
// Wed 9th Jan 2013: 1h01 GMT
Starting with her first teenage band, 'Bedsit Disco Queen' charts Tracey's journey through the music industry through her own eyes. Published by Virago you can order it through Amazon (UK) or Amazon (US).
In Tracey's words: 'I was only sixteen when I bought an electric guitar and joined a band. A year later, I formed an all-girl band called the Marine Girls and played gigs, and signed to an indie label, and started releasing records. Then, for eighteen years, between 1982 and 2000, I was one half of the group Everything But the Girl. In that time, we released nine albums and sold nine million records. We went on countless tours, had hit singles and flop singles, were reviewed and interviewed to within an inch of our lives. I've been in the charts, out of them, back in. I've seen myself described as an indie darling, a middle-of-the-road nobody and a disco diva. I haven't always fitted in, you see, and that's made me face up to the realities of a pop career - there are thrills and wonders to be experienced, yes, but also moments of doubt, mistakes, violent lifestyle changes from luxury to squalor and back again, sometimes within minutes.'
Tracey on NPR's World Cafe on Dec 24
// Mon 17th Dec 2012: 6h06 GMT
On Dec 24 Tracey's latest acoustic session and interview can be heard on National Public Radio’s prestigious World Cafe show with host David Dye on over 200 North American stations nationwide. Fans can find their local station and broadcast time here or worldwide fans can connect to the WXPN Philadelphia stream Monday through Friday, 2pm to 4pm EST, here . Late in the day of broadcast, NPR will feature it as the "Current Show" on the World Cafe website and post the audio stream, here .
Tracey's Online Advent Calendar
// Sat 1st Dec 2012: 1h01 GMT
We've made an advent calendar to get you in the mood for Christmas. Each day features a festive link to pics and clips and exclusive stuff connected with Tracey's ace current album 'Tinsel and Lights'. Happy Christmas. Check it out here
'Joy' to be new single from 'Tinsel and Lights' on Dec 10
// Wed 14th Nov 2012: 7h07 GMT
‘Joy' is the second single to be released from Tracey's acclaimed album of modern and retro Christmas classics, 'Tinsel and Lights’.
The stand-out track for many writers reviewing the album ( **** The Guardian, **** Uncut, **** Q), it is a Tracey Thorn original that stands among her finest songs, ‘recasting Christmas,’ writes Jim Writh in Uncut ‘as a desperate, defiant celebration of life’.
A video for the song is being shot in the centre of one of Christmas’ quintessential locations – Lille Christmas Market in Northern France. A new stripped-back acoustic version with Tracey’s long-time musical partner, Ben Watt, on guitar, is also included as part of the release.
'Tinsel and Lights' Christmas card set
// Wed 7th Nov 2012: 5h05 GMT
Look! Get yourself an ace 'Tinsel and Lights' Christmas card set. Five limited editions cards all drawn from the artwork for Tracey's current album. Only £6.50. Buy here .
Sneak an upfront listen to 'Tinsel and Lights' courtesy of WNYC
// Wed 24th Oct 2012: 10h10 GMT
Ace New York radio station WNYC is preview-streaming Tinsel and Lights this week. Sneak an upfront listen here.
Double A-Side digital single from 'Tinsel and Lights' out now
// Tue 23rd Oct 2012: 10h10 GMT
A unique transatlantic double A-side single from 'Tinsel and Lights' is released today. UK fans can get 'In The Cold, Cold Night' on iTunes now, while US fans can buy the title track 'Tinsel and Lights' . You will not be asked to buy the tracks again if you complete your album purchase on iTunes next week when the whole album is released.
It's here! The gorgeous deluxe vinyl gift set of Tracey's Christmas album 'Tinsel and Lights'
// Fri 12th Oct 2012: 3h03 GMT
Heavy 180gm vinyl, bonus track not on CD, inner sleeve, standard fully-artworked CD, set of five Christmas cards, one sheet of giftwrap, hard box. Pre-order it or get the standard CD or iTunes version here
'In The Cold, Cold Night' streaming on YouTube
// Wed 3rd Oct 2012: 4h04 GMT
It's been on Soundcloud, it's been on the radio. Now you can hear Tracey's new single 'In The Cold, Cold Night' on YouTube
'Tinsel and Lights' song premiere at RollingStone.com
// Sat 29th Sep 2012: 5h05 GMT
Following the premiere at Guardian.co.uk last week of 'In The Cold, Cold Night' (the first track to be pulled from Tracey's upcoming Christmas album, 'Tinsel and Lights' and now on preview in the Listen section of this site), you can now hear another courtesy of RollingStone.com. Check it here
Pre-order and preview Tracey's Christmas album
// Mon 24th Sep 2012: 10h10 GMT
Tracey's Christmas album 'Tinsel and Lights' will be out Oct 29/30 but we have early previews and pre-orders available now at the Buzzin' Fly online shop for the standard CD, the deluxe vinyl gift set and the iTunes version. Jump here for more info. North American fans should check out the Merge Records versions too
Official news of Tracey's Christmas album
// Thu 2nd Aug 2012: 7h07 GMT
Pitchfork announce tracklist, release date with front cover artwork here
Big interview with Tracey in The Word this month
// Wed 13th Jun 2012: 2h02 GMT
Catch up with Tracey chatting to David Hepworth about the EBTG re-issues, life on Twitter, singing live, her new upcoming Christmas album and her new book.
Tracey's alternative Christmas album
// Fri 25th May 2012: 1h01 GMT
Tracey has been in the studio over the past few weeks putting together her alternative Christmas album for release later this year. It is largely cover versions all with a 'winter' theme plus two new originals, and features songs by writers such as Stephen Merritt, Ron Sexsmith, Jack White and Randy Newman. As with 'Love And Its Opposite' the album will be released on Strange Feeling except in the US where Merge will handle it. The album is being produced by Ewan Pearson, and Tracey's longtime EBTG partner, Ben Watt is guesting on guitars and piano. Expected release date - late October/early November.
Signed copies of 'Love And Its Opposite'
// Fri 25th Nov 2011: 15h15 GMT
Fresh stock of Tracey's classic 2010 album, 'Love And Its Opposite' on CD has just arrived, and Tracey has signed a load of them! They are on sale now on the Buzzin' Fly online shop. Brighten someone's Christmas! Only £10.99. (Unsigned stock also on sale at £7.99.). Get them here .
New compilation out this week
// Wed 9th Nov 2011: 8h08 GMT
Gathering together all the remixes and B-sides that have accompanied the singles released from her acclaimed 2010 album 'Love And Its Opposite' and throwing in her new 'Night Time' single for good measure, this week sees the release of Tracey's new digital-only collection 'Extended Plays 2010-2011'. Highlights include covers of Vampire Weekend's 'Taxi Cab', Sufjan Stevens' 'Sister Winter' and The xx's 'Night Time' (especially commissioned by The xx themselves) plus a slew of remixes from stellar underground names from the house and bass music scenes such as Morgan Geist, Visionquest, Walls and Black Acre's Blue Daisy. Get it direct from us here .
Pre-order and hear 'Night Time EP'
// Mon 17th Oct 2011: 17h17 GMT
Limited edition signed blue vinyl copies of the 'Night Time EP' are now for sale on the Buzzin' Fly and Strange Feeling Online Shop . You can also pre-order the download version from iTunes .
Tracey covers The xx on new EP
// Sun 2nd Oct 2011: 19h19 GMT
In the summer of 2010 Mercury Music Prize winners (and Everything But The Girl fans) The xx asked Tracey Thorn and her long-time partner in EBTG Ben Watt (also Strange Feeling label boss) to record a track from the The xx's debut album for a special compilation the band were commissioning of covers of the album's songs by their favourite artists. Unfortunately the project fell apart a few months later for numerous logistical reasons (not least the second wind breathed into the original album by the Mercury Prize victory) but not before Tracey had sung a new version of one the album most beautiful tracks, 'Night Time'. The track gathered dust for a few months but it is rightfully seeing the light of day on a new EP from Tracey Thorn called the 'Night Time EP', released on Strange Feeling on October 31, much to the delight of all concerned. The flip side will feature new mixes of 'Swimming' from 'Love And Its Opposite'. Audio clips soon.
Free download
// Thu 5th May 2011: 11h11 GMT
Quick bit of trivia for you. Did you know the title track of Tracey Thorn's new EP 'You Are A Lover' was written by another band on Strange Feeling, The Unbending Trees? We have an ace remix of The Unbending Trees' original version for FREE download, plus a chance to peep at the new video re-edit made especially for the remix. Click to grab .
Out tomorrow. New EP for Record Store Day 2011
// Fri 15th Apr 2011: 20h20 GMT
The gorgeous 10" green vinyl version of the 'You Are A Lover EP' is out tomorrow at an indie store near you. This is a limited edition collectors release. If we get any returns they will go on sale at the online Buzzin' Fly and Strange Feeling Shop in a couple of weeks. The digital version is out on Apr 26 through iTunes etc.
Hear the Clock Opera remix of the new single 'You Are A Lover' for Record Store Day 2011
// Sat 26th Mar 2011: 22h22 GMT
Following its exclusive premiere on The Guardian website, we now have the ace Clock Opera remix of 'You Are A Lover' streaming on the Buzzin' Fly/Strange Feeling Records listening page . Tune in.
New single 'You Are A Lover' for Record Store Day 2011
// Wed 16th Feb 2011: 11h11 GMT
Tracey has a new single 'You Are A Lover' lined up for Record Store Day 2011 on April 16. Taken from her acclaimed current album 'Love And Its Opposite' the release features a brand new remix of the song by the brilliant Clock Opera (above). The B-side also includes Tracey's pre-Christmas free download 'Sister Winter' written by Sufjan Stevens on vinyl for the first time. The single will be be released on limited edition 10" vinyl. If you cannot get one from a local indie store near you, we will have some on sale online with international shipping. There will also be an MP3 download available a few days later through normal online retailers.
Listen
| Everything but the Girl |
A sculpin is what type of creature? | EVERYTHING BUT THE GIRL - IDLEWILD - Catalog - Music On Vinyl
EVERYTHING BUT THE GIRL
IDLEWILD
1LP
Everything But The Girl was an English musical duo, formed in Hull in 1982, consisting of lead singer and occasional guitarist Tracey Thorn and guitarist, keyboardist, and singer Ben Watt. Idlewild (1988), their most accessible recording, consists of eleven intimate songs. The album spawned the single "I Don't Want to Talk About It," a poignant cover of a song by the late Crazy Horse guitarist Danny Whitten which became EBTG's biggest hit to date, landing at the number three spot on the British charts. Start here, then go on to the rest of this remarkable group's catalog.
180 gram audiophile vinyl
Format : 1 LP, 180 gram
Releasedate : 2016-02-29
1. Love Is Here Where I Live
2. These Early Days
3. I Always Was Your Girl
4. Oxford Street
5. The Night I Heard Caruso Sing
Side B
2. Shadow On A Harvest Moon
3. Blue Moon Rose
4. Tears All Over Town
5. Lonesome For A Place I Know
6. Apron Strings
Everything But The Girl was an English musical duo, formed in Hull in 1982, consisting of lead singer and occasional guitarist Tracey Thorn and guitarist, keyboardist, and singer Ben Watt.
Originating at the turn of the 1980s as a leader of the lite-jazz movement, Everything But The Girl became an unlikely success story more than a decade later, emerging at the vanguard of the fusion between Pop and Electronica.
Idlewild (1988), their most accessible recording, consists of eleven intimate songs. The setting is perfect for such moving compositions as "Love Is Here Where I Live" and "Apron Strings." The album spawned the single "I Don't Want to Talk About It," a poignant cover of a song by the late Crazy Horse guitarist Danny Whitten which became EBTG's biggest hit to date, landing at the number three spot on the British charts. Start here, then go on to the rest of this remarkable group's catalog.
180 gram audiophile vinyl
| i don't know |
Which opera by Mozart is also known as ‘The Day of Madness’? | Don't miss Kentucky Opera's "The Marriage of Figaro" ["the day of madness"] Nov. 18-20 (The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts)
Don't miss Kentucky Opera's "The Marriage of Figaro" ["the day of madness"] Nov. 18-20
Kentucky Opera presents
Sung in Italian with English supertitles
Part of The Brown-Forman 2011/2012 Season
Tickets start at $28
Online ticketing and details
The Marriage of Figaro, also known as "The Day of Madness," is a comic opera in four acts, composed by Mozart. This brand new production marks the beginning of Kentucky Opera's "Mozart Cycle."
TMoF is based on a stage comedy that was originally banned in Vienna for making fun of the aristocracy. Considered dangerous in the decade prior to the French Revolution, TMoF is one of Mozart's most successful compositions and his first collaboration with Da Ponte. Mozart and Da Ponte later created "Don Giovanni" and "Cosi fan tutte."
TMoF has a famously complicated plot. This video takes you through the highlights in a clever fashion:
Did you get all that? Would you be able to keep up if someone was telling you the story in Italian? Never fear! That's the beauty of English supertitles displayed on LED signs that hang above the stage. If you are able to process subtitles while watching your favorite foreign film, you'll have no trouble enjoying the comedy and farce in "The Marriage of Figaro" while also soaking up the gorgeous music and attending to the supertitles. (If you've not been to an opera performance in the Brown Theatre before, you'll have to trust us on this one.)
Joseph Mechavich, Kentucky Opera's principal conductor and musical director, compares Beaumarchais, the playwright behind the story that fuels TMoF, as the Salman Rushdie or Danielle Steele of his time. In this video, Meckavich also introduces the lead vocalists in this production and discusses the set design. The video serves as a great introduction to what will certainly be a memorable production. Enjoy!
| The Marriage of Figaro |
What colour is the cross on the national flag of Tonga? | Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Biography, Facts, & Works | Britannica.com
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Alternative Titles: Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, Johann Chrysostom Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Johann Chrysostom Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart
born
Johann Sebastian Bach
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, in full Johann Chrysostom Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, baptized as Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart (born January 27, 1756, Salzburg, archbishopric of Salzburg [Austria]—died December 5, 1791, Vienna), Austrian composer, widely recognized as one of the greatest composers in the history of Western music . With Haydn and Beethoven he brought to its height the achievement of the Viennese Classical school. Unlike any other composer in musical history, he wrote in all the musical genres of his day and excelled in every one. His taste, his command of form , and his range of expression have made him seem the most universal of all composers; yet, it may also be said that his music was written to accommodate the specific tastes of particular audiences.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, oil on canvas by Barbara Krafft, 1819.
Archive Iconografico, S.A./Corbis
Early life and works
Mozart most commonly called himself Wolfgang Amadé or Wolfgang Gottlieb. His father, Leopold , came from a family of good standing (from which he was estranged), which included architects and bookbinders. Leopold was the author of a famous violin-playing manual, which was published in the very year of Mozart’s birth. His mother, Anna Maria Pertl, was born of a middle-class family active in local administration. Mozart and his sister Maria Anna (“Nannerl”) were the only two of their seven children to survive.
The Mozart family: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (seated at piano) with his sister Maria Anna (left) and …
Photos.com/Thinkstock
The boy’s early talent for music was remarkable. At three he was picking out chords on the harpsichord, at four playing short pieces, at five composing. There are anecdotes about his precise memory of pitch, about his scribbling a concerto at the age of five, and about his gentleness and sensitivity (he was afraid of the trumpet). Just before he was six, his father took him and Nannerl, also highly talented, to Munich to play at the Bavarian court, and a few months later they went to Vienna and were heard at the imperial court and in noble houses.
“The miracle which God let be born in Salzburg” was Leopold’s description of his son, and he was keenly conscious of his duty to God, as he saw it, to draw the miracle to the notice of the world (and incidentally to profit from doing so). In mid-1763 he obtained a leave of absence from his position as deputy Kapellmeister at the prince-archbishop’s court at Salzburg, and the family set out on a prolonged tour. They went to what were all the main musical centres of western Europe—Munich, Augsburg , Stuttgart, Mannheim , Mainz, Frankfurt, Brussels, and Paris (where they remained for the winter), then London (where they spent 15 months), returning through The Hague, Amsterdam, Paris, Lyon, and Switzerland, and arriving back in Salzburg in November 1766. In most of these cities Mozart, and often his sister, played and improvised, sometimes at court, sometimes in public or in a church. Leopold’s surviving letters to friends in Salzburg tell of the universal admiration that his son’s achievements aroused. In Paris they met several German composers, and Mozart’s first music was published (sonatas for keyboard and violin, dedicated to a royal princess); in London they met, among others, Johann Christian Bach , Johann Sebastian Bach’s youngest son and a leading figure in the city’s musical life, and under his influence Mozart composed his first symphonies —three survive (K 16, K 19, and K 19a—K signifying the work’s place in the catalog of Ludwig von Köchel ). Two more followed during a stay in The Hague on the return journey (K 22 and K 45a).
First page of the autograph score of the aria “
Conservati fedele
Ringling Bros. Folds Its Tent
After little more than nine months in Salzburg the Mozarts set out for Vienna in September 1767, where (apart from a 10-week break during a smallpox epidemic) they spent 15 months. Mozart wrote a one-act German singspiel , Bastien und Bastienne, which was given privately. Greater hopes were attached to his prospect of having an Italian opera buffa , La finta semplice (“The Feigned Simpleton”), done at the court theatre—hopes that were, however, frustrated, much to Leopold’s indignation. But a substantial, festal mass setting (probably K 139/47a) was successfully given before the court at the dedication of the Orphanage Church. La finta semplice was given the following year, 1769, in the archbishop’s palace in Salzburg. In October Mozart was appointed an honorary Konzertmeister at the Salzburg court.
Britannica Lists & Quizzes
Editor Picks: Exploring 10 Types of Basketball Movies
Still only 13, Mozart had by now acquired considerable fluency in the musical language of his time, and he was especially adept at imitating the musical equivalent of local dialects . The early Paris and London sonatas , the autographs of which include Leopold’s helping hand, show a childlike pleasure in patterns of notes and textures. But the London and The Hague symphonies attest to his quick and inventive response to the music he had encountered, as, with their enrichment of texture and fuller development, do those he produced in Vienna (such as K 43 and, especially, K 48). And his first Italian opera shows a ready grasp of the buffo style.
The Italian tours
Prismatic Playlist Volume 1
Mastery of the Italian operatic style was a prerequisite for a successful international composing career, and the Austrian political dominion over northern Italy ensured that doors would be open there to Mozart. This time Mozart’s mother and sister remained at home, and the family correspondence provides a full account of events. The first tour, begun on December 13, 1769, and lasting 15 months, took them to all the main musical centres, but as usual they paused at any town where a concert could be given or a nobleman might want to hear Mozart play. In Verona Mozart was put through stringent tests at the Accademia Filarmonica, and in Milan , after tests of his capacities in dramatic music, he was commissioned to write the first opera for the carnival season. After a stop in Bologna , where they met the esteemed theorist Giovanni Battista Martini , they proceeded to Florence and on to Rome for Holy Week. There Mozart heard the Sistine Choir in the famous Miserere of Gregorio Allegri (1582–1652), which was considered the choir’s exclusive preserve but which Mozart copied out from memory. They spent six weeks in Naples; returning through Rome, Mozart had a papal audience and was made a knight of the order of the Golden Spur. The summer was passed near Bologna, where Mozart passed the tests for admission to the Accademia Filarmonica. In mid-October he reached Milan and began work on the new opera, Mitridate, rè di Ponto (“Mithradates, King of Pontus”). He had to rewrite several numbers to satisfy the singers, but, after a series of rehearsals (Leopold’s letters provide fascinating insights as to theatre procedures), the premiere at the Regio Ducal Teatro on December 26 was a notable success. Mozart, in the traditional way, directed the first three of the 22 performances. After a brief excursion to Venice he and his father returned to Salzburg.
Connect with Britannica
Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram Pinterest
Plans had already been laid for further journeys to Italy: for a theatrical serenata commissioned for a royal wedding in Milan in October 1771 and for a further opera, again for Milan, at carnival time in 1772–73. Mozart was also commissioned to write an oratorio for Padua; he composed La Betulia liberata during 1771, but there is no record of a performance. The second Italian visit, between August and December 1771, saw the premiere of his Ascanio in Alba, which, Leopold gleefully reported, “completely overshadowed” the other new work for the occasion, an opera ( Ruggiero ) by Johann Adolph Hasse , the most respected opera seria composer of the time. But hopes that Leopold had entertained of his son’s securing an appointment in Milan were disappointed. Back in Salzburg, Mozart had a prolific spell: he wrote eight symphonies, four divertimentos, several substantial sacred works, and an allegorical serenata, Il sogno di Scipione. Probably intended as a tribute to the Salzburg prince-archbishop, Count Schrattenbach, this work may not have been given until the spring of 1772, and then for his successor Hieronymus, Count Colloredo; Schrattenbach, a tolerant employer generous in allowing leave, died at the end of 1771.
The third and last Italian journey lasted from October 1772 until March 1773. Lucio Silla (“Lucius Sulla”), the new opera, was given on December 26, 1772, and after a difficult premiere (it began three hours late and lasted six) it proved even more successful than Mitridate, with 26 performances. This is the earliest indication of the dramatic composer Mozart was to become. He followed Lucio Silla with a solo motet written for its leading singer, the castrato and composer Venanzio Rauzzini, Exsultate, jubilate (K 165), an appealing three-movement piece culminating in a brilliant “Alleluia.” The instrumental music of the period around the Italian journeys includes several symphonies; a few of them are done in a light, Italianate style (e.g., K 95 and K 97), but others, notably the seven from 1772, tread new ground in form, orchestration , and scale (such as K 130, K 132, and the chamber musical K 134). There are also six string quartets (K 155–160) and three divertimentos (K 136–138), in a lively, extroverted vein.
Early maturity
Opium Wars
More symphonies and divertimentos , as well as a mass , followed during the summer of 1773. Then Leopold, doubtless seeking again a better situation for his son than the Salzburg court (now under a much less sympathetic archbishop ) was likely to offer, took him to Vienna. No position materialized, but Mozart’s contact with the newest Viennese music seems to have had a considerable effect on him. He produced a set of six string quartets in the capital, showing in them his knowledge of Haydn’s recent Opus 20 in his fuller textures and more intellectual approach to the medium. Soon after his return he wrote a group of symphonies, including two that represent a new level of achievement, the “Little” G Minor (K 183) and the A Major (K 201). Also dating from this time was Mozart’s first true piano concerto (in D, K 175; earlier keyboard concertos were arrangements of movements by other composers).
The year 1774 saw the composition of more symphonies, concertos for bassoon and for two violins (in a style recalling J.C. Bach), serenades, and several sacred works. Mozart was now a salaried court Konzertmeister, and the sacred music in particular was intended for local use. Archbishop Colloredo, a progressive churchman, discouraged lavish music and set a severe time limit on mass settings, which Mozart objected to but was obliged to observe. At the end of the year he was commissioned to write an opera buffa, La finta giardiniera (“The Feigned Gardener Girl”), for the Munich carnival season, where it was duly successful. It shows Mozart, in his first comic opera since his childhood, finding ways of using the orchestra more expressively and of giving real personality to the pasteboard figures of Italian opera buffa.
Listen: Mozart, Violin Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Major, K 207
Third movement, “Presto,” of Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 1 in …
Listen: Mozart, Violin Concerto No. 2 in D Major, K 211
Third movement, “Rondeau: Allegro,” of Mozart’s Violin Concerto …
A period of two and a half years (from March 1775) began in which Mozart worked steadily in his Salzburg post. The work was for him undemanding and by no means compatible with his abilities. During this period he wrote only one dramatic work (the serenata-like Il rè pastore, “The Shepherd King,” for an archducal visit), but he was productive in sacred and lighter instrumental music. His most impressive piece for the church was the Litaniae de venerabili altaris sacramento (K 243), which embraces a wide range of styles (fugues, choruses of considerable dramatic force, florid arias, and a plainchant setting). The instrumental works included divertimentos, concertos, and serenades, notably the Haffner (K 250), which in its use of instruments and its richness of working carried the serenade style into the symphonic without prejudicing its traditional warmth and high spirits. The five concertos for violin, all from this period (No. 1 may be slightly earlier), show a remarkable growth over a few months in confidence in handling the medium, with increasingly fanciful ideas and attractive and natural contexts for virtuoso display. The use of popular themes in the finales is typically south German. He also wrote a concerto for three pianos and three piano concertos, the last of them, K 271, showing a new level of maturity in technique and expressive range.
Mannheim and Paris
It must have been abundantly clear by this time to Mozart as well as his father that a small provincial court like that at Salzburg was no place for a genius of his order. In 1777 he petitioned the archbishop for his release and, with his mother to watch over him, set out to find new opportunities. The correspondence with his father over the 16 months he was away not only gives information as to what he was doing but also casts a sharp light on their changing relationship; Mozart, now 21, increasingly felt the need to free himself from paternal domination, while Leopold’s anxieties about their future assumed almost pathological dimensions.
They went first to Munich, where the elector politely declined to offer Mozart a post. Next they visited Augsburg, staying with relatives; there Mozart struck up a lively friendship with his cousin Maria Anna Thekla (they later had a correspondence involving much playful, obscene humour). At the end of October they arrived at Mannheim , where the court of the Elector Palatine was musically one of the most famous and progressive in Europe . Mozart stayed there for more than four months, although he soon learned that again no position was to be had. He became friendly with the Mannheim musicians, undertook some teaching and playing, accepted and partly fulfilled a commission for flute music from a German surgeon, and fell in love with Aloysia Weber, a soprano, the second of four daughters of a music copyist. He also composed several piano sonatas, some with violin. He put to his father a scheme for traveling to Italy with the Webers, which, naive and irresponsible, met with an angry response: “Off with you to Paris! and that soon, find your place among great people—aut Caesar aut nihil.” The plan had been that he would go on alone, but now Leopold felt that he was not to be trusted and made the ill-fated decision that his mother should go too. They reached Paris late in March 1778, and Mozart soon found work. His most important achievement was the symphony (K 297) composed for the Concert Spirituel, a brilliant D Major work in which he met the taste of the Parisian public (and musicians) for orchestral display without sacrifice of integrity; indeed he exploited the devices they admired (such as the opening coup d’archet—a forceful, unanimous musical gesture) to new formal ends.
By the time of its premiere, on June 18, his mother was seriously ill, and on July 3 she died. Mozart handled the situation with consideration, first writing to his father of her grave illness, then asking an abbé friend in Salzburg to break the news. He went to stay with Friedrich Melchior, Baron von Grimm , a German friend. Soon after, Grimm wrote pessimistically to Leopold about his son’s prospects in Paris, and Leopold negotiated a better post for him in Salzburg, where he would be court organist rather than violinist as before, though still nominally Konzertmeister. Mozart had in fact secured a position in Paris that might well have satisfied his father but which clearly did not satisfy Mozart himself; there is no evidence, in any case, that he informed his father of either the offer or his decision to refuse it. Summoned home, Mozart reluctantly obeyed, tarrying en route in Mannheim and in Munich—where the Mannheim musicians had now mostly moved and where he was coolly received by Aloysia Weber. He reached Salzburg in mid-January 1780.
Salzburg and Munich
” from Mozart’s Mass in C …
Listen: “Eine kleine Nachtmusik”
Mozart’s Eine kleine Nachtmusik, K 525.
Back in Salzburg, Mozart seems to have been eager to display his command of international styles: of the three symphonies he wrote in 1779–80, K 318 in G Major has a Parisian premier coup d’archet and crescendos of the type favoured in Mannheim, and K 338 in C Major shows many features of the brilliant Parisian manner. His outstanding orchestral work of this period was, however, the sinfonia concertante for violin and viola K 364; the genre was popular in both cities, and there are many features of the Mannheim style in the orchestral writing, but the character of the work, its ingenious instrumental interplay, and its depth of feeling are unmistakably Mozartian. Also from this time came the cheerful two-piano concerto and the two-piano sonata, as well as a number of sacred works, including the best-known of his complete masses, the Coronation Mass.
But it was dramatic music that attracted Mozart above all. He had lately written incidental music to a play by Tobias Philipp von Gebler, and during 1779–80 he composed much of a singspiel, known as Zaide, although with no sure prospects of performance. So Mozart must have been delighted, in the summer of 1780, to receive a commission to compose a serious Italian opera for Munich. The subject was to be Idomeneus, king of Crete, and the librettist the local cleric Giambattista Varesco, who was to follow a French text of 1712. Mozart could start work in Salzburg as he already knew the capacities of several of the singers, but he went to Munich some 10 weeks before the date set for the premiere. Leopold remained at home until close to the time of the premiere and acted as a link between Mozart and Varesco; their correspondence is accordingly richly informative about the process of composition. Four matters dominate Mozart’s letters home. First, he was anxious, as always, to assure his father of the enthusiasm with which the singers received his music. Second, he was concerned about cuts: the libretto was far too long, and Mozart had set it spaciously, so that much trimming—of the recitative, of the choral scenes, and even of two arias in the final acts—was needed. Third, he was always eager to make modifications that rendered the action more natural and plausible. And fourth, he was much occupied with accommodating the music and the action to the needs and the limitations of the singers.
Listen: Mozart, Idomeneo, rè di Creta, K 366
Ilia’s aria “
Zeffiretti lusinghieri
” in Act III of Mozart’s …
In Idomeneo, rè di Creta Mozart depicted serious, heroic emotion with a richness unparalleled elsewhere in his operas. Though influenced by Christoph Gluck and by Niccolò Piccinni and others, it is not a “reform opera”: it includes plain recitative and bravura singing , but always to a dramatic purpose, and, though the texture is more continuous than in Mozart’s earlier operas, its plan, because of its French source, is essentially traditional. Given on January 29, 1781, just after Mozart’s 25th birthday, it met with due success. Mozart and his father were still in Munich when, on March 12, he was summoned to join the archbishop’s retinue in Vienna, where the accession of Joseph II was being celebrated.
Vienna: the early years
Fresh from his triumphs in Munich, where he had mixed freely with noblemen, Mozart now found himself placed, at table in the lodgings for the archbishop’s entourage, below the valets if above the cooks. Furthermore, the archbishop refused him permission to play at concerts (including one attended by the emperor at which Mozart could have earned half a year’s salary in an evening). He was resentful and insulted. Matters came to a head at an interview with Archbishop Colloredo, who, according to Mozart, used unecclesiastical language; Mozart requested his discharge, which was eventually granted at a stormy meeting with the court steward on June 9, 1781.
Listen: Mozart, Die Entführung aus dem Serail (The Abduction from the Seraglio)
Konstanze’s aria “
Martern aller Arten
” in Act II of Mozart’s …
Mozart, who now went to live with his old friends the Webers (Aloysia was married to a court actor and painter), set about earning a living in Vienna. Although eager for a court appointment, he for the moment was concerned to take on some pupils, to write music for publication, and to play in concerts (which in Vienna were more often in noblemen’s houses than in public). He also embarked on an opera, Die Entführung aus dem Serail ( The Abduction from the Seraglio ). ( Joseph II currently required that German opera, rather than the traditional Italian, be given at the court theatre.) In the summer of 1781, rumours began to circulate, as far as Salzburg, that Mozart was contemplating marriage with the third of the Weber daughters, Constanze; but he hotly denied them in a letter to his father: “I have never thought less of getting married…besides, I am not in love with her.” He moved lodgings to scotch the gossip. But by December he was asking for his father’s blessing on a marriage with Constanze, with whom he was now in love and to whom, probably through the machinations of her mother and her guardian , he was in some degree committed. Because Constanze later destroyed Leopold’s letters, for reasons that are easy to imagine, only one side of the correspondence exists; Leopold’s reactions can, however, be readily inferred, and it would seem that this period marked a low point in the relationship between father and son.
Musically, Mozart’s main preoccupation was with Die Entführung in the early part of 1782. The opera, after various delays, reached the Burgtheater stage on July 16. The story of the emperor’s saying “very many notes, my dear Mozart” may not be literally true, but the tale is symptomatic: the work does have far more notes than any other then in the German repertory, with fuller textures, more elaboration, and longer arias. Mozart’s letters to his father give insight into his approach to dramatic composition, explaining, for example, his use of accompanying figures and key relationships to embody meaning. He also had the original text substantially modified to strengthen its drama and allow better opportunities for music. Noteworthy features are the Turkish colouring, created by “exotic” turns of phrase and chromaticisms as well as janissary instruments; the extended Act 2 finale, along the lines of those in opera buffa but lacking the dramatic propulsion of the Italian type; the expressive and powerful arias for the heroine (coincidentally called Constanze); and what Mozart called concessions to Viennese taste in the comic music, such as the duet “Vivat Bacchus.”
Die Entführung enjoyed immediate and continuing success; it was quickly taken up by traveling and provincial companies—as La finta giardiniera had been, to a lesser degree—and carried Mozart’s reputation widely around the German-speaking countries. He complained, however, that he had not made enough money from the opera, and he began to devote more time and energy in other directions. Later in the year he worked on a set of three piano concertos and began a set of six string quartets, the latter inspired by Haydn’s revolutionary Opus 33. He also started work on a mass setting, in C Minor, which he had vowed to write on his marriage (a vow he renewed when his wife survived a difficult childbirth) but of which only the first two sections, “Kyrie” and “Gloria,” were completed. Among the influences on this music, besides the Austrian ecclesiastical tradition, was that of the Baroque music (Bach, Handel, and others) that Mozart had become acquainted with, probably for the first time, at the house of his patron Baron Gottfried van Swieten, a music collector and antiquarian. The Baroque influence is noticeable especially in the spare textures and austere lines of certain of the solo numbers, though others are squarely in the decorative, south German late Rococo manner (this interest in “old-fashioned” counterpoint can also be seen in some of Mozart’s piano music of the time and in his string arrangements of music from Bach’s The Well-Tempered Clavier ). Mozart and his wife visited Salzburg in the summer and autumn of 1783, when the completed movements were performed, with (as always intended) Constanze singing the solo soprano parts, at St. Peter’s Abbey. On the way back to Vienna Mozart paused at Linz , where he hastily wrote the symphony known by that city’s name for a concert he gave there.
The central Viennese period
Back in Vienna Mozart entered on what was to be the most fruitful and successful period of his life. He had once written to his father that Vienna was “the land of the piano,” and his greatest triumphs there were as a pianist-composer. During one spell of little more than five weeks he appeared at 22 concerts, mainly at the Esterházy and Galitzin houses but including five concerts of his own. In February 1784 he began to keep a catalog of his own music, which suggests a new awareness of posterity and his place in it (in fact his entries are sometimes misdated). At concerts he would normally play the piano, both existing pieces and improvisations ; his fantasias—such as the fine C Minor one (K 475) of 1785—and his numerous sets of variations probably give some indication of the kind of music his audiences heard. He would also conduct performances of his symphonies (using earlier Salzburg works as well as the two written since he had settled in Vienna, the Haffner of 1782, composed for the Salzburg family, and the Linz [Symphony No. 36 in C Major]), but above all the piano concertos were the central products of his concert activity.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. (file no. LC-USZ62-87246)
Listen: Mozart, Piano Concerto No. 22 in E-flat Major, K 482
Third movement, “Rondo,” of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 22 in …
Listen: Mozart, Piano Concerto No. 23 in A Major, K 488
Third movement, “Allegro assai,” of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. …
In 1782–83 Mozart wrote three piano concertos (K 413–415), which he published in 1785 with string and optional wind parts (so that they were suitable for domestic use) and described as “a happy medium between what is too easy and too difficult.” Six more followed in 1784, three each in 1785 and 1786 and one each in 1788 and 1791. With the 1784 group he established a new level of piano concerto writing; these concertos are at once symphonic, melodically rich, and orchestrally ingenious, and they also blend the virtuoso element effectively into the musical and formal texture of the work. Much melodic material is assigned to the wind instruments, and a unique melodic style is developed that lends itself to patterns of dialogue and instrumental interplay. After the relatively homogeneous 1784 group (K 449, 450, 451, 453, 456, and 459), all of which begin with themes stated first by the orchestra and later taken up by the piano, Mozart moved on in the concertos of 1785 (K 466, 467, and 482) to make the piano solo a reinterpretation of the opening theme. These concertos are increasingly individual in character—one a stormy and romantic D Minor work, the next a closely argued concerto in C Major with a slow movement remarkable for its troubled beauty, and the third, in E-flat Major, notable for its military rhythms and wind colouring. The 1786 group begins with the refined but conservatively lyrical K 488, but then follow two concertos with a new level of symphonic unity and grandeur, that in C Minor (K 491), using the largest orchestra Mozart had yet called for in the concert hall, and the imperious concerto in C Major (K 503). The two final concertos (K 537 and 595) represent no new departures.
Mozart’s other important contributions of this time come in the fields of chamber and piano music. The outpouring of 1784 included the fine piano sonata K 457 and the piano and violin sonata K 454 (written for a visiting violin virtuoso, it was produced in such haste that Mozart could not write out the piano part and played from blank paper at the premiere). He also wrote, in a style close to that of the concertos, a quintet for piano and wind instruments (K 452), which he considered his finest work to date; it was first heard at a concert in the house of his pupil Barbara Ployer, for whom two of the 1784 concertos had been written (K 449 and 453). The six string quartets on which he had embarked in 1782 were finished in the first days of 1785 and published later that year, dedicated to Haydn , now a friend of Mozart’s. In 1785 Haydn said to Leopold Mozart, on a visit to his son in Vienna, “Your son is the greatest composer known to me in person or by name; he has taste, and what is more the greatest knowledge of composition.” It was during Leopold’s visit that Mozart performed his D Minor concerto (K 466), which is marked by a particularly willful piano part that resists conformity more insistently than in any other Mozart concerto; small wonder that Mozart would return to D Minor to set his most intransigent operatic hero—Don Giovanni—and that this would be Beethoven’s favourite among Mozart’s concertos.
From Figaro to Don Giovanni
In spite of his success as a pianist and composer, Mozart had serious financial worries, and they worsened as the famously fickle Viennese found other idols. One may calculate his likely income during his last five years, 1786–91, as being far larger than that of most musicians though much below that of the section of society with which he wanted to be associated; Leopold’s early advice to be aloof (“like an Englishman”) with his fellow musicians but friendly with the aristocracy had its price. His sense of being as good a man as any privileged nobleman led him and his wife into tastes that for his actual station in life, and his income, were extravagant. He saw a court appointment as a possible source of salvation but knew that the Italian musical influence at court, under the Kapellmeister Antonio Salieri , was powerful and exclusive—even if he and Salieri were never on less than friendly terms personally.
Listen: Mozart, Le nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro)
Cherubino’s aria “
Voi che sapete
” in Act II of Mozart’s …
Success in the court opera house was all-important. Joseph II had now reverted to Italian opera, and since 1783 Mozart had been seeking suitable librettos (he had even started work on two but broke off when he came to realize their feebleness for his purpose). He had become acquainted with Lorenzo Da Ponte , an Italian abbé-adventurer of Jewish descent who was a talented poet and librettist to the court theatre. At Mozart’s suggestion he wrote a libretto, Le nozze di Figaro, based on Beaumarchais ’s revolutionary comedy, Le Mariage de Figaro , but with most of the political sting removed. Nonetheless, the music of Figaro makes the social distinctions clear. Figaro, as well as the later opera Don Giovanni , treats the traditional figure of the licentious nobleman, but the earlier work does so on a more directly comic plane even though the undercurrents of social tension run stronger. Perhaps the central achievement of Figaro lies in its ensembles with their close link between music and dramatic meaning. The Act 3 Letter Duet, for instance, has a realistic representation of dictation with the reading back as a condensed recapitulation. The act finales, above all, show a broad, symphonic organization with each section worked out as a unit; for example, in the B-flat section of the Act 2 finale the tension of the count’s examination of Figaro is paralleled in the tonal scheme, with its return to the tonic only when the final question is resolved: a telling conjunction of music and drama. These features, coupled with the elaborate commentary on character and action that is embodied in the orchestral writing, add depth to the situations and seriousness to their resolution and set the work apart from the generality of Italian opere buffe.
Figaro reached the stage on May 1, 1786, and was warmly received. There were nine performances in 1786 and a further 26 when it was revived in 1789–90—a success, but a modest one compared with certain operas of Martín y Soler and Giovanni Paisiello (to whose Il barbiere di Siviglia it was a sequel, and planned in direct competition). The opera did, however, enjoy outstanding popularity in Prague, and at the end of the year Mozart was invited to go to the Bohemian capital; he went in January 1787 and gave a new symphony there, the Prague (K 504), a demanding work that reflects his admiration for the capabilities of that city’s musicians. After accepting a further operatic commission for Prague, he returned to Vienna in February 1787.
Mozart’s concert activities in Vienna were now on a modest scale. No Viennese appearances at all are recorded for 1787. In April he heard that his father was gravely ill. Mozart wrote him a letter of consolation putting forward a view of death (“this best and truest friend of mankind”) based on the teachings of Freemasonry , which he had embraced at the end of 1784. Leopold died in May 1787.
Mozart’s music from this time includes the two string quintets K 515–516, arguably his supreme chamber works. Clearly this genre, with the opportunities it offered for richness of sonority and patterns of symmetry , had a particular appeal for him. The quintet in C Major (K 515) is the most expansive and most richly developed of all his chamber works, while the G Minor (K 516) has always been recognized for its depth of feeling, which in the circumstances it is tempting to regard as elegiac. From this period come a number of short but appealing lieder and three instrumental works of note: the Musikalischer Spass ( Musical Joke ), a good-humoured parody of bad music, in a vein Leopold would have liked (it was thought to have been provoked by his death until it was found that it was begun much earlier); Eine kleine Nachtmusik , the exquisite and much-loved serenade, probably intended for solo strings and written for a purpose that remains unknown (though it has been speculated that it was performed during the musical gatherings hosted by Gottfried von Jacquin); and a fine piano and violin sonata, K 526.
Listen: Mozart, W.A.: Don Giovanni
Recitativo “
Listen: Mozart, W.A.: Don Giovanni
The aria “
Madamina, il catalogo e questo
” (“My dear lady, this is a …
But Mozart’s chief occupation during 1787 was the composition of Don Giovanni, commissioned for production in Prague; it was given on October 29 and warmly received. Don Giovanni was Mozart’s second opera based on a libretto by Da Ponte, who used as his model a libretto by Giovanni Bertati, set by Giuseppe Gazzaniga for Venice earlier in 1787. Da Ponte rewrote the libretto, inserting new episodes into the one-act original, which explains certain structural features. A difference in Mozart’s approach to the work—a dramma giocoso in the tradition of Carlo Goldoni that, because of its more serious treatment of character, had a greater expressive potential than an opera buffa —is seen in the extended spans of the score, with set-piece numbers often running into one another. As in Figaro, the two act finales are again remarkable: the first for the three stage bands that play dances for different social segments—a suggested social compatibility that is shattered by the Don’s attempted rape of the peasant Zerlina—the second for the supper scene in which the commendatore’s statue consigns Giovanni to damnation, with trombones to suggest the supernatural and with hieratic dotted rhythms, extreme chromaticism , and wildly lurching harmony as Giovanni is overcome. But it remains a comic opera, as is made clear through the figure of Leporello, who from under a table offers the common man’s wry or facetious observations; and at the end the surviving characters draw the moral in a cheerful sextet that has seemed jarring to later sensibilities more ready to identify with the rebellious Giovanni than with the restoration of social order that the sextet celebrates. The “demonic” character of the opera has caused it to exercise a special fascination for audiences, and it has given rise to a large critical, interpretative, and sometimes purely fanciful literature.
The last travels
On his return from Prague in mid-November 1787, Mozart was at last appointed to a court post, as Kammermusicus, in place of Gluck, who had died. It was largely a sinecure, the only requirement being that he should supply dance music for court balls, which he did, in abundance and with some distinction, over his remaining years. The salary of 800 gulden seems to have done little to relieve the Mozarts’ chronic financial troubles. Their debts, however, were never large, and they were always able to continue employing servants and owning a carriage; their anxieties were more a matter of whether they could live as they wished than whether they would starve. In 1788 a series of letters begging loans from a fellow Freemason, Michael Puchberg, began; Puchberg usually obliged, and Mozart seems generally to have repaid him promptly. He was deeply depressed during the summer, writing of “black thoughts”; it has been suggested that he may have had a cyclothymic personality, linked with manic-depressive tendencies, which could explain not only his depression but also other aspects of his behaviour, including his spells of hectic creativity.
Listen: Mozart, Symphony No. 39 in E-flat Major, K 543
Mozart’s Symphony No. 39 in E-flat Major, K 543; from a 1936 …
Listen: Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus: Symphony No. 41 in C Major, K 551 (Jupiter)
Excerpt from the first movement, “Allegro vivace,” of Mozart’s …
During the time of this depression Mozart was working on a series of three symphonies, in E-flat Major (K 543), G Minor (K 550), and C Major (the Jupiter , K 551), usually numbered 39, 40, and 41; these, with the work written for Prague (K 504), represent the summa of his orchestral output. It is not known why they were composed; possibly Mozart had a summer concert season in mind. The Prague work was a climax to his long series of brilliant D Major orchestral pieces, but the closely worked, even motivic form gives it a new power and unity, adding particular force to its frequently dark tone. The E-flat Major work, scored with clarinets and more lyrical in temper, makes fewer departures, except in the intensity of its slow movement, where Mozart used a new palette of darker orchestral colours, and the epigrammatic wit of its finale. In the G Minor work the tone of passion and perhaps of pathos , in its constant falling figures, is still more pronounced. The Jupiter (the name dates from the early 19th century) summarized the series of C Major symphonies, with their atmosphere of military pomp and ceremony, but it went far beyond them in its assimilation of opera buffa style, profundity of expression (in its andante), and richness of working—especially in the finale, which incorporates fugal procedures and ends with a grand apotheosis in five-voice fugal counterpoint.
Early in 1789 Mozart accepted an invitation to travel to Berlin with Prince Karl Lichnowsky; they paused in Prague, Dresden (where he played at court), and Leipzig (where he improvised on the Thomaskirche organ ). He appeared at the Prussian court and probably was invited to compose piano sonatas for the princess and string quartets with a prominent cello part for King Friedrich Wilhelm II. He did in fact write three quartets, in parts of which he allowed the individual instruments (including the royal cello) special prominence, and there is one sonata (his last, K 576) that may have been intended for the Prussian princess. But it is unlikely that Mozart ever sent this music or was paid for it.
The summer saw the composition of the clarinet quintet , in which a true chamber style is warmly and gracefully reconciled with the solo writing. Thereafter Mozart concentrated on completing his next opera commission, the third of his Da Ponte operas, Così fan tutte , which was given on January 26, 1790; its run was interrupted after five performances when theatres closed because of the death of Joseph II, but a further five were given in the summer. This opera, the subtlest, most consistent, and most symmetrical of the three, was long reviled (from Beethoven onward) on account of its subject, female fickleness; but a more careful reading of it, especially in light of the emotional texture of the music, which gains complexity as the plot progresses, makes it clear that it is no frivolous piece but a penetrating essay on human feelings and their mature recognition. The music of Act 1 is essentially conventional in expression, and conventional feeling is tellingly parodied in certain of the arias; but the arias of Act 2 are on a deeper and more personal level. Features of the music of Così fan tutte—serenity, restraint, poise, irony—may be noted as markers of Mozart’s late style, which had developed since 1787 and may be linked with his personal development and the circumstances of his life, including his Masonic associations, his professional and financial situation, and his marriage.
The year 1790 was difficult and unproductive: besides Così fan tutte, Mozart completed two of the “Prussian” quartets, arranged works by Handel for performance at van Swieten’s house (he had similarly arranged Messiah in 1789), and wrote the first of his two fantasy-like pieces, in a variety of prelude-and-fugue form, for a mechanical organ (this imposing work, in F Minor [K 594], is now generally played on a normal organ). In the autumn, anxious to be noticed in court circles, he went to Frankfurt for the imperial coronation of Leopold II , but as an individual rather than a court musician. His concert, which included two piano concertos and possibly one of the new symphonies, was ill timed, poorly attended, and a financial failure. Anxieties about money were a recurrent theme in his letters home.
The last year
But 1791 promised to be a better year. Music was flowing again: for a concert in March Mozart completed a piano concerto (K 595) begun some years before, reeled off numerous dances for the Redoutensaal, and wrote two new string quintets, the one in D (K 593) being a work of particular refinement and subtlety. In April he applied successfully for the role of unpaid assistant to the elderly Kapellmeister of St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Leopold Hofmann (with the expectation of being duly appointed his successor, but Hofmann was to live until 1793).
Listen: Mozart, Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute)
Queen of the Night’s aria “
Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen
” in …
An old friend of Mozart’s, Emanuel Schikaneder , had in 1789 set up a company to perform singspiels in a suburban theatre, and in 1791 he engaged Mozart to compose a score to his Die Zauberflöte ( The Magic Flute ); Mozart worked on it during the spring and early summer. Then he received another commission, anonymously delivered, for a requiem , to be composed under conditions of secrecy. In addition he was invited, probably in July, to write the opera to be given during Leopold II’s coronation festivities in September. Constanze was away taking a cure at Baden during much of the summer and autumn; in July she gave birth to their sixth child, one of the two to survive (Carl Thomas, 1784–1858, and Franz Xaver Wolfgang, 1791–1844, a composer and pianist). Mozart’s letters to her show that he worked first on Die Zauberflöte, although he must have written some of the Prague opera, La clemenza di Tito (“The Clemency of Titus”), before he left for the Bohemian capital near the end of August. Pressure of work, however, was such that he took with him to Prague, along with Constanze, his pupil Franz Xaver Süssmayr , who almost certainly composed the plain recitatives for the new opera. The work itself, to an old libretto by Pietro Metastasio , condensed and supplemented by the Dresden court poet Caterino Mazzolà, was long dismissed as a product of haste and a commission unwillingly undertaken; but in fact the spare scoring, the short arias, and the generally restrained style are better understood in terms of Mozart’s reaction to the neoclassical thinking of the time and the known preferences of Leopold II. The opera was indifferently received by the court but quickly won over the Prague audiences and went on to become one of Mozart’s most admired works over the ensuing decades.
Listen: Mozart, Concerto for Clarinet in A Major, K 622
Second movement, “Adagio,” of Mozart’s Concerto for Clarinet in …
Mozart was back in Vienna by the middle of September; his clarinet concerto was finished by September 29, and the next day Die Zauberflöte had its premiere. Again, early reactions were cautious, but soon the opera became the most loved of all of Mozart’s works for the stage. Schikaneder took its plot from a collection of fairy tales by Christoph Martin Wieland but drew too on other literary sources and on current thinking about Freemasonry—all viewed in the context of Viennese popular theatre. Musically it is distinguished from contemporary singspiels not merely by the quality of its music but also by the serious ideas that lie below what may seem to be merely childish pantomime or low comedy, welding together the stylistically diverse elements.
Listen: Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus: Requiem in D Minor, K 626
“
Dies Irae
” from Mozart’s Requiem in D Minor, …
Mozart had been ill during the weeks in Prague, but to judge by his letters to Constanze in October he was in good spirits and, with some cause, more optimistic about the future. He wrote a Masonic cantata for his lodge and directed a performance of it on November 18. He was also working steadily on the commissioned requiem. Later in November he was ill and confined to bed; some apparent improvement on December 3 was not sustained, and on December 5 he died. “Severe miliary fever” was the certified cause; later, “rheumatic inflammatory fever” was named. Other diagnoses , taking account of Mozart’s medical history, have been put forward, including Schönlein–Henoch syndrome. There is no evidence to support the tale that he was poisoned by Salieri (a colleague and friend, hardly a real rival) or anyone else. He was buried in a multiple grave, standard at the time in Vienna for a person of his social and financial situation; a small group of friends attended the funeral.
Constanze Mozart was anxious to have the requiem completed, as a fee was due; it had been commissioned, in memory of his wife, by Count von Walsegg-Stuppach to pass off as his own. She handed it first to Joseph Eybler, who supplied some orchestration but was reluctant to do more, and then to Süssmayr, who produced a complete version, writing several movements himself though possibly basing them on Mozart’s sketches or instructions. Subject to criticism for its egregious technical and expressive weaknesses (particularly glaring in the “
Sanctus/Benedictus
”), this has nevertheless remained the standard version of the work, if only because of its familiarity. The sombre grandeur of the work, with its restrained instrumental colouring and its noble choral writing, hints at what might have been had Mozart lived to take on the Kapellmeistership of St. Stephen’s.
Mozart’s place
At the time of his death Mozart was widely regarded not only as the greatest composer of the time but also as a bold and “difficult” one; Don Giovanni especially was seen as complex and dissonant, and his chamber music as calling for outstanding skill in its interpreters. His surviving manuscripts, which included many unpublished works, were mostly sold by Constanze to the firm of André in Offenbach, which issued editions during the 19th century. But Mozart’s reputation was such that even before the end of the 18th century two firms had embarked on substantial collected editions of his music. Important biographies appeared in 1798 and 1828, the latter by Constanze’s second husband; the first scholarly biography, by Otto Jahn, was issued on Mozart’s centenary in 1856. The first edition of the Köchel catalog followed six years later, and the first complete edition of his music began in 1877.
The works most secure in the repertory during the 19th century were the three operas least susceptible to changes in public taste—Le nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni, and Die Zauberflöte—and the orchestral works closest in spirit to the Romantic era—the minor-key piano concertos (Beethoven wrote a set of cadenzas for the one in D Minor) and the last three symphonies. It was only in the 20th century that Mozart’s music began to be reexamined more broadly. Although up to the middle of the century Mozart was still widely regarded as having been surpassed in most respects by Beethoven, with the increased historical perspective of the later 20th century he came to be seen as an artist of a formidable , indeed perhaps unequaled, expressive range. The traditional image of the child prodigy turned refined drawing-room composer, who could miraculously conceive an entire work in his head before setting pen to paper (always a distortion of the truth), gave way to the image of the serious and painstaking creative artist with acute human insight, whose complex psychology demanded exploration by writers, historians, and scholars. The 1980 play Amadeus (written by Peter Shaffer) and especially its film version of 1984 (directed by Miloš Forman), although they did much to promote interest in Mozart, reinforced certain myths—i.e., that even as an adult Mozart remained an inappropriately childish vessel for divinely inspired music and that his premature death was brought about by Salieri. Yet even in this indulgent appropriation of Mozart’s legacy , his full-blooded humanity at times emerges with haunting vividness.
| i don't know |
What is the name of the island which lies in the middle of the Niagara Falls? | Tours
Goat Island in Niagara Falls New York USA
This image offers a good perspective of Goat Island’s location between the American & Canadian Falls. Accessible only from Niagara Falls New York. It’s the oldest State Park in the U.S.A.
The American & Bridal Veil Falls from Goat Island.
On the far side of the American Falls is Prospect Point Park and the NY State Observation Tower. A small foot bridge crosses the rapids close to the brink of the Bridal Veil Falls leading to Luna Island.
Leaning over the edge of the Bridal Veil Falls reveals the Cave of the Winds attraction below.
http://www.niagarafallslive.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/rapids480p.mp4
Terrapin Point overlooking the Canadian Falls.
Three Sisters Islands accessed from Goat Island offers a great view of the Upper Rapids before cascading over the Canadian Horseshoe Falls.
Foot bridge from Goat Island to the Three Sisters Islands.
In 1879, botanist Frederick Law Olmsted, wrote that he had traveled four thousand miles throughout the continent “without finding elsewhere the same quality of forest beauty which was once abundant about the falls, and which is still to be observed in those parts of Goat Island where the original growth of trees and shrubs had not been disturbed…” Olmsted concluded that the spray from the Falls created a natural nursery for indigenous plant life.
John Stedman – an early pioneer and miller – kept a herd of goats on the island. The animals all died in the terrible winter of 1780, but gave the island its name.
The preservation of the island as parkland is due to the early efforts of Augustus Porter, who in the middle 19th century recognized the long-term value of the falls as a tourist attraction. Porter purchased the island and later allowed a group of Tuscarora Native Americans to live on the island and sell their crafts to the tourists who came to the falls by stagecoach and early railroads. In spite of pressure, Porter refused to tame the environment on the island. In 1817, he built a toll bridge to the island for tourists. It was swept away by ice, so another was built the following year downstream. Basil Hall called it “one of the most singular pieces of engineering in the world”. Almost seven hundred feet long, it soon became the best-traveled walkway in the region.
In 1885 the island was included in the Niagara Reservation State Park which is the oldest state park in the U.S.A.
Automobile & recreational vehicle parking is available on Goat Island. You can also access the park on foot via the pedestrian bridge located several hundred feet before the brink of the American Falls. No trip to Niagara Falls is complete without a visit to Goat Island.
The channel of the Niagara River splits in two above the falls, creating two sets of falls, one on either side of the island. In 1959-60, the eastern side of the island was extended about 8.5 acres (34,000 m²) for additional parking and a helicopter pad. Fill was provided from excavation for the construction of the Robert Moses State Parkway. The waters immediately around Goat Island are relatively shallow and studded with islets and rocks, many of them scenes of dramatic rescues and rescue attempts.
Visit the Cave of the Winds. During the months of May through October.
« The entrance is on your left !
| Goat Island |
Which grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II was the first to marry? | Niagara Falls - Frequently Asked Questions
Do they shut off the Falls at night?
During the tourist season (April 1st to Oct 31st) by agreement of the Canadian/American Governments, the water flowing over the Falls is maintained at 100,000 cubic feet per second. This level of water flow is what 12 million visitors come to see each year. In order to provide this level of water flow over the Falls, Ontario Hydro and the New York Power Authority can only draw a reduced amount of water so as not to interfere with the amount of water going over the Falls.
After dusk each night during the tourist season, the water flow rate going over the Falls is reduced to only 50,000 cubic feet per second. This allows the Hydro Authorities to draw more water for hydro generation.
During the night time, both Ontario Hydro and the New York State Power Authorities pump massive amounts of water into their gigantic water reservoirs in order to top them up. Ontario Hydro's reservoir is 212 acres and is smaller than the American Robert Moses Hydro reservoir. During the daytime when the water flow is increased over the Falls for the tourists, the hydro companies draw the water from their reservoirs for hydro generation to make up for any water deficit.
This is a cycle which occurs every day.
The only difference occurs between November 1st and April 1st of each year (non tourist season). During this period, the water rate of flow is reduced to 50,000 cubic feet per second on a 24 hour basis. Hydro draws the rest of the water for hydro generation. The reduced water flow and the lowering of the water level is the reason the Maid of the Mist boat has to be out of the water by October 31st each year.
The hydro control dam is jointly owned by Canada/USA. It is operated by Ontario Hydro by agreement. The reason its on Canadian side is that the water flows towards the Canadian side (the river bed slants). The water being drawn for hydro is strictly regulated. Ontario Hydro and New York State Power Authority have scheduled water drawing times. When the Americans are drawing water, the gates on the dam are closed. This causes the water to be forced to flow towards the water intakes on the American side. At times when Ontario Hydro is diverting water, the dam assists in directing water to their intakes as well.
The normal long term average rate of water flow in the Niagara River is 212,000 cubic feet per second so even on a summer day, approximately 100,000 cubic feet of water per second are being drawn for hydro generation.
Have the waters at the Falls ever stopped flowing?
Ever since records have been kept about the history of the Falls of Niagara, there have only been three occasions when the water flow over the Falls has been greatly reduced and/or restricted. They are as follows:
Unfortunately, news reports in 1848 were stretchy at best. The exact times that Niagara Falls ran dry was not specifically recorded. It however began near midnight on March 29th 1848 and the early morning of March 30th 1848. The full effect of the ice jam upstream at the mouth of the Niagara River at Lake Erie did not take full effect until well into the day of March 30th. The water stopped flowing for approximately 30 - 40 hours before the flow of water at Niagara Falls had returned to normal on the late evening of March 31st and/or early morning hours of April1st 1848.
Sources for the following account are attributed to:
Buffalo Commercial Advertised - March 30th 1848
Buffalo Express - March 31st 1848
The Iris of Niagara Falls, New York - March 31st 1848
Major R. Lachlan, speech to Royal Canadian Institute 1855
The Day Niagara Falls Ran Dry - David Phillips
Globe & Mail news article - March 30th 1955
On March 29th 1848, papers reported that Niagara Falls ran dry. During a weather related occurrence, a south-west gale blowing off of Lake Erie caused ice to jam and dam up at the mouth of the Niagara River causing the water flow to be severely restricted. The water over the Horseshoe Falls and American Falls to be reduced to a trickle for approximately thirty (30) to forty (40) hours. The roar of the Falls fell silent. One of the first residents to notice the deafening silence was farmer, Jed Porter of Niagara Falls, New York. During the late evening of March 29th, he left home for a stroll along the river near the American Falls and realized the thundering roar of the Falls was absent. A closer examination revealed the amount of the water flowing over the Falls had been greatly diminished.
Residents awoke on the morning of March 30th to an eerie silence and realized something was amiss. People were drawn to the Falls to find that the water flow of the Niagara River had been reduced to a mere trickle. Thomas Clark Street, the owner and operator of the large Bridgewater Mills along the Canadian shore at Dufferin Islands was was awakened by one of his employees at 5 a.m. on March 30th reporting the mill had been shut down because the mill race was empty.
By the morning of March 31st, more than 5,000 people had gathered along the banks of the river. All the mills and factories dependant upon water power were stilled.
The river bed was quickly drying. Fish and turtles were left floundering on now dry land. A number of people made their way into the gorge to the riverbed. Here they saw articles that had been lay on the river's bottom that had been hidden for hundreds of years. Souvenirs picked up included bayonets, guns barrels, muskets, tomahawks and other artifacts of the War of 1812.
Other spectators were able to walk out onto the river bed that had only hours earlier been a torrent of rapids and would have resulted in certain death. It became a tourist and media event. People on foot, on horseback or by horse and buggy, crossed the width of the Niagara River. It was a historical event that had never occurred during recorded time and has never been duplicated since.
A squad of soldiers of the U.S. Army Cavalry rode their horses up and down the river bed as an exhibition.
Below the Falls, workers from the Maid of the Mist were able to venture out onto the river bed and blast away rocks which had normally been a navigation hazard to the Maid of the Mist boat since its inception in 1846. The gorge resonated with the sounds of many explosions as those rocks which normally would have scraped the hull of the boat were removed.
The sudden silencing of the roar of the Falls had caused much anxiety and fear amongst the residents and visitors. Some believed that this event was the beginning of a doomsday scenario. On the morning of March 31st the Falls remained silent. Many thousands of people attended special church services on both sides of the border.
With each passing hour, the level of fear and anxiety among the residents grew proportionately until the night of March 31st, when a loud low pitched growl and grown was heard coming from upstream. This announced and was quickly followed by the return of the normal flow of water along the Niagara River. A wall of water surged forward at surprising speed, covering again perhaps forever what had been exposed for but a brief historic moment in time. The return of the roar of the Falls, reassured the residents that all was going to be alright and that they could now breathe a huge sigh of relief and return to their normal activities.
On the night of March 31st 1848, the wind shifted and the ice dam at the mouth of the Niagara River at Lake Erie broke apart and the river flow returned to its normal rate.
The wind is probably the greatest factor which controls the water level in the Niagara River. Remember that a south-west wind 30-50 mph blowing the entire length of the Lake can easily raise the water level in eastern portion of Lake Erie 3-6 feet in several hours. Its very much like a storm water surge that we hear about during the onslaught of a hurricane however on a much lesser scale. This force pushes much more water into the river.
In latter part of March 1848, a gale force wind blowing from the south-west for several days before the ice dam occurred. On March 29th 1848, the weather was clear with an air temperature of 7� Celsius (46� Fahrenheit). The wind was blowing very strongly from the south-west. This wind which was blowing over the entire fetch of Lake Erie combined with massive amounts of Lake ice which was in turn pushed into the mouth of the Niagara River. So much ice that the River could not handle it all so it began to jam up at the entrance. The jam became so dense with hundreds of thousands of tons of ice, that it became a water dam which severely restricted the water.
On March 31st 1848, the temperature rose to 16� Celsius (64� Fahrenheit) and the wind shifted and strengthened that night causing the ice dam to break apart causing the return of the normal flow of water to the Niagara River.
The winter of 1847- 1848 was not unusually cold. Lake Erie's ice cover was not in excess of the usual 10 - 60 centimeters.
The Niagara River can only handle about 2% of the Lake ice so 98% remains in Lake Erie.
In 1953, the water over a portion of the Horseshoe Falls nearest the Table Rock Pavilion was stopped by the building of a series of coffer dams to allow for remedial work to be done to the edge of the Falls. This was done to allow a more even water flow and to slow the rate of erosion.
In 1969, the US Army Corps of Engineers built a series of coffer dams which stopped or rather reduced the water flow over the American Falls to a mere trickle. This was done to allow a study of the rock formations at the crest of the Falls and to study the feasibility of whether there was any possible way to remove the rock (talus) at the base of the American Falls. In the end, the engineers decided to let mother nature take its course.
Other than the two occasions when man has intervened by building dams to slow the water and on one occasion when nature has intervened, there is no way to turn the water off.
Is it against the law to be a daredevil?
The Niagara Parks Commission and all of its properties and assets are governed by Provincial Statutes (laws). The Niagara Parks Act is this Province of Ontario statute which governs the operations and activities within the Niagara Parks.
This law is known as Ontario Regulation 829/90.
If you find a current book (Revised Regulations 1990) of Ontario Statutes, the Niagara Parks Act is located under regulation 829.
This regulation contains the code of conduct which is not tolerated within the Parks property by members of the public. In other words rules.
Section 6 reads:
Does the Falls freeze in Winter?
The Niagara River handles 212,000 cubic feet of water per second. The average depth is approximately 16 feet with a flow rate of 4 to 8 miles per hour. The Niagara River does not freeze over. The Falls of Niagara and the river below the Falls does not freeze either. The volume of water going over the Falls, the depth and speed of the water below the Falls also precludes freezing. The water will not be stopped or frozen solid.
The ice bridge however does form at the base of Falls and over portions of the Niagara River below the Falls. The ice bridge is formed in late December to the end of February and into mid March dependant on the weather.
Lake Erie which drains into the Niagara River is a large lake but rather shallow. By the end of December, the entire lake surface is frozen over. Although an ice boom has been put into place since the 1960's at the mouth of the Niagara River and Lake Erie. The boom holds back most of the ice but not all. When the ice goes over the Falls in volume the ice freezes to the edges of the gorge and builds upon itself until the river is covered in this giant layer of ice. This layer has grown to eighty feet thick in the past and currently 40 feet is not uncommon.
The Falls of Niagara still flows as does the water under the ice and the ice shelf seems to rise on layer of air that builds under the ice surface.
The American Falls have frozen over on six occasions since the keeping of records began. Each were attributed to ice jams that have actually curtailed the flow of the American Falls to mere trickles.
Unlike the Horseshoe Falls (which has never frozen over), the American Falls are susceptible to freezing because of the small amount of water flow. Normally the American Falls has a peak mean flow of 10,000 cubic feet of water per second. The winter mean water flow is reduced to less than 8,000 cubic feet of water per second. This minimal flow is barely sufficient to cover the rock face of the Falls. During harsh winters, ice frequently built up at eastern end of Goat Island causing an ice dam to reduce the water flow to the northern channel which feeds water to the American Falls. As a result water flow is restricted sufficiently that any remaining waters quickly freeze over.
The installation of the ice boom at the mouth of Lake Erie, the building of the International water control dam (which regulates water flow) and milder winters have all but eliminated the possibility of the American Falls ever completely freezing over in modern times.
The American Falls water flow was reduced to such an extent in 1909, 1936, 1938 and 1949 that it froze over.
On February 7th 1936, as a result of an ice jam at the eastern end of Goat Island the American Falls froze completely. The flow started to freeze on January 27th. The American Falls remained frozen for a period of 15 days before the ice dam upriver broke apart and returned the flow of water of the Falls to normal.
The American Falls today receives only 10% of the total water flow. In the early 1900's that flow was much less, perhaps only 5%. The low level of water flow was amplified because of the beginning of water diversion for hydro generation and the lack of a method to divert water towards the American shoreline. The riverbed above the Falls slopes towards the Canadian shore.
Long before the ice boom was utilized at the mouth of Lake Erie to hold back the lake ice, all the ice flowed through the Niagara River. The amount of ice flowing into the river depended upon winds blowing over the lake. West & south-west winds brought more ice flow into the river while east winds would lessen the amount.
The April 1909 ice flow was sufficient to dam off the flow of water at the eastern end of Goat Island. What water was left (a mere trickle) quickly froze. People were able to walk on the river bed just above the American Falls where there was normally water. It wasn't until the ice jam shifted and broke apart, that the water flow was returned to normal.
A second similar ice jam occurred in January of 1938. The ice jam was so substantial that it too cut off the main flow of water to the American Falls. Again the American Falls was reduced to a trickle and quickly froze. More importantly, it was this ice flow that caused the collapse of the Upper Steel Arch Bridge (Honeymoon Bridge).
People are not allowed on the ice bridge.
The ice shelf is constantly growing, shifting and breaking up. In most winters the ice bridge can build and suddenly break up several times.
In 1997, the ice bridge was bigger than usual because several sections of the ice boom were knocked out in early winter during a storm.
The enormous amount of mist generated from the falling water creates a picturesque sight as it freezes on contact against anything it falls upon along the shoreline creating a crystallized winter wonderland.
Who owns the Falls and How big are they?
The Horseshoe Falls, commonly referred to as "the Canadian Falls" is not located entirely in Canada. At the present time based upon data from the International Boundary Commission, about 350-400 feet (107m-122m) of the Horseshoe Falls crest line extending from the shoreline of Goat Island lies in American territory. As time goes on and erosion continues, the crest line will continue to be extended within the American border.
The majority of the Horseshoe Falls lies within Canadian Territory today. It used to be 90% Canadian and 10% American until remedial work done at the American end extended the land mass outward (essentially narrowing the Falls and covering that part of the American zone with earth). The American Falls is entirely in the USA (includes the Bridal Veil Falls as well).
The Horseshoe Falls has a water fall of 53 meters (173 feet) to the pool at the base of the Falls and is 2,200 feet (670m) in width.
The speed of the Niagara River at the crest of the Horseshoe Falls is 20-22 miles per hour (32-35km/h) at the apex. Ninety (90%) percent of all the river water flows over the Horseshoe Falls.
The American Falls is also known as the Rainbow Falls which also includes the Luna Falls (Bridal Veil Falls).
One hundred (100%) percent of the American Falls and the Bridal Veil Falls/Luna Falls are located in the U.S.A.
The Bridal Veil Falls and the American Falls has a total crest line of 1,100 feet (326m) in width and has a height of 182 feet (56m).
The talus (broken rock ) at the base of the Bridal Veil Falls and the American Falls reduces the uninterrupted fall of the water to as little as 70 feet (21m).
The crest line of the Bridal Veil Falls/Luna Falls is approximately 56 feet (17m) in width. It is located immediately South of the much larger American Falls but separated from the main waterfalls by a thin strip of land known as Luna Island.
The crest line of the American Falls (Rainbow Falls) is approximately 950 feet (290 m) in width.
| i don't know |
Melanophobia is the irrational fear of which colour? | Melanophobia- Fear of the color black | Phobia Source
Home » Phobia List
Melanophobia- Fear of the color black
The color black is usually a symbol for mourning and is a symbol for something dark or evil. Fear of the color black is called melanophobia. This fear can surface for many reasons, it can be due to memories and emotions that resurface when this color is seen. Color black can be perceived sometimes as grieving, plagues or death. Black can also represent as darkness for other people. Those who fear the dark may also fear the color black.
Sometimes this fear can have a racist factor. Some may fear blacks because of a bad experience or encounter with someone who is black. Some may associate black with dirt and this fear of getting dirty contributes to this phobia.
Persons may have the feeling of uncontrollable anxiety when you think about or are exposed to black, the feeling that they must do everything possible to avoid black, the inability to function normally because of their anxiety. Often, the knowledge that your fears are unreasonable or exaggerated should be realized but most feel powerless and they can’t control them.
Persons usually need a therapist that can aid in exposure therapy, relaxation techniques and someone who can aid the phobic person to understand his/her condition.
| Black |
Holly Golightly is the heroine of which novel by Truman Capote? | Melanophobia - black fear, color black fear, black color fear, black phobia, color black phobia, black color phobia, fear of the color black, fear of black things, fear of black objects, phobia of the color black, phobia of black things, phobia of black objects
Websites
Welcome to my site for Melanophobia. In hopes of trying to provide some helpful information, I have searched the Internet looking for information on Melanophobia (black fear, color black fear, black color fear, black phobia, color black phobia, black color phobia, fear of the color black, fear of black things, fear of black objects, phobia of the color black, phobia of black things, phobia of black objects). Please note I am not a doctor and only provide this site for informational purposes. I hope you will find some benefit in the site. Best wishes! ~Edd~
While is it recommended that you see a specialist for a phobia. Listed below are some helpful tips, which might help you in the future.
In order to combat fear you should take a positive approach and be mentally ready and in control at all times.
One way to control a phobia is to ignore it, which is easier said then done. However, if you think or talk about it, then you will create more fear and anxiety, which might make the phobia worse.
Try researching more information about your phobia. They say knowledge is power and it might help you in the long run. However, do not dwell on the phobia or is might make it worse.
Take some classes or seminars regarding your phobia. They will help you learn about yourself and your phobia. It can be a rewarding experience.
Attend discussion groups that allow you to talk about your fears. The groups allow you to develop bonds with others with phobias and let you know you are not alone.
Surround yourself with positive and supportive people that you trust who can give you assistance and feedback on your fear.
Order books or subscribe to magazines that provide you with information regarding your phobia or how to overcome it. One book that got positive feedback during my searches was "Anxiety, Phobias, & Panic: A Step-by-Step Program for Regaining Control of Your Life" by Reneau Peurifoy.
Note: If you are going to do a search, some common Melanophobia search terms include Melanophobia, black fear, color black fear, black color fear, black phobia, color black phobia, black color phobia, fear of the color black, fear of black things, fear of black objects, phobia of the color black, phobia of black things, phobia of black objects.
DISCLAIMER: PLEASE READ - By printing, downloading, or using you this information, you agree to the following: 1) I am only providing this material for information and research purposes. 2) The information is "AS IS", "WITH ALL FAULTS". 3) You understand the information was gathered by doing a general search on Internet search engines for the following terms: Melanophobia, black fear, color black fear, black color fear, black phobia, color black phobia, black color phobia, fear of the color black, fear of black things, fear of black objects, phobia of the color black, phobia of black things, phobia of black objects. 4) User assumes all risk of use, damage, or injury. 5) Information may have errors or be outdated. 6) Some information is from historical sources or represents opinions of the author. 7) You agree that we have no liability for any damages. 8) I are not liable for any consequential, incidental, indirect, or special damages. Finally, if you do not agree to terms, do not use the information. It is for informational and research purposes only! If you have any questions please contact me [email protected]
| i don't know |
Balham, Clapham and Peckham are districts of which British city? | Balham Estate Agents: Sell & Let in SW12 | fishneedwater
The Black Lab Coffee House
Best Park:
Clapham Common
Very pleased with the Fish service for selling my flat. Whole process was well organised and I was well informed all the way through.
Martin SE5
We have just sold our flat through Fish Need Water for over the asking price. Thoughtful valuation. Brilliant service. Not at all pushy. And really helpful when things got sticky with solicitors
Ciara
Excellent service all round - prompt, courteous and effective. They did what they said they would do and when they said they would do it.
Richard
More about Balham...
Balham is a historic area that is mentioned as far back as the Doomsday Book. During the 19th century many large country retreats were built in the area as holiday homes for the affluent classes. The area saw increased development and settlement with the opening of Balham railway station in 1856. Once referred to as the “Gateway to the South”, Balham went through a period of decline but is now an up-and-coming area to watch.
Balham has undergone much regeneration over the past two decades and today it is a vibrant, multicultural area that continues to grow in popularity with families and young professionals alike. As estate agents, Balham is an area which in our opinion is ripe for investment potential and a great place to start your property search. There is a good mix of terraced houses and ex-Local Authority flats, as well as some beautifully restored larger period properties to be found on the leafy streets out towards Wandsworth Common. The Art Deco Du Cane Court is ever-popular, and is one of the largest private apartment blocks in Europe. Overall, properties in Balham are 10% cheaper than neighbouring districts. As a local letting agent, SW12 is an area we recommend to commuters as an ideal base due to its fast and frequent transport links and close proximity to the City.
Free Valuation
I am a
Balham culture...
Balham town centre comprises three main streets which meet to form a central shopping hub. There are plenty of good local shops interspersed with high street chains, hotels and an organic supermarket. Balham Farmers’ Market is held every Saturday within the grounds of Chestnut Grove School and you will find fresh fruit and vegetables, meat and bread for sale. The area has a thriving cafe culture as well as many great restaurants to try, including Harrison’s – Rick Stein’s brasserie-style eatery with a posh cocktail bar. For a great night out head to The Bedford, a famous and award-winning live music and comedy venue where comedians such as Eddie Izzard and Jo Brand have performed. Although Balham nightlife might be synonymous with The Bedford, there is also a great selection of other pubs to try including The Clarence, a traditional boozer with great character and a good selection of ales.
Nestled between three commons, Balham is ideally located for those who enjoy fresh air and green space. Wandsworth Common is 175 acres and contains ecological and ornamental areas, sports pitches, tennis and bowling, a lake (fishing in season, membership required), trim trail and children's playground.
Free Valuation
I am a
More about Clapham South SW12...
Further up the hill from Balham is Clapham South; slightly less bustling than its neighbour but still with plenty to offer. As an area, Clapham has Anglo-Saxon roots and its name is thought to mean “enclosure near a hill”. During the 17th century large country houses were built there, and throughout the 18th and 19th centuries it became popular with London’s wealthy merchants who erected grand villas and mansions around Clapham Common and in the Old Town. After the arrival of the railways, Clapham became a commuter suburb and lost favour with the upper classes.
Clapham South is an affluent, multi-cultural neighbourhood which is home to a mix of families, students and middle-class professionals. Due to its large number of restaurants, bars and leisure facilities, it has become a fashionable place to live. As estate agents, Clapham South provides us with a good mix of properties to offer buyers, ranging from period properties and converted Victorian housing to ex-Local Authority flats and apartments. As a local letting agent, SW12 is an area we recommend to City workers because of the fast and frequent transport links. In addition, the new Cycle Superhighway that runs alongside Clapham Common means a bike commute to Westminster takes less than 30 minutes.
Free Valuation
I am a
Clapham South culture...
Clapham South has a well-equipped shopping area with local stores, coffee shops and several nearby supermarkets. Worth a try is The Black Lab Coffee House, an independent artisan coffee shop serving high-quality coffee and luxury pastries. There are some good restaurants in the area including The Rookery, a British eatery offering contemporary cuisine prepared using fresh, local produce. Nightlife in Clapham South is lively with a selection of pubs and bars and one or two music clubs. Gigalum is a popular bar opposite Clapham Common which plays dance tunes and hosts resident DJ nights. For a bigger selection of clubs you can head into nearby central Clapham.
Clapham South is located on the southern side of the famous Clapham Common with its 220-acre common containing woodland, ponds, a skateboard park, a historic bandstand and outdoor sports facilities. It is also home to two annual music festivals. Time Out calls it “an oasis of peace amid the busy traffic of South West London”, and residents agree, voting it their favourite place to go when they want to relax. As local estate agents, Clapham South is an area which allows us to offer buyers relatively affordable properties surrounded by greenery with great views – ideal for those looking to escape the hustle and bustle of City life.
Free Valuation
| London |
According to the Bible, who did the Queen of Sheba test the wisdom of? | London Overground to jC01rwVf2K0TzKrzjutwfg== Dalston Junction Rail Station Due
London Overground to /tsawLhJ2k42o5k4Om9Rsw== Dalston Junction Rail Station 15 mins
London Overground to 9OD7HO6GzEP2dbJjTdWWvA== Dalston Junction Rail Station 30 mins
London Overground to F0+vn1kDiaD/TG0gc3zmEw== Dalston Junction Rail Station 45 mins
London Overground to vCeWqlLRNAQIupm0+Ex7IQ== Dalston Junction Rail Station 60 mins
| i don't know |
Who was the father of English monarch King Edward I? | 6/12/2006 • Military History
A case can be made that Edward I was the greatest English king of the Middle Ages. A strong ruler, he was a man blessed with a strong sense of duty. Although he was no democrat, he believed the king should promote the general welfare and place himself above class or faction–a revolutionary concept in the 13th century. Although he has been called ‘the English Justinian’ because of his legal codes, Edward was first and foremost a military man, one of the great generals of the medieval world.
Edward was born in June 1239, the son of King Henry III. Weak and indecisive, Henry was not a bad man–just a bad king. He was devoted to his family and took great pleasure in art and architecture. One of his pet projects was the rebuilding of Westminster Abbey in the Gothic style that was just coming into vogue. Unfortunately, Henry’s private virtues became public vices. Because of his devotion to his wife, he gave the queen’s undeserving foreign relatives places at court. Worse still, Henry’s building projects were a drain on the exchequer, and his excessive piety made him a dupe of the papacy. That mix of piety, politics and penury–he was always short of funds–bore bitter fruit. Simon de Montfort, leader of the baronial opposition, led an open revolt that defeated the king at the Battle of Lewes in 1264.
Lewes gave Prince Edward his first real taste of combat. As a headstrong young blade of 25, he took exception to the London troops of Montfort’s army, sincerely believing they had insulted his mother. When the battle opened on May 14, Edward led a cavalry charge that scattered the London burghers like dead leaves in a windstorm. Intoxicated by the chase, he began a single-minded pursuit of his fleeing quarry that took him miles from the battlefield. Once his thirst for vengeance was appeased, Edward returned to Lewes–only to find that Montfort had defeated his father’s main army. Assailed from both flanks by Montfort’s knights, the dumbfounded prince was forced to surrender. But a great lesson had been learned–from then on, with few exceptions, his intellect would govern his passions.
Eventually Edward escaped, joined forces with Roger Mortimer, Earl of Gloucester, and together they defeated Simon de Montfort at Evesham on August 4, 1265. By then, Edward was king in all but name, since his father was growing old and was as self-absorbed as ever. Fired with chivalric zeal and a surfeit of youthful energy, Prince Edward ‘took the cross’–that is, declared himself a crusader pledged to free the Holy Land from the grip of the Muslim ‘infidels.’
In 1271, Edward reached the Middle East with a small army of 1,000 men and amazed everyone by chalking up a series of victories over the Muslim forces of the Mamluk Sultan Baybars Bundukdari of Egypt. The prince captured Nazareth, scoring a moral victory by liberating the hometown of Jesus Christ, but his forces were too small to consolidate his gains.
Once, when Edward was resting in his tent, a Muslim assassin broke in and attacked him with a poisoned knife. The prince quickly killed his assailant but was wounded in the arm. Soon the limb swelled, and the foul-smelling flesh grew black. Gangrene had set in. Handicapped by the lack of medical knowledge at the time, the doctors were baffled and lost hope. But one brave physician cut away the blackened tissue and hoped for the best. By some miracle, Edward survived. The next year, 1272, a truce was arranged between Baybars and the Crusaders, enabling Edward to go home at last. While en route to England, he received word that his father was dead and he was now king in his own right.
On August 2, 1274, the new king landed at Dover after an absence of four years. Crowds gave a tumultuous welcome to their new monarch, who, at 6 feet 2 inches, towered over contemporaries. He was handsome, but his piercing blue eyes were slightly offset by a drooping left eyelid. Like most of his Plantagenet dynasty, Edward had a volcanic temper that sometimes erupted into murderous rages. Generally, though, he was too intelligent to let his anger get the better of him.
A few years after his accession to the throne, Edward was forced to deal with Wales, the mountainous land to the west of England. Politically, Wales was a confusing mosaic of divided loyalties. In the south and central portions of the country, Anglo-Norman barons, called Marcher lords, managed to subdue and pacify the Welsh tribesmen, but in the north the situation was different. There, a line of Gwynedd princes high in the mountains of Snowdonia refused to submit to the English yoke. One Welsh ruler, Llewellyn-ap-Graffyd, declared himself prince of Wales and set about expanding his domain at the expense of the Marcher lords.
Initially Edward had little interest in Wales, and he might have accepted Llewellyn’s independence if the latter had rendered lip service to his feudal obligations to the English crown. But Llewellyn’s arrogance seemed to grow with his power, and he refused to render homage to Edward. Thoroughly aroused, the king was determined to bring his rebellious vassal to heel.
In July 1277, in the town of Worcester, Edward gathered one of the biggest armies ever seen in Britain. The feudal levy summoned 1,000 armored knights, while a number of English shires–Cheshire, Derbyshire, Shropshire and others–supplied about 15,000 foot soldiers, including many Welshmen and Gascon crossbowmen.
The northern Welsh under Llewellyn were not prepared to meet Edward on his own terms, so they melted back into the misty valleys and snow-dappled peaks of their mountainous homeland. Natural guerrillas, they lived off the land when fighting and generally preferred ambushes to pitched battles.
The men of southern Wales generally had spears, but the northern tribes possessed a formidable new weapon–the longbow. One chronicler described it as ‘made of wild elm, unpolished, rude and uncouth,’ but in the hands of a trained archer it was a formidable weapon, hitting targets with such force that a longbow shaft could pierce chain mail and pin a man to his horse.
Edward advanced along the north Welsh coast, marching slowly up the valleys of the Severn and the Dee. Leaving a chain of rising fortresses in his wake, Edward continued on until he reached the mouth of the Conway River. There, the king unveiled his trump card–sea power. Just off the coast, on the island of Anglesey, was some of the most fertile soil in Wales, the breadbasket of Llewellyn’s tribes. Thanks to ships provided by Edward’s Cinque Ports, Anglesey was quickly taken.
Ringed in by hostile troops and threatened by starvation, Llewellyn sued for peace. After a few years’ respite, however, Llewellyn’s brother David raised the standard of revolt. The 1282 rebellion was a replay of the 1277 campaign, but this time Llewellyn was killed in a chance encounter, and his head was sent to adorn London Bridge. David was captured and executed, and the rebellion he had hatched collapsed.
Edward decided that only more castles could help sink English roots and stabilize the shifting political soil of Wales. Luckily for the king, his reign coincided with the great age of medieval military architecture, and he found a builder of genius in Master James of St. George.
Master James’ fertile imagination produced a series of elaborate designs, each adapted to the particular needs of an individual site. Even today, Conway, Harlech, Rhuddlan, Beaumaris and Caernarvon castles give an overwhelming impression of strength and majesty.
Wales was pacified, at least for the moment, so Edward turned his attention to Scotland. The Scottish throne was empty, and there were no less than 13 claimants for it. To solve the impasse, the claimants asked Edward to be arbiter and choose a candidate among their number. The English king should have known better; the Scottish succession was a morass of claims and counterclaims.
After fevered consultations with barons, lawyers and churchmen, Edward chose John Bailol as king of the Scots. Bailol was a weakling, but the fractious Scottish nobles stiffened his backbone enough to defy Edward. Once again, Edward could brook no disobedience from a man he considered his feudal underling. The English monarch invaded Scotland with a large army, and in March 1296, he proceeded to besiege the important Scottish town of Berwick. Feeling overconfident, the citizens of Berwick shouted insults at Edward, in particular making fun of his ‘long shanks.’
Mounted on his great warhorse Bayard, Edward personally led the assault on Berwick. Hooves flailing, Bayard leapt across a ditch, bounded over a low palisade and brought his royal master into the very heart of the city. Soon English troops poured into the narrow streets and fighting gave way to a general massacre of the inhabitants.
In short order Bailol was deposed, and Edward ruled the northern kingdom through a series of military garrisons. But Edward’s brutal conquest had unleashed a sort of early nationalistic spirit among the Scots. A Scottish knight, William Wallace, gathered an army and managed to defeat an English force at Stirling Bridge on September 11, 1297. With his prestige on the line, Edward–though he was now growing old–took to the field once again and invaded Scotland.
On July 22, 1298, the English and Scottish armies met at Falkirk. The backbone of Wallace’s forces was his infantry, drawn up in four phalanx-style formations called schiltrons. Bristling with spears, the schiltrons seemed invulnerable to the kind of cavalry charge favored by medieval knights. And sure enough, before Edward could fully deploy his unwieldy army, his knights rushed forward in a headlong charge. Try as they might, the English knights could make no impression on the prickly Scottish formations, and round one went to the stubborn Celts.
But Edward had a surprise waiting in the wings–swarms of Welsh archers, who came forward in large numbers to discharge their deadly shafts. The schiltrons were quickly reduced to heaps of dead and wounded men, and the remaining Scottish infantry became easy prey for Edward’s cavalry. Only Wallace and a handful of fugitives escaped the terrible slaughter, and the back of Scottish resistance seemed broken forever. At Falkirk, Edward Long Shanks acquired a new nickname: Scottorum malleus (Hammer of the Scots). The battle validated his reputation as a general and showcased his tactical skills. His adoption of the Welsh longbow foreshadowed the English triumphs at Crécy, Poitiers and Agincourt.
Eventually, Wallace was captured and hanged, drawn and quartered, but his grisly fate left the Scots uncowed. Time and again, Edward had to return to Scotland in an attempt to crush the embers of revolt. Yet every time he returned home, the flame of Scots nationalism would blaze anew. A new Scottish champion, Robert the Bruce, declared himself king of Scotland and girded himself for another English invasion. It was not long in coming.
Edward, white-haired and ailing, must have felt he was an English Sisyphus, condemned to roll the rock of conquest forward again and again. At 69–something akin to 90 by the standards of the Middle Ages–the king had little reason to find happiness in his waning years. His son and heir, Prince Edward of Caernarvon, was a homosexual and a worthless spendthrift, more interested in fine clothes than the arts of war.
King Edward moved forward toward Scotland, but his battle-scarred and aging body could not obey the commands of his iron will. He died on July 6, 1307, a short distance from the Scottish border at Burgh-on-Sands. Later, Edward II would return to Scotland in force–only to suffer a humiliating defeat at the hands of Robert the Bruce at Bannockburn, on June 23, 1314, by which Scotland won its independence from England.
Although he was not the equal of a Caesar or Napoleon, Edward I was still a great commander who grasped the essentials of war. Even his enemies recognized his military greatness. Comparing Edward I to his son Edward II, Robert the Bruce once declared, ‘I am more afraid of the bones of the father dead, than of the living son; and, by all the saints, it was more difficult to get a half a foot of the land from the old king than a whole kingdom from the son!’
This article was written by Eric Niderost and originally published in the December 1995 issue of Military History magazine.
For more great articles be sure to subscribe to Military History magazine today!
| Henry III |
Which country won the 1963 Eurovision Song Contest with the song ‘Danesvise’? | BBC - Scotland's History - Edward I, King of England.
Scotland's History Articles Edward I, King of England. Born 1239, died 1307. Reign 1272 – 1307
Edward I, King of England. Born 1239, died 1307. Reign 1272 – 1307
One of the most effective English kings, Edward was also one of Scotland's greatest adversaries. Through his campaigns against Scotland he would come to be known after his death as 'Scottorum malleus' – the Hammer of the Scots.
Intelligent and impatient, Edward proved to be a highly effective king. The reign of his father, Henry III, was marked by internal instability and military failure. Upon succeeding to the throne on 1272 Edward did much to rectify these issues. He managed to control and placate the unruly English barons and unite them behind him.
A learned scholar, Edward also took great personal interest in matters of administration and government and introduced reforms and ideas learnt whilst staying abroad in the family-held territory of Gascony. He also made great use of his Parliament – a strategy that helped maintain stability in the country and, more importantly for Edward, brought in regular sums of money to enable Edward to pursue his ambitions. Edward also devised far uglier means of raising money.
In 1275 Edward issues the Statute of Jewry that persecuted the Jewish population of England and imposed severe taxation on them. Proving both lucrative and popular, Edward extended this policy further. In 1290 the Jews were expelled from England – minus their money and property. The money raised from this dark practise was used to fund his his ambition to be overlord of the Scotland and Wales.
As a younger man Edward forged an impressive reputation as a man of action. Domestically and abroad Edward proved himself as a soldier and a leader of men. In 1266 Edward received international accolade for his role in the 8th and 9th Crusades to the Holy Land where he helped secure the survival of the beleagured coastal city of Acre.
It was while returning from the Crusade that Edward learned that his father, Henry III, had died and that he was now the King of England. Ambitious and impulsive, Edward wasted no time in enforcing his will on his neighbours.
As an ominous precursor for his plans for Scotland, Edward attacked Wales.
Edward attacks Wales
During the 1250s Edward's father, Henry III, had mounted military campaigns in an attempt to control and dominate Wales. After a series of disastrous defeats Henry was forced to negotiate a peace that saw the Welsh prince Llywelyn ap Gruffydd extend his territories into England. Henry also had to recognise the royal status of Llewelyn as Prince of Wales. Llywelyn in turn was to acknowledge Henry as his overlord.
Edward had experienced these failed campaigns first hand as part of his father's retinue and was determined not to repeat the same mistakes. Using the pretence of Llywelyn's refusal to pay homage to him in 1274 Edward raised a sizeable army and invaded Wales. Llywelyn was defeated and stripped of his territories.
In another uncanny foreshadowing of events to come in Scotland Edward's complete conquest of his neighbour was to be thrown into doubt by a courageous campaign for liberation.
In 1282 Llywelyn's brother Dafydd sparked a rebellion to rid Wales of English dominance. With Edward caught off-guard the rising had initial success. The death of Llywelyn in battle turned the tide for Edward however. Soon after Dafydd was captured and executed. Without strong leadership the Welsh rising failed.
To consolidate his stranglehold, Edward built a series of impressive castles across Wales (such as Caernarfon Castle) and in 1284 Edward issued the Statute of Rhuddlan that effectively annexed Wales and made it a province of England. The title Prince of Wales was handed to Edward's eldest son, Prince Edward (later Edward II) – a practise that continues to this day.
Edward plots against Scotland
In 1287 Alexander III, King of Scots, died suddenly after falling from his horse at Kinghorn. The succession crisis that followed presented Edward with a golden opportunity to expand on his conquest of Wales.
The Adobe Flash player and Javascript are required in order to view a video which appears on this page. You may wish to download the Adobe Flash player .
With the absence of an immediate heir, the Scots throne looked likely to pass to Alexander's infant granddaughter, Margaret (the 'Maid of Norway') – the daughter of the King of Norway.
Rival Scottish claims for the right to succeed as the next monarch led to the Norwegians approaching Edward. Edward planned to wed his own son Edward to Margaret and thus control Scotland via matrimonial rights.
The Scots nobles, fearful of such a takeover, agreed that Margaret should be queen – but at the expense of Edward's marriage plans. Events were thrown into turmoil when Margaret died en route to Scotland.
Edward the Kingmaker
With the succession crisis still looming large and rival claimants still in fierce competition the Guardians of Scotland needed to find someone to adjudicate the claims and help break the deadlock. The perfect candidate was Edward.
As an internationally respected king and a recognised expert on legal matters of state Edward was a logical choice. With the benefit of hindsight this may seem to be the worst of decisions until you consider that England and Scotland had enjoyed an extended period of relatively peaceful co-existence. Claims of English overlordship over Scotland were seen to be a thing of the distant past. The Guardians were in for a very rude shock.
The Adobe Flash player and Javascript are required in order to view a video which appears on this page. You may wish to download the Adobe Flash player .
In a series of political manouverings Edward insisted that he be recognised as feudal overlord of the Scots before a new Scots king be appointed. The Guardians refused but Edward, the legal expert, got his wish.
While there were two rival claimants (Robert Bruce and John Balliol) Edward's role was adjudicate. If there were more than two then, under medieval law, only a judge could be expected to pronounce a verdict. As a judge Edward had to have authority – and in royal matters authority meant overlordship.
Edward found other claimants for the vacant throne to put pressure on Bruce and Balliol. The plan worked and one by one they came forward to swear allegiance. From that point, with all principle claimants as his vassals, it did not matter who became king. Ultimately Balliol took the crown.
Edward's subsequent heavy-handed treatment of the Scots (demanding taxes and soldiers to help fight his wars) led to the first inklings of rebellion.
In 1295 the Scots signed a mutual aid treaty with France (later to be known as the Auld Alliance). This pact with Edward's enemy brought about swift retaliation from Edward.
Edward destroyed Berwick, slaughtering thousands of the town's inhabitants, before pushing deeper into scotland. The Scots met Edward in battle at Dunbar but was decisively beaten. repeating his accomplishments in Wales, Edward had now conquered Scotland.
In a similar tactic to the those he employed in Wales Edward stripped the country of its treasures and symbollic icons of nationhood as easily as he stripped Balliol of his status as king. Most notably the crown jewels and the Stone of Destiny was removed to be sent back to England. The message was clear – there was to be no other king in Scotland but Edward.
Edward's campaigning, however, had left him seriously short of funds. He could no-longer afford to build costly castles to control his new domain as he had in Wales.
Wars of Independence
Just as he had with the welsh, Edward had underestimated the Scots. Within a year rebellions to English control broke out – notably led by Andrew Murray in the north and William wallace in the south of the country.
The Adobe Flash player and Javascript are required in order to view a video which appears on this page. You may wish to download the Adobe Flash player .
Edward left the matter of crushing the rebellion to his representative, John de Warenne, rather than take control personally. At Stirling Bridge Warenne's force was routed by Wallace and Murray's army.
Edward marches north and took control of his army and defeated Wallace's army at Falkirk. Wallace was later captured and executed. Once again Edward assumed that Scotland was conquered.
An interesting point to note is that the expense incurred in subjugating the Welsh meant that the same pattern of conquest and castle-building was not open to Edward. The success of that campaign could not so easily be emulated.
Enter the Bruce
Waiting in the wings for Edward was Robert the Bruce. Bruce's ambition to be king was finally realised in 1306. News of the coronation of a new Scots king brought Edward's army northward.
A series of swift victories saw Edward victorious and the new King of Scots on the run. Once again Edward assumed the job was done.
News of Bruce's return with a handful of followers was given scant regard. Edward would rue this inattentiveness. Within a year Bruce had defeated larger English forces and regained control of swathes of Scotland. A minor rebellion had become a sizeable rising. Not even the capture and execution of key Bruce supporters (including members of Bruce's own family) could reverse the tide.
The Adobe Flash player and Javascript are required in order to view a video which appears on this page. You may wish to download the Adobe Flash player .
In Bruce Edward had met a formidable, ruthless and determined opponent – a man cut from the same cloth.
A Job Worth Doing...
Despite ill health and advancing years Edward, Hammer of the Scots, marched his army north to rid himself of Bruce once and for all.
In 1307, with Scotland in sight, Edward died at Burgh-on-Sands. The campaign for the conquest of Scotland passed on to his son, Edward II. The Scots were relieved to find that the brutal and effective military prowess displayed by the father were absent in the son.
The Adobe Flash player and Javascript are required in order to view a video which appears on this page. You may wish to download the Adobe Flash player .
In 1314 Bruce routed a larger English force at Bannockburn. Recognition of Scotland's sovereignty came years later in 1328.
On his death bed accounts credit Edward's dying wish to be that his bones be left unburied as long as Scotland was unconquered. Mercifully this request was ignored. As arguably, England's greatest king (and Scotland's greatest enemy) his temporary interment would have lasted an awful long time.
More articles
| i don't know |
In sport, how many parries are there in the classical systems of epee and foil fencing? | How to Improve Your Fencing (with Pictures) - wikiHow
Community Q&A
If you want to get started in the sport of fencing, go to the related wikiHow "Learn To Fence". This article targets fencers at the beginning and intermediate levels (though it focuses mostly on beginning fencers). It should be noted that some of these methods assume that the fencer reading them is of the French school of fencing (that is, that they use a French grip weapon and focus mostly on making small, economical movements). Some of these methods can be applied to Italian and Pistol grip users, but with a reduced level of efficacy. Many of these methods completely ignore the type of fencing, and the type of weapon, being employed.
Steps
1
Take private lessons constantly. One per week is the bare minimum during training and fencing season. Group lessons are helpful, but after a certain point in a fencer's development should be supplemented with private lessons, preferably from the same coach.
2
Practice point control, or, for saberists, blade control. Get a wall pad or a pillow, something that you can hit repeatedly without risking damage to it, and tape an X on it. Spend some time each day of practice lunging, extending, jump lunging, advance lunging, step-up lunging (also known as "gain lunging"), and, for foilist and epeeist, fletching against your target. Keep on going until you hit the center of the X five or six times in a row.
3
Saberists should learn point work (and apply it in Step 2). Point attacks in saber can give you a huge edge over your opponent. When you double-disengage lunge and catch them in the center of the chest, nine times out of ten, they'll give you a look that says "What in the world was that?" Note: With the "new" timing in electric saber, this action leaves the attacker especially open to a stop-hit to the arm/wrist if performed incorrectly. Against more advanced fencers great care must be taken to ensure that the arm cannot be reached by the opponent until the end of the action during the final acceleration of the point towards target.
4
Make your disengage beautiful. Disengage and counter parry are the cornerstones of any foilists' or epeeists' repertoire. Try to practice with another person, rather than a target. Have them make lateral parries while you try to make the smallest disengages possible, all during a short action, like an advance lunge. Then reverse roles, making them attack you. Make the smallest counter parry you can, and train yourself to an instant riposte. When you disengage be sure to do so from your fingers, do not make the mistake of starting this movement with your shoulder or your arm, this will alter your point control and is improper form. Disengages should always be the smallest possible movement made with your fingers!
5
Gather up enough people (six or more), try the drill "The Ring Of Death". To explain this, we will label our fencers A, B, C, D, E, and F. A starts out in the center, with the rest surrounding him (in alphabetical order). First, B attacks A, who responds by parrying (or attempting to) with a riposte, or counterattacking. Immediately after this, A turns to C, who attacks, with A reacting again. In this way, A goes on turning until he reaches E. After the action between A and E, E and A switch places. The process begins again with A attacking E. In this way, everyone exchanges two actions (one attack and one reaction) with everyone else. If everyone is familiar with the drill, six people can finish in about 1.5 minutes. By doing this drill often, you will increase your reaction speeds, so that in a bout, no attack will catch you flat-footed.
6
Go to summer programs. Many colleges host camps, but there are also major programs in France, Italy, Poland, England - all over Europe really. Inside of the USA, the selection is fair, but you're best off going overseas if you're serious about the sport. If you don't have enough time, or simply don't want to go into a foreign country to train, smaller programs are available all over the planet.
7
Watch your Footwork. In the words of Tim Morehouse, "Footwork is 70% of fencing." You cannot make your footwork good enough. Do drills, entire bouts even, with a friend, fencing on the edge of the strip. Make sure that you stay on that line. Make advancing and retreating patterns (Advance-Advance-Retreat, Retreat-Retreat-Advance, Advance-Advance-Advance-Retreat-Retreat, etc.) and perform these sequences on the edge of the strip. Ensure that your lunge is straight, again, using the edge of the strip. Practice switching direction. Try advancing full tilt, then switching to retreats. Until you can do this switch (and its reverse), practice it regularly. Avoid leaning and rocking. Leaning forward presents target and keeps you craning your neck to see your opponent, leaning backwards, while it can be used to parry with distance, should be avoided, as it makes it difficult to move, and inhibits your ability to parry. Rocking both presents target, and makes it difficult to parry. When you are advancing and retreating, the only movement should be taking place below your waist. To improve your transition speed while switching from a retreat to an advance or an advance to a retreat, it's important to drop in your legs with the final retreat or final advance. This drops your center of gravity making it easier to overcome your backwards momentum and gets a great deal of compression in the legs which in turn speeds up your motion in the opposite direction.
8
Create an explosive lunge. Your lunge should come to your opponent as a bolt from the blue. The only real way to achieve this is to continue fencing for a long time, but working on leg strength can improve this somewhat also. Still, you can watch yourself for nasty habits that signal to your opponent that a lunge is coming. 1) Tensing up your back leg. 2) Extending too soon. Make sure your extension comes less than half a second before your lunge (if not at the same time, or delayed with the intent of deceiving a parry). 3) Continued advances at high speed. 4) Moving your blade into a preferred position. Some fencers like to lunge from a certain position. Primarily these are Sixte, and Octave, but starting every lunge in Septime will be a dead giveaway. A useful method for practicing a lunge is using a tennis ball on a hard floor, throwing with your sword hand, bounce the ball out in front of you, for beginners the ball should come up to hand level about 2–3 feet (0.6–0.9 m) in front of you, then lunge and extend your arm to grab the ball with your sword hand, this helps with hand-eye coordination and can help visualize lunging distance, and with a group it's more fun than typical drills. The distance of the bounce can also be increased to practice a flèche.
9
Learn to fence with "Absence De Fer". This applies primarily to foil. Many beginners will be at a loss for what to do when you simply pull your blade out of the high line. A common trick is to extend, provoking a parry, then, rather than deceiving that parry normally, pulling the blade away. The one who does a parry will sometimes A) Freeze up, giving you a free touche OR B) Extend, which you should be prepared for, parrying and riposting. Other responses, such as distance parrying, will often render this action useless, but if you're prepared to take that parry mid-attack, you're safe.
10
Get comfortable in all lines. 60% of all fencing takes place in the high line. As a result, many fencers have weaker Septime and Octave parries. Getting used to attacking to the low line will only increase your chances of winning.
11
Learn to hold your blade in between lines. Most coaches teach that the blade should be held in the line of Sixte, closing out that side of the fencer entirely. While this is certainly most comfortable for beginners, you shouldn't feel limited to fencing in Sixte. By placing your blade between two lines, while you expose both of them, you also make parrying in either quicker than the parry you originally would have had to make. Note: This only works well against beginning and intermediate fencers. Due to the fact that no line is completely defended, an advanced fencer using a well timed feint disengage or feint 1-2 will have no difficulty deceiving your attempts to parry.
12
Learn to flick. But do so at your own risk. This only applies to foil and epee. While flicks to the back are now much more difficult and therefore less effective, it is still effective to flick aiming for the flank, shoulder, and chest. This is just another tool that should be at your disposal. In epee, you can use your opponent's bell guard to help make your blade flick down, into their wrist. In the case of foil, because of the lightness of the blade, flicks are considerably easier. Learning how to flick, combined with absence de fer, can win many bouts in foil. The real part of the flick that makes its use advantageous is its ability to evade a parry. While a straight extension merely needs to be gently pressed aside, a flick requires an exaggerated parry that, once deceived, gives you an opening for many different attacks. Note: many coaches despise the flick! Not only is it seen as being illegal (some, though not all, directors will see it as such)it is considered to be a "cheap shot". Take care that if you choose to add this move that you find out where your club and coaches stand, as this is controversial subject. Clubs that teach purely classical foil and epee will shun this more than a 2.0 minded salle would.
13
Ask the winner. When someone beats you consistently, go to them to try to find out what they're catching you on. Sometimes they'll be rude and turn you away, but more often than not they'll tell you (perhaps in incomprehensible language) what's happening. Even just "I can see when you're going to lunge" is a huge help. This sort of feedback on your fencing lets you focus on your weaker points.
14
Ask yourself. You can't always rely on someone else to tell you what you did wrong. Learn to identify errors yourself. Work on improving the problem areas you identify.
15
Get your coach to watch your bouts. If a coach never sees you fence, how are they supposed to help you improve?
16
If you can, watch your opponent fence. Learn what they like to do, where they are weak, etc. Use this knowledge to form a strategy to use against them. No two fencers fence the same way, don't expect your opponent to fence like another one.
Community Q&A
How can I improve my speed while fencing?
wikiHow Contributor
One great way to improve your speed is doing sets of sprints. If you want to practice with your friends/teammates, you can make a relay race and compete against each other. Practicing with friends is great motivation and will keep you honest! Another method to improve speed is fence with someone who is faster than you. Fencing against a faster opponent forces you to adjust to their speed, and is a great way to judge your physical capabilities!
How do I parry an opponent coming at me quickly?
wikiHow Contributor
Keeping a good amount of distance between oneself and the opponent allows more time to parry. In this situation, setting up the scenario can help you prepare. First, make a quick simultaneous attack in order to force your opponent to also attack quickly. On the next touch, take either a step, a half step, or a lean forward (while making an invitation to either the line your opponent is attacking to or the line you want them to attack to), then take between two to three retreats and then parry. You can adjust the advances and retreats to your opponent's attack. Remember to keep your parry strong and solid, and making a clean riposte to hopefully prevent a counter parry.
How can I win a fencing competition?
wikiHow Contributor
If this question (or a similar one) is answered twice in this section, please click here to let us know.
Tips
Don't hesitate when doing a lunge or trying to strike, fencing takes speed and agility and you must make sure that you are not afraid to strike or lunge...Because before you know it, you will have lost the point
Point work in saber is much easier after having gained the ability to fence in foil or epee.
Drill with your eyes closed. Your body awareness will increase dramatically. It will help you "feel" your fencing.
Try to keep fencing year round. If you fence only during the winter, your rate of improvement will be slow, given that you have all that time to forget what you learned.
Try getting people other than your coach (friends) to watch your bouts. Their feedback is as useful as anyone else's.
Make sure you can parry in all lines.
Always remember your tricks might work on beginner or intermediate fencers, but National Champions usually will not be fooled by big, slow, beginner made actions.
Don't be afraid to be original, and if it works (consistently), use it. Just take care not to over apply and give away your tricks.
Find the best possible coach you can. Only good coaches will truly raise the level of your game.
Practise doesn't always make perfect. Don't overdo it. If you're practicing your current style, you're just practicing your bad habits.
Make sure to analyze what did and didn't work. Taking the time to think through the individual movements gives you a superior kinesthetic understanding of the art of fencing - you will improve many times faster than those who only drill. Keep calm and loose so your body and mind are at their best.
Warnings
Never perform "The Ring Of Death" without full gear. Even just doing the drill without a plastron will be regrettable. In the frantic speed of the drill, people tend to get hit - hard.
Fencing is a potentially dangerous sport, so make sure your equipment isn't faulty, and that the conditions under which you are fencing aren't dangerous or detrimental to your health.
If your coach isn't watching your bouts, try not to offend him/her in asking. The last thing you need is your coach getting angry and denying you lessons.
| 9 |
Who played the title role in the 1985 film ‘Red Sonja’? | How to Understand Basic Fencing Terminology: 13 Steps
How to Understand Basic Fencing Terminology
Community Q&A
If you're new to fencing or you're "checking it out" to determine if it is the sport for you (and it is, if challenging yourself physically, mentally and emotionally is an effort you enjoy, along with winning bouts), then you have (or soon will) come across words like "sixte", or "riposte", or "septime". These are words steeped in the history of the sport and are an important part of its magic. But, the good news is they are easy to understand and remember and will add to your ability to either enjoy the sport or pick up a weapon and wail. This wikiHow defines the words; it does not try to explain the techniques that these words describe generically. The actual technique of a "parry" depends on the kind of attack that is being made and would require too much verbiage and is worthy of its own article.
Steps
1
Familiarize yourself with the following key words and you'll be ready to take on the sport of fencing.
2
"Lunge" and "Parry": These are the two basic words which you will probably understand immediately. They describe actions that occur countless times in a match at every level:
"Lunge" is the attack and "parry" is the defense to the attack. You can tell the lunge because the fencer who is lunging has the point of the weapon as far toward the opponent as possible, a back leg that is straight and leaning into the attack by at least 45 degrees and a front leg that is bent to the point where the knee is over the ankle.
"Parry" is the defender moving her weapon to "push" aside a blade that is attacking. There are a number of different ways to parry and lunge but the basic purpose of each remains the same.
3
"En garde" (French term): In training it describes the basic stance of a fencer. In a match it is a warning from the judge to both fencers to prepare to fence.
4
"Pret" (French term): This is used by a judge at a fencing match. After the judge warns the fencers with "en garde", the judge will then say "pret" to alert the fencers that the match is about to begin. American referees typically use the word "ready" in place of "pret".
5
"Allez" (French term): This is used by a judge at a fencing match to tell the two fencers to have at one another. American referees typically use the word "fence" in place of "allez".
6
"Arrêt" (French term): Stop. This is used by a judge at a fencing match to tell the two fencers to halt.
7
"Touch": (A much welcome replacement to stabbing, that was developed as fencing became a sport.) A touch is when the tip of one fencers weapon touches the target area on an opponent. Whether the touch results in a point is the determination of the director for the bout, one of whose duties it is to insure the touch was proper under competition rules. The foregoing is true in all styles of fencing. However, in saber fencing, a touch can be scored with the entire blade.
8
"Riposte" (Another of the ubiquitous French terms (the French love to fence), literally meaning "answer".) In fencing it describes an attack that a fencer makes immediately after she executes a parry. Thus the ubiquitous fencing term "parry-riposte". The parry-riposte is one of the most common techniques in scoring touches you will see in a fencing match, again at any level. The parry-riposte is often done in a sequence of two or three, viz. the fencers quickly switch between attacking, defending, attacking, defending - back and forth until a touch is scored or one of the fencers backs down. At the top level of competition, the speed is dazzling to the point of being faster than the eye.
9
"Disengage" (not a French term though the French terms are so apt) : A disengage is moving the tip of a blade under an opponent's blade to the other side or where the disengage started. This is done very quickly and with the absolute minimum of movement - the "great" fencers simply use their fingers to make the tip of the blade duck under their opponent's weapon. It is used chiefly to escape a parry or as part of a disguised attack, i.e. the attack starts toward the opponent's left side (the opponent is thinking left and prepared to defend the left) and moves to the opponent's right side (so quickly the opponent hasn't time to register the change and react to it with a parry).
10
"Attack" (we are now safely away from the French): An attack is any movement intended to score a touch.
11
"Right of way": This is an important concept in foil fencing and in saber fencing, although it does not apply in épée fencing. (It is a very complicated concept but since this wikiHow is just an intro, this is a very basic explanation.) Because of the speed at which foil and sabre fencers move, there had to be some way for a judge to award a point when both fencers have scored a touch almost, if not totally, simultaneously. "Right of way" generally means that the attacker gets the point (aggression pays). In a "parry-riposte", a successful parry ends the opponent's attack and the riposte (being an attack) if successful awards the point to that fencer, even if the fencer who initiated the attack touches the parry-riposter in a legitimate target, too bad - the person executing the successful parry-riposte gets the touch. Basically, a parry transfers the right of way to the person who does it, then following up with a riposte (attack, or touch) scores the point.
12
Target areas. Depends on the weapon used in the match. In foil ("fleuret" in French) fencing, the target area is defined by a jacket (a lame [lom-MAY]) worn over the torso that appears to be of metallic material; touching anywhere else is "off-target" (a waste, practice point control). In épée fencing, the target area is the entire body of the opponent, including the head and feet. In saber fencing the target area is the entire upper body including the arms, torso, and head, except the hands (which are not covered by the metallic material of the lame). So, in foil a touch is off-target if it doesn't touch the lame and the fencing stops with no point scored. In épée there is no "off-target". In saber, even though there is a target area, no off-target occurs (stopping the action) if a fencer touches an area off-target the fencers keep fencing until a touch is scored.
13
"Directeur" (or Director): The head judge for any fencing bout. (There may be zero, two, or four "side judges" as well.) When the scoring lights do not make it clear which fencer scored a legitimate touch, the Director analyzes the sequence of actions between the fencers and decides which fencer gets the point, if either.
Community Q&A
How many points you have to make to win a match?
wikiHow Contributor
You have to win 5 points. If you win at least 2-3 matches, you'll go to direct elimination, in which you have to win 15 points.
What are the different types of swords?
wikiHow Contributor
There are three types of weapons in fencing: foil, sabre and epee. The foil is a mid-weight thrusting weapon that targets the torso. Right of way applies to it. Sabre, the lightest weapon, is the only weapon to attack with the blade rather than the point. Right of way also applies to this weapon. Epee, the heaviest weapon, is a thrusting weapon with no right of way, where the whole body is target.
What does yellow, blue, green, and red mean in Olympic fencing?
wikiHow Contributor
The different colors of the fencing strips in the Olympics is mainly for aesthetics. Beyond helping the fencers who are competing find their correct strip and helping the announcers identify which fencers are on which strips, the colors mean very little.
What is the arena where a fencing match takes place called?
wikiHow Contributor
A fencing school or hall is called a "salle" - a shortened form of the French term "salle d'armes." A fencing school or hall usually contains many fencing strips, or "pistes."
What is a game of fencing called?
wikiHow Contributor
A competition between two fencers, whether to five or 15 touches, is called a bout. The series of blade actions between two fencers that result in a touch being scored during a bout are referred to as a "conversation."
What is the fencing area called?
wikiHow Contributor
The field of play on which a bout takes place is called a piste. Generally speaking, it is fourteen meters long by one and one-half meters wide.
If this question (or a similar one) is answered twice in this section, please click here to let us know.
Tips
Don't buy equipment until you know you want to fence regularly, most clubs have equipment suitable for beginners.
Bring a lot of potable water, a towel, and a change of clothes to your first lesson (alright you don't have to change the shirt you wipe the sweat with - but make sure you can sweat, i.e. bring water).
To learn about fencing, the best way is to try it. Make sure you read the credentials of a club (most clubs have WWW sites), several if your area has them, before taking lessons. You don't need too much of a background if you compare (i.e. look at as many clubs as you can, even if they are not near you).
The F.I.E. (Federation Internationale d'Escrime), the governing body of international fencing has a site that will allow you to watch some great matches on your computer.
Warnings
Do not try to fence without the proper equipment. The F.I.E. and the U.S. Fencing Association, and any legitimate fencing club require proper equipment for all fencing bouts. Don't be blasé about this: accidents do happen and that's why they call them accidents.
| i don't know |
Cheryl Crane, aged 14, the daughter of which US actress, fatally stabbed her mother’s boyfriend, Johnny Stampano in 1958, while defending her mother? | 2015 Reviews
Home
2015 Reviews
Tom Bouman
Dry Bones in the Valley (W.W. Norton 2014) introduces Henry Farrell, the head policeman in rural Wild Thyme Township, Pennsylvania. Farrell returned to his hometown to try and escape the grief of his wife’s death, planning to spend most of his time hunting, fishing, and playing old time fiddle tunes. Farrell and his one deputy are able to keep things under control, though the high prices paid by the gas companies for drilling rights have set neighbors who choose to cash in against neighbors wanting to preserve the land from frack ponds. Some of Farrell’s childhood friends are now cooking meth in the woods, and dealers are bringing in heroin. When the local doctor calls Farrell in late March to report that Danny Stiobhard came in with a gunshot wound, Farrell assumes Danny has been up to his usual practice of helping himself to game or wood on someone else’s land. Aub Dunigan, the reclusive old man whose land Danny was trespassing on, admits firing his shotgun at Danny, but surprises Farrell by declaring he had nothing to do with the body in the woods. The thawing corpse of a skinny young man he leads Farrell to has clearly been exposed for some time, and decay plus animal damage make identification difficult. The coroner suggests that the dead man might be Latino, leading Farrell to the oil company who has been drilling and fracking in the township. The Sheriff suspects Aub Dunigan of the murder and arrests him. When Farrell’s deputy is found shot, the town is sure Danny Stiobhard is responsible since the two were fighting over a woman. But Farrell is convinced there is a link between the two murders, and sets out to find the truth. The investigation rouses Farrell from the depths of his grief as he is forced to grapple with the changes in the community he knows all too well. This dark and suspenseful debut thriller presents an absorbing protagonist who will hopefully reappear in future books.
Adam Brookes
Night Heron (Redhook 2014) revolves around Li Huasheng, known as Peanut, a Beijing graduate engineering student who hoped to defect and traded secrets to the British. In 1989 Peanut attacked a soldier during the Tiananmen Square protests and was sent to a labor camp. Twenty years later, he escapes from the remote camp and makes his way to Beijing, desperate to deliver enough information to the British to earn his way out of China. Peanut gives Philip Mangan, a free-lance British journalist, a top-secret document blackmailed from a former colleague, convincing the reluctant journalist to deliver it to the embassy. The code phrase “Night Heron” makes its way to Trish Patterson of the UK Secret Intelligence Service who identifies it as an emergency signal associated with a network targeting China’s aerospace network that ceased contact in 1989. Trish’s boss asks her to track down the group’s case officer, now retired, and see if it’s possible an agent has resurfaced after two decades of silence. Peanut finds a place to hide in a brothel, trading his services as a janitor and bouncer for food and a mattress in the storeroom, waiting for his message to make its way through channels. But Peanut’s information about China’s nuclear missile technology is incendiary, putting himself and Mangan in danger from American intelligence, the Chinese government, and a dangerous corporate team on the hunt for new technology. This complex and convincing spy thriller is the fiction debut of the BBC’s former China Correspondent.
Lorenzo Carcaterra
The Wolf (Ballantine Books 2014) is the story of Vincent Marelli, known as the Wolf, head of the Marelli Crime Syndicate in America, and leader of the International Crime Council with representatives from the Camorra in Naples, the Mafia in Sicily, the Yakuza in Japan, the Triads in China, the Israeli Assassin Squad, and crime syndicates in France, Albania, and Greece. The International Crime Council is concerned that the Russian Mafiya, Mexican drug and ammunition gangs, and international terrorists threaten the financial structure of organized crime, but an uneasy truce is maintained until Marelli’s wife and two young daughters are killed in a terrorist attack aboard an American commercial airline flight. Marelli convinces the International Crime Council to declare war, and selects Raza, a terrorist funded by Vladimir “The Impaler” Kostolov of the Russian Mafiya, as the first target. Angela “The Strega” Jannetti, of the Camorra, joins Marelli in the hands-on battle against Raza and his terrorists, who live outside the organized crime code of honor. The Yakuza, who control organized crime’s money laundering operation, begins to freeze out the Russians who fund Raza, while Big Mike Paleokrassas of Greece and John Loo of the Yakuza, spearhead the cyber attack. Marelli’s first-person narration is interwoven with chapters presenting the chilling Russian and terrorist perspectives. This intense thriller contrasts the lethal members of the International Crime Council, intent on power and financial gain, with suicidal terrorists whose aim is mass destruction at any cost.
Robert Dugoni
My Sister’s Grave (Thomas & Mercer 2014) is the story of Tracy Crosswhite, whose younger sister Sarah disappeared twenty years earlier on her way home one rainy night in their hometown of Cedar Grove, Washington. Tracy and Sarah had been participating in a sharpshooting competition, and Sarah drove Tracy’s truck home alone so that Tracy could go out to dinner with her boyfriend. Edmund House, a paroled rapist, was charged with Sarah’s murder, but her body was never discovered. Convinced that some of the evidence used in House’s trial was fabricated, Tracy tried to persuade Sheriff Roy Calloway to search for other suspects, but was unsuccessful. After Tracy’s father committed suicide, Tracy quit her job as a high school chemistry teacher and entered the police academy, determined to learn how to track down killers. The discovery of the remains of a young woman in the Cascade mountains near Cedar Grove pulls Tracy from her job as a homicide detective in Seattle. The grave site has been underwater for nearly two decades, preserving the body from predators. With the help of her childhood friend Dan O’Leary, now a criminal defense attorney, Tracy sets out to prove that House was wrongfully imprisoned by a conspiracy that may have included her own father. This character-driven thriller features a complex heroine consumed by the need to obtain justice for her beloved sister.
Robert Galbraith
The Silkworm (Mulholland Books 2014) finds Cormoran Strike with enough clients following the successful conclusion of his last case to finally afford a tiny apartment above his private detective office. He even feels secure enough to offend some of his wealthy clients in order to search for Leonora Quine’s missing husband Owen. Leonora explains that she can’t go to the police because Owen has a habit of disappearing to create interest in his latest novel, but she is finding it difficult to care for their daughter Orlando alone. Someone has also been stuffing dog droppings through their mail slot and a strange woman appeared with a message that Angela had died. Strike discovers that Owen has vanished with the just-completed manuscript of Bombyx Mori (Silkworm), an incendiary novel lampooning pretty much everyone he knows. Liz Tassel, Owen’s agent, skim-read what she thought was a gothic fairly tale full of perverse sex, and sent the manuscript around without realizing it was possibly libelous. Strike manages to get his hands on a copy of the manuscript, and begins to match the bizarre and cruel literary portraits with real people who may be hurt or compromised enough to harm the missing author. Robin Ellacott, Strike’s assistant, would like to be more of a detective and less of a secretary, but she is hampered by Strike’s courtly desire to shield her from danger and her fiancé’s insistence that she stop wasting time and get a real job in human resources. This second in the engaging and intelligent series featuring the intuitive Strike and the enterprising Robin is cleverly plotted and adroitly written.
Antonia Hodgson
The Devil in the Marshalsea (Mariner Books 2014) introduces Tom Hawkins, a country parson’s son determined to make a more exciting life for himself in 1727 London. Threatened with debtors’ prison by his landlord, Tom borrows money from a friend and manages to win enough money gambling to pay off his debt. But on the way home he is attacked by a gang of ruffians who steal his purse. The next morning Tom is carted off in chains to Marshalsea Gaol, to be imprisoned until he can pay his debt. Tom quickly discovers that he must have money to pay rent for a room and buy food, or he will be moved to the Common Side, where tightly packed debtors soon starve or die of disease. Tom’s resemblance to Captain Roberts attracts the attention of his wife, who has remained in the Marshalsea after her husband’s death hoping to prove that he did not commit suicide, but instead was murdered. Samuel Fleet, who shared a room with Roberts, is presumed to be the murderer. Known as the Devil of the Marshalsea, Fleet is one of the few not imprisoned for debt, but rather for printing a pamphlet that was deemed dangerous to Parliament, the Church, and the King. Comfortably well-off, Fleet rescues Tom from rooming with a man dying of smallpox and offers the empty bed in his room. Though Tom doesn’t trust Fleet, he doesn’t believe he murdered Roberts, and instead fixes his suspicion upon William Acton, warden of Marshalsea, who runs the prison strictly for profit and seems to lack even a drop of human kindness. The horrors of debtors’ prison are brilliantly evoked in this debut historical thriller, winner of the 2014 Historical Dagger Award and finalist for the New Blood Dagger Award.
Mary Kubica
The Good Girl (Harlequin MIRA 2014) begins when Mia Dennett, a 24-year-old art teacher at an alternative high school in Chicago, goes missing in late October. One of Mia’s colleagues notifies her estranged parents that she didn’t show up for work that morning and isn’t answering her phone. Judge Dennett isn’t happy that his wife Eve makes a police report, and informs Detective Gabe Hoffman that Mia was unreliable during her high school years and is probably off partying. Gabe learns that Mia is serious about her teaching job, and discovers that she left a bar with an unknown man after being stood up by her boyfriend. Colin, the kidnapper, can’t bring himself to turn Mia over to the brutal man who hired him to snatch her for ransom, and flees with her to an isolated primitive cabin in the Minnesota woods. Alternating chapters are narrated by Eve, who is shattered by grief and feelings of inadequacy as a parent, Gabe, who is determined to save Mia for Eve’s sake, and Colin, who worries about his invalid mother while trying to keep himself and Mia alive in the bitter cold. Viewpoints before and after Mia’s return, with no memory of the time she was away, gradually reveal the precarious Dennett family dynamics and Colin’s downward spiral to a life of crime. Now calling herself Chloe, Mia reappears disoriented and lethargic, convinced that everything is somehow her fault. This debut psychological thriller is stunning.
Alex Marwood
The Killer Next Door (Penguin 2014, UK 2013) centers on the residents of 23 Beulah Grove, an old Victorian converted to a seedy boarding house in London. Roy Preece, the massive repellent landlord, would love to sell the building, but pensioner Vesta Collins has a life tenancy on the basement flat and refuses to sell out. So Preece neglects the crumbling building — the drains constantly back up and the door locks don’t quite work. Collette Dunne is the newest resident, moving into the room previously occupied by Nikki, who left without notice two weeks earlier. Collette has been on the run for three years, ever since the night she saw her mobster boss and his two thugs kick a man to death in the office upstairs from the bar where she worked. Terrified, Collette fled, still clutching the bag of money destined for the safe and eventual money-laundering. Returning to London to be closer to her invalid mother, Collette is sure no one will find her in this decrepit boarding house, where the landlord is eager to accept the rent in cash. Cher Farrell, a 15-year-old runaway from social services who supports herself by stealing, also pays her rent under the table. Gerard Bright, a recently divorced music teacher who rarely emerges from the room where he plays Wagner at high volume, leaves an envelope of cash for the landlord on the hall table each month. Thomas Dunbar whose hours at Citizen’s Advice have been cut back, pays by check and pretends to still be fully employed. Hossein Zanjani, a grief-stricken asylum seeker from Iran, has his rent paid directly by the refugee organization. Collette cleans the rotting food from her new room, but can’t seem to get rid of the stench, which she assumes is coming from the drains. Instead, the vile smell is coming from the room of one of the boarders, who collects “girlfriends” by attempting to turn their bodies into mummies. Gruesome details of the mummification process of Nikki’s body are contrasted with the tender care “the Lover” lavishes on his earlier victims. When Vesta’s flat is burgled, most of the housemates rally around, and begin to form tenuous alliances, unaware that one is a serial killer. This unsettling thriller manages to be both terrifying and life-affirming.
David Shafer
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (Mulholland Books 2014) is the story of three 30-somethings who become entangled in the machinations of the Committee, an international band of industrialists and media moguls intent on collecting and controlling all information. Leila Majnoun is in Myanmar working for Helping Hand, a non-profit trying to improve the plight of women in third-world countries, when she stumbles by accident into armed bodyguards protecting tech-support at a checkpoint in the middle of nowhere. Leo Crane, a paranoid alcoholic living on his trust fund in Portland, Oregon, writes a blog — I Have Shared a Document with You — raving about the shadow government keeping tabs on wayward members of the intellectual elite. Mark Deveraux, a college friend of Leo’s, has achieved semi-fame by writing a self-improvement book under the influence of drugs and alcohol. After the viral success of his book, James Straw, billionaire owner of SineCo, became Mark’s patron, demanding frequent life-coaching sessions in exchange for financial support and Mark’s public touting of the Node, SineCo’s newest gizmo designed to secretly collect personal information. Leila’s email home asking for information about the secret site in Myanmar results in the arrest of her father, a middle school principal in California, for child pornography. Leila is contacted by Dear Diary, an underground group fighting the Committee, who present her with a secure phone, caution her to block her computer webcam with electrical tape, and send her off to Portland to recruit Leo as a conduit to the Committee via Mark. This complex debut global cyber-thriller is suspenseful and darkly humorous.
Susan Slater
Rollover (Poisoned Pen Press 2014) finds Dan Mahoney, an insurance investigator from Chicago, on his way to Wagon Mound, New Mexico, to look into the theft of a diamond and sapphire necklace insured for over half a million dollars. The necklace, made by Tiffany himself, was designed by 85-year-old Gertrude Kennedy’s father for his wife, and survived the sinking of the Titanic. Stored in a safe deposit box at First Community Bank, the necklace was part of the haul by robbers who tunneled into the bank and then opened the safe deposit boxes while the back was closed on Labor Day weekend for the Bean Day Festival. On his way to Wagon Mound, Dan’s rental car overheated and died on a back road from Albuquerque. An old man driving an ancient truck offered a lift into town, but passed out at the wheel, rolling the truck several times and leaving Dan badly injured. Something about the accident worries Dan, and he discovers that the receptionist at the insurance office told someone who claimed to be the bank secretary the route he planned to drive from the airport, and that the old man who died in the accident was a retired stunt man whose speciality was rolling cars. With the help of his girlfriend Elaine Lindon and his Rottweiler Simon, Dan sets out to determine why the visit of an insurance investigation threatens someone enough to trigger a murder attempt. The sheriff isn’t inclined to suspect people he has known for years, but Dan is sure that the bank manager isn’t trustworthy and suspects that Gertie’s daughter, who works for a rancher using government grants to create habitat for the prairie chicken, isn’t telling all she knows. Based on the 1998 unsolved robbery of the Norwest Bank in Wagon Mound, this engaging mystery provides an intriguing explanation for why the thieves tunneled into the safe deposit room rather than the bank vault containing all the bank’s cash.
Emily Arsenault
What Strange Creatures (William Morrow 2014) is the story of Theresa Battle, who has been working on her dissertation for seven years. Theresa’s subject is Margery Kempe, a medieval woman who dictated the first autobiography written in English. After giving birth to 14 children, Margery convinced her husband that Jesus wanted her to be celibate and take pilgrimages. During those seven years, Theresa married, divorced, and had a couple of bad breakups, adopting a pet as a consolation prize each time. Now living with a dog and three cats, Theresa works as a copy writer for a scented candle company and hangs out with her older brother. Jeff’s life isn’t much more successful than his sister’s. Though extremely intelligent, Jeff drinks too much, has trouble keeping a job, and seems to subsist by grazing through the leftover take-out containers in Theresa’s fridge. Jeff’s new girlfriend Kim, a young waitress, seems to be good for Jeff, and Theresa agrees to dog-sit for Kim’s pug-beagle while she is out of town for the weekend. But Kim never returns, and Jeff is arrested for her murder when her body is discovered three weeks later. To clear him, Theresa begins to research Kim’s past, and learns that Kim was obsessed with Donald Wallace, the state attorney general running for Senate. Wallace was the county prosecutor for many years, and Kim suspected he used his influence to fix trials, perhaps even the case of Kim’s childhood friend who vanished at the age of eight. Using her research skills and connections at the college, Theresa begins to trace Kim’s final days, searching for her notes and videos. Zach Wagner, the young professor who taught the English class where Kim and Jeff met, shares some of Kim’s weekly responses to writing prompts, and offers advice about the juvenile justice system gleaned during his brief teenaged incarceration and interviews with juvenile offenders featured in his well-received book. Theresa’s self-deprecating humor and the stories she tells about the eccentric “Marge” lighten this intriguing literary mystery.
Alan Bradley
The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches (Delacorte Press 2014) begins with 11-year-old Flavia and her family waiting at the railway station for the arrival of the coffin holding the remains of her mother, Harriet, who disappeared in the Himalayas when Flavia was a baby. For reasons Flavia doesn’t understand, former prime minister Winston Churchill is in attendance at the station, and makes a strange remark to Flavia about pheasant sandwiches. A tall young man asks her to pass on an even more cryptic remark to her father about "the Gamekeeper" and is then crushed under the departing train. Though those two mysterious events would normally excite Flavia’s investigative curiosity, she is too wrapped up in her plan to bring Harriet back to life with an injection of carboxylase hydrochloride and adenosine triphosphate if she can manage to round up the chemicals. The recent discovery of an undeveloped roll of ciné film in an old camera in the attic has given Flavia her first glimpse of her living and breathing mother picnicking with her father and at the cockpit of her beloved de Haviland Gypsy Moth, the Blithe Spirit, intensifying her sorrow at having no memories of her mother. Buckshaw, the crumbling de Luce mansion, is full of guests: Tristram Tallis, who bought the Blythe Spirit from Harriet just before the war, cousin Lena de Luce and her strange daughter Undine, and the mysterious Adam Sowerby, a flora-archaeologist and private detective who refuses to tell Flavia whom he is working for. Flavia is scheming for private time with her mother’s body when Sir Peregrine Darwin, the Home Office pathologist, arrives to conduct an autopsy, causing Flavia to realize her mother may have been murdered. This excellent traditional mystery featuring the irrepressible young chemist is the sixth in the series set in 1950s England.
Jørgen Brekke
Where Monsters Dwell (Minotaur 2014, Norway 2011) introduces Odd Singsaker, a police inspector in Trondheim, Norway, recently back on the job after treatment for a brain tumor. The flayed body of the archivist at the Gunnerus Library in Trondheim is found inside a locked vault used to store rare and delicate books, including the Johannes Book, a sixteenth century palimpsest book. Bound in human skin, the Johannes Book appears to be the 1529 journal of a Norwegian serial murderer. Jon Vatten, a broken man whose wife and young son vanished five years earlier, now works as a security guard at the university library where he was once a doctoral student. Vatten was under suspicion at the time of his family’s disappearance, but no bodies were ever discovered. Singsaker’s superiors suspect that Vatten has something to do with the macabre murder, but Singsaker isn’t convinced. At the Edgar Allen Poe Museum in Richmond, Virginia, the corpse of the museum curator is found flayed in his office by the cleaning staff. Felicia Stone, a newly promoted Richmond homicide detective, discovers that the curator has been researching the Johannes Book, and traces the original to Trondheim. The two detectives connect, and Felicia travels to Norway hoping to discover patterns shared by the two murders that will lead to the killer. Disturbing flashbacks to the creation of the Johannes Book add a touch of horror to this debut thriller, the first in a series.
Paula Hawkins
The Girl on the Train (Riverhead 2015) centers on Rachel Watson, who travels by train and back from Ashbury to London every day. the train always slows as Rachel passes by the backyards of the Witney street she used to live on, she looks forward to seeing a happy couple she calls Jason and Jess, who are often on their makeshift terrace either enjoying morning coffee or evening wine. Rachel knows the layout of the Victorian semi well, since her ex-husband Tom still lives in an identical house two doors down with his new wife Anna and their baby girl. Rachel is consumed with envy for Anna who lives in the house Rachel chose with the man Rachel still loves and has the baby Rachel always wanted. The depression following Rachel’s inability to conceive led to alcoholism, and Tom’s affair with Anna was the final blow to their marriage. One evening Rachel’s comforting vision of the perfect relationship between Jess and Jason is shattered when she sees a dark-skinned man kissing Jess. Rachel drinks canned gin and tonic on the 5:56 train home, and the combination of alcohol and her disappointment in Jess prompt Rachel to get off the train in Witney with the fuzzy idea of warning Jason. The next morning Rachel has no clear memory of the preceding night, though she has a bloody lump on her head and vague recollections of voices raised in argument. The newspaper report of a young woman who has gone missing accompanied by a picture of the woman Rachel called Jess, gives Rachel the names of her ideal couple: Megan and Scott Hipwell. The police suspect Scott, and Rachel visits the police to report the man she saw kissing Megan. But Rachel’s alcoholism make her an unreliable witness, and complaints by Anna about Rachel’s frequent late night calls to Tom further undermine her veracity. Alternating narrations from Rachel, Megan, and Anna build the backstory of the events that led to Megan’s disappearance. This debut novel of psychological suspense is riveting.
Terry Hayes
I Am Pilgrim (Atria/Emily Bestler Books 2014, UK 2013) is the story of an undercover intelligence operative who attended school under the name Scott Murdoch. Recruited by the Division, a top-secret black ops group, Scott left his former identity behind, assuming a series of other identities throughout his successful career. After retiring, he wrote an obscure but highly respected textbook of criminal investigation under the name of Jude Garrett, a recently deceased FBI agent. Ben Bradley, a New York homicide detective, manages to locate the author living under yet another name in Paris, and the two become friends. When Ben catches the case of a dead woman found in a bathtub of acid whose teeth have been removed, the two realize that the killer is using information from the Garrett book to commit an untraceable murder. The only clue is a scrap of paper with a series of numbers that might be a phone number in Turkey. News of a threat against the US by a terrorist known only as the Saracen pulls our legendary agent back into service under the code name of Pilgrim. The death of a wealthy American who fell from a cliff provides cover for Pilgrim to travel to Turkey, where a coded message to the Saracen has been intercepted. Intricate interweaving of the past and present from the perspectives of both Pilgrim and the Saracen fill in details of the events that brought both men to their current struggle to prevent and to create a disaster with the potential to kill untold thousands. This 600+ page debut police procedural/spy thriller, finalist for the 2014 Steel Dagger Award, is a gripping and powerful fiction debut by a successful screenwriter and producer.
Andrew Lanh
Caught Dead (Poisoned Pen Press 2014) introduces Rick Van Lam, an insurance investigator in Hartford, Connecticut. Rick’s father was an unknown American soldier stationed in Vietnam, making Rick one of the boi doi, a child of the dust, ostracized by Vietnamese culture. A war orphan adopted by a white New Jersey family at the age of 13, Rick grew up in mainstream American culture, but held on to fragments from his Buddhist Vietnamese childhood. When Mary Le Vu, one of the beautiful Le twin sisters, is killed in a drive-by in the wrong part of town, Rick’s young friend Hank Nguyen, asks for his help finding justice for his cousin Mary’s family. Hank is certain the police aren’t taking the killing seriously, and no one in the family can understand why Mary, a dutiful wife and mother, strayed outside of her usual Little Saigon orbit between home and the family grocery store. Rick, who left the New York City police department after killing a fleeing suspect, wants nothing to do with murder, but can’t refuse the request from Hank’s family, who have adopted Rick into their midst. Many in the Vietnamese community treat Rick with the same disdain he endured in Vietnam, but he knows how to talk to the police and Hank provides Rick with an entry into the closed world of Little Saigon. Together they delve into the world of the Le sisters, one married to a poor Vietnamese shopkeeper and one to a wealthy American. This engaging novel set in a unique locale is the first in a new series written under the Andrew Lanh pseudonym by Ed Ifkovic.
CB McKenzie
Bad Country (Minotaur 2014) introduces Rodeo Grace Garnet, a former bronc rider working as a private detective while living with his old dog in a remote corner of Arizona known to locals as El Hoyo, The Hole. Returning home from a week’s vacation, Rodeo finds the body of a dead man by his gate. Dressed in clean new clothes, the small dark-skinned man doesn’t appear to be an undocumented immigrant who tried to cross the border through the desert, but carries no identification. Rodeo learns that the bodies of three other unidentified Indian men have been left in places they were sure to be found in the last couple of weeks. Rodeo gets a request from Katherine Rocha, an elderly woman from his own Pascua Yaqui tribe who wants to hire him to discover who murdered her grandson Samuel. But Mrs. Rocha doesn’t really seem that interested in what happened to Samuel, instead mourning his six-year-old sister Farrah who was killed by a hit-and-run driver. While trying to track Samuel’s last days, Rodeo runs afoul of Caps Monjano, a Tohono O’odham tribal cop who was probably Farrah’s biological father, and Ronald Rocha, a former Special Forces sniper determined to carry out his own vigilante justice upon Samuel’s killer. The harsh and deadly Arizona desert landscape permeates this debut noir thriller, winner of the 2013 Tony Hillerman Prize and a finalist for the 2015 Edgar Award for Best First Novel.
Catriona McPherson
The Day She Died (Midnight Ink 2014) is the story of Jessie Constable, a 30ish single woman who manages the Free Clothing Project in Dumfries, Scotland. Jessie’s only friends are work acquaintances, and her feather phobia, severe enough to cause debilitating panic attacks, marks her as a bit of an odd duck. While stopping for groceries at Marks & Spencer after work one evening, Jessie runs across a man she was immediately attracted to when meeting him in passing a few months earlier. After pleading with someone on his phone, the man collapses to the floor to the dismay of the four-year old girl in the shopping trolley. The man whispers that his wife Becky has just left him, and Jessie offers to drive them home. During the long drive to the isolated cottage on the beach at Sandsea, Jessie learns that the man’s name is Gus King and that his wife suffered from post-natal depression and the news of her best friend Ros returning to Poland had sent her into a downward spiral. At the cottage, Jessie is startled to find a toddler alone in his crib, and persuades Gus to call the police. Gus begs her to stay and help with the children and Jessie reluctantly agrees, worried that her panic attacks make her an unreliable child-minder. When the police appear with the news that the accident was Becky driving off the bridge into the river, Jessie puts her fears aside and stays to help with the children, and to support the shattered Gus. A Polish man who looks homeless and speaks only a few words of English appears at the door desperate to talk to Becky or perhaps Ros, but Jessie can’t make herself understood. As the days pass, Jessie becomes attached to the children and their father, but can’t escape nagging doubts about what really happened to Becky and Ros. Jessie’s engaging first-person narration enlivens this unsettling novel of psychological suspense, a finalist for the 2015 Edgar Award for Best Paperback Original.
Kanae Minato
Confessions (Mulholland Books 2014, Japan 2008) begins when middle school science teacher Yuko Moriguchi confesses to her homeroom class why she will not be returning next term. Yuko and her finance did not marry after he was diagnosed with AIDS, but she had their child anyway, a daughter named Manami. Now four years old, the “Snuggly Bunny” obsessed Manami occasionally comes to the middle school when her daycare closes before the weekly faculty meeting is finished, looked after by the school nurse or some of Yuko’s students. After one meeting, Manami’s body is found floating in the pool behind the school building. Shattered by her grief and her conviction that two of her students are responsible for Manami’s death, Yuko explains to her class why she is sure Student A and Student B are the culprits, and reveals her fiendish plan for revenge. Subsequent chapters of confessions by three students plus the mother of one of the culprits expose the hidden motives and desperate cover-ups surrounding Manami’s death. Details of the workings of Japanese schools provide a fascinating background for the confessions. Students are expected to take responsibility for cleaning their classrooms, homeroom teachers are called instead of parents when students are in trouble after school, and young adults, called hikikomori, are shutting themselves inside their homes. This chilling debut psychological thriller is the basis for an Oscar nominated film.
Karin Slaughter
Cop Town (Delacorte Press 2014) is set in 1974 Atlanta, where the white-male-dominated police force is unhappily dealing with integration following the election of a black mayor. “Colored” cops are now being promoted, and allowed inside the police station, but racial tension is high. The only thing uniting male cops is their distaste for female officers of any race. Kate Murphy, daughter of a wealthy Jewish family, whose husband was killed in Vietnam, arrives for her first morning the day after a white cop was killed by a black man. Two other pairs of white cops were killed, assassin-style with two bullets to the head, by a killer dubbed “Shooter.” Jimmy Lawson, the dead cop’s partner, escaped when the killer’s gun jammed, and the entire police force is out searching for clues to the killing. Maggie Lawson, Jimmy’s sister, is a patrol officer willing to endure the constant demeaning harassment rather than accept the usual female officer assignment in the typing pool. Kate can’t decide if the physical torment of wearing the heavy equipment is worse than the hazing from both female and male officers, but is determined to stick it out. Maggie realizes that Kate is more than a pretty face, and the two conspire with a female undercover officer to search for connections between the victims that might lead to the killer. This gritty thriller exploring the misogyny, racism, and homophobia of 1970s Atlanta cop culture is a finalist for the 2015 Edgar Award for Best Mystery.
Donna Andrews
The Good, the Bad, and the Emus (Minotaur 2014) finds Meg Langslow drawn into the search for her long-lost grandmother Cordelia, who gave her father up for adoption as an infant. Stanley Denton, a private investigator hired by Meg’s grandfather Dr. Montgomery Blake, has tracked Cordelia to the nearby small town of Riverton, but Cordelia’s reclusive cousin Annabel refuses to talk to him. Hoping that Meg’s resemblance to her grandmother will open the door, Stanley persuades Meg to accompany him to Riverton. Annabel tells them that Cordelia died nearly a year ago when their generator in the back yard exploded. Convinced that Cordelia’s death was not an accident, Annabel asks Meg and Stanley to help find evidence to convict the man she is sure is the killer — her neighbor Theo Weaver. News of a feral flock of emus, released when the owner of a ranch could no longer afford to feed them, provides Meg and her grandfather an excuse for taking up residence along with his film crew and troupe of dedicated volunteers determined to rescue the emus and transport them to a refuge. Another murder causes Meg to suspect that the killer may be concealed among the crowd of emu-rescuing volunteers. The hilarious attempts to round up the emus, who prove surprisingly difficult to corral, and the back-stabbing politics among the volunteers angling for some face time on Dr. Blake’s popular TV show add to the fun in this 17th of an always delightful series, a finalist for the Lefty Award for most humorous mystery and the Agatha Award for Best Novel.
Rhys Bowen
Queen of Hearts (Berkley 2014) finds Lady Georgiana Rannoch, 35th in line for the British throne, off to Nevada in the summer of 1934 with her self-absorbed actress mother, Claire Daniels, who has decided to divorce her Texas oilman husband in order to marry her wealthy German suitor. Since Max is paying all expenses, Georgie is more than willing to sail the Atlantic on the luxurious SS Berengaria and keep her mother company in Reno. Alone on deck one evening, Georgie thinks she sees a woman falling overboard, but no one is reported missing. Darcy O’Mara, the impoverished gentleman spy Georgie woud love to marry, is onboard tracking a jewel thief who is probably among Georgie’s circle of acquaintances. On board, movie mogul Cy Goldman decides that Claire is perfect for his next film about Philip of Spain and Mary Tudor. Cy convinces Claire to hire a double to live under her name in Nevada for the six weeks divorce residency requirement and come to Hollywood instead. Once in Hollywood, Cy’s young mistress Stella Brightwell isn’t pleased when Claire’s acting talents eclipse her own, and furious when Cy decides Darcy would be a far better Prince Phillip than the Spanish actor Stella fancies. At a house party that includes Charlie Chaplin, the inevitable murder occurs, and everyone is a suspect since Cy Goldman’s luxurious Hollywood Hills mansion is gated and guarded. Darcy and Georgie assist the local police, following a few red herrings before identifying both the thief and the killer. This enjoyable eighth in the humorous Royal Spyness series is a finalist for the Left Coast Crime Bruce Alexander Historical Award and the Agatha Award for Best Historical Novel.
Wiley Cash
This Dark Road to Mercy (William Morrow 2014) centers on 12-year-old Easter Quillby and her six-year old sister Ruby. Their father Wade Chesterfield, a restless minor league pitcher, deserted the family several years before their mother died of a drug overdose. Now living in a group foster home run by a kind woman in Gastonia, North Carolina, Easter and Ruby are just settling comfortably in to their new life when Wade unexpectedly reappears. Since he signed away his parental rights years earlier, Wade cannot convince the foster care home to give his daughters back to him. Robert Pruitt, a menacing figure with a grudge against Wade, lurks around the playground, frightening Easter. When Wade appears at their window, Easter and Ruby are convinced that they will be safer fleeing with the father they barely know. Brady Weller, a former cop and the girls’ court-appointed guardian, suspects Wade has taken the missing girls, and uncovers a link between Wade and the missing money from a $14.5 million armored car robbery months earlier. This evocative thriller, winner of the 2014 Gold Dagger Award and a finalist for the 2015 Edgar Award for Best Mystery, is narrated in alternating sections by Easter, Brady, and Pruitt, three unique characters damaged by their past, perhaps beyond chance of redemption.
Alison Gaylin
Stay With Me (2014) finds Brenna Spector, a missing persons investigator in New York, and her teenaged daughter Maya struggling to cope with the psychological after-effects of Brenna’s last case, which could have killed them both. Brenna, whose Hyperthymestic Syndrome causes her to vividly relive her own past, tries unsuccessfully to avoid any triggers that will bring overwhelming memories back to the surface. When Maya goes missing, Brenna realizes that her obsession with figuring out what really happened to her older sister Clea, who got into a car nearly three decades earlier and was never seen again, has impaired her relationship with her own daughter. Because of the power of the memories that overtake Brenna, Maya believes that the past is more important to her mother than the present, and that her vanished Aunt Clea occupies more of her mother’s heart than she does. As Brenna begins to trace Maya’s recent past, she discovers a possible link between Maya’s disappearance and Clea’s, though no one else is convinced that a 28-year-old cold case can possibly help locate a girl that just went missing. This intense psychological suspense thriller, a finalist for the 2015 Edgar Award for Best Paperback, brings the Clea trilogy to an unexpected yet satisfying conclusion.
James Hankins
Shady Cross (Thomas & Mercer 2015) is the story of Stokes, a small-time crook the police suspect is responsible for a recent string of burglaries that put an old man in the hospital. After lifting the wallet from a drunken traveler in a bar, Stokes heads home on his motorcycle, and barely avoids a head-on collision with a car that crashes off the side of the road in the woods. After verifying that the driver is dead, Stokes takes a backpack full of money from the back seat and begins to walk home. Realizing that the bag contains more than enough money to pay off his $100,000 debt to the local loan shark Frank Nickerson, Stokes is wavering between paying his debt and gambling that Nickerson’s thuggish twin sons will never catch him if he runs. Then a phone in the backpack rings and the voice of a little girl begs him to bring the money and take her home before they hurt her again. A man’s voice takes over the phone, calling him Paul and demanding to know if he has both the money and the evidence to ransom his daughter. The call causes Stokes to remember his own daughter, abandoned years earlier, but he tosses the phone in the trash and heads off to the bus station, determined to make a run for it with the cash. The Nickerson twins pull him off the bus, and Stokes is forced to pay his debt. Unable to get the little girl’s pleas out of his head, Stokes retrieves the phone and discovers that the kidnappers have sent a video of the child’s little finger being cut off, punishment for missing Paul’s hourly phone check-in call. The girl’s anguished screams push Stokes off the fence, and he throws himself into rescue mode, intent on making up up the missing $100,000 ransom and locating the unidentified evidence in order to rescue the child. Though he has never fired a gun in his life, Stokes finds himself battling police and mobsters while being outwitted at nearly every turn. Dark humor infuses this thriller featuring a second-rate criminal whose past has left him unequipped to play the hero’s role.
D.E. Ireland
Wouldn’t It Be Deadly (Minotaur 2014) joins Eliza Doolittle a few months after her successful appearance as a Duchess at the Embassy Ball. The former Cockney flower girl is now working for Emil Nepommuck, the arch rival to Henry Higgins, as a teacher of elocution. While Higgins is traveling abroad, Eliza is living with his mother and enjoying the attentions of Freddy Eynsford Hill. At a garden party she is embarrassed not to recognize a quote from Shakespeare, and the gift of a copy of Hamlet catches her fancy to the extent of memorizing most of the lines. When Higgins returns and realizes that Nepommuck is taking full credit for transforming Eliza into a lady, he submits proof of Nepommuck’s numerous fraudulent claims to the newspaper. When Nepommuck’s body is found with a dagger in his back, Professor Higgins is the prime suspect though evidence that Nepommuck was blackmailing most of his students widens the field. Eliza realizes that the only way to clear the Professor’s name is to find the real killer, and begins to ferret out the secrets Nepommuck had collected. The denouement takes place at a performance of Hamlet at Drury Lane, where Eliza disrupts the action by fleeing from the murder across the stage, spouting lines all the way. References to the George Bernard Shaw play and the musical add to the fun in this light-hearted debut mystery, a finalist for the Agatha Award for Best Historical Mystery.
Terrie Farley Moran
Well Read, Then Dead (Berkley 2014) introduces Mary “Sassy” Cabot and Bridget “Bridgy” Mayfield, owners of Read ’Em and Eat, a bookstore café in Fort Myers Beach, in the barrier islands off the Florida Gulf Coast. Two of the regulars at the book club meetings are cousins and best friends in their 80s: Augusta Maddox, whose booming voice speaking out against commercialization and treasure-hunting often startles the tourists, and Delia Batson, a sweet environmentalists whose soft words can barely be heard. At the regular monthly Books Before Breakfast Club, Jocelyn Kendall, the wife of the pastor, and Rowena Gustavsen, owner of a curio shop, are in full battle about whether Anya Seton or Daphne du Maurier is the true queen of romantic suspense, when Miguel, the chef, falls with a crash and breaks his leg. Unable to handle both the cooking and serving themselves, Sassy and Bridgy have no choice but to call on Bridgy’s Aunt Ophelia, an excellent cook with the unfortunate habit of leaving the kitchen a disaster area. When Delia is murdered, Augusta informs Sassy and Bridgy that she expects them to track down Delia’s killer. Rumors that Delia may have retained the family title to a valuable barrier island cause Sassy to suspect that Delia’s two absentee nephews may have something to do with her death. A menacing treasure-hunter who warns Sassy to stop snooping is another suspect, along with Skully, an nearly homeless elderly man who supports himself by doing woodworking jobs and creating delicate jewelry from shells and woven fishing line. This amusing debut cozy mystery is a finalist for the 2014 Agatha Award for Best First Novel.
Bradford Morrow
The Forgers (Mysterious Press 2014) is the story of Will, a convicted literary forger whose speciality is the handwriting of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Will’s most cherished possession is one of Doyle’s own fountain pens. Now supporting himself by selling off his rare book collection, Will gets a frantic phone call from his girlfriend Meghan Diehl, who has just discovered her reclusive brother Adam on the floor of his isolated home in Montauk, New York, with hands severed and surrounded by vandalized books and manuscripts from his valuable collection. Adam doesn’t survive long enough to tell the police anything about his attacker, and Will helps Meghan sort though the remnants of her brother’s collection. The investigation stalls when the police don’t uncover any clues, and Will and Meghan travel to Ireland, where Meghan has always longed to spend time. They find a small cottage in Kenmare, and decide to build a new life together in Ireland, far from the insular world of rare book collecting, where the passion of collectors is balanced against the compulsion of forgers to reinvent reality by transforming historical artifacts. But Will begins receiving anonymous letters, beautifully forged in the handwriting of Henry James and Arthur Conan Doyle, threatening to reveal Will’s unexposed forgeries and hinting of secret knowledge about the attack on Adam. Will tries unsuccessfully to resist the lure of creating an even more perfect forgery in response, digging himself deeper into the blackmail that threatens both his relationship with Meghan and his freedom.
Adam Sternbergh
Shovel Ready (Crown 2014) takes place in a near-future New York City decimated by a dirty bomb that exploded in Times Square. Many have fled the city, leaving only the impoverished and the affluent behind. The gap between the very poor, who struggle to survive in the ravaged city, and the very rich, who spend most of their time in full-immersion virtual reality beds, is extreme. Spademan used to be a garbage man, but after his wife died in the explosion he found a new career as a equal opportunity hitman, killing men and women alike, but not children. When hired to kill Grace Chastity, the runaway daughter of wealthy and powerful evangelist T.K. Harrow, Spademan’s only question is if the girl is over 18. Assured that she is, Spademan picks her up at a bar and moves in for the kill, but can’t go through with it after discovering she is pregnant. Now calling herself Persephone, the girl accepts Spademan’s offer of a shower and a meal, and is soon sleeping in his apartment. Though Spademan doesn’t believe much of what Persephone tells him, she is clearly frightened of her father, who is preparing for an imminent revival service in Radio City Music Hall to recruit converts for his virtual reality called Heaven. Staccato prose propels this dystopian debut thriller, a finalist for the 2015 Edgar Award for Best First Novel.
Peter Swanson
The Kind Worth Killing (William Morrow 2015) begins when Ted Severson, a wealthy businessman, shares too many martinis with a beautiful stranger in the Heathrow Airport business class lounge while waiting for a delayed flight to Boston. Ted tells Lily Kintner he has just discovered that his wife Miranda is cheating on him with the contractor building their new beach house mansion on Cape Cod, and jokes that he has fantasized about killing her. Lily responds that she would like to help, confessing that she has always felt that some people don’t deserve to live. After sobering up a bit on the flight, Ted and Lily agree to meet in a neutral place in a week if they each decide to move forward with a plan. Neither really expect the other to show up, but the lure of murder without punishment plus a budding sexual attraction brings them both to the meeting place. Alternate chapters narrated by the co-conspirators reveal Ted’s hollow marriage and expose the dark secrets of Lily’s disturbing past. Later chapters narrated by Miranda and Henry Kimball, the Boston homicide detective investigating the inevitable death, trace spiderwebs of deceit and treachery that go back for years. This chilling noir thriller explores the lure of revenge and the long reach of betrayal.
Chris Abani
The Secret History of Las Vegas (Penguin 2014) is the story of Dr. Sunil Singh, a Sikh Zulu from South Africa currently doing research on psychopaths at an institute outside Las Vegas. Two years earlier Detective Salazar called on Sunil for advice while tracking a serial killer who left untidy piles of dead homeless men at the town dump. The killer was never apprehended, and Salazar is still haunted by the eyes of a teenaged girl discovered in the last cache. No further bodies were found until recently, and Salazar calls Sunil to meet him at Lake Mead, where a strange man was found in the water, a five gallon jug of blood in his truck. Salazar discovers that the man, who calls himself Water, has a small conjoined twin named Fire growing out of the side of his torso. Fire is feisty and very intelligent, but Water speaks only in disjointed facts and could be autistic. Hoping Sunil can give the police a reason to hold the twins while determining competency, Salazar sends them to the institute. Sunil, tormented by the treachery and violence of South Africa apartheid, knows more about the deaths than he is willing to admit. Salazar discovers that the twins are “downwinders,” people adversely affected by the nuclear tests in Nevada, their downwind farms and ranches and towns infected with radiation poisoning. A South African killer is tracking Sunil in revenge for a betrayal in the past, endangering the prostitute Sunil cannot admit he loves. The evocative portrayal of outcasts and the cruelties we are capable of in the service of fame or politics takes center stage in this finalist for the 2015 Edgar Award for Best Paperback Original.
Andrew Brown
Coldsleep Lullaby (Minotaur 2014; South Africa 2005) introduces South African police detective Eberard Februarie. Haunted by his experiences while working in Cape Town, Eberard become addicted to drugs while on narcotics duty, suffered an emotional collapse, and was reassigned to the small university town of Stellenbosch in the heart of South Africa’s wine region. The police doctor hopes the quieter pace will allow Eberard to recuperate, but he is thrust into the investigation of the brutal murder of Melanie Du Preez, a young white woman about to enter the university. Melanie’s father, a lecturer at the university’s Faculty of Law, is a conservative activist in defense of Afrikaans culture. Routine police work leads to the arrest of a black man from Burundi known as Bullet, who had an argument with Melanie shortly before her death, but Eberard can’t shake his gut feeling that the wrong man is incarcerated. The discovery of a scrapbook of lullabies that Melanie collected over the years feels like an important clue, but Eberard can’t make a connection to her murder. Alternate chapters detail the history of the Dutch East India Company’s 17th-century colonization of South Africa, and the inhumane practices that occurred during the development of vineyards in the wine region. Lullabies from Melanie’s scrapbook introduce each chapter, adding a poignant note to this intense debut novel featuring an emotionally scarred protagonist seeking justice in a country full of racial tensions and mistrust of immigrants from other African nations.
Joe Clifford
Lamentation (Oceanview 2014) is the story of Jay Porter, who is barely making ends meet working as an estate clearer in rural Ashton, New Hampshire. Jay’s former girlfriend Jenny has moved out, making it hard for Jay to see as much of his two-year old son as he would like. Jay still loves Jenny, but she couldn’t live with his erratic work schedule and the burden of his drug-addicted older brother Chris. Jay doesn’t see much of Chris, but he can’t bear to desert him completely. When Chris is picked up by the sheriff, Jay assumes it’s another petty theft charge, but the police are concerned about Chris’s missing business partner Pete Naginis. Jay is surprised that Chris has a business partner until he sees the ramshackle computer "recycling" center they have opened in an old Chinese restaurant. Chris swears he doesn’t know where his partner is, and mumbles a confused tale about finding something big on a hard drive they were cleaning off. Jay suspects they were searching for blackmail evidence and doesn’t take Chris’s story of an evil conspiracy too seriously until the police find Pete’s body. By then Chris has vanished back into the shadows of a bitter New Hampshire winter. When Jay’s apartment is torn apart, the police suspect Chris, but Jay is convinced that someone is desperate to find the hard drive and whatever incriminating evidence it holds. This gritty noir thriller explores the powerful ties between brothers and the lengths people will go to protect their families.
M.P. Cooley
Ice Shear (William Morrow 2014) introduces June Lyons, a former FBI agent, who returned to her small home town of Hopewell Falls, New York, when her husband was dying of cancer. June’s father, the retired police chief, takes care of her six-year-old daughter Lily while June works as a low-level police officer. June occasionally misses the excitement of FBI work, but is grateful for the more regular hours of a small town police job. June’s slow-paced job changes when the body of Danielle Brouillette, the daughter of powerful Congressman Amanda Brouillette, is found impaled on the ice shear spikes in the frozen Mohawk River. Estranged from her family after a rebellious youth and several failed attempts at college, Danielle is recently married to Marty Jelickson, the oldest son of the head enforcer for the Abominations motorcycle gang. Marty met Danielle in AA and swears he has left his old life behind, but Danielle and Marty’s younger brother Ray appear to have a connection with drugs. The local police force is still learning to trust June, the outsider, and things get more stressful when the FBI arrives, led by her former colleague Hale Bascom, who re-deputizes June and makes her the liaison between the police and the FBI. Conflicts between the Brouillette and Jelickson families erupt during the wake for Danielle, complicating the investigation as each family accuses the other of just about everything. June and her police colleagues know that the FBI is holding back information, probably something to do with the growing local meth industry and the nearly out-of-control biker gang. This fast-paced debut mystery, a finalist for the 2015 Barry and Left Coast Crime Awards for Best First Novel, presents a strong and appealing protagonist in an intriguing rural setting.
Glen Erik Hamilton
Past Crimes (William Morrow 2015) introduces Van Shaw, an Army Ranger who was raised as a thief by his Irish immigrant grandfather Donovan “Dono” Shaw. Van became an expert at boosting cars, bypassing security systems, cracking safes, and burglarizing businesses without being caught. At the age of 18, after a huge fight with his grandfather, Van broke with his past by joining the military. Van hasn’t seen or heard from Dono in 10 years until he receives a brief note in Gaelic asking him to come home. Arriving at his grandfather’s house in Seattle, Washington, Van finds the old man bleeding out from a gunshot to the head. Only the testimony of a neighbor who heard the shot just before Van drove up saves him from arrest. The police aren’t too interested in investigating the death of a career criminal, and Van feels compelled to re-enter the violent world he left behind in order to discover what Dono was involved with, what precipitated the letter, and to track down his killer. Van resurrects his criminal skills to augment his new ranger training, and calls upon two of Dono’s cronies — Hollis Brant, a smuggler, and Jimmy Corcoran, a tech expert — to bring Dono’s killer to some kind of justice. Flashbacks fill in the back story of Van’s tumultuous childhood with his grandfather and the events leading to the bitter fight that caused their estrangement. This powerful debut novel introduces a quick-witted and resilient protagonist able to hold his own on both sides of the law.
Patrick Lee
Runner (Minotaur 2014) introduces Sam Dryden, a former Special Forces operative retired to a small town on the coast of southern California. Sam was a Delta Ranger, and then a Ferret charged with abducting people for the US government before leaving the service to marry. The death of his wife and young daughter in a car accident has left him at loose ends, and recently insomnia has propelled him out the door to run by the sea in the small hours of the night. Just after 3:00 AM one morning he collides with a terrified girl fleeing barefoot through the darkness, chased by a group of heavily armed men. Sam helps her evade her pursuers, overhearing snippets of conversation making it clear they have been ordered to kill the 12-year-old child. Rachel only remembers her first name and the last two months, when she was held captive and sedated as part of a secret government research project. She begs Sam not to go to the police, and reveals that she can read his thoughts. Rachel has picked up enough from her guards to realize that she was being held by a government agency who used drugs to interrogate her while she slept. Sam knows enough about narcotics used in sleep interrogation to reassure Rachel that her memory will come back in about a week, though their chances of staying out of the clutches of the paramilitary forces tracking them by satellite are slim. The two flee across the country, staying just out of reach of the powerful men who consider Rachel a rogue deadly weapon. Sam’s growing affection for Rachel adds depth to this relentless thriller.
Laura McHugh
The Weight of Blood (Spiegel & Grau 2014) is set in the small town of Henbane, deep in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri. Lucy Dane is 17 and helping out at her Uncle Crete’s combination gas station and restaurant, along with Daniel, a college freshman home working for the summer. Lucy is attracted to Daniel, and volunteers to help him clean out an old trailer on Crete’s property. The trailer is full of old clothes, empty beer bottles, and smelly trash. While emptying out the bedroom Lucy discovers a necklace with a chipped butterfly charm, a trinket she knows all too well. When they were children, Lucy gave the necklace to Cheri, a slow-witted neighbor girl with a neglectful mother. Cheri wore the necklace every day, and was certainly wearing it the day she disappeared. In March, a year after her disappearance, Cheri’s dismembered body appeared on the banks of the North Fork River. Lucy had been haunted by Cheri’s disappearance, feeling guilty that she wasn’t a better friend to Cheri, and disturbed by the parallels to her own mother’s disappearance when Lucy was just a baby. Lily, an exotic beauty with dark hair and pale green eyes, arrived in Henbane to work at Crete’s farm. Suspicious of strangers, the town turned against Lily, calling her a witch, and only grudgingly accepting her when she married Crete’s brother Carl and gave birth to Lucy. Just after Lucy’s first birthday Lily disappeared into the caves carrying Carl’s derringer, and was never seen again. Alternate chapters narrated by Lucy, Lily, and other Henbane residents gradually fill in the dark secrets hidden masked by the small town’s xenophobic isolation. This chilling debut thriller exploring the powerful entanglements of family connections is a finalist for the 2015 Barry Award for Best First Novel.
Saskia Sarginson
Without You (Piatkus 2014) begins when 17-year-old Eva Gale is swept overboard while sailing with her father Max off the coast of Suffolk in the spring of 1984. Eva’s life jacket is found during the search, but no sign of her body. In the months that follow, her father is consumed with guilt, assuming it is his fault that she was not wearing the life jacket found floating in the sea, and her mother Clara sinks into grief and depression, unable to forgive Max. Only Faith, Eva’s 10-year-old sister is convinced that Eva is still alive. Faith believes that Eva was taken by the Wild Man, a legendary mer-man, and is somewhere on the nearby deserted island, off-limits because of possible unexploded bombs from the 1950s when the island served as a bombing and rocket range. Eva and Faith secretly visited the island, avoiding the pagodas built to shield the atomic weapon blasts, and savoring their moments of complete privacy. The island was searched after the accident, and no sign of Eva was found, though she had been revived by Billy, a disturbed ex-soldier, and hidden in a pagoda. Billy hears a voice that led him to the beach where Eva lay nearly dead from drowning, and tossed her life jacket into the sea after resuscitating her. Faith, a dreamy and unconventional outcast, has never learned to swim, but is determined to find a way to the island where she is convinced Eva is hidden. Themes of isolation, loneliness, and the debilitating effects of grief are explored in this evocative psychological thriller.
Abbie Taylor
The Stranger on the Train (Atria 2014; APA: Emma’s Baby UK, 2009) is the story of Emma Turner, a young single mother struggling to cope with caring for her 13-month old son Ritchie. Emma’s father deserted the family when she was small, her mother died recently, her best friend has moved to Australia, and Ritchie’s father is traveling abroad with his girlfriend; leaving Emma lonely, sleep-deprived, and fighting depression. There are times she wishes that Ritchie would just disappear. Returning from a shopping trip and grappling with the bags, the buggy, and Ritchie in his harness, Emma is horrified to find the London subway doors closing with Ritchie inside while she is still on the platform. A woman inside the train mouths "next stop" as Emma desperately tries to hold onto the harness strap that is ripped from her hand. A man stops her from falling from the platform and she begs him not to call the police, worried that they will stop the trains and she won’t be able to catch up with her son. At the next stop Emma is relieved to find a well-dressed older woman holding Ritchie. The woman convinces Emma to go into the bathroom to clean herself up, and when Emma emerges the woman and Ritchie have vanished. The police don’t seem too interested in searching for Ritchie, and Emma realizes that her confessions to her doctor about her feelings of inadequacy as a mother have given the impression that she may have harmed her own son. The man who collected her purse and bags from the station platform is Rafe Townsend, an ex-policeman who believes her story and is willing to help Emma track down the woman who took her son. This fast-paced debut novel of psychological suspense presents an all-too-possible and terrifying scenario.
Charles Todd
An Unwilling Accomplice (William Morrow 2014) finds experienced battlefield nurse Bess Crawford home on leave in 1918, assisting a badly wounded soldier to Buckingham Palace to be decorated by King George V. After escorting Sergeant Jason Wilkins back to their hotel, Bess agrees to let him spend some time with friends in his room. When she checks later, he seems to be sound asleep. The next morning Wilkins is gone, and both the Army and the nursing service hold Bess negligent. Though Bess is sure she never met Wilkins before, he requested her by name, causing suspicion that she may have helped him escape. A search is mounted for the deserter, and Bess struggles to understand how a man confined to a wheel chair managed to walk out of the hotel. Worse news arrives from Shropshire: a man matching the description of Wilkins has killed a man and then disappeared again. Determined to regain her spotless reputation, Bess sets out to retrace the missing man’s journey, sure there must be a clue somewhere to explain his bizarre behavior. The psychological effects of war on both the soldiers and those they left behind is deftly portrayed in this sixth in the series, a finalist for the Agatha Award for Best Historical Novel.
Conor Brady
A June of Ordinary Murders (Minotaur 2015, UK 2012) introduces Detective Sergeant Joe Swallow, a “G-Man” of the plain clothes G-Division in 1887 Dublin. The city is sweltering under the worst heat wave in history and preparing for a royal visitor in honor of Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee, when the mutilated bodies of a young man and a child are found in Phoenix Park. Swallow hasn’t yet regained public confidence after a pervious case that went wrong, and it doesn’t help that Dr. Lefeyre discovers the dead adult is really a woman in disguise after the press conference already splattered headlines across the city. The eyes of both victims have been gouged out, making identification nearly impossible. The Land War is at its height, and the murders appear to be “ordinary” rather than “special” political crimes, so are given a low priority. Meanwhile, “Pisspot” Ces Downes, criminal head of the city, dies of heart disease, leaving her two lieutenants poised to battle for the spoils. Joe is concerned that his younger sister, about to finish her exams to become a teacher, has become involved with the Irish National Land League working to redistribute the land to tenants from absentee landlords. Using new methods introduced by Professor Lazlo Hiss from the University of Vienna, Lefeyre constructs a facial model of the female victim, providing Swallow with the means of tracking her final days in the city. This excellent historical debut thriller captures the complexities of life in 1880s Dublin seen through the eyes of an engaging and equally complex protagonist.
Reed Farrel Coleman
The Hollow Girl (Tyrus 2014) joins Moe Prager, who has sunk into alcoholic depression after the accidental death of his girlfriend Pam. His daughter has banned him from visiting his grandson, and Moe feels old and useless despite having recovered from a near-death struggle with stomach cancer. Then Nancy Lustig, an unforgettably honest woman from his very first case as a private investigator, contacts Moe for help finding her missing daughter. In the years since their first meeting, Nancy has reconstructed herself from an ugly girl into a beautiful woman. Her daughter Sloane inherited Nancy’s original features, and created an Internet sensation years earlier as the Hollow Girl. Her online video diary made public the fears of most young women about not being the right shape or size or ideal of beauty. The final episode of the Hollow Girl featured an online suicide attempt after Sloane described witnessing a sexual encounter between her boyfriend and best friend. 911 calls revealed that the suicide was a hoax, and the entire Hollow Girl online diary a piece of performance art. In the years following, Sloane, a gifted actress, discovered that talent alone wasn’t enough to bring her a leading role, intensifying her resentment of her now-beautiful mother. Despite their adversarial relationship, Sloane never let two weeks go by without contact, and her month’s absence is worrying Nancy. While checking out her apartment, Moe discovers the body of one of Sloane’s friends, but no sign of Sloane herself. Then the Hollow Girl reappears online, warning fans that her apparent distress is only performance art. But Moe and Nancy aren’t quite sure. Can Sloane be a victim instead of the author of a realistic torture scene? This evocative ninth in the series, a finalist for the 2015 Barry Award for Best Novel, brings Moe’s story to a satisfying conclusion.
Michael Connelly
The Burning Room (Little, Brown and Company 2014) finds veteran detective Harry Bosch, now in the final year of his contract before retirement, paired with Lucia Soto, a novice in LAPD’s Open-Unsolved Unit. Bosch and Soto are working on the cold case of a shooting that has just turned into a murder. Ten years earlier, Orlando Merced was shot while playing in a mariachi band in the plaza, presumably a stray bullet from a gang dispute. The bullet lodged in his spine and could not be removed. Paralyzed after the shooting, Merced appeared at rallies and speeches, a symbol for city councilman Armando Zeyas’s campaign to address gang violence if elected mayor. Blood poisoning as a result of the embedded bullet finally killed Merced, transforming his cold case shooting into a murder investigation. The bullet extracted from the corpse provides new evidence. Since it is a rifle bullet, Bosch suspects Merced was targeted from above, rather than a victim of an errant street-level bullet. Meanwhile, Soto is investigating the 20-year old fire that killed her teacher and several of the other children at the unlicensed day care she attended as a child. Bosch lends a hand while waiting for new leads in the Merced case, and is struck by the coincidence of a robbery at the EZBank only three blocks away from the day care. The three cases draw together as Bosch and Soto fight to continue their investigations despite deterrents from powerful politicians and LAPD top administrators. This powerful 19th in the series hints at a permanent retirement by the talented and relentless Harry Bosch.
Jeannette de Beauvoir
Asylum (Minotaur 2015) centers on Martine LeDuc, the publicity director for the Montreal mayor. Over the summer three women were brutally murdered, their naked bodies posed on park benches throughout the city. When the fourth body is discovered, the mayor’s concerns about negative effects on the tourist business cause him to appoint Martine as a liaison between his office and the police department, demanding daily updates about progress identifying the killer. Only the staging of the bodies hints at a connection, the four women are of different ages, backgrounds, and physical types. Julian Fletcher, a young detective, offers to show Martine where each woman lived, and while discussing the differences between the victims, they begin to wonder if perhaps this is not a sexual predator, but a deliberate staging to mask a motive for killing these particular women. The unlikely pair discover that one woman was searching for details about her deceased mother who was an orphan, and another was adopted from an orphanage-turned-asylum as a child. Known as Duplessis Orphans, many (usually illegitimate children forcibly separated from their unwed mothers) were transferred to asylums in the 1940s since the funding for insane patients was much higher than for orphans. In the asylums the children with no relatives were subjected to medical experimentation, including lobotomies, electroshock therapy, and psychotropic medication. Martine, with fond memories of the loving nuns who ran the school she attended, struggles to balance her personal experience with the horrific reports of the torture and abuse the Duplessis Orphans suffered at the asylum at Saint-Jean-de-Hospital. What Julian and Martine can’t figure out is what motivated someone to murder four women connected to a scandal over 50 years earlier. The rich complexity of life in modern day Montreal provides a stark contrast to the bleak journal entries from a Duplessis Orphan in this engrossing mystery exploring a disturbing aspect of Montreal history.
Robert Harris
An Officer and a Spy (Knopf 2014) is the story of Alfred Dreyfus, a French army officer convicted of treason, publicly humiliated, bound in chains, and banished to solitary confinement on Devil’s Island in 1895. Colonel Georges Picquart, recently promoted to lead the French counterespionage agency that proved Dreyfus passed secrets to the Germans, learns that one of his tasks is to censor the letters between Dreyfus and his wife. At first convinced that Dreyfus was guilty, the lack of real evidence, combined with the fact that the previous agency head was not completely rational while suffering through final stages of syphilis, causes Picquart to suspect that Dreyfus, a wealthy Jew, was a convenient scapegoat. Picquart discovers hints that another officer, Walsin Esterhazy, may be leaking information to a German attaché, but is strongly discouraged by his superiors from re-opening a case that will reflect badly upon the French Army. Picquart finds a Sûreté detective willing to help gather evidence and uncovers a conspiracy among the army’s top-ranking officers. Eventually Picquart realizes he must choose between his own career and justice for Dreyfus. The pervasive anti-Semitism of 1895 Paris provides a chilling background for Picquart’s struggle with his own ideology about the Army, France, and himself. This powerful historical novel was awarded the 2014 Gold Dagger Award and is a finalist for the 2015 Barry Award for Best Thriller.
Anne Hillerman
Rock with Wings (Harper 2015) finds Navajo Tribal police officer Bernadette Manuelito completing one last traffic stop before the end of her shift. The driver of the car with Arizona plates doesn’t look like he is on drugs or smell like alcohol, but he is nervous and sweating more than normal, even for a warm night. He admits to a gun in the glove box, but becomes even more nervous when Bernie asks him to open his trunk. Inside is a rifle and two boxes filled with dirt. After an attempted bribe, Bernie arrests him. The following day Bernie and her husband Jim Chee head off for a vacation to visit Chee’s cousin in Monument Valley. Bernie is called back home near Shiprock, the Rock with Wings in Navajo, take care of her elderly mother when her sister is arrested, and Chee stays in Monument Valley picking up some extra hours helping to babysit a film crew making a zombie movie. The company bookkeeper goes missing, and Chee tracks her down taking moonlit photos of the rock formations, discovering a recent gravesite in the process. When the grave is reported, a local motel owner reports a strange occurrence some months earlier: blood and an old Navajo necklace left behind. Chee uses the poker chip he found near the gravesite as a size-indicator when photographing the necklace, and sends the photo to his old boss retired Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn, still recovering from the bullet in the brain that has left him unable to speak. The forensic crew doesn’t find anything in Bernie’s boxes of dirt, so she rescues a couple of tiny cacti, presenting it to Joe Leaphorn, who discovers that he can now type well enough to use a laptop to investigate Chee’s necklace and identify Bernie’s cactus. The starkly beautiful southwestern landscape provides a powerful background to the social issues and choices faced by the traditional and modern Navajo who live there. This second in the series by Tony Hillerman’s daughter is thoroughly enjoyable.
Steve Hockensmith & Lisa Falco
The White Magic Five and Dime (Midnight Ink 2014) introduces Alanis McLachlan, who gets a call explaining that Athena, her recently deceased mother, has left Alanis a new-age shop in the tiny town of Berdache, Arizona, called The White Magic Five & Dime. Alanis is surprised since she hasn’t spoken to her mother in 20 years, but makes the journey to claim her property. Alanis learns that her con-artist mother had taken up a new trade — tarot card reading — and was strangled by one of her customers in the shop. Clarise, her mother’s teen-aged apprentice who shared the apartment above the shop, is horrified to discover that Athena left Alanis everything, but shares what she knows about the regular customers who are the prime suspects. Alanis studies Infinite Reads to Knowing, a tarot card guide she finds in the shop, to familiarize herself with the basics of tarot card reading, determined to identify the killer of her despised mother. Detective Josh Logan, the sole investigator of the Berdache Police Department, recognizes the con-artist background Alanis can’t completely conceal, but accepts that she has gone straight, though becoming the best salesperson at a call center isn’t far off the path. Alanis offers free tarot card readings to her mother’s customers, hoping to find the one with a motive for murder, but unexpectedly finds the cards revealing hidden truths about each suspect. This very funny mystery is the first in a series.
Elizabeth Little
Dear Daughter (Viking 2014) is the story of Jane Jenkins, who was convicted of murdering her mother, Marion Elsinger, at the age of 16. A dedicated party girl aiming to be the next Paris Hilton, Jane was cruising on drugs the night of her mother’s death, and isn’t sure if she murdered her mother or not. Jane remembers having a loud argument, and later overhearing snatches of conversation between her mother and an unknown man while burrowing through her mother’s closet for the perfect pair of boots to borrow. In prison, Jane researches the overheard name “Adeline” and eventually discovers the sister cities Adeline and Ardelle, South Dakota. The population moved back and forth between the two tiny towns as mineral wealth was discovered in one spot or the other, finally settling in Ardelle since the railroad couldn’t cross the mountain pass to Adeline. After serving ten years, a judge overturns Jane’s first-degree murder conviction due to mismanagement of evidence by the Los Angeles Country Crime Lab. Determined to finally figure out the truth about her mother’s death, Jane disguises herself with a bad haircut and ill-fitting cheap clothing and heads to South Dakota, while the relentless media searches for any trace of the bad girl everyone believes is guilty. In Ardelle, Jane tries to keep a low profile while searching for any connection with her high-society socialite mother. Cowering in her dowdy outfits, Jane struggles to relate to the Ardelle residents, unprepared by her early training to look down upon the common rabble plus ten years of isolation in prison to forge honest human connections. Press clippings detailing the rabid interest in Jane’s crime are interspersed with her sly observations and sharply funny narration in this debut thriller, a finalist for the 2015 Barry Award for Best First Novel.
Malla Nunn
Present Darkness (Emily Bestler Books 2014) finds Detective Sergeant Emmanuel Cooper temporarily stationed at the Johannesburg major crimes squad, grateful to be able to spend time with his girlfriend Davida and their mixed-race baby. It’s the week before Christmas in 1953, and everyone is looking forward to some time off when a white couple is attacked and brutally beaten in their home. The teenaged daughter Cassie identifies Aaron Shabalala, the youngest son of Zulu Detective Constable Samuel Shabalala, as one of the attackers. Aaron doesn’t have an alibi, stating that he was out walking alone. Cooper is sure that both Cassie and Aaron are hiding something, but Lieutenant Walter Mason is determined to close the case quickly, perhaps planting evidence against Aaron to speed the process. As Cooper begins to search for proof of Aaron’s innocence with Shabalala and Dr. Daniel Zweigman, Mason scrutinizes Cooper’s personal life, edging closer to the truth about his illegal relationship with a “coloured” woman. Mason removes Cooper from the case, but with the help of his childhood friends from Sophiatown, now running a powerful criminal enterprise, Cooper secretly continues the investigation. Cooper manages to move through the rigid race structure of apartheid South Africa relatively unscathed, but is always aware of the dangers to himself and those he loves. This powerful fourth in the series is a finalist for the 2015 Barry Award for Best Paperback.
Lyndon Stacey
No Going Back (Severn House 2010) introduces Daniel Whelan, a 28-year-old ex-police dog handler, and his retired police dog, Taz, in Devon, England. Daniel left the force under a cloud, losing his wife in the process, and is now working as a lorry driver for a farm supply company, keeping his past secret. His boss receives a call asking if Daniel and Taz can help locate a pair of missing sisters lost on the moor. The girls’ father explains that they are new to the area and that the local search-and-rescue team is busy with another case. Taz leads them to Emma, the 12-year-old, but loses the track of Katya, the 15-year-old, in the creek. When Daniel calls the next day, the father tells him Katya returned on her own, but something about the search nags at Daniel. Emma seemed more frightened than relieved when rescued, and Daniel discovers that there were no other searches that night. While delivering to a local stable, Daniel thinks he recognizes a resemblance in one of the riders to Emma, but she flees before he can return and question her. Tracking her to another local stable, Daniel earns Katya’s trust and learns that the man was not their father, but instead lured the girls to England from Romania with promises of well-paying jobs. Separation from his own eight-year-old son makes Daniel vulnerable to the plight of the girls, and he can’t help getting involved in Katya’s quest to rescue her sister with the support of the ever vigilant Taz. This compelling mystery featuring a well-matched investigative team is the first in a series.
John Burley
The Forgetting Place (William Morrow 2015) is the story of Dr. Lise Shields, a psychiatrist at a Maryland correctional psychiatric facility. When she interviewed at Menaker State Hospital five years earlier, Charles Wagner, the director, advised Lise to think carefully before accepting the position, warning her that working with patients who would probably never leave the facility is an emotionally taxing job. But Lise, whose beloved Uncle Jim suffered from schizophrenia, is determined to make what little difference she can to her patients. Lise soon falls into a comfortable routine, getting coffee and discarding the complimentary sweets from the friendly barista each morning on her walk to work, and eating dinner at Marj’s Kitchen each evening with a group of regulars. Then a new patient arrives, a beautiful young man named Jason Edwards. Lise is concerned that Jason is admitted without paperwork, worried that she won’t be able to treat him effectively without access to his case history. But Wagner assures her the case file will arrive eventually, and Lise begins daily therapy sessions, learning that Jason is distraught over the disappearance of the older sister who protected him when he was bullied as a child. Lise discovers that Jason was taken into custody after the fatal stabbing of his domestic partner Amir Massoud, but can’t accept that her gentle patient was responsible for a violent death. Then Lise notices that she is being followed, and begins to worry that her mysterious patient may be in danger. This chilling psychological thriller is not to be missed.
Susanna Calkins
From the Charred Remains (Minotaur 2014) finds lady’s maid Lucy Campion helping to clean up the streets with kitchen maid Annie, immediately after the Great London Fire of 1666. Two boys find the corpse of a man hidden in a malt barrel, and amazingly the man was not killed by the fire or the plague, but by a knife buried in his chest. Sid, a pickpocket acquaintance of Lucy’s, walks Lucy and Annie home, and Lucy discovers that he has stolen a leather purse from the barrel that contained the corpse. Inside the pouch are a few coins, some playing cards, a carved green elephant, a signet ring, a delicate brooch carved from a strange white material that might be ivory, and an oilskin packet containing a letter in verse. Lucy is at loose ends since the daughter of the house has turned Quaker and moved away, and visits Master Aubrey’s print shop, hoping to be taken on as an apprentice. Aubrey shows Lucy an acrostic poem he is using as filler, and she shares a copy of the verse letter that miraculously survived the fire, suggesting he print it under the title “From the charred remains…” Aubrey is more interested in the story of the murdered man, and Lucy offers to write it up in exchange for waiving her apprentice fee. After Lucy publicly reads her account the next day, a woman follows her into a tavern to buy a copy, explaining that the poem was written for her, a secret communication from her Persian sweetheart. Constable Duncan discovers that the barrel must have come from the Cheshire Cheese tavern, and a bar maid describes a high-stakes card game that took place the night of the fire. Lucy and Duncan follow their separate leads, uncovering two secrets that came together with fatal results during the card game. Rumors that the French were behind the Great Fire add to the complexity of investigating the murder in this appealing second in the series, a finalist for 2015 Left Coast Crime Historical Award.
Joy Fielding
Someone Is Watching (Ballantine 2015) is the story of Bailey Carpenter, an investigator for a Miami law firm. Bailey has been suffering through near daily panic attacks since her mother died three years earlier, but finds her work as a private investigator soothing. She is good at surveillance and enjoys being in control of the hunt for evidence. Everything changes when Bailey is attacked, raped, and nearly killed while keeping her binoculars trained on an upstairs window from the shelter of a hedge of bushes. The attacker covered her head with a pillowcase, spoke only in a hoarse whisper, and left not a trace of DNA. Plagued by nightmares, Bailey cowers in her high-rise apartment, rubbing her skin raw with multiple daily showers, obsessively checking her closets and under the bed, and constantly carrying a pair of scissors just in case. Claire, Bailey’s estranged half-sister and Claire’s teenaged daughter Jade swoop in and begin to nudge Bailey toward resuming her life. Claire spots a hunky man in the next high-rise, and the three start watching his narcissistic posing through Bailey’s binoculars. But only Bailey sees his nightly sexual encounters with women who look too much like Bailey herself. When Bailey observes what looks like a rape, she calls the police, who are told by the man and his girlfriend that nothing is amiss. Uncertain if she is imagining that the man is now observing her in return, Bailey begins to suspect that he is her rapist, taunting her with his power to escape punishment. Claire’s suggestion that Bailey visit a therapist finally prods her out of the apartment, and Bailey slowly regains some independence, revisiting the scene of her rape and searching for witnesses. Bailey’s fight to hold on to her sanity and take control of her fears is the core of this engrossing psychological thriller.
Paulus Hochgatterer
The Sweetness of Life (MacLehose Press 2014; Austria 2006) begins on Christmas Day in the small village of in Furth am See in the Austrian Alps when a game of Ludo between six-year-old Katharine and her grandfather is disturbed by the doorbell. The grandfather leaves the house, and doesn’t return. After the child discovers his body in the snow she doesn’t speak another word, and refuses to release the Ludo pawns clutched in her hands. Detective Superintendent Ludwig Kovacs is baffled by the victim’s completely crushed skull, hampered by a team diminished by vacation leave, and frustrated by the muteness of the only possible witness to the crime. Raffael Horn, a psychiatrist, begins to work with Katharine, who exhibits only minuscule signs of progress. The picture-perfect and seemingly peaceful Alpine village seethes with madness under the surface. Horn’s patients are very troubling: a veteran of WWII who struggles against the urge to hang himself, a young mother who believes her new baby is the Devil, a priest who drowns out the voices in his head with loud music as he runs, and a violent man who uses his mental problems to evade punishment for brutalizing his wife and daughter. Interspersed with narrations from the viewpoint of Kovacs and Horn are the first-person reports from a disturbed youth being toughened up to endure the harshness of life through torturing and killing animals. This slow-paced thriller moves masterfully to the surprising yet totally inevitable conclusion.
Lene Kaaberbøl
Doctor Death (Atria 2015; Denmark 2010) introduces Madeleine Karno, daughter of pathologist Dr. Albert Karno in 1894 Varbourg, France. Cutting up corpses is shocking for a man, earning her father the nickname Dr. Death, and inconceivable for a woman, so Madeleine assists her father secretly. Cecile Montaine, the 17-year-old daughter of a wealthy family, is found dead on her doorstep, presumably from natural causes since there are no visible wounds. But the body is scantily clad and barefoot on a snowy night. The family won’t permit an autopsy, but Madeleine and her father perform a visual examination, discovering bite marks on the body, and a small mite in her nostrils. Madeleine sketches the mite that her father preserves in a vial. When the priest who sat vigil over Cecile’s body dies a week later with identical mites in his nostrils, Dr. Karno suspects the parisite is responsible and begins to trace Cecile’s recent past. A student at the Bernardine Convent School, Cecile disappeared several weeks before her body was discovered, at the same time as Emile Oblonski, a young man who had been caged and displayed as the Wild Boy in a traveling menagerie as a child. Rescued by the abbess, Emile bonded with the pack of wolves kept by the Bernardine sisters since 1594, protected by the belief that as long as the wolves remained at the convent no foreign tyrant could reign in Varonne, a tiny border province between Germany and France. An accident leaving her father confined to bed allows Madeleine to take on far more responsibility than normal, performing surgery under her father’s direction, and traveling to Heidelberg to consult with Professor Dreyfuss, a young professor of parasitology at the Forchhammer Institute. Dreyfuss is impressed with Madeleine’s sketch of the mite as well as her keen observations, and encourages her to pursue her interest in becoming a physician. This engaging series debut presents a complex protagonist pushing against the restrictions of her time.
Michael Kardos
Before He Finds Her (Mysterious Press 2015) is the story of a recent high school graduate living under the name of Melanie Denison in Fredonia, West Virginia. For the last 15 years Melanie has been strictly protected by her Uncle Wayne and Aunt Kendra. She has never been allowed to travel, go to a school dance, or use the Internet. But Melanie has found the secret cache of letters from the U.S. Marshall’s office stating that a man named Ramsey Miller continues to elude the authorities and they continue to fear for Melanie’s safety. Secretly using the Internet at the library, Melanie discovers that just before she turned three her father, Ramsey Miller, killed his wife Allison in Silver Bay, New Jersey, and then vanished. Witnesses saw him carrying a small bundle onto his motorboat. Since his daughter Meg was never seen again, the prevalent theory is that he threw her body overboard and left the country. Though home-schooled most of her life, Melanie attended high school her senior year, and is now taking a few classes at Mountain Community College, since West Virginia University was considered far too dangerous for a girl in the Witness Protection Program. A relationship with a local teacher results in an unexpected pregnancy, and Melanie decides that her child will not be brought up in the stifling secrecy she can no longer abide. Arthur Goodale, the reporter who covered the Ramsey case, posts a final blog entry about the case that continues to haunt him, explaining that he is hospitalized and not expected to recover. Determined to learn whatever she can about her parents before he dies, Melanie sets off for Silver Bay to try and put her past to rest. Interwoven with present day narration is the story of the three days that led up to Allison’s murder, tracing Ramsey’s growing delusion that the world would end on that September evening in 1991. This complex thriller explores the lengths people will go to shield those they love from uncomfortable truths.
Francine Mathews
Too Bad To Die (Riverhead Books 2015) begins in 1917, when young Ian Fleming meets Hudson, a new American student at Durnfield, right before learning that Ian’s father has been killed in the war. That night Ian and Hudson bond over their secret passions: Ian writes adventure stories and Hudson plays the violin. They decide that Ian’s father was too good to live, and form the Too Bad To Die Club, for imperfect guys like them that are forced to live. Twenty-six years later, Fleming and Hudson are reunited in Egypt, preparing for the Tehran Conference where the Big Three — Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin — will meet to finalize plans for the D-Day invasion. Fleming, now a Naval Intelligence officer, is responsible for planning the conference, and Hudson is a spy for the American Office of Strategic Services. With Churchill is his daughter Sarah, who is having an affair with the American Ambassador, and his daughter-in-law Pamela, who seems determined to seduce every man in sight. With FDR is his son Elliot, who is fascinated by May-Ling Chiang, in Egypt with her husband Chiang Kai-shek. To relieve his frustration at being tied to his desk, Fleming scribbles adventures of a spy, known as 007, in the thick of the action. Through Alan Turing, busy breaking the Enigma code at Bletchley Park, Fleming learns that the Fencer, a mysterious secret agent for Hitler, is heading for Tehran with a plot to assassinate the Big Three with an operative code-named Kitten. And if that isn’t bad news enough, details in German messages about Churchill’s cold and the bad joke FDR just told Madame Chiang make it clear that the Fencer is an undercover agent traveling with the American or British contingent. This captivating historical thriller is a deft mix of fact and fiction.
M. Ruth Myers
Don’t Dare a Dame (Tuesday House 2013) begins when Dayton, Ohio, private investigator Maggie Sullivan is hired by two spinsters to find out what happened to their father. It’s 1939, and Corrine and Isobel Vanhorn’s father vanished in the Great Dayton Flood of 1913, before Maggie was born. The sisters explain that the death of their mother freed them to finally answer the question that has been troubling them for a quarter of a century — did their stepfather Alf Maguire have anything to do with their father’s disappearance? Just after the sisters tell Maggie that as children they overheard one of Alf’s friends declare that Alf had made a widow of the woman he wanted, the three are startled by the sound of breaking glass in the kitchen. They discover that Corrine’s guide dog has been viciously killed, presumably by the intruder that was eavesdropping on their conversation. Maggie agrees to do her best to find the truth about their father’s disappearance, and soon discovers that Alf had a long-time relationship to a powerful local politician. With the help of a young Irish cop who fancies her, a shrewd newsboy who lives on the street, and the scary bodyguard of a woman construction boss, Maggie begins retracing the path of a man who set out in search of medicine for his ailing son during a flood and never returned. Maggie carries a .38, but her strongest weapon is her ability to ferret out the truth from people from all walks of life, using both her femininity and her strength of character to cultivate confidences. Third in the series, this engrossing historical mystery won the 2014 Shamus Award for Best Indie PI Novel.
Ben H. Winters
World of Trouble (Quirk 2014) rejoins policeman Hank Palace about two weeks before the asteroid known as Maia is due to destroy the Earth. Society has fallen apart, people are scrounging for the remaining food supplies, and the cities are nearly empty ruins. Hank has left the relative safety of the Concord police compound to search for his sister Nico, part of an underground group who believes there is a possibility of diverting the asteroid. Along with Cortez, a thief stockpiling supplies, Hank follows Nico’s trail to Rotary, Ohio, where they discover a sink full of blood in the kitchenette of the police station, and a secret trap door in the floor of the garage. The trail of blood leads to a young woman whose throat has been slashed. At first they believe they have found a corpse, but a faint sign of life prompts Hank to administer first aid in the form of a saline IV. The concrete trap door is beyond their ability to open. Leaving the comatose girl locked safely in the jail, Hank backtracks along their trail to the town where Cortez remembers seeing a jackhammer in a hardware store. Along the way, Hank stumbles into a small Amish settlement, sealed off from the news of impending doom by the patriarch who has told the small community a plague is raging in the nearby town. Though bemused by time spent among contented people who still believe in a future, Hank is driven by his need to reconnect with Nico before the end, and continues on his quest to find the tools to break into the hidden bunker. This powerful and strangely heartening dystopian thriller, a finalist for the 2015 Anthony and Edgar Award for Best Paperback, brings the trilogy to a satisfying conclusion.
Tom Wright
Blackbird (Europa 2015; UK 2014) brings back Jim Bonham, a detective in Traverton, Texas, a small town on the Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas border. The day after a devastating storm hits the area, the mutilated body of a woman is found nailed to a cross. Jim identifies the body as Dr. Deborah Gold, a local psychologist who did some work with the police department. The size of the huge cross and the placement of the body indicate that at least three were involved with the crime. Disturbed by the brutality of the murder, Jim contacts his cousin Lee Ann, a therapist, for help trying to understand the motivation behind the killing. Lee Ann is happy to visit and lend a hand, especially since she is worried about the depression Jim has been fighting since his partner committed suicide after the kidnapping and murder of his wife and daughter. Jim is also still haunted by the disappearance of his first love Kat Dreyfus, a VISTA volunteer who vanished when he was a high school senior. Jim discovers that Dr. Gold was involved with a sadomasochism group that may have been targeting underage girls. No one who knew Dr. Gold seems to have liked her very much, but Jim can’t identify anyone who hated her enough to commit the brutal murder. Jim has what his Gran called “a touch of the Sight,” vivid dreams and daylight visions that amplify the gut instinct shared by all talented detectives. This followup to What Dies in Summer , a coming-of-age thriller featuring Jim and Lee Ann as teenagers, is highly recommended.
Michael Craven
The Detective & the Pipe Girl (Bourbon Street Books 2014) begins when Los Angeles private detective John Darvelle is hired by Arthur Vonz, a famous Hollywood director, to locate Suzanne Neal, an old girlfriend Vonz can’t forget. The picture of Suzanne shows a beautiful blonde, pretty typical for Hollywood as far as Darvelle can tell, but Vonz insists that Suzanne is something special. Darvelle is sure Vonz isn’t telling him the whole story, and begins tracing Suzanne through her agent, barely missing her at a casting call, and finally tracking her to a new condo building. A famous actor exits the condo shortly before a blonde Darvelle recognizes from the photo. Darvelle follows her to the beach overlook and contrives a meet, posing as a tourist desiring a picture of himself in front of the ocean. When Suzanne smiles at him, Darvelle finally understands her attraction, the power of a pretty woman to make a man feel the center of her world at that moment. Darvelle’s quirky first-person narration makes this mystery come alive, as he shares his passion for ice cold Bud Light and competitive ping pong while cleverly negotiating the intricacies of Hollywood. Hopefully the first in a series, this engaging neo-noir is a finalist for the 2015 Nero Award and the Shamus Award for Best First PI Novel.
Julia Dahl
Invisible City (Minotaur 2014) introduces Rebekah Roberts, a recent college graduate working as a stringer for the Tribune, a New York City tabloid. Rebekah’s Hasidic mother Aviva rebelled against the constrictions of the Hasidic community long enough to have a baby with Rebekah’s Christian father, but returned to that same community when Rebekah was only six months old. Neither Rebekah nor her father have heard from Aviva in 22 years. Rebekah isn’t even sure her mother is still alive. On a cold winter night Rebekah is sent to Brooklyn, where the naked body of a woman has just been pulled from a scrap pile. The scrap yard is owned by Aron Mendelssohn, a leader in the Hassidic community, and the body is whisked away by the Shomrim, the civilian patrol that polices the Hasidic community. Rebekah guesses that the dead woman must be Mendelssohn’s wife Rivka. Saul Katz, who helps the police with Yiddish translation, tells Rebekah she looks just like her mother Aviva, and offers to take Rebekah to the victim’s home, where Rebekah learns that Rivka left the family home several days earlier. Saul is concerned that the Hasidic community will close ranks and refuse to help the police solve the crime. Many in the community are descendents of Holocaust survivors, and the fear of betraying a Jew to the outside world runs deep. Saul brings Rebekah to the Chesed Shel Emes, a Jewish mortuary that prepares the dead for burial, and Rebekah is allowed to view Rivka’s body, which shows signs of multiple head wounds. The sight of Rivka’s body adds a personal element to Rebekah’s desire to break a big story. Though Jewish by birth, Rebekah has been raised without much contact with other Jews, making her both an insider and outsider in the Hassidic community. Her ignorance of Hassidic customs provides a natural forum for explaining the complexities of Hasidic life as Rebekah traces Rivka’s final days. This compelling debut thriller is a finalist for the Anthony, Barry, Edgar, Macavity, Shamus, and Thriller Awards for Best First Novel.
Joël Dicker
The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair (Penguin 2014; France 2012) finds young author Marcus Goldman paralyzed by a severe case of writer’s block after the runaway success of his debut novel. Harry Quebert, Marcus’s former professor and mentor, invites him to come stay at his beach house in the small town of Somerset, New Hampshire. Harry’s blockbuster novel, The Origin of Evil, was written there 33 years earlier, and Marcus hopes the environment will work its magic again. But a month later, Marcus has yet to write a single sentence and begins to rummage around Harry’s study, looking for inspiration. Instead, he finds a love letter hidden in a box. Harry confesses that he had a love affair with Nola Kellergan long ago, when she was only 15. Marcus agrees to keep Harry’s secret and heads back to New York to suffer through the final 30 days before his non-existent book is due. A phone call from Harry sends him back to Somerset — a skeleton that may be the remains of Nola Kellergan has been discovered on Harry’s property, and Harry has been arrested for murder. Harry admits having a relationship with Nola, and reveals that his famous novel was based on their love affair that fateful summer before Nola disappeared. Determined to prove Harry’s innocence, Marcus begins to write a book about his investigation: The Harry Quebert Affair. The narration moves back and forth in time as Marcus slowly begins putting the pieces together. Excerpts from the novels blur the border between fact and fiction, imagination and reality. This complex exploration of secrets, friendship, and the compulsions that drive writers is a finalist for the 2015 Barry Award for Best Paperback.
Andrew Hughes
The Convictions of John Delahunt (Pegasus 2015) is the story of John Delahunt, who becomes involved with the authorities at Dublin Castle while a student at Trinity College in 1844. Delahunt is out drinking with two college friends who get into a skirmish outside the pub that results in the maiming of a policeman. Police official Thomas Sibthorne convinces Delahunt to inform upon one of his fellow students in exchange for his own freedom, and tells Delahunt that the Castle will pay well for future information about crimes. Delahunt’s father is dying, and he is short of funds, so when his housekeeper tells him about a friend who works for a man dying of wounds received during a housebreaking, Delahunt uses the information to track down the culprits, earning enough money to support himself for several months. A member of the housebreaking gang who evaded the police tracks down Delahunt, demanding the blood money, and threatening to return every week for another payment. In desperation Delahunt kills him. Unable to dispose of the body himself, Delahunt seeks the help of a fellow Castle informant, sealing his permanent association with the spies for the Castle. Delahunt falls in love with Helen O’Neill, and her father is inclined to approve the marriage until a chance encounter with a Castle informant convinces him that Delahunt is not an appropriate son-in-law. Delahunt and Helen elope, and she encourages him to continue as a Castle informant to earn enough money to complete his final year at Trinity College. But well-paying crimes are few and far between, and Delahunt finds himself tempted to transform a mugging to a murder in order to earn a higher fee. Written in the form of a confession by Delahunt while in prison awaiting his execution, this powerful portrayal of a man gradually succumbing to temptation is based on true events in Victorian Ireland.
Mary Louise Kelly
The Bullet (Gallery Books 2015) is the story of 37-year-old Caroline Cashion, an unmarried professor of 19th-century French literature at Georgetown University, whose right wrist becomes painful. Her doctor diagnoses carpel tunnel syndrome, but after several months the tingling turns into sharp pain and and a MRI is scheduled. The technician asks Caroline how she got that bullet in her neck, which is a complete surprise to Caroline. Her parents react strangely to the news, admitting to Caroline that she is adopted, and that her birth parents were shot and killed the day she was wounded and almost died at the age of three. Since the bullet was nestled at the top of her spine, the doctors at the time decided it was too dangerous to remove it. Caroline has no memory of the shooting or her early life, and her adoptive parents were advised to shield her by never mentioning the murders. The compulsion to learn more about her birth parents jolts Caroline out of her comfortable routine of work and family. She travels to Atlanta, and learns that the shooting that killed her parents happened in the midst of the Atlanta child killings in 1979 and may not have been thoroughly investigated. The reporter who covered the murders 34 years earlier convinces Caroline to let him run a story about her in the hopes of contacting friends of her parents. Caroline realizes that the chance of bringing the killer to justice after all this time is slim, but is consumed by curiosity about her early life, especially after she discovers she looks exactly like her mother. This engaging thriller features an unlikely sleuth who can’t let go of her quest.
Leslie Dana Kirby
The Perfect Game (Poisoned Pen Press 2015) is the story of Lauren Rose, who has recently moved to Phoenix for a residency in emergency medicine. Lauren’s glamorous older sister Liz, who is married to Diamondback star pitcher Jake Wakefield, lives nearby in Scottsdale. Orphaned at a young age, the two sisters are very close, but their busy lives make it difficult to spend much time together. After a long night of overtime in the ER, two policemen appear to tell Lauren that Liz has been murdered in her own home, presumably by a burglar since her jewelry is missing. Liz’s death leaves Lauren feeling very alone, and she begins to spend time with Jake, sharing their grief and their mutual love for baseball. Watching Jake pitch is a welcome break for Lauren from the pressures of her residency and the pain of losing her sister, and the two enjoy deconstructing the game afterwards. The thrill of watching Jake pitch a perfect game brings them even closer, and Lauren finds herself attracted to her brother-in-law. The police uncover credible motives for both Lauren and Jake to have murdered Liz. Lauren was the beneficiary of Liz’s million dollar life insurance policy and Liz was about the start divorce proceedings against Jake. An arrest and the drama of a courtroom trial with unexpected evidence and surprise witnesses enliven this debut mystery.
Colette McBeth
The Life I Left Behind (Minotaur 2015) is narrated by three women connected by the near-killing of Melody Pieterson, who was strangled and left for dead in the Ham Common Woods in London six years earlier. Awaking from a coma, Melody had only fragmented memories of the time before she was found, and no recollection of the attack itself. Her neighbor and close friend David Alden was convicted of the crime, and Melody, no longer trusting her own instincts, became a shadow of her former vivacious self. Now nearly a hermit, she leaves the house only with her fiancé or the personal trainer who accompanies her on her runs. Shortly after David is released from prison, a woman who bears a striking resemblance to Melody is strangled to death, her body dumped in the same stretch of woods. The murdered woman is Eve Elliot, and the similarities between the two crimes make David the prime suspect. But Eve was a reporter who was investigating the facts surrounding Melody’s attack, and Detective Inspector Victoria Rutter can’t see a motive for killing the woman working to overturn his conviction. Eve’s massive collection of data is given to Melody and DI Rutter, who had a tangential part in the investigation of the earlier attack on Melody. Both Eve and DI Rutter come to the same conclusion Eve did — David may have been falsely imprisoned for a crime he did not commit. The new investigation forces Melody to emerge from her cocooned life in Surrey and grapple with the life she left behind six years earlier. Eve’s narration from beyond the grave feels surprisingly authentic, and DI Ritter adds an additional dose of rationality to balance Melody’s tenuous grasp on reality. This nuanced novel of psychological suspense is riveting.
Carlene Thompson
Can’t Find My Way Home (Severn House 2015, UK 2014) is the story of successful author Brynn Wilder, who returns to her home town of Genessa Point, Maryland, to search for her brother Mark. Eighteen years earlier, their father was killed by 15-year-old Tessa Cavanaugh. Jonah Wilder had been fishing near the woods where Tessa was attacked and stabbed. Tessa fought back and hit her unseen assailant with her camera. After discovering a knife while crawling away, Tessa mortally wounded Jonah Wilder with the knife. Tessa never saw her attacker, and at first no one can believe the respected principal of the local middle school could be at fault. Many were convinced there must have been a third person in the woods. But the knife had Jonah’s initials carved in the handle, and he was posthumously declared the Genessa Point Killer, responsible for the attack on Tessa as well as the murders of eight victims under the age of 15. Though 12-year-old Brynn was the one who discovered her dead father and the injured Tessa in the woods, it was Brynn’s 16-year-old brother Mark who was permanently damaged by the trauma. Obsessed with clearing his father’s name, Mark never recovered emotionally, unable to keep a steady job and struggling with alcohol dependence. Something sent Mark back to Genessa Point, and when he doesn’t respond to phone calls Brynn heads back her home town for the first time in 18 years. There she discovers that Garrett Dane, the older boy she idolized as a 12-year old, is now the sheriff. Garrett tells Brynn that no one has seen Mark for several days, but his car was found abandoned in the woods. Together the two begin searching for Mark, growing more concerned every day that goes by with no word except the threatening voice-distorted phone calls Brynn receives. As Brynn begins to retrace Mark’s steps, she finds herself becoming persuaded that her father may have been framed for the serial murders, and that the killer may still be haunting Genessa Point.
Paul Zimmer
The Mysteries of Soldiers Grove (Permanent Press 2015) is the story of Cyril Solverson, a resident at the nursing home in the small town of Soldiers Grove, Wisconsin. A loner who never made a real friend or had a romantic relationship, Cyril became fascinated at a young age by the biographies in the Encyclopaedia Britannica purchased out of guilt for their neglected son by his alcoholic parents. Now elderly, Cyril’s only means of initiating a conversation is by sharing a “life” he has memorized. One evening Cyril sneaks out of the nursing home to enjoy a few Leinenkugels at Burkhum’s Bar, where he bores Burkhum and the other patrons with his recitations. Walking back through the snowstorm, he encounters a man wearing a balaclava pumping gas. Unaware that he has just met an armed sociopath, Cyril launches into the life of C.P. Snow. “Balaclava” abducts Cyril, steals his wallet, and dumps him by the side of the road several miles away from town, assuming he will freeze to death in the blizzard. Cyril is rescued by the sheriff, who was pursuing the man who left the gas station without paying, and survives though losing a few toes and most of his nose to frostbite. Louise, a widowed farm wife brought from France by her husband after the war, moves into the care home shortly after Cyril returns from the hospital. She responds to the first “life” Cyril shares with her, and the two form an unlikely alliance, two elderly lonely people determined not to let go of the final remnants of their independence. Cyril entices Louise out of the safety of the nursing home to Burkhum’s Bar, and they gradually expand their circle of freedom, reveling in the adventure and their growing affection for each other. Meanwhile, Balaclava reads of the “hero” award that Cyril received for surviving his ordeal, and heads back to Soldiers Grove, sure it will be another easy robbery from a helpless old man. This incandescent love story nudges the edges of the thriller genre.
James W. Ziskin
No Stone Unturned (Seventh Street Books 2014) finds 24-year-old Ellie Stone wondering if she really has a future as a small town reporter for The New Holland Republic in upstate New York. The publisher doesn’t like the idea of a female reporter, vastly preferring to give plum stories to his son-in-law. Just after Thanksgiving, Ellie picks up the news of a body found in the woods on the police scanner. The sheriff asks Ellie to take pictures of the dead girl, college student Jordan Shaw, dead of a broken neck with a strange two inch gash of missing skin on her pelvis. Close to where the body was dumped in the woods, Ellie discovers fresh oil spots in a triangular pattern, and an empty Dr. Pepper bottle. The autopsy reveals an IUD, a brand-new form of birth control, shocking for an unmarried 21-year-old in 1960. Jordan’s father is the powerful Judge Harrison Shaw, and the pathologist declares his intention of denying the discovery if asked. Ellie traces Jordan to the Mohawk Motel at the edge of town, and the owner tells Ellie that though Jordan arrived alone the night she was killed, three different men visited her room. A worn path behind the motel leads Ellie to suspect that the handyman, who is now missing, was spying on the activity in the rooms. Sure that this story will finally be her big break, Ellie throws herself into the investigation, determined to uncover the truth about Jordan’s murder despite threats from those committed to protecting the reputation of the town’s golden girl and her family. This gripping second in the series is a finalist for the 2015 Anthony Award for Best Paperback.
Lili Anolik
Dark Room s (William Morrow 2015) is the story of Grace Baker and her younger sister Nica, who was shot and killed at the age of 16. The suicide of a classmate shortly thereafter closes the case, though Grace isn’t convinced that his suicide note is really a confession of murder. Both Grace and Nica attended Chandler Academy, the progressive private high school in Hartford, Connecticut, where both their parents taught. Though very different — beautiful, charismatic, wild Nica and quiet, invisible Grace — the two sisters were quite close. Consumed by grief after Nica’s death, the family falls apart. Grace’s father begins drinking heavily, her mother deserts the family for an art commune, and Grace becomes addicted to tranquilizers. For Grace, this culminates in her appearance at a graduation house party dressed as Nica, where she is sure she sees Nica’s ghost before collapsing in one of the bedrooms. Departing for college at the end of the summer, Grace attempts to pull herself together and tries out for the tennis team. A routine physical reveals she is pregnant, a surprise since Grace believes herself a virgin. Dropping out of college, Grace returns home to work at Chandler, making a bargain with herself to either solve the mystery of Nica’s death and have an abortion before the end of her first trimester, or give up on her future and keep the baby. Grace has plenty of suspects: Jamie Amory, the boyfriend Nica broke up with shortly before her death, the sleazy art teacher who pays far too much attention to beautiful students, the part-time dealer who sells Grace her drugs, and the unidentified new lover who inspired Nica’s fresh tattoo. This debut novel of psychological suspense is haunting.
Jean-Luc Bannalec
Death in Brittany (Minotaur 2015; German 2012) introduces Georges Dupin, a former Paris detective, now serving as Commissaire in Brittany, France. Dupin has mostly adjusted to his exile, especially now that he has located all the places to get good coffee, and has vowed to control the out-spoken tendencies that caused his reassignment to the remote Breton coast. Pont-Aven, the idyllic seaside village where Gauguin and other artists lived in the 19th century, is just moving into the hectic summer tourist season when the body of Pierre-Louis Pennec, the 91-year-old owner of the legendary Central Hotel, is found stabbed to death in the bar of his hotel. Dupin is pressured to bring the case to a quick conclusion before the tourists are frightened away, but Dupin moves at his own pace, with frequent breaks to linger over coffee, wine, and good food. The more questions Dupin asks, the more hidden aspects he uncovers about Pennec’s history. The suspect list grows: Pennec’s estranged half-brother who has political ambitions, Pennec’s son and wife who will take over the hotel, the hotel manager who may have been having an affair with Pennec, the art historian who was encouraging Pennec to donate to the local museum, and Pennec’s best friend since boyhood. As secret after secret is revealed, Dupin realizes that little was actually unknown in the insular village. Dupin is an old-fashioned detective, relying on observation and analysis of the facts to narrow his pool of suspects and identify the killer. This debut mystery is the first translated into English in the series written by Jörg Bong, a German publisher, critic, editor, and writer.
F.H. Batacan
Smaller and Smaller Circles (Soho 2015) is set in 1997 Manila. The eviscerated body of a pre-teen boy has been found in Payatas, a 50-acre dump scavenged by the poorest citizens of the Philippines. The Director of the National Bureau of Investigations asks Father Gus Saenz, a Jesuit priest who is also a forensic anthropologist, to examine the body. With the help of his protégé, psychologist Father Jerome Lucero, Saenz discovers that this murder is one in a string than now numbers six, all killed and placed in the dump on the first Saturday of each month. Since the dead boys were the poorest of the poor, little effort went into investigating the crimes, and the similarities between the deaths were missed. When the news of the connected murders hits the press, the pressure to find the culprit quickly causes high-ranking police officers to fabricate a confession, and Saenz is told his services are no longer required. Saenz’s other current passion is working to remove Father Ramirez from any contact with children. Though complaints have been made about sexual abuse, Cardinal Meneses has simply transferred the charismatic Father Ramirez from one church to another, ending with his current assignment as director of a charity for children. One of Ramirez’s biggest supporters is on the board that controls the money sponsoring Saenz’s forensic lab, and is actively working to reduce the lab sponsorship. While fighting corruption in both the government and the church, Saenz and Lucero work to bring the killer to justice before he strikes again. This evocative thriller, first published as a novella in 2002, was awarded the Philippine National Book Award.
M.J. Carter
The Strangler Vine (G.P. Putnam’s Sons 2015, UK 2014) introduces William Avery, a young soldier employed by the East India Company in 1837 British India. Avery is accumulating debt in Calcutta while waiting for a cavalry posting in north Bengal. While not gambling or dreaming of returning to the green hills of Devon, Avery revels in Xavier Mountstuart’s thrilling tales of India, grateful that his hearty constitution has so far kept the tropical fevers at bay. One afternoon he is sent to the ramshackle home of Jeremiah Blake, former secret political agent for the Company. Avery is shocked to discover that the sickly bearded man he takes for a native is Blake himself. The Company convinces Blake to go in search of Xavier Mountstuart, who left Calcutta several months earlier to research the Thuggee tribe, rumored to be the secret murderers of India. Mountstuart was last seen in Jubbulpore, visiting Major Sleeman’s Thuggee Department, and then disappeared. Due to a cholera epidemic, Avery is one of the few soldiers healthy enough to accompany Blake, though neither is happy with the assignment. Blake is determined to make a journey of two months in three weeks, and the two set off with only three native servants and little baggage. Blake — fluent in Hindustani, Persian, and several other native languages — is comfortable in native garb, while Avery — who understands only a few words of Hindustani — sweats and chafes in his woolen uniform and hasn’t a clue what the conversations between Blake and the natives are about. As the journey proceeds away from the urban squalor of Calcutta, Avery slowly develops an appreciation for the customs and people of India, but mistrusts Blake’s secrecy and his apparent obsessions with the Thugs. This exciting and complex historical debut mystery was a finalist for the 2014 New Blood Dagger Award.
John Clarkson
Among Thieves (Minotaur 2015) is the story of James Beck, the leader of a gang of thugs in Brooklyn. Beck and his three partners, Manny Guzman, Demarco Jones, and Ciro Baldassare, own a bar in Red Hook, a comfortable waterfront hangout with no sign and a tightly controlled clientele. Manny, the former lord of a Dominican street gang, approaches Beck with a problem. Olivia Sanchez, his young distant cousin and the only relative who ever visited him in prison, has asked for help. Alan Crane, a co-worker at the brokerage house, retaliated when Olivia threatened to disclose his shady dealings, breaking two of her fingers and suing her for slander. Olivia lost her job along with her health benefits, and has been blackballed within the industry. Beck agrees to talk with Olivia, and is intrigued by Olivia’s idea of exacting revenge by stealing the money Crane is in the process of stealing from her former employer. Before long, Beck uncovers a plot to launder tens of millions of dollars from illegal arms sales, offending Leonid Markov, an unbalanced Russian arms dealer using Crane for his own ends. Markov’s enforcers are a scary bunch of Bosnian war criminals led by Gregor, whose sadistic nature became uncontrollable after exposure to the atrocities possible during the turmoil of war. Compared to Markov and Gregor, Beck and his gang of criminals are an appealing bunch — dangerous and short-fused, but bound by a strict code of conduct and loyalty to each other. Beck’s canny nature gives him a slight advantage, as he schemes to inveigle the NYPD into unwittingly joining his side of the struggle. This high octane thriller has plenty of action as the CEO of the brokerage firm, a gang of Russian mobsters, the secretive arms dealer, and the Bosnian thugs all fight to the finish for control of the money and the streets.
Hallie Ephron
Night Night, Sleep Tight (William Morrow 2015) begins with Deirdre Unger heading to Beverly Hills to help her father, screenwriter Arthur Unger, prepare his dilapidated home for sale in the spring of 1985. Deirdre and her father have an uneasy relationship, embittered by the guilt and resentment caused by the car accident in 1963 that left Deirdre unable to walk without the aid of a cane. The night of the accident, 15-year-old Deirdre was sleeping over with her best friend Joelen, daughter of movie star Bunny Nichol. Deirdre was whisked home in the middle of the night, and Joelen confessed the next morning to fatally stabbing her mother’s boyfriend Tito Acevedo. Deirdre and Joelen had managed to sneak enough drinks during the party to become intoxicated, and Deirdre has only a hazy recollection of that fateful night long ago. When Deirdre arrives at her father’s home, she finds his drowned body in the pool. At first Deirdre believes her father’s death was an accident, but the police are very interested in her lack of alibi. Deirdre reconnects with Joelen and Bunny, who are both reluctant to talk about the past. As Deirdre sorts through her father’s papers, she discovers an unfinished autobiographical screenplay detailing the secrets of her father’s life, including another viewpoint of that fatal night in 1963. This suspenseful thriller, set within the glamour and duplicity of Hollywood, was inspired by the 1958 murder by Cheryl Crane of Johnny Stompanato, the gangster boyfriend of her mother Lana Turner.
M.R. Hall
The Coroner (Macmillan 2009) introduces Jenny Cooper, the newly appointed coroner in Gloucestershire, England. After a traumatic divorce, Jenny began to suffer debilitating panic attacks that made it impossible for her to cope with the stress of continuing as a lawyer specializing in childcare law. The sudden death of Harry Marshall, the Severn Vale District Coroner, opened a position Jenny hopes will be less demanding. Tara Wilson, a reporter for the Bristol Evening Post, contacts Jenny about the case of Danny Willis, a 14-year-old prisoner who died in Portshead Farm, a privately owned juvenile prison. Marshall’s inquest returned a verdict of suicide, but Danny’s mother is protesting that her son did not receive any psychiatric care inside the prison. Inside a locked drawer in Marshall’s desk, Jenny discovers a thin file on Katy Taylor, a 15-year-old girl found dead of a heroin overdose a few days before Marshall’s death. Concerned about the missing post-mortem report, Jenny pressures the pathologist to provide a written copy of the report he says was delivered verbally. When the report finally arrives, Jenny discovers that only minimal tests were performed and convenes an inquest despite protests from the local head of legal services. When a connection between Danny and Katy, who were both at Portshead Farm, comes to light, Jenny is convinced the two deaths were related, and that both may have been murders. Jenny’s dependence on Temazepam increases as the pressures of the investigation build, but she is determined to find justice for the two dead teenagers. This gripping series debut, a finalist for the 2009 Gold Dagger Award, introduces an engaging flawed protagonist with plenty of depth.
Renée Knight
Disclaimer (Harper 2015) features Catherine Ravenscroft, a documentary filmmaker with a grown son. After Catherine and her husband Robert move into a smaller home in the spring of 2013, Catherine finds a novel titled The Perfect Stranger on her bedside table. Everything is in confusion after the move, and Catherine can’t remember buying the book or unpacking it. She begins reading the novel, and is horrified to find that she herself is a thinly disguised character in a book that exposes a painful secret from a vacation in Spain during the summer of 1993. During that fateful summer, Robert was called home for business, leaving Catherine and their five-year-old son Nicholas to enjoy the beach. Though terrified that her past is exposed, Catherine can’t stop herself from reading the mysterious manuscript that seems to have appeared from nowhere. Alternate chapters are narrated by Stephen Brigstocke, a retired teacher who finally gathered the courage to sort through the possessions of his wife Nancy seven years after her death. Stephen found a handwritten manuscript hidden in his wife’s desk, and an envelope of pictures secreted in a handbag. Stephen copies out the manuscript in his own hand, growing more angry with every sentence, and purchases a computer with the help of the local printer who produced the service cards for Nancy’s funeral. The printer helps Stephen print copies of the finished book, which Stephen hand-delivers to Catherine, her son, and her husband. Nicholas is unfazed by the novel, which he skims to find the sex scenes, but Robert is crushed by the revelation of an affair 20 years earlier. The fallout from the book forces Catherine to finally confront her past and talk about the dark secret she has hidden for so long. This debut novel of psychological suspense is stunning.
Patrick Lee
Signal (Minotaur 2015) begins when FBI agent Marnie Calvert arrives at a trailer in the California desert in response to a 911 call, discovering four young girls burned to death. Four hours earlier, retired Special Forces operative Sam Dryden received a call from Claire Dunham asking him to meet her ASAP at a gas station outside of Barstow. Claire, an electronics technician Dryden used to work with, tells Sam to leave his phone behind. Claire takes Sam to a trailer in the desert, where they rescue four girls locked inside a steel cage, killing their captor in the process. By the time FBI agent Marnie Calvert and the state police arrive, the stunned girls explain that an unknown couple burst into the trailer just after they made a 911 call with the cell phone they managed to get away from their captor. Marnie can’t figure out how the mysterious pair managed to arrive in the middle of nowhere immediately after a call no one could have anticipated, but the sickening photos in the trailer make her glad they did. After leaving the scene, Claire explains that she has been working security for a Palo Alto start-up firm that has built a machine capable of picking up radio broadcasts from ten hours and 24 minutes in the future. After hearing the news report of the dead girls, she couldn’t restrain herself from trying to rescue them, even though she is now on the run from a group who hit the firm before the stunned inventors could figure out how to get the device to the right people in government. Claire managed to escape with one of the machines, but has no idea if the two inventors are still alive. Just after Claire finishes demonstrating the device broadcasting a future Padres game, the group determined to control the future captures both Claire and Dryden, taking Claire away to be questioned in one car, and driving Dryden away in his own car to dispose of in the desert. Dryden escapes, and then is faced with the task of finding Claire and getting the second machine back from a group that can predict his every move by watching the future and changing it, in the same way Claire and Dryden rescued the four girls. This high-action tech thriller is the second featuring the multi-talented Sam Dryden.
Jason Matthews
Palace of Treason (Scribner 2015) finds Captain Dominika Egorova feeling fairly secure in her position back in Moscow with the Russian Intelligence Service, having survived the debriefing following the spy swap in Estonia months earlier. Dominika’s synesthesia allows her to see the colored auras around people, reading their internal passion, fear, treachery, and deception, and allowing her to adjust her words and actions to conceal the fact that she is now spying for the United States. CIA agent Nate Nash, Dominika’s handler and lover, fears for Dominika’s safety, but the intelligence she provides is incredibly valuable. President Putin is impressed with Dominika’s talents, causing her immediate superior Colonel Alexei Zyuganov, an ambitious psychopath, to scrutinize her every move. Nate is also handling Lieutenant General Mikhail Nikolaevich, who is disillusioned that his more than 30 years of service to Russia are not valued by Putin. Meanwhile, Seb Angevine, a CIA agent recently passed over for a promotion, decides to pad his pockets on the way out and offers his services to the Russians for large amounts of cash. Zyuganov is charged with identifying the double agent passing secrets to the Americans, and Dominika learns of the successful acquisition of a mole inside American intelligence. While trying to protect their agents and identify the mole inside the CIA, Nate and his team are also working on a scheme to sabotage a secret uranium enrichment program in Iran. This complex second in the series is riveting.
C.J. Box
Badlands (Minotaur 2015) is set in Grimstad, formerly a small dead-end town and now the oil capital of North Dakota, which has just surpassed Alaska to become the second-biggest oil-producing state in the country. Along with the population boom came well-paying jobs, higher rental rates than New York City, soaring crime rates, and an influx of drugs. Kyle Westergaard, a 12-year-old with special needs and a speech problems due to fetal alcohol syndrome, witnesses a car accident while delivering newspapers early one snowy morning. The first cop arrives without lights or sirens, and seems to be searching for something before the second police car arrives. Kyle spots a heavy bundle that sailed from the car, and stuffs it into his bike pannier. T-Lock, Kyle’s mother’s layabout lover, unwraps the bundle, revealing tagged money and hundreds of packets of white powder. T-Lock convinces Kyle’s mother to start laundering the money at McDonalds, where payments for a burger and fries with hundred dollar bills are not unusual, and puts out feelers for selling the drugs, precipitating a war between two drug gangs. Cassie Dewell, the new deputy sheriff just arrived in Grimstad, is tasked with looking into the possible contract hits, and also flushing out a suspected bad cop. It isn’t easy taking on an investigation by herself, but Cassie starts by examining the scene of the car accident and spots what she thinks might be a bike track in the snow. Introduced in The Highway (2013), Cassie is also still tracking the Lizard King, a serial killer preying on prostitutes working big rig lots, known as lot lizards. Cassie struggles to adapt to the new environment, not easy when the ratio of men to women is 20 to 1, the weather hits 30 below, and a severed head appears in her refrigerator, but she is a tenacious investigator, determined to succeed in her new home. Sections from Kyle’s perspective present a dreamy but determined child, hoping to use his good luck to create a stable home for his unreliable mother. Kyle’s naïve optimism balances the bleak cynicism of the cops and drug lords in this fast-paced thriller.
P.J. Brackston
Once Upon a Crime (Pegasus 2015) introduces Gretel (yes, that Gretel), living with her brother Hans and working as a private investigator in 1775 Gesternstadt, Bavaria. Now 35, Gretel and her brother Hans struggle with weight issues caused by their early experience devouring the witch’s house made of sweets. A bit simple and over fond of beer, Hans cooks for the pair while Gretel works to keep them well fed and to support her desire to be the best dressed woman in Gesternstadt. Gretel has been hired by Frau Hapsburg to locate three missing cats, each wearing a velvet collar and small brass bell. Though Gretel considers the case far beneath her ability, she is convinced by the fat purse. Then the sleepy little town is disturbed by the discovery of a body in the ashes of the shop of a local cart maker. Gretel notices the corpse is missing a finger, but Kingsman Kapitan Strudel refuses to listen to her. Gretel secretly pockets the small brass bell she found in the dead hand, fearing that she has just figured out what happened to at least one of Frau Hapsburg’s missing cats. Not willing to give up an even fatter purse for finding the cats, Gretel consults the local witch who sends her off to investigate a connection with a troll. Along the way Gretel is arrested for kidnapping an obnoxious princess, arrested for murder, and thrown into the dungeons, wreaking havoc upon her wardrobe and even causing her to miss a few meals here and there. This funny tongue-in-cheek mystery, published second and billed as a prequel, launches the satirical Brothers Grimm mystery series.
Anne Emery
Ruined Abbey (ECW Press 2015) begins in the spring of 1989 when New York City Catholic priest Brennan Burke gets a call from his sister Molly, who is being held in Holloway Prison in London. A University of London history professor, Molly gave an inflammatory presentation denouncing Cromwell, the Lord Protector, for his atrocities against the Irish. Since then, Molly has been under observation by the Special Branch for suspected ties to the IRA. Brennan and their brother Terry, an American airline pilot, fly to London. The brothers are relieved when Molly is released the following day, but soon realize that their cousin Conn and Molly’s teenage son Finnbar may be more deeply involved in the movement than Molly is. Though the Burke family immigrated to America when Brennan was 10, the Burkes have a long history of resistance in Ireland, and some relatives are prohibited from crossing the border. During a police response to a suspected bombing attempt on Westminister Abbey, a Special Branch detective is killed, and Conn is arrested for the murder. In Colchester, the body of a unidentified man is discovered, badly beaten and perhaps tortured. Since all of England and Wales averages fewer than two murders a day, the Burkes suspect that there may be a connection between the two murders, and Brennan sets out to prove Conn’s innocence by tracking the killer of the unknown man. Details of the long and violent history between England and Ireland leading up to The Troubles are interwoven into a compelling family history and murder investigation in this prequel to the Collins-Burke mystery series.
Caroline Kepnes
You (Emily Bestler Books 2014) introduces Joe Goldberg, who works in an East Village bookstore in New York City. Joe hasn’t made it through college, but he’s read just about everything and can more than hold his own with the customers. One day Guinevere Beck, known to all her friends as Beck, enters the store and flirts with Joe. Instantly infatuated, Joe researches Beck online, discovering though her Facebook page and Twitter feed that she is a Brown graduate working on her MFA in Creative Writing at the New School with three close female friends and her boyfriend Benji. Easily following Beck’s movements through her Tweets, Joe orchestrates an “accidental” fall and rescues the very intoxicated Beck in the subway late one night. On the cab ride home, Beck recognizes Joe from the bookstore, and re-introduces herself before falling into Benji’s arms when they arrive at her doorstep. Joe takes possession of the phone Beck leaves in the cab, and uses it to monitor her email since she is too embarrassed to tell her mother she has lost her phone again. Joe is certain he and Beck are perfect for each other, and stalks her relentlessly, determined to separate Beck from both her drug-addicted boyfriend and her possessive best friend. The narcissist Beck over-shares everything, and Joe has no problem presenting himself as the lover of her dreams, gradually worming himself into her life. Joe’s first person narration is compelling, as he elucidates plausible justifications for each action that draws him closer to his dream relationship with Beck. This unsettling psychological thriller is a finalist for the 2015 New Blood Dagger Award.
Celeste Ng
Everything I Never Told You (Penguin Press 2014) is the story of Lydia Lee, a high school sophomore in 1970s Middlewood, Ohio, who goes missing in the middle of the night. Lydia is the adored middle child in a mixed-race Chinese-American family. Her father James, who always felt out of place as the only Asian in the small boarding school he attended, hopes that his daughter is popular with many friends and admirers. Her mother Marilyn, who is delighted that Lydia inherited her blue eyes, coaches Lydia from the age of five in math and science so that she can fulfill her own unrequited dream of becoming a doctor. Lydia’s older brother Nath and younger sister Hannah receive only leftover scraps from the affection and attention that their parents lavish on Lydia. Two days after her disappearance, Lydia’s drowned body is found in the lake. Marilyn is sure Lydia was kidnapped, and Nath suspects Jake, a senior Lydia had been seeing secretly. While interviewing the girls James and Marilyn identify as Lydia’s best friends, the police discover that the supposed friends haven’t spoken to Lydia for years. In fact, except for Nath and Jake, Lydia lived a solitary existence, dashing home every day after school to study with her mother. As the family grapples with the fact that there was much about Lydia they did not know, each falls apart in their own way, consumed with guilt and longing to know who was responsible for Lydia’s death. This moving debut suspense novel is a finalist for the 2015 New Blood Dagger Award.
Mark Pryor
Hollow Man (Seventh Street Books 2015) presents Dominic, a prosecutor in Austin, Texas. Originally from the English village of Weston, Dominic was sent away at the age of 16 to a military boarding school in Texas after the death of a neighbor in a hunting accident. Dominic didn’t miss his parents; by then he knew he was hollow inside, incapable of normal emotions like compassion and love, though he is capable of self-centered emotions like anger and lust. The closest Dominic feels to emotions outside himself is when he plays the guitar, and he longs to become a full-time musician in Austin’s club scene. A well-adjusted sociopath, Dominic has learned to pretend to be empathetic, hiding his anti-social tendencies behind adroit lies and manipulations. Dominic isn’t pleased when he is reassigned to the Juvenile Justice Center, though the one-year assignment is part of the normal court rotation. On his first day he meets a stunning young woman in a lime-green dress, there to pick up her twelve-year-old brother being released on probation. The closest Dominic has to a friend is Gus Cronstedt, an immigration lawyer and fellow musician. At their next gig the girl in the green dress appears, and listens to Gus’s description of a client who makes a monthly round to collect rent in cash from his trailer renters. Stunned by the fact that the man ends up with close to $100,000 in cash, the girl shares that the van he drives is one of the easiest to steal, according to her brother. Soon the three are joking about stealing the cash in order to teach Gus’s client a lesson, or maybe to keep for themselves. The foolproof plan quickly disintegrates, forcing Dominic to scramble to keep himself out of jail. Narrated by the charming though psychopathic Dominic, this quick-paced thriller is clever and darkly funny.
Alexander Söderberg
The Andalucian Friend (Crown 2013, Sweden 2012) is the story of Sophie Brinkmann, the widowed mother of a 15-year-old son Albert in Stockholm. Sophie works as a nurse, and often has a preference among the patients she cares for. Hector Guzman, an appealing hit-and-run victim, is her current favorite. Hector is Spanish, but fluent in Swedish, charming, and almost handsome. Hector explains that he is a publisher, but hides the fact that he leads a powerful international crime syndicate that moves drugs and weapons between Europe and South America, currently struggling for control against a ruthless German group. Gunilla Strandberg, a police detective, spots Sophie’s smile as she leaves Hector’s hospital room, and hopes to convince Sophie to become a police informant. She assigns Lars Vinge, a troubled policeman with a history of drug abuse, to watch Sophie. When Hector is discharged, he invites Sophie out to lunch, reminding her that she has not finished telling the story of her life, which helped to pass the long hours in recovery. The two establish a tentative friendship teetering on the edge of romance as Hector takes her to poetry readings, invites her to his birthday party, and introduces her to his family and friends. Gunilla pressures Sophie to tell her everything she knows about Hector, but Sophie instinctively hides her growing attraction and minimizes their relationship. As Lars photographs Sophie and tracks her every move, he becomes obsessed with her, mounting the pictures in his apartment. Displeased with the minimal amount of information Sophie shares, Gunilla has Albert arrested on a trumped-up charge of rape, forcing Sophie to reconsider where her loyalties lie. The drug and arms war escalates, and Sophie unintentionally becomes personally involved in Hector’s real business. This compelling action-packed debut thriller is the first in a trilogy that delves into the complexity of the international drug and weapons trade.
Larry D. Sweazy
See Also Murder (Seventh Street Books 2015) introduces Marjorie Trumaine, the wife of a farmer and a a professional book indexer in 1964 Dickinson, North Dakota. Searching for a way to pay the taxes during a severe drought, Marjorie took a mail-order course on becoming a book indexer, and found the job a perfect fit for her organized list-making personality. When Marjorie’s husband Hank was blinded and permanently paralyzed after a hunting accident, the extra money became even more important, allowing Marjorie and Hank to stay on the farm with the help of Peter and Jaeger Knudsen, sons on the neighboring farm. Sheriff Hilo Jenkins appears at Marjorie’s door one July day with bad news: Erik and Lida Knudsen were murdered in the night, their throats cut while they were sleeping. An amulet was found clutched in Peter’s dead hand, and Hilo hopes that Marjorie’s research skills will enable her to identify the symbols and ancient writing. Marjorie suspects that it is something from Norse mythology, and promises to do some research on her next trip to the library. Something about the strange copper amulet makes her uneasy, and she isn’t sure she can spare the time from her current indexing job, but compassion for her orphaned neighbors wins out. Another brutal murder causes Marjorie to realize that the hope of a passing thief is unrealistic, and that the murderer must be someone within their small community. Due to her training, Marjorie’s notes are soon organized in the form of an index (Amulet: See also murder) as she begins to trace the history of the amulet and learn more about the Knudsen family. Though an unlikely sleuth at first glance, Marjorie’s tenacious and determined personality make her a fine investigator. The isolation of the North Dakota prairie adds a note of natural menace to this first in a projected series.
S.D. Sykes
Plague Land (Pegasus 2015, UK 2014) introduces Oswald de Lacy, the third (spare) son called back from the monastery in August 1349 after the Black Plague kills his father, Lord of Somerhill Manor in Kent, and his two older brothers. Only 17, Oswald has no experience running the estate, and is shocked by the changes during the years he spent away preparing to take holy orders. The fields are neglected, the surviving peasants aren’t as servile, his mother is even more controlling, and his older sister Clemence (perhaps doomed by her advanced age of 26 to remain a spinster) is angrier than ever. Shortly after his return home, Oswald is called to view the body of a young woman, Alison Starvecrow, whose ravaged remains have been found in the forest. The village priest claims that Alison was killed by the Cynocephalus, a band of bloodthirsty dog-headed men, but Oswald is sure her throat has been cut with a knife. After breaking the news of her sister’s death to Matilda, Oswald is struck by the similarity between the sisters’ facial features and his own, leading him to suspect they may be his half-sisters. Both the ambitious priest and Walter de Caburn, the powerful neighboring landowner who covets the flat Somerhill pastures, oppose Oswald’s quest to find the murderer, preferring to place the blame on the mythical Cynocephalus and a local woman believed to be a witch. But Oswald is compelled to seek justice for the dead girl, and continues to search for the truth despite the increasing threats to himself and his lands. This debut medieval thriller captures the plight of rational thought struggling against the weight of superstition amplified by the devastation of the bubonic plague that killed half the population of England in just two years.
S.K. Tremayne
The Ice Twins (Grand Central Publishing 2015) are the identical twin daughters of Angus and Sarah Moorcroft, nicknamed as babies because of their ice blue eyes and snow white blond hair. Inseparable from birth, Lydia and Kirstie squabble a bit but are best friends and speak in their own invented twin language. When the twins are six, disaster strikes, and Lydia falls to her death from a balcony at her grandmother’s house, shattering the family. Still grieving a year later, Angus and Sarah decide to sell their London house and move to Eilean Torran, a tiny Scots island inherited from Angus’s grandmother. Angus hopes that restoring the lighthouse-keepers cottage will pull him out of the alcoholic haze that destroyed his career as an architect, and Sarah is willing to do anything to escape the grief and memories tied to their old life. Sarah is also haunted by the change in Kirstie over the last few months, as the outgoing twin becomes more and more like her dreamy dead sister. Sarah conceals her concern from Angus, horrified that they may have misidentified their dead daughter, and hoping that the change of scene will bring Kirstie back to normal. The condition of the cottage is a shock — filthy, inhabited by rats, and without a reliable water supply or a working refrigerator — and the hoped for revitalization of the family doesn’t occur. When enrolling Kirstie in the mainland school, the child declares that she is really Lydia, that Kirstie is dead. The family falls apart all over again as Sarah begins to grieve for another daughter, Angus worries that Kirstie has gone mad, and the surviving twin talks to the ghost of her dead sister. This haunting psychological thriller is narrated from the perspectives of both Angus and Sarah, gradually exposing their dark secrets.
K.K. Beck
Tipping the Valet: A Workplace Mystery (Perseverance Press 2015) introduces Tyler Benson, a college student working for Elite Valet in Seattle. Tyler has been parking cars at Donna’s Casino and Roadhouse and is happy to be transferring to the more elegant Ristorante Alba, where he hopes not to encounter as many drunks. At Alba, Tyler is interviewed by Flavia Torcelli, the incredibly beautiful hostess, who takes little interest in him since she is worried about the loan her family accepted from the Russians to open the restaurant. On his first evening at Alba, Chip, the valet manager, shows Tyler the secluded parking lot behind the restaurant and brags that Scott Duckworth, the technology billionaire, will be dining at Alba that evening. Volodya Zelenko, a partner in the auto repair/chop shop who suspects that Chip and his fellow valet Vic aren’t turning over all the cars they steal, asks Vic to store a heavy suitcase inside a car trunk for half an hour. Vic lets Volodya use the trunk of a car just dropped off, knowing the couple will be dining for more than an hour. He leaves the trunk unlatched for easy removal, and parks the car. Tyler notices the trunk is not closed, sees the suitcase, and helpfully closes the trunk to prevent theft. A call from the babysitter sends the couple scurrying home before Volodya returns, unaware there is a body stashed in the suitcase in their trunk. Shortly thereafter Scott Duckworth arrives, and someone in a dark car shoots at him, wounding Vic by accident. The next morning the couple discovers the body in their trunk, and Tyler’s fingerprints on the trunk make him the prime suspect. while trying to clear his name, Tyler must stay out of the grasp of both the police and the bungling yet dangerous Russians. This very funny novel is the first in a planned series.
Harry Brandt
The Whites (Henry Holt 2015) is the story of Billy Graves, who bonded with three other young police officers in the Wild Geese, an anti-crime unit in the South Bronx. While trying to subdue a drug-crazed criminal, the shot from Billy’s gun traveled through his target and killed a ten-year-old boy standing behind him. An ambitious young reporter convinced her editors she had proof Billy was also high during the shooting, but she didn’t vet her sources. The witness testimony didn’t hold up. but the story destroyed the reporter’s career and left a black cloud over Billy. Twenty years later Billy, now married with two young sons, is the sergeant in charge of Manhattan Night Watch, a small team of detectives who respond to all post-midnight felonies from Wall Street to Harlem. At 4:00 AM the Night Watch is called to the fatal stabbing of a man in Penn Station. Billy recognizes the victim as Jeffrey Bannion, who murdered a 12-year-old boy eight years earlier. John Pavicek, a former Wild Goose, had investigated the murder, but was never able to bring Bannion to justice. Pavicek has been haunted by the case ever since. Tagged “Whites” by Billy in tribute to Moby Dick, the one that got away, each of the four former Wild Geese has their own personal White, a known murderer guilty of a terrible crime who evaded justice for one reason or another. Unable to forgive themselves for failing to bring their White to justice, each pores over the old case files, hoping for a piece of evidence that was missed. Jimmy Whelan pursues the leader of a white street gang who chased a Pakistani boy under a bus; Redman Brown keeps tabs on Sweetpea Harris, who murdered a college bound basketball player for besting him in a pickup game; Yasmeen Assaf-Doyle follows Eric Cortez, who stabbed a 9th grader after he talked to his girlfriend; and Billy is haunted by Curtis Taft, who shot his ex-girlfriend, her four-year-old daughter, and her 14-year old niece. This gripping story of the long-lasting effects of guilt, obsession, and retribution is the first written by Richard Price under the Harry Brant pseudonym.
Steph Cha
Dead Soon Enough (Minotaur 2015) finds Juniper Song, a Korean American Philip Marlowe fan and private detective in Los Angeles, just hired by Rubina Gasparian to follow her cousin Lusig. Rubina, now 37, and her husband Van, both successful doctors, are unable to conceive a child. As Armenians, the Gasparians feel obligated to continue their bloodline, compelled by the Armenian genocide nearly 100 years earlier in which millions of Armenians were killed by Turks. Rubina and her 26-year-old cousin Lusig are as close as sisters, and Lusig agreed to carry Rubina’s child. Now eight months pregnant, Lusig has been acting strange for the last month, ever since her best friend Nora Mkrtchian disappeared, and Rubina is worried that the stress is endangering her unborn child. Song follows Lusig to a lunch date with Nora’s boyfriend, and Rubina fears that Lusig has decided to search for Nora herself. To keep Lusig safely at home, Rubina hires Song to investigate Nora’s disappearance. While exploring Nora’s blog devoted to discussion of the 1915 Armenian genocide, Song learns that the word genocide was coined to describe the Turkish extermination of Armenians, and that Nora was being viciously attacked online with rape and death threats. A new corporation called EARTH is suing the city of Glendale to get an injunction against a proposed memorial to commemorate the Armenian genocide, and Nora had been fighting the injunction both online and in person. Certain that the three young Turkish men that are the face of EARTH don’t have the money to sue a city, Song begins searching for the real power-brokers. This third in the series featuring the persistant Song is complex and entertaining.
Maia Chance
Come Hell or Highball (Minotaur 2015) introduces Lola Woodby, a 30-ish New York socialite who is relieved when her despised husband Alfred dies suddenly of heart failure in the spring of 1923. At the funeral, Olive Arbuckle invites Lola to a house party that will include movie heartthrob Bruno Luciano and rising starlet Sadie Street. Lola takes refuge in her supposed mourning to decline the invitation. Alfred was a bit too fond of chorus girls, so Lola tries to evade the overly made-up Ruby Simkin, but is surprised when Ruby offers to pay her to retrieve an article from the Arbuckles’ country house. Lola laughs off the offer, but has second thoughts when she learns that Alfred left her only debts instead of the millions she assumed were awaiting her pleasure. She doesn’t even own her home, and Alfred’s brother takes over the Woodby estate, forcing Lola to flee to Alfred’s secret love nest with her beloved Pomeranian Cedric, and her Swedish cook Berta Lundgren, who is intent on claiming her back wages. At the indecorously decorated apartment, Lola surprises Ralph Oliver, a private detective, searching through the drawers. Learning that the rent on the apartment is due in a week, Lola and Berta decide that together they can track down the reel of film Ruby is willing to pay $3,000 for. Lola has always had a fondness for cheap detective novels, along with strong cocktails and anything made of chocolate, and Berta decides that the two could make a business of retrieving sensitive items. Dodging bill collectors and evading the handsome private detective, Lola and Berta set out to locate the reel of film in this delightful series opener.
Mick Herron
Nobody Walks (Soho 2015) begins when Tom Bettany, now working at a meat processing plant in France, gets a call from an unknown woman explaining that his 26-year-old son Liam has fallen to his death from his London balcony. Bettany lost touch with Liam years ago, part of the fallout from his deep undercover job for MI5 in London and Northern Ireland, which resulted in 52 arrests of terrorists and arms traders. Once his cover was blown, Bettany moved the family to Dorset to avoid a chance encounter with any of the McGarry gang members who escaped arrest, hoping to walk away from his past. After his wife died of cancer, Bettany drifted around Europe, working a succession of manual labor jobs. Returning to London for the first time in years, Bettany learns that Liam had been smoking a potent variety of marijuana called Muskrat, and begins searching for his supplier. Ingrid Tearney, head of the Intelligence Service, asks JK Cole, from the Psychological Evaluation Department, to contact Bettany and try to keep him from running off the rails. Though mourning his son, and the reconciliation that now can never happen, Bettany finds himself enjoying the thrill of the chase as he tries to avoid the McGarry mob and evade his MI5 shadows. This complex character-driven thriller is a finalist for the 2015 Steel Dagger Award.
Sarah Hilary
No Other Darkness (Penguin 2015) begins when the bodies of two young children, dead at least four years, are discovered in a underground survival bunker beneath the garden of a new housing development on the edge of London. With the dead children are picture books, canned food, and soft toys. Detective Inspector Marnie Rome and her partner Detective Sergeant Noah Jake lead the investigation. The garden is behind the home of Beth and Terry Doyle, who have two young children of their own and a 14-year old foster son named Clancy. Marnie knows that the Doyles can’t have anything to do with the bodies since they bought the home only a year earlier, but something about the family feels off. The neighbor is suspicious of Clancy, whom she feels is sneaky, and Clancy reminds Marnie all too much of her own foster brother Stephen, who murdered her parents five years earlier when he was Clancy’s age. Before the housing development was built, Travelers occupied the field, leaving only under protest, and tracing them proves difficult. Ian Merrick, the owner of the construction company that built the housing development, swears that he was told all the old bunkers had been filled in, but Noah is certain he is hiding something. All of the police officers involved in the investigation are shaken by the dead children left to starve in a survival bunker, but can find no trace of children who went missing four or five years ago. This intense police procedural is the second in the series featuring the haunted Marnie Rome.
Stuart Neville
Those We Left Behind (Soho 2015) begins with the release of Ciaran Devine after serving seven years for the brutal murder of his foster father, David Rolston, who he claimed had been sexually abusing his older brother Thomas. Thomas was found at the crime scene drenched with blood, but 12-year-old Ciaran insisted he alone was guilty of the crime, and Thomas served a lighter sentence as an accessory. Now 20, Ciaran is assigned a probation officer, Paula Cunningham, to help him adapt to the world he never knew as an adult. Cunningham contacts Belfast Detective Chief inspector Serena Flanagan, who was the only police officer Ciaran would talk to after his arrest. Flanagan was sure that Ciaran took sole responsibility for the crime to protect Thomas, who would have received a more stringent sentence because of his age. The two established a rapport, but Flanagan could not budge Ciaran from his confession, though his word-perfect repetitions convinced her that Thomas had coached his testimony. Cunningham believes that Thomas still holds his younger brother in thrall, and attempts to bolster Ciaran’s independence, with limited success. Daniel Rolston has always felt that the wrong brother was convicted for killing his father, and begins stalking the reunited Devine brothers, determined to finally get revenge for both the death of his father and the allegation of sexual assault that drove his mother to suicide. This haunting psychological thriller explores themes of dependence, abandonment, and vengeance.
Benjamin Percy
The Dead Lands (Grand Central Publishing 2015) is set in a post-apocalyptic United States. After a super flu decimated the population, nuclear fallout from unattended reactors further damaged the land and caused mutations in people and animals. In St. Louis, the survivors built a wall, creating the Sanctuary. The worst punishment in Sanctuary is to be expelled from the safe zone to become prey for the ravenous monsters living in the wasteland outside the wall. Generations after the creation of Sanctuary, Wilhemina Clark, known as Clark, is a Sanctuary ranger, patrolling the wall and helping keep peace inside the city, where the increasing shortage of water has the populace on edge. Lewis Meriweather, son of the previous mayor, is an odd duck who runs the museum. Lewis has always been different, and everyone avoids him, leaving him to dabble with his inventions and experiments. One day a strange girl named Gawea rides up to the Sanctuary wall, bringing news of a land west of the Cascade mountains where rain falls and crops grow. Mayor Thomas Lancer, who hordes the city water for personal bathing, fears Gawea’s news will cause a revolt and sentences her to death. Lewis finds the discarded letter she brought from Aran Burr. Addressed to Lewis, the letter promises Lewis that there there is a place for him amongst the other gifted people in Oregon. Gawea is rescued by Clark’s brother York, and the small band sets out for the west, hoping to find a better life. This thought-provoking thriller presents a reimagined version of the Lewis and Clark expedition through the dangerous wilderness known as the Dead Lands.
Lisa Scottoline
Every Fifteen Minutes (St. Martin’s Press 2015) is the story of Dr. Eric Parrish, the Chief of the Psychiatric Unit at Havemeyer General Hospital outside of Philadelphia. Recently separated from his wife, Caitlin, Eric is trying hard to maintain his relationship with his seven-year-old daughter Hannah. Trying to be accommodating, Eric sold his share in the family home to Caitlin for a minimal sum so that Hannah could stay in familiar surroundings. The For Sale sign in the front yard, forces him to accept that his former wife has no intention of honoring their informal agreements, and he begins to consider suing for primary custody of Hannah. At work, things are going better. His psychiatric unit has just been named number two in the country, and his staff is loyal and devoted to their patients, who seem to be responding well to treatment with the exception of one violent man. Then Eric takes on a new private patient, 17-year-old Max whose beloved grandmother is dying of cancer. Max’s mother is an alcoholic and rarely around, leaving him to care for the grandmother he can’t imagine living without. Eric learns that Max has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and is compelled to perform a ritual every 15 minutes so he doesn’t lose control. Patients with OCD aren’t usually dangerous, but Max’s obsession with Reneé, a girl he is tutoring in math, concerns Eric. Max’s violent fantasies of strangling Reneé, combined with the fact that he seems to be stalking her, cause Eric to wonder if Max is a danger to himself or Reneé. When Max’s grandmother dies, Max disappears. Eric fears Max is suicidal and asks the police to keep a lookout for him while setting out to search himself. Eric tracks Reneé down at the shop Max mentioned she works at, but sees no sign of Max. Knowing that Max often keeps watch on Reneé, Eric follows her home, and is warned off by a neighbor suspicious of strange cars in their cul-de-sac. First person narrations by a ruthless sociopath in Eric’s life add an increasing sense of menace to the series of coincidences that cause the police to view Eric as a “person of interest” as his career and personal life begin to crumble around him, putting his custody battle for Hannah in jeopardy. The question is — which of the potential candidates for a sociopathic diagnosis in Eric’s life is the true danger?
William Shaw
She’s Leaving Home (Mulholland Books 2014) introduces Cathal Breen, a detective sergeant, and WPC Helen Tozer, of the Metropolitan Police, in 1968 London. The body of a young woman is found strangled on a residential street near Abbey Road Studios, and Helen Tozer suggests she may be one of the many young women who camp out near the recording studios, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Beatles. Breen, shaken by the recent death of his father, is dealing with accusations of cowardice after inexplicably fleeing the scene of a robbery, and hopes this case will reestablish his reputation. Breen, along with most of the police force, is a bit off balance by the changes in the modern world and has difficulty connecting with younger people, but Tozer is completely at home with the young Beatles fans. Their investigation uncovers suspects among the parents uncomfortable with changing sexual conventions, English citizens suspicious of immigrants, and supporters of Biafran independence. Contact with Tozer causes Breen to realize he isn’t required to become a carbon copy of his parents, and he cautiously dabbles with new music and sexual freedoms. This engaging debut police procedural, first published in the UK as A Song from Dead Lips in 2013, is a finalist for the 2015 Barry Award for Best First Novel.
Carolyn Baugh
Quicksand (Forge 2015) introduces Nora Khalil, and Egyptian-American Philadelphia police officer assigned to the FBI’s Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Force. Nora lives with her father and younger brother in a traditional Muslim household above the Cairo Café. Nora has never been on a date or eaten a Philly cheesesteak, and was not allowed to consider joining the FBI since that would mean living away from home while being trained at Quantico. The task force is investigating the murder of 14-year-old Kylie Baker, which looks like a revenge killing by Dewayne Fulton, the leader of the Junior Black Mafia, in response to a drive-by shooting by the A&As, led by Kylie’s brother Kevin. Nora tries to keep her personal life separate from work, but the discovery of the mutilated body of a young Muslim woman makes that impossible. Nora’s fluency in Arabic, her familiarity with Islamic traditions, and her gender enable her to question the Muslim women who will not speak to the male police officers, discovering that the gang warfare over drugs and territory cloaks an even darker crime. This quick-paced novel featuring an intriguing protagonist is the first in a projected series.
Trace Conger
The Shadow Broker (2014) introduces Finn Harding, a private investigator stripped of his license in Cincinnati, Ohio. The divorced father of a young daughter attending an expensive private school, Finn is forced to accept any work that will pay. Known to his clients as Mr. Finn, he specializes in finding people who don’t want to be found. His current case is locating whoever is blackmailing Bishop, a shady character who runs an underground website called Dark Brokerage, a black market for stolen information. At Dark Brokerage, buyers can purchase stolen credit card numbers and social security numbers. A hacker known only as Silvio1053 managed to obtain the Dark Brokerage customer list and is demanding $50,000 a month not to turn the list over to the police. Finn takes on the task of tracking down Silvio1053, but soon discovers that the line between working for criminals and becoming one himself is very thin indeed. When his father is ejected from his retirement home, Finn has one more complication to juggle while trying to keep his head above water. Sustained by frequent doses of strong black coffee, he is soon caught between a sadistic killer, an FBI cybercrime unit, and a lethal Detroit mob boss. This fast-paced debut thriller, liberally spiced with black humor and violence, was awarded the 2015 Shamus Award for Best Indie PI Novel.
Ray Daniel
Corrupted Memory (Midnight Ink 2015) begins when software debugger expert Aloysius Tucker receives a text from his FBI buddy Bobby Miller at a Cubs game at Fenway. Tucker tries to tell Bobby he is busy, but Bobby sends him a photo of a body on the sidewalk in front of Tucker’s house. The dead man looks just like Tucker’s father, who died 15 years earlier. The family resemblance is unmistakable, and Tucker realizes that he was not an only child, and that his father, who worked on secret government weapons projects at Global Defense Systems, had a secret life hidden from Tucker and his mother. Tucker has trouble communicating with his mother, whose earlier instability has manifested into full-blown hoarding, but forces himself to get in touch with her side of the family to see if any of his relatives knew about his father’s second family in Pittsfield. His cousin Sal Rizzo, who just may be a mobster, insists there was no hidden half-brother, but Bobby suspects that Tucker’s half-brother may have been trying to steal secret information from Global Defense Systems. It’s possible that Tucker’s mother may have a clue hidden away in the mounds of paper in her house, but she won’t let Tucker disturb the piles that have expanded to leave only narrow pathways from room to room. Tucker’s talent for identifying bugs in lines of code gives him a unique perspective on solving a crime, his mind constantly reshuffling facts into different arrangements until the solution becomes clear. This fast-paced thriller is the second in the series featuring the engaging Tucker, who finds it all too easy to use his computer skills to access hidden information.
John Fortunato
Dark Reservations (Minotaur 2015) introduces Joe Evers, a Bureau of Indian Affairs Special Agent on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona and New Mexico. Consumed with grief after his wife’s death, Joe began drinking too much, missed a court date, and allowed a murderer to go free. With only three months until his forced retirement, Joe still mourns his wife and struggles with alcoholism. Then the Lincoln belonging to Congressman Arlen Edgerton, who disappeared along with his secretary and driver 20 years earlier during a corruption probe, is discovered on the Navajo reservation. Joe doesn’t want the cold case, but heads out to meet young Navajo tribal officer Randall Bluehorse. There isn’t much left of the car, but a bullet hole through the driver’s side window frame gives Joe hope that the bullet may be lodged somewhere in the deteriorating car. According to the polls, Congresswoman Grace Edgerton, Edgerton’s wife, is about to be elected governor of New Mexico in less than a month, and the revitalization of the old corruption scandal is exactly what she doesn’t need. Suspects abound in this character-driven debut, winner of the 2014 Hillerman Prize.
Tess Gerritsen
Playing with Fire (Ballantine Books 2015) begins when violinist Julia Ansdell spots an old book of music titled "Gipsy” in the window of an antique shop in Rome. Always on the hunt for forgotten music, Julia is intrigued by the unfamiliar tune on the first page. As she leafs through the old pages, a single sheet falls out: Incendio, composed by L. Todesco. The minor key waltz is both mournful and strange, with complex arpeggios that make her eager to play it. Back home in Boston, Julia plays the waltz for the first time, consumed by the music while her three-year-old daughter Lily plays with the family cat. Startled by her daughter’s damp hand on her leg, Julia discovers Lily is covered with blood and the cat has been stabbed to death with a garden trowel. A second violent incident that occurs while Julia is playing Incendio convinces her that Lily has been transformed into a monster by the powerful music, and she sets out to trace the history of the disturbing waltz. Interwoven with present day events is the story of Lorenzo Todesco, a talented young Jewish violinist and composer living in 1938 Venice. Professor Augosto Balboni and Lorenzo’s grandfather, a famous luthier, convince Lorenzo and Balboni’s daughter Laura, a proficient cellist, to enter a duet competition. The two discover that together their music blends into something special and gradually fall in love. As Catholics, the Balbonis are not threatened by the increasingly harsh Fascist anti-Semitic laws, and they urge the Todesco family to leave Venice while they can, but the older Todescos cannot believe they really need to flee the city that has been their home for generations. Julia’s quest to uncover the history of the piece of music she believes has corrupted her innocent daughter causes waves of repercussions from those determined to keep the past a secret. This compelling thriller is haunting.
Elsa Hart
Jade Dragon Mountain (Minotaur 2015) is set in 1708 Dayan, a frontier Chinese town on the Tibetan border. Li Du is an exiled imperial librarian who has been traveling at a relaxed pace for the last three years. He is surprised to find Dayan bustling with travelers, soldiers, and merchants. While presenting his travel documents to Magistrate Tulishen, a distant cousin, Li Du learns that the Emperor is expected in a week to awe the local populace by commanding a complete solar eclipse. Li Du plans to leave early the next day, avoiding any chance of meeting the man who sent him to exile. Sir Nicolas Gray, a representative of the East India Company, has also just arrived, taking advantage of the limited permission for foreigners to enter the border town, and bearing fabulous presents for the Emperor in hopes of convincing him to permit the Company to enter Beijing. Only the Jesuits are permitted entry to the Forbidden City, having earned that privilege by demonstrating their prowess with astronomical predictions and enabling the Emperor to appear to command the heavens. An elderly Jesuit priest trained in astronomy, Pieter van Dalen, is already in residence, having traveled from India in the company of Hamza, a storyteller from Arabia. Learning that Li Du speaks Latin, Tulishen coerces him into staying for a few days to act as translator. Lady Chen, Tulishen’s local consort, orchestrates a fabulous banquet, and Li Du watches from the sidelines, observing the comings and goings. Immediately after the banquet Brother Pieter is found dead in his guest chamber, presumably of natural causes, but Li Du discovers a pouch of tea leaves coated with poison. Though Magistrate Tulishen would prefer to blame the death on Tibetan bandits, Li Du is convinced that the murderer is part of the Magistrate’s household. The humble and observant librarian is an effective sleuth, capable of eliciting confidences from a wide variety of witnesses and suspects. This engrossing debut historical mystery ends with the possibility of a sequel featuring the likable Li Du and imaginative Hamza.
Ted Kosmatka
The Flicker Men (Henry Holt 2015) is the story of Eric Argus, a quantum physicist whose early success brought him fame and unbalanced his mind. Though warned by his disturbed mother to avoid alcohol at all costs, Eric teeters on the edge of drunkenness and suicide each day. An old friend gets him a job at Hansen Research, with four month probationary period to come up with a research topic with enough scientific merit to earn permanent employment. Eric refuses to return to the research that drove him mad, and spends his days helping other researchers, unpacking spare equipment that arrives at Hansen for storage, and struggling not to kill himself with his father’s .357 Ruger. Then one day a box arrives containing a thermionic gun and detector inspiring him to replicate Feynman’s double-slit experiment that illustrated the essential mystery of quantum mechanics, the apparent ability of a system to exhibit mutually contradictory properties. Working to replicate Feynman’s experiment brings Eric the first peace he has had in years, though he knows it won’t satisfy the criteria for permanent employment. The slit experiment works, proving that unless a conscious observer make an assessment of the detector results the results are indeterminate. The number of days Eric manages not to drink increases, and others in the lab are caught up in his investigation, discovering that the amphibians one is studying do not have the same effect as a human observer. Tests with birds, mice, and dogs give the same non-effect. Suddenly the paradoxical double-slit experiment is big news with far-reaching implications that endanger Eric, his scientist friends, and the entire world. Quantum physics comes brilliantly to life in this gripping speculative thriller.
Mary Kubica
Pretty Baby (MIRA 2015) begins when Heidi Wood spots a teenage girl on the Chicago train platform in the pouring rain, a vintage leather suitcase at her feet and an infant shielded by a too-large and too-thin coat. Heidi continues on to her job as a social worker, but can’t get the image of the drenched girl and the baby out of her mind. Heidi’s husband Chris, a workaholic investment banker, is often on the road, and their 12-year-old daughter Zoe has entered a reclusive and moody phase. Heidi had always planned on a large family, but an emergency hysterectomy when Zoe was a baby left them a one-child family. A few days later Heidi approaches the apparently homeless girl, and offers to buy her dinner. The baby is crying non-stop, and Heidi gives the girl money for formula and a card with her address after the girl refuses to be taken to a shelter. Heidi’s husband and daughter are used to her need to take care of others, putting up with adopted stray cats and endless stories about her social work cases. But when Heidi invites Willow and baby Ruby to stay overnight, Chris is concerned that the girl may be a runaway who should be turned over to the police or may even be a danger to his family. While bathing the baby, Heidi discovers that little Ruby is covered with diaper rash and running a fever. Even more disturbing are the blood stains on Willow’s undershirt, which Heidi drops down the trash chute with the dirty diaper. Determined to nurse Ruby back to health, Heidi warns Zoe to keep their visitor a secret as Chris departs for yet another business trip. Alternate chapters from the perspectives of the three main characters document Chris’s growing conviction that there is something off with Willow, Heidi’s growing obsession with the baby, and Willow’s appalling childhood growing up in foster care.
David Morrell
Inspector of the Dead (Mulholland Books 2015) finds Thomas De Quincey, author of Confessions of an Opium Eater, and his irrepressible daughter Emily, attending church with Scotland Yard Inspector Sean Ryan and Detective Sergeant Joseph Becker when the congregation is startled by the screams of Reverend Samuel Hardesty. Lady Cosgrove, an elderly woman who arrived wearing full mourning dress just before the service started, accepted a black-bordered envelope from the man who escorted her to her pew. Though alone in the curtained pew, the blood pouring out from under the door to her pew alerted the vicar that Lady Cosgrove’s throat has been slit, a seemingly impossible crime. The black envelope contains the words “Young England,” a group responsible for an attempt on Queen Victoria’s life 15 years earlier. Rushing to the Crosgrove mansion, a note with the words “Edward Oxford,” the man arrested for the shooting attempt, is found with Lord Crosgrove’s mutilated body. Lord Palmerston, who had hoped De Quincy and Emily would return to Scotland, is horrified to discover that De Quincy is determined to remain in England and involve himself in the murder investigation. It’s 1855, and the British government has just collapsed because of the mismanagement of the Crimean War, leaving Queen Victoria with cabinet members with no authority to carry out their duties. Invited to the palace for dinner, Emily causes a stir with her Bloomer costume, and De Quincey impresses the monarch with his observations about the crime despite the obvious symptoms of his laudanum addiction. This excellent historical thriller, deftly merging fact and fiction, is the second in the De Quincey series.
Amy Stewar t
Girl Waits with Gun (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2015) is the story of Constance Kopp, a thirty-five year old spinster living on a farm outside Paterson, New Jersey, with her two younger sisters in 1914. Constance has no interest in marriage or domestic graces, and began training for both a nurse and a lawyer before her over-protective mother discouraged her. When their mother died, Constance and her sister Norma took over the running of the farm that has been their home for the last 15 years, and the care of their 14-year old sister Fleurette, who has been home-schooled her entire life. One summer day the three sisters are driving in their buggy to Paterson to do some shopping when a speeding automobile broadsides the buggy, nearly destroying it and trapping Fleurette underneath. The exceedingly well-dressed driver of the motor car and his unkempt companions attempt to flee the scene, but Constance, who is close to six feet tall, corners the dapper little driver and demands restitution for the damage. Trapped, he gives his name as Henry Kaufman of Kaufman Silk Dyeing Company. Norma, who is content raising carrier pigeons and training them to carry important messages, practicing with headlines cut from the newspaper like “Man’s Trousers Cause Death,” advises Constance that it isn’t a good idea to antagonize Mr. Kaufman and his gang of ruffians. But when her two letters requesting $50 to repair the buggy go unanswered, Constance corners Henry in is office and declares her intention of taking the matter to the police. Soon bricks with threats against the sisters in general and pretty little Fleurette in particular shatter the windows of their isolated farm house, and the sheriff teaches Constance and Norma to fire pistols. This absorbing historical is based on the real Constance Kopp, the first female deputy sheriff in New Jersey.
Sissel-Jo (S.J.) Gazan
The Dinosaur Feather (Quercus 2011, Denmark 2009) centers on Anna Bella Nor, a mere two weeks away from defending her thesis on the saurian origin of birds at the University in Copenhagen. The single mother of a three-year-old daughter, Anna Bella reluctantly relies on her emotionally distant mother for child care as she works around the clock to prepare for her examination. When Dr. Lars Helland, her academic supervisor, is found dead with a copy of her thesis drenched in blood, Anna Bella can barely summon a smidgen of grief. Though respected for his research, Helland had little interest in Anna Bella or her work, and the fear that the police investigation may keep her from earning her PhD far outweighs her concern for his family. Police Superintendent Søren Marhauge is startled by Anna’s anger and resentment, but needs her help to navigate the intrigue among the scientists at the university. Dr. Tybjerg, a vertebrate morphologist who specializes in the evolution of birds, manages the Vertebrate Collection at the Natural History Museum. Dr. Clive Freeman, professor of Paleo-ornithology at the University of British Columbia, is the main opponent to the prevailing theory that modern birds are living dinosaurs. Helland and Tybjerg authored papers together countering Freeman’s position, which became even more entrenched when the first feathered dinosaur fossils were discovered in China. Tybjerg is Anna Bella’s external supervisor, and though considered strange and anti-social by most people, he provides Anna with the support and encouragement she needs. When Helland’s death is ruled suspicious, Tybjerg vanishes into the depths of the museum, refusing to speak to the police, and Anna fears he may not emerge even for her examination. The news that Freeman is in Copenhagen for the 27th Annual Bird Symposium adds another suspect to Marhauge’s list. This intricate debut biological science thriller features complex characters struggling to make sense of their lives while dealing with the traumas of the past.
Roger Hobbs
Vanishing Games (Knopf 2015) begins when three experienced pirates attack a small smuggling yacht in the South China Sea. Their prize is a bag of uncut sapphires worth millions of dollars, but the discovery of an unexpected and extremely valuable additional cargo by Sabo, one of the pirates, changes everything. Sabo reports to his boss Angela, the mastermind who set up the heist, that he is the only one who survived the hit, and hides the secret treasure. Angela doesn’t realize how badly things have gone wrong until Sabo doesn’t appear at the scheduled meeting, and instead she receives a threat demanding the return of a treasure she doesn’t know anything about. For the first time in six years she contacts her former protégé Jack, also known as the Ghostman for his talent of escaping notice by fading into the background. Like Angela, Jack has no fingerprints and leaves no evidence of his presence behind. Jack has been missing Angela since she disappeared in the chaos following a botched job, and he heads off immediately to meet her in Macau. Together they try to figure out what the mysterious treasure is and track it down before a hit man and a crime boss locate Angela to extract vengeance. This fast-paced and often violent second in the series to feature the talented pair of professional thieves is riveting.
Robert Karjel
The Swede (Harper 2015, Sweden 2010) introduces Ernst Grip, an agent of the Swedish security police assigned to the Swedish royal family. Unexpectedly summoned to the United States, he is escorted by FBI agent Shauna Friedman to Diego Garcia, an American military base in the Indian Ocean. There he is introduced to a prisoner known only as “N,” a suspect in an Islamist terrorist attack in Topeka who may be Swedish. N, who has been tortured by the CIA, has refused to talk since his capture. Grip insists that the air conditioning be turned back on in the prisoner’s sweltering cell, and arranges for an assortment of foreign language newspapers to be left in his cell each morning. When N is observed reading a Swedish daily, Grip knows he is finally ready to talk. Interspersed chapters fill in the backstory of N, who woke up after the 2004 Thailand tsunami in a hospital bed with only a confused memory of his past. N was given an unfamiliar backback containing a Swedish passport with a photograph bearing a faint resemblance to his own face. Leaving the hospital, N ended up at Weejay’s Family Hotel and Bar where he met a Czech hit man, an American arms dealer, an eccentric nurse from Kansas, and a naïve Pakistani. The group bonded through their mutual hatred for Charles-Ray Turnbull, an American religious fanatic interpreting the destruction of the tsunami as God’s divine punishment for the sexual deviates and non-Christians of Thailand. All five are officially missing, and the group realizes that this is a unique opportunity to disappear and leave their previous lives behind. Grip’s own double life, which began in 2004 in New York City, casts a dangerous shadow over his mysterious special assignment to the United States. This complex debut thriller is the first in a planned series.
Jennifer Kincheloe
The Secret Life of Anna Blanc (Seventh Street Books 2015) is set in 1907 Los Angeles. Two whole years after her coming out, Anna Blanc is not yet engaged or married since no suitors can possibly meet her domineering father’s expectations. Bored with endless days of shopping and polite social conversation, Anna longs to become a detective like those described in the crime novels she hides behind the covers of proper reading for young ladies. Desperate for freedom, Anna attempts to elope with an unsuitable young man, but is discovered and brought back home before they can exchange more than a chaste kiss. Her father immediately arranges for a full-time chaperone and lines up an acceptable though distant bridegroom. A chance encounter during a suffragette march prompts Anna to bribe her chaperone so that she can take a job as an assistant police matron with the Los Angeles Police Department, pretending to be a married woman whose husband is overseas. On her first day on the job, Anna is sent to transport the child of a brothel girl to the orphanage. Though not exactly sure what happens in a brothel, Anna knows that ladies are not supposed to visit and has no idea what one looks like, but armed with her new knowledge that brothels keep their drapes drawn even in the day, Anna finds Canary Cottage. There she learns that brothel girls are being murdered, and the frightened women are convinced the police aren’t investigating, instead identifying the murders as suicides. With the help of her new friend Joe Singer, the police chief’s son, Anna sets out to track down the brothel killer. Joe’s accidental touch, through a mere seven layers of clothing, arouses a tingling in Anna’s nether regions that causes her to doubt that the arranged marriage is really what she wants from life. This funny debut mystery is the first in a series.
Margaret Mizushima
Killing Trail (Crooked Lane Books 2015) introduces Officer Mattie Cobb and her new partner, a German Shepherd named Robo. A lifelong resident of the Colorado small town, Mattie’s childhood in foster care has left her hesitant to make friendships, but earning the job of Timber Creek’s first K-9 handler has been good for her. Robo’s unconditional adoration for his handler and passion for the work they do together helps Mattie develop more confidence in her own abilities. Responding to a call from a US Forest Service agent who heard shots after seeing a pickup truck and dog trailer belonging to Mike Chadron earlier that day, Mattie and Robo search the area, and Robo discovers a wounded Bernese mountain dog guarding the dead body of a teen-aged girl. While the crime scene technicians work on the site, Mattie takes the dog to Cole Walker, the local veterinarian, who recognizes it as Belle, the constant companion of Grace Hartman, a friend of Cole’s daughter. Cole decides to keep Belle under observation overnight before operating to remove the bullet in her leg, and she falls sick with diarrhea, expelling small plastic balloons containing a white powder. Chadron was the breeder who sold Belle to the Hartmans, and Mattie suspects that the girl may have stumbled into a scheme to use Chadron’s dogs as drug mules. As the investigation continues, Mattie learns to respect Robo’s instincts, suppressing her own inclination to take total control as they are working together. An attraction to the newly-divorced Cole surprises Mattie, and she struggles to overcome her instinctive mistrust of offers of friendship. This debut mystery presents a realistic view of the working of a K-9 team and dangles plenty of loose ends about Mattie’s past to explore in future books in the series.
Mike Ripley
Mr. Campion’s Fox (Severn House 2015) begins when the Danish ambassador asks Albert Campion to check out Frank Tate, the man his 18-year-old daughter Vibeke has been dating during the family’s residence in London. Lady Amanda insists that Campion is far too old to be tailing young men in Soho, so Campion gives the task of watching Tate to their son Rupert, who discovers that Tate visits a lot of pubs during the week. On the weekend, Tate travels to Gapton on his motorbike to visit Vibeke, who is working as an au pair for the Sandyman family of Sandyman’s Seaside Brewery fame. During one weekend visit, Tate’s murdered body is discovered after an afternoon out with Vibeke, who has vanished completely. The ambassador wants to keep Vibeke’s name out of the paper, so Rupert, who went to school with Torquil Sandyman, is sent with his actress wife Perdida to stay with the Sandymans and help the local police. Perdita is immediately dragooned by Torquil’s wife Victoria into taking over the care of the children, twin pre-school boys and a baby girl. Meanwhile, Rupert questions Hyacinth and Marigold Mister, the formidable elderly sisters who discovered the body, drive the brewery dray horses, and perform the daily beer tastings to monitor the brews. When days pass with no sign of Vibeke, Campion and Lady Amanda join the investigation in Gapton while Lugg, looking like an enormous bear in his fur cape of office, serves as the Beadle of Brewers’ Hall in London. Set in the 1960s, this continuation of the Margery Allingham series is pitch perfect.
Dan Simmons
The Fifth Heart (Little, Brown and Company 2015) begins in 1893 on the promontory near the Pont Neuf Bridge in Paris. Henry James, stroking the ivory snuffbox containing a few pinches of his beloved sister’s ashes, is about to throw himself into the dark water of the Seine when interrupted by another man there on the same grim task. Sherlock Holmes, believed dead after his plunge from Reichenbach Falls, is convinced he is either a fictional character, with no future to look forward to, or a man suffering from delusions who doesn’t deserve to live. Holmes confesses that there are huge gaps in his memory, perhaps because of his habit of injecting cocaine, but more likely because he is only a figment of an author’s imagination. The pair postpone their suicides, and Holmes convinces James to return with him to Washington DC to solve the mystery of the 1885 death of Clover Adams, the wife of Henry Adams. Clover died from drinking a caustic chemical used in her photography studio, but her brother was convinced she would not have killed herself. John Hay and his wife Clara, along with Clarence King, joined Henry and Clover Adams every day for tea, calling themselves the Five of Hearts. Since Clover’s death, a card embossed with five hearts has been sent to Cover’s friends each year on the anniversary of her death. While investigating Clover’s death, Holmes is introduced to notables including Samuel Clemens, Teddy Roosevelt, Rudyard Kipling, and Henry Cabot Lodge. Determined to cure himself of his cocaine dependence, Holmes has switched to morphine, believed to be less-harmful, and then to the new wonder drug developed by Bayer, named heroin after its heroic qualities of being side-effect-free and non habit-forming. James wonders if it is the new drug that causes Homes to believe that Clover’s death was planned by his nemesis Irene Adler with the help of her sniper son, who may be planning to kill President Cleveland when he flicks the switch to illuminate the White City at the Columbian Exhibition in Chicago. Both James and Holmes reveal new facets of their complex personalities in this imaginative literary thriller.
Vu Tran
Dragonfish (W.W. Norton 2015) is the story of Robert Ruen, an Oakland cop who can’t forget his ex-wife Suzy, a troubled Vietnamese woman whose real name is Hong Thi Pham. Suzy, who often wandered around the night streets in her bare feet and nightgown, probably suffered from acute depression but rarely took her medications. After leaving Robert two years earlier, Suzy moved to Las Vegas and married Sonny Van Nguyen, a Vietnamese smuggler and gambler. When Suzy’s best friend Happy tells Robert that Sonny threw Suzy down a flight of stairs and broke her arm, he heads to Las Vegas with a vague idea of teaching Sonny a lesson, instead falling afoul of Junior, Sonny’s sadistic son who breaks his fingers and sends him back to Las Vegas. After Suzy goes missing a few months later, Junior’s goons bring Robert back to Las Vegas, blackmailing him into tracking down Suzy and returning her to her husband. Interspersed with Robert’s search for Suzy are diary entries detailing her flight by boat from war-torn Vietnam to a Malaysian refugee camp, the same camp that Sonny and his young son Junior inhabited. As Robert sorts through the tangled lies that Suzy has woven around her past, he discovers a packet of secret letters to the daughter she abandoned, revealing far more about Suzy than Robert ever learned during their years of marriage. This haunting debut thriller examines the long-reaching effect of past decisions and actions.
Sarah Ward
In Bitter Chill (Minotaur 2015) is set in a small town of Bampton in the Derbyshire Peak District in England. In January 1978, two eight-year-old schoolgirls were kidnapped while walking to school. Rachel Jones was discovered wandering alone near the road later that afternoon, but Sophie Jenkins was never found. Rachel, who had been drugged with chloroform, remembered a woman asking them to drop a letter in the postbox and then offering the girls a ride to school. When the woman turned the wrong direction, Sophie began screaming, and Rachel has no memory of what happened next. The apparent suicide of Sophie’s mother Yvonne Jenkins 36 years later, causes Detective Inspector Frances Sadler and Detective Constable Connie Childs to look back at the cold case, hoping that modern techniques will uncover a lead the original investigation missed. Rachel Jones still lives in Bampton, now working as a family genealogist. Sadler and Connie are struck by the fact that both Sophie and Rachel were being raised by single mothers, an unusual occurrence in 1978. Hoping to discover which of the two girls was the target, they begin researching both families, searching for a male relative that might have been working with the woman driving the car. When a teacher at the school the two girls attended is found strangled, the police believe that the two deaths are connected to the long ago kidnapping. Rachel also starts examining her own past more closely, hoping that something may reawaken a buried memory from the day Sophie disappeared and lead the police to the kidnappers. This atmospheric debut mystery is the first in a planned series.
Hester Young
The Gates of Evangeline (Putnam 2015) is the story of Charlie (Charlotte) Cates, a New York journalist whose young son has just died. Consumed with grief, Charlie finds it hard to concentrate on her job as managing editor for Sophisticate, a magazine aimed at successful urban women. Her neighbor coaxes her out of the house to attend the dance recital of her son’s best friend Zoey, and Charlie is startled by a vision of Zoey covered in dark fabric and screaming in pain. An accident with the stage curtain that results in a broken ankle for Zoey makes Charlie more receptive to her next vision, a frightened young boy in a boat. Charlie’s old boss at Cold Crimes offers her a book contract for his new project highlighting a high-profile unsolved crime for each decade. Charlie is offered the Deveau kidnapping, the disappearance of three-year old Gabriel Deveau from his locked bedroom in Evangeline, the family mansion in Louisiana. The Deveau family hoped to find someone to write a history of their family, and agreed to talk about the kidnapping as well. Charlie is given an old slave cabin on the estate and access to the family records as long as she agrees to pretend to Hettie, Gabriel’s mother who is dying of cancer, that she is writing a book about old plantation estates. The three older Deveau children, who were in their late teens when Gabriel was kidnapped, don’t have much new information to add. Noah Palmer, a landscape architect hired by Hettie to restore the estate gardens, was raised by Gabriel’s nanny and has only vague memories of his early childhood on the estate. The little evidence there is points to an inside connection, and Charlie looks carefully at everyone’s alibis from decades earlier. This haunting Southern Gothic debut mystery is the first in a trilogy.
| Lana Turner |
Ernesto Geisel became President of which South American country in 1974? | 1000+ images about Lana Turner on Pinterest | Press photo, The postman and Johnny stompanato
John Gavin and Lana Turner in Imitation of Life
See More
| i don't know |
Who played Lieutenant Colonel Nicholson in the 1957 film ‘The Bridge on the River Kwai’? | The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) - IMDb
IMDb
‘Generation KKK’: Why A&E is Considering Rebranding Their Show After Backlash
22 December 2016 4:51 PM, UTC
There was an error trying to load your rating for this title.
Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later.
X Beta I'm Watching This!
Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends.
Error
The Bridge on the River Kwai ( 1957 )
PG |
From $2.99 (SD) on Amazon Video
ON DISC
After settling his differences with a Japanese PoW camp commander, a British colonel co-operates to oversee his men's construction of a railway bridge for their captors - while oblivious to a plan by the Allies to destroy it.
Director:
a list of 40 titles
created 10 Nov 2011
a list of 25 titles
created 12 Dec 2011
a list of 39 titles
created 01 Apr 2012
a list of 35 titles
created 07 Apr 2012
a list of 36 titles
created 21 Jun 2012
Title: The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
8.2/10
Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below.
You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin.
Won 7 Oscars. Another 23 wins & 7 nominations. See more awards »
Videos
Allied prisoners of war plan for several hundred of their number to escape from a German camp during World War II.
Director: John Sturges
The story of T.E. Lawrence , the English officer who successfully united and led the diverse, often warring, Arab tribes during World War I in order to fight the Turks.
Director: David Lean
An in-depth examination of the ways in which the U.S. Vietnam War impacts and disrupts the lives of people in a small industrial town in Pennsylvania.
Director: Michael Cimino
When a Jewish prince is betrayed and sent into slavery by a Roman friend, he regains his freedom and comes back for revenge.
Director: William Wyler
Two Western bank/train robbers flee to Bolivia when the law gets too close.
Director: George Roy Hill
A young recruit in Vietnam faces a moral crisis when confronted with the horrors of war and the duality of man.
Director: Oliver Stone
Directors: Victor Fleming, George Cukor, and 1 more credit »
Stars: Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, Thomas Mitchell
In Chicago in September 1936, a young con man seeking revenge for his murdered partner teams up with a master of the big con to win a fortune from a criminal banker.
Director: George Roy Hill
The claustrophobic world of a WWII German U-boat; boredom, filth, and sheer terror.
Director: Wolfgang Petersen
Fred Dobbs and Bob Curtin, two Americans searching for work in Mexico, convince an old prospector to help them mine for gold in the Sierra Madre Mountains.
Director: John Huston
A man refuses to conform to life in a rural prison.
Director: Stuart Rosenberg
A British team is sent to cross occupied Greek territory and destroy the massive German gun emplacement that commands a key sea channel.
Director: J. Lee Thompson
Edit
Storyline
The film deals with the situation of British prisoners of war during World War II who are ordered to build a bridge to accommodate the Burma-Siam railway. Their instinct is to sabotage the bridge but, under the leadership of Colonel Nicholson, they are persuaded that the bridge should be constructed as a symbol of British morale, spirit and dignity in adverse circumstances. At first, the prisoners admire Nicholson when he bravely endures torture rather than compromise his principles for the benefit of the Japanese commandant Saito. He is an honorable but arrogant man, who is slowly revealed to be a deluded obsessive. He convinces himself that the bridge is a monument to British character, but actually is a monument to himself, and his insistence on its construction becomes a subtle form of collaboration with the enemy. Unknown to him, the Allies have sent a mission into the jungle, led by Warden and an American, Shears, to blow up the bridge. Written by alfiehitchie
It spans a whole new world of entertainment!
Genres:
Rated PG for mild war violence | See all certifications »
Parents Guide:
14 December 1957 (USA) See more »
Also Known As:
El puente sobre el río Kwai See more »
Filming Locations:
161 min
Sound Mix:
70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) (RCA Sound Recording)| Mono (35 mm prints) (RCA Sound Recording)| 4-Track Stereo (Linear PCM)
Color:
Did You Know?
Trivia
Sam Spiegel asked Ben Gazzara , the star of his previous film The Strange One (1957), to play Lt. Joyce, but he was unavailable. Cliff Robertson was also considered. See more »
Goofs
The movie credits have only one 'n' in Alec Guinness ' name (this has been corrected in the "restored" version). See more »
Quotes
Major Hughes : Jennings has a plan, sir. He seems to think...
Colonel Nicholson : Yes, I'm sure Jennings has a plan. But escape? Where, into this jungle? That fellow Saito was right: no need for barbed wire or fence, one chance in a hundred of survival. I'm sure a man of Commander Shears' experience will attest to that.
Commander Shears : I'd say the odds against a successful escape are about 100 to one. But may I add another word, Colonel? The odds against survival in this camp are even worse.
(L.A. CA) – See all my reviews
I recently saw The Bridge on the River Kwai at the Cinerama Dome, and it was quite spectacular. Unlike some of today's grand adventure films, you get to know the characters along with seeing great scenes of acting and cinematography. Alec Guinness is at the top of his form as the single minded Colonel Nicholson. The scene between Nicholson and Saito in Saito's hut is remarkable. Nicholson still will not concede defeat, he even takes offense that other officers of different armies gave in and worked alongside the enlisted men. Saito can't understand Nicholson's acceptance of his punishment, and it drives him crazy. The film's plot has two stories that are beautifully intertwined. Shears' return to the bridge is his only way to escape the bridge. In the film's final act, the tension is turned up as the British commandos try to blow up the bridge, and a train, and only then does Nicholson realise what the bridge really is. The Bridge on the River Kwai is one film that is hard to top, the only film able to do that is Lawrence of Arabia, both directed by the meticulous eye of David Lean. One director who could put intimacy in epic circumstances.
34 of 43 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?
Yes
| Alec Guinness |
Which tennis player beat Rafael Nadal to win his first US Open title in 2011? | Download The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) YIFY Torrent for 1080p mp4 movie in yify-torrent.org
Screenshots (click to view large image)
The Reviews for The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) 1080p
Far Ahead of Its Time
Reviewed bySickfrogVote: 9/10
First off, what is so amazing about this film is that, for the time that it was made, how modern it looks. David Lean certainly had the eye of any modern director and managed to direct a visual masterpiece at a time when many films were still being shot in black and white. William Holden gives one of his finest performances as a cynic of warfare , citing for us the insanity and absurdity that the combatants often convey. And he hates the war, but he cannot avoid been thrown back into it again and again. We wish he could stay on the beach with his nurse lover, but he is a man destined for a tragic doom for his country, whether he wants to or not. Alec Guiness also delivers a fine performance as a bold general whose own pride is, at the same time, his most noble quality as well as his greatest fault. He is uncompromising, yet when the Japanese submit to his demands, he begins overseeing the construction of the bridge with great esteem. Eventually, for him, the bridge becomes a manifestation of his belief of the superiority of the British Army, which he follows like a religion. And in putting all his pride into this bridge, he loses sight of even the British's own true agenda. Truly, his sense of overwhelming honor is, at the same time, his downfall in a descent to a loss of morality, and a sense of good and evil. And yes, by the end of this film, we learn a great lesson of the horrors of war. Not only does it take the lives of many good men, but the utter failure and despair that accompany it make it an unbearable existence. And this message has only recently been re-evaluated with the also-brilliant masterpiece "Saving Private Ryan." But, keep in mind that it took forty years to regain the power that this film inspired so long ago.
Good film, but a travesty of history
Reviewed bygcaplanVote: 6/10
I am normally an admirer of David Lean. But it is difficult to understand why he chose to base this film on a real event at the River Kwai, as it grossly misrepresents the real "Colonel Nicholson" and caused considerable distress to both him and the River Kwai veterans. The Colonel Nicholson character is based on the allied camp commander, Lieutenant Colonel Philip Toosey, who was a remarkable officer by any standards. Awarded the DSO for heroism during the defence of Singapore, he refused an order to join the evacuation so he could remain with his men during captivity. In the hellish conditions of the camp, he worked courageously to ensure that as many of his men as possible would survive. He endured regular beatings when he complained of ill-treatment of prisoners, but as a skilled negotiator he was able to win many concessions from the Japanese by convincing them that this would speed the completion of the work. Behind their backs, however, he did everything possible to delay and sabotage the construction without endangering his men, and also helped organise a daring escape, at considerable cost to himself. For his conduct in the camp, he won the undying respect of his men. After the war, he showed great generosity of spirit by saving the life of Colonel Saito, second in command at the camp and a relatively decent officer, when he spoke up for him at the war crimes tribunal. He worked for the veterans all his life, and became President of the National Federation of Far Eastern Prisoners of War. He refused repeated requests by the veterans to speak out against the film, being much too modest to seek any glory or recognition for himself. However you will find his achievements documented in a book by Professor Peter Davies entitled "The Man Behind the Bridge". Toosey hoped that no one watching the film would believe a British Army officer could be so stupid in real life. But with the film being rated on this site as one of the top 50 movies of all time, this hope may have been misplaced. Enjoy the film by all means as a work of fiction, but it is surely important to set the record straight and recognise the heroism of the real man involved.
Nothing less than a masterpiece...
Reviewed byNeil DoyleVote: 5/10
About as Oscar-worthy as any film made in the '50s is David Lean's gripping BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI. Based loosely on a real-life incident, it tells the story of an imprisoned British officer (Alec Guinness) who loses sight of his mission when forced to build a bridge for the Japanese that will enable the enemy to carry supplies by train through the jungle during World War II. Guinness plays the crisp British officer to perfection, brilliant in all of his scenes but especially in his confrontations with Sessue Hayakawa. William Holden has a pivotal role as one of the prisoners who escapes and enjoys his freedom for awhile before being asked to return with a small squadron to destroy the bridge. Jack Hawkins and Geoffrey Horne have colorful roles too and all are superb under David Lean's direction. The jungle settings filmed in Ceylon add the necessary realism to the project and there is never a suspension of interest although the story runs well over two-and-a-half hours. The film builds to a tense and magnificent climax with an ending that seems to be deliberately ambiguous and thought provoking. Well worth watching, especially if shown in the restored letterbox version now being shown on TCM. Some of the best lines go to William Holden and he makes the most of a complex role--a mixture of cynicism and heroism in a character that ranks with his best anti-hero roles in films of the '50s. He brings as much conviction to his role as Alec Guinness does and deserved a Best Actor nomination that he did not get.
The Plot Summary for The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) 1080p
The film deals with the situation of British prisoners of war during World War II who are ordered to build a bridge to accommodate the Burma-Siam railway. Their instinct is to sabotage the bridge but, under the leadership of Colonel Nicholson, they are persuaded that the bridge should be constructed as a symbol of British morale, spirit and dignity in adverse circumstances. At first, the prisoners admire Nicholson when he bravely endures torture rather than compromise his principles for the benefit of the Japanese commandant Saito. He is an honorable but arrogant man, who is slowly revealed to be a deluded obsessive. He convinces himself that the bridge is a monument to British character, but actually is a monument to himself, and his insistence on its construction becomes a subtle form of collaboration with the enemy. Unknown to him, the Allies have sent a mission into the jungle, led by Warden and an American, Shears, to blow up the bridge.
Director & Cast for The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) 1080p
| i don't know |
US comedian Joan Alexandra Molinsky is better known by what name? | stumbleupon
More StatsView More
About Joan Rivers
Joan Alexandra Molinsky, better known by her professional name Joan Rivers has an estimated net worth of $150 million. Rivers is an American television personality, comedian, writer, film director, and actress. As a young adult she studied anthropology at Connecticut College and held down low paying jobs from working as a tour guide instructor and sales consultant for a department store.
Rivers is known for funny and highly controversial humor. From the start her first role was daring, as she played the role of a lesbian lover to Barbara Streisand, in a a short-run play, Driftwood. Later in the 60’s she focused on stand-up comedy. Her first television appearance was on the Tonight Show hosted by Jack Paar. Before long, she was hosting the show along with Saturday Night Live and the Ed Sullivan Show. She has since gone on to own and host her own television talk shows.
Rivers has written several books, and acted in several movies and television shows, she is currently starring in her online talk show In Bed with Joan.
Earnings & Financial Data
The below financial data is gathered and compiled by TheRichest analysts team to give you a better understanding of Joan Rivers's net worth by breaking down the most relevant financial events such as yearly salaries, contracts, earn outs, endorsements, stock ownership and much more.
?
| Joan Rivers |
In which US state did Bill Gates found Microsoft in April 1975? | Joan Rivers - Biography - IMDb
Joan Rivers
Biography
Showing all 152 items
Jump to: Overview (5) | Mini Bio (1) | Spouse (2) | Trade Mark (8) | Trivia (81) | Personal Quotes (54) | Salary (1)
Overview (5)
The Queen of the Barbed One-liners
Height
5' 2" (1.57 m)
Mini Bio (1)
Joan Rivers was born on June 8, 1933 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA as Joan Alexandra Molinsky. She was a writer and actress, known for Fashion Police (2002), The Joan Rivers Show (1989) and The Joan Rivers Show (1968). She was married to Edgar Rosenberg and James Sanger. She died on September 4, 2014 in East Harlem, Manhattan, New York City.
Spouse (2)
( 15 July 1965 - 14 August 1987) (his death) (1 child)
James Sanger
(1955 - 1955) (annulled)
Trade Mark (8)
Had had a lot of plastic surgery, had never denied it, and as a matter of fact, made lots of jokes about her own (and other people's) plastic surgery.
Loud, raspy voice with New York accent.
Said "Can we talk?" frequently in both her acting roles and stand-up routines.
"What a tramp!" or "Such a tramp!"
Had made fun towards each other
Her self-deprecating persona
Attended Adelphi University in Garden City, New York.
Attended Connecticut College for Women in New London, Conneticut.
Received her Bachelor's degree in English literature and anthropology from Barnard College in New York City (1954).
After graduating from college and before getting into show business, she was briefly a shoe buyer for Lord & Taylor, a department store in New York City.
Collected Faberge eggs.
Said the most difficult celebrity she ever interviewed was Tommy Lee Jones , whom she thought was rude.
Was the national spokesperson for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
Hosted a daily talk show on WOR-AM radio in New York City from 1997 until 2002, syndicated to about 50 stations.
About 1982, she was appointed the first permanent guest hostess on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962). She infuriated Johnny Carson when she left to host her own show, The Late Show (1986) on rival Fox network. Johnny Carson never spoke to her again.
She won a Daytime Emmy Award in 1990 for best talk show host and was nominated for a Tony Award for the play "Donna Marr and Her Escorts" in 1994. She was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Comedy Recording in 1985.
Was one of the final guests to appear on The Wayne Brady Show (2002).
Was nominated for Broadway's 1994 Tony Award as Best Actress (Play) for portraying the title character, Sally Marr , in "Sally Marr... and Her Escorts".
Was a vegetarian.
Started performing as a stand-up comedienne using the stage name Pepper January.
She was a Phi Beta Kappa Sorority key holder from Barnard College, where she studied anthropology.
She had her first cosmetic surgery procedure (an eye-lift) in 1965 at age 32.
She had her nose thinned in 1983.
The majority of her plastic surgery was performed by Santa Monica surgeon Steven Hoefflin (who also performed plastic surgery on Michael Jackson 's nose). She also received Botox and collagen injections every four months from New York City dermatologist Patricia Wexler.
She was an advocate of plastic surgery for older women saying that if a woman can afford it, it is worth it for her self-esteem.
Early in her career, she performed as half of the comedy team of "Joanie and Bill". "Bill" was former actor William Perry (1936-2006) who was the nephew of actress Toby Wing .
An accomplished author, she has written several candid autobiographies, including "Enter Talking" and "Still Talking". Author of self-help books, including "Bouncing Back: I've Survived Everything... and I Mean Everything... and You Can Too!" and "Don't Count the Candles: Just Keep the Fire Lit!". Author of several comedy books, including "Having a Baby Can Be a Scream" and "The Life and Hard Times of Heidi Abromowitz".
Her father, Meyer C. Molinsky, was a doctor.
Her parents, Beatrice (Grushman) and Meyer Molinsky, were Russian Jewish immigrants.
Early in her career, she was a writer for Candid Camera (1953).
Her publicist was Judy Katz .
Was a Republican.
Used to maintain a residence in Litchfield County, Connecticut adjacent to the former Bill Blass estate.
Performed stand-up comedy, prior to hopeful Broadway run, at Club Fez in Manhattan. [June 2002]
(June 30, 2004) Announced that she and her daughter, Melissa Rivers , were leaving E! Entertainment to fashion-bash red-carpet-wise over at the TV Guide Channel. They had been with E! Entertainment since 1996.
Most recently lived in Malibu, California with her daughter, Melissa Rivers , and her grandson, Edgar Cooper Endicott .
She was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7030 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on July 26, 1989.
On August 28, 2014, she was rushed to Mount Sinai Hospital after experiencing complications during throat surgery being performed at a New York City Clinic.
Joan Rivers passed away on September 4, 2014, at age 81. This was a month, after her longtime friend Lauren Bacall had passed away.
Upon her death, her body was cremated at the Garden State Crematory in Union City, New Jersey, and her ashes are in possession of her daughter Melissa.
Protegee of Phyllis Diller .
Knew Kelly Osbourne when she was only 6, she later worked with her on Fashion Police (2002).
Her older sister, Barbara Waxler, passed away on June 3, 2013 at age 82.
Attended the funeral of Ernest Borgnine , when the actor passed away in 2012.
At a very early age, she wanted to be an actress.
Though she was born in Brooklyn, New York, Rivers was also raised in the following cities: Crown Heights and portions of the Prospect Heights and Brownsville neighborhoods of Central Brooklyn.
Her father, Dr. Meyer C. Molinsky, who graduated from medical school at Long Island College and in the mid-1930s kept an office at 760 Montgomery Street in Crown Heights, New York, historical records show.
Had never retired from comedy.
After her death, the friends who attended her funeral on September 7, 2014 were Oprah Winfrey , Whoopi Goldberg , Bernadette Peters , David Letterman , Jimmy Kimmel , Kathy Griffin , Donald Trump , Kelly Osbourne , Howard Stern , Robin Quivers , Kathie Lee Gifford , Rachael Ray , Geraldo Rivera , Sally Jessy Raphael , Sarah Jessica Parker , Judy Sheindlin , Barbara Walters , Rosie O'Donnell , Diane Sawyer and her daughter Melissa Rivers .
In 2012, Rivers protested against the warehouse-club Costco because they would not sell her New York Times bestselling book, "I Hate Everyone... Starting with Me". She handcuffed herself to a person's shopping cart and shouted through a megaphone. The police were called to the scene and she left without incident and no arrests were made.
Best remembered by the public as the hostess of The Joan Rivers Show (1989), Fashion Police (2002) and Joan & Melissa: Joan Knows Best? (2011).
Was merciless with subjects of popular piety.
Before she was a successful actress and comedienne, she was part of "Jim, Jake, and Joan", a comedic musical trio, in 1964.
Had briefly attended Brooklyn Ethical Culture School in Brooklyn, New York.
Celebrated her 80th birthday on an episode of Fashion Police (2002) and on QVC, on June 8, 2013.
While being a talk show hostess, she once worked as a waitress at Denny's Restaurant, in W. Palm Beach, Florida. She was switching jobs with Rhonda Denton who used to work at the same restaurant, when the guest host for Rivers on The Joan Rivers Show (1989) was announced in New York.
Served as an Honorary Director of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
Before an unfamiliar comedian Arsenio Hall had a successful late night talk show, she had used him for The Late Show (1986), as her replacement. Fortunately for Hall, he only got the job, because she left the show, because of the way the producers had been taken advantaged of her.
A big influence on Canadian comedian Katherine Ryan .
She was regarded in being one of the busiest personalities on television.
Mentor and friends of: Oprah Winfrey , Whoopi Goldberg , Arsenio Hall , Kathy Griffin , Chris Hardwick , Kelly Osborne and her real-life daughter Melissa Rivers .
She graduated from the Adelphi Academy of Brooklyn in Brooklyn, New York, in 1950, at almost 17 years old.
In 1949, aged 16, she was vice president of the Dramatic Club at the Adelphi Academy in Brooklyn, New York.
Had first watched television; when she was only 6 at the World's Fair.
Lifelong friend of nearly 35 years Geraldo Rivera .
Was brought on to The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962), seven times and was turned down, until she made her first appearance.
Had changed her last name from Molinsky to Rivers; this was because she wanted to be an actress; her agent Larry Rivers talked her into doing this.
Her husband Edgar Rosenberg even committed suicide when he was overdosing himself with a bottle of prescription pills. Their daughter Melissa Rivers found him unconscious in a Philadelphia hotel room.
Had always wanted to be an actress, this led her parents into kicking young Molinsky out of her parents' house.
Was the only performer to have guest-hosted or have appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962), more than anyone else.
Met Barbara Walters at NBC in 1965, where there might've been a competition in between the two ladies. The two became friends for nearly 50 years, until Rivers's own death in 2014.
Joan Rivers passed away on September 4, 2014, at age 81. Just before her death, she hosted her final taping of Fashion Police (2002), about the 66th Primetime Emmy Awards and the 2014 MTV Movie Awards.
On her 100th episode of The Late Show (1986), Rivers had two separate problems: the ratings sank, and she was also separated from her husband, Edgar Rosenberg , who wasn't just depressed, but was in bad health, after years of heavy smoking, who was also deeply in debt. He tried to ask her for help, when she refused to help him. She told him he had to get help, who couldn't pull poor Rivers down. Before Edgar's suicide, she was fired from the talk show, after 1 year.
Her career almost came to an end when she feuded with Johnny Carson , off- the set of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962), the loss of her second husband Edgar Rosenberg and her short-lived talk show The Late Show (1986), however, she attempted to make a comeback when she was hosting a Daytime Talk Show, The Joan Rivers Show (1989), in 1989.
Had started acting when she was in high school.
Had performed on television late, but her successful comedy career had lasted 55 years.
Just before Johnny Carson 's death, Rivers called him many times, but refused to answer all of her calls.
Before Chris Hardwick was a comedian, game show host and a talk show host, he, alongside his family met her, when she was doing an opening act for her own mentor Johnny Carson , in Las Vegas, Nevada, when he was only 3 years old, and became friends, of nearly 40 years, until Rivers's own death in 2014.
The first joke she ever stole was on The Jack Paar Tonight Show (1957).
Just before her death, she starred and have hosted Fashion Police (2002) and Joan & Melissa: Joan Knows Best? (2011), at the same time.
In 1942, when young Joan was 9, she watched the movie Journey for Margaret (1942), starring Margaret O'Brien . She was very disgusted realizing she could've done better than her.
Had never performed as a child.
Almost shared the same birthday with Ruth Westheimer , by 4 days, who is 5 years Rivers's senior.
Was one of the stars to release statements in Paul Reubens defense, after he was being arrested for indecent exposure in July 1991.
Attended the funeral of Ed McMahon , when the television personality/announcer passed away on June 29, 2009.
Personal Quotes (54)
[on her idea of a perfect childbirth experience] Knock me out with the first pain, and wake me up when the hairdresser arrives.
If you're not a wreck in this business, you're not around.
Once I was having lunch in a fancy restaurant with Lily Tomlin and Richard Pryor . We were all struggling comics together and the day we had lunch, any one of us could have picked up the check. That's when I knew I'd made it.
Camilla Parker-Bowles is an earthy, funny woman. You can swear in front of her.
[on Parkinson (1971), when entering] I am a dyke! And I'm DAMN proud of it!
I want them to know I don't think I'm wonderful, or better than they are. Part of comedy is saying: "I am you and you are me, and we're all feeling the same thing".
I'm in nobody's circle, I've always been an outsider. I don't have those wonderful dinners with Woody, I've never been asked by Jay. And it makes you sad, because I think it would be wonderful to sit and talk about things that very few people understand. But I'm very competitive, and I'm sure they feel that. I'm jealous of that little slut Paris Hilton . Why? I'm very competitive. And I think that's what has kept me going. I'm not gracious.
The only thing that's saving me is my age. Because I don't care. I've been up, I've been down. I've been fired, I've been hired. I've been broke. What are you gonna to do me? Not like me? I don't give a damn.
There is not one female comic who was beautiful as a little girl.
[on young female comics]: They all come up to me and say, "Without you, I couldn't be here, the barriers you broke down." I say, "Get the f*** away from me. I still could take every one of you with one hand behind my back. Outta here. Talk like that at my funeral, but not till then".
[June 29, 2008] One of the reasons I am so happy - there's lots happening again. Four times in my life, I woke up and the diary was empty. That's the worst feeling in the world. My Broadway show and my talk show were canceled on the same Friday. And I went that night to see Barbra Streisand , whom I'd started with, perform for 20,000 people at Madison Square Garden. That was a very bad night. Now I'm doing a pilot, I have two books coming, I have my play, I'm in a series that they've shot and they hope will be successful, I'm doing stand-up and I've got my jewelry company. At this age, to be wanted - you are fighting every single step of the way.
I was just interviewed for a documentary [ Making Trouble (2007)] on my least favorite subject - women comedians and how we've all been kept out. These two women came to my house, very serious, and asked, "How long did it take for you to get into the room?". I said, "Let me tell you something: if Adolf Hitler had four good jokes, he'd be in the room." It has to do with funny. Then they talked about how women help each other. I said, "I hate to tell you, but if it was between Sarah Silverman and me for a job? I'll kill her and she'll kill me. There's no sisterhood in comedy".
There is not one female comic who was beautiful as a little girl. Tell me one funny woman who was ever beautiful. Gwyneth Paltrow , stop, please, stop, I can't stand it. Angelina Jolie ? Men don't want you funny. It's all about coping when you're not being the pretty girl, and you're not being the first one asked to dance, and the bottle spins and lands on you and Stuart Wein doesn't want to kiss you.
One of the earliest jokes I did about my husband was that I was the one who really caused Edgar's suicide, because, while we were making love, I took the bag off my head.
My husband wanted to be cremated. I told him I'd scatter his ashes at [the department store] Neiman Marcus - that way, I'd visit him every day.
I knew I was an unwanted baby when I saw my bath toys were a toaster and a radio.
[In an interview, on the British chat show Loose Women (1999) in 2008, on working the red carpet for the E! Channel]: You get someone like Russell Crowe , and you want to say to the camera, he is a piece of - get ready to bleep this - f***ing shit. (Rivers was immediately pulled from the British chat show - they had no bleep.) These idiots came running onto the set, ripped me off my seat and dragged me off, saying, "Let's go, let's go, let's go." When the audience saw my empty chair, I worried that, because of my age, they might think I'd wet it because my diaper leaked. People always ask me, "What haven't you done, Miss Rivers? You've done this and that, been nominated for an Emmy and a Tony. You've hosted shows, you've acted, done stand-up, lost your husband to suicide, been bankrupted by a business partner [who made off with $37m in the 1990s] - what haven't you done?". Well, until today, I'd never been kicked off live television. Assholes.
[Interview with Andrew Scott, June 10, 2010] I've never been in the "in" group. I've never been considered. But that's what keeps me punching, if that makes sense. I'm still in the "I'll show you" mentality.
[on the passing of Elaine Kaufman ] Elaine's was a place you went to let everyone know you were in town. It was first stop L.A./N.Y. You knew your name was above the title when Elaine sat with you. I also loved that the prices changed constantly.
[on reality shows] When was the last time you went to a dinner party where three women got up and slapped each other? Everybody's punching and slapping. This is not reality. We got a second season because everybody that has a parent, a mother, anyone can relate to what really happens between adult children and parents.
Having my daughter, I screamed for twenty-three hours straight. And that was just during conception.
Boy George is all England needs. Another queen who can't dress.
New York was the magic city. New York was Oz. All I wanted to do was get out of Brooklyn and get into Oz. We'd go to the theater district -- I saved my money, and I would go with a girlfriend and sit in Sardi's, order an avocado for 60 cents, and wait to be discovered. They must have been thrilled to see us. We went to Howard Johnson's, and my friend smoked a cigarette. We're sitting at the Howard Johnson's, and we're smoking cigarettes -- say no more.
Men who look down my dress usually compliment me on my shoes.
That awful, vulgar, loud woman on stage, that's not me. I wouldn't want to be her friend.
[on antiques] If Louis XIV hasn't sat on it, I don't want it.
[In 2010, on Twitter] With all the plastic surgery I've had, I'm worried that when I die, God won't recognize me!
I don't exercise. If God had wanted me to bend over, he would have put diamonds on the floor.
[on the red-carpet] Who are you wearing?
[her trademark line] Can we talk?
My best birth control now is just to leave the lights on.
The secret of my success is just saying what everybody else has been thinking.
I haven't missed the Emmys since that year my makeup team was nominated for "Best Special Effects"!
Look at Gwyneth Paltrow being named the Most Beautiful this year. Congratulations, Gwyneth! Now look at who she got to vote: Ray Charles , José Feliciano , Helen Keller, Ronnie Milsap , Tom Sullivan , and Stevie Wonder .
Never be afraid to laugh at yourself; after all, you could be missing out on the joke of the century.
I hate housework. You make the beds, you do the dishes...and six months later, you have to start all over again.
There are three things all children should be taught never to do: touch a hot stove; pull lamps off tables; and wake their mother before noon.
A study says owning a dog makes you 10 years younger. I'd rescue two more, but who wants to go through menopause twice?
[on daughter Melissa Rivers ] She and I are very close. We speak every single day. Literally, I call her every day and leave the same message on her answering machine: "Pick the hell up, Melissa. I know you're there, damn it." And she always calls me back with the same response: "Mom, how in God's name did you get this new number?"
At my funeral, I want Meryl Streep crying in five different accents.
[on Justin Bieber ] He looks like the daughter Cher wishes she'd had.
Want to know why women don't blink during foreplay? Not enough time.
[on Renee Zellweger] Push her face against a glass door, and you'll see what all babies look like at birth.
If you don't want gays in the military, make the uniforms ugly.
My love life is like a piece of Swiss cheese: much of it's missing, and what's there stinks.
The great thing about irrigating your colon is that sometimes you find old jewelry.
People say that money is not the key to happiness. But I've always figured that, with enough money, you can hire a battering ram.
All I ever heard when I was a kid was,"Why can't you be more like your cousin Sheila?" And Sheila had died at birth.
I wish I had a twin, so I could know what I'd look like without plastic surgery.
I have no sex appeal. If my husband didn't toss and turn, we'd never have had any kids.
All my mother told me about sex was that the man goes on top, and that the woman goes on bottom. For three years, my husband and I slept in bunk beds.
My sex life is so bad, my G-spot has been declared a historical landmark.
[on turning 50]: Our natures are a lot like oil, mix us with anything else, and we strive to swim on top.
[When constantly thought about dying]: In your 80s, you'd be foolish not to think about that. I am definitely going to be cremated. I've left money so the dogs can be taken care of. I've said to Melissa, 'Sell anything and everything you don't want. Don't feel beholden to my possessions.' I feel almost hysterical on that. I don't want them to have a sense of guilt.
Salary (1)
| i don't know |
What is the national flower of Nepal? | Indigenous Flowers of Nepal
Indigenous Flowers of Nepal
The tiny country of Nepal is situated in the Himalayan Mountain ranges and hence it has a lot of variety in flora and fauna. One can find exquisite varieties of flowers in Nepal which are not found anywhere else in the world. Nepal has a rich biodiversity and many of its plants and flowers have demonstrated medicinal properties that have been used by the local people for years. In Nepal there are more than 6500 varieties of flowers along with trees and bushes. The threat of rising environment hazard is posing a great danger to the rare species of flowers and plants in Nepal and hence the Nepalese government has initiated some protective measures to ensure that the rare varieties of flowers in Nepal do not go extinct.
Season Talks
The flowers start blooming in Nepal at the end of winter and in the monsoon season the surrounding landscape comes alive with the blooming of flowers. In the valleys that are located in the higher mountain ranges one see the growth of such indigenous flowers such as buttercups, cinquefoils, scrophs, polygonums, cinquefoils, composites and mints. As the climate gets warmer, the flowers in the subtropics began to bloom. March and April are the main months in Nepal which is known as the flower season and the rhododendrons fully blossom during this month. Other flowers like orchids, blue irises, lavender primuds and big white magnolias also are found in Nepal. In July and August the western region of Nepal thrives with great scenes of flowers.
The region that is comparatively low in elevation in Nepal has flower varieties like roses, orchids, edelweiss, campanlas, impatiens, anemones, and corydalis. The alpine area of Nepal has flower varieties like sediums, saxifrages proliferate, larkspurs and poppies. One can also find in the Himalaya region flower varieties such as caragana, ionicera and astragalus. The floral vegetation of Nepal withers away as the monsoon ends in the months of October and November, however in the sub-tropical region one can still find flowers that include pink luculia, mauve osbeckia and also yellow St John�s wort. Nepal boasts of more than three hundred varieties of orchids. The Nepalese call the Eupatorium ban mara which means death to the forest. This particular flower is like a daisy that has a red stem and leaves in the shape of heart. Although it is not indigenous to Nepal, it has now flourished well in the country.
When it comes to orchids, Nepal is the paradise for this variety of flowers because the region has a moist atmosphere and cloudy forest that is conducive for the growth of orchids. Orchids are like the national treasure of Nepal and it has attracted collectors so much so that some have also attempted heists for securing the rare wild varieties of orchids. Smuggling of orchids in Nepal is a flourishing business and hence if Nepal is the paradise for orchids it is also the paradise of orchid smugglers. The indigenous wild orchids of Nepal are smuggled to its neighboring country India from where it is exported to the Europe and the United States. There are 386 registered orchid varieties in Nepal and each year three to four and even more varieties of orchids are discovered in Nepal. One can find only in Nepal eight endemic orchid species and hence orchids are the most important flower varieties of Nepal.
The indigenous orchids of Nepal are famous all over the world and the export of the tissue culture of such orchids seems the way for the experts to stop the illegal trafficking of the indigenous orchids of Nepal. The vase life of the orchids is quite long and if they are kept in the right condition they can remain fresh for as many as six to eight weeks. Given the demand for the orchids of Nepal it has become a lucrative business venture for many in Nepal.
Steps taken to prevent the flora
In order to save the indigenous varieties of Nepal�s flowers, the government has set up many gardens and separate areas in the Royal Botanical Garden. There is also the conservation and education garden with which one can learn how to protect and save the endangered species of flowers. The flower show arranged at the garden is also another good way to save the species on the brink of extinction. Greater awareness is created in the minds of the visitors about the rare species of Nepalese indigenous flowers.
| Rhododendron |
Poet Elizabeth Barrett married which poet and playwright on 1846? | Nepal Flags and Symbols and National Anthem
Print this map
Nepal Flag:
The Nepal flag was officially adopted on December 16, 1962, and it's the only national flag that's not a rectangle or square.
The blue border symbolizes peace, while red is the color of the rhododendron, Nepal's official flower.
The crescent moon is said to represent the royal house, while the sun represents the Rana family.
| i don't know |
Which car manufacturer has a logo featuring a red cross and a green snake? | Car Company Logos
Car Company Logos
By Mary Gormandy White
In addition to being an essential part of advertising and brand identity, car company logos provide a powerful visual image for auto consumers. Each automobile manufacturer has a unique logo, many of which have changed dramatically over the years. In some cases, these logos are tied to the company's history in surprising ways.
List of Car Company Logos
Abarth
Now Fiat's racing arm, Abarth's logo is rich with meaning. The scorpion represents the Zodiac sign of company founder Karl Alberto Abarth, and the shield is a symbol of passion and triumph. The colors beneath the name represent the Italian flag.
Acura
Honda's luxury brand features a logo that looks like a stylized letter "A" inside a circle. The symbol also represents the caliper, an important precision engineering tool.
Aixam
Now Aixam Mega, the logo for this French microcar manufacturer is simple and elegant, spelling out the company's original name and calling out the first letter with a bold "A" (or "M" in some cases) inside a circular graphic.
Alfa Romeo
This Italian exotic car brand has a complicated, circular logo featuring a red cross and a green snake with a dragon's head. These symbols represent the city of Milan, where the company was founded.
Aston Martin
The British luxury car brand has an iconic logo of a pair of wings with the company name. A version of this logo has graced Aston Martin cars since the 1920s.
Audi
This German automaker's four interlocking rings represent this history of the company as it started out as four smaller companies.
Bajoun
Bajoun is a General Motors brand made and sold only in China. The name means "treasured horse" - and that's exactly what the logo depicts.
Bentley
The British exotic car manufacturer features a winged logo with a letter "B" in the center. The wings in this logo call up the company's aerospace roots.
BMW
BMW's blue and white checkerboard pattern represents an airplane propeller, since BMW was originally an airplane manufacturer. The logo's colors and checks are from the Bavarian flag, where the company was founded.
Buick
This American car brand features a logo with three shields inside a circle. The idea for the shield came from the Buick family crest.
Cadillac
Cadillac has had many logos over the years. This current version features two stalks of wheat with a shield in the center.
Chevrolet
One of the most iconic American car logos, the symbol for Chevrolet is a simple angled cross with a longer horizontal line. The design is referred to as the Chevrolet bowtie.
Chrysler
There are several versions of the Chrysler logo, but the most recognizable is a pentagon with a star in the center, referred to as the Chrysler Pentastar. The current version is sleeker and simpler, suggesting wings.
Citroen
The double chevrons in
Citroen's logo represent the Helical Gear, a Citroen invention that is used in every modern automobile. They also represent the company's commitment to technical innovation.
Dacia
This Romanian car brand has been part of Renault since 1999.The company is bold and simple, highlighting the company name in a shade of blue representative of one of the colors of the Romanian flag, on a bold, silver-tone graphic.
Daewoo
The modern logo of this Korean General Motors brand still bears the crown-shaped emblem from the company's early days. The shape is similar to that of a now defunct, but once popular, football club in South Korea.
Daimler
The Daimler logo is simple and elegant, conveying the same sense of understated luxury that this German car manufacturer is known for around the world.
Datsun
The Datsun brand is exclusive to Japan and emerging markets like India. The logo places the brand front and center, superimposed over a striking chrome and blue graphic.
Denza
As the first Chinese car brand dedicated to new energy vehicles, Denza's logo represents the company's values of responsibility to nature and society
Dodge
The logo for this American brand features is the manufacturer's name in simple block lettering. The two red stripes represent speed and agility.
Ferrari
This Italian exotic car manufacturer uses a logo of a rearing horse, often set inside a yellow rectangle. The same horse logo once graced the sides of an Italian ace fighter pilot's plane.
Fiat
Fiat's bold red logo calls to mind its retro roots, as well as a sleek, modern style.
Ford
The Ford logo is simple and instantly recognizable: a blue oval with the company name in script lettering. A version of this logo has been in use since 1927.
GM
The white lettering in General Motors' logo stands for the company's purity, charm and integrity. The blue background indicates excellence and trustworthiness.
GMC
This American car company symbol is easy to recognize, since it is simply the letters "GMC" in red block lettering.
Holden
This GM-owned Australian car company's logo features a lion rolling a stone - a graphic representation of the invention of the wheel.
Honda
The Japanese carmaker features a symbol of a silver letter "H" inside a rectangle.
Hummer
Hummer's logo features the company's name and slogan in block letters appropriate for the company's rugged, yet luxurious, vehicles.
Hyundai
The symbol for the Korean auto company is a slanted blue letter "H" inside an oval
Infiniti
This high-end auto brand has an oval logo with a notch out of the bottom.
Isuzu
This Japanese car company's logo is a bright red representation of its name with mirror image "s" and "z" letters.
Jaguar
Luxury carmaker Jaguar has a logo of a leaping jungle cat with the company name underneath.
Jeep
Just like the classic vehicle itself, the Jeep logo is simple and utilitarian, consisting of the company name in block letters.
Jiefang
China's first domestic car manufacturer bears a logo with the number one as the focal feature. The company is a joint venture with General Motors, and the colors reflect that relationship.
Kia
This Korean automaker has a logo of the company's name in red letters, surrounded by a red oval.
Lamborghini
The Lamborghini logo is a gold shield with the company name above a charging bull which stands for Taurus, the Zodiac sign of the company founder.
Lancia
The Lancia logo features the company's name surrounded by a lance and a shield.
Land Rover
The green oval Land Rover logo is easily recognizable and elegantly simple.
Lexus
The luxury arm of Toyota features a simple letter "L" logo inside a silver circle.
Lincoln
This American carmaker has a simple logo of a vertical rectangle with a cross on it.
Lotus
The Lotus logo is a yellow circle with a green, curved triangle featuring the company name.
Maserati
The graphic on Maserati's logo is a red three-pronged spear referred to as a trident. It rises from a base that bears the company's name.
Maybach
Maybach's logo features two overlapping letter "M"s on a triangular, orange background.
Mazda
The logo for this Japanese company features a rounded rectangle with a winged V-shape in the center.
Mercedes-Benz
This simple logo is a circle with a three-pointed star in the center. The logo represents the merging of Mercedes and Daimler who had a laurel wreath and a star as their symbols respectively.
Mini
Mini's iconic, winged logo calls to mind its British roots and retro style.
Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi features a logo with three red diamonds arranged in the shape of a triangle. The logo represents the combination of two family crests.
Nissan
This automaker has a simple logo of a silver circle with the company name across the center.
Opel
The Opel logo features lightning streaking across an open circle above the German company's name. The logo is inspired by the Opel Blitz truck, as "blitz" is German for "lightning."
Peugeot
Peugeot's logo has featured a lion since 1948. The modern version features a lion above the company's name. The metallic color represents the brand's values, which are excellence, emotion, and allure.
Porsche
The Porsche logo features a shield with a prancing horse in the center, and red and black stripes. The horse represents the city seal of Stuttgart, Germany, where the brand was founded.
RAM
The logo for this American brand features a ram's head inside a shield shape.
Renault
Renault's logo is a silver diamond above the name on a yellow background. The yellow color represents the brand's joy, optimism and prosperity, while the silver stands for sophistication and creativity.
Renault Nissan
Representing the alliance of the French and Japanese automakers, this logo features both brand names beneath graphic elements that show their corporate colors joining together.
Renault Samsung
This logo represents the sophistication and creativity used by Renault Samsung Motors in its quest to produce high-end, modern vehicles and the company's focus on research and development.
Rolls-Royce
This luxury brand has a symbol of two overlapping letter "R"s on a blue background.
Saab
This logo is a blue circle with a red, griffin head wearing a gold crown.
Saturn
Saturn's logo is a silver abstract representation for the planet bearing the same name over a red background. The graphic is outlined in silver and positioned above the brand name.
Scion
This Toyota offshoot features an oval logo with a slanted vertical line and a horizontal bar printed with the company name.
SEAT
The logo for this Spanish car company features a bold, silver depiction of an "S" above the brand name boldly presented in red.
Skoda
The Skoda insignia is an encircled arrow with wings beneath the brand name. The colors and design represent this Czech Republic company's focus on the environment, eco-materials, progress and innovation.
Smart Car
The Smart Car has a logo shaped like the letter "C" with a yellow triangle.
Spyker
The Spyker logo calls to mind the company's aero roots with its airplane propellers.
SRT
Street Racing Technology (SRT) is a Chrysler brand. The logo features the brand's initials (and common name) in a slanted shape that indicates speed. The red color represents speed and agility, and is the same shade used in the logo for sister-brand Dodge.
Subaru
Subaru has a blue logo featuring several silver stars. The five smaller stars represent the five Japanese car companies that banded together to form the larger company.
Suzuki
This logo features a bold, red "S" symbol above the full name in dark blue. The red represents the brand's passion, determination and vitality, while the blue stands for strength and harmony.
Tesla
This green automaker features a shield-shaped logo with a stylized letter "T."
Toyota
| Alfa Romeo |
Which British television channel was launched on 2nd November 1982? | Car Manufacturer Logos | Malaysiaminilover
Car Manufacturer Logos
advertisements
Here is the complete list of car manufacturer logos and car company logos from A-Z you ever wanted. All these car logos endow with an influential visual image for car enthusiasts and automobile buyers. On the other hand, car logos are important as a symbol for advertising, brand identity, and meaning. Consumers may not remember a car brand but they can recognize car logos.
Every car logos are unique with creativity and meaning. Each car manufacturer has its own logo, some remain the same since the first day the logo created but many of them have changed dramatically over the years for better image.
Abadal Logo: ABADAL with a “Y” in the middle and “ia” at the bottom. Abadal was a Spanish car manufacturer between 1912 and 1923.
Abarth Logo:
Acura Logo: Premium version of Honda. The logo features a stylized letter “A” inside a circle.
Alfa Romeo Logo: The logo features a red cross and green snake inside a complete circle.
Alta Logo:
| i don't know |
In medicine, Renal Calculus is another term for what? | Definition of Renal calculi
Definition of Renal calculi
Causes of a Heart Attack Slideshow
Renal calculi: Kidney stones . A common cause of blood in the urine and pain in the abdomen, flank, or groin. Occurs in 1 in 20 people at some time in their life. Development of the stones is related to decreased urine volume or increased excretion of stone-forming components such as calcium, oxalate, urate, cystine, xanthine, and phosphate.
The stones form in the urine collecting area (the pelvis) of the kidney and may range in size from tiny to staghorn stones the size of the renal pelvis itself . The pain is usually of sudden onset, very severe and colicky (intermittent), not improved by changes in position, radiating from the back, down the flank, and into the groin. Nausea and vomiting are common. Predisposing factors may include recent reduction in fluid intake, increased exercise with dehydration , medications that cause hyperuricemia (high uric acid) and a history of gout . Treatment includes relief of pain, hydration and, if there is concurrent urinary infection, antibiotics. The majority of stones pass spontaneously within 48 hours. However, some stones may not. There are several factors which influence the ability to pass a stone. These include the size of the person, prior stone passage, prostate enlargement, pregnancy , and the size of the stone. A 4 mm stone has an 80% chance of passage while a 5 mm stone has a 20% chance. If a stone does not pass, urologic intervention may be needed. The process of stone formation is also called nephrolithiasis or urolithiasis. "Nephrolithiasis" is derived from the Greek nephros- (kidney) + lithos (stone) = kidney stone "Urolithiasis" is from the French word "urine" which, in turn, stems from the Latin "urina" and the Greek "ouron" meaning urine = urine stone.
Last Editorial Review: 5/13/2016
| Kidney stone |
Soceraphobia is the irrational fear of which members of the family? | Kidney stones - Mayo Clinic
Kidney stones
Kidney stones
Kidney stones (renal lithiasis, nephrolithiasis) are small, hard mineral deposits that form inside your kidneys. The stones are made of mineral and acid salts.
Kidney stones have many causes and can affect any part of your urinary tract — from your kidneys to your bladder. Often, stones form when the urine becomes concentrated, allowing minerals to crystallize and stick together.
Passing kidney stones can be quite painful, but the stones usually cause no permanent damage. Depending on your situation, you may need nothing more than to take pain medication and drink lots of water to pass a kidney stone. In other instances — for example, if stones become lodged in the urinary tract or cause complications — surgery may be needed.
Your doctor may recommend preventive treatment to reduce your risk of recurrent kidney stones if you're at increased risk of developing them again.
References
Goldman L, et al. Goldman's Cecil Medicine. 24th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2012. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Dec. 10, 2014.
Kidney stones in adults. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/stonesadults/index.htm. Accessed Dec. 10, 2014.
Diet for kidney stone prevention. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/KUDiseases/pubs/kidneystonediet/index.aspx. Accessed Dec. 10, 2014.
Rakel D. Integrative Medicine. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2012. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Dec. 10, 2014.
Curhan GC, et al. Diagnosis and acute management of suspected nephrolithiasis in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed Dec. 10, 2014.
Preminger GM, et al. The first kidney stone and asymptomatic nephrolithiasis in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed Dec. 10, 2014.
Humphreys MR (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Phoenix/Scottsdale, Ariz. Jan. 21, 2015.
Anderson CF (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Jan. 16, 2015.
Wein AJ, et al. Campbell-Walsh Urology. 10th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2012. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Dec. 10, 2014.
Signs and symptoms of parathyroid disease. The American Association of Endocrine Surgeons. http://endocrinediseases.org/parathyroid/symptoms_kidney_stones.shtml. Accessed Jan. 15, 2015.
Cook AJ. Decision Support System. Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Oct. 8, 2014.
Kidney stone treatment: Shock wave lithotripsy. National Kidney Foundation. https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/kidneystones_ShockWave. Accessed Feb. 5, 2015.
Products and Services
| i don't know |
Which British soap opera was the first to feature a gay wedding? | 'Archers' toasts first gay wedding in a soap opera | The Independent
'Archers' toasts first gay wedding in a soap opera
Friday 15 December 2006 00:00 BST
Click to follow
The Independent Online
Two decades after the first gay character moved in to Albert Square and 13 years after Anna Friel's lesbian kiss on Brookside Close, The Archers achieved a soap-opera first by featuring a gay civil ceremony last night.
In what is being hailed as a momentous media moment, the BBC Radio 4 show's gay couple, Adam Macy and Ian Craig, "tied the knot" in an emotional ceremony in Ambridge.
Over a quarter of a million extra listeners were expected to have tuned in for the 15-minute episode at 7pm. They listened to the culmination of a two-year romance that took off in the middle of a strawberry field, when the lovers shared their first kiss in April 2004.
Set in the fictional rural community, the soap has followed the fortunes of the middle-class Archer family who own and manage Brookfield Farm, which has been passed down the generations.
For many, the civil ceremony was more than just a modern twist to radio's oldest soap, created in 1951 to disseminate information to farmers. The show has come to represent the last bastion of Middle England.
Adam and Craig's union, for which both actors dressed in traditional morning suits, was treated with far less sensationalism when compared to representations of gay characters in the media a few decades ago, according to Joseph Galliano, the editor of Gay Times.
He commended the writers and producers of The Archers for a "much more rounded and thoughtful" portrayal of the gay couple. "In terms of The Archers being the last bastion of middle England, for the relationship to be there in the middle of that is a wonderful thing and sends out a powerful message.
"What's different about this relationship compared with other gay relationships in soaps is that it's longer sustained and very much part of the community. They are not treated any differently to how other characters are treated," he said.
He added that the civil partnership ceremony, in some ways, helped to defy the stereotype of the rural community as closed and homophobic, as well as the stereotype of homosexuals as "urban gay boys".
Lucas North, a spokesman for The Archers, said viewing figures for last night's episode provided "the highlight of the year". The show attracts an average five million listeners per episode.
"This is the culmination of the longest-running gay relationship in radio soap history, as far as we know. It's been going on for two and a half years. It's also been one year since the civil partnership legislation came into being in this country and they have been far more successful than the Government anticipated, so it's nice that this storyline shows the ceremony as popular and real," he said.
But the show's more progressive plotlines have not been universally welcomed.
Stephen Kennedy, who plays Ian, said in an interview this week: "When Adam and Ian first kissed, The Telegraph wrote this incredibly homophobic article about how The Archers had become sensationalised and was betraying its listeners. I thought that was incredible enough but, two years later, the real-life furore that's greeted their decision to have a civil partnership has been even more vociferous.
"Quite apart from the letters pages of the right-wing media, a poll on The Archers' own fan website found that of nearly 7,000 respondents, one fifth thought same-sex marriages were an inappropriate topic for the programme. I find it incredible."
The soaps that came out of the closet
EastEnders
In 1986, Colin Russell (played by Michael Cashman) was a yuppie graphics designer who moved to Albert Square, where he met Barry and fell in love. After Barry left to join the merchant marines, Colin met Guido, who eventually moved in with him.
Emmerdale
Zoe Tate (Leah Bracknell), daughter of Frank, came out as a lesbian in June 1993. the character Richard appeared in several episodes as Zoe's first gay friend and two of Zoe's lovers appeared in several episodes. Suzie took Zoe away from Emma, just as the two were about to get 'married'.
Brookside
Beth Jordache, (Anna Friel) had relationships with a confused female neighbour and a lesbian college lecturer in 1993. She later died in prison. A second couple, Lindsey and Shelley, was introduced later.
Coronation Street
After 38 years on the air, and 12 years after EastEnders introduced its first gay character, this soap took the plunge, not with a gay or lesbian character but with Hayley, (Julie Hesmondhalgh), a male-to-female transsexual.
| The Archers |
Which country invaded and now controls the north of the island of Cyprus? | 'Archers' toasts first gay wedding in a soap opera | The Independent
'Archers' toasts first gay wedding in a soap opera
Friday 15 December 2006 00:00 BST
Click to follow
The Independent Online
Two decades after the first gay character moved in to Albert Square and 13 years after Anna Friel's lesbian kiss on Brookside Close, The Archers achieved a soap-opera first by featuring a gay civil ceremony last night.
In what is being hailed as a momentous media moment, the BBC Radio 4 show's gay couple, Adam Macy and Ian Craig, "tied the knot" in an emotional ceremony in Ambridge.
Over a quarter of a million extra listeners were expected to have tuned in for the 15-minute episode at 7pm. They listened to the culmination of a two-year romance that took off in the middle of a strawberry field, when the lovers shared their first kiss in April 2004.
Set in the fictional rural community, the soap has followed the fortunes of the middle-class Archer family who own and manage Brookfield Farm, which has been passed down the generations.
For many, the civil ceremony was more than just a modern twist to radio's oldest soap, created in 1951 to disseminate information to farmers. The show has come to represent the last bastion of Middle England.
Adam and Craig's union, for which both actors dressed in traditional morning suits, was treated with far less sensationalism when compared to representations of gay characters in the media a few decades ago, according to Joseph Galliano, the editor of Gay Times.
He commended the writers and producers of The Archers for a "much more rounded and thoughtful" portrayal of the gay couple. "In terms of The Archers being the last bastion of middle England, for the relationship to be there in the middle of that is a wonderful thing and sends out a powerful message.
"What's different about this relationship compared with other gay relationships in soaps is that it's longer sustained and very much part of the community. They are not treated any differently to how other characters are treated," he said.
He added that the civil partnership ceremony, in some ways, helped to defy the stereotype of the rural community as closed and homophobic, as well as the stereotype of homosexuals as "urban gay boys".
Lucas North, a spokesman for The Archers, said viewing figures for last night's episode provided "the highlight of the year". The show attracts an average five million listeners per episode.
"This is the culmination of the longest-running gay relationship in radio soap history, as far as we know. It's been going on for two and a half years. It's also been one year since the civil partnership legislation came into being in this country and they have been far more successful than the Government anticipated, so it's nice that this storyline shows the ceremony as popular and real," he said.
But the show's more progressive plotlines have not been universally welcomed.
Stephen Kennedy, who plays Ian, said in an interview this week: "When Adam and Ian first kissed, The Telegraph wrote this incredibly homophobic article about how The Archers had become sensationalised and was betraying its listeners. I thought that was incredible enough but, two years later, the real-life furore that's greeted their decision to have a civil partnership has been even more vociferous.
"Quite apart from the letters pages of the right-wing media, a poll on The Archers' own fan website found that of nearly 7,000 respondents, one fifth thought same-sex marriages were an inappropriate topic for the programme. I find it incredible."
The soaps that came out of the closet
EastEnders
In 1986, Colin Russell (played by Michael Cashman) was a yuppie graphics designer who moved to Albert Square, where he met Barry and fell in love. After Barry left to join the merchant marines, Colin met Guido, who eventually moved in with him.
Emmerdale
Zoe Tate (Leah Bracknell), daughter of Frank, came out as a lesbian in June 1993. the character Richard appeared in several episodes as Zoe's first gay friend and two of Zoe's lovers appeared in several episodes. Suzie took Zoe away from Emma, just as the two were about to get 'married'.
Brookside
Beth Jordache, (Anna Friel) had relationships with a confused female neighbour and a lesbian college lecturer in 1993. She later died in prison. A second couple, Lindsey and Shelley, was introduced later.
Coronation Street
After 38 years on the air, and 12 years after EastEnders introduced its first gay character, this soap took the plunge, not with a gay or lesbian character but with Hayley, (Julie Hesmondhalgh), a male-to-female transsexual.
| i don't know |
In October 2012, which British MP was said to have had to pay for an upgrade after he sat in a first class train carriage with a standard class ticket? | Anti-austerity marches take place - BBC News
Anti-austerity marches take place
Media captionDemonstrators want the coalition to end public service cuts
Tens of thousands of people have marched in protest at the government's austerity measures.
Labour leader Ed Miliband, among dozens of speakers who addressed crowds at the biggest march in London, received a mixed reaction. Other rallies took place in Glasgow and Belfast.
The government says austerity measures are vital to cutting the deficit.
Away from the rally, the Met Police said it had responded to anti-social behaviour in the Oxford Street area.
Organiser Trades Union Congress (TUC), which said workers and campaigners from across the UK were involved with the demonstration, estimated that more than 150,000 people took part while the Met Police has not released an estimate.
Media captionEd Miliband: "I have said whoever was in government now there would be some cuts."
That compares with the more than 250,000 people who took part in a London anti-cuts march and rally in March 2011.
Mr Miliband, speaking at a rally in Hyde Park at the end of the march, said his party was there for "all the young people in this country who want work, but can't find it in Britain today".
He was booed when he suggested there would still be spending cuts under Labour - Union leaders recently criticised Labour for supporting a public sector pay freeze.
"I have said whoever was in government now there would be some cuts, but this government has shown that cutting too far and too fast, self-defeating austerity is not the answer, it is not the answer to Britain's problems," he said.
But there were cheers when he referenced the incident in which Chancellor George Osborne had to pay for an upgrade after he sat in a first class train carriage with a standard class ticket.
At the scene
By Luisa BaldiniBBC News
Two hours after the march began, there was still a sea of people snaking their way from the Embankment, through Whitehall, along Piccadilly and into Hyde Park for the rally.
The party atmosphere, complete with whistles, hooters and brass bands, belied the serious message from those taking part that government cuts are too harsh.
But the placards - including "no cuts" and "24 hour general strike" - said it all.
Once in Hyde Park, listening to speakers such as Ed Miliband and union leaders, the mood was more sedate.
Such were the numbers taking part in the event that the rear of the march only arrived at Hyde Park shortly before the rally ended.
He was also cheered when he spoke about Andrew Mitchell's resignation after the chief whip admitted swearing at police officers during a Downing Street confrontation, but denied calling them "plebs".
"Andrew Mitchell may have resigned, but the culture of two nations runs right across this government," Mr Miliband said.
"They cut taxes for millionaires and they raise taxes for ordinary families."
But Conservative Business Minister Michael Fallon said later that Mr Miliband's speech showed Labour could not be trusted with public finances.
Mr Fallon said: "By turning up at a rally that opposes every single spending cut that's necessary to deal with our debts, Ed Miliband has shown that he's still in favour of more spending, more borrowing and even greater debt.
"That's what got us into this mess in the first place."
The marchers - brought to London in more than 250 coaches - had assembled along Victoria Embankment on the north bank of the Thames from 1100 BST and set off at about noon.
Banners on display included those reading "Cameron has butchered Britain", "no cuts" and "plebs on parade".
In a separate development, the Met Police said it had responded to a number of incidents of anti-social behaviour in the Oxford Street shopping area and that some arrests had been made.
At the March 2011 demonstration, there were clashes between police and protesters in Trafalgar Square - hours after a peaceful march to Hyde Park. A total of 201 arrests were made that day.
Elsewhere around the UK:
The Wales TUC chartered a train and coaches so that people from all over Wales could march in London.
The BBC's Laura Maxwell, at the Glasgow march , said the people there had come from all over Scotland and the north of England to add their voice to the national demonstration. Most of the criticism there was levied at the Westminster government, but the Scottish TUC says the Scottish government has to stop hiding behind Chancellor George Osborne's public sector pay cuts, our reporter added.
At the Belfast rally , organised by the Northern Ireland Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (Ictu), assistant general secretary Peter Bunting said Stormont must not "slavishly" cut back on the say-so of the government in London. He said workers must not allow themselves to be divided into sectarian blocs, as they had been in the past.
Earlier this month, Mr Cameron warned more "painful decisions" would be necessary to repair the UK economy, adding that he would not waver from austerity measures.
And on Saturday, around the time of the start of the London march, he posted a message on Twitter stating: "Today Ed Miliband is headlining a rally calling for an end to every single spending cut needed to clear the deficit #labourisntlearning."
Media captionBrendan Barber describes the government's austerity measures as a "negative strategy"
However, TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: "The evidence is mounting that austerity is failing.
"More than 2.5 million people are out of work, a further three million are not working enough hours to make ends meet, and wages have been falling every month for the last three years."
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the "huge squeeze on wages and living standards" had led to a "massive hit on confidence and on demand in the economy".
"That's why some of our biggest companies that are sitting on big cash reserves aren't investing that and getting our economy moving again."
However, he said he did not think a general strike by unions was likely, adding: "Some of my colleagues may talk about that. I don't hear too many people calling for a general strike."
Media captionTaxpayers' Alliance: "Most of the public understand and accept cuts are needed."
Calls for a mass walk-out over spending cuts have grown in recent months, with the TUC Congress voting in September to look into the practicalities of organising one.
A government spokesman said: "It is disappointing that some unions insist on pushing for irresponsible and futile strike action which benefits no-one. As we have said time and again, pension talks will not be reopened and nothing further will be achieved through strike action."
Conservative Party Chairman Grant Shapps said of Ed Miliband: "You can't be serious about clearing the deficit when you attend a march that calls for an end to austerity."
| George Osborne |
‘Winnie the Pooh’ is the Bingo call for which number? | Liberal England: George Osborne and Thomas Isaac Mardy Jones
George Osborne and Thomas Isaac Mardy Jones
There has been much merriment today at George Osborne's antics aboard the train to Euston.
As B BC News tells it:
George Osborne has been forced to pay for an upgrade after sitting in a first class train carriage with a standard class ticket.
An aide to Mr Osborne initially refused to pay the £160 supplement and said the chancellor did not want to move into standard class, Virgin Trains said.
ITV reporter Rachel Townsend , who was on the same train as the chancellor, Tweeted about the incident. He is lucky he is not living in the 1920s.
Back in 2005 I wrote about the fall of Thomas Isaac Mardy Jones in a House Points column:
In 1922 Mardy Jones was elected Labour MP for Pontypridd. He had begun work in the mines at the age of 12, and like many working-class Members found life difficult financially.
Payment for MPs was one of the Chartists’ demands in the 1830s. It was not introduced until the Liberal government’s 1911 Parliament Act. In Jones’ day the salary was small, but MPs did receive a perk in the form of vouchers that could be exchanged for railway tickets between their constituencies and Westminster. As Matthew Parris reports in his Great Parliamentary Scandals, those tickets were strictly non-transferable.
Mardy Jones broke the rules. He sent two tickets to Wales to allow his wife and young daughter to make a rare trip to London. Unfortunately, one of them was six weeks out of date and the Great Western Railway pressed charges.
Despite an ingenious defence involving vital papers that had to be brought to him, Jones was found guilty and fined £2 plus costs. Worse, he was obliged to resign his seat before the case came to court.
Mardy Jones did fight the 1931 general election as an Independent Labout candidate, but came third in the poll.
Posted by
| i don't know |
Which religious movement, developed from ideas of political activist Marcus Garvey, who wanted to improve the status of fellow black people, and which proclaims Garvey as a prophet? | Marcus Garvey Free Essays
Marcus Garvey
African Americans of all time is Marcus Garvey. Marcus Garvey achieved accomplishments in not just... one, but many areas. His accomplishments ranged from a worldwide Black political organization, The Untied Negro Improvement Association, to the first, and to this day the largest Black-owned multinational businesses, the Black Star Lines. Marcus was criticized by many of his fellow African American leaders because many of his projects failed. In despite of that, Marcus Garvey talent to attract followers...
African American, African American history, Black people 1374 Words | 4 Pages
Marcus Garvey
How can Marcus Garvey be given more prominence in Jamaican context other than at National Heroes Day? Marcus... Mosiah Garvey (1887-1940) Marcus Garvey was born on 17th August 1887 in the small rural town of St. Ann’s Bay. He was from a large, poor family of which he was the last of eleven children. His father worked as a stone mason and his mother baked and sold cakes. His parents were devout Christians and encouraged their children along the path of the Christian religion. They also encouraged...
African American, African diaspora, Afro-Latin American 2166 Words | 6 Pages
Marcus Garvey
African American Literature II April 5, 2011 Marcus Garvey Marcus Moziah Garvey was born on... August 17, 1887 in St. Ann’s Bay, Jamaica. Garvey is known for his controversial “Back to Africa” movement. Growing up, Garvey had to quit school at the young age of fourteen to help support his family. Although he never experienced first-hand the prejudices of the world as far as slavery, through working many jobs he did witness many who did. Having traveled around Central and South America, he...
African American, Back-to-Africa movement, Black people 1024 Words | 3 Pages
A Review of Marcus Garvey
essay is Marcus Garvey’s “What We Believe” published in the Negro World on January 12, 1924. The letter outlines the racial doctrine of the... Universal Negro Improvement Association. It is a mission statement that describes the UNIA as an organization who mainly desires improvement for the worldwide African race, believes in race pride, is staunchly anti-integrationist, and promotes the idea of an African nation. The aim of this essay is to demonstrate that “What We Believe” and consequently Marcus Garvey’s...
African American, African American history, Black people 1304 Words | 4 Pages
the story of marcus garvey
Tiffany Jackson Black Religion Marcus Garvey He was both idealistic and a manipulator a brilliant debater and an proud... dictator, Marcus Garvey was born August 17, 1887, in St. Ann’s Bay, Jamaica to Marcus Mosiah Garvey sr., and Sarah James Richards. In just ten years following his following his immigration to United States as a laborer in 1917, Marcus Garvey rose to lead the largest black organization in history; he is the dramatic story of the rise and fall of an African American leader who...
Africa, African American, Black people 925 Words | 3 Pages
Marcus Garvey and Booker T. Washington influences on the African Diaspora
The Influences of Marcus M. Garvey and Booker T. Washington In the early years of the... twentieth century, there was a major problem for African Americans. There was the question of how to respond to a white society that greatly supported white supremacy and refused to treat blacks as equals. In hopes to find a solution, many African American leaders devoted much time and energy to finding ways that would resolve this problem. Two of these leaders, in particular...
African American, African diaspora, Afro-Latin American 1154 Words | 6 Pages
W.E.B. Dubois, Marcus Garvey, & Booker T Washingon Analysis
12/2/12 Final Essay W.E.B. Du Bois, Booker T. Washington, and Marcus Garvey’s endeavors helped to accomplish great things for... African Americans. Booker T. Washington was an educator and activist, who was recommended as headmaster at a new school by Samuel Armstrong and in that was put in charge of the Tuskegee Negro Normal Institute. Washington became nationally known following a publicized speech at the Cotton States and International Exposition in Atlanta in 1895, where he expressed...
African American, African American history, Black people 1008 Words | 3 Pages
Pan-Africanism: A Debate Through The Eyes of Marcus Garvey and Malcolm X
Pan-Africanism: A Debate Through the Eyes of Marcus Garvey and Malcolm X On the surface, the two African-American figures... Marcus Garvey and Malcolm X are not as different as one might think. Although Garvey was most active in the early 1900s, and X was at the peak of his success just before his assassination in 1965, both of these influential figures preached the very controversial topic of Pan-Africanism. In a nutshell, Pan-Africanism can be defined as the belief that all Africans, including...
Africa, Black people, Malcolm X 1636 Words | 6 Pages
Marcus Garvey's Influences
Marcus Garvey's influences America has a long history of discrimination against non-white peoples. White Americans are responsible for the... eradication of Native Americans from their native lands, and for the importation of Black people from Africa for enslavement. Today racism is not even close to what it had been 150 years ago, when slavery was still legal; however the changes have come gradually. The Harlem renaissance was a pivotal time for the recognition of black culture in the US, and Marcus...
African American, Black people, Marcus Garvey 1101 Words | 3 Pages
Garvey vs. Du Bois
The Common Difference’s of Elitism Vs. Nationalism The often fierce ideological exchanges between Marcus Garvey and W.E.B. Du... Bois are interesting, not as much because of the eloquence of their expression, as because of the fact that although outwardly contradictory, these ideologies were often unified at their foundation. This unity was not simply in terms of the broad and obvious intent to better the conditions of “black folk”, it was in terms of the very details that defined the trajectory and...
African American, Black people, Booker T. Washington 1980 Words | 6 Pages
Ch.56
own their own business basically proving to whites that they were just as capable for economic success (Wormser, Web). The league conducted meetings... throughout the South (Marcus, Web). These meetings were for business owners and potential business owners to share stories of success and struggles they face in their businesses (Marcus, Web). W.E.B Du Bois W.E.B. Du Bois (William Edward Burghardt Du Bois) was an American Civil rights activist, leader, educator, historian, write, editor, and scholar...
African American, African American history, Booker T. Washington 768 Words | 2 Pages
Marcus Garvey
Marcus Mosiah Garvey, 1887-1940 Marcus Garvey remains a vitalising, inspiring force... today. He touches Jamaicans closely because he raises questions of race and social commitment with which they still have to come to terms. His message is as relevant now as it was in the 1920s and 1930s, when he formed the People’s Political Party. As an independent and predominantly black nation, Jamaicans now have the power to reach decisions on issues he raised. A study of his life and times...
African American, Afro-Latin American, Black people 9769 Words | 24 Pages
Garveyism
Communities (Imperial) League in 1914 was heavily contingent on the occurrences on the African continent during same period. This organization was founded... with the aim of uniting the black Diaspora “into one grand racial hierarchy”. As a young man, Marcus Garvey advocated cooperation with the colonial government. He preached accommodation and condemned political protest. This stance can be said to be a direct manifestation of his limited experience with racial injustices as a child. In his biography he...
Africa, Black people, Marcus Garvey 873 Words | 3 Pages
The New Negro: Rebirth of the Black Man
man. The New Negro was personified by various members of black society namely Marcus Garvey, Claude McKay, Langston Hughes and... Zora Neale Hurston. Marcus Garvey, a Jamaican born national came to the United States in 1916 in order to visit Booker T. Washington in Tuskegee, Alabama. Booker T. Washington had a great impact on Marcus Garvey and his ideologies, in fact it was after Garvey read Up from Slavery did Garvey really understood the plight of the black man and found his calling to uplift the...
African American, Black people, Harlem Renaissance 929 Words | 3 Pages
Rastafarian Movement
the Rasta faith. He is now worshiped as Jesus’ incarnate. There are three main sects or orders of Rastafari today: the Nyahbinghi Order, Bobo Ashanti and the... Twelve Tribes of Israel. Marcus Mosiah Garvey, a promoter of the Universal Negro Improvement Association, inspired the original Rastas in the 1920’s. Garvey firmly believed that black people belonged in Africa, and urged all black people living in the western hemisphere to return to Africa. In a New York Times interview on August 3, 1920, he...
Amha Selassie of Ethiopia, Emperor of Ethiopia, Ethiopia 927 Words | 4 Pages
Pan-Africanism
Africans should be united in a common cause. Its aim was to liberate Africans from colonialism and racism. It promoted a growing sense in black identity and... achievement. The Pan-Africanist movement had two main characters, namely W.E.B Du Bois and Marcus Garvey. Movements of Pan-Africanism were the Harlem Renaissance, Negritude and Rastafarianism. Pan-Africanism sparked Nationalist movements worldwide. W.E.B Du Bois wrote 20 books on Black culture and history. He formed the NAACP (National Association...
Africa, African American, African diaspora 1079 Words | 3 Pages
APUSH Research Paper
and empowerment, as well as interdivision, discrimination, and adaptation for the African American peoples. Social revolutionists like Marcus... Garvey and role modeled entrepreneurs like Madam CJ Walker were among the many blacks that influenced the national black community during their time of struggle and search for societal and economical direction. Walker and Garvey both strived for the advancement of their people, but had different long term effects on blacks and plans for the future. Walker’s use...
African American, African diaspora, Afro-Latin American 1898 Words | 5 Pages
Pan Africanism
consciousness made him want to integrate into American culture and support African independence at the same time. DuBois envisioned a “unity of mankind”... growing out of a “unity of the Negro race Marcus Garvey Marcus Garvey of Jamaica was another great leader of the early Pan-Africanism movement. Garvey had traveled to Central and South America and the West Indies and spent time in England vigorously protesting white exploitation. He designed a flag with the colors “red” for the blood that...
Africa, African American, African diaspora 1731 Words | 6 Pages
Rasta
by King Emmanuel, in Jamaica, the EABIC (Ethiopia Africa Black International Congress) is the Bobo church. King Emmanuel is considered the Black Christ on... earth. He is part of the trinity where Haile Selassie is “Holy Emmanuel I Jah Rastafari, Marcus Garvey the prophet and King Emmanuel the priest. King, prophet and priest, this is the Holy” trinity. Nayabinghi word was described for the first time in East Africa as a cult, where people worshiped the Goddess spirit, Nyabinghi..” One account states...
Bob Marley, Ethiopia, Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia 1459 Words | 4 Pages
What is the overall significance and legacy of Garveyism?
cultural ideas of today and it has influenced many important black leaders and movements to the present day. First we must consider that Pan-Africanism was... around for a long time before Garvey and that his ideas were not completely original but were developed through other ideas. The intellectual genealogy of Garvey and Garveyism has been elaborated before, and it includes a collection of nationalists, protonationalists, emigrationalists as well as Pan-Africanists of the nineteenth and early twentieth...
African American, African American history, Black nationalism 1055 Words | 3 Pages
History of Rastafarian
is ending and that soon they will all return to 'Ethiopia'. 1930s The Rastafari movement began in Jamaica during the 1930s following a prophecy made... by Marcus Garvey, a black political leader. Garvey led an organisation known as the Universal Negro Improvement Association, whose intention was to unify blacks with their land of origin. Garvey preached "Look to Africa where a black king shall be crowned, he shall be your Redeemer." This statement became the foundation of the Rastafari movement. ...
Bob Marley, Ethiopia, Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia 701 Words | 3 Pages
Auto Biography of Malcolm X
discrimination and harassment faced by thousands of blacks in the US. Rev. Earl Little - Malcolm X's father. He is a priest in a Baptist church. Besides his... work as a priest, he is also an active member of and organizer for the organization founded by Marcus Garvey. Earl Little and his family is constantly threatened and harassed by Ku Klux Klan members due to his activities as a member of Garvey's organization. Yet he continues to organize the blacks in and around his village, till the Klan members kill...
African American, Alex Haley, Harlem 1096 Words | 3 Pages
Afras 170b
generally had to cater to African Americans Q. What organization did Marcus Garvey form in Jamaica in 1914? A. Universal Negro... Improvement Association (UNIA) Q. Garvey wanted to establish a settlement in Liberia. What stopped him? A. US Government blocked his request to League of Nations Q. How did African American leaders, like DuBois, view Garvey? A. Continually denigrated him and his ideas Q. For what proposal is Garvey best remembered? A. Establishing Black Star Line, group of steamships ...
African American, African American history, African diaspora 747 Words | 3 Pages
APUSH
3. Marcus Garvey offered a somewhat viable solution to the problems of the African American community. In response to... discrimination, threats, and violence, many urban blacks joined movements that glorified racial independence. Marcus Garvey, headed the Universal Negro Improvement Association who believed blacks should separate from corrupt white society. He proclaimed "I am the equal of any white man". Urban blacks were drawn Marcus Garvey because he emphasized racial pride. Marcus Garvey preached...
African American, Black people, Great Depression 1796 Words | 5 Pages
Factors Responsible for the Changes and Development Among Religious Groups in the Caribbean
serves to inform the reader on the social and historical factors which led to the creation of the faith and to examine the beliefs, regulations, and... behaviours of the aforementioned. The movement was founded by Leonard Howell in 1933 modeling Marcus Garvey’s philosophy of black consciousness (Mustapha, 2009). During this time period ‘blackness’ was something looked down upon and the mindset of white superiority was prevalence is almost every aspect of Jamaican life, even religion. The contemporary...
Emperor of Ethiopia, Ethiopia, Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia 1052 Words | 3 Pages
civil rights context
Marcus Garvey: (1887-1940) Marcus was a Jamaican political leader, journalist and entrepreneur. He was a black... nationalist and Pan African. Marcus founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League (UNIA-ACL) in the 1920s. He wanted the ideology of Pan Africanism to inspire mass of movement and economic empowerment for blacks know famously as Garveyism. He also founded black star which set an ideology of moving back to original homelands in Africa. Garvey builds...
African American, Black people, Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution 1322 Words | 4 Pages
Mirror Identity, Race and Protest in Jamaica
is highlighting the dreadful times that our natives undergo in achieving liberation. Throughout my report I will examine the different groups that assisted... in liberation for instance the Rastafarian movement and also other socialist for example Marcus Garvey and the fight they got in going forth. Content While Rex Nettleford evenly addresses the fight for liberation throughout the book with the aid of black power he also speaks about the impact that different ethnic groups have on the journey to...
African American, Black people, Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia 1771 Words | 5 Pages
African American Identity
esteem, and yet have truly transformed and continue to support a freed people, to obtain all of their rights. What follows is from three writers who each in... his own way contributed mightily to the African American cause. They are W.E.B. Du Bois, Marcus Garvey, and Glen Loury. First, we have W.E.B. (William Edward Burghardt) Dubois, who was born on February 23, 1868 in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. Dubois was one of the most influential black leaders of the first half of the 20th Century. Dubois...
Affirmative action, African American, Marcus Garvey 2208 Words | 6 Pages
Harlem Renaissance
supported by all African-Americans it was not the case with Jamaica-bred Marcus Garvey. Garvey started the “Back to... Africa movement,” which initially was him saying that he thought all African-Americans should just pack up and leave the states because they weren’t welcomed. Garvey founded the UNIA-ACL, or Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League, which promoted the “Back to Africa...” slogan. Garvey said it was to encourage African-Americans to come together and feel pride...
African American, African American culture, American Civil War 1180 Words | 4 Pages
Religious Education School Based Assessment
Haile Selassie was born Tafari Mekanon in the late 1800's in the African country Ethiopia. He was crowned king, or "Ras" Tafari in the 1930's, thus... fulfilling the prophecy of Marcus Garvey decades earlier has he proclaimed, "look to the east for the coming of a black king." Marcus Garvey is looked at in the Rastafarian movement as the biblical Moses since he was not only one of the greatest advocates for black repatriation in the Western World but also since he prophetically introduced and announced...
Bob Marley, Ethiopia, Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia 2158 Words | 6 Pages
HISTORY SBA 2014 RASTAFARIAN MOVEMENT
Jamaica and countries around the world. The Rasta theology developed from the ideas of Marcus Garvey, a political activist who... wanted to improve the status of blacks. The Rastafarian movement began in Jamaica in 1930 following a prophecy made by Garvey. This movement gave credence to Christian thinking and Christian belief from a Black perspective. They called it “a religious cult”; “apocalyptic movement”; Garvey preached “Look to Africa where a black king shall be crowned, he shall be your redeemer”...
Bob Marley, Ethiopia, Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia 2231 Words | 13 Pages
Rastafarian Religion
in the 1920’s by a man named Marcus Garvey. His philosophical ideologies led to the establishment of the Rastafarian religion in... 1930. Rastafarians began to identify themselves as a religious group. Rasta is should be considered a religion because it carries all the major components of religion, which include myth, doctrine, morality, personal experience, ritual, and community. The Rastafarian Movement was a powerful social force beginning in the 1920’s. Marcus Garvey was the spokesman for the Back-to-Africa...
Ethiopia, Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia, Jah 913 Words | 3 Pages
Rastafari
dread. Rastafarian is just as much of a religion as any other religion. Rastafarians have very strong beliefs in many aspects of life they go further than... just religious beliefs. “A man without knowing of his past is like a tree without roots” (Marcus Garvey). “Rastafarians do not believe Haile Selassie is Jah God and that the Rastas are the chosen people. They claim to know these things and would never admit to believing them” (Robert Nesta Marley). Many people throughout the world have a hard...
Bob Marley, Ethiopia, Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia 1199 Words | 4 Pages
Rastafari Movement
faith and wisdom, due to Marcus Garvey’ teachings. Rational Rastafari is a movement and ideology. It is not... considered a religion by many Rastas but as a culture or a way of life. Presently we can obviously see the white man’s control still prevails. Due to the fact that there are many who see their way of life as an abomination. Rastas believe that the white man’s manipulation weaken the blacks for generations while their race strengthen. However Marcus Garvey teaches that the blacks...
Ethiopia, Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia, Jah 1232 Words | 4 Pages
Rastafarian
on are Marcus Garvey, Haile Selassie, original and modern beliefs, beliefs about race, customs/ dreadlocks /food/ colours/... language/ cannabis, holy days, rites of passage, women, Rasta music, Bob Marley. Marcus Garvey philosophy of Rastafari helped him to become a well-known person within Rastafarianism. He was born in Jamaica on the seventeenth of August 1887. He taught about black self-empowerment this is considered as being the sources behind the founding of the religion. Marcus Garvey was never...
Bob Marley, Ethiopia, Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia 2222 Words | 6 Pages
African Diaspora
co-operation. 2. When W. E. B. Du Bois and Marcus Garvey had their first contact in May 1915, Du Bois already was a Black... leader in the US, while Garvey had just the month before established his UNIA in Jamaica. Du Bois was on a visit in Jamaica, and received a very friendly welcomeletter by Garvey. Soon afterwards they met in person, shook hands and Garvey told Du Bois briefly of his plans, eager to find a supporter in him. Almost one year later, Garvey came to the US for a speaking tour through...
Africa, British Empire, Caribbean 1158 Words | 3 Pages
Catholic Christianity and Rastafarianism.
in the Bible, those of the Saints and the story of the history of the church. Rastafarianism is a relatively new religious and political movement,... established from the "Back to Africa" movement led by a Jamaican nationalist, Marcus Garvey, in the 1920's and 1930's. Garvey prophesised that a black king would be crowned in Africa and that he would be the real Messiah foretold by the Catholic Christian's Bible. Rastas believe that this was fulfilled when Ras (Prince) Tafari was crowned Haile Selassie...
Bible, Christianity, Ethiopia 989 Words | 3 Pages
Harlem Renaissance Research
2. African Americans come together a. Migrate to northern cities b. Blend ideas in Harlem D. Political Activists 1.... Marcus Garvey a. Started Universal Negro Association b. Activist for equal rights c. Migration back to Africa ideal 2. W.E.B. Dubois a. Opposite beliefs of Garvey b. Favors integration, not separation 3. Booker T. Washington a. Gains support from whites b. Very important, loved by...
African American, Black people, Harlem Renaissance 824 Words | 4 Pages
Bob Marley
songs about Jamaica’s poor and began to be a big influence on the youth of Jamaica. In 1966, Bob began to slowly adopt the Rastafarian way of life and began... wearing his hair in dreadlocks. Rastafari was a religion based on the teachings of Marcus Garvey. Garvey said that Africans should worship a god of their own image like the God of Ethiopia. Rastafari’s beliefs were also based on The Holy Piby or The Black Man’s Bible. He urged his people to know their history so it wouldn’t be repeated again....
Bob Marley, Bunny Wailer, Holy Piby 893 Words | 3 Pages
Color Line
19th and early 20th centuries was an important time in American history. Within the civil rights movement three of the most prominent African American men... were prompted to attempt to solve the problem of racial inequality. Booker T. Washington, Marcus Garvey and W. E. B. DuBois, all approached the problem of racial inequality differently. Although each one approached the fight for civil rights differently they each had a great and lasting impact on the progression of racial equality. Booker T. Washington...
African American, COINTELPRO, Marcus Garvey 1511 Words | 4 Pages
Black Nationalism
economic sustenance, independence and cultural identity. Marcus Garvey was a militant black nationalist leader who began a... movement that would spark the black nationalism/seperatist movement. Garvey was born in Jamaica. He moved to London in 1912 and became interested in African history and culture. He returned to Jamaica two years later and founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) and the African Communities League. In 1916 Garvey moved to the United States. He went to New York City...
African American, African diaspora, Black people 2323 Words | 7 Pages
African Americans in American Society 1920s
led by W.E.B. DuBois and the UNIA (Universal Negro Improvement Association) led by Marcus Garvey, who, in their own rights,... continued the legacy of Booker T. Washington who had worked towards Black rights in the 1890s. * “We must canonize our own saints, create our own martyrs, and elevate to positions of fame and honor black men and women who have made distinct contributions to our racial history” – Marcus Garvey World War I was a perfect opportunity for African Americans to prove themselves...
African American, Black people, Marcus Garvey 2613 Words | 7 Pages
Rastafarianism / Rasta Absolute
developed within the last century and traces its inception to Marcus Mosiah Garvey (1897–1940), who promoted the Universal Negro... Improvement Association in the 1920s and spearheaded the Back to Africa movement during the 1930s. Garvey’s philosophical ideologies were the catalyst that would provide the foundation for the Rastafarian movement, as Garvey preached "Look to Africa where a black king shall be crowned, he shall be your Redeemer" (Garvey, The Black Man Paper, 1930), which aligns with Psalm...
Bob Marley, Ethiopia, Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia 2058 Words | 6 Pages
African Transformation from 1865-1920
education. Marcus Garvey was a Jamaican political leader that founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association, African... Community League, and the Black Star Steamship Line. The Black Star Steamship Line was shipping line that was supposed to facilitate the transportation of goods and eventually African Americans throughout the African global economy. The Black Star Steamship Line derived its name from the white star line which was a key factor to the success of the back to Africa movement. Garvey thought...
African American, African American history, Black people 1848 Words | 5 Pages
Black Leaders or Leading Blacks
life of El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz; otherwise known as Malcolm X. Malcolm X was born Malcolm Little on May 19, 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska. His father, Earl... Little, was an outspoken Baptist minister and an avid supporter of Black Nationalist leader Marcus Garvey, and his mother, Louise Norton Little, was a homemaker. For those who are interested in the specifics of Brother Malcolm’s life, I recommend that you read The Autobiography of Malcolm X, co-authored by journalist Alex Haley of Roots’ fame. You...
African American, Black nationalism, Black supremacy 765 Words | 3 Pages
Influence of the Harlem Renaissance on Society
for all persons in order to eliminate discrimination (NAACP). W.E.B. DuBois, whom was an African-American poet, became the leader of the NAACP. Another... respected man named Marcus Garvey also played a role in politics. He created the Universal Negro Improvement Association which had contradictory beliefs to those of the NAACP. Garvey believed that African-American’s needed to only receive help from themselves, not from white people. He sought to have all blacks unite and return to Africa to continue...
African American, Black people, Harlem Renaissance 1111 Words | 4 Pages
Malcolm X
life and school experiences are essential to understanding how and why he targeted his social and political vision toward the resurrection of Black people in... the United States. B. Supporting Detail: The murder of his father, a follower of Marcus Garvey, the confining of his mother to a mental hospital, and the eventual break-up of his family by social service agents, drastically impacted Malcolm's distrust of white people. These feelings were cemented by his earlier schooling experiences...
African American, Black people, Black supremacy 575 Words | 3 Pages
Ethics
liberals who found NAACP. Du Bois rejected Washington's accommodations stance and advocated immediate pursuit of racial equality and a direct assault on... dejure segregation. Marcus Garvey argued that the white dominated U.S. society was hopelessly racist and would never truly support integration and racial equality. Garvey found the Universal Negro Improvement Association in 1914. He helped to establish some of the themes and ideas of black nationalism and pride in African heritage that would become...
African American, Black people, Ethnic group 813 Words | 3 Pages
The Great Migration
Improvement Association), devoted to the spread of equal rights and black identity. While these organizations both promoted higher quality of living for... African Americans, they often conflicted one another in approach. Black intellectuals such as Marcus Garvey, founder of UNIA, asserted that “the difference between the UNIA and other major pro black organizations in the country, and probably the world, is that the UNIA seeks independence of government, while other organizations seek to make the negro...
African American, Black people, Marcus Garvey 1294 Words | 4 Pages
America as a Land of Prosperity in the 1920's
laws. But through all the intolerance some black people did do well and did prosper. Black musicians, poets, and politicians emerged. One of the most famous... politicians of his time was Marcus Garvey. Garvey was the founder member of the UNIA (Universal Negro Improvement Association), which encouraged black people. Garvey eventually got deported back to Jamaica for Tax fraud. Other Immigrants such as Mexicans and Italians also suffered similarly hard times. Millions of immigrants were allowed into America...
African American, Black people, Ethnic group 1009 Words | 3 Pages
Rastafarianism
a return to the African homeland. The Rastafarians followed the teachings of Marcus Garvey, a prominent Jamaican man who felt... strongly about leading the Jamaicans back to Africa. He believed that Africans were the true Israelites and that they had been exiled to Jamaica and other parts of the world as punishment. Therefore, he wanted to lead as many people as possible to “redemption” by returning to African. Garvey was an incredibly influential figure who felt passionately about black pride and...
Bob Marley, Ethiopia, Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia 2339 Words | 6 Pages
Religious Use of Drugs
members are exempt from criminal penalties for religious use of peyote. Members who manufacture or distribute peyote are required to obtain registration... annually. Marcus Garvey started the Rastafari Movement which began in the 1920’s. Garvey believed that blacks should move back to Africa, their home. In 1930 Garvey said that someone would be crowned King in Africa and Emperor Haile Selassie I was crowned King in Ethiopia. This marked the beginning for the Rastafari belief. The...
Ethiopia, Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia, Jah 1067 Words | 4 Pages
Reggae, Rastafari, and the Rhetoric of Social Control (A Review)
the English land owners. In 1938 a national workers strike put into motion a series of events that led to Jamaica’s independence in 1962. The Rastafari... movement really took off in Jamaica following a prophecy made by black political leader Marcus Garvey. Garvey preached that a black king would be crowned in Africa, and this new king would be the people’s redeemer. This idea became the foundation for the Rastafari movement. In 1930, when Emperor Haile Selassie I was crowned in Ethiopia, Rastafarians...
Bob Marley, Ethiopia, Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia 2108 Words | 8 Pages
Re Sba
Rastafarian flags ,badges etc. The red, gold and green are the colours of the Ethiopian flag and the colours represent the loyalty Rastafarians feel towards... the Ethiopian state. The red, black and green were the colours used to represent Africa by the Marcus Garvey movement. Red stands for the Rastafarian church’s triumphant and the blood shed by the martyrs of the faith. The green represents the beauty and vegetation of the promised, Ethiopia. The gold represents the wealth of the homeland that shall be...
Bob Marley, Ethiopia, Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia 1637 Words | 7 Pages
Malcolm X Biography
and devout Christian, was known for being an outspoken follower of the black nationalist leader Marcus Garvey. Garvey’s message... promoted the “back-to-Africa” movement that encouraged African Americans of the time to sever ties with the United States and move back to the continent of Africa which was the homeland. It would be the messages of self reliance learned from his father as well as the whole Garvey movement that would prove to be an important factor to Malcolm’s ideology in his own personal...
African American, Black nationalism, Black separatism 1079 Words | 3 Pages
Return to Normalcy
the 1925 anthology by Alain Locke. Though it was centered in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City, many French-speaking black writers from African and... Caribbean colonies who lived in Paris were also influenced by the Harlem Renaissance. (3) Marcus Garvey- a Jamaican publisher, journalist, entrepreneur, and orator who was a staunch proponent of the Black Nationalism and Pan-Africanism movements, to which end he founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League (UNIA-ACL)...
Harlem Renaissance, Langston Hughes, Marcus Garvey 1716 Words | 5 Pages
The Contributions of Marcus Garvey.
the many other influential people from the racial segregation time period. Marcus Mosiah Garvey Jr., born August 17th 1887, also... known as the "Black Moses" is one of those leaders most people are unaware of. It is a shame because he was a great man and through his actions, his beliefs, and the man he was he made many contributions to the Harlem Renaissance. Jamaican and US black nationalist leader. In 1914 Marcus Garvey along with Amy Ashwood founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA)...
African American, African American history, Harlem 768 Words | 2 Pages
Colonialism in Olive Senior
called Babylon. It proclaims Africa as the original birthplace of mankind, and embraces various Afrocentric social and political aspirations, such as the... socio-political views and teachings of Jamaican publicist, organizer, and black nationalist Marcus Garvey, who was also often regarded as a prophet. Through Rastafarianism, Jamaicans reclaim their African ancestry, a heritage systematically under slavery and in European colonist ideologies. Rastas might also wish to claim back, through their behaviour...
Bob Marley, Ethiopia, Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia 2167 Words | 6 Pages
A Description of the Afro-Christian Religion Revivalism
Jesus Christ onto the earth. The Rastafari movement stems from the teachings of the great Jamaican leader and motivator was Marcus... Garvey. Garvey’s vision was for the Blacks to overcome their feelings of inferiority and build upon their own unique and evolving culture, and ultimately return to Africa to redeem their homeland and to build a future. Rastafarians think that Garvey is a prophecy to them he is a second king David because he said quote “Look towards Africa for the crowning of a black king...
Ethiopia, God, Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia 910 Words | 3 Pages
Rastafarian Movement
began in the 1930s in the slums of Jamaica. The religion’s founder is Marcus Garvey. He was a political black leader who led an... organization known as the Universal Negro Improvement Association. He wanted to unify blacks with their land of origin. He believed that all black were true Israelites and had been sent to Jamaica and other parts of the world as a punishment. He is widely regarded as the second John the Baptist. In 1927 Garvey prophesied, “Look to Africa where a black king shall be crowned, he...
Bob Marley, Ethiopia, Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia 2016 Words | 5 Pages
| Rastafari |
Who plays the title role in the 1970 film ‘Kelly’s Heroes’? | Hash Marihuana & Hemp Museum: Rastafari Information
"Look to Africa for the crowning of a king to know your redemption is near."
Marcus Garvey, 1927
Rastafari became internationally visible when Reggae music took off in the 1960s. The faith spread beyond Jamaica and can now be found in Europe, the USA, Africa, Australasia and Canada. There are now approximately one million world wide adherents of Rastafari as a faith, but probably many more people class themselves as Rastafarians in a social sense rather than in a religious one. The 2001 census found 5,000 Rastafarians living in England and Wales.
Followers of Rastafari are known by a variety of names: "Rastafarians, Rastas, Sufferers, Locksmen, Dreads or Dreadlocks". Rastas follow strict dietary laws and abstain from alcohol. They do not cut their hair, and are easily identified by the dreadlock style that they prefer. Rastafarians have attracted some ill-informed criticism for their belief in the spiritual uses of marijuana.
Rastafarian Beliefs
There is no formal Rastafari creed and there are slight differences in the views of different groups. The most definitive list is found in the 1977 book 'The Rastafarians, The Dreadlocks of Jamaica' by scholar Leonard Barrett who lists what he regards as the six basic principles of Rastafari. He developed the list by attending public meetings and through anthropological research into the movement:
Haile Selassie I is the Living God.
The Black person is the reincarnation of ancient Israel, who, at the hand of the White person, has been in exile in Jamaica.
The White person is inferior to the Black person.
Jamaica is hell; Ethiopia is heaven.
The Invincible Emperor of Ethiopia is now arranging for expatriated persons of African origin to return to Ethiopia.
In the near future Blacks shall rule the world.
But Leonard Barrett's list is itself nearly thirty years old and so many of the beliefs above may no longer have the same significance to modern rastafarians. This is especially true since the spread of the movement to the West which has led to the emergence of White Rastafarians.
Modern Rastafarian Beliefs
From the 1930s until the mid 1970s most Rastafarians accepted the traditional Rastafari beliefs. But in 1973 Joseph Owens published a more modern approach to Rastafari beliefs. In 1991 Michael N. Jagessar revised Owens's ideas, devising his own systematic approach to Rastafari theology and providing an insight into the changes in the group's beliefs. The key ideas in Contemporary Rastafari are:
The humanity of God and the divinity of man. This refers to the importance of Haile Selassie who is perceived by Rastafarians as a living God. Likewise it emphasises the concept of God revealing himself to his followers through his humanity.
God is found within every man.
Rastafarians believe that God makes himself known through humanity. According to Jagessar "there must be one man in whom he exists most eminently and completely, and that is the supreme man, Rastafari, Selassie I."
God in history.
It is very important to see all historical facts in the context of God's judgement and workings.
Salvation on earth.
Salvation for Rastafarians is an earthly idea, rather than heavenly.
The supremacy of life.
Human nature is very important to Rastafarians and they should preserve and protect it.
Respect for nature.
This idea refers to the importance and respect Rastafarians have for animals and the environment, as mirrored in their food laws.
The power of speech.
Speech is very important to Rastafarians, as it enables the presence and power of God to be felt.
Evil is corporate.
Sin is both personal and corporate. This means organisations such as the International Monetary Fund are responsible for Jamaica's fiscal situation, and that oppression is in part influenced by them.
Judgement is near.
This corresponds to the nearness of judgement for Rastafarians when they will be given greater recognition.
The priesthood of Rastafarians.
Rastafarians are the chosen people of God and are on earth to promote his power and peacefulness.
Joseph Owens 'The Rastafarians of Jamaica', 1973 pp. 167-70 and Jagessar 'JPIC and Rastafarians' 1991 pp. 15-17
< a border="0">
To modern Rastafari the most important doctrine is belief in the divinity of Haile Selassie I. Although some Rastafarians still regard Haile Selassie as the black messiah, many modern adherents do not see this as central to their faith. Haile Selassie's death in 1975 was described by his followers as his 'disappearance', since they refused to believe he has passed away. Following his death and the increased acceptance of Jamaican culture in society many Rastafarian beliefs have been modified. The previous belief that white people are evil has diminished and is no longer central to Rastafarian belief systems.
Justifications for the Divinity of Haile Selassie
Rastafarians use Biblical names such as "Lord of Lords", "King of Kings" and "Conquering Lion of the tribe of Judah" for Haile Selassie. These terms had been used throughout history to describe Ethiopian Emperors, but with the crowning of Haile Selassie I they were seen as evidence that supported his divine status. Many Rastafarians trace Haile Selassie's lineage back to King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. They believe that the Queen of Sheba's visit to King Solomon found in the Book of Kings (1 Kings 10: 1-13) provides further proof of the divinity of Haile Selassie I.
His Imperial Majesty Emporer Haile selassie I, JAH Rastafari
The Rastafarian colours are red, green and gold. Sometimes black is added. These colours are chosen because:
Ethiopian Flag
Red signifies the blood of those killed for the cause of the black community, throughout Jamaican history
Green represents Jamaica's vegetation and hope for the eradication of suppression
Gold symbolises the wealth of Ethiopia
Black signifies the colour of the Africans who initiated Rastafari
The Rastafarian Symbol
The Conquering Lion of Judah is the symbol of Rastafari.
This lion represents Haile Selassie I, who is referred to as the 'Conquering Lion of Judah'. Rastafarians' dreadlocks represent the lion's mane. The Lion of Judah - Taken from the heraldic symbol of the biblical Tribe of Judah, Genesis 49: 8-10. The Star of David, or also called the Star of Solomon, is used many times to symbolize the Rastafarian religion. Haile Selassie was descendant from King Solomon and King David, hence the use of the symbol. The cross - symbolises the cross of Jesus Christ saviour of the world.
Rastafari Customs
Rastafari doesn't have a specific religious building that is set aside for worship. Rastafarians usually meet weekly, either in a believer's home or in a community centre. The meetings are referred to as Reasoning sessions. They provide a time for chants, prayers and singing, and for communal issues to be discussed. Marijuana may be smoked to produce heightened spiritual states. The music used at these meetings is known as Nyabingi, and so when meetings are mostly musical they are often referred to as Nyabingi meetings. Meetings may also include large feasts.
"Ital" Diet and Dreadlocks
A set of dietary and hygienic laws were formulated to accompany the religion's doctrine. They urged their flocks to shun the ingestion of alcohol, tobacco, all meat (especially pork), as well as shellfish, scaleless fish, snails, predatory and scavenger species of marine life, and many common seasonings like salt. In short, anything that was not "ital," a Rasta term meaning pure, natural or clean, was forbidden.
They also outlawed was the combing or cutting of hair, citing the holy directive in
Leviticus 21:5: "They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh."
Their nappy tresses were allowed to mat and twine themselves into ropy dreadlocks, so called to mock non-believers' aversion to their appearance. (The noun "dread" has also since evolved into a word of praise.)
Ritual use of Marijuana
Marijuana is regarded as a herb of religious significance. It is used in Rastafari reasoning sessions, which are communal meetings involving meditation. According to Leonard Barrett, Rastafarians first began using Marijuana in reaction to the treatment of blacks in society. It became a "reactionary device" to enable "freedom from the establishment." (Leonard Barrett, 'The Rastafarians, The Dreadlocks of Jamaica' p. 129)
Marijuana is used by Rastafarians to heighten feelings of community and to produce visions of a religious and calming nature. Rastafarians are unlikely to refer to the substance as marijuana; they usually describe it as "the wisdom weed" or "the holy herb." Ganja is considered the "wisdom weed" by Rastafarians, as its use helps one to gain wisdom. Rastafarians use Ganja as a religious rite and as a means of getting closer to their inner spiritual self, Jah (God) and Creation. This "wisdom weed" Ganja is seen by Rastafarians as the herb of life that is mentioned in the Bible. Rastafarians use of ganja is justified by the following:
'He causeth the grass for the cattle, and herb for the services of man.'
Psalm 104:14
'...thou shalt eat the herb of the field'.
Genesis 3.18
'...eat every herb of the land.'
Exodus 10:12
'Better is a dinner of herb where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.'
Proverbs 15:17
Marijuana: The Mystical Weed of Wisdom
In fact, the herb "ganja" (marijuana) was regarded as "wisdomweed," and Rasta leaders urged that it be smoked as a religious rite, alleging that it was found growing on the grave of King Solomon.
Religions always reflect the social and geographical environment out of which they emerge, and Jamaican Rastafari is no exception: for example, the use of marijuana as a sacrament and aid to meditation is logical in a country where a particularly potent strain of 'herb' grows freely.
The use of marijuana is a highly ritualised act, and before it is used a prayer is uttered by all:
" Glory be to the father and to the maker of creation.
As it was in the beginning
is now and ever shall be
World without end:
Jah Rastafari:
Eternal God Selassie I."
The marijuana is rolled into a cigarette or placed into a chillum pipe. When smoked it is inhaled deeply, then held, as the devotee enters into a trance-like state ...
| i don't know |
The Incas referred to which metal as ‘Tears of the Sun’? | Inca Civilization - Ancient History Encyclopedia
Inca Civilization
by Mark Cartwright
published on 15 September 2014
The Inca civilization flourished in ancient Peru between c. 1400 and 1533 CE, and their empire eventually extended across western South America from Quito in the north to Santiago in the south, making it the largest empire ever seen in the Americas and the largest in the world at that time. Undaunted by the often harsh Andean environment, the Incas conquered people and exploited landscapes in such diverse settings as plains, mountains, deserts, and tropical jungle. Famed for their unique art and architecture, they constructed finely-built and imposing buildings wherever they conquered, and their spectacular adaptation of natural landscapes with terracing, highways, and mountaintop settlements continues to impress modern visitors at such world famous sites as Machu Picchu .
Historical Overview
As with other ancient Americas cultures, the historical origins of the Incas are difficult to disentangle from the founding myths they themselves created. According to legend, in the beginning, the creator god Viracocha came out of the Pacific Ocean, and when he arrived at Lake Titicaca , he created the sun and all ethnic groups. These first people were buried by the god and only later did they emerge from springs and rocks (sacred pacarinas) back into the world. The Incas, specifically, were brought into existence at Tiwanaku (Tiahuanaco) from the sun god Inti , hence, they regarded themselves as the chosen few, the 'Children of the Sun', and the Inca ruler was Inti's representative and embodiment on earth. In another version of the creation myth, the first Incas came from a sacred cave known as Tampu T'oqo or 'The House of Windows', which was located at Pacariqtambo, the 'Inn of Dawn', south of Cuzco . The first pair of humans were Manco Capac (or Manqo Qhapaq) and his sister (also his wife) Mama Oqllu (or Ocllo). Three more brother-sister siblings were born, and the group set off together to found their civilization . Defeating the Chanca people with the help of stone warriors (pururaucas), the first Incas finally settled in the Valley of Cuzco and Manco Capac, throwing a golden rod into the ground, established what would become the Inca capital, Cuzco.
Advertisement
40,000 Incas governed a territory with 10 million subjects speaking over 30 different languages.
More concrete archaeological evidence has revealed that the first settlements in the Cuzco Valley actually date to 4500 BCE when hunter-gather communities occupied the area. However, Cuzco only became a significant centre sometime at the beginning of the Late Intermediate Period (1000-1400 CE). A process of regional unification began from the late 14th century CE, and from the early 15th century CE, with the arrival of the first great Inca leader Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui ('Reverser of the World') and the defeat of the Chanca in 1438 CE, the Incas began to expand in search of plunder and production resources, first to the south and then in all directions. They eventually built an empire which stretched across the Andes, conquering such peoples as the Lupaka, Colla, Chimor , and Wanka civilizations along the way. Once established, a nationwide system of tax and administration was instigated which consolidated the power of Cuzco.
The rise of the Inca Empire was spectacularly quick. First, all speakers of the Inca language Quechua (or Runasimi) were given privileged status, and this noble class then dominated all the important roles within the empire. Thupa Inca Yupanqui (also known as Topa Inca), Pachacuti 's successor from 1471 CE, is credited with having expanded the empire by a massive 4,000 km (2,500 miles). The Incas themselves called their empire Tawantinsuyo (or Tahuantinsuyu) meaning 'Land of the Four Quarters' or 'The Four Parts Together'. Cuzco was considered the navel of the world, and radiating out were highways and sacred sighting lines (ceques) to each quarter: Chinchaysuyu (north), Antisuyu (east), Collasuyu (south), and Cuntisuyu (west). Spreading across ancient Ecuador, Peru, northern Chile, Bolivia, upland Argentina, and southern Colombia and stretching 5,500 km (3,400 miles) north to south, 40,000 Incas governed a huge territory with some 10 million subjects speaking over 30 different languages.
Government & Administration
The Incas kept lists of their kings (Sapa Inca) so that we know of such names as Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui (reign c. 1438-63 CE), Thupa Inca Yupanqui (reign c. 1471-93 CE), and Wayna Qhapaq (the last pre-Hispanic ruler, reign c. 1493-1525 CE). It is possible that two kings ruled at the same time and that queens may have had some significant powers, but the Spanish records are not clear on both points. The Sapa Inca was an absolute ruler, and he lived a life of great opulence. Drinking from gold and silver cups, wearing silver shoes, and living in a palace furnished with the finest textiles, he was pampered to the extreme. He was even looked after following his death, as the Inca mummified their rulers. Stored in the Coricancha temple in Cuzco, the mummies (mallquis) were, in elaborate ceremonies, regularly brought outside wearing their finest regalia, given offerings of food and drink, and 'consulted' for their opinion on pressing state affairs.
Remove Ads
Advertisement
Inca rule was, much like their architecture, based on compartmentalised and interlocking units. At the top was the ruler and ten kindred groups of nobles called panaqa. Next in line came ten more kindred groups, more distantly related to the king and then, a third group of nobles not of Inca blood but made Incas as a privilege. At the bottom of the state apparatus were locally recruited administrators who oversaw settlements and the smallest Andean population unit the ayllu, which was a collection of households, typically of related families who worked an area of land, lived together and provided mutual support in times of need. Each ayllu was governed by a small number of nobles or kurakas, a role which could include women.
Local administrators reported to over 80 regional-level administrators who, in turn, reported to a governor responsible for each quarter of the empire. The four governors reported to the supreme Inca ruler in Cuzco. To ensure loyalty, the heirs of local rulers were also kept as well-kept prisoners at the Inca capital. The most important political, religious, and military roles within the empire were, then, kept in the hands of the Inca elite, called by the Spanish the orejones or 'big ears' because they wore large earspools to indicate their status. To better ensure the control of this elite over their subjects, garrisons dotted the empire, and entirely new administrative centres were built, notably at Tambo Colorado, Huánuco Pampa and Hatun Xauxa.
For tax purposes censuses were taken and populations divided up into groups based on multiples of ten (Inca mathematics was almost identical to the system we use today). As there was no currency in the Inca world, taxes were paid in kind - usually foodstuffs, precious metals, textiles, exotic feathers, dyes, and spondylus shell - but also in labourers who could be shifted about the empire to be used where they were most needed, known as mit'a service. Agricultural land and herds were divided into three parts: production for the state religion and the gods, for the Inca ruler, and for the farmers own use. Local communities were also expected to help build and maintain such imperial projects as the road system which stretched across the empire. To keep track of all these statistics, the Inca used the quipu , a sophisticated assembly of knots and strings which was also highly transportable and could record decimals up to 10,000.
Remove Ads
Advertisement
Although the Incas imposed their religion and administration on conquered peoples, extracted tribute, and even moved loyal populations (mitmaqs) to better integrate new territories into the empire, the Incas also brought certain benefits such as food redistribution in times of environmental disaster, better storage facilities for foodstuffs, work via state-sponsored projects, state-sponsored religious feasts, roads, military assistance and luxury goods, especially art objects enjoyed by the local elite.
Most splendid were the temples built in honour of Inti and Mama Kilya - the former was lined with 700 2kg sheets of beaten gold.
Cuzco
The Inca capital of Cuzco (from qosqo, meaning 'dried-up lake bed' or perhaps derived from cozco, a particular stone marker in the city ) was the religious and administrative centre of the empire and had a population of up to 150,000 at its peak. Dominated by the sacred gold-covered and emerald-studded Coricancha complex (or Temple of the Sun ), its greatest buildings were credited to Pachacuti. Most splendid were the temples built in honour of Inti and Mama Kilya - the former was lined with 700 2kg sheets of beaten gold, the latter with silver. The whole capital was laid out in the form of a puma (although some scholars dispute this and take the description metaphorically) with the imperial metropolis of Pumachupan forming the tail and the temple complex of Sacsayhuaman (or Saqsawaman) forming the head. Incorporating vast plazas, parklands, shrines, fountains, and canals, the splendour of Inca Cuzco now, unfortunately, survives only in the eye-witness accounts of the first Europeans who marvelled at its architecture and riches.
Inca Religion
The Inca had great reverence for two earlier civilizations who had occupied much the same territory - the Wari and Tiwanaku. As we have seen, the sites of Tiwanaku and Lake Titicaca played an important part in Inca creation myths and so were especially revered. Inca rulers made regular pilgrimages to Tiwanaku and the islands of the lake, where two shrines were built to Inti the Sun god and supreme Inca deity, and the moon goddess Mama Kilya. Also in the Coricancha complex at Cuzco, these deities were represented by large precious metal artworks which were attended and worshipped by priests and priestesses led by the second most important person after the king: the High Priest of the Sun (Willaq Umu). Thus, the religion of the Inca was preoccupied with controlling the natural world and avoiding such disasters as earthquake, floods, and drought, which inevitably brought about the natural cycle of change, the turning over of time involving death and renewal which the Inca called pachakuti.
Sacred sites were also established, often taking advantage of prominent natural features such as mountain tops, caves, and springs. These huacas could be used to take astronomical observations at specific times of the year. Religious ceremonies took place according to the astronomical calendar, especially the movements of the sun, moon, and Milky Way (Mayu). Processions and ceremonies could also be connected to agriculture, especially the planting and harvesting seasons. Along with Titicaca's Island of the Sun, the most sacred Inca site was Pachacamac , a temple city built in honour of the god with the same name, who created humans, plants, and was responsible for earthquakes. A large wooden statue of the god, considered an oracle, brought pilgrims from across the Andes to worship at Pachacamac. Shamans were another important part of Inca religion and were active in every settlement. Cuzco had 475, the most important being the yacarca, the personal advisor to the ruler.
Inca religious rituals also involved ancestor worship as seen through the practice of mummification and making offerings to the gods of food, drink, and precious materials. Sacrifices - both animals and humans, including children - were also made to pacify and honour the gods and ensure the good health of the king. The pouring of libations, either water or chicha beer , was also an important part of Inca religious ceremonies.
The Incas imposed their religion on local populations by building their own temples and sacred sites, and they also commandeered sacred relics from conquered peoples and held them in Cuzco. Stored in the Coricancha, they were perhaps considered hostages which ensured compliance to the Inca view of the world.
Inca Architecture & Roads
Master stone masons, the Incas constructed large buildings, walls and fortifications using finely-worked blocks - either regular or polygonal - which fitted together so precisely no mortar was needed. With an emphasis on clean lines, trapezoid shapes, and incorporating natural features into these buildings, they have easily withstood the powerful earthquakes which frequently hit the region. The distinctive sloping trapezoid form and fine masonry of Inca buildings were, besides their obvious aesthetic value, also used as a recognisable symbol of Inca domination throughout the empire.
One of the most common Inca buildings was the ubiquitous one-room storage warehouse the qollqa. Built in stone and well-ventilated, they were either round and stored maize or square for potatoes and tubers. The kallanka was a very large hall used for community gatherings. More modest buildings include the kancha - a group of small single-room and rectangular buildings (wasi and masma) with thatched roofs built around a courtyard enclosed by a high wall . The kancha was a typical architectural feature of Inca towns, and the idea was exported to conquered regions. Terracing to maximise land area for agriculture (especially for maize) was another Inca practice, which they exported wherever they went. These terraces often included canals, as the Incas were expert at diverting water, carrying it across great distances, channelling it underground, and creating spectacular outlets and fountains.
Goods were transported across the empire along purpose-built roads using llamas and porters (there were no wheeled vehicles). The Inca road network covered over 40,000 km and as well as allowing for the easy movement of armies, administrators, and trade goods, it was also a very powerful visual symbol of Inca authority over their empire. The roads had rest stations along their way, and there was also a relay system of runners (chasquis) who carried messages up to 240 km in a single day from one settlement to another.
| Gold |
In humans, the medical condition Enuresis is what involuntary function? | Aztecs, Incas, MayansProject - Aztecs, Incas, and Mayans
Aztecs, Incas, MayansProject
Joyce Dela Cruz (Period 7)
Virginia Morales (Period 2)
Aztecs, Incas, and Mayans Project
The Aztecs
-The Aztec ruler was considered a semi divine.
-The ruler of the Aztec was not hereditary, which means the position is inherited
-The commoner were the bottom level of the Ruler
-About 30% of the Aztec people where peasants, which means the rest where commoners and slaves.
-Slaves where at the bottom the the Aztec Social Structure
-The Aztecs lived in Mexico
-A type of food that the women boiled and skinned where maize kernels
-Tenochtitlan was their main city.
-Mostly men had a higher status that the women in the Aztec social structure
-The Aztecs usually sacrificed on the top of the pyramid
-The heart and the blood from the person or people that got sacrificed represented as the sun's food
-Most men in the Aztecs got married at the age of 20
-Women got married at the age of 16
-Usually matchmakers picked the groom's cloak to the bride's blouse
-The Aztecs enjoyed music very much
-Tiatoani or he who speaks emperor maintained the empire and decided when to wage war
-The Aztecs where destroyed by Invaders from Spain in 1428-1519
-Ruled over 10 million subjects
-One way they used sacrifice was tearing off their skins
-The priest participated in the cannibalism
-The Aztecs wanted gold, so they went to the Mayans
-Montezuma was the ruler of the Aztecs
-Cortez was the Mexican ruler
-The Spanish took down the Aztecs because their wanted the gold
-The Spanish had a big advantage because in 1519 the Spanish had guns when they went to war with the Aztecs
-The Spanish had horses and the Aztecs never seen horses before
-The Aztecs captured the Spanish warriors for sacrificial victim
-The Spanish killed the Aztecs because they wanted to conquer the Aztec empire
-Cortez had 600 soldiers, 16 horses, and 2 cannons when they went to war with the Aztecs
-The Aztecs had millions of soldiers when they went to war with the Spanish
-The Leader of the Aztec empire lets Cortez in his palace but Cortez betrays him
-Cortez's men took everything and destroyed it
-They put Montezuma in chains and forced people to change religion
-The peasant and slave sin the Aztec empire ate 2 times a day
-At a big market they traded things
-There were judges at the markets in case the seller was cheating
-The Aztecs were in Northern Mexico
-The Aztecs did sacrifices too
-They got their name from the island Aztlan
-Priests were important to the Aztecs
-The Aztecs sacrificed because they were feeding the sun god
-They thought that the sun wouldn't rise in the morning if they didn't sacrifice
-They killed kids under 5 to sacrifice to the rain god
-They were nomads for about 200 years
-About 250,000 people lived in the Aztec empire
-They made calendars to know when to plant crops
-The Aztecs had medicine to cure people
-By 1500 A.D. they had over 10 million people
-The 2 reasons they went to war was to sacrifice victims and for tribute
-In 1325 the Aztecs found an eagle with the outstretched wings on a cactus in Tenochtitlan
-In 1200 C.E the Aztecs arrived in the valley of Mexico
-One god played two roles
-One of the gods was the god of the sun
-The other god was the god of war
-The tears of the children represented the rain
-Tenochtitlan was the biggest city in the time
-The Aztecs were the third group that showed up in the valley of Mexico
-The first group to arrive in the valley of Mexico was Teotihuacan
-The second group to arrive in the valley of Mexico was the Toltec
-The Aztecs settled in the valley of Mexico because there was good land, food, water, and fishing
-The Aztecs were mercenaries
-Cortez showed up in the Aztec empire in 1519 C.E.
-The Aztec leader gave Cortez gold
-The Spanish had guns, cannons, horses, and shields when they went to war with the Aztecs
-The Spanish brought a decease to them called small pox
-Cortez put the Aztec leader in prison
-About 8 million people died because of small pox
-In 1319, stronger groups forced the Aztecs to move away from Chapultepec
-The Aztecs fled to the south and became mercenaries for the city state of Colhuacan
-The Aztecs gained land, trading connections, and wealth
-They became mercenaries for a powerful group called Tepanecs
-Tenochtitlan developed into one of the largest cities in the world
-They imported food from different places
-Main food was tortillas, maize cakes, boiled beans, and tamales
-Pepper and tomato spiced up dishes
-They grew red pepper, tomatoes, sage, squash, green beans, sweet potatoes, and avocados
The Incas
-Francisco Pizzaro entered Peru and concurred the Incas on 1532
-Pizzaro had 200 soldiers with him
-When someone was buried they weren't laying down, they were sitting facing the sun
-People could still see the injuries that has happened to the Incas during war.
-They had a sharp spear during war
-They didn't have any metal weapon like the Spanish
-The Spanish used metal weapons and also horses
-The Spanish brought a decease called small pox
-Small pox killed a lot of people
-The Incas were not happy with their own ruler
-The Spanish killed the Incas
-Music was a major part of the Inca life
-The official language in the Inca tradition was Quechua
-The Incas did not have a written language
-The Incas are known for their huge durable stone building
-Most of the people in the Inca empire were commoners
-Men built roads
-A few things that they grew are squash, peppers, beans, and peanuts
-They had more than 20 types on corn
-The farmers where required to give most of their crops to the government
-They gave food to the aged, the sick, and the disabled
-Each ayllu had their own farming and home
-All ayllu members have to work except the young and the old
-One of the functions was to make sure that ayllus paid their taxes
-The Incas had no currency
-Men had to repair roads, build storehouse, and work in mines
-Most Incas where born into ayllus of hardworking commoners
-The Inca empire arose in the 1400s C.E
The Inca empire lasted until 1532 C.E
-North to South, the Inca empire was stretched more than 2,500 miles
-10 million people lived under Inca rule
-Moche was in the northern part of Peru
-The Incas had special classes of workers
-Chimu was also in the northern part of Peru
-They flourished during 1300s and 1400s C.E
-They built good roads and created a message system
-The center of the Inca empire was the capital city of Cuzco
-The Incas increased their territory by about a dozen mile around Cuzco
-The Spanish came in 1532 C.E
-Francisco Pizarro conquered the Incas
-In typical Peruvian tradition they would be buried sitting down
-It was important to be facing the sun when they were buried because they worshiped it
-The Incas had stone clubs and slingshots for weapons
-In1532 it was easier for the Spanish to conquer the Incas because they weren't at their height
-Some Incas warriors joined the Spanish because they didn't like the Inca ruler
-Some Inca warriors were women
-The Incas were located in Southern America
-Runners carried messages and ran for miles to get the message to whoever they have to give it to
-The empire was 2,500 miles
-They connected their empire with series of roads and a message system
-They also had an irrigation system
-Their capital city was Cuzco
-The Chancas decided to take over the Incas
-The Incas conquered the Chancas and attacked neighboring cities to make their empire bigger
-They have 2 road system so people in land can get messages too
-A message can go 250 miles a day
-They had no writing system
-They only had 3 social groups
-The Sappa Inca owns everything
-If you look the Sappa Inca in the eye, you would die
-The Sappa Inca wife was called Coya
-The Sappa Inca would marry the sister, and from their children would be the heir
-The 3 social groups were Emperor, Nobles, and Commoners
-The Sappa Inca could have many children and wives
-Sappa Inca controlled the land
-Hahua Incas staffed the government's complex bureaucracy
-Curacas were leaders of conquered people
-Commoner men built boilings and roads
-Women wove cloth
-The government fed disabled, aged, and sick
-15,000 miles of road linked all corners of the empire
-Chasquis are what they call the messengers
-Quipus helped them keep track of populations, troops, and tribute
The Mayans
-The Mayans got strength from blood
-The loosing team got sacrificed when they fought with the Mayans
-Their solar calendar had 365 days
-Their sacred calendar had 260 days
-Thier base number was 20
-To add and subtract number they lined up two numbers and they combined or took away dots or bars
-A dot stood for 1, a bar stood for 5, and a shell stood for 0
-Their colors were mixed with minerals and plants
-Weaving was an important art
-They used heiroglyphics to represent sounds, words, and ideas
-Not all Mayans share the same language
-They practice poetry, music, dance, and culture
-Their basketball hoops were against the wall
-Their basketball hoops was adjusted sideways
-The consequence for losing is death
-Their basketball was played as a combo of soccer and basketball
-Religion was important to them
-The Mayans learned by studying artifacts, documents, and practices
-The Mayans believed that there were 160 gods
-The gods created and destroyed the world
-Only preists explained sings
-The Mayans gave offerings to the gods
-Some of the offerings were plants, food, flowers, feathers, jade, and shells
-Chichen Itza had sacrifices too
-One of the games that the Mayans had was Pok-a-tok
-Pok-a-tok was what they called Basketball back then.
-The Mayan Social structure had 5 stages
-The 5 stages where King/God, Priests/Nobles, Artisan craft men, Peasants, and Slaves
-The King/God is hereditary
-The King/God was in charge of war
-The Priests/Nobles helped in the sacrifices
-They Priests/Nobles where the ones who knew how to read/write
-The Priests/Nobles where the ones who went to war
-They where also the ones who where in charge of collecting the taxes
-They recruited people
-Artisan craft men also went to war with the Priests/Nobles
-They built pyramids for the Empire
-The Peasants where called the backbone
-They where farmers, soldiers and they built
-4 ways you can be a Slave is by doing something bad, born as a slave/hereditary, parents sold you, and if you are a prisoner
-They made calendars
-The Mayans invented 6 things that we still use
-They invented writing, chocolate, medicine, schools, library, and sports arenas
-The Mayans had 2 different types of calendars
-One of the calendars had 365 days
-Another one of their calendars had 260 days
-The peasants and nobles used a 365 day calendar
-The king used a 260 day calendar
-They got strength from blood from the losing team who got sacrificed
-Tikal was in the Mayans
-Tikal is the oldest city (15,000 years old)
-People left the city because sickness started spreading
-The gods loved human blood
-Calakmul wanted to attack Tikal and take over
-Yikin Chan Kawill was the king for Tikal
-El peru also tried to attack Tikal
-Naranjo does the same thing and they all lost
-The Mayans believed there were 160 gods
Create a free website
| i don't know |
Seersucker is what type of fabric? | Seersucker Fabric | Fashion Fabrics
Seersucker Fabric
Get insider information about our sales and special events. Sign up today!
Seersucker Fabric
Seersucker fabric by the yard and at a discount. Cotton seersucker, tencel seersucker, polyester seersucker, lycra seersucker. This is a fabric store where you can buy seersucker fabric
Viewing 1 - 15 of 75
Sort By
23
%
Black Seersucker Stripe Wool Gauze A dress weight wool and rayon blend fabric with a semi-sheer 1 3/4" seersucker stripe. This gauze has a soft, brushed surface and dry hand/feel. Suitable for shirts, dresses, skirts, wraps and ponchos. Use lining when opacity is desired. Hand wash cold or dry clean for best results.Compare to $12.00/yd
A dress weight wool and rayon blend fabric with a semi-sheer 1 3/4" seersucker stripe. This gauze has a soft, brushed surface and dry hand/feel. Suitable for shirts, dresses, skirts, wraps and ponchos. Use lining when opacity is desired. Hand wash cold or dry clean for best results.Compare to $12.00/yd [ more ]
Item Number: 47186
Sale: $ 4.4500 $4.45 / Yard Original Price: $5.75 You Save: $1.30 New
Qty
/ Yard
Order
Hot Pink/Black Check Seersucker Hot pink and black miniature yarn dyed windowpane plaid. A lightweight cotton/polyester fabric with a delicate texture. Semi-sheer. Suitable for blouses, shirts and crafts. Machine washable.Compare to $12.00/yd
Hot pink and black miniature yarn dyed windowpane plaid. A lightweight cotton/polyester fabric with a delicate texture. Semi-sheer. Suitable for blouses, shirts and crafts. Machine washable.Compare to $12.00/yd [ more ]
Item Number: 46967
| Cotton |
The 1999 book ‘Black Hawk Down’ by Mark Bowden chronicles the events of which 1993 battle? | Seersucker | Types Of Cotton | Cotton
Types of Cotton
Seersucker
Seersucker
Synonymous with the classic summer suit, this is a lightweight cotton fabric with alternating crinkled and smooth vertical stripes that never needs ironing.
Common Use:
About Us
About
Our mission at Cotton Incorporated is to promote the use of and desire for all things cotton, to get people like you to care about what's in the clothes, sheets and towels you buy. We know amazing things about cotton, and our job is to help you see why cotton is The Fabric of Our Lives®.
Connect with us
Contact Us
America's Cotton Producers and Importers. Service Marks/Trademarks of Cotton Incorporated © 2017 Cotton Incorporated
Blue Jeans Go Green™ is a trademark of Cotton Incorporated. UltraTouchTM Denim Insulation is a trademark of Bonded Logic, Inc. *Insulation quantities related to the Blue Jeans Go GreenTM denim recycling program may be adjusted each year.
The Fabric Of Our Lives®
Complete the form below to receive updates
| i don't know |
Which chemical element has the symbol Cn? | Copernicium or Ununbium Facts - Cn or Element 112
Copernicium or Ununbium Facts - Cn or Element 112
Chemical & Physical Properties of Copernicium
Nicolaus Copernicus was the astronomer who proposed the heliocentric model of the solar system. Portrait from Toruń, early 16th century.
Discovery: Hofmann, Ninov et al. GSI-Germany 1996
Electron Configuration: [Rn] 5f14 6d10 7s2
Name Origin: Named for Nicolaus Copernicus, who proposed the heliocentric solar system. The discoverers of copernicum wanted the element's name to honor a famous scientist who did not get much recognition during his own liferime. Also, Hofmann and his team wished to honor the importance of nuclear chemistry to other scientific fields, such as astrophysics.
Properties: The chemistry of copernicum is expected to be similar to that of the elements zinc, cadmium, and mercury. In contrast to the lighter elements, element 112 decays after a fraction of a thousandth of a second by emitting alpha particles to first become an isotope of element 110 with atomic mass 273, and then an isotope of hassium with atomic mass 269. The decay chain has been followed for three more alpha-decays to fermium.
continue reading below our video
4 Tips for Improving Test Performance
Sources: Element 112 was produced by fusing (melting together) a zinc atom with a lead atom. The zinc atom was accelerated to high energies by a heavy ion accelerator and directed onto a lead target.
Element Classification: Transition Metal
References: Los Alamos National Laboratory (2001), Crescent Chemical Company (2001), Lange's Handbook of Chemistry (1952), CRC Handbook of Chemistry & Physics (18th Ed.)
| Copernicium |
Jake, Ben and Karen Brockman are the three children in which UK television series? | Copernicium or Ununbium Facts - Cn or Element 112
Copernicium or Ununbium Facts - Cn or Element 112
Chemical & Physical Properties of Copernicium
Nicolaus Copernicus was the astronomer who proposed the heliocentric model of the solar system. Portrait from Toruń, early 16th century.
Discovery: Hofmann, Ninov et al. GSI-Germany 1996
Electron Configuration: [Rn] 5f14 6d10 7s2
Name Origin: Named for Nicolaus Copernicus, who proposed the heliocentric solar system. The discoverers of copernicum wanted the element's name to honor a famous scientist who did not get much recognition during his own liferime. Also, Hofmann and his team wished to honor the importance of nuclear chemistry to other scientific fields, such as astrophysics.
Properties: The chemistry of copernicum is expected to be similar to that of the elements zinc, cadmium, and mercury. In contrast to the lighter elements, element 112 decays after a fraction of a thousandth of a second by emitting alpha particles to first become an isotope of element 110 with atomic mass 273, and then an isotope of hassium with atomic mass 269. The decay chain has been followed for three more alpha-decays to fermium.
continue reading below our video
4 Tips for Improving Test Performance
Sources: Element 112 was produced by fusing (melting together) a zinc atom with a lead atom. The zinc atom was accelerated to high energies by a heavy ion accelerator and directed onto a lead target.
Element Classification: Transition Metal
References: Los Alamos National Laboratory (2001), Crescent Chemical Company (2001), Lange's Handbook of Chemistry (1952), CRC Handbook of Chemistry & Physics (18th Ed.)
| i don't know |
In the 17th Century, which Eurasian country ordered men to pay a tax on their beard, in order to keep the men clean shaven? | 1000+ images about Russia in the Age of Absolutism on Pinterest | Emperor, Swedish army and Saint petersburg
Pinterest • The world’s catalog of ideas
Russia in the Age of Absolutism
The era of absolutism, exemplified by the "Sun King" Louis XIV Bourbon of France, marks the rise of rulers throughout Europe who had absolute power over their nations. Mercantilism became the primary form of economy of the day, and the issue of religion disappeared in European wars, now replaced by the issue of the balance of power.
93 Pins359 Followers
| Russia |
Which natural facial feature does the ‘Mona Lisa’ not have? | William Craft Brumfield
[Show abstract] [Hide abstract] ABSTRACT: History, by definition, depends on the existence of written records; everything before the appearance of writing is considered prehistory. Material objects have always informed scholars’ understanding of the past, and since the appearance of the Annales school almost a century ago, the study of the material world has taken on increasing importance. Even so, historical research tends to focus on documents—laws, letters, diaries, literature, and whatever other forms of written expression have survived the crises and catastrophes of time. Yet there is a certain magic in standing inside an ancient building—especially one where one’s research subject lived or worked—and sensing its weight, its colors, its smell, the patterns on its walls. To look at those soaring spires or cramped corners, to see how low the lintels lie compared to the head of the contemporary person standing next to them, or to imagine maneuvering through that set of narrow doors in skirts six feet wide is to experience the past in a visceral way. Although a photograph does not quite match that level of intensity, it creates its own kind of record, capturing a moment in time while allowing a deeper appreciation of both the whole and the individual details that make up that whole. The shape of the Solovki towers, the glorious blue of the Ferapontovo frescoes painted by Dionisii in 1502, the Transfiguration Church on Kizhi Island silhouetted against a blazing sunset: these images linger in the mind, anchoring the documentary descriptions in ways not easily accomplished by words alone. William Craft Brumfield has devoted much of his career to creating a photographic record of Russia’s architectural heritage. His works provide striking visual images to spark the historian’s imagination and the necessary academic context that explains how to interpret what we see. Professor of Slavic studies at Tulane University, he has been and remains a scholar of Russian literature, but he is now best known for his architectural photography, which [End Page 379] has won multiple awards.1 In addition to publishing six books in English and four times as many in Russian, as well as contributing chapters to and editing three more collections—all on Russian architectural history—he has mounted exhibitions of his photographs in the United States and abroad, including a large exhibit devoted to the Russian North in 2001.2 A list of online collections of Brumfield’s photographs appears at the end of this interview. Over the years, Brumfield’s many fellowships and grants have enabled him to take thousands of high-quality color and black-and-white photographs of buildings—some destroyed by revolution and war, others miraculously surviving almost intact for centuries, still others renovated or newly built after the collapse of communism. The churches of the North and Siberia, merchants’ houses and monasteries, the fortifications of western Russian towns invaded first by Napoleon and then by Hitler, and many more are documented in these photographs—a small selection of which appears in the color insert included with the interview. We at Kritika thank Professor Brumfield for his work, which vastly enriches our field. The conversation that follows reveals both what historians miss when they overlook the physical structures of Muscovy, imperial Russia, and the Soviet Union and the processes by which these enduring remnants of the Russian past have been captured in print. Your first book publication was Gold in Azure: One Thousand Years of Russian Architecture (1983), followed by The Origins of Modernism in Russian Architecture (1991). Few other historians of Russia pay much attention to architecture and the role it plays in human life. What are we missing? The architectural environment of any particular time and place is a compendium of historical layers defined by what has survived from the past. We can often learn as much about a society from what is not there (what has been destroyed or allowed to decay) as from what is present. An obvious example is the destruction of churches during the Soviet period. [End Page 380] More recently, the widespread neglect and destruction of traditional wooden buildings in...
Article · Jan 2016 · Kritika Explorations in Russian and Eurasian History
Michael David-Fox
[Show abstract] [Hide abstract] ABSTRACT: Do new biographies of the dictator provoke deeper analysis of the Soviet system? Will the life of Stalin open up new ways of understanding Stalinism? Past experience, it has to be said, raises doubts. Of all the biographies of Stalin, few have integrated, much less altered, the state of the art in Soviet history. The main reason for this fact also explains why so many Stalin biographies get written: they sell. The temptation is perennial for semilearned amateurs to pen sensationalist blockbusters. More sober-minded academic biographies, when written by those focused on the leader more than the system, tend to elide the much more difficult conceptual questions of how Stalin shaped—and, crucially, was shaped by—first revolutionary Russia and then the broader Soviet political system, culture, and ideology. The Russian field has never had anything like Ian Kershaw’s two-volume Hitler biography. Kershaw came to Hitler’s life steeped in historiographical analysis: his interpretation of the literature on National Socialism went through four editions. Through his famous concept of “working toward the Führer,” Kershaw linked the Nazi system in new ways to the leader, thus helping to transcend the intentionalist-functionalist split. If one were to pick any two Soviet historians capable of producing something analogous for our own field, it would be Stephen Kotkin, the American historian who helped the field move beyond the totalitarian-revisionist divide with his notion of “Stalinism as a civilization,” and Oleg Khlevniuk, the Russian authority on the archival holdings related to Stalin-era high politics and a world-renowned expert on Stalinism. In many ways, the two works are very different. If Kotkin’s opus resembles a tank, seeking to awe if not shock the reader with its sheer scope and force, Khlevniuk’s deceptively simple craftsmanship is more akin to a fine watch. Kotkin’s sprawling 949 pages takes the story up until the onset of collectivization, constituting but one of three projected volumes. Yet one could justifiably say that volume 1 is really three books in one: the first, the biography of Stalin, is a story that develops very slowly, because the gradually increasing importance of the Georgian’s improbable trajectory is placed within the second book-within-a-book, a history of the Russian and Soviet states, punctuated by the history of the Russian Revolution. The third dimension is a geopolitical narrative about Russia, its foreign policy, and the world of the great powers. In a kind of treasure hunt for specialists, long textbook-like sections are strewn with brilliant insights, striking turns of phrase, and original interpretations; the research and synthetic interpretation of Stalin and his role are integrated into this grand récit. The modest and hardworking Khlevniuk, by contrast, delivers concise coverage of Stalin’s entire life and times in under 400 pages and delineates a consistent focus on Stalin’s political methods of rule, especially in terms of the top political elite. Given these differences in form, the similarities and tacit consensus between them are just as striking. Both see the vozhd´ emerge squarely from the revolutionary movement and political struggle rather than, say, the alleged abnormalities of his childhood or personality. Both focus on high politics, with Kotkin putting special stress on foreign policy and giving strong coverage to issues of empire and economics, while Khlevniuk highlights repressions and the Politburo elite. Both repudiate the tradition of depicting Stalin as a mediocrity or mere praktik. Both, quite rightly, take it as a given that, despite the condescension of elite Old Bolshevik theoreticians, he was very much a member of the party intelligentsia. For Kotkin, the seminarian was a striver with “tremendous dedication to self-improvement” who “devoured books, which, as a Marxist, he did so in order to change the world” (10). Khlevniuk, acutely aware of Stalin’s growing approval ratings in today’s Russia, makes more of a point of emphasizing the future theoretical genius’s intellectual deficiencies, such as his reduction of complex problems to simplistic slogans. But he sees Stalin’s attraction to the teacher-like role of the professional revolutionary as the primary reason he adhered to Leninism in the first place (24). Both, at least on...
Article · Jan 2016 · Kritika Explorations in Russian and Eurasian History
Galina Ulianova
[Show abstract] [Hide abstract] ABSTRACT: In recent years, historians have increasingly concentrated on the history of private life, inspired by the traditions established by the Annales school and Jürgen Habermas. The historiography of imperial Russia has been enriched by dozens of studies of various aspects of private life in cities and in rural Russia. This review focuses on three recent studies of private everyday life in Russia in the 18th and 19th centuries. They have three elements in common. First, they examine how the idea of private life was interpreted by various social strata and under different circumstances. Second, most of their materials concern Russian provincial life. Finally, all the works employ the microhistorical method and are based on little-used letters, diaries, and memoirs. Microhistory as a methodology in historical writing first appeared in Europe and the United States in the 1960s and 1970s. The USSR, then Russia, were latecomers, and the first similar studies based on Russian materials began to appear only in the late 1980s. Philological and cultural studies were the first disciplines to deploy this method (above all, Iurii Lotman’s Tartu school); among historians, the first were medievalists studying Western Europe (for example, Aron Gurevich with his Categories of Medieval Culture). Over the last 20 years, historical anthropology has finally become prominent in Russianist studies, both in Russia and in the West. But despite hundreds of articles of this kind, larger studies are still rare. This dearth relates to the difficulty of finding a compact and complete set of sources, such as the diaries of the US midwife Martha Ballard or the Russian merchant Ivan Tolchënov, which enable a full-scale microhistorical study. The three books under review concern different historical epochs and different levels of practices of private life. The earliest chronologically is the collection edited by Andrew Kahn, which deals not only with Russia but other countries as well—France, Italy, and England. The 4 articles out of 14 that deal with Russia interpret the period from Peter the Great to Catherine the Great as the age when individualistic aspirations and desires first ripened within Russian society. The collection is interdisciplinary and includes articles from historians and philologists studying different aspects of private life: religious experience (Viktor Zhivov), gentry writing (Irina Reyfman), gardens as public space (Andreas Schönle), and the acquisition of self-knowledge through sexual experience accompanied by infection from venereal disease (Andrei Zorin). The monograph by Katherine Pickering Antonova presents virtually all aspects of the private life of a middling noble provincial family in the 1820s–60s: birth and death, illness and health, motherhood and fatherhood, economic life and interaction with neighbors, and the conceptualization of one family’s position in provincial society and in Russia’s estate hierarchy. Svetlana Malysheva’s book examines the sphere of leisure and cultural communication, attempting to trace the development of free time and entertainment in the public sphere in 1860–1914, the period when Russian urban space became municipalized after the Great Reforms. Considerable attention is given to the discourse of dialogue and conflict among the multiconfessional population of Kazan, in which the cultural preferences of Russian Orthodox and Muslim Tatar inhabitants did not always coincide. All three books address crucial methodological and empirical questions. How can one use private life to understand the rigidly hierarchical structure of Russian society? And just how rigid was this social matrix? To what extent did it permit individual development in the age of modernity? Each of the authors constructs an argument about Russian models of public space formation, separate spheres, domesticity, and so on. Representing Private Lives of the Enlightenment is a lively and engaging work that deserves an important place in contemporary social studies of European bourgeois culture. In the introduction, Andrew Kahn notes, “by bringing Russia into the fold, the case studies offer a comparative framework with more instructive symmetries and asymmetries than might have been the case if other Western European countries had been set alongside the English and French material that traditionally dominates” (3–4). Also, the authors of the volume seek to demonstrate how figures from very diverse social groups mapped their social and domestic world. The points of conjunction between private and public...
Article · Jan 2016 · Kritika Explorations in Russian and Eurasian History
Martin Aust
[Show abstract] [Hide abstract] ABSTRACT: Jürgen Osterhammel’s Transformation of the World is a balanced and thoughtful example of a true world history. The book consists of three parts. Part 1, “Approaches,” discusses Memory and Self-Observation, Time, and Space and thus convincingly addresses the fundamental categories of history writing in general. Part 2 is called “Panoramas” and Part 3 “Themes,” both of which are also appropriate, although it’s unclear why Osterhammel chose to place topics such as Mobilities, Living Standards, Cities, Frontiers, Imperial Systems and Nation-States, International Orders, Revolutions, and The State under “Panoramas,” while grouping topics such as Energy and Industry, Labor, Networks, Hierarchies, Knowledge, Civilization and Exclusion, and Religion under “Themes.” Still, there’s no doubt that the book fully deserves to be considered a world history, as all the regions of the globe are represented and receive their fair share of attention. This includes Russia, which is treated fairly consistently throughout the book. But even more important is the way that Osterhammel integrates the Russian experience into his analysis. Basically he goes about this in three ways, adopting the same approach to Russia that he does to the other countries and continents that figure in the narrative. He includes individual cases in his narration of general global developments; he makes comparisons between states and regions to underscore the realities of historical variation; and he draws attention to the entanglements between countries and continents, ranging from political interaction to the flows of commodities and the movement of ideas and peoples that tied them together. This approach applies to the whole analytical sweep of the book. No single paragraph highlights a given country or region for its own sake. Instead every detail appears as part of a larger interpretation. As for Russia specifically, Osterhammel relates its history to the larger world in a few key ways. First, he uses Russia to exemplify general global developments of the 19th century. Of the many ways that Osterhammel does this, four of the analytical rubrics that he devises strike me as particularly useful: the 1880s threshold, territoriality, mobilities, and wars. Discussing various chronologies that structure the 19th century, Osterhammel highlights the so-called 1880s threshold as a time of change on a global scale. This threshold links the Victorian age and the fin de siècle leading up to World War I. In terms of political, military, and economic history, Russia serves as one of many examples to drive home this view of the 1880s as a key period of transition (63–65). Alexander’s III restoration of autocracy is compared to Sultan Abdülhamid II’s suspension of the Ottoman constitution in 1878. The Russian revolution of 1905–7 is put into line with revolutions in the Ottoman Empire, Iran, and China in the early 20th century. As to the economy, Osterhammel says: “Global industrialization entered a new phase. Japan and Russia experienced what economic historians used to call a ‘takeoff,’ that is, transition to self-sustaining growth. Things were not yet so advanced in India or in South Africa (where large gold deposits were discovered in 1886), but a core of industrial and mining capitalism began to take shape in both countries, for the first time outside the West and Japan” (63). Thus Russian history from the 1880s until World War I appears to be in line with trends in a number of other countries across the globe. Russia also plays an important role when it comes to the issue of 19th-century territoriality: “Large states came into being—huge entities such as the United States, Canada (federated in 1867), and the Tsarist Empire, which only now really took possession of Siberia and expanded into Central Asia. The sober Friedrich Ratzel was not merely engaging in social Darwinist reverie when he elaborated a ‘law of the spatial growth of states’ ” (108). Border zones provided another important feature of imperial territoriality: “Every empire had its open flanks: France in the Algerian Sahara, Britain in the North-West Frontier of India, the Tsarist Empire in the Caucasus” (113). Osterhammel’s rendering of frontiers also includes Russia’s expansion into global patterns, in this case in regards to sources of wealth: “The other source...
Article · Jan 2016 · Kritika Explorations in Russian and Eurasian History
François-Xavier Nérard
[Show abstract] [Hide abstract] ABSTRACT: J. Arch Getty has played a major role in defining our understanding of Soviet history. His 1985 book on purges was an important study within the socalled revisionist school.1 There he advanced a new understanding of political violence in the Soviet Union that was different from the then-dominant paradigm of a violence conceived, ordered, and carried out carefully from above through an efficient chain of command. His new book represents both continuity and rupture with his earlier works. Just as he did 30 years ago, Getty tries to understand the origins of the political violence that peaked in 1937–38. In this respect, Practicing Stalinism echoes his earlier book and in a certain sense represents a completion of 30-years’ research, bringing in archival sources that were unavailable at the beginning of the 1980s. As in his earlier work, in his new book Getty is interested in conflicts, tensions, groups, and rivalry. But many of his interpretations are new: most noticeably, the role of Iosif Stalin is conceptualized in a different way, and the dictator occupies a far more central place in Getty’s new book. Practicing Stalinism combines two layers of argumentation. The core chapters of the book (chaps. 3–8) focus on political conflicts in Stalin’s USSR that are mostly interpreted in terms of struggle between clans and groups, and as center-periphery tensions. In this part of the book, Getty studies the personal and political conflicts of the 1920s and 1930s, discussing the actors, development, and resolution. But in the first chapters of the book—and this is new—the author attempts to situate these struggles within the broader [End Page 475] context of the modernization/tradition debate.2 Arch Getty opens his book by drawing continuities among Ivan IV’s Muscovy, Stalin’s USSR, and Vladimir Putin’s Russia. He also underscores these continuities in the “epilogue.” It is through this persistence of Russian traditionalism that Getty seeks to explain many of the phenomena he is discussing. Getty follows in the footsteps of several other scholars of Soviet history by uncovering signs of archaism in interwar Soviet political practices.3 In the first two chapters of the book, he discusses some of these archaic practices from a long-term perspective. For the pre-Soviet period of Russian history, Getty mostly relies on secondary sources; he reveals numerous practices the first appearances of which may be found as early as in 16th-century Russia but can be seen again in the Soviet Union. These practices include restricted access of foreigners to Russia, denunciatory letters written to the authorities, the existence of an aristocracy with a particular status, and collective responsibility. This assertion of the persistence of tradition, which features even in the subtitle of the book, is almost always pervasive. For example, Getty twice mentions, “The famous ‘anointing’ photographs of Stalin alongside Lenin recall those of Nicholas II alongside his son Aleksei and preview those for sale today in Moscow of Putin skiing and chatting with Medvedev” (4, 89). He also speaks on numerous occasions of “boyars” and “king’s men” in the Stalin period. Getty’s main point is that these practices represent something totally and specifically Russian. In his opinion, they were neither Soviet nor Stalinist but Russian. Getty explains: “Because we find this understanding of politics and government from Riurik to Putin, at all levels of the hierarchies at all times and places, it was inescapable. This was the deep structure by which Russia had always been governed” (95). Getty’s interpretation of the persistence of archaic practices differs markedly from the neotraditional model earlier proposed by Terry Martin.4 In his seminal article Martin claimed: “Neo-traditional societies, rather, represent an alternative form of modernization, one that includes the most characteristic processes of market-driven modernization (industrialization, [End Page 476] urbanization, secularization, universal education, and literacy), but one which likewise produces a variety of practices that bear a striking resemblance to characteristic features of...
Article · Jan 2016 · Kritika Explorations in Russian and Eurasian History
Jonathan W. Daly
[Show abstract] [Hide abstract] ABSTRACT: Vladlen Semenovich Izmozik, a professor at the Bonch-Bruevich Saint-Petersburg State University of Telecommunications, is incomparably the world expert on late imperial Russia’s government-sponsored interception of mail (perliustratsiia), to which he has devoted over 20 years of study and some 30 publications, including this massive book. Perlustration was one of the three principal secret methods of security policing and information gathering before the rise of the electronic wizardry culminating in the exploits of the National Security Agency (and the counterexploits of Edward Snowden).1 The other two were surveillance by plainclothes policemen and infiltration by secret informants, neither of which has received anything like the detailed and wide-ranging treatment provided by Izmozik.2 This is somewhat surprising, because both the security police themselves and the revolutionaries they hunted and watched all considered secret informants to be the “linchpin” of the entire system.3 Yet the disparity of attention probably makes sense, as Izmozik demonstrates in his book, because unlike the other two methods, [End Page 466] which evolved late in imperial Russian history and were focused largely on a narrow group of political dissidents, the interception of mail emerged early and had a broad and ever-increasing scope. In 2003, when I surveyed recent scholarship on the Russian security police for this journal, the field was just coming of age.4 At that time, the doyenne in terms of expertise and output was Zinaida Peregudova, an archivist at the State Archive of the Russian Federation (GARF), who has helped countless researchers to find their way through the archival labyrinth.5 Since then, many more studies have appeared, almost entirely in Russia, including many focused on localities and regions,6 though a few monographs also came out in the West.7 Now Vladlen Izmozik is just as prominent as Peregudova in security and especially surveillance studies of late imperial Russia. Yet his work also bridges the Great Revolutionary Divide, contributing nearly as significantly to the history of political surveillance in the early Soviet as in the late imperial era.8 His concept of “political control” (politicheskii kontrol´), by which he [End Page 467] means “efforts to ascertain and manage the people’s ‘mood,’ especially their attitudes to the authorities,” has been particularly influential.9 The book under review is encyclopedic. It draws upon vast unpublished and published documentation, including materials gathered in ten archives in Russia, among them the less pregnable collections of the Federal Security Service (FSB, St. Petersburg branch), the navy, the military, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Izmozik supplies a detailed bibliography, a lengthy index of names, and six appendices. The appendices present key official documents, the revolutionary-era memoir of a leading practitioner of perlustration, prosopographical data on officials engaged in the work, and a list of the shifting locations throughout the empire where it was conducted. The author begins by distinguishing between what he calls official military censorship (voennaia tsenzura) of the mail, as well as the judicially imposed inspection of the correspondence of convicts and individuals under police supervision (politseiskii nadzor), which were overt and regulated by laws, and perlustration as such, which was an extralegal practice. Yet the Russian Code on Punishments of 1845 (revised in 1885) stated unambiguously that a government official could not be held liable for exceeding his authority, even when he deviated from established rules, “so long as, in regard to this particular instance or such instances in general, he was doing so on the basis of a directive issued from a higher authority” (13–14). Moreover, the government officials who drafted the Fundamental Laws of 1906 explicitly decided against including an assertion of the inviolability of personal correspondence. Therefore, the practitioners of perlustration before 1917, as well as the senior officials who sanctioned their work, could not be prosecuted as lawbreakers, because their actions had been sanctioned by the highest authority of the land—the emperor. Perlustration took on a systematic character from...
Article · Jan 2016 · Kritika Explorations in Russian and Eurasian History
Jörg Baberowski · Nicole Eaton
[Show abstract] [Hide abstract] ABSTRACT: Yet another Stalin biography? This time in three volumes? Who needs such a biography, and what can it explain to a reader already familiar with Stalin’s life? Stephen Kotkin has not written a Stalin biography but rather a fascinating and unsurpassed history of power in the early Soviet Union. It is actually the volume title that reveals what the book is about: the paradoxes of power. Accordingly, Stalin enters the stage only late in the book. Kotkin introduces him at the beginning, describes his youth in Georgia, but then allows him to disappear. Only toward the middle of the book does he appear once more. Kotkin tells a story of power and its effects, of the autocracy and its prime ministers, of peasants and revolutionaries and of the Great War that ultimately destroyed the tsarist empire. We see how the revolutionaries were in no way certain about their cause, with liberals, Socialist Revolutionaries, and Mensheviks just as uncertain as the Bolsheviks. They understood that they also had to adapt themselves to the circumstances that had sealed the fate of the tsar’s government: the size of the country and the weakness of its institutions. Lenin was not a strategist. He had no plan when he decided to overthrow the government in October 1917. There was not even a clear idea about how the new state and its government were supposed to be formed. They had no control over the chaotic events unfolding. Day by day, Lenin and his comrades had to reckon with the possibility of being driven out of power. The government, Kotkin writes, consisted of only four people: Vladimir Lenin, Lev Trotskii, Iosif Stalin, and Iakov Sverdlov—men who had had encounters with the tsarist police or been sent into exile or imprisoned but had no idea about how a state should be governed. They gave free rein to whatever happened because they did not know to which outcome they should direct events. The result was chaos and anarchy, a rule designed for one day at a time. A contemporary who worked at Smolny, the headquarters of the regime, remembered seeing fear on the faces of the Bolshevik people’s commissars. This fear grew because the authorities refused to cooperate with the Bolsheviks, because theft and violence ruled the streets, because the German kaiser’s troops threatened the heart of the empire, and because no one knew whether the opponents of the Bolsheviks would ultimately gain the upper hand. In the beginning, there was not even a state police force, and the new rulers had no choice but to cede power to the looters and robbers. Even Lenin himself, the leader of the revolution, was dragged out of a car in 1918, robbed, and left standing on the street. It was a period of “Dada and Lenin,” as Kotkin describes the events of 1918 (227–88). Power means either imposing one’s will on another or preventing another from exercising power. But such power is only temporary and does not itself establish rule; power becomes durable only when it is institutionalized. Rule arises when the vanquished themselves perform what those with power demand from them. Lenin’s state was based on exploitation and redistribution, on intimidation and terror, on privilege and disenfranchisement. Its police resembled a band of marauders; its governmental agencies were commanded by men who transformed improvised terror into a strategy of rule. As the Civil War (1918–21) broke out, the Bolsheviks got the opportunity of a lifetime. They could turn all the improvisation and management of crises through force into the foundation for their regime. They learned how to overcome crises, fight battles, and destroy enemies; it was in this context that the Soviet state was formed. The Bolsheviks were forged by the Civil War, as Kotkin tells it. They maintained themselves against “Dada,” kept themselves from certain doom, and gave a distinctive shape to their political culture. Kotkin describes the building that housed the new institutions and their functionaries, the paths one traversed between them, and the decisions that were made in them. Now Stalin reappears on the narrator’s stage. Kotkin’s Stalin is a man of action, one who knew...
Article · Jan 2016 · Kritika Explorations in Russian and Eurasian History
Artemy M. Kalinovsky
[Show abstract] [Hide abstract] ABSTRACT: Mikhail Gorbachev, the first and last president of the Soviet Union, resigned on Christmas Day in 1991. Gorbachev’s advisers had originally planned the announcement for 24 December, Christmas Eve, but decided to wait a day so that television viewers in the United States could celebrate their holiday in peace. As Serhii Plokhy explains in his lively, engaging book on the last six months of the USSR, Gorbachev’s resignation speech was just the last of a series of performances played out by the Soviet leader, his rival Boris Yeltsin, and the other republic leaders for US audiences. Discussions of the Soviet collapse tend to focus on causal factors—including the relative importance of nationalist mobilization, the “exit” of communist elites, or the relative impact of events in Eastern Europe. Most accounts tend to treat the postcoup period as essentially a process of protracted agony, in which the question of the USSR’s future was more or less already settled. The exceptions have either been memoirs by Gorbachev’s associates or works on relations between the United States and the Soviet Union and Russia. The main achievement of Plokhy’s book is to bring together the high drama of that short period—the political struggles between Gorbachev and Yeltsin, the attempts to win over Central Asian leaders, and the rapidly changing situation in Ukraine. Plokhy is not dismissive of long-term causes—on the contrary, he insists on the importance of the “nationality question” for understanding the Soviet collapse (409). Throughout the book, however, he emphasizes the importance of contingencies in this period. As Plokhy shows, republican leaders were dealing with two problems in the wake of the August putsch. First, the public mood had changed. If earlier in the year referendums seemed to show substantial support for preserving some sort of union, after the coup the calls for sovereignty and even independence became much louder. Republican leaders who had hesitated to denounce the coup had to fight for their political lives by reinventing themselves as democrats and nationalists. Second, even those who were eager to preserve some kind of union—including the leaders of the Central Asian republics, who counted on investments from the center to prevent economic collapse and to smooth any kind of economic transition—were wary of a union too heavily dominated by Russia. With Yeltsin rising as a political force in 1991 and increasingly dominating not just Russian but Soviet politics, leaders like Kazakhstan’s Nursultan Nazarbaev and Uzbekistan’s Islam Karimov began to think they might be better off alone. Although Plokhy touches on the role of Belarus, Kazakhstan, and other republics, it is Russia and Ukraine that are at the center of his story. Plokhy is especially effective explaining how Ukrainian nationalism developed as a potent political force even as the communist elite in the republic became alienated from Gorbachev. Although the Ukrainian party had supported the coup, the leadership and Leonid Kravchuk himself quickly came out in favor of independence in the wake of the attempted putsch. What made the Ukrainian declaration of independence in August particularly damaging for the union was that it was the first case of a communist-controlled legislature taking the lead. Similarly, Plokhy demonstrates convincingly how important the “Russia first” sentiment, shared by some of Yeltsin’s advisers and increasingly by Yeltsin himself, was in the political struggles of 1991. Yeltsin, who was initially a supporter of a strong Soviet Union, became one of the most enthusiastic contributors to its dissolution. The role of other republics, by contrast, is given relatively little treatment. True, Kazakhstan’s Nazarbaev, usually left out of the story, emerges as a major political player. But we learn relatively little about the political dramas within the republics themselves, where pro- and antiunion forces were mobilizing, sometimes in unpredictable ways. We also get little sense of the content behind various proposals to keep the union together, something that is crucial if we are to comprehend how a union (or confederation) could have functioned. Could this new confederation restore economic ties, provide investment from the center, and accommodate the various ideological movements that had appeared in the republics? How did actors at the time propose...
Article · Jan 2016 · Kritika Explorations in Russian and Eurasian History
Maria Mayofis · Victoria Frede
[Show abstract] [Hide abstract] ABSTRACT: The ideology of Russian nationalism within the USSR and its development, together with the movements that gave rise to it, appear to have been studied fairly thoroughly. Research began with Mikhail Agurskii’s classic Ideology of National Bolshevism and has been advanced by Andreas Umland, David Brandenberger, Yitzhak Brudny, Nikolai Mitrokhin, Marlène Laruelle, Viktor Shnirel´man, and others. Two aspects of the problem, however, require further investigation: the prerevolutionary roots of the Soviet Union’s nationalist movements and the interrelationship between modernizing and antimodernizing tendencies within those movements. Both aspects can be addressed by investigating a significant sociocultural movement—the history of the All-Russian Choral Society (Vserossiiskoe khorovoe obshchestvo, VKhO)—which has heretofore been ignored by historians of Russian nationalism in the post-Stalinist period and has hardly been touched upon by social historians of Russia. This neglect can primarily be attributed to scholars’ preoccupation with writers, literary journals, and publishing houses and, somewhat less frequently, with artists and the communities they belonged to. Music has barely been addressed, except for pathbreaking investigations by Laura Olson, Susannah Lockwood Smith, and, for the period prior to Stalin’s death, Marina Frolova-Walker. In this article I trace the history of the developmental movement for Russian choral singing in the framework of the All-Russian Choral Society, which was founded in 1957, remained in operation until 1987, and was unexpectedly resurrected in 2013. I reconstruct the prerevolutionary genesis of the Society’s guiding principles, their deep transformation under the influence of modernizing and antimodernizing elements in its ideology and institutional praxis, drawing on its organizers’ writings and their biographies. As the sources show, the All-Russian Choral Society should be understood as an aesthetic and sociological project, one that dovetailed with the state’s cultural politics in the late 1950s and early 1960s, drawing from and contributing to them. Having systematically analyzed the various ideological, aesthetic, and organizational sources of the All-Russian Choral Society, I also trace how the intentions behind its ideological program were understood by cultural figures of the 1950s and 1960s who did not join the movement, and how they entered into a polemic with the Society in order to defend their own conceptions of social solidarity. In the final section of the article I demonstrate how this institution has once again gained resonance in contemporary Russian society. Soviet political and cultural elites never completely assimilated the ideological program of social solidarity advanced by the All-Russian Choral Society. Only in the 2010s did it reach its apogee, when it was reanimated in a scope that was far more limited but also significantly more radical than the Society’s founding ideologists had intended. A major characteristic of the All-Russian Choral Society was its emphasis on the formation of a highly developed culture of choral performance. Based on the accomplishments of prerevolutionary music around the beginning of the 20th century, it also drew on new types of social, emotionally experienced solidarity, for which Soviet political elites had been calling since the early 1920s, and which gained renewed traction immediately following the 20th Party Congress in 1956. The All-Russian Choral Society de facto advanced a program of nationalism, based not on narratives of the “greatness of the people” but on specific performative practices that gave expression to such greatness. Officially, the All-Russian Choral Society dates to 10 June 1957, when the Soviet of Ministers of the RSFSR created an organizing committee (orgkomitet) to oversee its formation. At the outset, the new institution was intended to function within the RSFSR, with branches in all its regions (oblasti), territories (krai), and autonomous republics. Deliberations on the statutes and establishment of branches took longer than initially planned: the Organizing Committee’s first plenary session met in April 1958. Only in June 1959, two years after the founding resolution, did the All-Russian Choral Society hold its first congress, ratifying its statutes and working program. The Society was initiated and headed by the famous choirmaster Aleksandr Vasil´evich Sveshnikov (1890–1980), who had been rector of the Moscow State Conservatory (Moskovskaia gosudarstvennaia konservatoriia) since 1948. Sveshnikov had been active since the...
Article · Jan 2016 · Kritika Explorations in Russian and Eurasian History
Volodymyr Ryzhkovskyi
[Show abstract] [Hide abstract] ABSTRACT: The memory of the Thaw operates almost as the subconscious of the late 20th- and early 21th-century Russian intelligentsia, at least of its elite. The divisions solidified during the Thaw between “conservatives” and “liberals,” “Stalinists” and “anti-Stalinists,” have been played out over and over again at the most crucial junctures of Russian recent history. Perestroika was perceived by the “liberal” intellectuals behind Gorbachev’s reforms as a way to defeat old “conservative” rivals and to accomplish the unfinished tasks of the Thaw. In turn, the rise and the fall of the Russian protest movement of the 2011–12 again made the Thaw into a relevant object of political reflection, though not always in a celebratory key. For example, Mark Lipovetsky’s thought-provoking [End Page 447] article “The Poetics of ITR Discourse” suggests that the Thaw and its heritage might be seen as a possible source of the present Russian “liberal” debacle and as such should be “critically” worked through.1 At the same time, debuting on Russian television in the wake of the protests, Valerii Todorovskii’s show The Thaw presented an utterly depoliticized and “uncritical” image of the period, which nicely complemented the conflictless narrative of Russia’s past promoted in Putin’s Russia. Ironically, it was Todorovskii himself who in the early 1990s produced the harshest deconstructive attack on the celebratory narrative of the Thaw. His film Over the Dark Water exposed the excessive machismo and the abuse of empty rhetoric by the generation of the “sixties,” featuring Ivan Okhlobystin—then an actor, now an Orthodox priest and a prominent media symbol of the Russian turn toward neotraditionalism—in the role of the hero effecting this deconstruction. It seems that a constant renegotiation of the distance between memory of the past and changing present circumstances by members of the intelligentsia has made fluid the boundaries between the binaries imagined during the Thaw while keeping intact their crucial importance in organizing the Russian intellectual landscape. Indeed, binaries can be helpful for Russian intellectuals identifying their intellectual “foes” and “friends,” but deceiving when applied to the dynamic of the intellectual process. That is why critical engagement with the history of the postwar Russian intelligentsia is better conceived as a distancing from and at the same time digging into the origins and the evolution of binary frameworks. In fact, historians both in Russia and abroad have already been grappling with the image of the Thaw as an advance of Soviet “liberals” against Stalinist “dogmatics” for almost 15 years. In tandem with critiques that stressed the deeply rooted conservative and repressive features of post-Stalinist relaxation, historians questioned the validity of the rigid oppositions of official/unofficial, Soviet/non-Soviet, and conformist/nonconformist for understanding the transformations that Soviet intellectual culture has undergone since Stalin’s death.2 The volumes under review here [End Page 448] continue to reconsider the history of the postwar Soviet intelligentsia beyond the interpretive framework that was defined by binary thinking, thus making significant contributions to the ongoing debate. Benjamin Tromly’s Making the Soviet Intelligentsia not only questions the metaphor of the Thaw as an index of the intelligentsia’s decade-long search for freedom but boldly targets its elitism, which “universalizes a reading of Soviet history that was not shared by all intellectuals, let alone Soviet society as a whole” (20). Using materials both from central (Moscow) and provincial archives (Saratov and Kiev...
Article · Jan 2016 · Kritika Explorations in Russian and Eurasian History
| i don't know |
From 1784 to 1811 the British government levied a tax on which item of men’s attire? | Crazy & Unusual Taxes Around the World
Crazy & Unusual Taxes Around the World
Share This Image On Your Site
<p><strong>Please include attribution to Purely Shutters with this graphic.</strong></p> <p><a href='http://www.purelyshutters.co.uk/blog/purely-shutters/crazy-unusual-taxes-around-world/'><img src='http://www.purelyshutters.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Crazy-and-Unusual-Taxes-Around-the-World1.png' alt='Crazy & Unusual Taxes Around the World' width='670px' border='0' /></a></p> <p>
Hearth Tax
1662 – 1689
Two shillings for each fireplace or stove was the tax Parliament levied on the British people to support the Royal Household of King Charles II at £1,200,000 annually. This tax was resented by the people as it permitted the tax assessor to enter your home for inspection at any time.
Brick Tax
1784 – 1850
Taxed at 4 shillings per thousand bricks, this tax funded the war in the American Colonies. Masons manufactured larger bricks to alleviate the tax, which prompted Parliament to restrict brick sizes and raise the tax to 5 shillings and 10 pennies. New buildings were made from lumber and weatherboarding, instead of bricks, which ultimately led to a repeal of the brick tax and the English construction economy took a boost as a result.
Stolen Property Tax
2012
The IRS’s 1040 instructions indicate that you should list any stolen property gained during the previous year. However, since this would be self-incrimination, which is protected by the Constitution, you may report stolen property as “other income”.
Pet Tax
2009 – 2013
In Durham County, NC, you must declare your pets as personal property, obtain a license and pay an annual fee. Spot and Fluffy’s taxes were $10 each if spayed or neutered, or $75 each if they weren’t fixed.
Window Tax
1696 – 1851
This was considered to be a fair tax by the British Parliament, since the rich had larger homes and thus more windows. However, the people avoided the tax by bricking up windows, which led to health problems and the eventual repeal of the window tax over 150 years later.
Television Tax
1946 – Current
If you own a TV, you must buy an annual TV license to support the BBC – £145.50 for colour and £49.00 for black and white. Even if you are blind, you must pay half the annual fee! Failure to pay can result in criminal penalties. In 2012 there were 155,000 convictions for TV tax evasion.
Rain Tax
2013 – Current
Ten counties in Maryland will be paying for any structure that prevents rainwater from soaking into the ground – sidewalks, roofs, patios, driveways and more. This tax is supposed to support the Chesapeake Bay by preventing rainwater run-off. The tax rate is calculated and enforced by satellite imagery. Ironically, government buildings are exempt from the rain tax, while churches and non-profits aren’t!
Hat Tax
1784 – 1811
This tax was intended to raise revenue for the government in accordance with each man’s wealth, as it was supposed that wealthy men bought more hats. The tax was imposed on both the seller and buyer, with stiff fines for tax evasion. The death penalty was even used for those who forged the tax license at a business or a stamp inside hats! Understandably, the hat tax eventually made mens hats unpopular.
Fruit Tax
2009 – Current
If you’re buying California fruit from a vending machine in California, you’re subject to a 33% tax. Ouch. Don’t ask why anyone would buy fruit from a vending machine.
Wallpaper Tax
1712 – 1836
Painted, printed or patterned wallpaper was taxed at one penny per square yard and in 1809 that rose to one shilling per yard. In today’s currency value, that’s £3.07 per yard. Like most taxes, the people found a way to circumvent it – buying untaxed, plain wallpaper and stenciling or painting it themselves.
Sliced Bagel Tax
2010 – Current
A whole bagel is only subject to sales tax in New York. However if a bagel is altered – sliced, toasted, served with toppings or eaten in the store – you are subject to an additional 8 cent tax.
| Hat |
In 16th Century Italy, what were ‘Chopines’? | 1000+ images about Hats, Hats, Hats on Pinterest | Derby hats, Red hat society and Kentucky derby hats
Learn more at ebay.com
OOAK VTG ROARING 20s FLAPPER GIRL LACE CLOCHE HAT SKULL CAP FEATHER PEARL BUCKLE
| i don't know |
In 1913, New York socialite Mary Phelps Jacob created which first modern item of clothing out of two silk handkerchiefs? | The History of the Brassiere - Mary Phelps Jacob
The History of the Brassiere
Mary Phelps Jacob and the Brassiere
History of the Brassiere. Mary Bellis
Updated February 01, 2016.
The first modern brassiere to receive a patent was the one invented in 1913 by a New York socialite named Mary Phelps Jacob. Mary Phelps Jacob had just purchased a sheer evening gown for one of her social events. At that time, the only acceptable undergarment was a corset stiffened with whaleback bones. Mary found that the whalebones poked out visible around the plunging neckline and under the sheer fabric.
Two silk handkerchiefs and some pink ribbon later, Mary had designed an alternative to the corset. The corset's reign was starting to topple.
An unhealthy and painful device designed to narrow an adult women's waist to 13, 12, 11 and even 10 or less inches, the invention of the corset is attributed to Catherine de Médicis, wife of King Henri II of France.
continue reading below our video
Should I Roll Over my 401K to an IRA?
She enforced a ban on thick waists at court attendance's (1550's) and started over 350 years of whalebones, steel rods and midriff torture.
Mary Phelps Jacob's new undergarment complimented the new fashions introduced at the time and demands from friends and family were high for the new brassiere. On November 3, 1914, a U.S. patent for the "Backless Brassiere" was issued.
Caresse Crosby Brassieres
Caresse Crosby was the business name Mary Phelps Jacob used for her brassiere production. However, running a business was not enjoyable to Jacob and she soon sold the brassiere patent to the Warner Brothers Corset Company in Bridgeport, Connecticut, for $1,500. Warner (the bra-makers, not the movie-makers) made over fifteen million dollars from the bra patent over the next thirty years.
Mary Phelps Jacob was the first to patent an undergarment named 'Brassiere' derived from the old French word for 'upper arm'.
Her patent was for a device that was lightweight, soft and separated the breasts naturally.
Other points in the history of the brassiere worth mentioning:
In 1875, manufacturers George Frost and George Phelps patented the 'Union Under-Flannel', a no bones, no eyelets, and no laces or pulleys under-outfit.
In 1893, a woman named Marie Tucek patented the 'breast supporter’; the device included separate pockets for the breasts and straps that went over the shoulder, fastened by hook-and-eye closures.
In 1889, corset-maker Herminie Cadolle invented the 'Well-Being' or 'Bien-être', a bra-like device sold as a health aid. The corset's support for the breasts squeezed up from below. Cadolle changed breast support to the shoulders down.
World War I dealt the corset a fatal blow when the U.S. War Industries Board called on women to stop buying corsets in 1917. It freed up some 28,000 tons of metal!
In 1928, a Russian immigrant named Ida Rosenthal founded Maidenform. Ida was responsible for grouping women into bust-size categories (cup sizes).
| Bra |
Fashion designer Helmut Lang was born in which country? | Bra History, Bra, Bras, History of Bras, Bra, History of Bras
Lift! Separate! Cross Your Heart!
Full Coverage and Busting Out!
How ladies have been containing themselves through the ages.
In 1863, Luman L Chapman patented a corset substitute with breast puffs and shoulder-brace straps that tied in back. The first bra was born. Then in 1893, Marie Tucek patented the "Breast Supporter" - the first garment similar to the modern-day bra that used shoulder straps with a hook-and-eye closure to support the breasts in pockets of fabric.
In 1904, the Charles R. DeBevoise Company first labeled a woman's bra-like garment a 'brassiere'. It was a actually a lightly boned camisole that helped stabilize the breasts
1863
1904 Brassiere
By 1907, the term "brassiere" began to show up in high profile women's magazines and eventually, around 1912, it appeared in the Oxford English Dictionary. In 1913, Mary's Secret appeared. Mary Phelps jacob, a new York socialite, made a 'backless brasierre' from two silk handkerchiefs and some ribbon. Her friends were sold on this innovative idea and encouraged Mary to apply for a patent for her "Backless Brassiere" design. Within a short time, Mary lost interest in the garment business and sold her patent to Warner Brother's Corset Company for $1,500.00. Today, Warner Brother's are a leading name brand manufacturer of bras.
By 1928, entrepreneurs William and Ida Rosenthal took the bra to its next stage by introducing cup sizes and bras for all stages of a women's life. Several year's later, Warner added the A to D sizing system which became the standard in 1935.
In 1943 Howard Hughes, famous billionaire and genuine lover of cleavage designed a cantilevered bra to better show off Jane Russell's cleavage in the movie 'The Outlaw'.
Jane Russell in 'The Outlaw'
In 1947, Frederick Mellinger, founder of the Frederick's of Hollywood, began selling intimate apparel in his Los Angeles stores.
*In 1949, Maidenform introduced its famous 'I dreamed' ad campaign! Advertising Age named the 'I dreamed' ads # 28 of the top 100 most memorable advertising campigns of the 20th century! The earliest ads were drawings of women that were wearing just a bra above the waist in a variety of dream sequences (See above)!
Tag lines included such greats as, 'I was an Eskimo in my Maidenform bra' and the ones above, to updated versions from the late 60s like, 'I dreamed I had the world on a string in my Maidenform bra'.
By 1959, Warners and Dupont had produced Lycra, the renown stretchy fabric. The result was the true appreciation for jiggle decrease! But then by the late 60s, women were burning their bras. In fact, one such bra burning was staged near the Miss America pageant in Atlantic City, New Jersey in 1968!
The 1970s saw the development of the Ah-h Bra (1972) from Sears, and the sports bra in 1977 created by Lisa Lindahl and Polly Smith who sewed two jockstraps together and named it the Jogbra!
And then in the 1990s, the bra industry leaped to a new level in the quest for cleavage by utilizing water, air and silicone pads. Improvements in these developments take us on into the 21st century with companies like Fashion Forms which are mostly about breast management and enhancement.
| i don't know |
The Kelly Bag was named after which Hollywood actress? | The Hermes Kelly Bag: Grace by Name, Grace by Bag |Miss Polly's Vintage Style Blog
The Hermes Kelly Bag: Grace by Name, Grace by Bag
Grace Kelly with Prince Rainier of Monaco with 'that' famous Hermes bag, 1956
Never has anyone been more enchanted by the timeless style and elegance of Grace Kelly than I. Surprisingly from a fairly modest but athletic upper middle class family from Philadelphia, Grace embodied her name through her impressive, if not short lived, Hollywood career before abruptly being swept away to live the life of a Monaco princess until her untimely death in a car accident. However she left behind a legacy of an impressively elegant wardrobe spanning three decades, and unintentionally became an influential fashion icon. Her changing style over the decades I believed always reflected the woman she was: subtly sophisticated, graceful, silently powerful, and always leaving a lasting impression.
I first became acquainted with Ms Kelly's wardrobe when I visited the Bendigo Art Gallery this past Easter, the exhibition aptly named 'Grace Kelly: Style Icon' . It was a dazzling and diverse array of billowing chiffon hooped skirts from her 1950s movie career to her more official and regal dresses and suits as a Monaco princess, not to mention the impressive accessories, jewellery and headdresses.
But what really captured my fascination was the stylish Hermes Kelly Bag, named after the actress who toted the subsequently much sought after fashion accessory. Ms Kelly at the time used her appropriately sized handbag to shield her pregnancy from the paparazzi in 1956 (great ploy to foil the media, Grace; you don't see modern Hollywood being that modest). Identified by its slightly smooth tapering contours, metal tip clasp, and overhanging leather tassel, the Hermes Kelly Bag became a much sought after and valued fashion accessory after being seen consistently hanging off the arm of the future Princess Grace of Monaco. It also was the predecessor to the famous Birkin Bag, inspired by 60s chanteuse Jane Birkin .
Admittedly after seeing it up front, you can understand its seductive and alluring quality, begging to be held and owned by the style conscious female. An original Hermes creation is estimated to be valued at $18,000-$19,000 with a wait for over a year, if you want it that badly. Or you can get a cheaper replica for about $200-$300 from sources on the internet, or so I've been told.
Aaah, what must it be like to not only be a stunningly beautiful and glamorous Hollywood actress, win the heart of a European prince AND influence fashion trends.
There is obviously power in the bag. It took all my power not to smash through that glass case and take that bag for myself.
Check out the more modern incarnations of the Hermes Kelly Bag:
In white
| Grace Kelly |
Red-soled shoes are the signature of which fashion designer? | Actress Birkin asks Hermes to remove her name from croc bag | Reuters
Tue Jul 28, 2015 | 7:20 PM EDT
Actress Birkin asks Hermes to remove her name from croc bag
By Astrid Wendlandt | PARIS
PARIS Actress and singer Jane Birkin has asked Hermes to remove her name from one of the luxury goods maker's best-selling bags due to what she called "cruel" crocodile farming and slaughtering practices.
"I have asked Hermes to rename the Birkin Croco until they adopt better practices that meet international standards for the production of this bag," Birkin said in a statement to the media on Tuesday.
Birkin said she had signed actor Joaquin Phoenix's Mercy For Animals petition to "shed exotic skins from your wardrobe" in protest against the "millions of reptiles slaughtered each year and turned into shoes, handbags, belts and other accessories".
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, said it had released a video, narrated by Phoenix and which Birkin had seen, showing how live reptiles were skinned or sawed open on farms that supplied luxury brands.
Hermes said the crocodile skins it sourced from a Texas farm in the video were not used for Birkin bags and stressed that it did not own that farm.
The luxury brand also said that an investigation was being conducted into the farm's practices and that "any breach of rules will be rectified and sanctioned."
Hermes said it imposed on its suppliers the highest ethical standards regarding the treatment of crocodiles and for more than a decade, had conducted monthly checks on them to ensure that they were respected.
"Hermes respects and shares her (Jane Birkin's) emotions and was also shocked by the images recently broadcast," it said in a statement.
"Her comments do not in any way influence the friendship and confidence that we have shared for so many years."
Birkin agreed to lend her name to the bag after sharing a flight with the charismatic late head of Hermes, Jean-Louis Dumas, in the 1980s.
The crocodile Birkin and the Kelly bag, named after actress Grace Kelly, are among the most sought-after luxury goods - even though the starting retail price is more than 20,000 euros ($22,096) - partly because shops routinely run out of them.
Customers can obtain one either by putting their name on a waiting list or by paying hefty fees to specialised buyers who scout for the bags on their behalf.
A fuchsia Hermes crocodile Birkin bag with a diamond-studded clasp and lock set a record as the most expensive handbag ever sold at a Christie's auction in Hong Kong last month, fetching $222,000.
(Reporting by Astrid Wendlandt; Editing by Susan Thomas and Tom Brown)
ADVERTISEMENT
| i don't know |
What style of coat was referred to in the Royal Navy as a ‘Convoy Coat’? | Made to Last: Duffle Coat | Lark About
Made to Last: Duffle Coat
November 24, 2009
tags: British Navy , Duffle coat , Gloverall , Heritage , Origins , WW l , WWll
Knowing its history makes anything so much more fascinating and valuable to me. Where it started, why they made it and how they did it….. I’m curious. This is where I spread my curiosities and share some stories.
The traditional English coat, “Duffle coat” is one of my favourite styles for outerwear and I’ve got one that’s originally made in England by Gloverall. Those two words, duffle and Gloverall refer to pretty much the same thing now. Duffle coat survived two world wars, and the British firm Gloverall made it possible to remain in the vagaries of fashion for nearly 100 years to become a classic, and that’s intriguing to me.
The word “Duffle” originally referred to a heavy, coarse, woollen weatherproof cloth closely woven for warmth and was first produced in the Belgian Town of Duffel .
Duffle bags were originally made from the same material.
However over the years it has come to signify a hooded coat with distinctive rod-shaped wooden toggle fastenings that passed through rope or leather loops. It was adopted by the British Royal Navy and they issued a camel-coloured variant of it as an item of warm clothing during Wor ld War I .
Left: A photograph of Lieutenant Basil Beal wearing foul weather gear, a World War 1 Royal Navy duffle coat (taken in 1914) from the RN Submarine Museum.
The design of the coat was modified slightly and widely issued during World War II . In the Navy, it was refered to as a “convoy coat”, and used by officers and men of the watch to protect against the biting Atlantic and North Sea winds. The toggles could be unfastened whilst wearing thick gloves, and hoods were carefully designed to fit over peaked Naval caps.
[Worth a Watch: Jack Hawkins in The Cruel Sea (1953)]
(Images via LIFE )
Field Marshal Montgomery with officers of the First Canadian Army . Second left, General Harry Crerar in duffle coat next to Montgomery.)
Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery was a famous wearer of the coat and the Allied hero wore the duffle coat wherever and whenever he could as a means of identifying himself with his troops, leading to another nickname, “Monty coat“.
[Worth a Watch: Trevor Howard in The Third Man (1949)]
World War II British Army officer and the founder of the Special Air Service , Sir David Stirling
David Niven, right, and Gregory Peck in The Guns Of Navarone (1961)
After World War II , large stocks of army surplus duffle coats were available at reasonable prices to the general public and the British company Gloverall purchased surplus military supply. When that supply ran out, in 1954, Gloverall began making its own version, adapting the fit and style of the military coat for everyday wear.
All members of the Royal Family wearing Monty coats. photo taken in 1946.
The Gloverall duffle coat proved instantly popular in the 1950’s and 1960’s with young men who were suddenly presented with the prospect of further education rather than military service abroad. Ironically, then, what had started out as rough military garb soon came to stand for bohemian edginess.
Gloverall still maintains this Naval link through the iconic ‘Monty’ and its application to the service highlighted by its namesake Field Viscount Montgomery.
Duffle coats are for girls, too.
(Images via Gloverall Fall 2009)
The design of duffle coats continued being improved. The original jute rope and wooden fasteners, so practical to use during stormy weather at sea, were replaced by high-quality leather thongs and real horn toggles. Flaps were also added to the patch pockets, though they could still accommodate the gloved hand. The bucket hood was turned into a flatter, more stylish ‘pancake’ hood.
(Special thanks for great information @ The Ivy League Look )
Above is my current favourite pick . This combination of heavy itchy wool and the blackwatch tartan is perfect. If you put blackwatch on anything, I have to buy it. That’s just another “my thing”.
-N.
| Duffle coat |
In 1936, what colour tab was attached to the right rear pocket of Levi jeans, so they could be identified at a distance? | 13 Types of Coats – Which Style Defines You Most?
13 Types of Coats – Which Style Defines You Most?
Facebook50
If you are to immediately grab attention, wear a coat. It’s the biggest statement-making apparel you can have. Coats are not just necessities, covering and making you warm, they also serve as a reflection of your inner style.
There are 8 tips to help you choose the right coat that flatters your figure, pick your outer layer wisely. Amp up your look with these stylish ways to wear coats . Before you go shop for your most stylish coat, it’s essential that you know all types of coats.
1. Trench Coat
Banana Republic Classic Trench
Originally an optional item of dress in the British Army, trench coat has evolved into one of the most fashionable coats, dressing up the most stylish of women. This ten-buttoned, double-breasted raincoat now comes in both dark, sophisticated shades and light, feminine hues, such as red, peach and periwinkle.
2. Parka Coat
Jessie G. Women’s Down Parka Coat
A puffy, often down-filled jacket, Parka can be challenging to style. This casual style ranges from cropped to below midcaff, with or with the absence of fur. When the temperature drops to -40C and the wind makes it feel like -60C, Parka can be your best friend.
3. Pea Coat
Double Breasted Pea Coat
Originally worn by sailors and navies, this outer coat typically hits below the hip and is double-breasted. The female version of this classic style is often referred to as a Jackie O jacket.
4. Wrap Coat
Banana Republic Doublefaced Wool Belted Wrap Coat
This outer layer that’s somehow akin to a robe has an extra material that allows it to overlap in the front. It’s cinched by a belt.
5. Chesterfield Coat
Coat available at Nordstrom
A long, tailored overcoat with very little waist suppression, Chesterfield coat is the equivalent of the ‘sack suit’ for clothes. Chesterfiled is slim, with blazerlike lapels which sometimes comes in velvet. This is a mens-style single or double breasted coat.
6. Military Coat
soft polyester blend coat
A reinterpretation of traditional military coats, it is usually long, from below the knee to the ankle, and double breasted, most often with brass-button details.
7. Cape Coat
Thea Belted Cape Coat
The cape was common in medieval Europe, often worn with a hood. A sleeveless style that can have armholes, it can be belted.
8. Car Coat
Andrew Marc Car Coat
This above-the-knee coat typically features buttons running down the front but can also have a double-breasted closure. Car coat has a classic appeal.
9. Cocoon Coat
Diane von Furstenberg Bernice cocoon wool-blend coat
Often cut above the knee and has sleeves that aren’t full-length, this outercoat is roomy.
10. Toggle Coat
Tommy Hilfiger Women’s Hooded Toggle Coat
This coat has front toggle closure and often a hood. Usually cut from wool.
11. Duffle Coat
Wool-blend duffle coat
A coat made from duffle, a coarse, thick, woolen material. The name derives from Duffel, a town in the province of Antwerp in Belgium where the material originates
The most common style of Duffle coat is British style. Made of genuine Duffel, lined with a woolly tartan pattern, a hood and button able neck strap, four front wooden or horn toggle-fastenings with four rope or leather loops to attach them to, two large outside pockets with covering flaps. It’s with three-quarter length.
12. Bracelet-Sleeve
Diane von Furstenberg Loretta Three-Quarter-Sleeve Coat
Long or short, this coat has sleeves that end somewhere between elbow and mid-forearm.
13. Top Coat
A lightweight overcoat, this traditional button-front cut hangs from the shoulders and features a fold-over collar and side pockets.
So tell me Creative Fashionistas, which coat defines you the most?
| i don't know |
Who designed Victoria Beckham’s wedding dress? | Victoria and David Beckham Wedding » Victoria Beckham Fansite
Victoria and David Beckham Wedding
The wedding of the decade
It was the wedding the whole world had been waiting to see. The day when the most stylish pop star of the Nineties and Britain’s hottest footballer became husband and wife. Never before had the public’s interest in a celebrity couple been so insatiable. Whether they were on holiday or at an opening for a new designer shop, Victoria Adams and David Beckham could never escape being photographed.
Photo by friskytuna
Described by many as the ultimate love match, they have defied the cynics who said that their romance would not last. From the moment David set eyes on Victoria while watching a Spice Girls video on television with his Manchester United team-mate Gary Neville, whom he later chose to be his best man, he was determined to meet her. Little did he know that his favourite Spice Girl also had her eye on him. When she finally met him at s Manchester United game, they instantly clicked. In the bar after the match, Victoria summoned up the courage to walk over to him and start talking. Although David was extremely nervous, he knew that their meeting would lead to something more serious. There was an immediate physical attraction between them, but they waited until they had been on four dates together before their first kiss. Within weeks, they knew that this was no casual affair, but a deep and lasting love. And on July 4, the couple made the ultimate commitment by becoming husband and wife at the spectacular venue of Luttrellstown Castle in the Irish Republic. The wedding was organised by the London-based company Bentley’s Entertainments which is owned by Lord Snowdon’s half-brother Peregrine Armstrong-Jones. The firm was also responsible for Elton John’s lavish 40th birthday bash, Princess Anne’s 40th at Gatcombe Park and the 21st birthday celebrations for Peter Phillips at Windsor Castle last year. ‘Victoria and David had a huge input right from the beginning,’ said Peregrine. ‘The wedding has been 14-and-a-half months in the planning, during which time the couple have been all over the world. Wherever they were, I would get samples, fabrics and plans to them, and Victoria would often ring me five times a day with ideas and questions.’
A Look Back at David and Victoria Beckham Wedding. 17 years since they got married! https://t.co/twiA2jfvJ6 #beckham pic.twitter.com/KOd081yB2i
— Fashion Allure (@efashionallure) July 4, 2016
One of the first priorities was to find a suitable venue for the wedding, and Peregrine with Victoria’s parents Jackie and Tony Adams scoured the British Isles and Europe over a 3-and-a-half month period looking for the perfect setting. In the end, the couple settled on Luttrellstown Castle, an elegant 14-bedroom house near Dublin, which dates from 1794. Set in a 560-acre estate with its own golf course, the castle is mainly the work of Henry Luttrell, the second earl of Carhampton, and more recently was home to Aileen Plunkett, daughter of Arthur Guinness of the famous Irish brewing family, who lived there until 1984. The castle estate, which is surrounded by a high stone wall, offers celebrities the chance to get away from it all – last year Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman hired the entire castle for a weekend. ‘Victoria wanted somewhere really private and unique, somewhere green and leafy, deep in the country site,’ said Peregrine. ‘Architecturally speaking, she didn’t want anywhere too stuffy and she felt the castle had clean lines and grand proportions without being too imposing.’ The couple decided on a ‘Robin Hood’ theme for the wedding, using plenty of greenery, twigs, apples and meters of fabric, with three main colours predominating: burgundy, dark green and cardinal purple. As every bride knows, the floral arrangements for a wedding requires much thought and meticulous preparation as everything else. For her wedding, Victoria hired the services of two of the most respected florists in the business – Simon Lycett, who made his name doing the flowers for the hit British film Four Weddings And A Funeral and John Plested, who was responsible for the floral arrangements at the party to celebrate the Queen’s ruby wedding. Simon first had a meeting with Victoria and David in January, and worked closely with the couple to achieve exactly what they wanted. ‘When I left, Victoria gave me a great big hug and told me to ring her if there was anything I wanted to discuss. They have both been very hands-on throughout the preparations leading up to their wedding day.’ The events of David and Victoria’s wedding day began to unfold around 3pm on the afternoon of July 4 as close family members gathered in the entrance hall of the castle. Most of the bride and groom’s immediate family had been staying at the castle for the previous few days and had witnessed the transformation of the interior as carpets were meticulously brushed and huge floral arrangements were created in the major rooms. Fresh apples had been sewn into an ivy arrangement along the banisters of the master staircase and painstakingly pierced to release their scent through the rooms. And a beautiful, leafy walkway was created stretching from the French windows of the library across the finely manicured lawns in front of the castle to a huge marquee where the reception and dancing would be held.
— Najwa Abu Haider (@NajwaAbuHaider) July 4, 2016
As the family members began to gather, they reflected on a wedding day which has been at least a year in preparation. ‘I still can’t believe it,’ said Sandra Beckham, David’s mother, who was dressed in a beautiful white suit by Frank Usher. ‘All the things we’ve talked about for months are actually here.’ Her husband, Ted, David’s Dad, said he had never imagined his son’s wedding day would be this spectacular. ‘It’s just something special – a fairy tale,’ said the dad who had supported every step of his son’s football career and seen him reach the heights of glory with Manchester United and England. ‘Victoria’s an absolutely lovely girl and I feel very, very proud of the pair of them.’ He added that he also felt proud that Manchester United legend Sir Bobby Charlton was attending the wedding with his wife Lady Norma Charlton. ‘He was my absolute hero when I was a youngster,’ said Ted, ‘ and my favourite moment was when I finally got to meet him, alongside David. He was everything I’d imagined he would be – and a bit more.’ Victoria’s father, Tony, standing in his morning suit and cradling a top hat, admitted that he final few hours leading up to the wedding had made him very tearful. ‘When I went into the marquee with Victoria earlier, the orchestra was rehearsing Goodbye (a special version of the Spice Girls’ Christmas hit) and I got so emotional that we had to have a little bit of a cuddle,’ he said. ‘ In fact I got so emotional that I had to take bike out and cycle around the golf course to get over it!’ I didn’t think I would ever be emotional. I can be as hard as nails at times, but today – I mean this whole thing has been on the drawing board for so long and to see it coming together so beautifully i very, very moving.’ At 3.25pm, the three bridesmaids – Victoria’s sister Louise, 22, Louise’s 13-month-old daughter Liberty, plus David’s nice Georgina, 16 months – made their first appearance. the two little girls were dressed as woodland flower fairies in outfits made by theatrical costumiers Angels & Bermans, who worked closely with Victoria on the design, Attached to the back of their cream-colored dresses were little gossamer wings, while wreaths of fake ivy were entwined around their wrists and ankles. On their heads they wore coronets decorated with ivy and twigs. Louise wore a dress by Chloe, the design house headed by Stella McCartney, which consisted of a fitted cream corset, laced at the back and decorated with copper and gold lowers and diamonds, with a long cream skirt, cut on the bias. All three bridesmaids had been presented with Tiffany diamond necklaces, as a wedding gift from David and Victoria. Best man Gary Neville received a specially engraved Cartier watch, while usher Christian Adams, Victoria’s brother received a gold and silver Rolex watch. Shortly afterwards the other Spice Girls – Emma Bunton, Mel C and Mel G plus husband Jimmy Gulzar and baby Phoenix Chi – arrived, Phoenix in a trendy, olive green canvas buggy. The girls completed the list of 29 guests who had been invited to attend the ceremony at the ivy-covered folly ‘chapel’. As soon as they arrived, a fleet of Mercedes cars was brought up to the main entrance of the castle – also decked in flower and apple arrangements – to take these guest on the five-minute drive through the castle woodlands and down to the folly. Male guests had been asked to wear morning suits with black jackets and gray trousers, while female guests wore black, white, or a combination of both. Emma ‘Baby Spice’ Bunton wore an all-white ensemble of miniskirt, waistcoat, long morning coat and homberg hat, all by Copperwheat Blundell, and high-heeled sandals by Gina. Sporty Spice Melanie Chisholm was also in white – trousers and a white sleeveless top by Daryl K and trainers. Scary Spice Melanie Gulzar wore a floor-length, black dress with spaghetti straps.
#CoverGirls The newly married "Mrs Victoria Beckham" @OK_Magazine wedding special – July 16th 1999 ✌🏻️🇬🇧💍💐 pic.twitter.com/AalUqMLR6d
— SpiceGirlsForeverUK (@SpiceForeverUK) June 13, 2016
The wedding ceremony itself was held in the tiny folly chapel, perched above a stream some 500 meters from the main castle. It’s the first time a wedding has ever been performed at this location. ‘The folly was a ruin and very cave-like when we found it, but Victoria loved the look of it,’ says Peregrine. ‘We had to do a lot of work to get it ready for the day – we had to bring builders in, put up scaffolding, lay a new floor and install power.’ The Bishop of Cork, the Right Reverend Paul Colton, was in charge of the important task of officiating the ceremony. When Victoria chose the wedding to be at Luttrellstown Castle, the bishop was the rector of the parish. He has only been a bishop for three months, and was only 38 years old when he was appointed. Contrary to media speculation, the couple were allowed to marry in Ireland because they were issued a special license by the Archbishop of Dublin. The Right Reverend Paul Colton first met the couple late last year, and they requested that he treat them like any other couple who are preparing for marriage. ‘I don’t see the ceremony as the marriage between to celebrities, but of a couple who are very much in love. The have had the same preparation and consultations as any other couple I have ever married,’ said the bishop. After the ceremony, the bishop spoke about the emotion of the event. ‘It was very special and Victoria and David acted exactly how I knew them to be from our previous meetings together. Although much preparation has gone into making their wedding as special as possible, I told them what really matters is what is in their hearts. In my eyes, every couple is a celebrity on their wedding day.’ And seeing Victoria and David on the day it was clear to all of the guests who were lucky enough to be there that the couple were totally in touch with their innermost feelings. As they waited for the cars – and the eventual, first dramatic appearance of Victoria herself – guests watched little Liberty gleefully rolling around on the top steps of the castle entrance in her fairy costume. ‘Dont’ do that, Liberty,’ said Victoria’s mum Jackie, ‘ you’ll flatten your wings!’ In keeping with tradition, the groom arrived first, driving a silver convertible Bentley Azure, worth ?230,000, and accompanied by his best man. At 4.05pm, five minutes after the wedding ceremony was scheduled to begin, Victoria swept into the castle’s entrance hall in her stunning Vera Wang wedding dress. As stylist Kenny Ho made the last few adjustments to her train, her smile was one of absolute, unadulterated happiness – the day and the moment for which she had waited so long were finally at hand. Once the purple carpet stretching down the castlesteps had been given one last brush and her silver Bentley Arnage was maneuvered into position, the imposing white doors of the castle were hauled open and Victoria stepped out into the sunshine and down into the waiting car. Kenny Ho helped her fold her train carefully into back seat beside her and the car slid away, bound for the folly chapel. In the months leading up to the wedding, everyone from fashion designers to newspaper columnists had been speculating about the style of Victoria’s dress. However, nobody could have predicted how the most stylish of the Spice Girls would look on her special day. ‘A lot of people were expecting me to have a tight little number with a great big split up the side, but I wanted to look quite virginal on my wedding day,’ said Victoria. The exquisitely simple champagne-coloured wedding dress, by American designer Vera Wang, literally took everyone’s breath away. ‘It is very Scarlett O’Hara,’ said Victoria, speaking the day before her wedding.
Underneath the full A-line skirt, she wore a petticoat made from 50 metres of tulle which had been suffened with horse hair. It was made of Clerici Duchess satin – the finest Italian satin in the world – and had a fitted, strapless bodice with a zip at the back, reminiscent of a traditional Victorian corset. The intricacy of the design was truly spectacular. Underneath it, she wore a tightly fitted corset, by English corsetiere Mr Pearl, who has been used by Lacroix, Mugler and many of the big couture houses in Paris. Vera wang, who has designed wedding dresses for such international star names as Sharon Stone, Uma Thurman and Mariah Carey, had obviously worked long and hard to achieve the stunning outcome. She had even gone as far as to have an Italian mill dye the dress to make sure that its colour fitted Victoria’s exacting specifications. Although many people expected Victoria to opt for a British designer, she chose Vera Wang, not only because of her reputation, but because of the warmth of her personality. Despite being a fan of Vera’s work for a long time, it was not until she was on tour with the Spice Girls in the US that Victoria began to realise what a design genius she is. The idea of the ‘crumb catcher’ – a fold detail at the top of the dress’s bodice – first came into Victoria’ head when she went with her stylist Kenny Ho into Vera Wang’s shop in New York. From that moment on, she knew that she wanted to incorporate it into her gown. The overall look of Victoria’s wedding dress was one of understated elegance with a modern twist. What made it even more special is that Victoria is the first British celebrity to have a Vera Wang couture bridal gown, something that she will remember for years to come. ‘It was a fairy princess dress, the shape of the gown drew attention to her small waist,’ explains Laura O’Brien, director of public relations and advertising for Vera Wang. ‘Vera only makes six to ten couture wedding dresses a year, and has six to eight people working on each one. Victoria’s own dress took two preliminary consultations, six fittings in New York and London, and 15 months to make.’ For her wedding shoes, Victoria wore cream, high-heeled satin sandals with a ten-centimeter heel. The shoe was a prototype for Vera Wang’s new autumn collection. As every bride knows, it is not only the dress that is important, but the accessories. On her head, Victoria wore a beautiful diamond and gold coronet by Slim Barrett, a jeweler who made pieces for the late Princess of Wales, while around her neck was a spectacular diamond crucifix that David bought her for Christmas last year. ‘I’ve never actually worn – I’ve been saving it for the wedding,’ said Victoria, who chose the cross as the ‘something old’ the bride usually wears. As well as something old, it is also traditional for a bride to wear things new, borrowed, and blue. Pinned inside Victoria’s dress was a brooch that her mother and grandmother before her had worn inside their own bridal gowns – this was the traditional ‘something borrowed’. The ‘something new’ was a series of little antique blue taffeta bows sewn inside her dress. For their wedding jewellery, David and Victoria wore rings designed and made by Asprey and Garrard’s jewellery craftsmen in their workshops in Bond Street, London. Victoria’s ring features a stunning Marquise-cut diamond, supported on each side by three grain-set baguette diamonds and set in 18-carat yellow gold. Each side of the shank of the ring is set in six diamonds, with the total diamond weight adding up to 5.82 carats. David’s ring is a full eternity ring, set with 24 baguette diamonds, with 24 smaller diamonds set on one side of the shank, in 18-carat yellow gold, adding up to a total diamond weight of 7.44 carats. As a wedding gift, David gave Victoria a pair of Asprey and Garrard emerald-cut diamond earrings set in 18-carat yellow gold, to match her wedding ring. He also gave her an 18-carat yellow gold waist chain featuring and Asprey and Garrard worldwide exclusive 0.53-carat Eternal Cut diamond on one end. For David’s gift, Victoria selected a beautiful Brequet steel wristwatch, also from Asprey and Garrard. As for Victoria’s bouquet, there was another surprise in store for her assembled guests. She decided against a traditional bridal bouquet and opted instead for a natural selection of green berries, twigs, blackberries, and brambles. Although all eyes at the ceremony were obviously directed towards the bride, David made sure that he looked qually stylish. In a cream suit by English designer Timothy Everett, who also dresses Tom Cruise, David perfectly complemented the simplicity of Victoria’s wedding gown. The look of his suit was one of understated sophistication: his knee-length cream jacket over cream trousers, together with a gold and cream waistcoat, cream shirt and cravat, cream top hat and cream shoes by Manalo Blahnik, all finished his outfit off to perfection. He also wore a dazzling diamond bracelet that Victoria had bought him especially from Cartier last year. David’s best man, Manchester United team-mate Gary Neville, stood by the groom’s side, waiting patiently for Victoria’s entrance. His frock coat, and the jackets, waistcoats and ties worn by the Manchester United team attending the wedding, were supplied and fitted by Moss Bros in Manchester and Kenny Ho, Victoria’s stylist. As Victoria arrived at the folly chapel, she was greeted with a trumpet fanfare by pageanters positioned on the roof dressed in traditional Irish costume. The stone steps up to the folly chapel had been garlanded in ivy, woven with woodland flowers and ferns, forming a magical leafy tunnel up to the main door. Inside the tiny folly chapel, a string quartet – The Festive Ensemble – had been entertaining the guests with classical pieces including Serenade by Schubert, Intermezzo Sinfonico from Cavelleria Rusticana, by Mascagni and Dvorak’s Humoreske. But at 4.32pm they launched into the melody everyone had been waiting for – Bridal Song from Lohengrin by Wagner – as Victoria was escorted into the folly on the arm of her proud but clearly tearful father, Tony. At the altar, David – cradling the sleeping Brooklyn in his arms – smiled in wonder and sheer delight as he saw Victoria for the very first time in her beautiful dress. Baby Brooklyn, who was as important a part of the day as his mother and father, was dressed in cream-coloured combat trousers, little cream boots, and a cream shirt with his name embroidered on the back. A cream cowboy hat completed the striking and elegant Antonio Beradi-designed ensemble. The interior of the folly chapel, its walls and ceiling covered in ivy and twinkling with tiny white lights, was packed with the couple’s closest family and friends, including the three other Spice Girls, Mel B, Emma Bunton and Mel C. The orchestra – a concert harp, violin, flute and cello player – were set up at the back of the room. At the ceremony began the background sounds were of the stream tumbling over rocks below and under the folly itself and the distant thud, thud of press helicopters hovering overhead. The Right Reverend Paul Colton, Bishop of Cork, introduced proceedings by underlining David and Victoria’s commitment to having a traditional Christian marriage service. ‘They have chosen to be married according to the rites of the Church of Ireland,’ he said, ‘and we are their supporters.’ At the altar, David and Victoria exchanged glances and smiles. The reading, delivered by Reverend Lynda Peilow, the curate of the local parish in Clonsilla, was from John 1. 9-12: ‘As the father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love.’ As the words were read, David leaned across and tenderly placed a kiss on Victoria’s right shoulder.
After a short musical interlude, Tchaikovsky’s Song Without Words, the Right Reverend Colton began his address to the assembled guests and the beautiful bride and groom. He started by repeating their names: ‘David and Victoria, Victoria and David – the marriage doesn’t give us a way of putting those names in order – but through your whole married life you put each other first.’ He said that everything about the service, every sight and sound, was beautiful, ‘apart from that particualr noise,’ he added, referring to the sound of the helicopters from the press flying overhead to get a better view. ‘But why do we do this?’ he continued. ‘Why do we make everything so beautiful? It’s simply because words fail us at a time like this. So we do all these beautiful things because they say better than words can: “thank you” and “I love you”. There is a lot of interest in this marriage, and we are all excited to be here. But what matters is what is in David’s heart and what is in Victoria’s.’ He then went on to warn against empty infutuation by quoting and old Irish country priest – ‘the eyes that over cocktails seem so very sweet, may not seem so amorous over Shredded Wheat’ – which brought a smile to Victoria’s already glowing face. He then outlined his ‘three directions’ for a successful marriage: good communication, caring for other people and ‘finding a place for spirituality and for God in your lives’. Before the marriage service commenced properly, the Right Reverend Colton requested that the bride and groom stand, and face the congregation. The banns were called – ‘If anyone knows any cause or just impediment why these two should not be joined together’ – and he placed the couple’s hands together before beginning the marriage vows. At 4.49pm David Robert Joseph Beckham and Victoria Caroline Adams were officially declared husband and wife. There was a whoop from one of the congregation and then the handclaps and cheers from the rest of the guests. Vitoria and David, who had waited more than 14 months for that moments, laughed, smiled warmly and then kissed, still clutching each other’s hands. David and Victoria then kneeled down at the altar and the prayers were said, ‘Almighty God, giver of life and love; bless Victoria and David whom you have now joined in marriage. Grant them wisdom and devotion in their life together, that each may be to the other a strength in need, a comfort in sorrow and a companion in joy.’ At just before 5pm, the orchestra struck up Mendelssohn’s Wedding March and the couple walked back up the aisle together. When the guests started to arrive for the reception at Luttrellstown Castle, they walked up an impressive staircase which was covered with a rich purple carpet, perfectly complementing the colour scheme the couple had chosen for their wedding. Once inside, they could not help but marvel at the elegant surroundings of the wedding venue chosen by the couple. They were greeted by a 15-feet tall column bursting with a floral arrangement of red roses, purple flowers, and a plethora of greenery. As the remainder of the 226 guests arrived at the castle they were greeted by pageanters in Irish costume, playing a fanfare on the castle battlements, while six foot silk flames shot out of the turrets. A rich purple flag, decorated with David and Victoria’s specially designed crest, which also featured on the wedding invitations, blew in the breeze atop the castle. Meanwhile, inside, a pianist helped create the elegant atmosphere while the Spice Girls, Victoria and David’s family, and the rest of the assembled guests sipped on Laurent Perrier pink champagne, elderflower cordial with raspberries, and Sicilian red orange juice. They also nibbled on canap?s by Jalapeno, the company co-owned by Charles Howard, and chef Jason Reynolds. Among the delicious selection were Asian chicken skewers served with an orange dipping sauce, miniature leek and cheese tartlets topped with tomato and red onion salsa, baby potatoes with cream horseradish sauce with chilli-marinated beef and fresh rocket leaves, flaked lobster and salmon on a baby French croute with cavia, grilled basil chicken with a rich purple plum chutney, and tuna ni?oise with a tasty basil dressing. Everyone at the reception was unanimous in thinking that the ceremony was romantic, beautiful and a dream come true for the happy couple. ‘It was very lovely,’ said Victoria’s younger sister Louise. ‘I think everybody there was in tears,’ said David’s sister Joanne, echoing Louise’s sentiments. ‘It was so emotional. All of us were in tears, including Victoria and David.’ At 6.45, Victoria and David made their spectacular entrance down the 18th-century staircase, adorned with flowers and apples, while a pianist played the theme tune of Beauty And The Beast. The couple love listening to Disney soundtracks and this was one of their favourite songs. ‘No doubt people will be wondering which one of us is Beauty and which one is the Beast,’ laughed Victoria, speaking to OK! the day before her wedding. Then they made their way to the reception marquee, which was attached to the castle by a 250-foot-long walkway which resembled an oasis of greenery. Simon Lycett had decorated it in a swathe of birch trees, and used Irish reeds which had been woven into mats to make a thatched covering. Lights were entwined into it, with Irish ferns, and ivy finishing off the decorations to beautiful effect. Once inside the marquee, the guests could not help marvelling at the wonderful sight that greeted their eyes. Carpeted in sumptuous deep red, with the walls lined with a pleated ivory taffeta lining, the marquee was more than fitting for the most famous celebrity couple in the world. The spectacular flower arrangements were in three colours: burgundy, green and purple, which created a suitable regal effect. The tables themselves were covered in dark green velvet, and overlaid with cream-coloured Irish calico, trimmed with purple velvet. ‘It was a Robin Hood look meets Conran forest,’ said Simon Lycett. ‘Between us all, we discussed every detail possible. One of Victoria’s own ideas was to cove a wall with birch trees, and different foliages to make it look like the waiters were coming out of a forest. This was in keeping with the natural look that David and Victoria wanted to achieve.’ Equally as impressive were the fantastic table decorations that consisted of apples, greenery, and candles to create a very organic effect. The lighting was also made to fit in with the back-to-nature-style decor. There were many moss-coloured candles, and two huge candeliers, dressed with greenery, apples, and fitted with tiny twinkling lights. The added touches included ten-foot-high Georgian-style glass windows, draped with cream-coloured voiles, built into the marquee, which overlooked the castle and its flood-lit grounds. Nobody could take their eyes off the main attraction inside the marquee: the bride and groom, who were seated in their own private ‘bridal alcove’, lined with luxuriant Irish green crushed velvet. The other main attraction was the couple’s son, Brooklyn, who was not to be outdone by his parents. He was placed in his favourite swinging chair which had been decorated for the occasion in burgundy velvet with gold ribbons. The magnificent dinner was suitably lavish for the grandeur of the occasion. Some months before the wedding, Victoria and David had personally conducted a taste test of dozens of different dishes to decide what they wanted to iclude on their wedding menu – the couple had specifically requested food that was uncomplicated and easy to eat, rather than what Victoria calls ‘fiddled with’ food. The winning menu consisted of a delicious roasted red pepper and tomato soup served in hollowed out pumpkin halves instead of plates. This was followed by free-range corn-fed chicken with English asparagus, roast potatoes, a French bean and sugar snap pea medley, and a hurb jus. For the vegetarian guests, chef Jason Reynolds made sure that they were catered for to the same high standards as the rest of the diners. They were served Irish Brie with sage, which was deep fried and served with cranberry sauce. For dessert, Victoria and David had chosen two different puddings for the different tastes of the gentlemen and ladies present. The men were treated to David’s favourite – sticky toffee pudding with butterscotch – and the women were given summer berry terrine with summer fruits in brandy snap basket with raspberry caulis. As the guests enjoyed the delicious meal, an 18-piece string orchestra seated on a ten-foot tall mezzanine draped in white voile played a selection of Spice Girls hits, including Say You’ll Be There and Mama as well as classic melodies such as Cheeck To Cheek and Night And Day. At just before 10.30pm, the master of ceremonies rose and announced the cutting of the cake, a lavish three-tier creation by Rachel Mount, featuring one tier of traditional fruit cake, one tier of vanilla sponge and one of carrot cake. In the continuation of the Robin Hood theme, the entire cake was smothered in green and purple leaves, made of icing, while the supporting pillars for each tier were made of red apples. Sitting on the very top was a fondant sculpture of a naked David, Victoria and Brooklyn. the couple cut the cake using a silver Wilkinson sword, which had been made especially for them as a gift from Brooklyn and which had been engraved with the couple’s special crest and an inscription from their son. The cutting of the cake was followed by the speeches. Victoria’s father Tony started the proceedings. ‘Ladies and gentlemen, many people would like to be here today, but it is you that David and Victoria have chosen. It is with great pride that I speak to you for a few moments about our bride and groom. Obviously, it is very difficult for me to find anything that hasn’t already been written by the News Of The World, The Sun, The Daily Mirror… need I go on?’ He said that Victoria, the eldest of his three children, had never been any trouble. ‘She started dance classes at the age of three and was soon rushing home from school to change from her uniform into a leotard to kick her legs about – little did she know that only a few miles away there was a little boy changing from his uniform into shorts to kick a ball around. ‘They continued with enthusiasm and at 16 both left home to continue their training. Victoria went to dance college in Epsom and we all know where David went. As it happened, they both did quite well!’ Tony went on to tell the story of how David had seen a member of an all-girl group on television and had said: ‘That’s the girl I’m going to marry.’ ‘Unfortunately,’ joked Tony, ‘he was talking about Louise from Eternal, and Jamie Redknapp got there first!’ Tony also told how David had found out which clubs Victoria went to in London and traveled down there hoping to meet her – and how the pair had finally got together after Victoria and Melanie Chisholm went to Old Trafford, ‘where their eyes met across a crowded players’ lounge,’ recalled Tony. ‘The rest is, as they say, history.’ Paying tribute to the couple, Tony said: ‘This afternoon I have given David someone who is very precious to me, but I know he will look after her, as he always does, with the utmost love and affection. We know we couldn’t wish for a better son-in-law.’ He finished by asking guests to be upstanding and to join his wife Jackie and himself in wishing ‘our bride and groom a life of love and happiness – to the rest of the world they are Posh and Becks, but to us they are David and Victoria.’ It was then the turn of the groom himself to make a speech and there was applause as David took the microphone. ‘Thank you, Tony, for that speech – that means more to us than you’ll ever know. My wife and I,’ he began, using a phrase which brought a huge cheer from the guests, ‘would like to thank you for coming. I’m sure you’ll all agree that the bridesmaids looked absolutely beautiful and stunning and I’d like to say that our mums have scrubbed up very well today too! No seriously, they look stunning.’
Happy 17th wedding anniversary @victoriabeckham and #davidbeckham you are a stunning couple. #celebrityweddingphoto pic.twitter.com/OWKzLCCmaF
— Guides For Brides (@GuidesForBrides) July 4, 2016
David went on: ‘What can I say? My mother and father-in-law have loved and supported me and been there for me and obviously that means the world to me. Jackie and Tony have given me something very precious to them. I will love and look after Victoria and treat her like princess – which she always wants to be treated like.’ He then turned to Victoria’s brother and said: ‘Christian, I’ve always wanted a brother and that’s how I feel about you. And I feel just as close to Louise. I’d also like to thank my mum and dad who have brought me up from a young age – obviously! – and my sisters, who have been there from day one – obviously! Also, my nan and granddad who, in a few weeks, will be celebrating their 50th anniversary – I love you!’ There was also a tribute to David’s best man, Gary Neville. ‘If Gary Neville’s performances have been a bit shaky in the last few months, now you know why,’ said David. ‘He’s been disappearing off to the toilet, wiping his brow and looking very worried. But Gary has always been there for me when I’ve needed him – especially when Victoria was away, and I needed someone to talk to. I’d like to say that I really love you Gary, and you’ll notice that we kiss a lot on the pitch!’ David finished with some heartfelt words for his new wife and to his son Brooklyn. This has been a massive year for us but she couldn’t have given me a better present than the one she presented me with four months ago. I think love is a very strong word and all my love goes to Victoria and Brooklyn. Victoria wakes up every day and seems to get more beautiful every time I see her. I know that a lot of people say that we’ve done it the wrong way round – had Brooklyn and then got married -but if you’ve got love, nothing else matters.’ Finally, came the aforementioned best man, Gary Neville. As David retook his seat next to Victoria, Gary quipped: ‘He speaks well, that Julian Clary, doesn’t he?’ He went on to thank he staff at the castle and at the marquee, the Bishop of Cork, Right Reverend Paul Colton, Peregrine and Pippa, who helped organise the wedding, and David and Victoria’s ‘active role’ in the whole thing. Gary then apologised to the Spice Girls saying that they were very keen to have Bayern Munich – the team Manchester United beat to win the European Cup in May – at the ceremony. ‘They said they wanted to meet any man that could stay on top for 90 minutes and still come second!’ laughed Gary. The jokes kept coming when Gary said that he would read out some of the telegrams from guests who could not make the ceremony. ‘The first is from Diego Simeone,’ he said – and held up a red card! (Simeone is the Argentinian footballer who was involved in the incident which led to David being sent off while playing for England in the World Cup last year.) Gary then read out a telegram of congratulation from Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, who was attending another wedding that day. ‘Dear David and Victoria, sorry we cannot be there to share your special day, but I take this opportunity of wishing you both every happiness as you start out on married life.’ There were futher telegrams from one of the Manchester United supporters’ club, from former Manchester United assistant manager Brian Kidd and finally, much to the guests’ amusement, a not entirely believable message from ‘Prada, Gucci, Tiffany, British Telecom and Ferrari – best wishes and thanks for your support!’ Gary then went on to talk bout his friendship with David, which began when they were both in their early teens and has flourished despite the fact that they possess very different characters. ‘David’s outgoing and bubbly – I’m a bit of a moaning, miserable sod,’ said Gary. He added: ‘People are always asking me why I always kiss David Beckham. My answer is that I’d usually do much more than that to a six-foot blonde in shorts with legs up to the armpits!’ He gave his own insight version of how David and Victoria had met and said that David had been ‘absolutely besotted’ with her from the moment they met. ‘He would come into training every day like a little schoolboy – you’d go a long way to find two people more in love’ Gary finished by turning his gaze to Victoria and telling her she looked ‘absolutely beautiful’. He then added: ‘Brooklyn and Victoria have made David the happiest person in the world and that, in turn, has made me happy and everyone else here in the room. Ladies and gentlemen, enjoy the evening and drink away!’ After the meal, the guests were given coffee and petit fours which included orange zest coated in dark chocolate, nougat dipped in chocolate and a hazelnut praline log. The wine served was C?tes du Rhone red and an Australian Chardonnay. Then the bride and groom led their guests through to a second marquee, which was decorated in sumptuous Moroccan style with luxuriant purple and gold drapes and huge gold statues bearing towering floral arrangements. The sunken dance floor was painted in a black and white chequerboard design and surrounded by comfy chaise lounges and huge velvet and leopard print cushions, with low-level tables topped with silver dishes of sweet bonbons. At that point, the bride and groom slipped away to change into their evening attire, designed by their friend Antonio Beradi. Victoria wore what she described as a ‘Jessica Rabbit’ dress – a slim-fitting, strapless fishtailed gown of purple stretch satin, with a thigh-length split and bright-red lining, which matched her red nail polish. A wreath of hand-made silk flowers, dusted with tiny crystals that twinkled like dew drops when the light caught them, trailed over one shoulder. Strappy silver sandals by Manolo Blahnik completed the outfit. David, his hair now in a quiff, wore a matching purple Saturday Night Fever suit, which consisted of a double-breasted jacket with a red lining and matching purple wing-collared shirt and waistcoat. The trousers, fitted at the hip and slightly flared at the ankle, were teamed with purple suede Manolo Blahnik shoes . Brooklyn too, had been changed into a purple outfit to match his parents – a different coloured version of the Antonio Beradi ensemble he had been sporting earlier in the day.
David and Victoria first met Antonio Beradi last year when they attended his fashion show in London. ‘Afterwards, we were asked if we would like to meet him,’ says Victoria. ‘We thought to ourselves, “He must be really busy, he won’t want to meet us,” but we decided to pop backstage quickly just to say, “Hi, the show was great and the clothes were wicked.”‘ The pop beauty continues: ‘When he saw us, he said, “I can’t believe you two have come to my show!” He was so sweet – in fact, I’d say he was one of the nicest people we’ve ever met.’ Then it was time to dance the night away to a mixture of Sixties and Seventies music, sprinkled with salsa, from DJ Hugo Fuller, who alternated with a live soul band formed especially for the occasion by the Spice Girls’ musical director, David Laudant. At two o’clock, guests gathered on a huge balcony built on to one side of the marquee and decorated entirely in black, save for a drinks bar covered in zebra skin, and dominated by a huge Egyptian-style cat sculpture. From here they were able to watch the evening’s spectacular finale – a four-and-a-half-minute firework display. And when the last dazzling firework had lit up the black sky, the privileged guests went to their beds, safe in the knowledge that they had witnessed the celebrity wedding of the decade In an intimate conversation with OK!, Victoria and David spoke about their intense love for one another, their joy at starting a family together, and the planning behind their fairy tale wedding…
Be Sociable, Share!
Tweet
Related Posts:
Most lavish celebrity weddings from Kimye to TomKat –… Most lavish celebrity weddings from Kimye to TomKatNew York Daily NewsSpice Girl Victoria Adams married football star David Beckham in…
Happy 15th Wedding Anniversary! That’s 15 Years Of… 15 years ago today, David Beckham joined his bride Victoria Adams on their wedding thrones in an Irish castle and…
David And Victoria Beckham Married 15 Years Ago Today… David And Victoria Beckham Married 15 Years Ago Today - We Look Back In ...Huffington Post UK... Celebrity, Celebrity Galleries,…
David Beckham Buys Victoria 80K Gift For 40th Birthday! Victoria Beckham turns 40 tomorrow, and her birthday has been planned carefully by her husband David Beckham. Now sources reveal…
Perrie Edwards Reveals Deets On Zayn Malik Wedding! Little Mix star Perrie Edwards and One Direction star Zayn Malik got engaged earlier this year and now she's revealed…
Share this:
| Vera Wang |
In 1958, ‘His Clothes’ was the first boutique to open in which London street? | Victoria and David Beckham Wedding » Victoria Beckham Fansite
Victoria and David Beckham Wedding
The wedding of the decade
It was the wedding the whole world had been waiting to see. The day when the most stylish pop star of the Nineties and Britain’s hottest footballer became husband and wife. Never before had the public’s interest in a celebrity couple been so insatiable. Whether they were on holiday or at an opening for a new designer shop, Victoria Adams and David Beckham could never escape being photographed.
Photo by friskytuna
Described by many as the ultimate love match, they have defied the cynics who said that their romance would not last. From the moment David set eyes on Victoria while watching a Spice Girls video on television with his Manchester United team-mate Gary Neville, whom he later chose to be his best man, he was determined to meet her. Little did he know that his favourite Spice Girl also had her eye on him. When she finally met him at s Manchester United game, they instantly clicked. In the bar after the match, Victoria summoned up the courage to walk over to him and start talking. Although David was extremely nervous, he knew that their meeting would lead to something more serious. There was an immediate physical attraction between them, but they waited until they had been on four dates together before their first kiss. Within weeks, they knew that this was no casual affair, but a deep and lasting love. And on July 4, the couple made the ultimate commitment by becoming husband and wife at the spectacular venue of Luttrellstown Castle in the Irish Republic. The wedding was organised by the London-based company Bentley’s Entertainments which is owned by Lord Snowdon’s half-brother Peregrine Armstrong-Jones. The firm was also responsible for Elton John’s lavish 40th birthday bash, Princess Anne’s 40th at Gatcombe Park and the 21st birthday celebrations for Peter Phillips at Windsor Castle last year. ‘Victoria and David had a huge input right from the beginning,’ said Peregrine. ‘The wedding has been 14-and-a-half months in the planning, during which time the couple have been all over the world. Wherever they were, I would get samples, fabrics and plans to them, and Victoria would often ring me five times a day with ideas and questions.’
A Look Back at David and Victoria Beckham Wedding. 17 years since they got married! https://t.co/twiA2jfvJ6 #beckham pic.twitter.com/KOd081yB2i
— Fashion Allure (@efashionallure) July 4, 2016
One of the first priorities was to find a suitable venue for the wedding, and Peregrine with Victoria’s parents Jackie and Tony Adams scoured the British Isles and Europe over a 3-and-a-half month period looking for the perfect setting. In the end, the couple settled on Luttrellstown Castle, an elegant 14-bedroom house near Dublin, which dates from 1794. Set in a 560-acre estate with its own golf course, the castle is mainly the work of Henry Luttrell, the second earl of Carhampton, and more recently was home to Aileen Plunkett, daughter of Arthur Guinness of the famous Irish brewing family, who lived there until 1984. The castle estate, which is surrounded by a high stone wall, offers celebrities the chance to get away from it all – last year Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman hired the entire castle for a weekend. ‘Victoria wanted somewhere really private and unique, somewhere green and leafy, deep in the country site,’ said Peregrine. ‘Architecturally speaking, she didn’t want anywhere too stuffy and she felt the castle had clean lines and grand proportions without being too imposing.’ The couple decided on a ‘Robin Hood’ theme for the wedding, using plenty of greenery, twigs, apples and meters of fabric, with three main colours predominating: burgundy, dark green and cardinal purple. As every bride knows, the floral arrangements for a wedding requires much thought and meticulous preparation as everything else. For her wedding, Victoria hired the services of two of the most respected florists in the business – Simon Lycett, who made his name doing the flowers for the hit British film Four Weddings And A Funeral and John Plested, who was responsible for the floral arrangements at the party to celebrate the Queen’s ruby wedding. Simon first had a meeting with Victoria and David in January, and worked closely with the couple to achieve exactly what they wanted. ‘When I left, Victoria gave me a great big hug and told me to ring her if there was anything I wanted to discuss. They have both been very hands-on throughout the preparations leading up to their wedding day.’ The events of David and Victoria’s wedding day began to unfold around 3pm on the afternoon of July 4 as close family members gathered in the entrance hall of the castle. Most of the bride and groom’s immediate family had been staying at the castle for the previous few days and had witnessed the transformation of the interior as carpets were meticulously brushed and huge floral arrangements were created in the major rooms. Fresh apples had been sewn into an ivy arrangement along the banisters of the master staircase and painstakingly pierced to release their scent through the rooms. And a beautiful, leafy walkway was created stretching from the French windows of the library across the finely manicured lawns in front of the castle to a huge marquee where the reception and dancing would be held.
— Najwa Abu Haider (@NajwaAbuHaider) July 4, 2016
As the family members began to gather, they reflected on a wedding day which has been at least a year in preparation. ‘I still can’t believe it,’ said Sandra Beckham, David’s mother, who was dressed in a beautiful white suit by Frank Usher. ‘All the things we’ve talked about for months are actually here.’ Her husband, Ted, David’s Dad, said he had never imagined his son’s wedding day would be this spectacular. ‘It’s just something special – a fairy tale,’ said the dad who had supported every step of his son’s football career and seen him reach the heights of glory with Manchester United and England. ‘Victoria’s an absolutely lovely girl and I feel very, very proud of the pair of them.’ He added that he also felt proud that Manchester United legend Sir Bobby Charlton was attending the wedding with his wife Lady Norma Charlton. ‘He was my absolute hero when I was a youngster,’ said Ted, ‘ and my favourite moment was when I finally got to meet him, alongside David. He was everything I’d imagined he would be – and a bit more.’ Victoria’s father, Tony, standing in his morning suit and cradling a top hat, admitted that he final few hours leading up to the wedding had made him very tearful. ‘When I went into the marquee with Victoria earlier, the orchestra was rehearsing Goodbye (a special version of the Spice Girls’ Christmas hit) and I got so emotional that we had to have a little bit of a cuddle,’ he said. ‘ In fact I got so emotional that I had to take bike out and cycle around the golf course to get over it!’ I didn’t think I would ever be emotional. I can be as hard as nails at times, but today – I mean this whole thing has been on the drawing board for so long and to see it coming together so beautifully i very, very moving.’ At 3.25pm, the three bridesmaids – Victoria’s sister Louise, 22, Louise’s 13-month-old daughter Liberty, plus David’s nice Georgina, 16 months – made their first appearance. the two little girls were dressed as woodland flower fairies in outfits made by theatrical costumiers Angels & Bermans, who worked closely with Victoria on the design, Attached to the back of their cream-colored dresses were little gossamer wings, while wreaths of fake ivy were entwined around their wrists and ankles. On their heads they wore coronets decorated with ivy and twigs. Louise wore a dress by Chloe, the design house headed by Stella McCartney, which consisted of a fitted cream corset, laced at the back and decorated with copper and gold lowers and diamonds, with a long cream skirt, cut on the bias. All three bridesmaids had been presented with Tiffany diamond necklaces, as a wedding gift from David and Victoria. Best man Gary Neville received a specially engraved Cartier watch, while usher Christian Adams, Victoria’s brother received a gold and silver Rolex watch. Shortly afterwards the other Spice Girls – Emma Bunton, Mel C and Mel G plus husband Jimmy Gulzar and baby Phoenix Chi – arrived, Phoenix in a trendy, olive green canvas buggy. The girls completed the list of 29 guests who had been invited to attend the ceremony at the ivy-covered folly ‘chapel’. As soon as they arrived, a fleet of Mercedes cars was brought up to the main entrance of the castle – also decked in flower and apple arrangements – to take these guest on the five-minute drive through the castle woodlands and down to the folly. Male guests had been asked to wear morning suits with black jackets and gray trousers, while female guests wore black, white, or a combination of both. Emma ‘Baby Spice’ Bunton wore an all-white ensemble of miniskirt, waistcoat, long morning coat and homberg hat, all by Copperwheat Blundell, and high-heeled sandals by Gina. Sporty Spice Melanie Chisholm was also in white – trousers and a white sleeveless top by Daryl K and trainers. Scary Spice Melanie Gulzar wore a floor-length, black dress with spaghetti straps.
#CoverGirls The newly married "Mrs Victoria Beckham" @OK_Magazine wedding special – July 16th 1999 ✌🏻️🇬🇧💍💐 pic.twitter.com/AalUqMLR6d
— SpiceGirlsForeverUK (@SpiceForeverUK) June 13, 2016
The wedding ceremony itself was held in the tiny folly chapel, perched above a stream some 500 meters from the main castle. It’s the first time a wedding has ever been performed at this location. ‘The folly was a ruin and very cave-like when we found it, but Victoria loved the look of it,’ says Peregrine. ‘We had to do a lot of work to get it ready for the day – we had to bring builders in, put up scaffolding, lay a new floor and install power.’ The Bishop of Cork, the Right Reverend Paul Colton, was in charge of the important task of officiating the ceremony. When Victoria chose the wedding to be at Luttrellstown Castle, the bishop was the rector of the parish. He has only been a bishop for three months, and was only 38 years old when he was appointed. Contrary to media speculation, the couple were allowed to marry in Ireland because they were issued a special license by the Archbishop of Dublin. The Right Reverend Paul Colton first met the couple late last year, and they requested that he treat them like any other couple who are preparing for marriage. ‘I don’t see the ceremony as the marriage between to celebrities, but of a couple who are very much in love. The have had the same preparation and consultations as any other couple I have ever married,’ said the bishop. After the ceremony, the bishop spoke about the emotion of the event. ‘It was very special and Victoria and David acted exactly how I knew them to be from our previous meetings together. Although much preparation has gone into making their wedding as special as possible, I told them what really matters is what is in their hearts. In my eyes, every couple is a celebrity on their wedding day.’ And seeing Victoria and David on the day it was clear to all of the guests who were lucky enough to be there that the couple were totally in touch with their innermost feelings. As they waited for the cars – and the eventual, first dramatic appearance of Victoria herself – guests watched little Liberty gleefully rolling around on the top steps of the castle entrance in her fairy costume. ‘Dont’ do that, Liberty,’ said Victoria’s mum Jackie, ‘ you’ll flatten your wings!’ In keeping with tradition, the groom arrived first, driving a silver convertible Bentley Azure, worth ?230,000, and accompanied by his best man. At 4.05pm, five minutes after the wedding ceremony was scheduled to begin, Victoria swept into the castle’s entrance hall in her stunning Vera Wang wedding dress. As stylist Kenny Ho made the last few adjustments to her train, her smile was one of absolute, unadulterated happiness – the day and the moment for which she had waited so long were finally at hand. Once the purple carpet stretching down the castlesteps had been given one last brush and her silver Bentley Arnage was maneuvered into position, the imposing white doors of the castle were hauled open and Victoria stepped out into the sunshine and down into the waiting car. Kenny Ho helped her fold her train carefully into back seat beside her and the car slid away, bound for the folly chapel. In the months leading up to the wedding, everyone from fashion designers to newspaper columnists had been speculating about the style of Victoria’s dress. However, nobody could have predicted how the most stylish of the Spice Girls would look on her special day. ‘A lot of people were expecting me to have a tight little number with a great big split up the side, but I wanted to look quite virginal on my wedding day,’ said Victoria. The exquisitely simple champagne-coloured wedding dress, by American designer Vera Wang, literally took everyone’s breath away. ‘It is very Scarlett O’Hara,’ said Victoria, speaking the day before her wedding.
Underneath the full A-line skirt, she wore a petticoat made from 50 metres of tulle which had been suffened with horse hair. It was made of Clerici Duchess satin – the finest Italian satin in the world – and had a fitted, strapless bodice with a zip at the back, reminiscent of a traditional Victorian corset. The intricacy of the design was truly spectacular. Underneath it, she wore a tightly fitted corset, by English corsetiere Mr Pearl, who has been used by Lacroix, Mugler and many of the big couture houses in Paris. Vera wang, who has designed wedding dresses for such international star names as Sharon Stone, Uma Thurman and Mariah Carey, had obviously worked long and hard to achieve the stunning outcome. She had even gone as far as to have an Italian mill dye the dress to make sure that its colour fitted Victoria’s exacting specifications. Although many people expected Victoria to opt for a British designer, she chose Vera Wang, not only because of her reputation, but because of the warmth of her personality. Despite being a fan of Vera’s work for a long time, it was not until she was on tour with the Spice Girls in the US that Victoria began to realise what a design genius she is. The idea of the ‘crumb catcher’ – a fold detail at the top of the dress’s bodice – first came into Victoria’ head when she went with her stylist Kenny Ho into Vera Wang’s shop in New York. From that moment on, she knew that she wanted to incorporate it into her gown. The overall look of Victoria’s wedding dress was one of understated elegance with a modern twist. What made it even more special is that Victoria is the first British celebrity to have a Vera Wang couture bridal gown, something that she will remember for years to come. ‘It was a fairy princess dress, the shape of the gown drew attention to her small waist,’ explains Laura O’Brien, director of public relations and advertising for Vera Wang. ‘Vera only makes six to ten couture wedding dresses a year, and has six to eight people working on each one. Victoria’s own dress took two preliminary consultations, six fittings in New York and London, and 15 months to make.’ For her wedding shoes, Victoria wore cream, high-heeled satin sandals with a ten-centimeter heel. The shoe was a prototype for Vera Wang’s new autumn collection. As every bride knows, it is not only the dress that is important, but the accessories. On her head, Victoria wore a beautiful diamond and gold coronet by Slim Barrett, a jeweler who made pieces for the late Princess of Wales, while around her neck was a spectacular diamond crucifix that David bought her for Christmas last year. ‘I’ve never actually worn – I’ve been saving it for the wedding,’ said Victoria, who chose the cross as the ‘something old’ the bride usually wears. As well as something old, it is also traditional for a bride to wear things new, borrowed, and blue. Pinned inside Victoria’s dress was a brooch that her mother and grandmother before her had worn inside their own bridal gowns – this was the traditional ‘something borrowed’. The ‘something new’ was a series of little antique blue taffeta bows sewn inside her dress. For their wedding jewellery, David and Victoria wore rings designed and made by Asprey and Garrard’s jewellery craftsmen in their workshops in Bond Street, London. Victoria’s ring features a stunning Marquise-cut diamond, supported on each side by three grain-set baguette diamonds and set in 18-carat yellow gold. Each side of the shank of the ring is set in six diamonds, with the total diamond weight adding up to 5.82 carats. David’s ring is a full eternity ring, set with 24 baguette diamonds, with 24 smaller diamonds set on one side of the shank, in 18-carat yellow gold, adding up to a total diamond weight of 7.44 carats. As a wedding gift, David gave Victoria a pair of Asprey and Garrard emerald-cut diamond earrings set in 18-carat yellow gold, to match her wedding ring. He also gave her an 18-carat yellow gold waist chain featuring and Asprey and Garrard worldwide exclusive 0.53-carat Eternal Cut diamond on one end. For David’s gift, Victoria selected a beautiful Brequet steel wristwatch, also from Asprey and Garrard. As for Victoria’s bouquet, there was another surprise in store for her assembled guests. She decided against a traditional bridal bouquet and opted instead for a natural selection of green berries, twigs, blackberries, and brambles. Although all eyes at the ceremony were obviously directed towards the bride, David made sure that he looked qually stylish. In a cream suit by English designer Timothy Everett, who also dresses Tom Cruise, David perfectly complemented the simplicity of Victoria’s wedding gown. The look of his suit was one of understated sophistication: his knee-length cream jacket over cream trousers, together with a gold and cream waistcoat, cream shirt and cravat, cream top hat and cream shoes by Manalo Blahnik, all finished his outfit off to perfection. He also wore a dazzling diamond bracelet that Victoria had bought him especially from Cartier last year. David’s best man, Manchester United team-mate Gary Neville, stood by the groom’s side, waiting patiently for Victoria’s entrance. His frock coat, and the jackets, waistcoats and ties worn by the Manchester United team attending the wedding, were supplied and fitted by Moss Bros in Manchester and Kenny Ho, Victoria’s stylist. As Victoria arrived at the folly chapel, she was greeted with a trumpet fanfare by pageanters positioned on the roof dressed in traditional Irish costume. The stone steps up to the folly chapel had been garlanded in ivy, woven with woodland flowers and ferns, forming a magical leafy tunnel up to the main door. Inside the tiny folly chapel, a string quartet – The Festive Ensemble – had been entertaining the guests with classical pieces including Serenade by Schubert, Intermezzo Sinfonico from Cavelleria Rusticana, by Mascagni and Dvorak’s Humoreske. But at 4.32pm they launched into the melody everyone had been waiting for – Bridal Song from Lohengrin by Wagner – as Victoria was escorted into the folly on the arm of her proud but clearly tearful father, Tony. At the altar, David – cradling the sleeping Brooklyn in his arms – smiled in wonder and sheer delight as he saw Victoria for the very first time in her beautiful dress. Baby Brooklyn, who was as important a part of the day as his mother and father, was dressed in cream-coloured combat trousers, little cream boots, and a cream shirt with his name embroidered on the back. A cream cowboy hat completed the striking and elegant Antonio Beradi-designed ensemble. The interior of the folly chapel, its walls and ceiling covered in ivy and twinkling with tiny white lights, was packed with the couple’s closest family and friends, including the three other Spice Girls, Mel B, Emma Bunton and Mel C. The orchestra – a concert harp, violin, flute and cello player – were set up at the back of the room. At the ceremony began the background sounds were of the stream tumbling over rocks below and under the folly itself and the distant thud, thud of press helicopters hovering overhead. The Right Reverend Paul Colton, Bishop of Cork, introduced proceedings by underlining David and Victoria’s commitment to having a traditional Christian marriage service. ‘They have chosen to be married according to the rites of the Church of Ireland,’ he said, ‘and we are their supporters.’ At the altar, David and Victoria exchanged glances and smiles. The reading, delivered by Reverend Lynda Peilow, the curate of the local parish in Clonsilla, was from John 1. 9-12: ‘As the father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love.’ As the words were read, David leaned across and tenderly placed a kiss on Victoria’s right shoulder.
After a short musical interlude, Tchaikovsky’s Song Without Words, the Right Reverend Colton began his address to the assembled guests and the beautiful bride and groom. He started by repeating their names: ‘David and Victoria, Victoria and David – the marriage doesn’t give us a way of putting those names in order – but through your whole married life you put each other first.’ He said that everything about the service, every sight and sound, was beautiful, ‘apart from that particualr noise,’ he added, referring to the sound of the helicopters from the press flying overhead to get a better view. ‘But why do we do this?’ he continued. ‘Why do we make everything so beautiful? It’s simply because words fail us at a time like this. So we do all these beautiful things because they say better than words can: “thank you” and “I love you”. There is a lot of interest in this marriage, and we are all excited to be here. But what matters is what is in David’s heart and what is in Victoria’s.’ He then went on to warn against empty infutuation by quoting and old Irish country priest – ‘the eyes that over cocktails seem so very sweet, may not seem so amorous over Shredded Wheat’ – which brought a smile to Victoria’s already glowing face. He then outlined his ‘three directions’ for a successful marriage: good communication, caring for other people and ‘finding a place for spirituality and for God in your lives’. Before the marriage service commenced properly, the Right Reverend Colton requested that the bride and groom stand, and face the congregation. The banns were called – ‘If anyone knows any cause or just impediment why these two should not be joined together’ – and he placed the couple’s hands together before beginning the marriage vows. At 4.49pm David Robert Joseph Beckham and Victoria Caroline Adams were officially declared husband and wife. There was a whoop from one of the congregation and then the handclaps and cheers from the rest of the guests. Vitoria and David, who had waited more than 14 months for that moments, laughed, smiled warmly and then kissed, still clutching each other’s hands. David and Victoria then kneeled down at the altar and the prayers were said, ‘Almighty God, giver of life and love; bless Victoria and David whom you have now joined in marriage. Grant them wisdom and devotion in their life together, that each may be to the other a strength in need, a comfort in sorrow and a companion in joy.’ At just before 5pm, the orchestra struck up Mendelssohn’s Wedding March and the couple walked back up the aisle together. When the guests started to arrive for the reception at Luttrellstown Castle, they walked up an impressive staircase which was covered with a rich purple carpet, perfectly complementing the colour scheme the couple had chosen for their wedding. Once inside, they could not help but marvel at the elegant surroundings of the wedding venue chosen by the couple. They were greeted by a 15-feet tall column bursting with a floral arrangement of red roses, purple flowers, and a plethora of greenery. As the remainder of the 226 guests arrived at the castle they were greeted by pageanters in Irish costume, playing a fanfare on the castle battlements, while six foot silk flames shot out of the turrets. A rich purple flag, decorated with David and Victoria’s specially designed crest, which also featured on the wedding invitations, blew in the breeze atop the castle. Meanwhile, inside, a pianist helped create the elegant atmosphere while the Spice Girls, Victoria and David’s family, and the rest of the assembled guests sipped on Laurent Perrier pink champagne, elderflower cordial with raspberries, and Sicilian red orange juice. They also nibbled on canap?s by Jalapeno, the company co-owned by Charles Howard, and chef Jason Reynolds. Among the delicious selection were Asian chicken skewers served with an orange dipping sauce, miniature leek and cheese tartlets topped with tomato and red onion salsa, baby potatoes with cream horseradish sauce with chilli-marinated beef and fresh rocket leaves, flaked lobster and salmon on a baby French croute with cavia, grilled basil chicken with a rich purple plum chutney, and tuna ni?oise with a tasty basil dressing. Everyone at the reception was unanimous in thinking that the ceremony was romantic, beautiful and a dream come true for the happy couple. ‘It was very lovely,’ said Victoria’s younger sister Louise. ‘I think everybody there was in tears,’ said David’s sister Joanne, echoing Louise’s sentiments. ‘It was so emotional. All of us were in tears, including Victoria and David.’ At 6.45, Victoria and David made their spectacular entrance down the 18th-century staircase, adorned with flowers and apples, while a pianist played the theme tune of Beauty And The Beast. The couple love listening to Disney soundtracks and this was one of their favourite songs. ‘No doubt people will be wondering which one of us is Beauty and which one is the Beast,’ laughed Victoria, speaking to OK! the day before her wedding. Then they made their way to the reception marquee, which was attached to the castle by a 250-foot-long walkway which resembled an oasis of greenery. Simon Lycett had decorated it in a swathe of birch trees, and used Irish reeds which had been woven into mats to make a thatched covering. Lights were entwined into it, with Irish ferns, and ivy finishing off the decorations to beautiful effect. Once inside the marquee, the guests could not help marvelling at the wonderful sight that greeted their eyes. Carpeted in sumptuous deep red, with the walls lined with a pleated ivory taffeta lining, the marquee was more than fitting for the most famous celebrity couple in the world. The spectacular flower arrangements were in three colours: burgundy, green and purple, which created a suitable regal effect. The tables themselves were covered in dark green velvet, and overlaid with cream-coloured Irish calico, trimmed with purple velvet. ‘It was a Robin Hood look meets Conran forest,’ said Simon Lycett. ‘Between us all, we discussed every detail possible. One of Victoria’s own ideas was to cove a wall with birch trees, and different foliages to make it look like the waiters were coming out of a forest. This was in keeping with the natural look that David and Victoria wanted to achieve.’ Equally as impressive were the fantastic table decorations that consisted of apples, greenery, and candles to create a very organic effect. The lighting was also made to fit in with the back-to-nature-style decor. There were many moss-coloured candles, and two huge candeliers, dressed with greenery, apples, and fitted with tiny twinkling lights. The added touches included ten-foot-high Georgian-style glass windows, draped with cream-coloured voiles, built into the marquee, which overlooked the castle and its flood-lit grounds. Nobody could take their eyes off the main attraction inside the marquee: the bride and groom, who were seated in their own private ‘bridal alcove’, lined with luxuriant Irish green crushed velvet. The other main attraction was the couple’s son, Brooklyn, who was not to be outdone by his parents. He was placed in his favourite swinging chair which had been decorated for the occasion in burgundy velvet with gold ribbons. The magnificent dinner was suitably lavish for the grandeur of the occasion. Some months before the wedding, Victoria and David had personally conducted a taste test of dozens of different dishes to decide what they wanted to iclude on their wedding menu – the couple had specifically requested food that was uncomplicated and easy to eat, rather than what Victoria calls ‘fiddled with’ food. The winning menu consisted of a delicious roasted red pepper and tomato soup served in hollowed out pumpkin halves instead of plates. This was followed by free-range corn-fed chicken with English asparagus, roast potatoes, a French bean and sugar snap pea medley, and a hurb jus. For the vegetarian guests, chef Jason Reynolds made sure that they were catered for to the same high standards as the rest of the diners. They were served Irish Brie with sage, which was deep fried and served with cranberry sauce. For dessert, Victoria and David had chosen two different puddings for the different tastes of the gentlemen and ladies present. The men were treated to David’s favourite – sticky toffee pudding with butterscotch – and the women were given summer berry terrine with summer fruits in brandy snap basket with raspberry caulis. As the guests enjoyed the delicious meal, an 18-piece string orchestra seated on a ten-foot tall mezzanine draped in white voile played a selection of Spice Girls hits, including Say You’ll Be There and Mama as well as classic melodies such as Cheeck To Cheek and Night And Day. At just before 10.30pm, the master of ceremonies rose and announced the cutting of the cake, a lavish three-tier creation by Rachel Mount, featuring one tier of traditional fruit cake, one tier of vanilla sponge and one of carrot cake. In the continuation of the Robin Hood theme, the entire cake was smothered in green and purple leaves, made of icing, while the supporting pillars for each tier were made of red apples. Sitting on the very top was a fondant sculpture of a naked David, Victoria and Brooklyn. the couple cut the cake using a silver Wilkinson sword, which had been made especially for them as a gift from Brooklyn and which had been engraved with the couple’s special crest and an inscription from their son. The cutting of the cake was followed by the speeches. Victoria’s father Tony started the proceedings. ‘Ladies and gentlemen, many people would like to be here today, but it is you that David and Victoria have chosen. It is with great pride that I speak to you for a few moments about our bride and groom. Obviously, it is very difficult for me to find anything that hasn’t already been written by the News Of The World, The Sun, The Daily Mirror… need I go on?’ He said that Victoria, the eldest of his three children, had never been any trouble. ‘She started dance classes at the age of three and was soon rushing home from school to change from her uniform into a leotard to kick her legs about – little did she know that only a few miles away there was a little boy changing from his uniform into shorts to kick a ball around. ‘They continued with enthusiasm and at 16 both left home to continue their training. Victoria went to dance college in Epsom and we all know where David went. As it happened, they both did quite well!’ Tony went on to tell the story of how David had seen a member of an all-girl group on television and had said: ‘That’s the girl I’m going to marry.’ ‘Unfortunately,’ joked Tony, ‘he was talking about Louise from Eternal, and Jamie Redknapp got there first!’ Tony also told how David had found out which clubs Victoria went to in London and traveled down there hoping to meet her – and how the pair had finally got together after Victoria and Melanie Chisholm went to Old Trafford, ‘where their eyes met across a crowded players’ lounge,’ recalled Tony. ‘The rest is, as they say, history.’ Paying tribute to the couple, Tony said: ‘This afternoon I have given David someone who is very precious to me, but I know he will look after her, as he always does, with the utmost love and affection. We know we couldn’t wish for a better son-in-law.’ He finished by asking guests to be upstanding and to join his wife Jackie and himself in wishing ‘our bride and groom a life of love and happiness – to the rest of the world they are Posh and Becks, but to us they are David and Victoria.’ It was then the turn of the groom himself to make a speech and there was applause as David took the microphone. ‘Thank you, Tony, for that speech – that means more to us than you’ll ever know. My wife and I,’ he began, using a phrase which brought a huge cheer from the guests, ‘would like to thank you for coming. I’m sure you’ll all agree that the bridesmaids looked absolutely beautiful and stunning and I’d like to say that our mums have scrubbed up very well today too! No seriously, they look stunning.’
Happy 17th wedding anniversary @victoriabeckham and #davidbeckham you are a stunning couple. #celebrityweddingphoto pic.twitter.com/OWKzLCCmaF
— Guides For Brides (@GuidesForBrides) July 4, 2016
David went on: ‘What can I say? My mother and father-in-law have loved and supported me and been there for me and obviously that means the world to me. Jackie and Tony have given me something very precious to them. I will love and look after Victoria and treat her like princess – which she always wants to be treated like.’ He then turned to Victoria’s brother and said: ‘Christian, I’ve always wanted a brother and that’s how I feel about you. And I feel just as close to Louise. I’d also like to thank my mum and dad who have brought me up from a young age – obviously! – and my sisters, who have been there from day one – obviously! Also, my nan and granddad who, in a few weeks, will be celebrating their 50th anniversary – I love you!’ There was also a tribute to David’s best man, Gary Neville. ‘If Gary Neville’s performances have been a bit shaky in the last few months, now you know why,’ said David. ‘He’s been disappearing off to the toilet, wiping his brow and looking very worried. But Gary has always been there for me when I’ve needed him – especially when Victoria was away, and I needed someone to talk to. I’d like to say that I really love you Gary, and you’ll notice that we kiss a lot on the pitch!’ David finished with some heartfelt words for his new wife and to his son Brooklyn. This has been a massive year for us but she couldn’t have given me a better present than the one she presented me with four months ago. I think love is a very strong word and all my love goes to Victoria and Brooklyn. Victoria wakes up every day and seems to get more beautiful every time I see her. I know that a lot of people say that we’ve done it the wrong way round – had Brooklyn and then got married -but if you’ve got love, nothing else matters.’ Finally, came the aforementioned best man, Gary Neville. As David retook his seat next to Victoria, Gary quipped: ‘He speaks well, that Julian Clary, doesn’t he?’ He went on to thank he staff at the castle and at the marquee, the Bishop of Cork, Right Reverend Paul Colton, Peregrine and Pippa, who helped organise the wedding, and David and Victoria’s ‘active role’ in the whole thing. Gary then apologised to the Spice Girls saying that they were very keen to have Bayern Munich – the team Manchester United beat to win the European Cup in May – at the ceremony. ‘They said they wanted to meet any man that could stay on top for 90 minutes and still come second!’ laughed Gary. The jokes kept coming when Gary said that he would read out some of the telegrams from guests who could not make the ceremony. ‘The first is from Diego Simeone,’ he said – and held up a red card! (Simeone is the Argentinian footballer who was involved in the incident which led to David being sent off while playing for England in the World Cup last year.) Gary then read out a telegram of congratulation from Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, who was attending another wedding that day. ‘Dear David and Victoria, sorry we cannot be there to share your special day, but I take this opportunity of wishing you both every happiness as you start out on married life.’ There were futher telegrams from one of the Manchester United supporters’ club, from former Manchester United assistant manager Brian Kidd and finally, much to the guests’ amusement, a not entirely believable message from ‘Prada, Gucci, Tiffany, British Telecom and Ferrari – best wishes and thanks for your support!’ Gary then went on to talk bout his friendship with David, which began when they were both in their early teens and has flourished despite the fact that they possess very different characters. ‘David’s outgoing and bubbly – I’m a bit of a moaning, miserable sod,’ said Gary. He added: ‘People are always asking me why I always kiss David Beckham. My answer is that I’d usually do much more than that to a six-foot blonde in shorts with legs up to the armpits!’ He gave his own insight version of how David and Victoria had met and said that David had been ‘absolutely besotted’ with her from the moment they met. ‘He would come into training every day like a little schoolboy – you’d go a long way to find two people more in love’ Gary finished by turning his gaze to Victoria and telling her she looked ‘absolutely beautiful’. He then added: ‘Brooklyn and Victoria have made David the happiest person in the world and that, in turn, has made me happy and everyone else here in the room. Ladies and gentlemen, enjoy the evening and drink away!’ After the meal, the guests were given coffee and petit fours which included orange zest coated in dark chocolate, nougat dipped in chocolate and a hazelnut praline log. The wine served was C?tes du Rhone red and an Australian Chardonnay. Then the bride and groom led their guests through to a second marquee, which was decorated in sumptuous Moroccan style with luxuriant purple and gold drapes and huge gold statues bearing towering floral arrangements. The sunken dance floor was painted in a black and white chequerboard design and surrounded by comfy chaise lounges and huge velvet and leopard print cushions, with low-level tables topped with silver dishes of sweet bonbons. At that point, the bride and groom slipped away to change into their evening attire, designed by their friend Antonio Beradi. Victoria wore what she described as a ‘Jessica Rabbit’ dress – a slim-fitting, strapless fishtailed gown of purple stretch satin, with a thigh-length split and bright-red lining, which matched her red nail polish. A wreath of hand-made silk flowers, dusted with tiny crystals that twinkled like dew drops when the light caught them, trailed over one shoulder. Strappy silver sandals by Manolo Blahnik completed the outfit. David, his hair now in a quiff, wore a matching purple Saturday Night Fever suit, which consisted of a double-breasted jacket with a red lining and matching purple wing-collared shirt and waistcoat. The trousers, fitted at the hip and slightly flared at the ankle, were teamed with purple suede Manolo Blahnik shoes . Brooklyn too, had been changed into a purple outfit to match his parents – a different coloured version of the Antonio Beradi ensemble he had been sporting earlier in the day.
David and Victoria first met Antonio Beradi last year when they attended his fashion show in London. ‘Afterwards, we were asked if we would like to meet him,’ says Victoria. ‘We thought to ourselves, “He must be really busy, he won’t want to meet us,” but we decided to pop backstage quickly just to say, “Hi, the show was great and the clothes were wicked.”‘ The pop beauty continues: ‘When he saw us, he said, “I can’t believe you two have come to my show!” He was so sweet – in fact, I’d say he was one of the nicest people we’ve ever met.’ Then it was time to dance the night away to a mixture of Sixties and Seventies music, sprinkled with salsa, from DJ Hugo Fuller, who alternated with a live soul band formed especially for the occasion by the Spice Girls’ musical director, David Laudant. At two o’clock, guests gathered on a huge balcony built on to one side of the marquee and decorated entirely in black, save for a drinks bar covered in zebra skin, and dominated by a huge Egyptian-style cat sculpture. From here they were able to watch the evening’s spectacular finale – a four-and-a-half-minute firework display. And when the last dazzling firework had lit up the black sky, the privileged guests went to their beds, safe in the knowledge that they had witnessed the celebrity wedding of the decade In an intimate conversation with OK!, Victoria and David spoke about their intense love for one another, their joy at starting a family together, and the planning behind their fairy tale wedding…
Be Sociable, Share!
Tweet
Related Posts:
Most lavish celebrity weddings from Kimye to TomKat –… Most lavish celebrity weddings from Kimye to TomKatNew York Daily NewsSpice Girl Victoria Adams married football star David Beckham in…
Happy 15th Wedding Anniversary! That’s 15 Years Of… 15 years ago today, David Beckham joined his bride Victoria Adams on their wedding thrones in an Irish castle and…
David And Victoria Beckham Married 15 Years Ago Today… David And Victoria Beckham Married 15 Years Ago Today - We Look Back In ...Huffington Post UK... Celebrity, Celebrity Galleries,…
David Beckham Buys Victoria 80K Gift For 40th Birthday! Victoria Beckham turns 40 tomorrow, and her birthday has been planned carefully by her husband David Beckham. Now sources reveal…
Perrie Edwards Reveals Deets On Zayn Malik Wedding! Little Mix star Perrie Edwards and One Direction star Zayn Malik got engaged earlier this year and now she's revealed…
Share this:
| i don't know |
Which British luxury brand has a logo featuring an equestrian knight and the Latin word ‘Prorsum’? | Burberry Glasses Online | Designer Collections
desc
Burberry Glasses Online | Burberry Prescription Glasses
The Burberry Story: From Tartans to Trench Coats One of the oldest fashion houses in the world, Burberry was founded in 1856 by 21-year-old, Thomas Burberry. When Burberry started up his first clothing company, his aim was to produce practical, functional and innovative outerwear for all weather conditions. In 1895, the predecessor to the iconic trench coat, the “Tielocken”, a waterproof coat, was designed. Burberry became the official outfitter of Roald Amundsen, the first man to reach the South Pole and countless aviators, adventurers and mountain climbers. The Burberry Equestrian Knight logo was developed in 1901 containing the Latin word “Prorsum”, meaning forwards. By the early 1900s, the company grew and had to relocate to a larger store which still stands today at Haymarket in London. Burberry’s coats were favoured and worn by military men and world explorers. Signature trademarks i.e. the check pattern and quilting were incorporated into designs later in the 1960s. From the 1990s to the new millennium the designs became more sensual, modern, and luxurious but still had the classic British style. Burberry Glasses Burberry frames and sunglasses were launched in 2006. The eyewear designs are inspired by the brand’s identity and signature icons. The eyeglasses look sophisticated and modern making them a great investment for those who adore fashion accessories. From flattering rectangular shapes to models with butterfly and cat-eye elements, fully rimmed frames, semi-, or rimless frames there’s a model for everyone. If you are a big fan of glamour and contemporary fashion, you will love what the brand has to offer. Most of the eyewear is branded with the company’s trademark double-check pattern. If you want a more subtle pattern, opt for the black colour because the double-check pattern wouldn’t look as prominent. Alternatively, you can opt for the models that do not incorporate the pattern, just the brand name etched discreetly on the frame arms. Burberry Frames With Free Prescription Lenses Our qualified in-house London opticians can fit your Burberry eyeglasses with prescription lenses, be it single vision or varifocal. We have a wide range of lenses ranging from free standard lenses to the thinnest ones with anti-scratch/anti-glare coatings, smudge-free and 18 months guarantee with our Elite coating. Contact our friendly optical advisors on 020 8987 2400 who will be happy to answer your queries. Alternatively, please visit us in our London showroom. Fashion Eyewear is only selling only 100% authentic Burberry glasses. All frames come with original case, luxury cloth and the original manufacturer’s warranty.
Refine By
| Burberry |
A ‘Justacorps’ was which type of garment worn by men in the 17th and 18th Centuries? | Burberry Menswear
Burberry
Burberry
Since being founded by Thomas Burberry in 1856, Burberry has become one of the most iconic British luxury fashion houses. In addition to its tartan, Burberry is probably best known for the trench coat designed by Thomas Burberry in 1914 for the War Office, a design which has since gained worldwide popularity. With its distinctive Equestrian Knight Logo with the Latin word "Prorsum," meaning forwards, it is no surprise the brand has gone from strength to strength.
| i don't know |
Who first designed the jersey wrap dress in 1972? | Dress Styles - The Hundred Dresses by Erin McKean Excerpt
1 Of 8
THE MOST ICONIC STYLES OF OUR TIME
That’s the subtitle of The Hundred Dresses , by writer and fashion blogger Erin McKean ( dressaday.com ) and fashion illustrator Donna Mehalko, just out from Bloomsbury. Chock-full of fashion lore and visual inspiration, this alphabetized collection of 100 unforgettable silhouettes—from "The Mary Quant" to "The Chanel Jersey Dress" to, yes, "The Jersey Shore"—is catnip for fashion-history buffs.
The visionary influences of artistic luminaries such as John Singer Sargent, Mondrian, and Vladimir Nabokov are traced here—and who knew way back when that enduring styles would be spawned by MTV videos such as Guns 'n' Roses' "November Rain" and Robert Palmer's "Addicted to Love" (pictured here). Cultural touchstones both high and low, hallowed and novel, are explored in these pithy pairings of imagery and text. Here’s a slide show of seven inspired entries:
Reprinted from 'The Hundred Dresses' by Erin McKean. Copyright © 2013 by Erin McKean. Used by permission of Bloomsbury USA
Courtesy of © Donna Mehalko
2 Of 8
The Sack
The Sack dress was a late-1950s innovation that came in reaction to the "New Look" of tight waists and full skirts. The Sack, or chemise, had no waistline at all, and was roundly despised by men, who saw in the hiding of the female form a Communist plot. Adlai Stevenson said that it came from Moscow, and Bob Hope joked that Russian women, dowdy by American standards, had "been wearing sack dresses for years." Popular culture (including a song – "In The Sack," by Jerry Herman) made much of the fact that, inside the Sack dress, a woman's essential figure was indiscernible. (Anita Loos wrote that no man was going to "puzzle his brain" over the shape of a girl in a bikini.) Designed by Balenciaga and Givenchy (who were likely inspired by Paul Poiret), and championed by Carmel Snow, the editor of Harper's Bazaar, the dress proved very popular and was widely copied at every price point.
The message of the Sack dress is one of fashion over allure: it's a dress notable for repelling male attention, to which the wearer says, "so what?" Wearers of the Sack dress would rather be chic than sexy, rather be free than fancied.
Accessories: Kitten heels, a kicky hat, large earrings, gloves, and a healthy disregard for men's opinions.
Related: The Caftan.
3 Of 8
The Fortuny
Mariano Fortuny (1871-1949, in full Mariano Fortuny y Madrazo) had artistic beginnings. He was the son of the Spanish painter Mariano Fortuny y Marsal, and was informally tutored in Paris by the sculptor Auguste Rodin. Fortuny began his career as a set designer for opera—he was fascinated by Wagner—and started experimenting with textiles in the late 1890s. Inspired by the rich Renaissance colors and Byzantine mosaics of Venice, where he had made his home, as well as by classical models, he began creating vegetable-dyed gowns and cloaks. The Fortuny dress is a classically inspired column of pleated silk, sleeveless or with dolman sleeves; early versions tied at the waist with a silk cord. The pleats are given weight with tiny Murano glass beads. Fortuny patented the method for pleating the fabric in 1909, one of more than twenty textile-related patents he filed in his lifetime.
The Fortuny is one of the notable dresses of literature, mentioned more than a dozen times in Proust’s Remembrance of Things Past:
"Of all the outdoor and indoor gowns that Mme. de Guermantes wore, those which seemed most to respond to a definite intention, to be endowed with a special significance, were the garments made by Fortuny from old Venetian models. Is it their historical character, is it rather the fact that each one of them is unique that gives them so special a significance that the pose of the woman who is wearing one while she waits for you to appear or while she talks to you assumes an exceptional importance, as though the costume had been the fruit of a long deliberation and your conversation was detached from the current of everyday life like a scene in a novel?"
The original Fortuny dresses were considered too informal and unstructured to be worn on the street—they were for home wear only, as “tea gowns.” And to wear a Fortuny dress today is still to be a secret gem, a hidden palazzo in Venice, a muse. Like the pleating process itself, which has never been fully duplicated, any woman in a Fortuny dress is unique.
Accessories: Simple sandals, a Fortuny "Knossos" scarf (a large piece of silk printed with geometric designs) in a contrasting color, and the air of being a timeless work of art.
Worn by: Isadora Duncan, Peggy Guggenheim, Martha Graham, Queen Marie of Romania.
Designers inspired by Fortuny include: Mary McFadden, Madame Gres, Issey Miyake, Stella McCartney, and (by their own admission) Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen.
Courtesy of © Donna Mehalko
4 Of 8
The Vionnet
The Vionnet dress is a puzzle in three-dimensional space: a three-body problem, with the three bodies being your body, the bias-cut fabric of the dress, and the space through which both of you move.
Madame Vionnet began working as an apprentice to a dressmaker when she was very young, and moved to Paris at the turn of the last century to work for Callot Soeurs, a renowned couture house. It was there that she began to practice draping, building garments on a miniature dress form instead of as flat pattern pieces. Inspired by such avant-garde figures as Isadora Duncan, Vionnet started working on her own daring designs in 1907 at the house of Doucet, although they were not worn in public, but in the privacy of the tea-hour at home (perhaps for the "four-to-five," the understood time for infidelity in France, during which loose and informal "déshabillé" dress was accepted, and tight corsets would have been a serious inconvenience). Vionnet opened her own design house in 1912, but it was not until after World War I that she began making the bias-cut dresses that are her legacy. Vionnet continued experimenting with fabric, including new dyeing methods and precisely engineered pintucks, until she showed her last collection in 1939.
Accessories: Your own graceful motion (if you aren’t naturally graceful, a Vionnet dress will make you so) and the play of light over the fabric. The worst thing you can do is hold still, caging the potential of the dress.
Worn by: Marlene Dietrich, Joan Crawford.
Courtesy of © Donna Mehalko
5 Of 8
The Breakfast at Tiffany's
When we first see Holly Golightly in Truman Capote's 1958 novella, "it was a warm evening, nearly summer, and she wore a slim cool black dress, black sandals, and a pearl choker."
Three dresses were made by Hubert de Givenchy for the 1961 film: one is in the Givenchy Paris archives, one is in Madrid at the Museum of Costume, and the third was sold by Christie's in December 2006 to an anonymous bidder for £410,000. Givenchy originally donated the third dress to French author Dominique Lapierre, to benefit his City of Joy Aid charity, inspired by his 1985 novel of the same name.
The Breakfast at Tiffany's dress is the eight-hundred-pound gorilla of little black dresses. It does whatever it wants, whenever it wants; it parties all night with disreputable characters (and visits them in prison) without a stain on its own, then heads downtown for breakfast. Wearing the Breakfast at Tiffany's dress telegraphs high spirits and elegance simultaneously; you are game for almost anything but somehow distanced from any hint of sordidness.
An exact replica of any of the dresses made for the film veers too close to an Audrey Hepburn Halloween costume. A Breakfast at Tiffany's dress is one that makes just a nod to the movie versions: a long narrow silhouette and a highish neckline should be enough to evoke the dress without slavishly imitating it.
Accessories: A big fake-pearl choker, a long ebony cigarette holder, a jeweled updo (with tiara), sunglasses, and a little something for the powder room. Cat optional.
Related: The Chanel Jersey dress.
Worn by: Audrey Hepburn (of course), Natalie Portman (who wore the dress for the November 2006 cover of Harper’s Bazaar).
Courtesy of © Donna Mehalko
6 Of 8
The Chanel Jersey Dress
Coco Chanel, who was not exactly the shy and retiring type, claimed to have invented the little black dress. Whether she did or not is disputed (and it is slightly like claiming to have invented vanilla ice cream), but what is not disputed is that her 1926 little black jersey dress was a turning point in women's wardrobes. Chanel changed the black dress into something for everyday, everywhere wear, not just for the more solemn occasions of life.
No fussy ornamentation, no ruffles, no buttons or bows. Just a simple black jersey dress, sleek and to-the-knee—simple enough to be made at home without looking "homemade," broadening its appeal even more.
At its best, the Chanel Jersey Dress (and its many, many knockoffs) is chic and elegant, streamlined and modern: a dress for action. It’s no accident that women who mean business—at every level from salesclerk to CEO—often favor Chanel-style jersey dresses. The dress is so effective, in fact, that the main danger is in relying too heavily upon it, turning it from a tool to a crutch. If you wear a different exemplar of the Chanel-style black dress every day for two weeks and have trouble remembering the last time you wore another color found in the eight-Crayola box, you probably need to take a little break from it. The prevalence and preeminence of this dress is the primary motivator behind the perennial "Yes, you can wear color!" articles in women's magazines.
Accessories: Pearls, heels, a knowing air, the feeling of looking ten pounds thinner.
Worn by: Even if you can’t afford the Chanel versions, you have probably worn a little black dress (in jersey or some other fabric with a little give to it).
Designers: Coco Chanel, and then everyone else, at every price point.
Courtesy of © Donna Mehalko
7 Of 8
The Madame X
The dress worn by Madame X—the mysterious, alluring woman of John Singer Sargent's 1884 Portrait de Mme ***—is a column of lush black velvet, contrasting strongly with the expanse of pale shoulder and décolletage that it leaves bare.
Madame X (as Sargent later titled the picture) was not unknown. She was Madame Gautreau (née Virginie Amélie Avegno, known as Amélie), an American expatriate from New Orleans who, at nineteen, married the wealthy (and unusually short) forty-year-old bat-guano magnate Pierre-Louis Gautreau. She was famous in Paris for her beauty—newspapers reported on her gowns, including a salmon-colored velvet—and supposedly King Ludwig II of Bavaria made a special trip to the Paris Opéra just to see Amélie walk up the staircase there.
Sargent wanted his portrait of Madame Gautreau to win him public acclaim and lucrative commissions for other portraits; Amélie wanted—we think—to be immortalized as a great beauty and to be the object of other women's envy. Neither got exactly what they wanted. The critics hated the portrait—they thought Sargent's treatment of Amélie's artificially whitened, almost lavender skin "nauseating" and the picture "vulgar." The original portrait showed one strap slipping from her shoulder (Sargent later retouched it), and that detail led to Amélie herself being made the subject of satirical and insulting cartoons, showing her with a bare bosom, and for some time afterward in Paris dresses with slipping straps were said to have necklines "à la Gautreau."
Of course, modern viewers of Sargent's painting usually know nothing of this—they see the transcendently, almost eerily beautiful woman in a long dark velvet evening gown. The essential beauty of the dress has outlived its creator, its wearer, its immortalizer, and all of its (and their) critics, which is what we hope true things of beauty will always do: persist, whatever the odds.
The Madame X dress is worn with an eye to the long game rather than short-term results.
Worn by: Angelina Jolie is the modern incarnation of Madame X.
Designer: The original dress was designed by Félix, a former hairdresser and one of the foremost couturiers of his time. His full name was Félix Poussineau.
Courtesy of © Donna Mehalko
8 Of 8
The Wrap Dress
"Feel like a woman, wear a dress" was the tagline Diane von Furstenberg used for her classic 1970s knit jersey Wrap dress. The first Wrap dress (in a wood-grain print) appeared in 1972 and was an instant success. At its peak in 1975, fifteen thousand Wrap dresses were sold each week, and the dress was featured on the cover of Newsweek and on the front page of the Wall Street Journal.
Revived in 1997, the dress again sold in the millions. A fashionable, flattering, comfortable, washable, adjustable dress (you never have a "fat day" in a Wrap dress) will always have a place in women's closets—there's even one in the Smithsonian Institution.
But the reason the Wrap dress is so popular with working women is because Diane von Furstenberg (despite being a real-life princess from her first marriage) is a working woman herself. She apprenticed at the factories that made her dresses and learned the business there; she dragged her own sample cases around to department stores; she appeared in her own ads. And when she made her comeback in the early 1990s, she went on QVC and sold more than a million dollars' worth of merchandise in less than two hours. The Wrap dress is what working women wanted, and Diane von Furstenberg wanted it, too.
Accessories: Loafers, low heels, or knee-high boots; big sunglasses; great jewelry; a slouchy bag; and occasionally (depending on the windiness of the day) a few strategically placed safety pins.
Related: The Chanel Jersey dress, the Mouret.
Worn by: Diane von Furstenberg's memoir lists Candice Bergen, Cybill Shepherd, Mary Tyler Moore, Betty Ford, Angela Davis, Gloria Steinem, and Cheryl Tiegs as all having worn the Wrap in its early heyday.
Courtesy of © Donna Mehalko
| Diane von Fürstenberg |
‘Neither a borrower nor a lender be’ is a line from which Shakespeare play? | Diane von Furstenberg Wrap Dresses - ShopStyle
Diane von Furstenberg Wrap Dresses
618 Products
Home
More Related Searches
Pleated and gathered to one side, the strappy surplice bodice of this sassy silken slipdress is designed to showcase luminous skin and enhance the illusion of wrap styling....
$448 $179.98
Surplice neck Short butterfly sleeves Wrap tie at waist Allover print Lined Approx. 36" length Imported Fiber Content Shell: 100% silk Lining: 100% polyester...
$398 $159.97
Details The New Jeanne Two wrap dress is a modern take on the timeless classic. It's as fresh, flattering, and chic as ever. Cross over wrap with straight skirt and a self-tie...
$398 $238.80
Blocked color accentuates the paneled construction of an immensely flattering wrap dress sewn from soft stretch jersey for beautifully weighted movement. Color(s): blue multi....
$468
Supple stretch jersey forms an iconic dress visually balanced by a point collar and sash belt. Color(s): black, midnight, navy. Brand: DIANE VON FURSTENBERG. Style Name:Diane...
$368
Diane von Furstenberg "Kayley Two" eyelet dress. Approx. length: 27.5"L from shoulder to hem, 37"L down center back. Spread collar; surplice front. Short sleeves. Princess seams...
$448 $156
Diane von Furstenberg "Glennie" dress. Approx. length: 36"L from shoulder to hem, 38"L down center back. Jewel neckline; keyhole with hook-and-eye closure at back. Sleeveless;...
$348 $121
Diane von Furstenberg "Taley" maxi dress. Look 36 from the Fall 2016 runway collection. Surplice neckline. Sleeveless; full shoulder coverage. Wrap front with self-tie belt at...
$698 $244
Diane von Furstenberg "New Julian Two" wrap dress in matte jersey. Approx. measurements: 30"L from shoulder to hem; 38"L down center back. Surplice neckline. Cuffed...
$368
Diane von Furstenberg "Heavyn" maxi dress with metallic pliss skirt. Surplice neckline. Long sleeves. Fitted bodice. Wrap style; satin bow ties at left. Pleated column skirt....
$998
Diane von Furstenberg "Jewel" combo dress with wave-print mikado skirt. Approx. length: 35"L from shoulder to hem, 36"L down center back. Surplice front. Three-quarter sleeves....
$548 $191
Diane von Furstenberg "New Julian Two" wrap dress in Poppy Chain Rose floral-print jersey. Approx. length: 31"L down center front, 39"L down center back. Surplice neckline. Long...
$398
Details The DVF Shaelyn is feminine and understated, with a lace overlay bodice and sheer lace sleeves. Pair with a heel and a fur wrap for evening. 52cm / 20 1/2" from...
$498 $249
Diane von Furstenberg "Janeva" knit dress with ribbed sleeves. Mock neckline with cutout surplice V front. Long sleeves. Wrap closure with self-tie belt. Hem falls above the...
$368
Diane Von Furstenberg "Ariel Armour" wrap dress in golden sequins and embellished trim. Look 37the final lookof the Fall 2016 runway collection. Plunging V surplice neckline....
$2,200
Diane von Furstenberg "New Jeanne" jersey dress with contrast trim. Approx. length: 39"L from shoulder to hem, 40"L down center back. Spread collar; surplice front. Long...
$468
Diane von Furstenberg "Jelsa" dress in star-print jersey. Spread collar with enlarged print; surplice front. Long sleeves. Faux-wrap style; gathered at left. Slim silhouette....
$398
Diane von Furstenberg "Cybil Two" wrap dress in monochromatic jersey. Spread collar; surplice front. Long sleeves. Wrap style; ties at left. A-line silhouette. Maxi length....
$468
Diane von Furstenberg "New Jewel" knit/mikado combo dress with abstract-print skirt. Approx. 20.5"L from waist to hem. Surplice front. Three-quarter sleeves. Wrap style; ties at...
$568
Details The new Jewel dress is a modern wrap style featuring a full skirt with subtle pleats. With 3/4 sleeves and pockets. Falls to above the knee. 52cm / 20 1/2" from...
$598 $299
Wrap maxi dress cast in luxuriously soft velvet. Wrap front. Long sleeves. Self-tie belt. About 61" from shoulder to hem. Rayon/silk/spandex. Dry clean. Imported. Model shown is...
$598
Surplice styling creates an elegant V-neckline on a chic wrap dress in a tawny leopard-spotted print with a waist-cinching tie for an iconic DVF silhouette. A spread collar and...
$468 $187.20
Details A wardrobe staple, the New Julian Two is a classic wrap dress. Collarless, 3/4 length sleeved true wrap with self-tie belt. In our seasonless silk jersey. Falls to above...
$398 $199
Diane von Furstenberg's 'Vienna' dress is cut from fluid silk-jersey that drapes beautifully. Printed with the label's geometric 'ribbon weave' motif, this reversible style has...
$470 $235
Wrap maxi dress with feminine floral-print skirt. Surplice neckline. Long sleeves. Self-tie waist. Flared skirt. Lined. About 47" from natural waist. Silk/metallized fibers....
$998 $598.80
Diane von Furstenberg's 'Leora' dress is a timeless work-to-evening staple. Cut from bright-blue stretch-crepe, this slim-fitting piece is designed in the label's signature...
$370 $111
A symbol of power and independence for an entire generation of women, Diane von Furstenberg created her first wrap dress in 1974. This contemporary 'Cybil' version is cut from...
$500 $250
Diane von Furstenberg "Rubie" dress in mixed prints. Approx. length: 35"L from shoulder to hem, 36"L down center back. Surplice neckline. Three-quarter sleeves. Wrap style;...
$598
Diane von Furstenberg "New Julian Two" wrap dress in multicolor splatter print. Surplice neckline. Three-quarter sleeves. Wraparound closure with self tie. Silk; dry clean....
$398
Diane von Furstenberg "Aviva" dress featuring a metallic abstract-print maxi skirt. Plunging surplice neckline. Long sleeves. Fitted bodice. Wrap-around closure with self-tie...
$998
Diane von Furstenberg "Valena" jersey wrap dress with contrast trim. Surplice neckline. Sleeveless; full shoulder coverage. Wrap style; self-tie belt. Hem hits knees. Self and...
$398
Diane von Furstenberg "Valena" jersey wrap dress with contrast trim. Surplice neckline. Sleeveless; full shoulder coverage. Wrap style; self-tie belt. Hem hits knees. Self and...
$398
Diane von Furstenberg "Cadenza" wrap dress in metallic stripes. Approx. 51"L down center front. Surplice neckline. Sleeveless. Solid belt ties at side. A-line silhouette. Hem...
$428
Diane von Furstenberg "Stevie" jersey midi dress with contrast pleats. Spread collar; surplice front. Long sleeves. Wrap style; ties at left. A-line silhouette. Hem hits calves....
$598
Details A wardrobe staple, the New Julian Two is a classic wrap dress. Collarless, 3/4 sleeved true wrap with self-tie belt. In our seasonless silk jersey. Falls to above the...
$398 $238.80
Diane von Furstenberg's flattering wrap dress is a brand signature. This 'Evelyn' style is spun from merino wool-blend and threaded with silver yarns for a metallic effect. Try...
$500
Diane von Furstenberg first arrived in the fashion world in 1972 with her iconic wrap dress, the seed of what is today a full fashion house. By 1976, Diane had sold millions of...
$368 $258
| i don't know |
How long, in feet, is a regulation NBA basketball court? | All Levels – Basketball Court Dimensions | Court & Field Dimension Diagrams in 3D, History, Rules – SportsKnowHow.com
All Levels – Basketball Court Dimensions
Click here for High School Basketball Court Dimensions Diagram
Basketball court dimensions in practice vary in overall length and width. In many areas of the country, older high school gymnasiums in particular have smaller overall size than regulation. Many of these same gyms have varying backboard designs and measurements.
Even though Pro, College, High School and Junior High School courts differ in overall size and layout, the interior markings for the “Foul Line” and “The Backboard and Rim” are the same.
High School, College and NBA courts each have a unique 3 point line (arc).
Overall Court Regulation Sizes are typically:
NBA Professional and College – 94 feet long and 50 feet wide
High School – 84 feet long and 50 feet wide
Junior High – 74 feet long and 42 feet wide
The Foul Line:
For all courts the “foul line” distance is 15 feet from the foul line to the front of the backboard. This measurement is commonly confused as from the center of the basket and front of the rim.
The Key (the Lane):
The Key (also called the Lane) is different for Professional (NBA) and College/High School.
Professional (NBA): The key is 16 feet wide
College (NCAA) and High School: The key is 12 feet wide
Regulation courts have the backboard extending out 4 feet over the baseline into the key. A 6 foot arc (half circle) extends from the foul line away from the basket to complete the key.
The 3 Point Line (Arc):
Three Point lines differ as follows:
NBA Basketball Courts – the 3 point arc is 22 feet to the center of the rim on the sides with a straight line extending out 16 feet 9 inches from the baseline. Past those points the line extends out 23 feet 9 inches from the center of the rim.
Mens and Womens College Basketball Courts – the 3 point arc is 20 feet 9 inches.
High School Basketball Courts – the 3 point arc is 19 feet 9 inches.
The Backboard and Rim:
The regulation distance from the ground to the top of the rim is 10 feet for all levels of play. Regulation backboards are 6 feet wide (72 inches) by 42 inches tall. All basketball rims (hoops) are 18 inches in diameter. The inner square on the backboard is 24 inches wide by 18 inches tall.
All line markings on the floor are 2 inches wide and can vary in color.
The Restricted Arc
The restricted area arc is a semi-circular arc drawn around the area directly underneath the basket. Defensive players whose feet are inside this arc cannot draw charging fouls. The restricted arc in NBA and WNBA competition is a radius of 4 feet (1.22 m) from the center of the basket. In NCAA courts (both men’s and women’s) the arc is a radius of 3 feet (0.91 m) from the center of the basket
Looking to Line your Basketball Court?:
If you are looking to put lines down on your basketball court be sure to check out the Easy Court Premium Basketball Court Marking Stencil Kit
. There is no better system that assists you in making professional appearing basketball markings. Other systems are made of very cheap materials and are inferior in design. Click Here to see the Easy Court Premium Basketball Court Marking Stencil Kit.
| ninety four distance |
Shavout is a major festival in which religion? | Basketball Court Dimensions - size measurement specifications / official regulation
Sports / Basketball
Basketball Court Dimensions
We have the official basketball court dimensions and measurements for each of the different levels of play. If you are wondering how big a standard basketball court is or how to build a basketball court, we have the answers!
Regulation sized basketball courts vary in sized depending on whether you are looking at High School, College, International or the NBA. However, among all these different levels there are a number of specifications and regulations that are the same, such as the free throw line and height of the basket. The printable drawings below show the dimensions to help you design that perfect indoor or outdoor basketball court!
Basketball Court Dimensions / Measurements
PDF Version | Graphic Version
High school and NCAA basketball courts tend to be the same dimensions. The 3-point line, free throw line and other general dimensions are the same.
If you are building your own backyard or indoor basketball court we recommend that you use the measurements shown above. These are the most standard dimensions used on courts within the United States. Also, if you are placing a hoop into the ground using concrete, please make sure to use 900+ lbs of concrete to hold the pool and hoop in place unless you want issues down the road. The rim will be 10 feet above ground. Outside of that - you should be able to get everything you need from the diagrams shown above.
NBA Basketball Court Dimensions
PDF Version | Graphic Version
The NBA court is generally slightly bigger in many respects compared to the college court. Players lining up along the key of the basket during a foul shot will find themselves further from the hoop. Three-point shooters shoot from 23 feet and 9 inches above the key, although the shot is shorter from the base line. The court length is 94 feet rather than 84 feet for high school.
International Basketball Court Dimensions
| i don't know |
What type of creature is a koel? | The Most Annoying Bird Sound I Have Ever Heard Before. - YouTube
The Most Annoying Bird Sound I Have Ever Heard Before.
Want to watch this again later?
Sign in to add this video to a playlist.
Need to report the video?
Sign in to report inappropriate content.
Rating is available when the video has been rented.
This feature is not available right now. Please try again later.
Published on May 20, 2012
0:33 Video actually starts at 0:33 .
I don't know what kind this bird is, but I would like to get rid of it one day.
It comes like twice a year, stays for a couple of months and make this terrible noise just out side my room window.
If you know it's name, please comment below.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I finally found the species name of of this creature.
This bird is a type of Common Koel, Asian Common Keol.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It's just happened that I had my cam with me one morning so I managed to capture it on Vid. The thing is, I'm complaining about the bird it self, I was just a bit annoyed by the the sound when I hear it around ~5am. Usually it comes for a few weeks yearly and live just down the street. This shooting is taking directly from my balcony and I hear the noise from the apartment with the same loudness (a bit less maybe if I close the window)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Bird |
In which year was Ferdinand Marcos first elected as President of the Philippines? | Animal ResueSite
What are the greatest dangers to Australian marsupials?
Marsupials are a class of mammals living mainly in the Australian continent. They include kangaroos, the koala, wombats, the Tasmanian devil, etc. Several species of the marsupials are presumed to be extinct while many other taxa have declined in abundance and range. Marsupial declines have occurred…
Two capybaras escape Toronto zoo
On Tuesday, May 24, 2 newly introduced capybaras made a bold getaway from the High Park Zoo in Toronto. Throughout their crazy dash to freedom, the tropical critters left a solitary capybara in the pen, which was obviously not party to their escape plans. The tale of two hairy fugitives on the lam…
Three animal heroes that have received medals
Medals are not only awarded to human beings; animals are also awarded with medals for many reasons. Sometimes, the government of a country bestows medals and sometimes, these medals are given by international organizations to animals for exemplary behaviour. Here are a few animals who have received…
Three dogs used for hunting
Dogs are fascinating creatures, and for many reasons people believe that they are human’s best friend. You can get a calm dog, a very lively one or one that was specially breeded to satisfy a certain need. There are many dogs used for hunting and all of them can be a perfect partner for you.…
How do butterflies eat?
Butterflies are in the Lepidoptera class of insects, along with the moths. Butterflies tend to be very colorful and the majority remain active only during the day time. There are approximately 20,000 species of butterflies in the world. Like other insects, these beautiful creatures experience the…
Fossilized egg shells tell a story about dinosaurs
A new study has given a new insight of the type of nests dinosaurs built for their eggs. Scientists have made conclusions based on the eggshells found at excavations. These eggshells are fragile but are more than 150 million years old! The scientists studied more than 29 types of eggs and concluded…
How do bats avoid hitting one another in flight?
Bats really are very interesting creatures. Even though they do fly with speed in darkness, they have been studied and shown they avoid hitting one another in flight. The reason for this is because they have their own rules for flying while they hunt for food. This may seem weird to some. Animals…
Caring for a guinea pig
If you are either toying with the idea of getting a pet guinea pig or already have one and are trying to learn how to care for it, then this is the article for you. When it comes to caring for your guinea pig, there are a few basic-care aspects that absolutely cannot be ignored. If you are allergic…
What is a Pileated Gibbon
Pileated gibbon is a gibbon that hails from the family of Hylobatidae. They are essentially primates. The scientific name of the animal is Hylobates pileatus. These cute little creatures are found in various areas of South East Asia. They have been native to the areas in Eastern Thailand, southwest…
Study Points Out Complex Teeth Structure of Ancient Tiger
The saber-toothed tiger is very well-known in to the world. But despite such publicity, many aspects of this old giant cat are unexplored. In order to paralyze its prey, this dangerous predator used to bite the target with its sharp teeth to damage its veins and arteries, the latest research pointed…
Relationship between the Animals and Ecology
It reminds me of the lines in D.H. Lawrence’s ‘Women in Love’, “Don’t you find it a beautiful clean thought, a world empty of people, just uninterrupted grass, and a hare sitting up?” Well, this one is a very complex relationship and significantly important one…
Common Cat Health Poblems
Cats are gentle animals. This also means that they can get sick all the time. You will have to pay a lot of attention on your cat. As soon you notice something wrong, you will have to take your kitten or adult cat to a veterinarian. Here are some of the most common cat diseases. 1. Lower Urinary…
The pink fairy armadillo
When you read the name of this unusual animal you would think of a magical creature from a fairy-tale. It does look strange, yet very interesting and in case you didn’t know this animal presents the smallest species of armadillo family. You can mostly find in the central parts of Argentina and…
Is Your Dog Very Dangerous?
Having a pet is great. But, it is also a huge responsibility. You must make sure that he isn’t hungry, thirsty, that he has enough of physical activity and that he is friendly. The last thing sound easy, but it is something that completely depends on you. Many pet owners bring their dogs home…
Hairy crab in the Antarctica gets official name
The Earth is the only planet we know which hosts life so far. The large variety of flora and fauna on the planet amazes us. There are still many undiscovered species here and they are often found at many unimaginable places. The Antarctic oceans have been hosting a hairy crab popularly known as…
Efficient Training Tips for Your Dog
Dogs are a family pet. Everyone in the family loves to have a dog as a pet and especially the kid’s love playing with the dogs. In this article, we tell how to train dogs so that having the dog can be more efficient. Lifestyle: A pet dog normally has an age span of 10-15 years. So it’s a…
The Most Aggressive Breed Of The Cattle Group.
The cattle group can be divided into three species and among these three species one of the most important species is the Bos taurus species. This species of cattle has both the sex and that is this has been divided into both male and female sex. And among the male sex the group that is most…
Almost immortal animals
Would it be boring if we could live forever? Many people think about that and ask themselves because eternity even though attractive might not be the best choice. Unlike cats, dogs, and other animals, there are those who don’t live forever but are very close to it. Jellyfish is one of them.…
King of Forest
The Lion is one of the biggest, most grounded and effective cats on the planet second just in size to the Siberian Tiger. They are the biggest felines on the African landmass and are novel among cats in various ways however the greatest contrast in the middle of Lions and different felines is that…
White Tiger - The amazing and uniqueness of bengal tigers
The White Tiger (otherwise called the White Bengal Tiger) is a subspecies of Tiger, found all through the Indian subcontinent. Despite the fact that the scope of the White Tiger is verifiably expansive, these creatures are unfathomably uncommon as their coloration is reliant on a faulty, passive…
Adopting a Pet From The Street
Seeing a lot of homeless animals on the street isn’t something new. The situation is even worse if you know that in some countries this is a serious problem. In fact, there are millions of homeless animals. People take them and bring them home, but still, there are too many animals who live on…
Songs Of A Koel Are The Best During Monsoon In North India
Singing birds are so common in the oriental world probably because of the oriental tradition of singing. Birds like the koel are known for the shrill and loud and yet sweet and melodious songs they song. They are also referred to as nightangles in India. They are found to be vocal in nature between…
The Beautifully Dangerous Royal Bengal Tiger.
If there is beauty then there can also be terror too, and if you want to experience the beauty and the terror then you should definitely experience the royal nature of the Royal Bengal tiger. This Royal Bengal tiger also has a scientific name too and the scientific name of this animal is Panthera…
Animal Cruelty An Inhuman Behavior
Cruelty to animal is called animal abuse. The humans harm animals sometime for their food or sometime for their passion. Any how they were abused and neglected by population. Humans slaughter animals for personal amusement is said to cruelty to animals. Even animals are slaughtered for clothing and…
Zebroids in a nutshell
An offspring which is born as a cross-breed between a zebra along with any equine animal like horse, donkey, etc. is technically known by the name of zebroids. They have some other names as well like zorse, zedonk, zebrule, zonkey and many more. When a donkey sire has an offspring with a zebra dam,…
Zebroids in a nutshell
An offspring which is born as a cross breed between a zebra along with any equine animal like horse, donkey, etc. is technically known by the name of zebroids. They have some other names as well like zorse, zedonk, zebrule, zonkey and many more. When a donkey sire has an offspring with a zebra dam,…
A Summary On The Long Eared Jerboa
The long-eared jerboa is a rodent like creature. Scientifically, they are known as Euchoreutes naso. They are the natives of Palearctic ecozone, which covers a wide area in Mongolia’s Takla Makan Desert to that of the other various areas through the northwestern regions in China. These…
Why animal hoardings are considered as a serious threat?
We may know of a "dog woman" down the road who stows away the animals she "spares". We deliberately ignore and maybe think - what damage would it be able to do? We may even think about her as a kind individual. Yet, in the event that she is a animal hoarder she cannot just…
Jaguars Don’t Need A Visa To Any Country In Central And South America Like We Do
Jaguars remain one of the strongest cats in the world dominating the scene in some parts of South and Central America. It ranks third when it comes to size after tiger and lion. But it is the undisputed largest cat in the Americas. Ruthless hunting of jaguars for their fur coat has brought them to…
Hermit Crabs Roam Around On Ocean Beds With Borrowed Shells On Their Backs
Ocean waters all over the world are known to be home to hermit crabs. It belongs to a larger family of invertebrate animals called crustaceans. There are about 500 species of hermit crabs in the oceans all over the world. Lobsters and shrimps fall in the same family of largely aquatic animals.…
Discover The Zeal Of Being In New Zealand As You Learn Something About Kiwis
Kiwis are small flightless birds found in the jungles of New Zealand. Kiwis have become synonymous with the whole of New Zealand. The kiwi population is constantly dwindling because of attacks on it by predators like dogs, cats and rats. These animals eat the eggs of the kiwi. These have been…
Chimpanzees Are Our Nearest Relations As Far As Genetic Makeup Is Concerned
Chimpanzees are one of the closest relations of humans on earth. We have as much as 98 per cent similarity in our genetic make-up. Chimpanzees are believed to be the most intelligent beings on earth after mankind. They can feel and probably also express emotions as well as humans can. They are…
Continents That House Animals
Some parts of North America, the entire South American continent, entire African continent, and the whole of Asia can boast of housing antelopes. Antelopes are quite similar to deer, but they court difference when they boast of strong and sturdy horns over their heads. They are used to fight enemies…
Eagles Are The Best Symbols Of Power And Might Ever Used By Man
Eagles are some of the most amazing birds of prey that exist today. They are revered as symbols of power and energy. They are often depicted in pictures as combating serpents, which are symbols of the devil. Almost all of the 60 species live in the area of Eurasia and Africa. Besides this, two…
Do Think Of Whales When You Think Of Size
When you are thinking of size, you can't help thinking of whales. They are the largest mammals found on earth. They are known to be 30m long weighing 180 tonnes, but you are sure to get to know of whales that are 3.5m long. Their huge sizes are believed to have given way to a lot of myths about…
There Are Some Points About Monkeys You Should Always Bear In Mind
Monkeys are always portrayed as lovable creatures full of fun and frolic. They are portrayed in movies and the common media as having properties and qualities similar to humans. This makes them all the more attractive. Charles Darwin, the naturalist, gave a theory that monkeys and humans evolved…
Safari holidays
Safari holidays are an undeniably mainstream occasion action. They include the essential objective of observing wild creatures in their common environment. Well numerous individuals are of courageous nature, they are continually searching for an experience in life. Kenya cases to have had the first…
Volunteering with Animals
As a nation, we love animals. We love to own them and take care of them like they are a part of the family. For many, their pets are their children. Others have a professional interest in animals and protecting them from harm. For those who are seeking to get into a profession with animals or just…
How to take good care of a dog
There is no disputing the fact that Americans are generally fond of their dogs. However some people seem to lack ideas on how to care for a pet without pampering it. Pets just like people need to be taken care of in order to have a balanced life. One way of indulging a dog is by showing it affection…
Taking care of newly adopted dog
If you and your dog are new to this dog rescue or dog adoption then you must take best care of your puppy to make sure that his health is proper to ensure rewarding and long life. You dog definitely needs time to adjust to his new people and home. He left is home or kennel where there might be…
Pet Health care Plan – How to Avoid Huge Costs
Pet medical care insurance is a great way to considerably help cover your pet's medical needs and vet costs. A pet's medical care cost can be very costly because without insurance, the owner is forced to fund solutions offered anytime that a doctor or vet professional is done with looking…
Turtle as a pet
Maybe some of you will remember the famous cartoon " Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles " which was really popular back then. Ever since, turtles have become really popular and loved among younger people, especially children. So if you want to have a turtle as a pet, you need to reconsider that…
Pink Fairy Armadillo is The Smallest Member of the Armadillo Family
A pink fairy armadillo or pichiciego is the tiniest species amongst armadillos. Scientifically it is called Chlamyphorus truncatus. The principal habitats of these creatures are the scrubby grasslands, sandy dunes and plains of central Argentina. They are subterranean by nature and are easily…
Tufted Deer is A Peculiar Member of the Deer Family
A tufted deer is kind of deer, which is relatively small. The binomial taxonomy suggests its name to be Elaphodus cephalophu. They are mainly found in Chinese areas of southern eastern coast to the eastern Tibetan border. Some old survey records say that they were available in the northeastern parts…
Aye-Aye is An endangered nocturnal species
The aye-aye is a kind of lemur, which belongs to the category of strepsirrhine primate. It is the biggest nocturnal primate in the whole world. It is scientifically known as Daubentonia madagascariensis. The animal is generally found in the east coast of the island of Madagascar. It resides both in…
Alpaca is The Fleecy Cute Animals From Andes
An Alpaca is a camelid, which is widely domesticated. They are scientifically termed as Vicugna pacos. They are generally kept in herds for commercial purposes. These animals are found in farms of the Andes Mountains in South America, which occupies the northern areas of Ecuador, Bolivia and Chile…
The Strangest Fish Pet Pacu
The world has some of the rarest kinds of animals and their species are strange. Some of these species are even unknown to many. One such strange animal is Pacu fish. This is a common name for several species of fish and is related to the family of Pirhanas. These are vegetarian fishes that are…
Knowing The Angora Rabbits More
While wondering about one of the strangest animals in the world, you might come across the name of Angora Rabbit. It is considered to be a domestic rabbit, but also a strange from the typical breed of rabbit. It has long and soft hair and is the oldest types of domestic rabbits. The place of origin…
The Sun Bear Is The Smallest Species Of Bear Family
There are many strange animals that survive in this world. One of them is sun bear. The sun bear is also known as Dog bear or honey bear is the smallest species of bears. The whole body is about the size of 1 to 1.5 meters. They have a short black coat accompanied by white and golden fur around…
The Planets Funniest Animals
While this show is not being aired anymore but when we talk about funny shows this one is sure to be one of the favourite ones in your list. Like the AFHV show this show specifically shows videos of animals. For those of you have pets would relate to the quiet often funny things that our pets do,…
The great one-horned rhino in danger
According to the latest statistics, nine rhinos have been killed at Kaziranga National Park, Assam in northeastern India. The main reason behind the killings is increased poaching attempts in the region. The Kaziranga National Park, established in 1905, is known as a home to great one-horned…
Spiders as pets
It is not so typical to see people having spiders as pets because a lot of people have a fear of them, and we must say that they don't look too cuddly and kind. In case you are the brave one, and you simply adore these creatures, there are many different types of spiders you can choose. The…
What to do if you found a lost, stray or injured animal
The first thing that comes to our mind when we find a suffering soul is to help it. You might call it good intentions or just instinct, but fixing something and making it good is in human nature. Due to the many differences that separate humans from animals, the best way to be prepared for any kind…
How to help stop animal cruelty
There are many things that must be reported if spotted, such as limping animals, extremely thin, starving ones, someone physically abusing an animal, hurt animals that have been hit by a car or other vehicle. Also, dogs kept outside without shelter or chained in a yard, without food or water. The…
Dugong
The dugong is a medium sized marine mammal. It belongs to the order of Sirenia. There are only four living species of this order. Dugong is the only representative of the family Dugongidae. Its closest relative is a Steller’s sea cow, which was hunted to extinction in the past! Dugong is…
Information on Koalas
The koala is an arboreal herbivorous marsupial that lives only in Australia. They are known as koala bears, which is inaccurate. Their closest relatives are wombats. The koala inhabits New South Wales, South Australia, Queensland and Victoria. Those from northern parts are smaller and have brighter…
Facts about Horses
Horses are odd-toed ungulate mammals. The common specie is domestic horse. According to the research, horses evolved over the past 45-55 million years from small creatures. The interesting fact is, that before 45 million years, those creatures were hunted by large birds! In the past, horses had many…
Animals: Psychology
As opposed to what the vast majority think, creatures do show intriguing mental attributes. Considering accessible information and the way that creature brain research is still in its creating stage, it would be untimely to give a diagram to the creature 'mind', albeit numerous scientists…
Berlin's Popular Cub Alisha finds new home in Eberswalde
Alisha, a famous furry offspring in Berlin, will be bidding Germany’s capital city as it has found a new home in Eberswalde Zoo. Born on 10th December 2014, Alisha, 3-month-old, is an Amur tiger which belongs to one of the world most endangered species and the government in Germany through the…
Why should/shouldn’t you keep a pet
Getting a pet is always a dilemma. If you’re a kid, your parents seldom give you the permission to get a pet dog. It is not a simple choice. A pet is like a new member of your family. It requires extra care and training. You have to frequently visit a vet. You also have to ensure your house is…
Quick List Of Most Ugly Animal Species
Alright, we all love animals, and yet, a few species are not particularly pleasing to the eye. Check some of the ugliest looking strange animals on the planet, which truly prove that evolution was probably sleeping. Blobfish This is one name that you will find in almost every list of ugly animals.…
Elephant
Elephants are the largest terrestrial mammals. There are two species that are traditionally recognized, the Asian elephant and the African elephant. Grown African males can reach a height of 4m and weight of 7 tons. Asian elephants are smaller. They can reach 2-3.5m of height and 3-5 tons of weight.…
Kangaroo
The kangaroo is an animal from the family Macropodidae (large foot). The common species of the family are: eastern grey kangaroo, red kangaroo, antilopine kangaroo, and western grey kangaroo. Kangaroo lives only in Australia and one genus can be found in Papua New Guinea. According to the Australian…
MUTANT FISH WITH TWO MOUTHS CAUGHT IN AUSTRALIAN LAKE
Talk about a strange discovery. Garry Warrick an Australian fisherman has just caught a weird fish which has two mouths in a lake in Australia. “Imagine the surprise on my face when I realized that the fish had two mouths,” the bony bream told reporters after turning up his net while…
Most Strangest Animals Alive On The Planet
Evolution has given us some of the most amazing creatures on the planet, and yet some of the animals manage to surprise us in more ways than one. Check these five funny and strange animals on the planet, which many people don’t know even existed. Proboscis monkey Native to Borneo in Asia,…
How much do You Like Watching Wildcats?
The wildcat family consists of several wild animals that people love to watch. The good news might be that these animals are found in the zoos you know. The worst part of the news, however, is the truth that you may never get to watch these animals in action except from the video documentaries.…
Precautions to Take when Keeping Pets
To have a pet at home can no doubt prove to be quite a wonderful experience. Pets are affectionate and loving and can help you to feel good about yourself when you are down. However, there are certain precautions that you need to take in order to ensure that you enjoy the experience of keeping a…
Chimps vs. Humans
Scientists have caught wild chimpanzees transmitting knowledge to one another, bolstering the long-held claim that the primates may have “cultures” that explains the ways in which human cultures spread throughout populations. The chimps, in the Budongo Forest of Uganda, were captured on…
| i don't know |
Who was the first actress to win an Oscar for a performance entirely in a foreign language? | 2008 Academy Awards® Winners and History
Kung Fu Panda (2008)
Actor:
SEAN PENN in "Milk," Richard Jenkins in "The Visitor," Frank Langella in "Frost/Nixon," Brad Pitt in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," Mickey Rourke in "The Wrestler"
Actress:
KATE WINSLET in "The Reader," Anne Hathaway in "Rachel Getting Married," Angelina Jolie in "Changeling," Melissa Leo in "Frozen River," Meryl Streep in "Doubt"
Supporting Actor:
HEATH LEDGER in " The Dark Knight ," Josh Brolin in "Milk," Robert Downey, Jr. in "Tropic Thunder," Philip Seymour Hoffman in "Doubt," Michael Shannon in "Revolutionary Road"
Supporting Actress:
PENELOPE CRUZ in "Vicky Cristina Barcelona," Amy Adams in "Doubt," Viola Davis in "Doubt," Taraji P. Henson in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," Marisa Tomei in "The Wrestler"
Director:
DANNY BOYLE for "Slumdog Millionaire," Stephen Daldry for "The Reader," David Fincher for "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," Ron Howard for "Frost/Nixon," Gus Van Sant for "Milk”
2008 represented the continued rise of smaller studios and development companies, proven by the dominance of the Best Picture-winning independent film Slumdog Millionaire. The low-budget film was made for only $15 million, had no American superstars, lots of foreign-language dialogue, and it struggled to find a distributor. It also had a 'feel-good' theme and romantic sub-plot, a song/dance finale, an Oscar-winning song "Jai Ho," while at the same time exhibiting the extreme poverty of India.
Its major competitor, the big-budget The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, was produced by a major studio (a co-production between Warner Bros. and Paramount), featured major stars, an extensive marketing campaign, a well-respected director, and expensive CGI-effects. And it suffered a record loss among films with 13 nominations -- it had the fewest wins for any film with that many nods.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, a Warner Bros./Paramount Film co-production
Frost/Nixon, from Universal
The Reader, from The Weinstein Company
Slumdog Millionaire, from Fox Searchlight
All five titles of the Best Picture-nominated films referred to the film's characters (this also occurred in 1964), and were mostly tales from the past. The Best Picture winner became more strongly favored as the Oscar season progressed:
director Danny Boyle's dark horse crowd-pleasing Slumdog Millionaire (with 10 nominations and 8 wins), based on the novel Q and A by Vikas Swarup, about an impoverished, 18 year-old orphaned slum thief Jamal Malik (Dev Patel) who is arrested for cheating (presumably due to his unsavory, lower-class background), when only one question away from winning the top prize of 20 million rupees in the Indian version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire"; the film's other wins included Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Sound Mixing, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Film Editing, Best Original Score, and Best Original Song ("Jai Ho");
[Note: Slumdog Millionaire was only the fifth film in the past 50 years to win without any acting nominations, repeating the feat of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) , Braveheart (1995), The Last Emperor (1987), and Gigi (1958). It was one of only eleven films in all of Academy history that have won Best Picture without receiving a single acting nomination.]
The other Best Picture nominees were:
director David Fincher's sweeping 2 3/4ths hour, big-budget fantasy epic The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (with 13 nominations and only 3 wins, including Best Visual Effects, Best Makeup, and Best Art Direction), based on F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1922 jazz age short story (from Eric Roth's screenplay from a screen story by Roth and Robin Swicord) that followed the life of 'curious' everyman Benjamin Button (Brad Pitt) and was set in New Orleans - the title character was born in his 80s and aging in reverse, growing younger rather than older; the film was one of the most nominated films in Academy history, and had the largest box-office revenue of the five nominees, just over $100 million, although it lost in most of its categories -
[Note: Out of eight films from the past with thirteen nominations, five films have won Best Picture, including: Gone With the Wind (1939) , From Here to Eternity (1953) , Forrest Gump (1994), Shakespeare in Love (1998) and Chicago (2002). Those that lost were: Mary Poppins (1964), Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) .]
director Gus Van Sant's Milk (with 8 nominations and 2 wins, including Best Actor and Best Original Screenplay), a historical biography about California's first openly-gay, openly-elected public official, mayoral aide Harvey Milk (Sean Penn) who was assassinated alongside San Francisco's mayor George Moscone (Victor Garber)
director Stephen Daldry's The Reader (with 5 nominations and 1 win), the story of a young German teen Michael Berg's (David Kross and Ralph Fiennes) complex relationship with an illiterate train conductor/ex-Nazi concentration camp guard Hanna Schmitz (Best Actress-winning Kate Winslet) in the 1950's, and his dealing with her past decades later, based on Bernhard Schlink's best-selling and controversial 1995 novel
director Ron Howard's Frost/Nixon (with 5 nominations and no wins), an adaptation of the successful Tony-winning Broadway drama about the famous series of interviews of Richard Nixon (Frank Langella) conducted by British talk show host David Frost (Michael Sheen) that aired on May 19, 1977, during which Frost memorably had Nixon admitting complicity in the Watergate scandal ("When the President does it, it's not illegal")
For the first time in three years, all five Best Picture directors were nominated for Best Director – a rare occurrence! This happened only four other times in Oscar history: 1957, 1964, 1981, and 2005. The nominated directors included two first-time nominated directors, one of whom won the Best Director Oscar:
52 year-old British director Danny Boyle (with his first nomination and win) for Slumdog Millionaire, who had previously directed such films as Trainspotting (1996), A Life Less Ordinary (1997), and 28 Days Later (2002)
The four other Best Director nominees included:
46 year-old former music video director David Fincher (with his first nomination) for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, after directing such films as Se7en (1995), Fight Club (1999), Panic Room (2002), and Zodiac (2007)
54 year-old Ron Howard (with his second directorial nomination) for Frost/Nixon, previously winning two Oscars: Best Picture (as producer) and Best Director for A Beautiful Mind (2001)
47 year-old Stephen Daldry (with his third nomination) for The Reader, previously nominated for Billy Elliott (2000) and The Hours (2002) - he became the first director ever to receive Best Director nominations for his first three films
56 year-old Gus Van Sant (with his second nomination) for Milk, previously nominated for Good Will Hunting (1997)
All of the nominated Animated Feature Films were CGI creations. The winner was the overwhelming favorite:
Wall-E (Disney Pictures/Pixar Animation) (with six nominations and this sole Oscar win), Pixar's 9th film and their 4th Best Animated Feature Film Oscar win -- a science fiction tale about a lonely garbage-compacting robot Wall-E stranded on post-apocalyptic, trash-laden Earth who encounters a sleek metallic female robot Eve who seeks plant life to signal a colony ship's return after 700 years of exile
[Note: It tied with Beauty and the Beast (1991) as the most nominated animated film.]
The other two nominees in the category were:
Bolt (Walt Disney Pictures), about dog actor Bolt (voice of John Travolta) who believes the science fiction/action television show he stars in is real, and learns he has no superpowers when lost from the set
Kung Fu Panda (Dreamworks Animation), a martial arts comedic fantasy about a slovenly, fat kung fu-obsessed giant panda named Po (voice of Jack Black) who is thrust unwittingly into the role of Dragon Warrior to save the countryside from a dangerous villain snow leopard Tai Lung (voice of Ian McShane)
A bit of an upset occurred in the category of Best Foreign Language Film. The overwhelming favorite was the animated documentary Waltz With Bashir (Israel) (the Golden Globe winner for Best Foreign Language Film), the first animated film ever to be nominated for Best Foreign Language Film. But the category was won by Departures (Japan) (aka Okuribito), a film about an unemployed cello player who became a mortician preparing bodies (and "assisting departures") for funerals and burials. It was the first Japanese film to ever win a competitive Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. [Note: Three Japanese films were previously given honorary Oscars before the official category of Best Foreign Language Film was created in 1956 - Rashomon (1950, Jp.), Gate of Hell (1953, Jp.) (aka Jigokumon), and Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto (1954, Jp.).]
There were nine first-time nominees in the 20 acting performance slots. Five of the acting nominees were previous winners: Sean Penn, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Meryl Streep and Marisa Tomei. Sean Penn became the ninth actor in Academy history to win a second Best Actor Oscar. All four Oscar-winning performers this year: Penn, Winslet, Ledger, and Cruz, had been nominated at least once before, something that hadn't happened since 1994.
The Best Actor winner was:
48 year-old Sean Penn (with his fifth nomination – all for Best Actor -- winning for Mystic River (2003) and now for his role as openly pioneering San Francisco gay camera store owner Harvey Milk who successfully was serving in public office as mayoral aide, and was killed in 1978 at the same time as the assassination of San Francisco Mayor George Moscone (Victor Garber), in Milk; Penn was also previously nominated for Dead Man Walking (1995), Sweet and Lowdown (1999), and I Am Sam (2001)
The other Best Actor nominees were:
61 year-old Richard Jenkins (with his first nomination and his first leading role) as lonely widower college professor Professor Walter Vale, who finds two squatters (Haaz Sleiman, Danai Jekesai Gurira) living in his little-used Manhattan apartment, in writer/director Tom McCarthy's The Visitor (2007) (the film's sole nomination - the film debuted in Canada in 2007, but was Oscar eligible only after its 2008 US release)
71 year-old Frank Langella (with his first nomination) for his reprised Tony-award winning role (in 2007) as shamed ex-President Richard Nixon who was a talk show guest on Frost on America, where he battled wits with host David Frost (Michael Sheen, reprising his stage role as well), in Frost/Nixon [Note: Langella is the second actor to be nominated for Best Actor for playing Nixon (Anthony Hopkins was also nominated for Nixon (1995) but lost to Nicolas Cage for Leaving Las Vegas (1995))
45 year-old Brad Pitt (with his second nomination, previously nominated for his supporting role in 12 Monkeys (1995)) for his role as Benjamin Button, who is born an elderly man and grows younger through the years, in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
56 year-old Mickey Rourke (with his first nomination) as Randy "The Ram" Robinson, a broken-down, formerly famous 80s headliner pro wrestler who now fights in the small circuit 20 years later; the role is best known for his inspiring closing speech ("I'm still standing here and I'm The Ram"), in Darren Aronofsky's The Wrestler (with 2 nominations including Best Supporting Actress, and no wins); [Rourke had been a longtime Oscar snub, being overlooked for such roles as Diner (1982), Rumble Fish (1983), The Pope of Greenwich Village (1984), 9 1/2 Weeks (1986), Angel Heart (1987), and Barfly (1987).]
The Best Actress nominees included two oft-nominated Oscar favorites - Meryl Streep and Kate Winslet, with the latter winning her first Oscar:
33 year-old British actress Kate Winslet (with her 6th nomination, her 4th Best Actress nomination and her first win!) for her role as Hanna Schmitz, an illiterate train conductor/ex-Nazi concentration camp guard who had an affair with a fifteen year old boy, in The Reader; Winslet was previously nominated in a leading role for Titanic (1997), Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) and Little Children (2006), and in a supporting role for Sense and Sensibility (1995) and Iris (2001)
[Note: With her sixth nomination, Winslet became the youngest individual (at age 33) to have six Oscar nominations. She was one year younger than Bette Davis who (at age 34) received her sixth for Now, Voyager (1942) ]
The other Best Actress nominees included:
26 year-old actress Anne Hathaway (with her first nomination) as Kym, a recovering drug addict who is given a day pass from her rehabilitation clinic to attend her sister Rachel's (Rosemarie DeWitt) wedding, in Rachel Getting Married (its sole nomination); Hathaway had memorably been snubbed for her supporting role in Brokeback Mountain (2005)
33 year-old actress Angelina Jolie (with her second nomination, having won for her supporting role in Girl, Interrupted (1999)) for her role as real-life Christine Collins, a desperate Los Angeles single mother during the Great Depression whose son vanishes, and is given another boy who is claimed to be the missing son by the corrupt police department, in director Clint Eastwood's Changeling (with three nominations and no wins)
48 year-old Melissa Leo (with her first nomination), the former NBC-TV star of Homicide: Life on the Street, in her role as Ray Eddy, a struggling, cash-needy lower-class single mother of two in upstate New York who becomes involved in a people-smuggling ring across the US/Canadian border in an attempt to avoid losing her home, in the independent drama Frozen River (with two nominations and no wins)
59 year-old Meryl Streep (with her astonishing 15th nomination - an all-time record, and her 12th Best Actress nomination (tying her with Katharine Hepburn), and a winner in 1979 and 1982) for her role as Sister Aloysius Beauvier, the suspicious, domineering strict head of a Bronx Catholic school in New York City in the 1960s who believes that progressive new priest Father Brendan Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman) is a pedophile, in writer/director John Patrick Shanley's adaptation of the Broadway play Doubt (with five nominations and no wins, including Best Screenplay Adaptation, Best Supporting Actor, and two Best Supporting Actress nominations)
The Best Supporting Actor winner was the heavily-favored 28 year-old deceased Australian actor Heath Ledger (with his second nomination, following a Best Actor nomination for Brokeback Mountain (2005)) as the wildly psychotic villain, The Joker, in Christopher Nolan's moody cape-and-cowl superhero sequel The Dark Knight (with 8 nominations and only 2 wins, including Best Sound Editing); this was the seventh posthumous nomination in Academy history (won only once previously by Peter Finch).
The other Best Supporting Actor nominees were:
40 year-old Josh Brolin (with his first nomination after being snubbed for lead roles in No Country for Old Men (2007) and this year's President Bush biopic W.) as conservative former fireman Dan White, an alcoholic who is married with children (and possibly closeted gay), elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors along-side openly-gay Harvey Milk; he later murders Milk along with Mayor George Moscone (Victor Garber) in 1978 during a drunken tirade, in Milk
43 year-old Robert Downey, Jr. (wth his second nomination, following his Best Actor nomination for Chaplin (1992)), in the over-the-top comedic role as obsessive, faux-black white Australian Method actor Kirk Lazarus who has medical surgery to transform himself into a black man to completely immerse himself in a dark-horse role in a Vietnam war movie, in Ben Stiller's comedy Tropic Thunder (its sole nomination)
41 year-old Philip Seymour Hoffman (with his third nomination, following a win for his lead role in Capote (2005) and nominated supporting role in Charlie Wilson's War (2007), this year's only back-to-back nominee) as Father Brendan Flynn, a progressive priest in 1960s New York City whose keen interest in his Bronx Catholic school's first black student inspires suspicion from its head nun (Meryl Streep), in Doubt
34 year-old Michael Shannon (with his first nomination) as John Givings, an unstable mathematician and wrongfully-interred mental institution patient who makes brutally honest, incisive observations about his unhappily-married neighbors and hosts Frank and April Wheeler (Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet reunited in their first pairing since Titanic (1997)) and his parents during a dinner party in 1950s Connecticut, in Sam Mendes' Revolutionary Road (with 3 nominations)
The Best Supporting Actress winner was:
34 year-old Spanish-born actress Penélope Cruz (with her second nomination and first win) as Maria Elena, a newly-divorced, crazy Spanish artist/temptress, who experienced a menage a trois with her ex-husband painter/lothario Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem) and inquisitive, traveling American photographer Cristina (Scarlett Johansson), in Woody Allen's Vicky Cristina Barcelona (its sole nomination and win)
[Note: Cruz previously had a lead nomination for Volver (2006, Sp.) when she became the first Spanish woman to be nominated for a Best Actress Academy Award for a non-English speaking role; with her win, she became the first Spanish-born actress to win an Oscar]
[Note: Cruz' win joined her with two other Woody Allen actresses who have won Best Supporting Actress Oscars: Dianne Wiest (twice) for Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) and Bullets Over Broadway (1994), and Mira Sorvino for Mighty Aphrodite (1995); she was, in fact, the 4th 'Woody Allen' actress to receive an Oscar, if Diane Keaton's Annie Hall (1977) Best Actress Oscar win was also counted; other 'Woody Allen' actresses with Supporting Actress nominations (nine in total) include: Maureen Stapleton for Interiors (1978), Mariel Hemingway for Manhattan (1979), Judy Davis for Husbands and Wives (1992), Jennifer Tilly for Bullets Over Broadway (1994), and Samantha Morton for Sweet and Lowdown (1999)]
[Note: Cruz became one of many actors/actresses to receive a nomination for a role performed in two different languages, following after, for example, Ingrid Bergman's Swedish language-role in Autumn Sonata (1978), Robert DeNiro's Sicilian in The Godfather Part II (1974) , Meryl Streep's Polish/German in Sophie's Choice (1982), and Benicio Del Toro's Spanish in Traffic (2000). Sophia Loren's Italian in Two Women (1960) (aka La Ciociara), Roberto Benigni's Italian in La Vita è bella (1997) (aka Life is Beautiful), and Marion Cotillard's French in La Vie En Rose (2007) were fully in one language.]
[Note: If Woody Allen had been nominated for Best Original Screenplay, it would have been his 15th Best Original Screenplay nomination.]
The remaining Best Supporting Actress nominees included two nominees for Doubt:
34 year-old Amy Adams (with her second nomination, following her supporting nod for Junebug (2005)) as sensitive and innocent novitiate Sister James, in Doubt
43 year-old Viola Davis (with her first nomination) in a 12-minute scene as African-American Mrs. Miller, the conflicted mother of a student who is suspected of being sexually-abused by a new Catholic priest (nominee Philip Seymour Hoffman) at his 1960s New York City school, in Doubt
38 year-old Taraji P. Henson (with her first nomination) as African-American Queenie, a New Orleans nursing-home employee who rescues abandoned old man-child Benjamin Button and adopts him ("You are as ugly as an old post but you're still a child of God"), in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
44 year-old Marisa Tomei (with her third nomination, following her semi-controversial win for her supporting role in My Cousin Vinny (1992), and her supporting role nomination for In the Bedroom (2001)) as Cassidy, a middle-aged, tattooed exotic stripper and single mother who forms a bond with has-been wrestler Randy Robinson (fellow nominee Mickey Rourke), in The Wrestler
Doubt became the 4th film in Academy history to receive 4 acting nominations WITHOUT a Best Picture nomination. The other three were: My Man Godfrey (1936) , I Remember Mama (1948) , and Othello (1965).
Jerry Lewis, who was never nominated for an Academy Award, was presented with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.
Oscar Snubs and Omissions:
Although Doubt had tied the record for four acting nominations, it did not receive either a Best Director or Best Picture nomination and came away empty-handed. Christopher Nolan's box-office blockbuster and popular summer hit - the despairing comic book Batman tale The Dark Knight scored eight nominations (mostly technical areas, and scored two wins for Best Supporting Actor and Best Sound Editing), but was devoid of a Best Picture or Best Director nomination. It became the most nominated superhero film in Academy Award history. [Note: Dreamgirls (2006) also had eight nominations without a nomination for Best Picture or Best Director.]
Although Jonathan Demme's innovative and critically-hailed Rachel Getting Married had a single acting nomination (and lost), it had no other nominations (specifically Best Director or Best Picture, and Rosemarie DeWitt's supporting role). And most glaringly, there were no nominations for actor/director Clint Eastwood, either for his dramatic role in Gran Torino or for his directing of Changeling.
Remarkably, Slumdog Millionaire was lacking in any acting nominations (for Dev Patel and Freida Pinto), fairly rare for a Best Picture-winning film.
Director Darren Aronofsky was denied an Oscar nomination for The Wrestler, and the film's nominations were unsuccessful. And Oliver Stone's biopic W. starring Josh Brolin as President George W. Bush was devoid of any Oscars' recognition - and it was a surprise that Brolin was nominated for his supporting role in Milk instead. Unfortunately, there were no acting nominations for Saul Dibb's splendid 18th century costume drama The Duchess (with two nominations and one win (Best Costume Design) and Best Art Direction), although they were deserved for Keira Knightley as the title character - a witty and attractive 17 year-old naive aristocrat Georgiana Spencer, who was set up and then trapped in an emotionally-distant, arranged marriage with callous, loathsome, but regal and powerful Duke of Devonshire William Cavendish (Ralph Fiennes).
Best Animated Feature Film winner Wall-E was not nominated for Best Picture (although it had six nominations total and only one win), thereby preserving Beauty and the Beast (1991) as the only animated feature to be nominated for the top Oscar. Wall-E's six nominations tied it with Beauty and the Beast (1991) as the most-nominated animated film.
It was a surprise to have Kate Winslet nominated for her lesser role in The Reader (which then became a momentous first Oscar win for her), rather than as a Best Actress candidate for her husband/director Sam Mendes' Revolutionary Road, and that her co-star Leonardo DiCaprio for the latter was un-nominated for his portrayal of Winslet's husband.
Two glaring acting omissions included Sally Hawkins for her role as North London schoolteacher Poppy in Mike Leigh's Happy-Go-Lucky, and Kristin Scott Thomas as released and ravaged murder convict Juliette Fontaine in writer/director Philippe Claudel's debut French film I've Loved You So Long, as well as nominations for Jeffrey Wright (as Muddy Waters) and Beyonce Knowles (as Etta James) for their performances in writer/director Darnell Martin's fictionalized musical biopic of the 1950s-60s Chicago-based Chess Records saga, Cadillac Records. In addition, Michelle Williams was left out for her role as struggling, downtrodden and broke drifter Wendy with her dog Lucy, in director Kelly Reichardt's Wendy and Lucy.
Three other performances were overlooked: Benicio del Toro as the revolutionary Ernesto 'Che' Guevara in Steven Soderbergh's two-part epic biopic Che, Philip Seymour Hoffman as regional theater director Caden Cotard staging his magnum opus in New York City in first-time director Charlie Kaufman's black comedy Synechdoche, New York, and James Franco as Harvey Milk's (Sean Penn) pre-election gay lover Scott Smith in Milk.
There was some question about Brad Pitt's nomination for his CGI-assisted role as the title character in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, when his role as unscrupulous gym trainer Chad Feldheimer in the Coen Brothers' Burn After Reading was more memorable, while Pitt's co-star Cate Blanchett was ignored for her role as Benjamin Button's romantic soulmate Daisy. Many critics were surprised by the blatant snub-omission of Bruce Springsteen in the Best Original Song category (he won the Golden Globe Award) for the theme song (in the closing credits) for The Wrestler.
| Sophia Loren |
Stanford University is in which US state? | Marion Cotillard - Biography - IMDb
Marion Cotillard
Biography
Showing all 272 items
Jump to: Overview (3) | Mini Bio (1) | Trade Mark (7) | Trivia (175) | Personal Quotes (77) | Salary (9)
Overview (3)
5' 6½" (1.69 m)
Mini Bio (1)
Academy Award-winning Actress Marion Cotillard was born on September 30, 1975 in Paris. Cotillard is the daughter of Jean-Claude Cotillard , an actor, playwright and director, and Niseema Theillaud , an actress and drama teacher. Her father's family is Breton and her mother has Kabyle ancestry.
Raised in Orléans, France, she made her acting debut as a child with a role in one of her father's plays. She studied drama at the Conservatoire d'Art Dramatique in Orléans. After small appearances and performances in theater, Cotillard had occasional and minor roles in TV series such as Highlander (1992) and Extrême limite (1994), but her career as a film actress began in the mid-1990s. While still a teenager, Cotillard made her cinema debut at the age of 18 in the film L'histoire du garçon qui voulait qu'on l'embrasse (1994), and had small but noticeable roles in films such as Arnaud Desplechin 's My Sex Life... or How I Got Into an Argument (1996) and Coline Serreau 's comedy La belle verte (1996).
In 1996, she had her first lead role in the TV film Chloé (1996), playing the title role - a teenage runaway who is forced into prostitution. Cotillard co-starred opposite Anna Karina , the muse of the Nouvelle Vague.
In 1997, she won her first film award at the Festival Rencontres Cinématographiques d'Istres in France, for her performance as the young imprisoned Nathalie in the short film Affaire classée (1997).
Her first prominent screen role was Lilly Bertineau in Gérard Pirès 's box-office hit Taxi (1998), a role which she reprised in two sequels: Taxi 2 (2000) and Taxi 3 (2003), this role earned her first César award nomination (France's equivalent to the Oscar) for Most Promising Actress in 1999.
In 1999, Cotillard starred as Julie Bonzon in the Swiss war drama War in the Highlands (1999). For her performance in the film, she won the Best Actress award at the Autrans Film Festival in France.
In 2001, Marion starred in Pretty Things (2001) as the twin sisters Marie and Lucie, and was nominated for her second César award for Most Promising Actress.
Cotillard's breakthrough in France came in 2003, when she starred in Yann Samuell 's dark romantic comedy Love Me If You Dare (2003), in which she played Sophie Kowalsky, the daughter of Polish immigrants who lives a love-hate relationship with her childhood friend. The film was a box-office hit in France, became a cult film abroad and led Cotillard to bigger projects.
Her first Hollywood movie was Tim Burton 's Big Fish (2003), in which she played Joséphine, the wife of William Bloom (played by Billy Crudup ). A few years later, Marion starred in Ridley Scott 's A Good Year (2006) playing Fanny Chenal, a French café owner who falls in love with Russell Crowe 's character.
In 2004, she won the Chopard Thophy of Female Revelation at the Cannes Film Festival.
In 2005, Cotillard won the César award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance of Tina Lombardi in Jean-Pierre Jeunet 's A Very Long Engagement (2004).
In 2007, Cotillard received international recognition for her iconic portrayal of Édith Piaf in La Vie en Rose (2007). Director Olivier Dahan cast Cotillard to play the legendary French singer because to him, her eyes were like those of "Piaf". The fact that she can sing also helped Cotillard land the role of "Piaf", although most of the singing in the film is that of Piaf's. The role won Cotillard the Academy Award for Best Actress along with a César, a Lumière Award, a BAFTA Award, and a Golden Globe. That made her only the second actress to win an acting Oscar performing in a language other than English next to Sophia Loren ( Two Women (1960)). Only two male performers ( Roberto Benigni for Life Is Beautiful (1997) and Robert De Niro for The Godfather: Part II (1974)) have won an Oscar for solely non-English parts. Trevor Nunn called her portrayal of "Piaf" "one of the greatest performances on film ever". At the Berlin International Film Festival, where the film premiered, Cotillard was given a 15-minute standing ovation. When she won the César, Alain Delon presented the award and announced the winner as "La Môme Marion" (The Kid Marion), he also praised her at the stage saying: "Marion, I give you this César. I think this César is for a great great actress, and I know what I'm talking about".
Cotillard has worked much more frequently in English-language movies following her Academy Award recognition. In 2009, she acted opposite Johnny Depp in Michael Mann 's Public Enemies (2009), and later that year played Luisa Contini in Rob Marshall 's musical Nine (2009) and received a Golden Globe nomination for her performance. Time magazine ranked her as the fifth best performance by a female in 2009. The following year, she took on the main antagonist role, Mal, in Christopher Nolan 's Inception (2010), and in 2011 she had memorable parts in Midnight in Paris (2011) and Contagion (2011) and reteamed with Christopher Nolan in The Dark Knight Rises (2012).
In 2011 and 2012 respectively, Cotillard appeared on the top of Le Figaro's list of the highest paid actors in France, it was the first time in nine years that a female topped the list. Cotillard was also the highest paid foreign actress in Hollywood.
In 2012, Cotillard received wide-spread critical acclaim for her role as the legless orca trainer Stéphanie in Rust and Bone (2012). The film was a box office hit in France and received a ten-minute standing ovation at the end of its screening at the 65th Cannes Film Festival. Cotillard won the Globe de Cristal (France's equivalent to the Golden Globe), the Étoile d'Or award and was nominated for the Golden Globes, SAG, BAFTA, Critics' Choice and César Awards for her performance in the film. Cate Blanchett wrote an op-ed for Variety praising Cotillard's performance in "Rust and Bone", the two actresses competed for the Academy Awards for Best Actress in 2008, Cate was nominated for her performance in Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007) and Marion for her performance in La Vie en Rose (2007) and Cotillard won the Oscar.
She had her first leading role in an American movie in 2013, in James Gray 's The Immigrant (2013), in which she played Ewa Cybulska, a Polish immigrant who wants to experience the American dream. Cotillard received wide-spread acclaim for her performance in the film at the 66th Cannes Film Festival, where the film premiered, and also won several critics awards.
In 2014, Cotillard played Sandra in the Belgian film Two Days, One Night (2014) by the Dardenne brothers. Her performance was unanimously praised at the 67th Cannes Film Festival, earned several critics awards, Cotillard won her first European Award for Best Actress and also received her second Oscar nomination and her sixth César award nomination.
In 2015, she played Lady Macbeth opposite Michael Fassbender in Justin Kurzel 's Macbeth (2015) and voiced two animated movies: The Little Prince (2015) in which she voiced The Rose, and April and the Extraordinary World (2015), in which she voiced the lead role, Avril.
- IMDb Mini Biography By: Jon C. Hopwood
Trade Mark (7)
Dark hair, blue eyes and pale skin
Mole in the middle of forehead
Expressive doe-eyes
Her portrayal of emotionally damaged characters
Trivia (175)
If she had not been an actress, she would have liked to become a singer.
Her name is pronounced "mah-ree-ohn ko-tee-ar".
Had to learn how to sing in one month to play Marie in Pretty Things (2001). Also co-wrote and performed the song "La Fille de Joie" and performed the song "La Conne" for this film.
Her onscreen debut was in 1993 at the age of 17, in the Canadian TV Series Highlander (1992). She had an uncredited cameo as the girl who gives birth in the episode 17 of Season 1: "Saving Grace". She then returned in the episode 21: "Nowhere to Run", as Lori Bellian. It was also her first English-speaking role.
She's an ecologist. Member and Spokesperson for Greenpeace since 2002. She is also one of several actors, singers and designers involved in "Dessins pour le Climat" ("Drawings for the Climate"), a book of drawings originated by Greenpeace and Glénat, available for sale beginning April 2005 (all proceeds to go to Greenpeace).
Played Joan of Arc in the concert "Jeanne d'Arc au Bûcher" (Joan of Arc at the Stake) several times: in 2005 in Orléans, France; in 2012 in Barcelona, Spain; in 2015 in Monaco, Toulouse and Paris, France and in New York. Her mother also played Joan of Arc in the same concert in 1992.
Born to Jean-Claude Cotillard , an actor and teacher, and his wife Niseema Theillaud , also an actress and drama teacher.
Has two younger brothers: Guillaume and Quentin, they are identical twins (born on 6 November 1977). Guillaume Cotillard , is a screenwriter and director and Quentin Cotillard works as a sculptor, living in San Francisco, California with his Irish-American wife Elaine O'Malley Cotillard, a former Dutch National Ballet dancer and fashion designer.
She never had her ears pierced.
Grew up in Orléans and moved to Paris at the age of 16.
Cousin of Laurent Cotillard .
Is the Godmother of Costa Serena and inaugurated the ship in Marseille, France on May 19, 2007.
Best friends are Cécile Cassel , Élodie Navarre , Mélanie Laurent , Geraldine Seguin and Gilles Lellouche .
Companion of her Love Me If You Dare (2003) co-star Guillaume Canet since October 2007. They met in 1997 but only grew closer 10 years later.
Having won the Best Actress in a Leading Role Oscar for La Vie en Rose (2007) on 24 February 2008, she has become the second French actress to do so. The other one is Simone Signoret for Room at the Top (1959). Claudette Colbert , who won in 1934 for It Happened One Night (1934), was French-born, but raised in the U.S. and considered herself American. Cotillard is also the second French actress to win a BAFTA and an Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role for the same performance. Simone Signoret was the first to win both awards with her performance in Room at the Top (1959). Simone Signoret's daughter, Catherine Allégret , portrayed Édith Piaf 's grandmother, Louise Gassion, in "La Vie en Rose".
Re-enacted the iconic shower scene of Psycho (1960) in a photoshoot for Vanity Fair in 2008. In the film, the scene was made by Janet Leigh , and Cotillard shares the same first name of Leigh's character in "Psycho", who was called Marion Crane.
When she won the César Award for her performance in La Vie en Rose (2007), Alain Delon presented the award and announced the winner as "La Môme Marion" (The Kid Marion), he also praised her at the stage saying: "Marion, I give you this César. I think this César is for a great great actress, and I know what I'm talking about".
First and so far the only artist to win a Best Actress in a Leading Role Oscar for a performance in the French language and is also the first leading lady to receive the Best Actress Oscar for a non-English speaking role since Sophia Loren in 1962 for Two Women (1960).
Is one of six performers to win an Oscar playing a character that mostly spoke in a foreign language. The others are Sophia Loren , Robert De Niro , Roberto Benigni , Benicio Del Toro and Christoph Waltz .
One of 105 people invited to join AMPAS in 2008.
Second French actress (after Stéphane Audran in 1974) to win Best Leading Actress at BAFTA Film Awards since the integration of Best British Actress and Best Foreign Actress into one category: Best Actress/Best Leading Actress.
The dress she wore to the Academy Awards (where she won the Best Actress in a Leading Role Oscar) was especially designed for her by Jean-Paul Gaultier . [2008]
Was considered for the role of Hanna Schmitz in The Reader (2008) after Nicole Kidman dropped out due to pregnancy. However the part eventually went to Kate Winslet . In 2009, Cotillard presented and gave the Academy Award for Best Actress to Kate Winslet for her performance in The Reader (2008).
She was originally set for a role in Mesrine Part 1: Killer Instinct (2008).
Was in a relationship with French actor Julien Rassam in the late 90's until 2000. She had a long relationship with French actor Stéphan Guérin-Tillié from 2000 to 2005 and was in a relationship with French singer Sinclair from 2005 to 2007.
When she won the Best Actress in a Leading Role Oscar for La Vie en Rose (2007) in 2008, the statuette was presented to her by former co-star in Mary (2005), previous winner Forest Whitaker .
Announced that she and long-time boyfriend Guillaume Canet are expecting their first child together. [10 January 2011].
Ranked #48 in a 2011 study on the favorite celebrities of French kids aged 7 to 14, who gave her a grade of 6.21 on 10. The same study ranked her as the 53rd best-known celebrity by these kids, with 33.8% of the surveyed knowing her, either by name or by picture.
Was six months pregnant with her son Marcel when she completed filming on Contagion (2011).
Gave birth to her son Marcel, with partner Guillaume Canet , in Paris (19 May 2011). Unlike many people assume, her son's name is not an homage to Édith Piaf 's lover, Marcel Cerdan. Cotillard later revealed that his name is actually an homage to a member of her family, Marcel Theillaud.
Was originally set to star in Cosmopolis (2012) but was replaced by Sarah Gadon after dropping out due to her pregnancy.
Was in consideration for the role of Ryan in Gravity (2013) but Sandra Bullock was cast instead.
Returned to work one month after giving birth to her son Marcel, to begin filming The Dark Knight Rises (2012). Most of her scenes were pushed back a month and director Christopher Nolan made room on the set for Cotillard's family. During an interview for Vogue in August 2012, Nolan marveled at Cotillard's ability to do her job so soon after giving birth, calling it "amazing to see" and describing her as "Superwoman".
Ranked as having one of the most "Beautiful Famous Faces" by TC Candler's "The Annual Independent Critics List of the 100 Most Beautiful Famous Faces From Around the World" for 15 consecutive years. She was ranked #36 in 2016, #18 in 2015, #14 in 2014, #1 in 2013, #2 in 2012, #7 in 2011, #12 in 2010, #15 in 2009, #4 in 2008, #3 in 2007, #8 in 2006, #17 in 2005, #35 in 2004, #20 in 2003, and #31 in 2002.
Three of her films, Chloé (1996), Love Me If You Dare (2003) and Inception (2010) have featured a song by Édith Piaf . "La Vie en Rose" was used in "Chloé" and "Love Me If You Dare", and "Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien" plays in "Inception" - Marion won the Academy Award for Best Actress portraying Piaf in La Vie en Rose (2007).
Is one of 12 French actresses to have received an Academy Award nomination. The others in chronological order are: Claudette Colbert , Colette Marchand , Leslie Caron , Simone Signoret , Anouk Aimée , Isabelle Adjani , Marie-Christine Barrault , Catherine Deneuve , Juliette Binoche , Bérénice Bejo and Emmanuelle Riva .
Is a fan of Game of Thrones (2011) and of the British sitcom Absolutely Fabulous (1992).
Ranked on Askmen's list of the "Top 99 Most Desirable Women". She was ranked #39 in 2013, #58 in 2011, #54 in 2010 and #87 in 2008.
Cotillard, Leonardo DiCaprio , Tilda Swinton , Emma Thompson , Tom Hanks , Daniel Brühl and Jake Gyllenhaal are the only actors to receive a Golden Globe, SAG, BAFTA and Critics' Choice Award nomination for the same performance and then fail to be Oscar-nominated for it: for their performances in Rust and Bone (2012), The Departed (2006), We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011), Saving Mr. Banks (2013), Captain Phillips (2013), Rush (2013) and Nightcrawler (2014), respectively.
Was on the longlist for a BAFTA nomination as Best Supporting Actress for Inception (2010) in 2011 and for Midnight in Paris (2011) in 2012, but didn't make into the nominees.
She's the face of French fashion house Dior since 2008 and stars in the ad campaigns for the Lady Dior Handbags since then. In 2011, she also starred in the campaign for the Miss Dior Handbag Fall/Winter 2011/2012. Her ads for Dior have been shot by acclaimed photographers such as Annie Leibovitz , Craig McDean , Steven Klein, Tim Walker, Mikael Jansson, Peter Lindbergh , Jean-Baptiste Mondino and Mert and Marcus. In 2012, Cotillard designed her own handbag for Lady Dior, the "360º Bag". In 2014, she composed a song, wrote, directed and starred in the music video Snapshot in LA (2014), that was made especially for Dior.
Is a fan of Kate Winslet , Will Ferrell , Seth Rogen and Jonah Hill . During an interview at The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (1992) in 2012, Cotillard told that she would love to work with them in a comedy. In 2013, she had a cameo in Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (2013), a comedy film starring Will Ferrell . Cotillard also wrote an open-ed for Variety praising Kate Winslet 's performance in Labor Day (2013).
Filmed The Dark Knight Rises (2012) in USA and Rust and Bone (2012) in France at the same time and few months after she gave birth to her son, Marcel. She was flying back and forth between USA and France to shoot both movies.
Was originally set to star in The Past (2013) but was replaced by Bérénice Bejo after dropping out due to scheduling conflicts with the promotion of Rust and Bone (2012). If Cotillard had starred in the film, she would have played the mother of Pauline Burlet 's character; Burlet played Édith Piaf as a child in La Vie en Rose (2007), while Cotillard played Piaf as an adult in the same film.
Named Harvard's Hasty Pudding Theatrical Woman of the Year in 2013.
Is a fan of David Bowie , Janis Joplin , The Rolling Stones , The Beatles , Otis Redding , Radiohead and Elvis Presley .
Wrote and performed the song "Lily's Body" for the fourth episode of the Lady Dior Web Documentary (2012) with the same title. An animated clip was made for the song, featuring an encounter between Cotillard and Christian Dior .
Shares birthday with fellow actresses Deborah Kerr , Angie Dickinson , Monica Bellucci and actor Ezra Miller .
Sings under the pseudonym Simone in Maxim Nucci 's band Yodelice. "Simone" is her grandmother's name. In 2010, Cotillard went on tour with the band in different cities in France and Belgium and sang few songs on the album "Cardioid". She also recorded the song "The Eyes of Mars" alongside Franz Ferdinand especially for Dior's "Lady Rouge" campaign.
Time magazine ranked her performance as Luisa Contini in Nine (2009) as the fifth best performance by a female in 2009.
Ranked #13 on Empire Online list of the "100 Sexiest Movie Stars" in 2013.
She has appeared on more than 200 magazine covers around the world, including Vogue, Elle, Marie Claire, Variety, Harper's Bazaar, Vanity Fair, Madame Figaro, Glamour, W, The Hollywood Reporter and Wall Street Journal Magazine. She was also on the cover of the first issue of Dior Magazine in September 2012 and appeared in 3 covers of Vogue in August 2012 (USA, UK and France).
Was the Honorary President of the 35th Annual César Awards Ceremony in 2010.
Is a "injection-phobic" and stated that she won't have Botox, plastic surgery or anything else that you put inside yourself to look younger.
Was the first non-model on a Vogue Paris September cover in five years with her September 2010 cover.
Ranked #8 on Forbes list of Hollywood's Top Earning On-Screen Couples alongside Leonardo DiCaprio in 2012. They are the only couple from a non-franchise film: Inception (2010), the film made $825 million at the global box-office.
In 2011 and 2012 respectively, she appeared on the top of Le Figaro's list of the highest paid actors in France, it was the first time in nine years that a female has topped the list. She was also the highest paid foreign actress in Hollywood.
Received several honors, career tributes and "Actress of the Year" awards in 2012 at Hollywood Film Festival, Gotham Independent Film Awards, Telluride Film Festival, AFI Fest, Sant Jordi Awards, Irish Film and Television Awards, Hawaii International Film Festival and Harper's Bazaar Awards.
Beverly Hills, CA, USA: Attended Elle's 20th Annual Women In Hollywood Celebration at Four Seasons Hotel, where she was honored. [October 2013]
Starred in three movies with Jérémie Renier : Cavalcade (2005), Fair Play (2006) and Dikkenek (2006).
On November 15, 2013, she caged herself near Paris's Louvre museum to demand the freeing of 30 Greenpeace activists jailed in Russia over an Arctic protest. She entered the cage and held a banner proclaiming: "I am a climate defender." A few days later, the activists were released.
Appeared in two films that made their world premieres at the Cannes Film Festival in the same week in 2013: Blood Ties (2013) and The Immigrant (2013) (in competition). It happened again in 2015 when The Little Prince (2015) and Macbeth (2015) (in competition) premiered with two days apart.
Starred in three movies with Benoît Magimel : Lisa (2001), Fair Play (2006) and Little White Lies (2010).
Named a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters by France's Cultural Minister Frederic Mitterand alongside Tim Burton who directed her in Big Fish (2003) (he was named Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters). Recipients of the order are honoured for their significant contribution to the enrichment of French culture. [15 March 2010].
Starred in three movies with Billy Crudup : Big Fish (2003), Public Enemies (2009) and Blood Ties (2013). When Cotillard was honored at Gotham Awards in 2012, Billy Crudup introduced her tribute.
Co-wrote and performed the song "The Strong Ones" alongside Hawksley Workman for Olivier Dahan 's short film for Cartier's Love range. [2008].
She plays guitar, bass guitar, keyboard and tambourine. She learned how to play the piano at home when she was a kid and learned to play the cello for her role as a soloist in the film Toi et moi (2006).
Was mentioned in Glee (2009)'s Season 2, Episode 7: "The Substitute", when Kurt asks Blaine about their favorite 2010 Vogue cover and they say: "Marion Cotillard".
Ranked #2 of Vogue's 10 Best Dressed of 2010.
Was chosen as one of the Best Dressed at Cannes Film Festival 2012 by Yahoo!.
Named "International Actor of the Year" at the Harper's Bazaar Women of the Year Awards for her performance in Rust and Bone (2012). [October 31, 2012].
Named "Sexiest Woman In The World" by the Hungarian magazine Periodika in 2012.
Chosen as one of the Best Dressed of SAG Awards 2013 by Huffington Post.
Starred in three movies about physical disability: Blue Away to America (1999), Cavalcade (2005) and Rust and Bone (2012).
Started taking Danish lessons after having seen The Celebration (1998), planned on meeting Thomas Vinterberg during the Cannes Film Festival in 1999 and also started learning Spanish after having seen Lovers of the Arctic Circle (1998) by Julio Medem .
She and Adrien Brody are the only actors to win both a César and an Oscar for the same performance. Cotillard won both awards in 2008 for La Vie en Rose (2007) and Brody won in 2003 for The Pianist (2002).
Has worked with Guillaume Canet in four movies. Two as co-stars: Love Me If You Dare (2003) and The Last Flight (2009) and starred in two movies directed by him: Little White Lies (2010) and Blood Ties (2013).
Being a huge fan of Canadian singer Hawksley Workman , she starred in two of his clips.
For her performance in La Vie en Rose (2007), she became the first actress to win a BAFTA and a César award for the same performance, the second is Emmanuelle Riva for Amour (2012).
She is the first non-Czech actress to win the Czech Lion for Best Actress for her performance in La Vie en Rose (2007).
Loving her job she nurtured her need for cinematic culture by going to the Cinematheque.
Her father, Jean-Claude Cotillard , played the mime in each episode of the popular PBS series French in Action (1987).
Named "Woman of the Decade" by Vogue Paris' list of the "40 Women of The Decade". [2010].
She and Guillaume Canet were ranked France's third Most Popular Couple by a Harris Interactive poll for Gala magazine. [August 2012].
First and so far the only actress to be nominated for a SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role for two performances in the French language: La Vie en Rose (2007) and Rust and Bone (2012). She is also the only actor to be nominated twice for non-English speaking performances.
Has played two characters of Polish origin. First in 2003 as the daughter of Polish immigrants Sophie Kowalsky in Love Me If You Dare (2003) and 10 years later, she played the Polish immigrant Ewa Cybulska in The Immigrant (2013).
Starred in 2 films that were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture in two consecutive years: Inception (2010) and Midnight in Paris (2011).
Travelled to Congo with Greenpeace to visit the tropical rainforests that are being destroyed by logging companies. It was shown in the documentary The Congolese Rainforests: Living on Borrowed Time (2010). [2010].
Designed her own doll for UNICEF France campaign "Les Frimousses Font Leur Cinéma", that was sold to help vaccinate thousands of children in Darfur. [2010].
Patron of Maud Fontenoy Foundation, an non-governmental organization which is dedicated to programmes that teach children about preserving the vital heritage the oceans represent.
In 2012, she was featured on Kate Winslet 's book "The Golden Hat: Talking Back To Autism", with celebrity self-portraits to raise awareness and support for autism.
Chosen as one of the Best Dressed of Cannes Film Festival 2013 by Vogue.
Appeared in five films that are on the Top 100 of the highest-grossing French films of all time in France, as of 2014. In chronological order: Taxi (1998) at #48, Taxi 2 (2000) at #9, Taxi 3 (2003) at #57, La Vie en Rose (2007) at #93 and Little White Lies (2010) at #80.
Named Best Dressed Star of 2013 by Grazia Daily.
Starred in 3 films where her character was named Marie: Pretty Things (2001), The Last Flight (2009) and Little White Lies (2010).
Ranked #12 on Slate's list of the "100 Most Influential Women of France". [2013].
Was the 132nd actress to receive an Academy Award; she won the Best Actress Oscar for La Vie en Rose (2007) at The 80th Annual Academy Awards (2008) on February 24, 2008.
Filmed four movies at the same time in 2004, one of them is Edy (2005).
Starred in three movies with Julie Depardieu : A Very Long Engagement (2004), Sauf le respect que je vous dois (2005) and Toi et moi (2006).
She hates filming scenes, but stated that the first and only time that she liked filming sex scenes was in Rust and Bone (2012), with Matthias Schoenaerts , because it was a special moment for her character, who was having sex for the first time after she lost her legs.
Starred in three movies with Élodie Navarre : Le marquis (2000), Love Me If You Dare (2003) and Cavalcade (2005).
Has a look-alike puppet in the French show Les guignols de l'info (1988).
When she was honored at Hollywood Film Festival in 2012, Joseph Gordon-Levitt presented the tribute to her in French, her native language. Cotillard and Levitt were co-stars in Inception (2010) and The Dark Knight Rises (2012).
After starring together in Rust and Bone (2012), she recommended Matthias Schoenaerts for a role in her boyfriend's Guillaume Canet directorial-debut in Hollywood, Blood Ties (2013). Canet told that he chose Schoenaerts after hearing Cotillard praising his acting several times.
Starred in two films directed by Christopher Nolan : Inception (2010) and The Dark Knight Rises (2012). In both films she stabs someone.
She was one of the two French actresses who starred in French-language films to be nominated for a BAFTA award for Best Leading Actress in 2013, with her performance in Rust and Bone (2012), the other was Emmanuelle Riva for her performance in Amour (2012). It was the first time in the history of BAFTA that two French-language performances were nominated in the Best Actress category.
Learned to speak her Polish dialogue (20 pages) in The Immigrant (2013) in only two months.
Became a member of the Association for the Promotion of Cinema (APC), which governs the French Academy of Cinema Arts and Techniques, the group that votes on the César Awards. [July 2013].
Her favorite films are: The Great Dictator (1940), It's a Wonderful Life (1946), I Am Cuba (1964), The Party (1968), The Elephant Man (1980), The King and the Mockingbird (1980) and Tandem (1987).
Planned to star and produce a film entitled "Second Coming", directed by Nenad Cicin-Sain and with Mark Ruffalo , Ethan Hawke , Anjelica Huston and Thandie Newton in the cast. The project found a financier in 2010 but never happened.
In 2011, Warner Bros. offered her the role of Morgana in King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017) with David Dobkin attached to direct, but the project was cancelled over budgetary concerns.
She's a locavore, where possible, she eats locally produced food and has been recycling since the 80s, a habit learned from her Breton grandmother (Marion's paternal grandparents were both Breton).
Is a fan of Greta Garbo , Romy Schneider , Juliette Binoche , Toni Collette , Peter Sellers , Charles Chaplin and Sir Laurence Olivier .
Member of the jury of the 13th Marrakech Film Festival that was presided by Martin Scorsese . [November-December, 2013].
Named "The Most Beautiful Face of 2013" by TC Candler's list of the "100 Most Beautiful Famous Faces From Around the World". [December 2013].
Was considered for the role of Sylvie in 3 Hearts (2014).
Is the owner of two restaurants in France: Jaja and Glou.
Directors Jacques Audiard and James Gray have compared her to actress Maria Falconetti . Falconetti played Joan of Arc in The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) and Cotillard played the character in the oratorio "Jeanne d'Arc au Bûcher".
Turned down a role in Bel Ami (2012). When Robert Pattinson met Cotillard in Cannes and told her he was doing a film of Guy de Maupassant 's classic French novel, she expressed bemusement: "But why make it in English?".
Was the first person to wear Chopard's Green Carpet Collection jewels at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival.
Director James Gray who directed her in The Immigrant (2013), stated that Cotillard is the best actor he ever worked with. Gray wrote the character Ewa Cybulska especially for her.
Ranked #68 on Total Film's Top 200 Performances of All Time for her performance in La Vie en Rose (2007). [2013].
Brazilian brand Chara Rial named a shoe after her. [2014].
Chosen as one of the 'Best Film Femme Fatales' by Harper's Bazaar for her performance as Mal in Inception (2010). [March 2014].
Accepted to star in Two Days, One Night (2014) without seing the script. Cotillard is one of only three non-Belgian actors to lead a movie directed by Belgian directors Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne since Je pense à vous (1992), the other two being Arta Dobroshi in The Silence of Lorna (2008) and Adèle Haenel in The Unknown Girl (2016). She was cast after they met her on the set of Rust and Bone (2012), which they co-produced.
Was director Benoît Jacquot 's original choice to play Celestine in Diary of a Chambermaid (2015), but dropped out. If she had starred in the film, it would have been the second time that she would have played a character that was played by Jeanne Moreau . Cotillard played the younger version of Moreau's character in Lisa (2001) and Moreau played Celestine in Diary of a Chambermaid (1964).
Was considered for the female lead of Burnt (2015).
Named "The Most Bankable French Actress of the 21st Century" in 2014. Her films have sold more than 38 million tickets in France from 2001 to 2014 and have grossed more than $3 billion worldwide.
Was considered to play Eleonora Duse in The Rivals , a biopic about the rivalry between Duse and Sarah Bernhardt .
As a big fan of Tim Burton , Cotillard slept with the script of Big Fish (2003) under her pillow for a month to hopefully help her chances to work with him.
For 3 consecutive years, her films premiered at the Toronto Film Festival: Rust and Bone (2012) in 2012, Blood Ties (2013) in 2013 and Two Days, One Night (2014) in 2014.
Attended Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation Inaugurational Gala. [July 27, 2014].
Supports amfAR Cinema Against AIDS and attends its gala every year since 2009.
In 2014, Robbie Collin from The Daily Telegraph named her "the great silent film actress of our time", for her ability to show emotions only with her eyes and facial expressions, although she never appeared in a silent film.
Cotillard and Isabelle Adjani are the only French actresses to win the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress. Adjani won in 1975 for The Story of Adele H (1975), while Cotillard was awarded for her performances in The Immigrant (2013) and Two Days, One Night (2014) in 2014 (the award was given to her by Jake Gyllenhaal ). Cotillard was the first actress to win a NYFCC Award and miss a Golden Globe nomination for the same performance since 1995, when Jennifer Jason Leigh won this award for Georgia (1995).
Ranked #4 on Time Magazine's Top 10 Best Movie Performances of 2014, for her performances in The Immigrant (2013) and Two Days, One Night (2014).
Achieved the Trifecta of the major critics awards: she won the Los Angeles Film Critics Association for La Vie en Rose (2007), the New York Film Critics Circle and National Society of Film Critics for The Immigrant (2013) and Two Days, One Night (2014).
Ranked #18 on British GQ Magazine "The World's 20 Coolest Women" in 2014.
Is one of 6 performers with multiple Oscar nominations for foreign language films; the others are Marcello Mastroianni for Divorce Italian Style (1961), A Special Day (1977) and Dark Eyes (1987) (Italian), Sophia Loren for Two Women (1960) and Marriage Italian Style (1964) (Italian), Liv Ullmann for The Emigrants (1971) and Face to Face (1976) (Swedish), Isabelle Adjani for The Story of Adele H (1975) and Camille Claudel (1988) (French), and Javier Bardem for Before Night Falls (2000) and Biutiful (2010) (Spanish). Cotillard was nominated for her performances in La Vie en Rose (2007) (for which she won) and Two Days, One Night (2014) (French). Cotillard and Loren are the only actresses to win a Best Actress Oscar for a foreign-language film, they also appeared together in the film Nine (2009).
Expressed her desire to work with Meryl Streep during an interview to Larry King in 2015.
Is one of 14 actresses to have won both the Best Actress Academy Award and the Best Actress in a Comedy/Musical Golden Globe for the same performance; hers being for La Vie en Rose (2007). The others, in chronological order, are: Judy Holliday for Born Yesterday (1950), Julie Andrews for Mary Poppins (1964), Barbra Streisand for Funny Girl (1968), Liza Minnelli for Cabaret (1972), Glenda Jackson for A Touch of Class (1973), Diane Keaton for Annie Hall (1977), Sissy Spacek for Coal Miner's Daughter (1980), Cher for Moonstruck (1987), Jessica Tandy for Driving Miss Daisy (1989), Helen Hunt for As Good as It Gets (1997), Gwyneth Paltrow for Shakespeare in Love (1998), Reese Witherspoon for Walk the Line (2005), and Jennifer Lawrence for Silver Linings Playbook (2012).
The Dardenne brothers ( Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne ) revealed to Variety in 2015 that they were planning to do The Unknown Girl (2016) with Cotillard as the lead doctor, but it didn't work out, so they decided to do Two Days, One Night (2014) with her instead.
Was one of the presenters of the 87th Academy Awards, in which she introduced the song "Everything is Awesome" from The Lego Movie (2014). Édith Piaf 's song "La vie en Rose" from Cotillard's Oscar-winning film La Vie en Rose (2007), was playing in the background when she hit the stage. [February 22, 2015].
For 5 consecutive years, she starred in movies that were screened in the main competition section of the Cannes Film Festival: Rust and Bone (2012) (in 2012), The Immigrant (2013) (in 2013), Two Days, One Night (2014) (in 2014), Macbeth (2015) (in 2015), From the Land of the Moon (2016) and It's Only the End of the World (2016) (both in 2016).
Was considered for the role of Gerda Wegener in The Danish Girl (2015) in 2010. Had she starred in the film, she would have played opposite Matthias Schoenaerts , her co-star and love interest in Rust and Bone (2012).
Was mentioned on Jodie Foster 's Golden Globe speech in 2013. Foster said: "I would have to make out with Marion Cotillard...".
Travelled to Philippines with France's President François Hollande and actors Mélanie Laurent and Jeremy Irons to highlight the fight against climate change and convene a forum intended to encourage faster and more determined action on the global challenge of climate change. [February 26, 2015].
Designed her own jewellery for Chopard, a bracelet and a necklace. She created the first "green" offering for the house, using ethically sourced coloured gemstones. Cotillard wore the handpiece that she designed featuring opals and diamonds connected to a ring by a chain during the Cannes premiere of The Little Prince (2015) on May 22, 2015.
Cecily Strong has impersonated Cotillard twice on Saturday Night Live (1975), in 2015 and 2016.
Her character in Nine (2009), Luisa, is half-French and half-Italian. In 8½ (1963), the character was played by French actress Anouk Aimée . Aimée is the first actress to be nominated for an Oscar for a French-speaking role ( A Man and a Woman (1966)), while Cotillard is the first and only actress to win an Oscar for a French-speaking role ( La Vie en Rose (2007)).
Was considered for the role of Michelle in Elle (2016). Isabelle Huppert was cast instead.
Introduced alongside her Macbeth (2015) co-star, Michael Fassbender , a Banksy painting donated by Leonardo DiCaprio for the amfAR Gala charity auction in Cannes, where it fetched $1 million. [May 21, 2015].
Her co-star in Rust and Bone (2012), Matthias Schoenaerts , played The Little Prince on stage in Belgium when he was 9 years old. In 2015, Cotillard voiced The Rose in The Little Prince (2015).
Directors Alexander Payne and Pedro Almodóvar have expressed their desire to work with Cotillard.
During the press conference of Macbeth (2015) at the Cannes Film Festival, her co-star Michael Fassbender stated that Cotillard is the best actress in the business. [May 23, 2015].
Mentioned on The Office (2005) Season 8, Episode 11: "Trivia". Kevin knows that the answer to the final trivia question is the 2001 French film Pretty Things (2001), because Cotillard "exposes herself a number of times".
Was considered for the role of Fantine in Les Misérables (2012).
The Oscar and César awards that she won for La Vie en Rose (2007), were exposed during an exhibition to celebrate Édith Piaf 's centenary at the Bibliothèque Nationale de France in Paris, in 2015.
Lady Macbeth (the character she played in Macbeth (2015)), is often referred to as "Lady M". This was also Cotillard's nickname for the launch of a online web documentary released by Dior in 2012, Lady Dior Web Documentary (2012).
Has appeared opposite two actors who played Magneto in the X-Men franchise. She starred opposite Ian McKellen in the short film Lady Grey London (2011) and with Michael Fassbender in Macbeth (2015).
Cotillard and her Nine (2009) co-star Judi Dench , have both played Lady Macbeth. Dench on stage in the 70s and Cotillard in the 2015 film adaptation, Macbeth (2015). During an interview to AOL Build in 2015, Cotillard stated that Judi Dench is her favorite Lady Macbeth. Dench performed Macbeth opposite Ian McKellen as the title character. McKellen starred opposite Cotillard in the short film Lady Grey London (2011).
A sample of Leonardo DiCaprio and Cotillard's dialogue in the train scene from Inception (2010) ("You're waiting for a train..."), is featured on the song "Far Away" by nExow at minute 03:28.
Has dubbed in French all of her English-language roles since Big Fish (2003).
Was mentioned in the TV series Entourage (2004), in the episode where Vincent plays the lead role in a biopic of Enzo Ferrari directed by Frank Darabont , in which he co-starred alongside Al Pacino and Cotillard.
The dresses she wore at the New York premiere of The Dark Knight Rises (2012) and at the 2013 Golden Globe Awards, were especially designed for her by Dior.
Lived in New York for 6 months in 2012 while she was shooting The Immigrant (2013) and Blood Ties (2013).
Was set to star alongside Romain Duris in the 2011 French action film "Vivre, c'est mieux que mourir", directed by Pascal Chaumeil , but the film was never shot.
Has expressed her desire to play a man, citing what Cate Blanchett did in I'm Not There. (2007).
Brought up her make up artist Christopher Danchaud and her friend Geraldine Seguin as her dates for the 2015 Academy Awards.
Counts Fantasia (1940) and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) among the first films to really make an impression on her.
Personal Quotes (77)
[on acting] I don't think you learn how to act. You learn how to use your emotions and feelings, and my first teacher was my mother [ Niseema Theillaud ] and then I worked with my father [ Jean-Claude Cotillard ], who helped me to find in myself all those emotions and how to play with the emotions.
[on accepting the best actress Oscar for La Vie en Rose (2007) (aka "La Vie en Rose")] Thank you life, thank you love, and - it is true - there [are] some angels in this city [Los Angeles].
Did a man really walk on the moon? I saw plenty of documentaries on it, and I really wondered. And in any case I don't believe all they tell me, that's for sure.
[on her French accent] The first thing I have to do to erase my French accent is think that it is actually possible, whereas for the moment, I think it's not. I have a lot of work.
My parents always told me that if you want something, you can do whatever you have to do to get it. As long as it's not against someone else.
I have a tendency to often share the point of view of the conspiracy theory.
[on extreme characters] I do like extreme characters, but I think they are extreme because they are full of passion - they are rich inside. Tina Lombardi [from A Very Long Engagement (2004)] was such a beautiful character. What I love in her is that she's not a cliché of the femme fatale. She's just a girl who loves her man and feels desperate about losing him. It's not just about revenge. She is in that huge country, searching for something. She's lost, destroyed inside.
[on the beginning of her career as a child] I started in musicals when I was very young. Both my parents are stage actors, and I was fascinated by their jobs. My father was a mime. When I was 5, a director friend of my family put me in his movie. I played a little girl with a dog, but I remember my scenes and I was entranced by acting. It was a dream to me - the passion of the profession was contagious.
The first English-language movie I saw might have been E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982). I remember I was so into it, I cried so loud that the audience around me wanted to take me out of the theater.
[on her Public Enemies (2009) character] She's a real product of this really tough period in American history. Out of the Depression came all of these people who struggled to live. Billie had no money, and she came from an Indian tribe, which, at the time, was not easy. By the time she came to Chicago and met Dillinger, she had already lived several lives - she had been to military boarding school, to learn military manners, to "get the Indian out." She's a mix of someone really sweet and tough.
When I was a little girl, I always wanted to be in a musical, an American musical. I knew Singin' in the Rain (1952) by heart.
I think that when you don't see the boundaries, you cross them without even knowing they exist in the first place.
I need to feel that for a director it's a matter of life and death; he needs to tell this story.
I adore my own life, more and more I love being myself, but I love this work of totally changing personalities, of creating something radically different from myself. I want to go profoundly into my roles. If not, what's the point?
[on Rust and Bone (2012) in which she plays a woman who has lost both legs in an accident] In the beginning of the film she is empty, she doesn't know who she is or why she;'s alive. She is numb. It's as if she were drugged. I have never experimented with hard drugs, but I've been at certain moments of my life in a state of shock close to something where you lose your footing, your sense of reality. I think that's the gift of the actor, the ability to put ourselves in a state.
[on working with director Jacques Audiard in Rust and Bone (2012)] Once he stopped a scene and said, 'How dramatic are YOU? Dramatic, dramatic, dramatic! It's boring!' We laughed, and it could seem a bit rude, but he was right. We were happy to have someone with that kind of genius to help us avoid going in the direction of things that are perhaps realistic but are not at all cinematic. And that's why he's a great director.
[on reincarnation] I don't know if we have many lives of if I will be reincarnated into a next life, but I really do think that when you die, it doesn't stop.
[on her musical career] A friend called me up who is an amazing singer who goes by the name Yodelice ( Maxim Nucci ). He said, "Would you come to the studio? I would love for you to sing one of my songs." So I went down and ended up going from a background singer to being in a duet. Then my friend said he was playing at the Olympia in Paris. So he asked me if I would sing with him there and I said, "Oh, yeah, of course." I went to rehearsals with them and he asked me, "Would you play bass guitar?" I had never played bass guitar before but it has always been my dream to play bass guitar. He said, "Just try it for a few songs." I took the bass guitar and suddenly it was so organic. So he said to me, "Would you play piano on this song?" I said, "I don't even play piano!" He told me to try. I took piano lessons when I was like 5 or 6 but that was a long time ago. I stopped when I was 13. But suddenly it was very organic when I started playing it. So he said, "How about playing the drums?" He made me try, and it went on and on like this for a week. I was part of the band, playing all of the instruments. One day I arrived at rehearsal and my friend said, "Okay, now that you've done everything else, how about singing a song by yourself alone?" I said, "Man, you are way out of your mind." But we did it and I ended up on tour with Yodelice for two months, traveling around to shows in different cities in France and Belgium.
[on The Dark Knight Rises (2012)] I didn't have a major part in the Batman movie, but I had to be available for it at all times. The script changed constantly, and I needed to be ready to get on the next plane and be on set as soon as they needed me.
I'm not somebody who opens up to people very easily. With this form of expression,I think I've found a way to speak to a lot of people and share something of myself, while still keeping my distance. I don't have anything against people who bare their souls to the media. I just know I can't do it. I want to share things that seem practical to me. It's the same if I go to a dinner party with guests I don't know. I'm not going to share my life story with them.
[on her school days] At school I was that black thing in the corner. I was not popular at all. I think I was very boring... not boring because I didn't talk, no, no it was terrible. I was not interesting at all. I thought I had no personality. I thought everybody was so cool, and I was not. You think things about yourself and then you start to give a little bit of love at least enough, to enjoy life. But I was, oooh.
I couldn't leave the character on La Vie en Rose (2007). It was weird because I used to kind of judge actors who would stay in character on set or who would have a hard time leaving the character behind when the movie was done. I had this very dumb idea that "Okay, it's a big part of your life but it's your job. Go home and go back to yourself." It turns out it's not that easy. In the process I was in character almost all the time. Even when I went home, there was something that was not entirely me.
[on singing] I'm a very happy actress. But I've always loved to sing because in my childhood my mother would sing all the time. I cannot remember one journey in the car without singing. So music is part of my life.
[on blockbusters] I feel very lucky that I can travel from one very special universe to another very special universe. My experience in Hollywood with the big blockbuster, though, is very special too, because it's a blockbuster directed, written, produced by Christopher Nolan , who's not a studio director. I need to work with directors who have the need to tell a story - and he is definitely a director who needs to tell stories.
[on what changed her life] It's not the fame that changed my life but La Vie en Rose (2007), which was a turning point for me. It put me in a different universe and gave me the opportunity to really discover different worlds. But I'm not like some celebrities who live with paparazzi 24 hours a day. That's why I'm keeping my life in France.
[on becoming a mother] Since having Marcel, every day of my life has been alight with him. One of the things I have learned recently is that I have the ability to be happy. I have found that in my family. And that is a new thing. And that hasn't always been the case for me - so I know how lucky I am.
[on her character in Rust and Bone (2012)] I think Stéphanie has moved me more than any character I've ever played. She rediscovers the carnal, sexuality, love. Everything is very positive in the tragedy she faces.
[on the first time she liked filming sex scenes in a movie with Rust and Bone (2012)] I've never liked filming them as I don't feel comfortable. I am shaking; I feel very bad and I want to cry most of the time because I hate it so much. But here it was totally different. I was so involved with my character that I was happy she would enjoy something like that. It's a movie about love, about flesh, about rust and bone and heart and sex, so without the sex scenes the movie would have missed something. The most emotional scene was after Stéphanie and Alain ( Matthias Schoenaerts ) make love for the first time, because I felt something that I never felt for a character before. I felt very moved for her because it's the first time she's had sex since she lost her legs. I was very moved because I was so happy for her.
[on being exposed and judged because of her career] Nothing can ever be taken for granted in this métier. It makes you very exposed and that can be violent. I'm strong but also fragile, and sometimes it's not easy to be exposed to judgment, and to play with your emotions, to go searching inside yourself to make yourself naked to the world.
I think this desire to protect the Earth comes from my family - especially my grandmother. I remember when I was a little girl at her house in Brittany. When she cooked, she wouldn't waste anything. And my parents always raised me to believe that the most important thing was respect. Respect the place you live, be aware of the impact that you have on things. I was lucky to have this education growing up. I was born in Paris and raised in the suburbs and then lived in the countryside. We had a beautiful house with a huge garden. When I moved to the country, I was really connected to nature and the seasons. So when I finally went back to Paris, I had a very hard time connecting with the city again and the way we waste so much. I started to read and teach myself about the environment - and why it was not organic and natural to be living in the city. I'm very happy with what's happening now and how the awareness is spreading. Because 10 years ago my mind-set wasn't really normal for most people. I sounded like a crazy person talking about the environment. People saw me as a hippie who wanted to make my own cheese and live with animals in a house without electricity.
When I was younger, I considered a lot of things, but I couldn't choose, so I thought that being an actor would let me have many lives. It was a way to do all the jobs I wanted to do.
I just want to do my best. I just want to find the authenticity of each character. That's what matters to me. It would be horrible to have an audience saying, 'Oh it's her.' It would be horrible. I want to experience something new each time.
I was fascinated by this world of telling stories, of having a different day every day. And my parents were -- still are -- passionate people, and to be raised with passionate people who open the door of your imagination and your creativity, I think it's why I am an actress now.
[on working in Hollywood] I feel very lucky that I can work in Hollywood. When I was a kid, I watched a lot of American movies and I never thought this was something that would happen to me. But once I started acting I didn't see any boundaries. I wanted to be an actress. I didn't want to be a French actress.
[on her sex scenes in Rust and Bone (2012)] The sex and flesh is part of the story. It's not sensational or a statement at all, it had to be in there. You know how you feel when you rediscover your body, love, your life. That's what happens to both these characters and I think that is very sexy.
[on beauty] I was raised with the idea of beauty in a different way. To me, it is something that really comes out of you and surrounds you.
[on choose a different career] Well, I could have never done a profession that was not creative. You know, there's a fighter inside of me. When you have the capacity to fight, when you have the ability to love life and the ability to be happy, it's easy to be creative. And that's a treasure that my parents gave me.
[on fashion] To be honest, I didn't consider fashion to be an art until I became involved with Dior. They changed my vision of fashion whereas I never paid attention to it before. Although I loved to dress and I liked clothes, now I see it as a very special form of art.
I looked terrible while filming La Vie en Rose (2007), so my hat collection increased dramatically. I love men's hats because my father wears them.
[on her voice in Polish in The Immigrant (2013)] Language is part of a whole. I like creating characters who have their own approach, their own body language, their own voice. Learning a language helps to build something different. I play a Polish woman in the film, so I had to speak Polish fluently, with a Polish accent. I understood that, in order to speak correctly, I had to sink into the Polish culture. I had the same experience with English and Italian. Culture enriches language and vice versa.
I've always wanted to be an actress but I never really asked myself why. I know now that I have this career for two major reasons: First, because it allows me to take such pleasure in work that I happen to be overwhelmed with happiness while acting. And second, because this job puts me the most in danger in relation to my emotional past.
[on spending a day in a wheelchair in Paris with her co-star Samuel Jouy preparing for Blue Away to America (1999)] Others looking at us, us being dependent on others - we had a unique experience. The movie is a celebration of life and hope.
[about the dream roles of actresses (1999)] I would like to be offered to play Count Dracula as a consolation for not having been in The Idiots (1998) by Lars von Trier .
More and more I love being myself, but I love this work of totally changing personalities.
[on why she became an actress - Elle, November 2013] When I was a kid, I started to have a lot of questions about human beings, and I was a troubled child because of all of these questions. I guess that's why I became an actress. Not only because my parents were actors and, yeah, it's a beautiful thing to tell stories, but I think I became an actress because I wanted to explore this- to explore what a human being is.
[on getting old and wrinkly] You know what? I'm not looking forward to it. I know that it's going to come. Some of the women around me, they tell me it's not fun to get old. But it's not about your look, it's about the fact that you cannot run like you did when you were younger, or - it's just about when your body gets tired and you don't have the hundred percent energy sometimes. So it's not something that I look forward to. But I have to say, since I'm a mum, I'm really looking forward to being a grandma. This is kind of my obsession right now. I hope my kids won't wait so long, like me, to have kids, because I want to be a very healthy and young grandma. So it's not getting old but being a grandmother ... this is really something that I look forward to.
[on why she'll never have Botox] When I have to have an injection I'm like a four-year-old, running around the room with the nurse behind me trying to catch me. So I guess I won't have Botox or whatever you put inside yourself to look younger. In France... I was at my friend's house the other day, and all those women there, they were between 50 and 70, and they were so beautiful. Sometimes in LA, or even in New York, you run into a lot of products - a lot of women filled with all those products. It's not just about plastic surgery now, it's about injections... and all the women look kind of the same. It just shows fear, and that makes me sad.
[at Elle's 20th Annual Women In Hollywood] As far back as I can remember, I began questioning the world around me. Then I realized that by exploring different human beings and their stories, I felt the connection I was longing for. I know these women have also found answers in what they do, and share my passion for discovering the human soul.
[on why she thinks so many actors succumb to alcohol and drugs] Actors are fragile creatures. The wider the gap, the more vulnerable we are. Any form of escape can seem good. You have to navigate through the different emotions because you're placed in tough positions as an actor. Everything we give in a performance can come back to torture.
[on become enthralled with the ideals of the 'American Dream'] In a certain respect, yes (I love the American dream). And I love their language. Three years before La Vie en Rose (2007), I came to New York to take an English language course with Berlitz. I didn't become an actress with the aim of having a career in the US, my dream didn't have any geographical boundaries, but just after filming Tim Burton 's Big Fish (2003), I was looking forward to speaking the language fluently because my poor English from my school days was a problem on set. This love of English comes from my childhood, I grew up on American culture. Their music, cinema and literature were part of me.
I always wanted to express myself by being someone other than myself.
It is much easier for me to understand something vast and complex than something light and uncomplicated. Perhaps that makes me very French.
[on if she was afraid to be stuck with Édith Piaf (June 2007)] I think those things only happen when you think about it too much. For example, when I first got into movies in France, I had great success playing bimbos. But I never believed that I would be put in a box. I think if you have that inside of you it won't happen.
[on if she would like to play any other iconic women that she finds fascinating] Each time I hear that question the first name that comes to my mind is someone I can't do because it's Aung San Suu Kyi . For obvious and emotional reasons I can't. But I think a movie has to be done.
Talking about myself to someone I don't know has turned me into a wild beast when it comes to press. I've noticed that it's creating something kind of out of focus about myself.
You don't turn away a great director. And I always wanted to work with James Gray without thinking it was possible.
I cannot speak Italian. That was my idea, actually, to have an Italian character in Blood Ties (2013). My self loves difficulties, and when my brain comes into play, it's like, Hello!
[Interview Magazine, March 2014] Being interviewed, that's one of my problems. Talking about myself to someone I don't know, and knowing that most of the time they will interpret in a bad way what I'm saying, has turned me into a wild beast when it comes to press. I've noticed that it's creating something kind of out of focus about myself. But, in a way, I don't really care, even if sometimes I feel that the person being put out there is so far from who I am. As you said, being the same person everywhere, that's something that I would love to feel, to achieve. But the thing is, I have a responsibility in creating this person who is not someone that I like at all.
An actor has a huge failure in him. And this is not a weakness -- this can make you strong. But it's deep.
Working with Joaquin Phoenix was something very special. His instinct is like the instinct of an animal. There's a pureness about him. We lost this animal instinct that we used to have.
My parents were actors too. I don't even know if when I wanted to be an actress, they went, "Oh, shit." I must ask them.
I admired Greta Garbo but I didn't want to be her. I wanted to be Charles Chaplin . And I wanted to be Peter Sellers .
The directors I dreamed of were Francis Ford Coppola , Martin Scorsese , Tim Burton , David Lynch , Steven Spielberg because of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982). I wasn't considered an actress. I didn't want to get bitter while waiting for something to happen, so when I was 27, I told my agent I was stopping and going to work for Greenpeace. He said, 'Please just have this one meeting.' It was with Tim Burton , for Big Fish (2003), and I got the part. Now, Tim Burton was my idol. And so I told myself, 'Wow... This is exactly what I want. This is even more than what I want! So if I get this, it means that I really have a place in this business. If not, I'll do something else.
[on if a disturbing sex scene is harder to shoot than a romantic sex scene] It depends. I was always so reluctant to shoot love scenes. On those days, I'm not very friendly. I want it to be done and then start the movie again. But in Rust and Bone (2012) we had very naked love scenes, and it was totally different. I was very happy. Not because [co-star] Matthias Schoenaerts is superhot, absolutely not, because I had experience with Johnny Depp before [in Public Enemies (2009)] and it was also really hard for me. I was just very happy for my character. The whole day I was naked on set and I was totally fine with it.
[on her cameo in Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (2013)] I'm a big fan of American comedies, especially Will Ferrell and all his team. And they have known that I was a fan, so they asked me if I would be a part of it, and of course I said yes right away. But I never question how people could see me.
I think that when you discover something that was unknown before, it opens your mind, your heart. Roles after roles, I learned a little more about human beings. I want to go as deep as I can in a character.
I met James Gray with my boyfriend (Guillaume Canet) and we became friends. I'm a huge admirer of his work but when I met him, I didn't even dare to tell him. Never in my mind was I thinking, "I'm going to do everything to work for him" because I was never able to be in that kind of seduction from the beginning of my career. When I had to meet a director, I preferred to have a screen test and show what I could do instead of sell myself in a discussion, because I was bad at it. When I met James, we became friends and I never thought I could work with him because he was my friend.
[on working with the Dardenne brothers in Two Days, One Night (2014)] That was one of my best experiences. They offered me everything I had always wanted in a relationship between an actress and a director - well, two directors in that case. They work a lot, and I love to work a lot. Their level of demand is the highest I've ever encountered in my career, and that's what I'm looking for. They pushed me as far as I could go and maybe beyond. I would have done anything they asked me.
When I began working in the U.S., I started to think that all those amazing, greatest directors I never thought I could work with, suddenly ... I realized it was not unreachable anymore. But there were two people for me who were unreachable: Bruno Dumont and the Dardenne Brothers. When my agent told me they wanted me to meet with them, I genuinely thought it was a joke. Then I thought it would be a totally different movie than what they do usually, because they do stories in their hometown. With all due respect for all the directors I worked with, this experience [ Two Days, One Night (2014)] was the greatest of my life as an actress, so I hope it'll be good. They push the actors so far in the detail. That's the relationship that I'd always expected with directors. That was idyllic.
To me the best recognition I can receive is someone like James Gray writing a movie for me. The Oscar is the cherry on the cake, but what deeply changed was Olivier Dahan who was crazy enough to think that I could do this (play Édith Piaf in La Vie en Rose (2007)). I remember when I read the script I asked my agent "Which part am I gonna do?" and he said "He (Dahan) want you to do the whole thing". I said it wasn't possible, but I didn't say it too loud. I thought it was crazy and felt right away it would be an amazing experience. And then yeah, the greatest recognition is still working with amazing people.
[on working with Michael Fassbender in Macbeth (2015)] I saw a lot of movies he was in, and I have the feeling he's reached another level here. When you start a scene and you don't really know where you're going to go, that's a roller-coaster. Many times I was surprised by what he does in this movie, and this is priceless.
[on playing Lady Macbeth in Macbeth (2015)] I knew that one day I would play Lady Macbeth, but in my mind it would be on stage and in French. I never thought that one day I would say the original lines, which took me ages to understand. I was very honest when I read the text for the first time. I called the director and said. 'Thank God I know the story, because I didn't get any of the words'.
My family, when I was a kid, was different from the other families because my parents are artists but we lived in this down to earth world.
[on working with Michael Fassbender in Macbeth] I saw a lot of movies he was in, and I have the feeling he's reached another level here. When you start a scene and you don't really know where you're going to go, that's a roller-coaster. Many times I was surprised by what he does in this movie, and this is priceless.
[on Johnny Depp] I was very, very nervous because it was my first movie after La Vie en Rose, and more because I hadn't worked for two years, being on a set with someone else, giving life to someone. I was very nervous about the accent because I had to nail a mid western American accent which I think was impossible. But he was so nice to me. He saw right away that I was very nervous and he reassured me, he was very nice, he has a huge respect of people and things. He is a real gentleman. He is an amazing actor, so I knew that when you work with an amazing actor, it makes you be better than if you work with someone who is totally out of it.
[on women in her profession being over competitive or feeling threatened] I have seen that, but I still love actresses. I love them! When there's a movie without an actress in it, I miss something. Without a woman, it's not the same.
In France, we have a lot of actors, but you never get a chance to share your experiences. In America, you show the movie, and you talk about it with actors who know what it's like to open your heart, soul, and mind to another person and let them in. I especially feel very close to other actresses.
Salary (9)
| i don't know |
What is the title of the 2000 film in which Bruce Willis plays a security guard who is the sole survivor of a train crash? | Unbreakable (2000) - IMDb
IMDb
Robin Williams rejected for Harry Potter role thanks to 'British-only' rule
3 hours ago
There was an error trying to load your rating for this title.
Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later.
X Beta I'm Watching This!
Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends.
Error
A man learns something extraordinary about himself after a devastating accident.
Director:
From $2.99 (SD) on Amazon Video
ON TV
a list of 42 titles
created 01 Nov 2012
a list of 25 titles
created 31 Jan 2013
a list of 21 titles
created 26 Nov 2013
a list of 34 titles
created 22 Jun 2014
a list of 30 titles
created 12 Apr 2015
Search for " Unbreakable " on Amazon.com
Connect with IMDb
Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below.
You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin.
2 wins & 12 nominations. See more awards »
Videos
A family living on a farm finds mysterious crop circles in their fields which suggests something more frightening to come.
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
A series of events tests the beliefs of a small isolated countryside village.
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 5.6/10 X
Apartment building superintendent Cleveland Heep rescues what he thinks is a young woman from the pool he maintains. When he discovers that she is actually a character from a bedtime story who is trying to make the journey back to her home, he works with his tenants to protect his new friend from the creatures that are determined to keep her in our world.
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
A boy who communicates with spirits that don't know they're dead seeks the help of a disheartened child psychologist.
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
A science teacher, his wife, and a young girl struggle to survive a plague that causes those infected to commit suicide.
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
In order to foil an extortion plot, an FBI agent undergoes a face-transplant surgery and assumes the identity and physical appearance of a ruthless terrorist, but the plan turns from bad to worse when the same criminal impersonates the cop.
Director: John Woo
A group of people are trapped in an elevator and the Devil is mysteriously amongst them.
Director: John Erick Dowdle
Two siblings become increasingly frightened by their grandparents' disturbing behavior while visiting them on vacation.
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
During the summer of 1979, a group of friends witness a train crash and investigate subsequent unexplained events in their small town.
Director: J.J. Abrams
As Earth is invaded by alien tripod fighting machines, one family fights for survival.
Director: Steven Spielberg
A young police officer must prevent a bomb exploding aboard a city bus by keeping its speed above 50 mph.
Director: Jan de Bont
A police officer joins a secret organization that polices and monitors extraterrestrial interactions on Earth.
Director: Barry Sonnenfeld
Edit
Storyline
This suspense thriller unfolds as the audience is introduced to David Dunn. Not only is he the sole survivor of a horrific train-crash that killed 131 people he doesn't have a scratch on him. Elijah Price is an obscure character who approaches Dunn with a seemingly far fetched theory behind it all. Written by Filmtwob <[email protected]>
Shattering cinemas soon. See more »
Genres:
Drama | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller
Motion Picture Rating ( MPAA )
Rated PG-13 for mature thematic elements including some disturbing violent content, and for a crude sexual reference | See all certifications »
Parents Guide:
22 November 2000 (USA) See more »
Also Known As:
No Ordinary Man See more »
Filming Locations:
$30,330,771 (USA) (24 November 2000)
Gross:
Did You Know?
Trivia
As a hint to the "why" of David's situation, the back of his parka reads "Security". Also when he follows the worker in the railroad station, a sign above the door the worker exits through reads "Maintenance". See more »
Goofs
Early in the movie David is reading a "Philadelphia Inquirer" newspaper. At the end this becomes a "Philadelphia Telegraph". See more »
Quotes
ER Doctor : And, to answer your question, there are two reasons why I'm looking at you like this. One because it seems in a few minutes you will officially be the only survivor of this train wreck, and two, because you didn't break one bone, you don't have a scratch on you.
(Netherlands) – See all my reviews
Willis finds out some strange things about himself after being the sole survivor in a train wreck. Jackson tells him he's special. Is he really?
Unbreakable really is an act 1 superhero story stretched to feature lenght (Night tells us in an interview). Genius. For once I believe Willis is the person on screen, not that he's playing Bruce Willis, the cool actor. Night uses colors (mostly blue, purple and green) and well chosen camera-angles as imagesystems (word is that the storyboard read like a comic). Most of them really work out well. I loved the slow pacing of the film. It really takes it time to tell us what's going on. As usual Shyamalan puts human drama first in his script. The first scene where Willis meets the woman in the train... You have to see the genius of it. In a few lines of dialog Shyamalan let's us discover the character Dunn.
Another reason why I love this film is because Shyamalan shows he has courage to make THIS after the enormous success of The Sixth Sense, which I think is inferior to this film. I just know the studio execs where pushing for something more tangible than this, but he chose this instead. A homage to comic books. And it works! BEAUTIFUL!!
102 of 139 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?
Yes
| Unbreakable |
‘The Sunshine Showdown’ took place in January 1973 in Jamaica between Joe Frazier and which other boxer? | Bruce Willis: his life and career in pictures - Telegraph
Bruce Willis: his life and career in pictures
MORE...
Unbreakable: 2000
Acting alongside Samuel L Jackson, Willis plays David Dunn, a security guard who becomes aware that he possesses abilities which make him a real-life superhero. The sole survivor of a train crash, Dunn is contacted and stalked by Elija Price (Jackson), a comic book illustrator with brittle bones who has been looking for his scientific opposite. Unbreakable could almost be seen as a forerunner of “meta” superhero films such as 2010’s Kick-Ass and even this year’s Oscar winning Birdman . Time Magazine put it in the top ten superhero movies of all time.
| i don't know |
Scientist Albert Einstein was born in which country? | Albert Einstein born - Mar 14, 1879 - HISTORY.com
Albert Einstein born
Publisher
A+E Networks
On March 14, 1879, Albert Einstein is born, the son of a Jewish electrical engineer in Ulm, Germany. Einstein’s theories of special and general relativity drastically altered man’s view of the universe, and his work in particle and energy theory helped make possible quantum mechanics and, ultimately, the atomic bomb.
After a childhood in Germany and Italy, Einstein studied physics and mathematics at the Federal Polytechnic Academy in Zurich, Switzerland. He became a Swiss citizen and in 1905 was awarded a Ph.D. from the University of Zurich while working at the Swiss patent office in Bern. That year, which historians of Einstein’s career call the annus mirabilis–the “miracle year”–he published five theoretical papers that were to have a profound effect on the development of modern physics.
In the first of these, titled “On a Heuristic Viewpoint Concerning the Production and Transformation of Light,” Einstein theorized that light is made up of individual quanta (photons) that demonstrate particle-like properties while collectively behaving like a wave. The hypothesis, an important step in the development of quantum theory, was arrived at through Einstein’s examination of the photoelectric effect, a phenomenon in which some solids emit electrically charged particles when struck by light. This work would later earn him the 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics.
In the second paper, he devised a new method of counting and determining the size of the atoms and molecules in a given space, and in the third he offered a mathematical explanation for the constant erratic movement of particles suspended in a fluid, known as Brownian motion. These two papers provided indisputable evidence of the existence of atoms, which at the time was still disputed by a few scientists.
Einstein’s fourth groundbreaking scientific work of 1905 addressed what he termed his special theory of relativity. In special relativity, time and space are not absolute, but relative to the motion of the observer. Thus, two observers traveling at great speeds in regard to each other would not necessarily observe simultaneous events in time at the same moment, nor necessarily agree in their measurements of space. In Einstein’s theory, the speed of light, which is the limiting speed of any body having mass, is constant in all frames of reference. In the fifth paper that year, an exploration of the mathematics of special relativity, Einstein announced that mass and energy were equivalent and could be calculated with an equation, E=mc2.
Although the public was not quick to embrace his revolutionary science, Einstein was welcomed into the circle of Europe’s most eminent physicists and given professorships in Zýrich, Prague, and Berlin. In 1916, he published “The Foundation of the General Theory of Relativity,” which proposed that gravity, as well as motion, can affect the intervals of time and of space. According to Einstein, gravitation is not a force, as Isaac Newton had argued, but a curved field in the space-time continuum, created by the presence of mass. An object of very large gravitational mass, such as the sun, would therefore appear to warp space and time around it, which could be demonstrated by observing starlight as it skirted the sun on its way to earth. In 1919, astronomers studying a solar eclipse verified predictions Einstein made in the general theory of relativity, and he became an overnight celebrity. Later, other predictions of general relativity, such as a shift in the orbit of the planet Mercury and the probable existence of black holes, were confirmed by scientists.
During the next decade, Einstein made continued contributions to quantum theory and began work on a unified field theory, which he hoped would encompass quantum mechanics and his own relativity theory as a grand explanation of the workings of the universe. As a world-renowned public figure, he became increasingly political, taking up the cause of Zionism and speaking out against militarism and rearmament. In his native Germany, this made him an unpopular figure, and after Nazi leader Adolf Hitler became chancellor of Germany in 1933 Einstein renounced his German citizenship and left the country.
He later settled in the United States, where he accepted a post at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey. He would remain there for the rest of his life, working on his unified field theory and relaxing by sailing on a local lake or playing his violin. He became an American citizen in 1940.
In 1939, despite his lifelong pacifist beliefs, he agreed to write to President Franklin D. Roosevelt on behalf of a group of scientists who were concerned with American inaction in the field of atomic-weapons research. Like the other scientists, he feared sole German possession of such a weapon. He played no role, however, in the subsequent Manhattan Project and later deplored the use of atomic bombs against Japan. After the war, he called for the establishment of a world government that would control nuclear technology and prevent future armed conflict.
In 1950, he published his unified field theory, which was quietly criticized as a failure. A unified explanation of gravitation, subatomic phenomena, and electromagnetism remains elusive today. Albert Einstein, one of the most creative minds in human history, died in Princeton in 1955.
Related Videos
| Germany |
Diablo is another name for who? | Dr. Albert Einstein Dies in Sleep at 76; World Mourns Loss of Great Scientist
Dr. Albert Einstein Dies in Sleep at 76; World Mourns Loss of Great Scientist
By THE NEW YORK TIMES
Albert Einstein was born at Ulm, Wuerttemberg, Germany, on March 14, 1879. His boyhood was spent in Munich, where his father, who owned electro-technical works, had settled. The family migrated to Italy in 1894, and Albert was sent to a cantonal school at Aarau in Switzerland. He attended lectures while supporting himself by teaching mathematics and physics at the Polytechnic School at Zurich until 1900. Finally, after a year as tutor at Schaffthausen, he was appointed examiner of patents at the Patent Office at Bern where, having become a Swiss citizen, he remained until 1909.
It was in this period that he obtained his Ph.D. degree at the University of Zurich and published his first papers on physical subjects.
These were so highly esteemed that in 1909 he was appointed Extraordinary Professor of Theoretical Physics at the University of Zurich. In 1911 he accepted the Chair of Physics at Prague, only to be induced to return to his own Polytechnic School at Zurich as full professor the next year. In 1913 a special position was created for him in Berlin as director of the Kaiser Wilhelm Physical Institute. He was elected a member of the Royal Prussian Academy of Sciences and received a stipend sufficient to enable him to devote all his time to research without any restrictions or routine duties.
Elected to Royal Society
He was elected a foreign member of the Royal Society in 1921, having also been made previously a member of the Amsterdam and Copenhagen Academies, while the Universities of Geneva, Manchester, Rostock and Princeton conferred honorary degrees on him. In 1925 he received the Copley Medal of the Royal Society and in 1926 the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society in recognition of his theory of relativity. He received a Nobel Price in 1921.
Honors continued to be conferred on him. He was made a member of the Institute de France, one of the few foreigners ever to achieve such a distinction. Other great universities throughout the world, including Oxford, Cambridge, Paris, Madrid, Buenos Aires, Zurich, Yeshiva, Harvard, London and Brussels, awarded honorary doctorates to him.
One of the highest American scientific honors, the Franklin Institute Medal, came to him in 1935, when he startled the scientific world by failing to deliver more than a mere "thank-you" in lieu of the scientific address customary on such occasions. He made up for it later by contributing an important paper to the Journal of the Franklin Institute dealing with ideas, he explained, that were not quite ripe at the time he received the medal.
Dr. Einstein married Mileva Marec, a fellow-student in Switzerland, in 1901. They had two sons, Albert Einstein Jr., an electrical engineer who also came to this country, and Eduard. The marriage ended in divorce. He married again, in 1917, this time his cousin, Elsa Einstein, a widow with two daughters. She died in Princeton in 1936.
To Institute at Princeton in '32
When the Institute for Advanced Study was organized in 1932 Dr. Einstein was offered and accepted, the place of Professor of Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, and served, also, as the Head of the Mathematics Department. The institute was situated at Princeton, N.J., and Dr. Einstein made plans to live there about half of each year.
These plans were changed suddenly. Adolf Hitler rose to power in Germany and essential human liberty, even for Jews with world reputations like Dr. Einstein, became impossible in Germany. He announced that he would not return to Berlin, sailed for Europe and went to Belgium.
Immediately many nations invited him to make his home in their lands. In the late spring of 1933 Dr. Einstein learned, in Belgium, that his two step-daughters had been forced to flee Germany.
Not long after that he was notified through the press that he had been ousted from the supervising board of the German Bureau of Standards. His home at Caputh was sacked by Hitler Brown Shirts on the allegation that the world-renowned physicist and pacifist had a vast store of arms hidden there.
The Prussian Academy of Science expelled him and also attacked him for having made statements regarding Hitler atrocities. His reply was this:
"I do not want to remain in a state where individuals are not conceded equal rights before the law for freedom of speech and doctrine."
In September of 1933 he fled from Belgium and went into seclusion on the coast of England, fearful that the Nazis had plans upon his life. Then he journeyed to Princeton and made his home there. He bought a home in Princeton and settled down to pass his remaining years there. In 1940 he became a citizen of the United States.
Einstein Noted as an Iconoclast In Research, Politics and Religion His Early Spare-Time Reflections in Bern Led to Strong Belief in Social Equality and Hope for a World Government
In 1904, Albert Einstein, then an obscure young man of 25, could be seen daily in the late afternoon wheeling a baby carriage on the streets of Bern, Switzerland, halting now and then, unmindful of the traffic around him, to scribble down some mathematical symbols in a notebook that shared the carriage with his infant son, also named Albert.
Out of those symbols came the most explosive ideas in the age-old strivings of man to fathom the mystery of his universe. Out of them, incidentally, came the atomic bomb, which, viewed from the long-range perspective of mankind's intellectual and spiritual history may turn out, Einstein fervently hoped, to have been just a minor by-product.
With those symbols Dr. Einstein was building his theory of relativity. In that baby carriage with his infant son was Dr. Einstein's universe-in-the-making, a vast, finite-infinite four-dimensional universe, in which the conventional universe--existing in absolute three-dimensional space and in absolute three-dimensional time of past, present and future--vanished into a mere subjective shadow.
Dr. Einstein was then building his universe in his spare time, on the completion of his day's routine work as a humble, $600-a-year examiner in the Government Patent Office in Bern.
Published Four Papers
A few months later, in 1905, the entries in the notebook were published in four epoch-making scientific papers. In the first he described a method for determining molecular dimensions. In the second he explained the photo-electric effect, the basis of electronics, for which he won the Nobel Prize in 1921. In the third, he presented a molecular kinetic theory of heat. The fourth and last paper that year, entitled "Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies," a short article of thirty-one pages, was the first presentation of what became known as the Special Relativity Theory.
Three of the papers were published, one at a time, in Volume 17 of the German scientific journal, Annalen der Physik, leading journal of physics in the world at the time. The fourth was printed in Volume 18. Neither Dr. Einstein, nor the world he lived in, nor man's concept of his material universe, were ever the same again.
Many other scientific papers, of startling originality and intellectual boldness, were published by Dr. Einstein in the succeeding years. The scientific fraternity in the world of physics, particularly the leaders of the group, recognized from the beginning that a new star of the first magnitude had appeared on their firmament. But with the passing of time his fame spread to other circles, and by 1920 the name of Einstein had become synonymous with relativity, a theory universally regarded as so profound that only twelve men in the entire world were believed able to fathom its depths.
Legend Grew With Years
Paradoxically, as the years passed, the figure of Einstein the man became more and more remote, while that of Einstein the legend came ever nearer to the masses of mankind. They grew to know him not as a universe-maker whose theories they could not hope to understand but as a world citizen, one of the outstanding spiritual leaders of his generation, a symbol of the human spirit and its highest aspirations.
"The world around Einstein has changed very much since he published his first discoveries * * * but his attitude to the world around him has not changed," wrote Dr. Phillipp Frank, Dr. Einstein's biographer, in 1947. "He has remained an individualist who prefers to be unencumbered by social relations, and at the same time a fighter for social equality and human fraternity.
"Many famous scholars live in the distinguished university town," (Princeton) Dr. Frank continues, "but no inhabitant will simply number Einstein as one among many other famous people. For the people of Princeton in particular and for the world at large he is not just a great scholar, but rather one of the legendary figures of the twentieth century. Einstein's acts and words are not simply noted and judged as facts; instead each has its symbolic significance * * *"
"Saintly," "noble" and "lovable" were the words used to describe him by those who knew him even casually. He radiated humor, warmth and kindliness. He loved jokes and laughed easily.
Princeton residents would see him walk in their midst, a familiar figure, yet a stranger, a close neighbor, yet at the same time a visitor from another world. And as he grew older his otherworldiness became more pronounced, yet his human warmth did not diminish.
Outward appearance meant nothing to him. Princetonians, old and young, soon got used to the long-haired figure in pullover sweater and unpressed slacks wandering in their midst, a knitted stocking cap covering his head in winter.
"My passionate interest in social justice and social responsibility," he wrote, "has always stood in curious contrast to a marked lack of desire for direct association with men and women. I am a horse for single harness, not cut out for tandem or team work. I have never belonged wholeheartedly to country or state, to my circle of friends, or even to my own family. These ties have always been accompanied by a vague aloofness, and the wish to withdraw into myself increases with the years.
"Such isolation is sometimes bitter, but I do not regret being cut off from the understanding and sympathy of other men. I lose something by it, to be sure, but I am compensated for it in being rendered independent of the customs, opinions and prejudices of others, and am not tempted to rest my peace of mind upon such shiftless foundations."
Center of Controversies
It was this independence that made Dr. Einstein on occasions the center of controversy, as the result of his championship of some highly unpopular causes. He declared himself a stanch pacifist in Germany during World War I and brought down upon his head a storm of violent criticism from all sides. When outstanding representatives of German art and science signed, following the German invasion of Belgium in violation of treaty, the "Manifesto of Ninety-two German Intellectuals," asserting that "German culture and German militarism are identical," Dr. Einstein refused to sign and again faced ostracism and the wrath of the multitudes.
But he never wavered when his conscience dictated that he take a course of action, no matter how unpopular. One of these occasions came on Jan. 12, 1953, when he wrote to President Harry S. Truman:
"My conscience compels me to urge you to commute the death sentence of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg," the two convicted atomic spies who were executed five months later. In June, 1953, he wrote a letter to a school teacher in which he characterized certain tactics of a Congressional investigating committee as "a kind of inquisition" that "violates the spirit of the Constitution," and advised the "minority of intellectuals" to refuse to testify on the ground that "it is shameful for a blameless citizen to submit to such an inquisition." Faced with this evil, he said, he could "see only the revolutionary way of non-cooperation in the sense of Gandhi's."
Later that year Dr. Einstein advised a witness not to answer any questions by Senator Joseph R. McCarthy, Republican of Wisconsin, relating to personal beliefs, politics, associations with other people, reading, thinking and writing, as a violation of the First Amendment, which provides constitutional guarantees of free speech and associations. The witness, in refusing to cooperate with the subcommittee then headed by Senator McCarthy, said he was doing so on the advice of Dr. Einstein, who confirmed the witness's statement.
"He was a severe critic of modern methods of education. "It is nothing short of a miracle," he said, "that modern methods of instruction have not yet entirely strangled the holy curiosity of inquiry. For this delicate little plant, aside from stimulation, stands mainly in need of freedom."
His political ideal, he emphasized frequently, was democracy. The distinctions separating the social classes, he wrote, "are false. In the last analysis they rest on force. I am convinced that degeneracy follows every autocratic system of violence, for violence inevitably attracts moral inferiors * * *. For this reason I have always been passionately opposed to such regimes as exist in Russia and Italy today."
This was written in 1931, two years before Hitler came to power.
Dr. Einstein believed that a socialist planned economy was the only way to eliminate the inequalities of capitalism. However, he fully recognized that "planned economy as such may be accompanied by the complete enslavement of the individual."
His love for the oppressed also led him to become a strong supporter of Zionism.
In November, 1952, following the death of Chaim Weizmann, Dr. Einstein was asked if he would accept the Presidency of Israel. He replied that he was deeply touched by the offer but that he was not suited for the position.
He never undertook functions he could not fulfill to his satisfaction, he said, and he felt he was not qualified in the area of human relationships.
Chairman of Atomic Unit
On Aug. 6, 1945, when the world was electrified with the news that an atomic bomb had exploded over Japan, the significance of relativity was intuitively grasped by the millions. From then on the destiny of mankind hung on a thin mathematical thread.
Dr. Einstein devoted much of his time and energy in an attempt to arouse the world's consciousness to its dangers. He became the chairman of the Emergency Committee of Atomic Scientists, organized to make the American people aware of the potential horrors of atomic warfare and the necessity for the international control of atomic energy. He believed that real peace could be achieved only by total disarmament and the establishment of a "restricted world government," a "supranational judicial and executive body empowered to decide questions of immediate concern to the security of the nations."
"The hydrogen bomb," he said in 1950, "appears on the public horizon as a probably attainable goal. * * * If successful, radioactive poisoning of the atmosphere, and hence annihilation of any life on earth, has been brought within the range of technical possibilities."
He found recreation from his labors in playing the grand piano that stood in the solitary den in the garret of his residence. Much of his leisure time, too, was spent in playing the violin. He was especially fond of playing trios and quartets with musical friends.
"In my life," he said once, explaining his great love for music, "the artistically visionary plays no mean role. After all, the work of a research scientist germinates upon the soil of imagination, of vision. Just as an artist arrives at his conceptions partly by intuition, so a scientist must also have a certain amount of intuition."
While he did not believe in a formal, dogmatic religion, Dr. Einstein, like all true mystics, was of a deeply religious nature. He referred to it as the cosmic religion, which he defined as a seeking on the part of the individual who feels it "to experience the totality of existence as a unity full of significance."
"I assert," he wrote for The New York Times on Nov. 9, 1930, "that the cosmic religious experience is the strongest and the noblest driving force behind scientific research. No one who does not appreciate the terrific exertions and, above all, the devotion without which pioneer creation in scientific thought cannot come into being can judge the strength of the feeling out of which alone such work turned away as it is from immediate, practical life, can grow."
"The most beautiful and profound emotion we can experience," he wrote "is the mystical. It is the source of all true art and science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed. This insight into the mystery of life, coupled though it be with fear, also has given rise to religion. To know that what is impenetrable to us really exists, manifesting itself as the highest wisdom and the most radiant beauty which our dull faculties can comprehend only in their primitive forms--this knowledge, this feeling, is at the center of true religiousness. In this sense, and in this sense only, I belong in the ranks of devoutly religious men.
"I cannot imagine a God who rewards and punishes the objects of his creation, whose purposes are modeled after our own--a God, in short, who is but a reflection of human fraility. Neither can I believe that the individual survives the death of his body, although feeble souls harbor such thoughts through fear or ridiculous egotism. It is enough for me to contemplate the mystery of conscious life perpetuating itself through all eternity, to reflect upon the marvelous structure of the universe which we can dimly perceive, and to try humbly to comprehend even an infinitesimal part of the intelligence manifested in nature.
"My religion consists of a humble admiration of the illimitable superior spirit who reveals himself in the slight details we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble minds. That deeply emotional conviction of the presence of a superior reasoning power, which is revealed in the incomprehensible universe, forms my idea of God."
"The most incomprehensible thing about the world," he said on another occasion, "is that it is comprehensible."
| i don't know |
What is the title of Alfred Hitchcock’s last completed film? | Alfred Hitchcock - IMDb
IMDb
Director | Producer | Actor
Alfred Joseph Hitchcock was born in Leytonstone, Essex, England. He was the son of Emma Jane (Whelan; 1863 - 1942) and East End greengrocer William Hitchcock (1862 - 1914). His parents were both of half English and half Irish ancestry. He had two older siblings, William Hitchcock (born 1890) and Eileen Hitchcock (born 1892). Raised as a strict ... See full bio »
Born:
a list of 25 people
created 10 Jan 2011
a list of 25 people
created 21 Dec 2011
a list of 42 people
created 08 Dec 2013
a list of 29 images
created 24 Jul 2015
a list of 27 people
created 2 months ago
Do you have a demo reel?
Add it to your IMDbPage
How much of Alfred Hitchcock's work have you seen?
User Polls
Nominated for 5 Oscars. Another 28 wins & 27 nominations. See more awards »
Known For
| Edit
Filmography
2014 Memory of the Camps (TV Movie documentary)
1985 Frontline (TV Series documentary) (1 episode)
1976 Family Plot (producer - uncredited)
1972 Frenzy (producer - uncredited)
1966 Torn Curtain (producer - uncredited)
1964 Marnie (producer - uncredited)
1963 The Birds (producer - uncredited)
1962 Alcoa Premiere (TV Series) (executive producer - 1 episode)
- The Jail (1962) ... (executive producer)
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (TV Series) (producer - 7 episodes, 1955 - 1962) (executive producer - 1 episode, 1956)
- The Glass Eye (1957) ... (producer - uncredited)
- Mink (1956) ... (executive producer)
1959 North by Northwest (producer - uncredited)
1957-1958 Suspicion (TV Series) (executive producer - 25 episodes)
1949 Under Capricorn (producer - uncredited)
1948 Rope (producer - uncredited)
1922 Number 13 (producer - uncredited)
Hide
1954-1956 Lux Video Theatre (TV Series)
Lux Video Theatre Intermission Guest / Lux Video Theatre Guest
Extra in Newspaper Office (uncredited)
Hide
2005 Don't Give Me the Finger (Short) (play - as Sir Alfred Hitchcock)
1993 Lifepod (TV Movie) (short story)
1946 Notorious (screenplay contributor - uncredited)
1944 Lifeboat (story idea - uncredited)
1921 The Mystery Road (title designer)
1921 Appearances (title designer)
1920 The Great Day (title designer)
Hide
1923 Woman to Woman (assistant director)
Hide
1977 The Magic of ABC (TV Special) ("Funeral March of a Marionette")
Hide
2014 Lazarus: Apocalypse (original inspiration)
2013 Intoxicated (Short) (dedicatee)
2011/IV The Waiting Room (Short) (special thanks)
2011 Special Collector's Edition (TV Series) (in memory of - 1 episode)
2009 Adjusted (Short) (special thanks)
2009/I Indigo (Short) (in memory of)
2009 Evocator (Short) (grateful acknowledgment)
2008 Creature Story (Short) (special thanks)
2007 Wingrave (Video) (dedicatee)
2003 Julie and Jack (special thanks - as Mr. Alfred Hitchcock)
2001 Blyustiteli poroka (TV Series) (dedicated to - 1 episode)
- Obratniy effekt (2001) ... (dedicated to: 100 Years of)
1997 Running Time (special thanks)
1983 Psycho II (the producers acknowledge the debt owed to - as Sir Alfred Hitchcock)
1977 High Anxiety (dedicated to: the Master of Suspense)
Hide
1978 CBS: On the Air (TV Mini-Series documentary)
Himself
1977 La nuit des Césars (TV Series documentary)
Himself
1976 The Elstree Story (TV Movie documentary)
Himself
1976 The World of Alfred Hitchcock (TV Movie documentary)
Himself
1972 V.I.P.-Schaukel (TV Series documentary)
Himself
1972 Camera Three (TV Series)
Himself
1972 Film Night (TV Series)
Himself
1971 Yesterday's Witness (TV Series)
Himself - Interviewee
1971 Samedi soir (TV Series)
Himself
1969 Hollywood: The Selznick Years (TV Movie documentary)
Himself (uncredited)
1969 London aktuell (TV Series documentary)
Himself
1966 Hinter der Leinwand (TV Series documentary)
Himself
1966 Film Preview (TV Series)
Himself
1966 Cinema (TV Series documentary)
Himself
1965 Hitchcock on Grierson (TV Movie documentary)
Himself
1964 Monitor (TV Series documentary)
Himself - Interviewee
1964 Telescope (TV Series documentary)
Himself
1955-1962 Alfred Hitchcock Presents (TV Series)
Himself - Host / Alfred's Brother / Man on the Book Cover / ...
1960 Picture Parade (TV Series documentary)
Himself
1956 Cinépanorama (TV Series documentary)
Himself
1954 What's My Line? (TV Series)
Himself - Mystery Guest #2
1948 Ship's Reporter (TV Series)
Himself
1943 Show-Business at War (Documentary short)
Himself (uncredited)
2016 La otra sala: Clásicos (TV Series documentary)
2015 Extra (TV Series)
2015 Talking Pictures (TV Series documentary)
Himself
2015 Die Ringstraße - Trilogie eines Boulevards (TV Mini-Series documentary)
Himself
2014 Top 40 Ultimate Action Movies (TV Movie documentary)
Himself
2014 Missing Reel (TV Mini-Series documentary)
Himself
2014 Memory of the Camps (TV Movie documentary)
Himself (uncredited)
2013 Perspectives (TV Series documentary)
Himself
2013 The One Show (TV Series)
Himself
2011 Special Collector's Edition (TV Series)
Himself
2010 The Psycho Legacy (Video documentary)
Himself
2009 Legenden (TV Series documentary)
Himself
2009 Il était une fois... (TV Series documentary)
Himself
2009 ITV News London (TV Series)
Himself
1998-2008 American Masters (TV Series documentary)
Himself / Himself - Interviewee
2007 Cinemassacre's Monster Madness (TV Series documentary)
Himself
2007 Cámara negra. Teatro Victoria Eugenia (TV Short documentary)
Himself
2007 British Film Forever (TV Mini-Series documentary)
Himself
2007 Cannes, 60 ans d'histoires (TV Movie documentary)
Himself
2007 Hoge bomen: Pioniers (TV Series documentary)
Himself
2006 Hitchcocked! (TV Movie documentary)
Himself
2006 Billy Wilder Speaks (TV Movie documentary)
Himself
2006 Silent Britain (TV Movie documentary)
Himself
2006 Un écran nommé désir (TV Movie documentary)
Himself
2005 Shepperton Babylon (TV Movie documentary)
Himself
2004 Hitchcock and Dial M (Video documentary short)
Himself (uncredited)
2004 Personal History: Foreign Hitchcock (Video documentary short)
Himself
2004 Words in Progress (TV Movie documentary)
Himself
2004 101 Biggest Celebrity Oops (TV Special documentary)
Himself - #85: Psycho: The Remake
2003 The 100 Greatest Scary Moments (TV Movie documentary)
Himself
2003 Living Famously (TV Series documentary)
Himself
2002 Sendung ohne Namen (TV Series documentary)
Himself
2002 Who Is Alan Smithee? (TV Movie documentary)
Himself (uncredited)
1998-2001 Biography (TV Series documentary)
Himself / Himself - Director
2001 Legends (TV Series documentary)
Himself
2001 Cinéma, de notre temps (TV Series documentary)
Himself
2001 Plotting 'Family Plot' (Video documentary)
Himself
2000 The Trouble with Marnie (TV Movie documentary)
Himself
2000 Inside 'Dr. No' (Video documentary short)
Himself
1999 Hitchcock: Shadow of a Genius (TV Movie documentary)
Himself
1999 Reputations (TV Series documentary)
Himself
1999 Hitchcock: The Early Years (Video documentary short)
Himself
1998 The Best of Hollywood (TV Movie documentary)
Himself
1995 The Universal Story (TV Movie documentary)
Himself
1995 Citizen Langlois (TV Movie documentary)
Himself
1995 Cinema Europe: The Other Hollywood (TV Mini-Series documentary)
Himself
1995 Family Portraits (TV Mini-Series documentary)
Himself
1994 Hitchcock: Alfred the Great (TV Movie documentary)
Himself (uncredited)
1985-1989 Alfred Hitchcock Presents (TV Series)
Himself - Host / Himself
- South by Southeast (1989) ... Himself - Host
- Reunion (1989) ... Himself - Host
1985 Frontline (TV Series documentary)
Himself
(1960s-1970s) Short story collections: Edited a number of mystery short story collections. See more »
Publicity Listings:
26 Biographical Movies | 83 Print Biographies | 10 Portrayals | 2 Interviews | 66 Articles | 1 Pictorial | 17 Magazine Cover Photos | See more »
Official Sites:
Mr. Alfred Hitchcock | Sir Alfred Hitchcock
Height:
Did You Know?
Personal Quote:
I am scared easily, here is a list of my adrenaline-production: 1: small children, 2: policemen, 3: high places, 4: that my next movie will not be as good as the last one. See more »
Trivia:
In 1964, Hitchcock re-read another Richard Hannay novel by John Buchan , The Three Hostages, with a mind to adapting it. As with Greenmantle a quarter of a century earlier, the rights were elusive. But also the story was dated, very much rooted in the 1930s, and the plot involved a villain whose blind mother hypnotizes the hero. Hitchcock, in interviews, said that he felt that the portrayal of ... See more »
Trademark:
He hated to shoot on location. He preferred to shoot at the studio where he could have full control of lighting and other factors. This is why even his later films contain special effects composite and rear screen shots. See more »
Nickname:
| Family Plot |
In native American folklore, what is ‘The beast that walks like a man’? | Alfred Hitchcock
Alfred Hitchcock
by New York Film Academy
Name: Alfred Joseph Hitchcock
Essential DVDs: The 39 Steps (1935), The Lady Vanishes (1938), Rebecca (1940), Shadow Of A Doubt (1943), Notorious (1946), Strangers On A Train (1951), Rear Window (1954), Vertigo (1958), North By Northwest (1959), Psycho (1960), The Birds (1963)
Oscars: The Irving Thalberg Award (1968)
In His Own Words: “I am a typed director. If I made Cinderella, the audience would immediately be looking for a body in the coach.”
Take a flight of fancy and imagine if Alfred Hitchcock was plying his trade in Hollywood today. Back at his old Universal stomping ground, he’d probably knock off a Collateral or two, play himself on The Simpsons, exec produce episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents CSI Leytonstone (the place of his birth) and still find time for the odd curio designed to rub everyone up the wrong way –perhaps a shot for shot remake of Good Will Hunting.
Yet the thing is you don’t have to imagine Hitchcock in modern movies, the seeds of his brilliance are scattered around the current crop of Hollywood helmers. The powers of audience manipulation of Spielberg. The controlled precision of Mann. The detached glee of the Coens. The twisted sexual subtext of Lynch. The shameless self-promotion of Tarantino. The waistline of Michael Moore. It is all present in Hitchcock. Every filmmaker working over the past thirty years has been touched by Hitchcock’s greatness, some lightly (The Wachowski’s Vertigo-inspired rooftop chase in The Matrix), others wholesale (Mel Brooks High Anxiety, Brian De Palma’s career). However many times he has been deigned a Vaunted Auteur –Tarantino once dubbed the study of his work “Film Buff 101″ –Hitchcock’s influence, 25 years after his death is still without parallel.
Hitchcock’s is a career spanning 54 years, traversing 65 films, two continents and practically every technical revolution (silents, sound, colour, even, as in Dial M For Murder, 3D). There were some bizarre experiments: remaking his own 1934 film, The Man Who Knew Too Much, some 22 years later, passing off ten long takes as one seamless shot (Rope) and creating a whole drama within the confines of a lifeboat (erm Lifeboat). There were some departures from house style; the romantic frippery of Mr And Mrs Smith, the courtroom drama of The Paradine Case and, in musical parody Elstree Calling, the bizarre spectacle of an Alfred Hitchcock directed custard pie fight. En route, there have also been some misfires; Stage Fright, Torn Curtain, Topaz. But even the clunkers bore great bits –witness the fistfight in Torn Curtain that demonstrates how hard it is to actually kill a man –and a Hitchcock film always sang with the possibilities of cinema.
From his early UK work –Number 13 to Jamaica Inn –to the slicker stylish US output –Rebecca to Family Plot –cinema’s greatest heavyweight filmmaker (at his lardiest in the late ’30s, Hitchcock weighed in at 300lbs) delivered that rare thing: crowdpleasing bravura cinema that can be lapped up by the masses yet still complex enough to be pored over by speccy four-eyed academics. No filmmaker can count as many great fllms on a CV; (deep breath) The 39 Steps, The Lady Vanishes, Rebecca, Shadow Of A Doubt (reputedly Hitchcock’s own personal fave), Notorious, Strangers On A Train, Rear Window, Vertigo, North By Northwest, Psycho, The Birds. And these are just the can’t-argue-with masterpieces. In the process, he also invented the Filmmaker As Public Figure, cameoing in his own films (starting with The Lodger), extending his persona to books and TV and offering colourful, usually completely false, soundbite in interviews.
Renowned for a mastery of must see- must-talk-about set-pieces –shower stabbings, crop duster dust-ups, avian attic attacks –Hitchcock’s real skill was making silly, often implausible stories engaging and compulsive. Poke around the narrative foundations of The 39 Steps or Vertigo or North By Northwest and you’ll discover that they are built on a bedrock of coincidence and absurdity. Yet the cinematic sleight of hand is so deft, the atmospheres are so intoxicating that you never once question it. What partly makes the films so rich is the dynamic between Hitchcock’s cold, calculated approach and the human passions (and perversions) of the characters trapped in his murky world. Late in life, Hitchcock admitted that two of his then current guilty pleasures were Burt Reynolds redneck-pleaser Smokey And The Bandit and Disney’s pooch parable Benji. Both share an uncomplicated lightness that rarely permeated his own work. While there is playfulness (especially in the Brit flicks and To Catch A Thief), Hitchcock’s movies boasts a pessimism rare in American cinema.
Influenced by Russian horror merchant Val Lewton, Spanish surrealist Luis Bunuel and German Expressionist Fritz Lang –Hitchcock cited Lang’s Der Mude Tod (1922) as his favourite film –Hitchcock forged a consistent universe that sprung almost fully formed from his Catholic psyche, a world dominated by emotional dysfunction, voyeurism, sexual guilt, innocent men accused, icy blondes, overpowering mothers and psycho killers all played out against purposefully dodgy rear screen projections and often ending with a chase over a famous landmark. Marked by consistent collaborations with genius artisans –composer Bernard Herrmann, cinematographer Robert Burks, editor George Tomasini and graphic guru Saul Bass –it remains among the most coherent visions in movie history: take his name off the credits and you could still identify the director in a heartbeat.
Hitchcock’s oft-misquoted pronouncement that actors are “like cattle” –he actually said actors should be treated like cattle –belies the fact that many of Hollywood’s finest did their best work under his direction. Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman, Anthony Perkins, Sean Connery (in Marnie, Hitchcock makes manifest the darkness implied in James Bond) and, in particular, James Stewart found depths and tones that they never found anywhere else. Allied to his underrated skill with actors is the thrill of technical assurance, the sense that the camera and the cut are always exactly in the right place at the right time. The style is distant, elegant and succinct –when Hitchcock received the Irving Thalberg Award at the 1968 Oscars, he made the shortest acceptance speech of all time: “thank you” –assembled with a precision that makes Swiss clockmakers look slapdash by comparison. Yet in all the buttoned-down formalism, there are moments of wild expressionism –the Dali designed dream sequence in Spellbound, the flashes of red to indicate Marnie’s psychological scarring –that surprise and overwhelm you.
Before he died in 1980, he’d joked that he wanted the motto “This Is What Happens To Little Boys When They Are Naughty” chiselled on his tombstone. It is a fitting epitaph for someone who spent a career revelling in life beyond niceness and convention. Yet perhaps what he ended up with is equally apt, an ode to complicity and his love of bad jokes: “I’m in on a plot”. And, thankfully, he let the rest of the world in too.
Alfred Hitchcock by New York Film Academy
| i don't know |
Cranial nerves emerge directly from which organ in the human body? | SEER Training:The Peripheral Nervous System
Updates
The Peripheral Nervous System
The peripheral nervous system consists of the nerves that branch out from the brain and spinal cord. These nerves form the communication network between the CNS and the body parts. The peripheral nervous system is further subdivided into the somatic nervous system and the autonomic nervous system. The somatic nervous system consists of nerves that go to the skin and muscles and is involved in conscious activities. The autonomic nervous system consists of nerves that connect the CNS to the visceral organs such as the heart, stomach, and intestines. It mediates unconscious activities.
Structure of a Nerve
A nerve contains bundles of nerve fibers, either axons or dendrites, surrounded by connective tissue. Sensory nerves contain only afferent fibers, long dendrites of sensory neurons. Motor nerves have only efferent fibers, long axons of motor neurons. Mixed nerves contain both types of fibers.
A connective tissue sheath called the epineurium surrounds each nerve. Each bundle of nerve fibers is called a fasciculus and is surrounded by a layer of connective tissue called the perineurium. Within the fasciculus, each individual nerve fiber, with its myelin and neurilemma, is surrounded by connective tissue called the endoneurium. A nerve may also have blood vessels enclosed in its connective tissue wrappings.
Cranial Nerves
Twelve pairs of cranial nerves emerge from the inferior surface of the brain. All of these nerves, except the vagus nerve , pass through foramina of the skull to innervate structures in the head, neck, and facial region.
The cranial nerves are designated both by name and by Roman numerals, according to the order in which they appear on the inferior surface of the brain. Most of the nerves have both sensory and motor components. Three of the nerves are associated with the special senses of smell, vision, hearing, and equilibrium and have only sensory fibers. Five other nerves are primarily motor in function but do have some sensory fibers for proprioception. The remaining four nerves consist of significant amounts of both sensory and motor fibers.
Acoustic neuromas are benign fibrous growths that arise from the balance nerve, also called the eighth cranial nerve or vestibulocochlear nerve. These tumors are non-malignant, meaning that they do not spread or metastasize to other parts of the body. The location of these tumors is deep inside the skull, adjacent to vital brain centers in the brain stem. As the tumors enlarge, they involve surrounding structures which have to do with vital functions. In the majority of cases, these tumors grow slowly over a period of years. In other cases, the growth rate is more rapid and patients develop symptoms at a faster pace. Usually, the symptoms are mild and many patients are not diagnosed until some time after their tumor has developed. Many patients also exhibit no tumor growth over a number of years when followed by yearly MRI scans.
Spinal Nerves
Thirty-one pairs of spinal nerves emerge laterally from the spinal cord. Each pair of nerves corresponds to a segment of the cord and they are named accordingly. This means there are 8 cervical nerves, 12 thoracic nerves, 5 lumbar nerves, 5 sacral nerves, and 1 coccygeal nerve.
Each spinal nerve is connected to the spinal cord by a dorsal root and a ventral root. The cell bodies of the sensory neurons are in the dorsal root ganglion, but the motor neuron cell bodies are in the gray matter. The two roots join to form the spinal nerve just before the nerve leaves the vertebral column. Because all spinal nerves have both sensory and motor components, they are all mixed nerves.
Autonomic Nervous System
The autonomic nervous system is a visceral efferent system, which means it sends motor impulses to the visceral organs. It functions automatically and continuously, without conscious effort, to innervate smooth muscle, cardiac muscle, and glands. It is concerned with heart rate, breathing rate, blood pressure, body temperature, and other visceral activities that work together to maintain homeostasis.
The autonomic nervous system has two parts, the sympathetic division and the parasympathetic division. Many visceral organs are supplied with fibers from both divisions. In this case, one stimulates and the other inhibits. This antagonistic functional relationship serves as a balance to help maintain homeostasis.
| Brain |
UK television fitness guru Diana Moran is better known by what name? | Therapy
Breathing dysfunction in Rett syndrome:
understanding epigenetic regulation of the respiratory network
Ogier M, Katz DM. Department of Neurosciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine,
10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106-4975, USA.
Severely arrhythmic breathing is a hallmark of Rett syndrome (RTT) and profoundly affects quality of life for patients and their families. The last decade has seen the identification of the disease-causing gene, methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (Mecp2) and the development of mouse models that phenocopy many aspects of the human syndrome, including breathing dysfunction. Recent studies have begun to characterize the breathing phenotype of Mecp2 mutant mice and to define underlying electrophysiological and neurochemical deficits. The picture that is emerging is one of defects in synaptic transmission throughout the brainstem respiratory network associated with abnormal expression in several neurochemical signaling systems, including brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), biogenic amines and gamma-amino-butyric acid (GABA). Based on such findings, potential therapeutic strategies aimed at improving breathing by targeting deficits in neurochemical signaling are being explored. This review details our current understanding of respiratory dysfunction and underlying mechanisms in RTT with a particular focus on insights gained from mouse models.
Respir Physiol Neurobiol. 2008 Dec 10
Breathing dysfunctions associated with impaired control
of postinspiratory activity in Mecp2-/y knockout mice.
Stettner GM, Huppke P, Brendel C, Richter DW, G�rtner J, Dutschmann M.
Department of Pediatrics and Pediatric Neurology, Georg August University, Robert-Koch-Str. 40, 37075 G�ttingen, Germany
Rett syndrome (RTT) is an inborn neurodevelopmental disorder caused by mutations in the X-linked methyl-CpG binding protein 2 gene (MECP2). Besides mental retardation, most patients suffer from potentially life-threatening breathing arrhythmia. To study its pathophysiology, we performed comparative analyses of the breathing phenotype of Mecp2-/y knockout (KO) and C57BL/6J wild-type mice using the perfused working heart-brainstem preparation (WHBP). We simultaneously recorded phrenic and efferent vagal nerve activities to analyse the motor pattern of respiration, discriminating between inspiration, postinspiration and late expiration. Our results revealed respiratory disturbances in KO preparations that were similar to those reported from in vivo measurements in KO mice and also to those seen in RTT patients. The main finding was a highly variable postinspiratory activity in KO mice that correlated closely with breathing arrhythmias leading to repetitive apnoeas even under undisturbed control conditions. Analysis of the pontine and peripheral sensory regulation of postinspiratory activity in KO preparations revealed: (i) prolonged apnoeas associated with enhanced postinspiratory activity after glutamate-induced activation of the pontine K�lliker-Fuse nucleus; and (ii) prolonged apnoeas and lack of reflex desensitization in response to repetitive vagal stimulations. We conclude that impaired network and sensory mediated synaptic control of postinspiration induces severe breathing dysfunctions in Mecp2-/y KO preparations. As postinspiration is particularly important for the control of laryngeal adductors, the finding might explain the upper airway-related clinical problems of patients with RTT such as apnoeas, loss of speech and weak coordination of breathing and swallowing.
J Physiol. 2007 Mar 15;J Physiol. 2007 Oct 1
PMID: 17204503 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Functional evidence of brain stem immaturity in Rett syndrome.
Julu PO, Kerr AM, Hansen S, Apartopoulos F, Jamal GA.
Peripheral Nerve and Autonomic Unit INS, Southern General Hospital, Glasgow, Scotland.
Autonomic activity and respiration were studied in Rett syndrome (RS) and age matched controls. Breathing movements were monitored using a pletysmograph around the chest. Sympathetic activity was monitored by measuring blood pressure (BP) using the Finapres. Cardiac parasympathetic activity was monitored by measuring the cardiac response to baroreflex using the NeuroScope which outputs measure of cardiac vagal tone (CVT) in units of a linear vagal scale (LVS). Resting CVT (means +/- SEM) was 10.5 +/- 0.9 units in the LVS and BP was 94.6 +/- 6.4 mmHg in controls. The BP was 78 +/- 4.33 mmHg and CVT was 3.6 +/- 0.7 units in the LVS in girls with RS, 65% lower than in their age matched controls (p < 0.001), but equal to previously reported level in neonates. Each girl with RS had at least 6 types of breathing dysrhythmias, a sign of instability of the respiratory oscillator. The sympathetic system controlled the HR and BP smoothly during breath holding in control girls, but there were oscillations and rebounds in RS. The HR and BP were under parasympathetic influence during hyperventilation in normal girls but not in RS. The CVT was invariably withdrawn at the height of sympathetic activity during both hyperventilation and breath holding in RS, leading to sympathovagal imbalance with the risk of cardiac arrhythmias and possibly sudden death. Neonatal level of CVT, poor autonomic integration and multiple breathing dysrhythmias shows medullary immaturity in RS. It is the first demonstration of immaturity of the brain which could be used for screening in early childhood and potentially useful for diagnosis and management of RS.
Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 1997;
PMID: 9452920 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Functional evidence of brain stem immaturity in Rett syndrome.
Julu PO, Kerr AM, Hansen S, Apartopoulos F, Jamal GA.
Peripheral Nerve and Autonomic Unit INS, Southern General Hospital, Glasgow, Scotland.
Autonomic activity and respiration were studied in Rett syndrome (RS) and age matched controls. Breathing movements were monitored using a pletysmograph around the chest. Sympathetic activity was monitored by measuring blood pressure (BP) using the Finapres. Cardiac parasympathetic activity was monitored by measuring the cardiac response to baroreflex using the NeuroScope which outputs measure of cardiac vagal tone (CVT) in units of a linear vagal scale (LVS). Resting CVT (means +/- SEM) was 10.5 +/- 0.9 units in the LVS and BP was 94.6 +/- 6.4 mmHg in controls. The BP was 78 +/- 4.33 mmHg and CVT was 3.6 +/- 0.7 units in the LVS in girls with RS, 65% lower than in their age matched controls (p < 0.001), but equal to previously reported level in neonates. Each girl with RS had at least 6 types of breathing dysrhythmias, a sign of instability of the respiratory oscillator. The sympathetic system controlled the HR and BP smoothly during breath holding in control girls, but there were oscillations and rebounds in RS. The HR and BP were under parasympathetic influence during hyperventilation in normal girls but not in RS. The CVT was invariably withdrawn at the height of sympathetic activity during both hyperventilation and breath holding in RS, leading to sympathovagal imbalance with the risk of cardiac arrhythmias and possibly sudden death. Neonatal level of CVT, poor autonomic integration and multiple breathing dysrhythmias shows medullary immaturity in RS. It is the first demonstration of immaturity of the brain which could be used for screening in early childhood and potentially useful for diagnosis and management of RS.
Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 1997;
PMID: 9452920 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Sympathetic overactivity and plasma leptin levels in Rett syndrome
Acampa M, Guideri F, Hayek J, Blardi P, De Lalla A, Zappella M, Auteri A.
Department of Clinical Medicine and Immunological Sciences, Section of Internal Medicine,
University of Siena, Siena, Italy. [email protected]
Rett syndrome (RTT) is a severe developmental-neurological disorder, characterized by profound and progressive loss of intellectual functioning, occurring after a period (of at least 6 months) of normal development with classic stereotype hand movements, gait ataxia, jerky truncal ataxia, deceleration of brain and body organ growth and cardiac dysautonomia. Pathogenesis of sympathetic overactivity in RTT is unknown, but a previous study observed increased plasma leptin levels in Rett girls and it is well known the role of leptin in the regulation of sympathetic nervous system activity. Aim of our study is to evaluate a relationship between plasma leptin levels and sympathetic activity in RTT. Thirty-two female patients (12.1+/-6.3 years), affected by RTT were enrolled in the study. In all the subjects, we analyzed heart rate variability, QT corrected interval and plasma leptin levels. A significant correlation was found between plasma leptin levels and LF/HF (expression of sympatho-vagal balance) (Spearman r=0.44, p=0.001). There is also a significant negative correlation between HF component (expression of vagal activity) and plasma leptin levels (Spearman r=-0.037, p=0.03) and a positive correlation between LF component and plasma leptin levels (Spearman r=0.047, p=0.01). These results show that in RTT higher plasma leptin levels appear to be associated with sympathetic overactivity, suggesting a role for leptin in cardiac dysautonomia.
Neurosci Lett. 2008 Feb 13; PMID: 18226448 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
| i don't know |
What is the name of Kathy Burke’s character in the UK television series ‘Gimme Gimme Gimme’? | Kathy Burke .co.uk - Television
Television
Walking and Talking (2012)
“Angry Nun”
Kathy wrote and directed this series about two girls - based on her childhood - wandering around London in the 1970s, walking and talking.
Harry Enfield Presents Wayne and Waynetta's Guide to Wedded Bliss (2001)
“Waynetta”)
Harry Enfield Presents Kevin's Guide to Being a Teenager (1999)
Various characters
Gimme, Gimme, Gimme [3 series] (1999)
“Linda La Hughes”
Kathy plays red-haired, foul-mouthed slut Linda La Hughes who shares a flat with gay actor Tom Farrell (James Dreyfus). A grotesque and hilariously brash comedy that ran for three series, moving from BBC2 to BBC1. It provided Kathy with several awards for her unforgettable comic acting. Website | Buy
Let Them Eat Cake (1999)
“Cecily”
The History of Tom Jones (1997)
“Honour”
Life's a Bitch - And So Am I (1995)
“Girl”
| List of Gimme Gimme Gimme cast members |
Chili Dip, Dormie, Fringe and Shagging are all terms used in which sport? | Kathy Burke - The Full Wiki
The Full Wiki
More info on Kathy Burke
Wikis
Note: Many of our articles have direct quotes from sources you can cite, within the Wikipedia article! This article doesn't yet, but we're working on it! See more info or our list of citable articles .
Related top topics
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Katherine Lucy Bridget Burke
Katherine Lucy Bridget Burke (born 13 June 1964, Camden ) is an English actress , comedienne , playwright and theatre director .
Contents
6 External links
Family and upbringing
She was born at the Royal Free Hospital in London , and raised in the Irish area of Islington . Her mother died of cancer when she was two, and she was raised by neighbours (the Galvin family) for the following few years. Subsequently, she returned to live with her father, a violent alcoholic, who died of cancer in the 1990s. Burke attended the Maria Fidelis RC Convent School . She has two brothers.
Career
Burke's first role was in the controversial 1983 film Scrubbers , directed by Swedish actress Mai Zetterling and featuring Pam St. Clement , Robbie Coltrane , Miriam Margolyes , Honey Bane , Debby Bishop and Eva Mottley . The movie was set in a young offenders' institute for girls and was seen as a female version of the infamous Scum .
Burke first became familiar to television audiences as a player of minor roles in sketches by better-known performers such as Harry Enfield , Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders . Early TV work included regular appearances on the eponymous chat show hosted by Jonathan Ross on UK Channel 4 in the early 1980s, playing the character 'Tina Bishop'. Bishop was a continually pregnant "expert" offering advice on household chores, always with disastrous results. Along with French & Saunders , she has contributed to two Comic Relief charity singles. She first appeared as a member of Bananarama parody band Lananeeneenoonoo in 1989, and then as a member of Spice Girls ' lookalike band The Sugar Lumps in 1997. In real life Burke is a big fan of Morrissey and appeared in the video for his 1989 single " Ouija Board, Ouija Board " and later in the 2002 Channel 4 documentary The Importance Of Being Morrissey.
She quickly became successful in her own right and although mainly associated with comedy , she has played several serious roles including that of Queen Mary I of England in Elizabeth .
Burke won the Best Actress award at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival for her role in the gritty drama Nil by Mouth . [1] Since then she has appeared as Perry in Kevin and Perry Go Large , and as Linda La Hughes in Gimme Gimme Gimme . In 2000 She appeared in the cult film Love Honour and Obey with Ray Burdis.
In 2003, she was listed in The Observer as one of the 50 funniest acts in British comedy.
Since 2001 she has refrained from acting and has thrown herself into theatre directing; something she considers to be one of her true passions. [2] She said in an interview with Dawn French in Dawn French's Girls Who do Comedy that she no longer felt the same creative energy associated with acting that she used to (she described it as a "feeling in my belly") and that this was the reason she had stopped acting. However, she has done some voiceover work in the past few years, including adverts for Ski yoghurt (in the UK) as well as Flushed Away (2006). She also appeared in the 2007 Christmas Special of The Catherine Tate Show as Nan's daughter.
In 2007, Burke contracted Clostridium difficile while in hospital for an operation, resulting in her having to pass directing duties on Dying for It at the Almeida theatre (which starred Charlie Condou and Sophie Stanton who she worked with on Gimme Gimme Gimme ). [3]
In 2009, Burke made her television directorial debut with the BBC Three sketch show series Horne & Corden , starring Mathew Horne and James Corden . [4]
Film and television appearances
| i don't know |
The Chao Phraya River is in which Asian country? | WWD Continents
Contributed by Professor James Coleman, LSU. From: Coleman and Huh, 2004 .
The Chao Phraya River is located in the country of Thailand and empties into the Bay of Bangkok. The Chao Phraya basin is the most important river basin in Thailand www.unesco.org/water/wwap/case_studies/chao_phraya/index.shtml . The Basin covers 30% of Thailand's land area, is home to 40% of the country's population, employs 78% of its work force, and generates 66% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The total population of the Chao Phraya basin was 23.0 million inhabitants in 1996. The headwaters of the Chao Phraya river originate in mountainous terrain in the northern part of the country and consist of four large tributaries, the Ping, Wang, Yom and Nan rivers. The drainage basin comprises some 992,000 sq km in area and has a relatively low relief (average 176 m). The elevation of the basin, however, is quite high, averaging 1,033 m in elevation. Drainage density (0.19 km stream length per 500 sq km) is quite low for such a large basin. Over 90% of the area of the basin is either used for agriculture or covered with forest, with the proportions of these land uses being roughly equal.
The flows in the Chao Phraya and its tributaries are dependent on the monsoon rains during May to October and are highly seasonal. Average annual precipitation in the Chao Phraya basin varies from a minimum of 1,000 mm in the western part to about 1,400 mm in the headwaters and up to 2,000 mm in the eastern Chao Phraya delta. Variations from year to year, which are responsible for floods and droughts, are key factors in determining the availability of the basin's water resources. About 85% of the total runoff occurs in the months of July to December, and natural flows are small in the January to June period. Average annual runoff recorded in the upper Chao Phraya basin varies from about 250 mm in the sub-basin of the Ping above Bhumibol reservoir to some 450 mm in the sub-basin of the Nan above Sirikit reservoir. Average annual runoff for the Chao Phraya river at Nakhon Sawan is 226 mm. Annual average river discharge is 883 cu m/sec and the discharge range is 2,838 cu m/sec. The hydrological cycle starts in April when the discharge is typically at its minimum. From May to August the discharge gradually increases, while from August to October the increase is more rapid, peaking in October. The discharge then decreases fairly rapidly during November and December, with the rate of decrease then slowing until minimum flow conditions are again experienced in April. During the low flow periods from January to April the discharge typically ranges from 50 to 200 m3 sec-1. Tidal intrusion extends to Angthong (175 km) during low stream flow conditions and to about 75 km upstream during high stream flow conditions. The river, from its headwaters to the delta mouth is 866 km long. The depth of the river ranges from 5 to 20 m and the width ranges from 200 to 1,200 m. The river traverses several large cities and the major agricultural region of the country, hence this river receives large amounts of wastes along its path.
04-i01 illustrates the river has but a single distributary and the river mouth is quite embayed. Tidal range is quite high, some 2.38 m in range. Offshore slope is extremely low, averaging only 0.0041 degrees along the delta front. As a result, wave energy is quite low. Calculated wave power along the shoreline is 0.736 x 107 ergs/sec/m coastline and the root mean square wave height is 0.23 m. The delta is some 11,329 sq km in area and the subaerial delta is some seven times larger than the subaqueous delta and ratio of subaerial/subaqueous delta area is 7.38. The ratio of the abandoned to active delta is 8.95; only a small part of the delta is active today. The front of the delta is rather smooth with the ratio of the shoreline length to the width being 1.15. This smoothness is not the result of extensive wave action, but occurs of the extremely large fine-grained sediment load that is delivered to the coast each year. 04-i02 shows the extremely muddy plume of the river during flood stage.
The influence of humankind.
The delta plain has been radically modified for industrial use and is heavily cultivated, primarily in rice and as can be seen in 04-i03 and 04-i01 . The only natural feature is the thin strip of mangrove covered muddy tidal flats that front the delta.
| Thailand |
In which British country are there laws known as ‘Assembly Bills’? | Chao Phraya River Cruise in Thailand
Email Address *
Thousand Golden Temples River Cruise in Thailand, from Bangkok to Ayutthaya
Set out on the Thousand Golden Temples River Cruise to Ayutthaya aboard either the Anantara Dream or Anantara Song, or embark upon the Mystic River Cruise from Bangkok to Angthong on the Anantara Dream. Experience captivating local, historic and royal encounters en route to ancient wonders, and delight in a different set of intriguing attractions on the second day of these carefully crafted itineraries.
Journey back in time and discover the Chao Phraya River’s majestic wonders. Step aboard our exquisite 100 year old rice barges, meticulously rebuilt from solid teak and lavishly converted to their present splendour. Cruise in comfort and enjoy personalised service, for a once in a lifetime voyage along the River of Kings.
Set off on a three day cruise aboard the Anantara Song or Anantara Dream for the Ayutthaya Thousand Golden Temples Tour or Ang Thong Mystic River Tour. Pass iconic landmarks such as the Grand Palace, Temple of Dawn and Royal Barges Boat House. Experience age old river life and participate in traditional merit making rituals. Tour a monastery housing Thailand’s largest Buddha image, a summer palace of past Ayutthaya Kings and visit Bang Sai Royal Folk Arts and Craft Centre. Approach one of Thailand’s greatest historical treasures with unique viewing from the cruise’s sun deck and spend time at this glorious UNESCO World Heritage Site. Explore first hand Ayutthaya’s archaeological sites and historical religious ruins, then return on board to absorb the experience with Anantara Cruises.
| i don't know |
Bare-nosed and Hairy-nosed are the two basic kinds of which marsupial? | Wombat Behavior
Wombat Shop
Wombat Behavior
For their size, wombats are remarkably strong and they're extremely efficient excavators. They can reportedly out dig a man with a shovel; they can dig in the hardest of soil, and about the only things that stop them are solid rock or loose sand.
Hairy nosed wombat digging (picture courtesy of Wendy Morphett, used with permission)
Wombats are completely terrestrial. They do not climb trees like their nearest relative, the koala, but they are good swimmers. Young Bare-nosed or Common wombats in foster care apparently do like to climb, however, but Hairy-nosed wombats cannot climb.
Wombats walk with a somewhat awkward, shuffling or waddling gait. Although they appear to be slow and docile, wombats are very alert and can move quickly with great agility when needed.
Bare-nosed Wombat walking (picture courtesy of Womland , used with permission)
Despite their thickset body and stubby legs, wombats can run up to 40 km/hr (25 mph) over short distances. They can cover 100 meters (325 feet) in less than 10 seconds which is as fast as the fastest Olympic sprinters.
While it was once thought that wombats weren't very bright, it's now generally accepted that they are quite intelligent. They are, however, very stubborn and determined, and since they're so strong--built like a tank or bulldozer--they will often go through an obstacle rather than around it. They've been known to go through doors, walls, or anything else that stands in their way. That's probably one of the reasons why they were once considered simpleminded.
Chewbacca, a captive Bare-nosed wombat, likes to play with a swinging log (picture courtesy of Womland )
Playfulness is sometimes cited as a measure of intelligence. Among marsupials, wombats are the most playful. Play will often include "head butting, bitting, and running away to solicit a chase." (ref. 47) When running, a wombat may "indulge in shoulder rolls and somersaults." (ref. 47) Wombats often use biting to express their feelings, usually in a playful manner with no intent to injure.
Wombats have also demonstrated they can be quite clever. In one attempt to trap wombats for scientific research, live traps were positioned at their burrows' entrances. The wombats would usually remain in their burrows for a day or two before either digging around the trap, or digging another exit.
Chewbacca playing with a stump (picture courtesy of Womland )
Wombats seem to be solitary animals and not very social. There appears to be little contact between adults. When wombats meet on the surface, they try to avoid each other.
Bare-nosed or Common wombats do visit each other in their burrows occasionally. In a study of Northern-hairy nosed wombats, they shared a burrow with another wombat 27% of the time. The longest time wombats spend together is when a mother raises her young. The young wombat will leave the mother after about 2 years.
Wombat peeking through fence (picture courtesy of Womland )
Wombats leave scent trails and droppings to mark their feeding grounds. Wombats have unique cube-shaped dung which helps to keep their markers in place. If a new object such as a fallen log is introduced into its home range, a Wombat will mark it with dung. Wombats will also repeatedly rub themselves against certain logs or trees to leave their scent. These objects can often be recognized by their polished surfaces.
Although wombats are naturally very shy, they are inquisitive and have been known to become friendly with people. Wombats are also rather obstinate, and once their mind is made up, will stop at nothing to get what they want.
Southern hairy-nosed wombat sleeping (picture courtesy of Wendy Morphett)
A wombat spends about three-quarters of its time in its burrow. Resting in its sleeping chamber, a wombat can lower its metabolism by about a third, slowing its heartbeat and respiration in order to conserve energy. When relaxed, wombats will often sleep on their backs with their legs in the air. Like many other animals, wombats sometimes snore when sleeping.
Wombats can vary their body temperature which also helps them to conserve energy, but this is only effective up to a temperature of about 25 C (77 F). They do not seem to have sweat glands, and can easily suffer from heat stress.
Bare-nosed or Common wombats have been observed walking into water to soak themselves, apparently in an effort to keep cool.
Wombat eating grass (picture courtesy of Womland )
In the summer, wombats will spend the day in their burrow to avoid the heat. At night, if it's too hot or cool or dry outside, the wombat may remain in its burrow. If the outside air temperature is equal to or lower than their burrow temperature, they'll leave for several hours each night to forage for food alone. The Bare-nosed wombat may travel up to 3 km (1.4 miles) per night and spend 3 to 8 hours grazing.
Bare-nosed wombats may use up to 12 burrows within their territory, with 3 or 4 of these being their main burrows. Each night they will visit up to 4 burrows. More than one wombat will often use the same burrow, but usually at different times. Although they are basically solitary, their territories often overlap. They do seem to have exclusive feeding areas within their home ranges, however.
Southern hairy-nosed wombat on the beach (picture courtesy of Wendy Morphett)
Wombats are nocturnal and are normally most active at dawn and dusk. In the cooler months, they can be active during the day, especially when they'll often lie in the sun to warm themselves.
Southern hairy-nosed wombats were observed to change their patterns of activity depending upon the season. In the summer they were most active in the early morning, and in the winter they were most active in the early evening.
| Wombat |
Laslo Papp won three gold Olympic medals in which sport? | Wombat | San Diego Zoo Animals & Plants
San Diego Zoo Animals & Plants
Vombatus ursinus, Lasiorhinus krefftii, Lasiorhinus latifrons
Vombatidae
SPECIES: Vombatus ursinus, Lasiorhinus krefftii, Lasiorhinus latifrons
ABOUT
What's a wombat? Wombats are one of the oddest-looking animals you'll ever see! Native to Australia, the comical animals look like short, stocky bears. But wombats are really marsupials, related to koalas and kangaroos. They are either sandy brown or grayish black to blend in with the landscape and avoid predators. The sturdy wombat is most active in the early evening and at night.
There are three species of wombat: common, or bare-nosed wombats, which have a bare nose; and two species of hairy-nosed wombats that have, well, hairy noses! The common wombat has coarse fur and short, round ears while the hairy-nosed wombats have soft fur and much larger ears. Although wombats look cute and cuddly, they tend to have a short temper and can become very aggressive if they feel threatened.
Can you dig it? Well, wombats can! Wide, strong feet with large claws make the wombat a master at “digging it”! From the burrow, they create impressive tunnels underground that lead to sleeping chambers. They dig with great zest and energy, moving up to 3 feet (1 meter) of dirt in a single night. The burrow usually has one entrance but then branches out into several tunnels that can reach up to 650 feet (200 meters) in length. The common wombat remains fairly solitary in its burrow home, but the southern hairy-nosed wombat often shares its home with up to a dozen other wombats.
HABITAT AND DIET
A mighty rear end: The common wombat is the most numerous and widespread, living in forests along the eastern coasts of Australia and in the island state of Tasmania (part of Australia). The two hairy-nosed species live in the dry grasslands of northern and southern Australia. Unfortunately, two formidable predators inhabit the same areas: the dingo and the Tasmanian devil.
Wombats walk with a waddle. They may look pudgy and slow, but they have powerful legs and can run up to 25 miles per hour (40 kilometers per hour) when needed! If threatened, a wombat dives headfirst into a tunnel, blocking the entrance with its sturdy backside. Wombats have a tough rear end with extra-thick skin and a teeny-tiny tail, so a bite to the backside is not much of a threat. They have been known to crush intruding animals against the hard walls and low ceilings of their burrows.
A wombat takes a break from the hot sun in its burrow.
Like kangaroos, wombats spend most of their time grazing. They use their rodent-like teeth and very strong jaws to grip and tear food such as grasses, roots, shoots, tubers, and even tree bark. A special stomach gland helps wombats easily digest the tough food.
Wombats don't need much water, getting most of their needed moisture from the plants they eat. They are often seen grazing at night, when their coloration helps them blend in, but they may also feed during the day if it’s cool and cloudy.
At the San Diego Zoo, the southern hairy-nosed wombats are given Bermuda grass, yams, carrots, dandelion greens, spinach, and turnips to munch on.
FAMILY LIFE
Wombat females give birth to a single young, called a joey, every two years. Like all marsupial females, the wombat has a pouch—but it opens toward the mother’s rear, rather than toward her head. This keeps dirt from filling up the pouch when the mother wombat is busy digging!
A wombat joey peeks out of its mother's pouch.
When the joey is born, it is the size of a jellybean and not completely developed. It must crawl from the birth canal into the mother's pouch and attach itself to a nipple. The joey doesn't even try to peek out of the pouch until it is 6 months old, and it stays in this pouch for 9 to 10 months of age, growing and getting all the nourishment and warmth it needs there. The youngster continues to return to the mother to feed until it is 12 to 15 months of age.
SaveSave
AT THE ZOO
The San Diego Zoo received its first wombat, a common wombat, in 1927. We have had four southern hairy-nosed wombats born here over the years, starting in 1998. The proud parents were Kindyerra, whose name means “grass” in the Australian Aboriginal language, and Kambera, whose name means “father.”
This pair continues to live here and can be seen in the Zoo's Australian Outback. Keepers say that both of our wombats are very curious and are quite interested when new furniture, plants, or enrichment is placed in their enclosures. When they are not in their cave or burrows, they are generally underfoot checking out everything the keepers are doing. Kindyerra has a designated brush and happily allows us to brush her coat. Kambera, also known as Dick, likes to back up to the rake when keepers are cleaning to have his bottom scratched!
CONSERVATION
In 1906, the Australian government declared wombats pests and encouraged people to kill them. From 1925 to 1965, some 63,000 wombat skins were redeemed for cash. Fortunately, this practice has stopped. Today, although the common wombat and southern hairy-nosed wombat populations are more stable than that of the northern hairy-nosed wombat, all three species face an uncertain future. Land clearing, habitat competition with cattle, poison bait set out for rabbit control, drought, road deaths, predation, and disease are all ongoing threats.
But the northern hairy-nosed wombat is in danger of becoming extinct. Currently, there are just over 100 individuals, all found in Epping Forest National Park, located in eastern Australia. Grazing sheep and cattle, as well as a long drought, have reduced the grasslands the wombat needs to survive. Dingoes killed a good number of northern hairy-nosed wombats in 2000, but in 2002, a fence was built around the Park to help protect this wombat species from predators. It is hoped this will help the wombat make a comeback.
In February 2009, bushfires raged through Australia’s state of Victoria, charring more than 1 million acres. Millions of Australian animals—including wombats—perished. San Diego Zoo Global helped to support wildlife rescue and rehabilitation work after the deadly bushfires.
LIFE SPAN
| i don't know |
Who played Tom Powers in the 1931 film ‘The Public Enemy’? | Film Guide to The Public Enemy
Leslie Fenton (Samuel "Nails" Nathan)
Robert Emmett O'Connor (Paddy Ryan)
Murray Kinnell (Putty Nose)
Rita Flynn (Molly Doyle)
Synopsis
Tom Powers and his best friend Matt Doyle are petty thieves as children, and grow up into a life of crime with the instigation of prohibition. Upon joining forces with Paddy Ryan and "Nails" Nathan, Tom and Matt are led into a life of money, power, and women. The two men take mistresses, and while Matt marries his eventually, Tom quickly grows tired of Mamie. His response to her efforts to domesticate him at the breakfast table results in Tom smashing a half of a grapefruit in her face. Soon after he decides to get rid of her, he meets Gwen. Gwen is a smart-talking platinum blonde that Tom is instantly attracted to, but not enough to take his attention away from his work. Meanwhile, Tom's mother and upstanding brother are disapproving of Tom's career choice. The culmination of this battle of morals culminates at the dinner table, when Tom places a keg full of beer in the center. Tom's brother Mike is furious at this flashy display of criminal connections and announces that he wants nothing to do with the beer. When Nails Nathan is accidentally killed, the balance of the crime gangs is made uneven and Tom and Matt find their lives in danger. During a stakeout, Matt is killed right in front of Tom. Tom seeks revenge by walking into the rival gang's headquarters and opening fire. He stumbles out after he himself has been shot, and must be hospitalized. When the time comes that Tom is going to be released, his mother scurries about the house, humming excitedly at the promise that her boy is going to be back, safe with her. Mike Powers is informed that Tom has been kidnapped from the hospital, but then an anonymous phone call announces that Tom will be home soon. There is a knock at the door and Mike answers it, only to find a murdered Tom propped up in the doorway.
Summaries of Contemporary Reviews
Hall, Mordaunt. "Two Thugs," New York Times 24 April 1931, 27:1
Mordaunt Hall claims that The Public Enemy (1931) is "just another gangster film". He praises the acting of all but Jean Harlow while he criticizes the weakness of the story. He compares Tom being kidnapped from the hospital and subsequently murdered with a recent news headline. From the comments Hall makes as to the confusion behind the film's murder scenes and the laughter at inappropriate places by the audience, suggests that Hall was hardly impressed by the efforts of The Public Enemy to be the film that has the final say on the topic of gang pictures.
Hall, Mordaunt. "From Comedy to Tragedy," New York Times 3 May, VIII, 5:2
This article is interesting because it completely negates everything Hall had previously written regarding the film The Public Enemy (1931). While Hall's prior article demeaned the film as crude and plot-less; he apparently changed his mind a week later. Hall calls it a "stirring gangster film, one of the best so far presented". He also claims it is a "serious study" of gangster life and compares the plot to Dickens. This review also mentions the famous scene in which Tom smashes a grapefruit in his mistress' face, something he had neglected to mention earlier.
Peet, Creighton. "The New Movies," Outlook and Independent 20 May 1931, 90
Peet argues in his article that gangsters as portrayed in 1931's The Public Enemy are born and not made. The film details the lives of the two main characters from childhood, where they began a life of crime by stealing watches and then selling them to a boss. He stresses that even the gangster has a mother, and compares it to the film The Secret Six (1931) which also starts Jean Harlow. Peet, like most other critics, praises James Cagney in his acting while neglecting to mention any other standout performances.
Background Information
Who played with the credits?
The end of the film The Public Enemy has Edward Woods getting billing over James Cagney. This might have something to do with the fact that Woods was originally hired to play the part of Tom Powers in the film with Cagney as his sidekick Matt Doyle. However, when both the authors of the story the film was based on as well as William Wellman, the director, saw the original screen tests, they realized that Cagney would be much more effective in the role of Tom Powers, and thus the two actors were switched.
The credits also put Jean Harlow, who would later become a huge Hollywood star, fifth. Mae Clarke, who is also seen in 1931's film Frankenstein as Frankenstein's fianc�e, is billed last-never mind that she was the recipient of the famous grapefruit-in-the-face that is much talked about today.
Who said that?
James Cagney, who first got his start in show business by playing a female dancer, is widely known for his famous line "You dirty rat". This might lead one to wonder why this phrase is so often connected to the actor, as he never said it in any film.
Trouble with contracts
James Cagney was engaged in a tumultuous contract dispute after the success of The Public Enemy (1931). Cagney was in a long term contract with Warner when this film made him famous. His contract had him making $400 per week while others like Edward G. Robinson were making thousands more. When his lobbying for a new contract didn't work, neither did he. In late 1932 the Motion Picture Academy intervened and his salary was raised to $3,000 per week. This wasn't the end of the Cagney-Warner struggle. Cagney wanted to move on to dramas and musicals and resented the typecasting that Warner had dictated for him in action and gangster films. He asked Warner to be released from his then $4500 per week contract and won; but within two years he was forced by lack of work to return to Warner and continue making the very same types of films he wanted to avoid.
Harlow's gangster connections
Jean Harlow plays a gangster's mistress in The Public Enemy (1931), a film that denounces the evils of gang rule in city life. However, Harlow must not think gangsters are all that bad. Aside from her step-father having mob connections, she was reportedly godmother to Bugsy Siegal's daughter Millicent, and dated the notorious mobster Abner "Longy" Zwillman. Longy Zwillman helped secure Harlow a two-picture deal with Columbia pictures, no doubt using his powerful means of "persuasion". This, in addition to showering Harlow with expenses cars and jewelry, must be how a gangster says I love you.
Bright's run in with Al Capone
John Bright, who wrote the story Beer and Blood, which The Public Enemy (1931) was based on, and a co-founder of the Screenwriter's Guild, worked at a drugstore in his early days. The man who owned the particular drugstore was Kubec Glasman, who would later become Bright's writing partner. The drugstore was the hangout of many mobsters, including Al Capone. Bright also met Capone, one might say, at Chicago's Commonwealth Hotel, where Capone had two men beaten with baseball bats during a banquet right in front of Bright's eyes. Bright was to receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Writing (Original Story) for Beer and Blood.
The blonde bombshell
Jean Harlow went through a lot for her famous good looks. For starters, it is rumored that she only ate vegetables and salads to maintain her slim figure. She never wore underwear and iced certain parts of her body to keep them firm. Her slinky dresses were often so tight that she had to be propped up against a board rather than sitting down in between scenes. Each week, she got her hair bleached using a mixture of peroxide, ammonia, Clorox, and Lux Flakes-which is not a necessarily painless procedure. Her hair became so damaged later on that she had to begin wearing wigs in her films. After her death at the young age of 26, it was rumored that instead of dying because of kidney failure in part due to scarlet fever at age 14, the bleach in her hair seeped into her brain and killed her. Of course, these allegations are completely false.
The story behind the grapefruit
According to some people, the famous scene in 1931's The Public Enemy that has Cagney smashing a grapefruit in his girlfriend's (Mae Clarke) face at the breakfast table was not originally in the script. Rumor has it that the entire thing was Cagney's idea, and he did the scene on a whim, with Clarke's reaction was only too genuine. However, this is not the case-and the scene was actually included in Bright and Glasman's story Beer and Blood as a depiction of what was rumored to be an actual incident in gang legend-what gang exactly is left unsaid.
How Wellman broke into movies
William A. Wellmanwas a member of the French Foreign Legion during World War I. When America became involved, he flew with the Lafayette Escadrille. Because of an injury, Wellman left the War and returned home to become a stunt flyer. It was then that he met the famous actor Douglas Fairbanks after he was forced to land in Fairbanks's yard. Wellman acted with Fairbanks in 1919, but later decided he would rather direct and went on to make such films as Wings (1927) which went on to win the first Academy Award ever given for Best Picture.
Red Scare
James Cagney, the actor who was catapulted to fame through his role of gangster Tom Powers was actually the first major film figure to make national headlines for a supposed involvement in the Communist Party. These allegations were never confirmed, although it is rumored that Cagney was indeed a sympathizer of the party.
Sources Used
Dooley, Roger. From Scarface to Scarlett. New York, NY. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1979.
Schatz, Thomas. The Genius of the System. New York, NY. Pantheon Books, 1988.
Shadoian, Jack. Dreams and Dead Ends. Cambridge, Mass. MIT Press, 1977.
Sklar, Robert. City Boys. Princeton, NJ. Princeton University Press, 1992.
Internet Movie Database. Home Page. Retrieved 14 Apr. 2001 http://www.IMDb.com
Burkes, Lisa. The Platinum Page. 7 Apr. 2001. Prohosting. 14 Apr. 2001 http://www.harlean.com
Critical Analysis
The early 1930's brought with it a new genre of film that depicted the gangster lifestyle during prohibition. The purpose of these films was to show that the gangster life is only met with tragedy and destruction, and this is reflected by the rise and inevitable downfall of the main character. While society as a whole could be said to play some part in the making of the gangster, The Public Enemy (1931) uses the relationship between Tom Powers and his brother Mike to show that it is the choice of the individual rather than the effects of the environment that makes each person what they are.
One of the very first scenes in the film has Tom Powers and his friend Matt Doyle outside Tom's house watching Matt's sister roller-skate. Tom trips her with a piece of string and is reprimanded by his brother Mike. Mike asks where the roller-skates came from, and then accuses Tom of stealing them. His father, who happens to be a policeman, subsequently punishes Tom. Even when Tom is about to get flogged, he never loses his smart mouth. This blatant disregard for the law is prevalent in Tom's attitude throughout the film. Tom is also continuously angry with Mike for constantly being there to reprimand him when he does something wrong.
This scene is important because it provides the background information for what are to be the characterizations of the two brothers for the rest of the film-Tom as the thieving delinquent, and Mike as the upstanding older brother who always does the right thing. In another scene, Tom finds out that Mike has enlisted in the marines and is packing to leave. When he goes upstairs to his room to confront him, Tom takes the defensive while Mike asks him to stay home more and look after his mother. Mike politely brings up a rumor he heard about Tom and Matt being involved in some crooked business, to which Tom furiously replies that he is accusing him instead of asking him and then claims that Mike has been robbing the streetcar business. Obviously, Tom is lashing out at his brother in an attempt to justify his own behavior because he has no valid excuse or explanation for his involvement in the rumors Mike speaks of.
No reasoning is given for why Tom takes up with the people he does. Perhaps it is because he is looking for a way to creep out of his brother's shadow and get attention somewhere other than home. He falls in with Putty Nose, who has him stealing watches as an early teen. Later on, he takes up with Paddy Ryan, who introduces him to the lucrative business of bootlegging which catapults Tom and Matt into a life of wealth and power. It also gives Tom a sense that he is the one with the authority, as seen when he is pushing a bar owner around or shooting his former boss Putty Nose. The importance of this authority to Tom can be traced back to the first scene with the roller-skates. At home, Tom's father always had the authority and that authority was taken over by Mike later on as he tells Tom to look after their mother while he is away at war.
When Mike returns from the war, Tom brings home a keg for the celebration. He is obviously showing off for both his brother and his family, and places the keg right in the center of the table. During dinner, the mise-en-scene has Mike sitting at the head of the table opposite his mother, who has to crane her neck to catch a glimpse of her son from around the keg. Mike doesn't eat, instead focusing his eyes on the beer with a look of silent rage on his face. The keg is a prominent display of Tom's lifestyle, thrown in Mike's face the first time he comes home. Tom thinks that he is proving to his brother that he has finally made it on his own, but Mike knows that all Tom has to look forward to is more violence.
While Matt pours beer from the keg, we see his hand holding the glass under the stream of liquid as the camera focuses on Mike's hardened face. Matt laughs it off and claims that it's "only beer", to which Mike replies in a fury that Tom and Matt are murderers. He claims the keg isn't just beer-it's "beer and blood-blood of men" and throws the keg off of the table. Tom retaliates by saying that Mike's hands aren't clean. He says, "you killed and liked it-you didn't get those medals by holding hands with the Germans". Even though World War I is an entirely different context from the violence that Tom is a part of, Tom still attempts to compare Mike to himself in order to once again justify his own lifestyle under the critical eye of his brother. More than likely, it is Tom that kills and likes it-while Mike was killing out of duty to his country. While Tom is right in alluding that killing is killing, Mike resents that Tom is using the war to try and make excuses for his own actions.
Mike's disappointment in Tom drives them further apart. Mike's confidant is an old policeman, while Tom's mentor is Paddy Ryan, leader of the Ryan gang. Tom moves out of the house and is set up in a lavish hotel with his mistress as Mike is preparing to settle down with Matt's sister Molly Doyle. Tom enjoys his new life by spending money on fancy cars, clothes, and guns while Mike works two jobs and goes to school part time. Tom does return home to visit, but it seems more as if he is visiting to once again flaunt his lifestyle rather than to see his mother and brother. In this scene, he hands his mother a wad of bills and tells her to buy something nice for herself. Mike catches him and says he wants no part of Tom's money and gives it back. Tom tells Mike that money means nothing to him, to which Mike replies that with no brain and no heart it's all Tom's got.
If Tom were in fact a product of his environment, there wouldn't be the character of Mike put there to contrast his lifestyle. The Public Enemy (1931) escapes the persecution of the Production Code because it has a moral-that everyone gets what they deserve. This is also seen in other gangster films of the same era, such as Little Caesar (1930) and Scarface (1932). It is argued by some that in these gangster films, the gangster who is a product of his society is inevitably destroyed by that same society. This may be true in such films as Scarface, in which the gangster's sister is also drawn into a life of crime. However, the presence of Mike as Tom's brother in The Public Enemy shows that even two people who came out of the same house can take very different paths in life. This means it must be all up to the individual and what choice they make as to their lifestyle. The Public Enemy is an attempt not to glorify the gangster life, but to denounce it by saying that if one so chooses to follow such a path, they will inevitably be destroyed-and it will be no one's fault but their own.
| James Cagney |
What was the first name of the husband of English novelist Virginia Woolf? | The Public Enemy (1931)
Pages: ( 1 ) ( 2 ) ( 3 )
Background
The Public Enemy (1931) is one of the earliest and best of the gangster films from Warner Bros. in the thirties. The film's screenplay (by John Bright and Kubec Glasmon), which received the film's only Academy Award nomination, was based upon their novel Beer and Blood. Unfortunately, the film wasn't even given a Best Picture nomination, nor was Cagney rewarded with a nomination for his dynamic and kinetic performance. Jean Harlow's small role as a sexy call-girl was her only screen appearance with Cagney and her only lead role with Warners.
Director William Wellman's pre-code, box-office smash, shot in less than a month at a cost of approximately $151,000, was released at approximately the same time as another classical gangster film - Little Caesar (1930/31) that starred Edward G. Robinson as a petty thief whose criminal ambitions led to his inevitable downfall. The Public Enemy was even tougher, more violent and realistic (released before the censorship codes were strictly enforced), although most of the violence is again off-screen.
The lead character is portrayed as a sexually magnetic, cocky, completely amoral, emotionally brutal, ruthless, and terribly lethal individual. However, the protagonist (a cold-blooded, tough-as-nails racketeer and "public enemy") begins his life, not as a hardened criminal, but as a young mischievous boy in pre-Prohibition city streets, whose early environment clearly contributes to the evolving development of his life of adult crime and his inevitable gruesome death. Unlike other films, this one examined the social forces and roots of crime in a serious way.
Cagney's character was based on real-life Chicago gangster Earl "Hymie" Weiss (who also survived a machine-gun ambush) and bootlegging mobster Charles Dion "Deanie" O'Banion (an arch-rival to Al Capone). Reportedly, an exasperated Weiss slammed an omelette (not a grapefruit) into the face of his girlfriend. Similarities also exist between the demise of Nails Nathan and the 1923 death of real-life Samuel J. "Nails" Morton of the O'Banion mob. The retaliatory horse killing in the film was a replay of a similar incident when organized crime figure Louis "Two-Gun" Alterie (and other North Side gang members) executed the offending horse in Chicago after the death of their friend.
James Cagney's dynamic, charismatic and magnetic characterization of the murderous thug was his fifth film performance. He had previously performed tough-guy roles in two other Warner Bros. features: Sinner's Holiday (1930) (his film debut with co-star Joan Blondell) and director Archie Mayo's The Doorway to Hell (1930). This volatile role made him famous and instantly launched his celebrated film star career, but it also typecast him for many years. [Originally, the roles were reversed, with Edward Woods playing the lead role, and Cagney in a secondary role, but a switch occurred when the contract screenwriters suggested that a mistake had been made. Therefore, the end credits bill Edward Woods above Cagney.] Cagney went on to play other criminal roles, including such films as Smart Money (1931) with Edward G. Robinson (their only teaming together), and Lady Killer (1933).
Unfortunately, the film also appeared to glamorize criminal activities such as bootlegging (although that was not its intent), and emphasized their high style of life with various floozies (portrayed by Joan Blondell, Mae Clarke, and Jean Harlow). Hence, the film hastened efforts of Hollywood's self-imposed Production Code in the early thirties to strictly censor films (with criminal and sexual subject matter) that depicted undesirable social figures or sexual subjects in a sympathetic or realistic manner.
The Story
After the credits that feature each of the stars against a black background, an opening title card provides a disclaimer from Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc.:
It is the ambition of the authors of 'The Public Enemy' to honestly depict an environment that exists today in a certain strata of American life, rather than glorify the hoodlum or the criminal. While the story of 'The Public Enemy' is essentially a true story, all names and characters appearing herein, are purely fictional.
The opening scene pans and dissolves across views of 1909 (pre-Prohibition) Chicago. After images of a congested downtown area, there are views of the stockyard, the blast of a factory whistle, a brewery, crowded and dirty streets, saloons, and a Salvation Army marching band. In the brewery which plays a central role in the neighborhood, beer flows freely into large beer mugs, and buckets. Wooden barrels of beer are hauled by a horse-drawn wagon, and beer is hand-carried (in pails hanging from a long plank) from a saloon across the busy street.
Exposed to this sordid scene of life on the South Side of Chicago are two poor Irish boys: Tom Powers (Frank Coghlan as boy, James Cagney as adult) with his neighborhood friend Matt Doyle (Frankie Darro as boy, Edward Woods as adult). Both boys act mischievously in a department store, and mean Tommy enjoys playing sadistic tricks on roller-skating Molly Doyle (Rita Flynn), Matt's sister and one of the neighborhood girls. She explicity states his well-known reputation: "You're the meanest boy in town...(Jail) That's where you'll be some day, Tom Powers!"
Tom is the son of a policeman, Officer Powers (Purnell Pratt) - a harsh, abusive father who often uses a wide leather razor strop to discipline his near-delinquent offspring. As Tom is belted across his behind by his half-uniform attired father, he resists crying and shedding tears, while maintaining a tough guy, hard attitude. At an early age, both boys turn to petty thievery and shoplifting to escape the drudgery of lower class life - and as a result of their upbringing and environment. They fence stolen items (watches) at a so-called boys' club, the Red Oaks Club (a glorified pool hall) through sinister, Fagin-like, piano-playing "Putty-Nose" (Murray Kinnell) - their mentor in the ways of crime. Other boys aimlessly loaf and lounge around at the club, or listen to Putty Nose playing dirty songs.
As they grow up, by 1915, they cross the same paths, but now they are graduating to more advanced, young-adult pursuits. [Cagney's entrance into the club is memorable - he spits, struts in, and tips his hat forward.] In contrast, Tom's straight, uptight brother Mike (Donald Cook) works as a street car conductor during the day and goes to school at night, "learnin' how to be poor," according to Tom. Putty Nose offers Tom and Matt a "sweet" opportunity - a larger, more profitable heist and crime. His offer is the gun-wielding armed robbery of a fur warehouse. As the camera pans backward, a group of young thugs sit on Putty Nose's bed (with Tom's feet not even touching the floor) listening to the plan. Putty Nose presents both Tom and Matt with guns: "A Christmas present from Santa Claus, with best wishes for a prosperous New Year."
During the robbery of the Northwestern Fur Trading Company, an inexperienced and shaky Tom is startled by the sight of a huge stuffed bear's head. He panics and impulsively fires several shots into it. A policeman, who has been alerted by the gunfire, shoots and kills one of the thieves on the street by the getaway vehicle. The robbers see their buddy's corpse lying on the dark street. To escape, they open a window and slide down a rain pipe to the street where Tom retaliates and shoots (off-screen) the police officer. After running back to the club, they find that two-timing Putty Nose has treacherously deserted them and "beat it." They are advised: "You'd better lay low for a while. The heat's on." [The closest Tom ever comes to saying "You dirty rat" (one of Cagney's fictional famous lines) is "Why, that dirty, no-good, yellow-bellied stool!"] He resolves to seek revenge: "I'm gonna give it to that Putty Nose right in the head the first time I see him."
| i don't know |
The OXO Tower is a landmark in which European city? | Oxo Tower Restaurant, Bar and Brasserie, London - Southbank - Restaurant Reviews, Phone Number & Photos - TripAdvisor
Want the lowest hotel prices? You're in the right place. We check 200+ sites for you.
Oxo Tower Restaurant, Bar and Brasserie, London
Oxo Tower Restaurant, Bar and Brasserie
Write a Review
Oxo Tower Restaurant, Bar and Brasserie
Oxo Tower Restaurant, Bar and Brasserie
#380 of 17,608 Restaurants in London
Certificate of Excellence
Is this an Italian restaurant?
Yes
Are the prices at this restaurant high or expensive?
Yes
Is this restaurant good for lunch?
Yes
Is this restaurant good for dinner?
Yes
Is this restaurant good for breakfast?
Yes
Does this restaurant offer delivery?
Yes
Is this primarily a bakery?
Yes
Is this a dessert shop?
Yes
Is this primarily a coffee shop?
Yes
Map updates are paused. Zoom in to see updated info.
Reset zoom
Barge House Street | OXO Tower Wharf, London SE1 9PH, England
+44 20 7803 3888
Sun 12:00 pm - 10:30 pm
Mon - Sat 12:00 pm - 11:00 pm
See all travel guides
Read reviews that mention:
All reviews chateaubriand scallops sea bass pudding lamb special occasion london skyline window table st pauls birthday celebration set menu lovely evening three courses booked a table waiting staff thames sommelier champagne
Review tags are currently only available for English language reviews.
Start your review of Oxo Tower Restaurant, Bar and Brasserie
Click to rate
Reviewed yesterday NEW via mobile
We went to OXO brasserie to have 'not afternoon tea' as part of my husbands 30th birthday celebration. The staff were attentive, professional and always greeted you with a smile. It was very busy. The brasserie had a live pianist and singer as background music. The food was delicious although some refinement could be made for the Salmon dish we... More
Helpful?
“Good Food and Location”
Reviewed yesterday NEW
Visited the Oxo Tower Brasserie on a Friday night. Table booked for 7.45. Was informed at time of booking that there would be a time limit on the table of two hours and fifteen minutes. We were told again when we arrived. Very busy as you would expect. However staff were very attentive and friendly. Food reasonably priced as was... More
Helpful?
“Excellent meal and venue”
Reviewed 2 days ago NEW
We wanted a special occasion with family on our visit from Australia. Everything was beyond our expectations. Food, service, view were all exceptional. Thank you to all the staff who looked after us on December 11th.
Helpful?
“Great Al Fresco Dining”
Reviewed 2 days ago NEW via mobile
I heard this place was out dated but boy was I surprised just how good it was. Granted, we were blessed with fantastic weather but the out door dining with fantastic views of the London skyline was exceptional. Good food, nice cocktails, and brilliant staff. Looking forward to going back.
Helpful?
“Evening at the Brasserie, Oxo Tower”
Reviewed 2 days ago NEW
The service from the cloakroom lady to the manager was perfect. Friendly, engaging and polite. Our waiter Nelson was very professional and we thoroughly enjoyed our evening. We were not hurried and felt we had a very special evening. Set dinner menu was excellent value.
Helpful?
“Birthday treat”
Reviewed 2 days ago NEW via mobile
The OXO Team were excellent. Everything from the booking and setting up the evening to the delicious food and the wonderful service. Thank you!
Helpful?
“Celebration dinner.”
Reviewed 4 days ago NEW via mobile
Overall a bit disappointing. Lovely setting, perfect ambiance and attentive staff. Round our table of three the food was good without being stunning (mine was bordering on not hot enough though) so all ok there. But it was expensive. Even for a London 'destination' restaurant I really didn't feel it was good value for what we paid. I won't rush... More
Helpful?
“Wonderful experience”
Reviewed 4 days ago NEW via mobile
We had a birthday party here the staff were brilliant the meal was fabulous and they even made a small cake with a candle Really good would go again
Helpful?
“Expensive for average food ”
Reviewed 4 days ago NEW via mobile
The food was well presented but not enjoyable to eat. Fish was overcooked, my wife's feta starter mentioned 'spiced' but was so hot that all other flavours were obliterated. My ravioli main was very bland. Puddings were ok. Service felt rushed with plates attempted to be taken before we finished. Had a much more enjoyable meal at Aqua, Shard for... More
Helpful?
Reviewed 4 days ago NEW via mobile
Amazing atmospheric restaurant with Fantastic views . Throughly enjoyed meal ,extensive wine menu excellent service Highly recommend
Helpful?
Write a Review Add Photos & Videos
Is This Your TripAdvisor Listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Brunch, Lunch, Dinner, Drinks
Restaurant features
Outdoor Seating, Seating, Waitstaff, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Wine and Beer, Accepts American Express, Accepts Mastercard, Accepts Visa, Free Wifi, Reservations
Good for
Scenic view, Bar scene, Business meetings, Local cuisine, Romantic, Special occasions, Large groups
Open Hours
Address: Barge House Street | OXO Tower Wharf, London SE1 9PH, England
Location: Europe > United Kingdom (UK) > England > London> > Southbank
Neighborhood: Southbank
Phone Number: +44 20 7803 3888
Description
The OXO Tower Restaurant, Bar and Brasserie is located on the eighth floor of the iconic OXO Tower building. It houses three unique areas: the Restaurant, the Bar, and the Brasserie, which all have stunning terrace spaces. OXO Restaurant: Offers guests a relaxed dining and afternoon tea experience with a modern British menu focusing on flavour, provenance and high-quality produce. The acclaimed wine list and stunning views of St Paul's and the City of London make it the perfect place to celebrate, whatever the occasion. OXO Brasserie: Offers diners the opportunity to eat from midday until late with its no-fuss all-day dining menu with British dishes. Stop by in the afternoon to experience the now infamous 'Not Afternoon Tea' - a delicious pairing of cakes and cocktails - or join in the evening to enjoy live jazz music. OXO Bar: Sitting in between the Brasserie and Restaurant, this is the perfect spot for a quick lunch or after-work drinks thanks to its cutting-edge cocktails and inventive bar snacks. Enjoy drinks in the sunshine on the Bar terrace or watch the city sparkle from the comfort of the Bar as the nights draw in. The OXO Tower Restaurant, Bar and Brasserie is owned by the Harvey Nichols group. Opening Hours are as follows: Restaurant: LUNCH Monday - Saturday 12 midday - 3pm Sunday 12 midday - 3.30pm AFTERNOON TEA Monday - Friday 3pm - 4.30pm DINNER Monday - Friday 6pm- 11pm Saturday 5.30pm - 11pm Sunday 6.30pm - 10pm BRASSERIE Monday - Saturday 12 midday - 11pm Sunday 12 midday - 10pm BAR Monday - Thursday 11am - 11pm Friday - Saturday 11am - Midnight Sunday 12 midday - 10.30pm
Questions & Answers
Here's what previous visitors have asked, with answers from representatives of Oxo Tower Restaurant, Bar and Brasserie and other visitors
57 questions
| London |
‘Refusing to ignore people in crisis’ is the slogan of which charity? | The OXO Tower Restaurant, Bar and Brasserie
SOCIAL
Harvey Nichols chose the South Bank as the spectacular location for its first standalone restaurant. The OXO Tower Restaurant, Bar and Brasserie opened in September 1996.
The OXO Tower Wharf, originally built as a power station for the GPO, has housed many businesses over the years, but most notably was home to the OXO cube in the 1930s. The landmark tower, which ‘subtly’ advertised the product in its art deco windows, was built to avoid an advertising ban imposed by the LCC.
Occupying 12,500 feet, the OXO Tower Restaurant Bar and Brasserie is situated on the eighth floor of the OXO Tower. The central tower acts as a natural focus dividing the space into two equal halves. To the East lies the Restaurant and to the West the Bar and Brasserie. Both spaces are linked by a spectacular 250-foot garden terrace which offers some of the most breath-taking views of London.
The OXO Tower Restaurant Bar & Brasserie was designed by award-winning architects Lifschutz Davidson. The design incorporates sleek, natural materials but remains influenced by the art deco style of the building and by the presence of the Thames.
X
| i don't know |
Edward VII was the only British monarch to have been born and died at which royal residence? | Royal Residences Of The British Monarchy - British Monarchy Family History
British Monarchy Family History
Royal Residences Of The British Monarchy
As you read about the many monarchs featured on this website you will come across the names of many castles and palaces, some of which are universally recognised and some virtually unheard of.
The United Kingdom is awash with palaces, castles and stately homes, but not all of them are owned by royals, in fact Queen Elisabeth II actually owns only five royal residences, two castles, two palaces and one stately home and of those five only two are actually privately owned by herself. These five royal residences have not always been the homes of choice of former monarchs however, with several castles and palaces, some of which are no longer with us, having been used by previous monarchs.
Listed below, in alphabetical order, are thirty one royal residences which have been the official homes or holiday retreats of either the English, British or Scottish monarchs over the past one thousand years.
BALMORAL CASTLE
Image courtesy of Stuart Yeates, wikimedia commons
Balmoral Castle is situated in Royal Deeside in Aberdeenshire in Scotland and is one of only two privately owned royal residences of the monarch.
Originally built in 1390 by Sir William Drummond for Scotland's King Robert II, the castle was formerly rented by and then brought by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert as a holiday home in 1848 and remodeled into what we see today.
Since then the castle, which is now part of a fully working 64,000 acre estate, is one of the royal family's favourite retreats, with the family taking regular annual Summer holidays there.
Beaumont Palace was built around 1130 by England's King Henry 1.
The palace stood in what is today part of the grounds of Blenheim Palace - the country's only non royal, non episcopal country house which is known as a palace - located in Woodstock in Oxfordshire.
The palace was the birthplace of the future King Richard I in 1157 and his younger brother the future King John in 1167.
The palace was dismantled during the years of the dissolution of the monasteries between 1536 and 1541 and it's stone used in the construction of the two great seats of learning, Christ Church University and St John's College, both of which are located in the City of Oxford.
BRIDEWELL PALACE
Bridewell Palace was commissioned by King Henry VIII and became his official residence between 1515 and 1523. It was situated on the banks of the River Fleet in east London and named after a nearby well dedicated to St Bride.
In 1553 King Edward VI gave the palace to the City of London for the housing of the poor and homeless.
Since then the palace has been a poorhouse, a hospital and a prison before being demolished in 1863.
The palace is best remembered for being the site of the papal delegations concerning King Henry VIII’s divorce from his first wife Catherine of Aragon.
BOLEBROKE CASTLE
Built around 1480 Bolebroke Castle, which is located in Hartfield in Sussex, is actually a red brick manor house set in thirty acres of land. The castle, which has been designated as a Grade II listed building, was used extensively as a hunting lodge by King Henry VIII when he attended shooting parties in nearby Ashdown Forest.
Later Henry would use the castle as his main base for conducting his affair with Anne Boleyn as it is located just five miles from her family home of Hever Castle situated in the nearby village of Edenbridge in Kent.
Today the property is a four star hotel.
BUCKINGHAM PALACE
Image courtesy of Dilif, wikimedia commons
Situated on The Mall in the City of Westminster and known as Buck House throughout the land, Buckingham Palace has been the official royal residence of the British monarchy since the accession of Queen Victoria in 1837.
Originally built in 1703 from a design by William Winde for the Duke of Buckingham, the house first became a royal residence in 1761 when King George III had architects John Nash and Edward Blore remodel the building for his wife Queen Charlotte.
Today the palace is a massive 828,818 sq ft (77,000 sq mt) and the primary official residence of Queen Elisabeth II.
The palace is used for royal duties, royal functions, as a residence for visiting heads of state, the world famous changing of the guard ceremony and a rallying point for the British public in times of national rejoicing or crisis.
DUNFERMLINE PALACE
Dunfermline Palace was built in the eleventh century and became a royal house when Scotland's King Malcolm III moved there.
The palace, which is located in Fife and annexed to the former Dunfermline Abbey, was the birthplace of two of Scotland's monarchs, King David II in 1324 and King James I in 1394.
In 1589 the palace was given by King James VI as a wedding present to his new bride Anne of Denmark, who went on to give birth to three of their children there, Elisabeth in 1596, Robert in 1602 and the future King Charles I in 1600.
After the Union of the Crowns in 1603 the palace became little used and went into decline. Today all that is left of the palace are it's former kitchens, some cellars and it's south wall.
The above picture shows the palace's former gatehouse which linked the palace to Dunfermline Abbey.
ELTHAM PALACE
Eltham Palace began life as a moated manor house located in Greenwich, South London. It went on to be used by subsequent royal families well into the sixteenth century, before it fell out of favour owing to it being situated too far away from the River Thames.
The first mention of the house was when it was given to King Edward II in 1305 by the then Bishop of Durham, Antony Bek. In the 1470's the house underwent substantial alterations by King Edward IV, including the building of the Great Hall and gardens.
The Palace went on to become a firm favourite of the Tudor monarchs who were known to hold their annual Christmas festivities in it's baronial Great Hall. It was also a particular favourite of Elisabeth Tudor, the queen consort of King Henry VII, who much preferred the solitude of the grand house to that of the bustling and vibrant Greenwich Palace.
The house and gardens went into a decline for two centuries after it became used as a farm and pastureland, before being given further restorations in 1828. In the early 1930's the house was then purchased by textile magnate, Stephen Courtauld and his wife Virginia, who proceeded to refurbish the house into the masterpiece of Art Deco elegance and sophistication that can be seen today.
In 1944 the house was commissioned by the military and used as an army education facility before being bought by English Heritage in 1995, where they then proceeded major refurbishment works on the house and gardens in 1999.
Today the house and gardens, which are now Grade II listed, are open to the public every Summer between April and September.
FALKLAND PALACE
Falkland Palace is located in Cupar, near Fife, in Scotland and is one of the most important Stuart residences in the land.
The palace dates back to the twelfth century where it was then owned by the Clan MacDuff of Fife.
It was acquired by the Scottish crown during the fourteenth century and underwent several restoration programs by the Scottish monarchs King James IV and King James V, who also died there in 1542.
The palace became a popular haunt of the Stuart monarchs and was regularly visited by King James VI, King Charles I and King Charles II.
The palace went into a decline after Cromwellian troops set it on fire during the civil war.
In 1885 the palace underwent a twenty year restoration program which was funded by John Crichton-Stuart the third Marquess of Bute.
In 1952 the palace was bought by the National Trust For Scotland who now own and maintain it.
Today the palace, along with it's chapel, gardens and tennis courts are all open to the public.
FROGMORE HOUSE
Frogmore House is a Grade I listed building which stands in the grounds of Home Park near Windsor Castle in Buckinghamshire. The house was completed in 1684 and at first was used by Crown tenants of King Charles II but the king would later bestow the house upon one of his thirteen illegitimate children, George Fitzroy the Duke of Northumberland, who was the son of the king's long term mistress Barbara Villiers.
In 1792 King George III purchased the house for his wife Queen Charlotte and their unmarried daughters as a quiet retreat so as they could indulge in their passion of painting.
The house stands in thirty three acres of parkland known as the Frogmore Estate, which since 1928 has been sanctioned as the royal family's official burial ground. The burial ground with it's vast array of impressive mausoleums is the final resting place of thirty six royal family members and the two former monarchs Queen Victoria and King Edward VIII along with their respective spouses Prince Albert and Wallis Simpson.
In 1900 Louis Mountbatten, the grandson of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, was born there. Prince Louis as he was known at the time of his birth, would go on to become Britain's first Sea Lord, the last Viceroy of India and the longest serving head of the Armed Forces.
In 2008 the house was used as the venue for the wedding of Queen Elisabeth II's grandson Peter Philips, to the Canadian former model Autumn Kelly.
Today the house, gardens and estate, which are used mainly as a private entertainment venue for the royals, are open to the public over the Easter and August bank holiday periods.
GREENWICH PALACE
Greenwich Palace was built in 1447 by Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, the brother of King Henry V.
Built on the banks of the River Thames it was originally known as Bella Court, before being renamed by King Henry V’s wife Margaret of Anjou, to the Palace of Pleasuance or Palace of Placentia.
The palace was the birthplace of King Henry VIII, Queen Mary I and Queen Elisabeth I.
The palace was also where King Henry VIII married his fifth wife, Anne of Cleeves.
The building eventually become part of Greenwich Hospital in 1694 and then the site of the Royal Naval College in 1873.
Today the site of the palace houses the buildings of the University of Greenwich and the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance.
HAMPTON COURT PALACE
Image courtesy of Andreas Tille, wikimedia commons
Hampton Court Palace was built by the friend and advisor to King Henry VIII, Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, and was completed in 1514.
When Henry was thwarted by the Catholic Church when he wanted to divorce Catherine of Aragon, Wolsey, realising his fate, made a gift of the the palace to the king, whereupon the palace became a royal residence right up until the monarchs of the Royal House of Hanover .
The palace, which is located beside the banks of the River Thames in Richmond, Surrey, was designated as a Grade I listed building in 1952 and has been in the ownership of the preservation society Historic Royal Palaces since 1998. The palace, along with it's gardens, maze and deer park are all open to the public and the building it's self is the only former royal palace in the United Kingdom where visitors can rent apartments.
HILLSBOROUGH CASTLE
Hillsborough Castle is a Georgian mansion house which is used as the residence for the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and the British Royal Family and other visiting dignitaries when they are in Northern Ireland.
Located in Hillsborough, County Down the house, which stands on ninety eight acres of beautifully landscaped gardens, was built in the 1770's and purchased by the British Government after the partition of Ireland in 1922 where it went on to become the official residence of the Governor of Northern Ireland between 1924 and 1973.
Today the house and gardens, which are owned and managed by the charitable organisation Historic Royal Palaces are open to the public between the months of April and September.
The castle, which is the first British royal palace located in Northern Ireland, offers visitors guided tours of the many state and function rooms located there.
HOLYROOD PALACE
Image courtesy of Kim Traynor, wikimedia commons
The great Palace at Holyrood, situated on the Royal Mile in Scotland's capital city of Edinburgh, is the monarch's official residence when visiting Scotland.
Originally built in 1128 by David King of the Scots, the palace has officially been a royal residence since King James IV in 1501.
Today the Queen spends one week a year there on official public duties as well as using it as an official royal residence for other members of the royal family or visiting heads of state. Throughout the rest of the year the palace is open to the public.
KENSINGTON PALACE
Image courtesy of Colin Smith, wikimedia commons
Kensington Palace, situated in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London, began life as a Jacobean house known as Nottingham House. It was purchased by King William III of Orange and his wife Queen Mary in 1689, who undertook the architect Christopher Wren to redesign it.
Since then it has been the official royal residence of several members of the royal family, including Queen Anne, King George I, King George II, Princess Margaret, Diana Princess of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry.
The palace was also the site of the deaths of Queen Mary II, King William III of Orange and King George II.
Today the palace is better known for it’s picturesque gardens and stunning state rooms, both of which are open to the general public.
KEW PALACE
There have been three palaces situated in Kew, the first of which was built during the reign of Queen Elisabeth I for her court favourite, Robert Darnley, after the death of his wife in 1560. Historians know little about this residence, other than it was probably known as Leicester House, after Darnley's ducal title, who was the Earl of Leicester.
The second palace, pictured above, is known as the Dutch House due to it's fine Dutch architecture and was built in 1631 by Samuel Fortey for the private secretary to King George II. In 1734 the Dutch House was purchased by his son, King George III, whose wife Queen Charlotte died there in 1818. In 1837 Queen Victoria gave most of the land surrounding the palace, known as Kew Gardens, to the nation followed in 1887 by the palace it's self. The palace, which is no more than a manor house really, is now owned by the preservation society Historic Royal Palaces and is open to the general public as part of Kew Gardens.
The third palace at Kew was a building commissioned by King George III and designed by George Wyatt. That building was demolished by his son King George IV in 1828.
MARLBOROUGH HOUSE
Marlborough House was commissioned in 1711 by Queen Anne as a present for her best friend and confidante Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough.
The mansion, which was designed by the highly acclaimed architect Christopher Wren, is located in the City of Westminster and was bought by the Crown in 1817.
The house was the birthplace of King George V in 1865 and the royal residence of Queen Adelaide - widow of King William IV - between 1831 and 1849. The house was also the first marital home of Prince Edward and Princess Alexander, the future King Edward VII and his queen consort Alexandria.
Today the house is a Grade 1 listed building which is open for private guided tours and an annual open house weekend every September.
MONMOUTH CASTLE
Monmouth Castle is located in the town of Monmouth in South Wales and was one of three early fortifications built by William the Conqueror after he took the British crown in 1066.
The castle, which was completed around 1068, was built in order to guard the crossings on the nearby River Wye and River Morrow and was at first used as a home by King William's cousin and trusted confidante William FitzOsbern, whom the king had made the first Earl of Hereford and one of Wales' first Marcher Lords.
As time went on the castle became the preferred royal residence of King Henry IV and his wife Mary de Bohun where it became the birthplace of their second born son, the future King Henry V, in September 1386.
Although most of the castle stands in ruins the fortification, which has remained one of Britain's oldest, continuously occupied military installations, is now a Grade I listed building and scheduled monument which is now home of the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers Regimental Museum.
OATLANDS PALACE
Oatlands Palace was located in Weybridge Surrey and was a favourite retreat of the Tudor and the Stuart monarchs.
Henry VIII bought the original building in 1539 as a wedding present for his future bride Anne of Cleeves. However, the following year he would marry his fifth wife, Catherine Howard, at the palace.
The palace went on to become the favoured residence of Queen Mary I, Queen Elisabeth I, King James I and King Charles I. During King James I's reign his wife, Anne of Denmark, employed world renowned garden designer, Inigo Jones, to construct an ornamental garden in the grounds and during the reign of King James II the palace was used as the residence of Edward Herbert, the king's Lord Chief Justice.
The house was extensively destroyed by fire in 1794 and subsequently remodeled into a Gothic style manor house by Fredrick, the Duke of York. His wife Charlotte then sold it to the well known dandy of the day, Edward Ball Hughes, who completely refurbished the building yet again, before letting it to the Conservative politician Lord Wilbraham Egerton, between the years of 1832 and 1839. In 1840 Edward Ball Hughes then had the estate broken up into three lots and sold at public auction.
Today the Surrey village of Oatlands now stands on the site of the former palace and grounds.
OSBOURNE HOUSE
Image courtesy of WyrdLight.com, wikimedia commons
Osbourne House was built between 1845 and 1851 by Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert. The house was built by Thomas Cubitt from a design by the prince.
Queen Victoria and her family loved the isolation of Osbourne House, built as it was on the Isle of Wight, and spent many family holidays there.
Queen Victoria died there in 1901 and after the house was made surplus to requirements by other royals, it became the Royal Naval College, Osbourne between 1903 and 1921, where future kings Edward VIII and George V studied.
Today the house is now owned by English Heritage, where, along with it's estate, gardens, private beach and woodland, are all open to the general public.
PALACE OF WESTMINSTER
The Palace of Westminster, better known as Britain's Houses of Parliament, was originally constructed during the eleventh century by King Canute the Great, as his place of residence during the years of his reign from 1016 to 1035.
Most of this building was destroyed by fire in 1512, after which it went on to be the seat of England's parliament during the thirteenth century.
The oldest part of the building still remaining from that time is Westminster Hall, a cavernous area with a clearspan roof measuring sixty eight feet by two hundred and forty feet. The hall is best known for being the location of coronation banquets since the time of King William II.
Another fire in 1834 resulted in the architect, Charles Barry, designing yet another building on the site, the perpendicular Gothic building made of sand coloured limestone, that we see today.
This vast building, which commands eight hundred and seventy three feet of Thames riverfront in London's City of Westminster, contains one thousand, one hundred rooms, one hundred staircases and three miles of passages, housed on four floors.
The palace consists of the Halls of the House of Lords and House of Commons, two libraries, the Prince's Chamber, the Royal Gallery, the Queen's Robing Chamber, the Member's Lobby, the Peer's Lobby and several exits and entrances, including the grand Central Lobby, which measures thirty nine feet by seventy five feet and houses statues of former British monarchs and the four saints of the constituent countries of the United Kingdom.
The buildings five iconic towers are St Stephen's Tower, Speaker's Tower, which contains the official residence of the Speaker of the House, the Chancellor's Tower, Central Tower, Victoria Tower, which at two hundred and ninety feet high was once the tallest building in the world, and the three hundred and sixteen foot high, Elisabeth Tower, home of the palace's belfry, which houses Big Ben and four other bells which are synonomous with the Westminster Chimes, and it's four, twenty three feet wide, clock faces.
The palace is surrounded by several green spaces, including the Victoria Tower Gardens, the only public space within the palace, Black Rod's Garden, the Old Palace Yard, the New Palace Yard, Speaker's Green, Cromwell Green and the most famous outside area of them all, College Green, where outside broadcasts and interviews with politicians are televised.
PALACE OF WHITEHALL
The Palace of Whitehall was commissioned during the reign of King Henry VIII and was the largest palace in Europe upon it’s completion, being larger than both The Vatican Palace and the Palace of Versailles. The palace sat on twenty three acres of land and had around one thousand, five hundred rooms.
King Henry VIII married two of his wives there, Anne Boleyn and Jane Seymour, and it was also the site where he himself died in 1547.
Over the years the palace would be remodeled by both King James I and King Charles I, before it was extensively damaged by fire in 1691 and had to be demolished.
The palace gave it’s name to the ashlar stone from which it was built, and it’s name lives on in the area of London known as Whitehall.
The only part of the palace which remains today is the Banqueting Hall, built in 1622 by Inigo Jones. The hall is best remembered as being the site of the execution of King Charles I in 1649.
RICHMOND PALACE
Richmond Palace was built on the grounds of the former Sheen Manor on the south bank of the River Thames in Richmond, Surrey by King Henry VII when he was still the Earl of Richmond.
The old manor house and future palace has been the official residence of King Henry I, King Edward I, King Richard II and King Henry VII.
The palace was the location of the honeymoon of Queen Mary and Prince Philip of Spain after their marriage in 1554, the death of Queen Elisabeth I in 1603 and the home of King James I’s vast art collection.
The palace is reported to have been the first royal residence to have flush toilets, installed during the reign of Queen Elisabeth I.
ROYAL PALACE, EDINBURGH CASTLE
Edinburgh's majestic castle, which sits atop the city's Castle Rock, has been around in one form or another since the twelfth century when it became the fortified home of Scotland's King David.
The Royal Palace, which is located in a part of the castle's grounds known as the Royal Square, was commissioned by King James IV during the early part of the fifteenth century.
The palace went on to become the birthplace of King James VI, the son of Mary, Queen of Scots, in June 1566.
Today the Royal Palace is open to the public where it is home to Scotland's vaulted Crown Room, the Stone of Scone, the impressive Laich Hall and the Birth Chamber of Mary Room.
SANDRINGHAM HOUSE
This twenty thousand acre estate situated in the coastal village of Sandringham in Norfolk is the Queen's only stately home and is used by both her and other royals as a holiday home.
Originally built in 1771 by architect Cornish Henley, the house was brought by Queen Victoria in 1862 as a wedding present for her eldest son Edward, Prince of Wales and his new bride Princess Alexandra.
Queen consort Alexandra died there in 1925 as did her son King George V in 1935 and her grandson King George VI in 1952.
The future King Olav V of Norway was born on the Sandringham Estate in 1903 and Diana Spencer, the future Princess of Wales, was also born on the estate in 1961.
The house has received many renovations over the years and is one of only two privately owned royal residences of the British monarch. It is here at Sandringham House that the Royal family gather for their annual Christmas holiday.
ST JAMES PALACE
Image courtesy of siegertmarc, wikimedia commons
St James' Palace, situated in Pall Mall, London, was commissioned by King Henry VIII and built between 1531 and 1536 on the site of a former leper hospital which had been dedicated to St James the Less.
It has been the official royal residence of several royals and was the birthplace of both Queen Anne and King Charles II.
In 1941 the palace was the location of the establishment and signing of the Charter of the United Nations.
Today the palace is also known as the Royal Court of St James as the royal court is formally based there, so the palace is not open to the public as it is a working palace, but it’s chapel and gardens are.
Sometimes the palace is used as the London residence of visiting minor royals.
STIRLING CASTLE
Stirling Castle is located in central Scotland and when constructed was the first ever renaissance palace to be built in Britain. The castle sits atop Castle Hill, an impressive quartz outcrop, where it can be seen for miles around.
The earliest remains of the castle buildings date back to the twelfth century but records show that there has actually been a fortification there since the ninth century when Scotland's first king, Kenneth MacAlpine, is said to have built a fortification there.
During it's turbulent history the castle has been a royal residence, a garrison, a prison and the site of several sieges during the Scottish Wars of Independence in the thirteenth century. The castle has also been the location of the death of King Alexander I in 1124, the principal residences of King Robert I and King Robert II during the fourteenth century, the principal residences of King James IV, King James V and King James VI during the sixteenth century, the coronation of Mary, Queen of Scots in 1543 and the baptism of King James VI in 1566.
The castle has received many restoration schemes during it's history including major improvement works that began during the Victorian era which are still ongoing to this day. Today the castle, along with it's outer defenses, chapel royal, great hall, royal palace and gardens, which are all open to the public, are owned and managed by Historic Scotland.
THE ROYAL PAVILION
The Royal Pavillion is located in the English seaside town of Brighton. The Pavillion was built in 1789 by George, Prince of Wales, (the future King George IV) as a house for parties and secret liasons with his mistress, Maria Fitzherbert, whom unknown to everyone else, he had actually married in secret in 1785.
The house was extensively redesigned between 1815 and 1822 by architect John Nash into the Indian style building we see today.
The pavilion was also used as a holiday retreat by King William IV, but was so disliked by Queen Victoria, due to it's town centre location, thar she sold it to the city of Brighton in 1850.
Today the pavilion stands pride of place in the south coast resort where it has become the city's most visited tourist attraction.
WINDSOR CASTLE
Image courtesy of Dilif, wikimedia commons
Reputed to be the present monarch's favourite home, Windsor Castle situated in Berkshire, is the world's largest inhabited castle and Britain's oldest continually inhabited castle.
Originally built between 1066 and 1087 during the reign of William the Conqueror, the castle has been renovated and remodeled by every British monarch since.
As one of five official royal residences in Great Britain this four hundred and eighty thousand square foot castle is also home to St Georges Chapel, which houses the tombs of several former British monarchs and other high ranking royals.
Since the accession of Queen Elisabeth II in 1952, Windsor Castle has been the official weekend retreat for the royal family.
The castle is is open to the public where visitors can visit St Georges Chapel and the Queen Mother's Doll’s House among many other things. In the castle's grounds one can also explore Windsor Great Park with it's Long Walk that leads to the statue of the Copper Horse or visit the popular Royal Farm with it's onsite farm shop.
The castle is also situated just minutes from the small town of Eton, home to the world famous public school that has been the seat of learning for many British and foreign royals and other nobility.
| Buckingham Palace |
What is the metal tip of an umbrella called? | The Duke of Windsor Dies at 77
The Duke of Windsor Dies at 77
By Reuters
LONDON, Sunday, May 28--The Duke of Windsor, who gave up the British throne in 1936 to marry an American divorcee, died in his home near Paris early today, a Buckingham Palace spokesman announced here. The Duke was 77 years old.
A statement from Buckingham Place, the official residence of Queen Elizabeth, the Duke's niece said:
"It is announced with deep regret that his Royal Highness, the Duke of Windsor, has died at his home in Paris at 2:25 A.M., Sunday, May 28, 1972.
"A further announcement from the Palace will be made later about the funeral arrangements."
The death announcement reached New York shortly after 1:10 A.M. Eastern daylight time.
The Duke, who reigned for 10 months as King Edward VIII before abdicating, had been ill for some time.
The Duke defied the British Establishment to marry Mrs. Bessie Wallis Warfield Simpson, a twice-divorced American.
The couple lived in virtual self-exile from Britain since the abdication.
Queen Elizabeth visited her ailing uncle at his Paris home during her state visit to France earlier this month. The Duke, who would have been 78 on June 23, was too ill to leave the first-floor sitting room of the house overlooking the Bois de Boulogne.
The Duke underwent a hernia operation earlier this year.
One of his personal physicians, Dr. Arthur Antenucci, of the Roosevelt Hospital in New York City, flew to Paris to see him two days ago.
In Paris, a spokesman for the Duke said: "He died peacefully."
Asked what had been the cause of death, the spokesman--the Duke's longtime secretary, John Utter--said: "Just natural causes."
Two weeks before the Queen, Prince Phillip and the Prince of Wales made their teatime call on the Duke and Duchess at their home near Longchamp Racecourse during the royal visit to France this month, the Duke was reported to be "in need of a long rest."
After the 40-minute royal visit, the Duke was said to be in good spirits. Later the Duke's secretary said he was being treated at home for an illness, but its nature and his treatment were not disclosed.
Abdicated in 1936
"But you must believe me when I tell you that I have found it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility and to discharge my duties as King, as I would wish to do, without the help and support of the woman I love."
With these words, delivered with sadness over the radio on Dec. 11, 1936, to his subjects in Britain, Edward VIII, later the Duke of Windsor, became the first monarch in British history to voluntarily abdicate his throne, which he did 11 months after assuming it.
A popular king, Edward VIII touched off a sensation at home and abroad with the announcement that he intended to leave the throne to marry Mrs. Bessie Wallis Warfield Simpson, an American who had been twice divorced.
'I Lay Down My Burden'
Edward had been determined to marry Mrs. Simpson, although Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin had tried to dissuade him, on the ground that the King, as head of the Church of England, would be violating the church's doctrines against divorce.
In the absence of legislation that would permit the marriage, King Edward chose to abdicate. He was succeeded by his brother, the Duke of York, who became King George VI. The new King made his predecessor the Duke of Windsor.
"I now quit altogether public affairs, and I lay down my burden," Edward said in his broadcast the day after the act of abdication had been signed. Then, on Dec. 12, at 2 A.M., he left England. He married Mrs. Simpson six months later in France.
He remained in virtual exile from Britain ever since, estranged from the royal family until recently. It was not until 1965 that Queen Elizabeth II met the Duchess of Windsor at the bedside of the Duke while he was in London for eye operations.
Two years later, the Duke and Duchess were formally received by the Queen at a memorial ceremony for Edward's mother, Queen Mary. Last May 18, Queen Elizabeth visited her ailing uncle at his Paris home.
After the abdication, the Duke and Duchess attracted wide publicity as they traveled about. They often attended charity balls and other events in New York, where they stayed at the Waldorf- Astoria.
The Duke performed some official duties in World War II, when he was appointed governor and commander in chief of the Bahamas.
Called David at Home
Much of the time in recent years was spent at their home in the Bois du Boulogne on the edge of Paris, where the Duke enjoyed gardening and occasionally received visitors, including Emperor Hirohito of Japan on his world tour last year.
Edward was born on June 23, 1894, in the 57th year of the reign of his great-grandmother Queen Victoria. His mother was the former Princess Victoria Mary of Teck, later to be Queen Mary, and his father was the Duke of York, later to become King George V.
He was christened Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David of the House of Saxe- Coburg-Gotha. In 1917, George V renounced the German name and proclaimed it the House of Windsor.
Edward--whom the royal family referred to by his last given name, David--spent much of his childhood at Sandringham in Norfolk, in a household where his father insisted on stern discipline. "I have often thought," the Duke later wrote, "that my father liked children only in the abstract."
Served in France
In 1907, Edward entered the Royal Naval College at Osborne on the Isle of Wight, where the discipline was rigorous. With the death of his grandfather, Edward VII, in 1910, and the ascension of George V, Edward became heir apparent and was sent to Magdalen College at Oxford for a broader education.
Edward did not excel in academics, but he enjoyed college life, engaging in such extracurricular pursuits as dancing and playing the banjo.
When World War I began, he was transferred to the Grenadier Guards. As a result of his own persistence he was eventually sent to France, where he served on the staff of the commander of the British Expeditionary Force. He was never permitted on the front lines for long, but was under fire several times.
After the war, the Prince of Wales took a series of royal tours around the world that attracted great attention. He was accorded a particularly thunderous welcome in New York in 1919, and newspapers carried headlines stressing his eligibility as a bachelor.
The Prince's genuine friendliness, which allowed him to mingle with people, combined with a somewhat shy, almost wistful manner, convinced those who saw him that he would be a popular king.
In 1930 the Prince met Mrs. Ernest Simpson, wife of an American maritime broker. Mrs. Simpson's first marriage, to E. Winfield Spencer, had ended in divorce.
"In character," the Duke later wrote in his memoirs, "Wallis was, and still remains, complex and elusive, and from the first I looked upon her as the most independent woman I had ever met. This refreshing trait I was inclined to put down as one of the happier outcomes of the events of 1776."
About the time that the Prince of Wales decided that he wanted to marry Mrs. Simpson, his father, George V, died, on Jan. 20, 1936. Two days later, Edward VIII was proclaimed King. In his 11 months on the throne, Edward made it clear through his personal style that his would be an unorthodox approach to the monarchy.
But as it became clear that a marriage to Mrs. Simpson, who had received a preliminary divorce decree that October, could not be accommodated with his own position, Edward VIII decided to abdicate before his coronation. The marriage took place June 3, 1937, at the Chateau de Cande at Monts, near Tours, France.
"I did not value the crown so lightly that I gave it away hastily," he later explained. "I valued it so deeply that I surrendered it, rather than risk any impairment of its prestige."
| i don't know |
What is mixed with soda water to make a spritzer? | How to Make a Wine Spritzer: 6 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow
If this question (or a similar one) is answered twice in this section, please click here to let us know.
Video
Tips
This wine spritzer recipe makes only 1 serving. If you need to make this drink for multiple guests, try this alternative recipe: Mix two 750ml bottles of red or white wine and a 1 liter (0.3 US gal) bottle of club soda or seltzer water into a large pitcher or punch bowl and gently stir. Chill for an hour. Fill the desired number of wine glasses approximately half-full of ice. Pour or ladle the wine mixture into each glass. You can add a garnish of fruit to each glass or to just the pitcher or bowl if you like. Serve the spritzer quickly and enjoy.
You may opt to substitute ginger ale or lemon-lime soda for the club soda in this recipe to add a bit of sweetness to your spritzer. If you prefer an even sweeter drink, you might add a splash of apple, cranberry or other fruit juice and make a wine spritzer cocktail.
Try different wines: a Rosé makes a good spritzer; pinot grigio, pinot blanc, and vinegar all make delicious spritzers, too.
Warnings
Please be sure to obey your local laws for drinking.
Please drink responsibly.
| Wine |
Which religion calls outsiders ‘The English’? | What is a White Wine Spritzer? (with pictures)
What is a White Wine Spritzer?
Last Modified Date: 07 January 2017
Copyright Protected:
10 hilariously insightful foreign words
White wine spritzers are simple alcoholic drinks created with the use of two basic ingredients. Depending on personal preferences, other ingredients can be added in order to achieve a specific taste to the finished drink. Because it is possible to create so many different types of spritzers, it is not unusual to find versions that are closely associated with a given geographical region.
To create the basic white wine spritzer , all that is required is 1 cup (236.5 ml) of white wine combined with 0.5 cup (118.2 ml) of club soda or other type of carbonated liquid. No shaking or mixing is necessary in order to create this simple drink. The wine is poured into the glass, then topped with the carbonated water. In order to receive the full benefit of the carbonation, it is important to serve the spritzer immediately after combining the ingredients.
There are a number of recipes for spritzers that call for additional ingredients. The amount of carbonated liquid can be cut slightly and a small amount of some type of schnapps used instead. Flavored waters that are infused with carbonation can also be used instead of club soda. There are even some recipes that call for using such carbonated ingredients as orange or strawberry soda, although the appeal of these options may be an acquired taste.
It is also possible to prepare a spritzer using different types of white wines. A simple table wine may be used, as well as some types of Rhine wines or even a blush . Going with a pale wine that possesses a more robust flavor is an excellent way to experiment with the drink and come up with recipes that are unique and provide an element of the unexpected to enjoying the drink.
While a simple drink, the white wine spritzer is a welcome addition to many settings. Spritzers may be enjoyed in the middle of the afternoon or after an evening meal. It is often considered a welcome addition to the beverage options offered at a brunch . Even as something different to enjoy after a hard day, the drink is a quick and easy treat to prepare.
Because a spritzer is such a simple drink to prepare, even people who are not proficient with mixing drinks can easily master this refreshing beverage. In addition, wine spritzers can be created on the spur of the moment, making the drink an ideal offering when visitors arrive unannounced.
Ad
| i don't know |
Cathy Hytner was the original ‘Letters Girl’ on which UK television quiz show? | Channel 4 at 25 - Page 2 - TV Forum
Channel 4 at 25
tvarksouthwest4,098 posts since 4 Jan 2003
22 September 2007 12:54pm
Cathy Hytner and Beverley Isherwood were the original guardians of the letters board and were both there from day one. Beverley had left by 1984 leaving Cathy to do the job herself. Cathy left in 1987, and was initially replaced by Karen somebody before Carol took over as a single hostess.
22 September 2007 4:43pm
tvarksouthwest posted:
Cathy Hytner and Beverley Isherwood were the original guardians of the letters board and were both there from day one. Beverley had left by 1984 leaving Cathy to do the job herself. Cathy left in 1987, and was initially replaced by Karen somebody before Carol took over as a single hostess.
Karen Loughlin. Her brief spell with the show was probably most notable for the appearance of child genius Allan Saldhana.
TVdaz102 posts since 27 Mar 2004
22 September 2007 9:06pm
None of the people in Countdown were the first perople to be seen on Channel 4 (should be a QI general ignorance question). You can see the clip of the launch at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixq28y1Gui8 , but I am sure many of you know that already. They showed a short promo before, if you remember, which had a lot of people in it, although the whole fourscore was played over the top, so you won't hear any of them. Saying that someone was the first whoever to be on channel 4 is a bit of a hazy statement. Therefore, for example, Richard Whiteley was the first person to be seen and heard on Channel 4. Sorry to go on, I only wanted to say the Qi thing really.
23 September 2007 1:55am
Jenny posted:
It's a shame they're unlikely to show the first episode of Countdown again... since it would destroy the myth they've been peddling for years that Carol Vorderman was the first woman on Channel 4.
QUIZ SHOW: Countdown
Date: Monday 1st October 2007 (starting in 8 days)
Time: 21:00 to 21:30 (30 minutes long)
In celebration of 25 years of Channel 4, an evening of programmes taken from the very first night of Channel 4's life begins with, naturally, the first ever show broadcast on the channel 25 years ago. At 4.45pm, Tuesday, 2 November 1982, Britain's new TV channel launched with Countdown a fast-moving game of letters and numbers, in which contestants race against the clock to pit their wits with vowels, consonants and numbers.
(Subtitles)
Excerpt taken from DigiGuide - the world's best TV guide available from http://www.getdigiguide.com/?p=1&r=7646
Copyright (c) GipsyMedia Limited.
| Countdown |
Who was the first Roman Catholic President of the US? | Carol Vorderman counts down to her TV comeback with Simon Cowell as she gets set to host new cookery contest | Daily Mail Online
Carol Vorderman counts down to her TV comeback with Simon Cowell as she gets set to host new cookery contest
comments
Carol Vorderman is returning to primetime TV – four years after she was unceremoniously forced out of the hit teatime quiz show Countdown.
The TV presenter will host Simon Cowell’s new cookery contest Food Glorious Food, which begins filming next month and will be screened on ITV in the New Year.
Miss Vorderman was hand-picked by Cowell for the series which will see amateur chefs compete to produce a home-cooked dish to be sold in Marks & Spencer.
Count down: Carol Vorderman will host Simon Cowell's new cookery show Food Glorious Food
Judges will include Tom Parker Bowles, who is a food writer for The Mail on Sunday’s Live magazine, and former MasterChef star Loyd Grossman.
The new role for the 51-year-old maths whizz comes after her career suffered a humiliating blow in 2008 when she was effectively managed out of Countdown after being given an ultimatum to accept a 90 per cent pay cut or quit.
The Cambridge engineering graduate had been plucked from obscurity to work with presenter Richard Whiteley on Channel 4’s gentle-paced words and numbers quiz when it was launched in 1982, and it went on to draw more than a million viewers a day.
More...
Share this article
Share
It helped Miss Vorderman earn a £5 million a year salary topped up by up to £15 million a year from endorsement deals.
In the mid-Nineties, she also presented BBC’s Tomorrow’s World and was set to become one of the Corporation’s top female presenters. However, a decade later it all changed.
Back in the day: Carol, pictured right, with hostess Cathy Hytner and Richard Whiteley in the Eighties
Richard Whiteley died suddenly in 2005 and three years later, after 26 years and 5,000 episodes, Miss Vorderman left Countdown when it underwent a makeover to attract younger viewers. She was replaced by Oxford maths graduate Rachel Riley, then aged 23.
Miss Vorderman went on to work on ITV discussion show Loose Women and fronted a series of television ad campaigns, but she struggled to match her earlier success.
The eight-part series is being made by Cowell’s Syco production company, and Cowell, 52, said it would focus on home cooking rather than haute cuisine.
‘I like home food,’ he said. ‘My mum’s roast potatoes. Shepherd’s pie. I want stuff like that on the show.’ The series winner will take a £20,000 prize and the chance to have their dish sold to raise money for charity in M&S stores.
On the letters: Carol Vorderman was replaced on Countdown by Rachel Riley
| i don't know |
Square Leg is a position in which sport? | Square | Define Square at Dictionary.com
square
a rectangle having all four sides of equal length.
2.
anything having this form or a form approximating it, as a city block, rectangular piece of candy, etc.
3.
an open area or plaza in a city or town, formed by the meeting or intersecting of two or more streets and often planted with grass, trees, etc., in the center.
4.
a rectangularly shaped area on a game board, as in chess or checkers.
5.
a try square, T square, or the like.
6.
Mathematics.
the second power of a quantity, expressed as a2 = a × a, where a is the quantity.
a quantity that is the second power of another:
Four is the square of two.
7.
Slang. a person who is ignorant of or uninterested in current fads, ideas, manners, tastes, etc.; an old-fashioned, conventional, or conservative person.
8.
Military. (formerly) a body of troops drawn up in quadrilateral form.
9.
Building Trades. a unit of measure for roofing materials, equal to 100 square feet (9.3 sq. m).
10.
a flower bud of the cotton plant.
11.
Nautical. the area at the bottom of a hatchway.
12.
Usually, squares. Informal. a square meal:
to get three squares a day.
13.
Astrology. a situation in which two heavenly bodies or groups of heavenly bodies have celestial longitudes differing by 90 degrees, an aspect indicative of internal tension with an equally strong and conflicting need for adjustment.
14.
Obsolete. a pattern, standard, or example.
verb (used with object), squared, squaring.
15.
to reduce to square, rectangular, or cubical form (often followed by off):
He squared off the log to make a timber for his house.
16.
to mark out in one or more squares or rectangles.
17.
to test with measuring devices for deviation from a right angle, straight line, or plane surface.
18.
to multiply (a number or quantity) by itself; raise to the second power.
to describe or find a square that is equivalent in area to:
to square a circle.
19.
to bring to the form of a right angle or right angles; set at right angles to something else.
20.
to even the score of (a contest):
to square a game.
21.
to set (the shoulders and back) in an erect posture so they form an angle similar to a right angle.
22.
to make straight, level, or even:
Square the cloth on the table.
23.
to regulate, as by a standard; adapt; adjust.
24.
to adjust harmoniously or satisfactorily (often followed by with):
How could you square such actions with your conscience?
25.
Slang. to secure a desired action or attitude by means of bribery; bribe.
verb (used without object), squared, squaring.
27.
to accord or agree (often followed by with):
Your theory does not square with the facts.
28.
to settle, even, or balance a matter, as by paying a bill, returning a favor, or tying a score.
29.
(of a cotton plant) to form buds.
adjective, squarer, squarest.
formed by or as a right angle; having some part or parts rectangular:
a square corner.
31.
having four sides and four right angles in two dimensions or three pairs of parallel sides meeting at right angles in three dimensions; having each dimension in the shape of a square or rectangle and all angles right angles:
a square box.
32.
noting any unit of area measurement having the form of a square and designated by a unit of linear measurement forming a side of the square:
one square foot.
noting a system of area measurement in terms of such units.
34.
to assume a position of defense or offense:
The wrestlers squared away for the first fall.
to organize or complete satisfactorily; put in order:
I want to square away the work before going on vacation.
50.
to assume a posture of defense or offense, as in boxing:
They squared off for a fight.
to prepare to dispute with another; show signs of opposition or resistance:
The governor and the legislature are squaring off over the landfill issue.
51.
square up, to pay or settle an account, bill, etc.:
We squared up with the cashier and checked out of the hotel.
Idioms
a plane geometric figure having four equal sides and four right angles Compare rectangle , rhombus
2.
any object, part, or arrangement having this or a similar shape: a square of carpet, a square on a chess board
3.
(capital when part of name) an open area in a town, sometimes including the surrounding buildings, which may form a square
4.
(maths) the product of two equal factors; the second power: 9 is the square of 3, written 3²
5.
an instrument having two strips of wood, metal, etc, set in the shape of a T or L, used for constructing or testing right angles
6.
(cricket) the closely-cut area in the middle of a ground on which wickets are prepared
7.
a body of soldiers drawn up in the form of a square
8.
(rowing) the position of the blade of an oar perpendicular to the surface of the water just before and during a stroke
9.
(informal) a person who is old-fashioned in views, customs, appearance, etc
10.
(astrology) an aspect of about 90° between two planets, etc See conjunction (sense 5), opposition (sense 9), trine (sense 1)
11.
(obsolete) a standard, pattern, or rule
12.
back to square one, indicating a return to the starting-point of an investigation, experiment, etc, because of failure, lack of progress, etc
13.
being a square in shape
16.
having or forming one or more right angles or being at right angles to something
17.
square or rectangular in section: a square bar
18.
(prenominal) denoting a measure of area of any shape: a circle of four square feet
(immediately postpositive) denoting a square having a specified length on each side: a board four feet square contains 16 square feet
19.
fair and honest (esp in the phrase a square deal)
20.
straight, even, or level: a square surface
21.
(cricket) at right angles to the wicket: square leg
22.
(sport) in a straight line across the pitch: a square pass
23.
(nautical) (of the sails of a square-rigger) set at right angles to the keel
24.
(informal) old-fashioned in views, customs, appearance, etc
25.
stocky or sturdy: square shoulders
26.
(postpositive) having no remaining debts or accounts to be settled
27.
(of a horse's gait) sound, steady, or regular
28.
(prenominal) unequivocal or straightforward: a square contradiction
29.
| Cricket |
Auld Reekie is the nickname for which Scottish city? | Square - definition of square by The Free Dictionary
Square - definition of square by The Free Dictionary
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/square
1. A polygon having four equal sides and four equal angles.
2. Something having an equal-sided rectangular form: a square of cloth.
3. A T-shaped or L-shaped instrument for drawing or testing right angles.
4. Mathematics The product obtained when a number or quantity is multiplied by itself: 49 is the square of 7.
5. Games Any of the quadrilateral spaces on a board, as in chess.
6.
a. Abbr. Sq. An open, usually four-sided area at the intersection of two or more streets, often planted with grass and trees for use as a park.
b. A rectangular space enclosed by streets and occupied by buildings; a block.
7. The flower bud of a cotton plant, with three bracts surrounding the unopened flower in a pyramidal structure.
8. Slang A person who is regarded as dull, rigidly conventional, and out of touch with current trends.
adj. squar·er, squar·est
1. Having four equal sides and four right angles.
2. Forming a right angle.
3. In alignment or flush: Put the paper square with the edge of the desk.
4.
a. Abbr. sq. Expressed in units measuring area: square feet.
b. Having a specified length in each of two equal dimensions: a room that is 12 feet square.
5. Having a base that is a square: a square pyramid.
6. Nautical Set at right angles to the mast and keel. Used of the yards of a square-rigged ship.
7. Approximately rectangular and equilateral in cross section: a square house.
8. Characterized by blocklike solidity or sturdiness.
9. Honest; direct: a square answer.
10. Just; equitable: a square deal.
11. Having all accounts settled; even: I paid what I owed you, so we're square.
12. Sports Even; tied.
13. Slang Rigidly conventional; dull.
v. squared, squar·ing, squares
v.tr.
1. To cut to a square or rectangular shape. Often used with off.
2. To test or adjust for conformity to a desired plane, straight line, or right angle.
3. To mark into squares. Often used with off.
4.
a. To bring into conformity or agreement: She could not square the request with her principles.
b. To bring (oneself) into a better position or relation: He tried to square himself with his parents.
5. To set straight or at approximate right angles: square one's cap.
6. To bring into balance; settle: square a debt.
7. Sports To even the score of: to square a game.
8. Mathematics
a. To raise (a number or quantity) to the second power.
b. To find a square equal in area to (the area of a given figure).
9. Informal To bribe or fix: a party in litigation that tried to square the judge.
v.intr.
1. Mathematics To be at right angles.
2. To agree or conform: a story that doesn't square with the facts.
adv.
1. Mathematics At right angles.
2. In a square shape.
3. In a solid manner; firmly.
4. Directly; straight: ran square into each other.
5. In an honest, straightforward manner.
Phrasal Verbs:
1. Nautical To square the yards of a sailing vessel.
2. To put away or in order.
square off
To assume a fighting stance; prepare to fight.
square up
To settle a bill or debt.
Idioms:
1. Mathematics At right angles.
2. Honestly and openly: has always dealt on the square.
out of square
1. Mathematics Not at exact right angles.
2. Not in agreement.
square peg in a round hole Informal
A misfit.
three squares a day Informal
Three square meals eaten in a day.
[Middle English, from Old French esquarre, from Vulgar Latin *exquadra, from *exquadrāre, to square : Latin ex-, ex- + quadrāre, to give a square shape to (from quadrum, a square; see kwetwer- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).]
square′ness n.
(skwɛə)
n
1. (Mathematics) a plane geometric figure having four equal sides and four right angles. Compare rectangle , rhombus
2. any object, part, or arrangement having this or a similar shape: a square of carpet; a square on a chessboard.
3. (Human Geography) (capital when part of name) an open area in a town, sometimes including the surrounding buildings, which may form a square
4. (Mathematics) maths the product of two equal factors; the second power: 9 is the square of 3, written 32.
5. (Tools) an instrument having two strips of wood, metal, etc, set in the shape of a T or L, used for constructing or testing right angles
6. (Cricket) cricket the closely-cut area in the middle of a ground on which wickets are prepared
7. (Military) a body of soldiers drawn up in the form of a square
8. (Rowing) rowing the position of the blade of an oar perpendicular to the surface of the water just before and during a stroke
9. informal a person who is old-fashioned in views, customs, appearance, etc
10. (Astrology) astrology an aspect of about 90° between two planets, etc. See conjunction 5, opposition 9, trine 1
11. obsolete a standard, pattern, or rule
12. back to square one indicating a return to the starting point of an investigation, experiment, etc, because of failure, lack of progress, etc
13. at right angles
14. on equal terms
15. informal honestly and openly
16. (Historical Terms) slang a phrase identifying someone as a Freemason: he is on the square.
17. out of square
a. not at right angles or not having a right angle
b. not in order or agreement
adj
18. being a square in shape
19. (Mathematics) having or forming one or more right angles or being at right angles to something
20. square or rectangular in section: a square bar.
21. (Mathematics)
a. (prenominal) denoting a measure of area of any shape: a circle of four square feet.
b. (immediately postpositive) denoting a square having a specified length on each side: a board four feet square contains 16 square feet.
22. fair and honest (esp in the phrase a square deal)
23. straight, even, or level: a square surface.
24. (Cricket) cricket at right angles to the wicket: square leg.
25. (General Sporting Terms) sport in a straight line across the pitch: a square pass.
26. (Nautical Terms) nautical (of the sails of a square-rigger) set at right angles to the keel
27. informal old-fashioned in views, customs, appearance, etc
28. stocky or sturdy: square shoulders.
29. (Accounting & Book-keeping) (postpositive) having no remaining debts or accounts to be settled
30. (Horse Training, Riding & Manège) (of a horse's gait) sound, steady, or regular
31. (prenominal) unequivocal or straightforward: a square contradiction.
32. (postpositive) neat and tidy
33. (Mathematics) maths (of a matrix) having the same number of rows and columns
34. all square on equal terms; even in score
35. square peg square peg in a round hole informal a person or thing that is a misfit, such as an employee in a job for which he or she is unsuited
vb (mainly tr)
36. to make into a square or similar shape
37. (Mathematics) maths to raise (a number or quantity) to the second power
38. (Mathematics) to test or adjust for deviation with respect to a right angle, plane surface, etc
39. (sometimes foll by off) to divide into squares
40. to position so as to be rectangular, straight, or level: square the shoulders.
41. (Accounting & Book-keeping) (sometimes foll by up) to settle (debts, accounts, etc)
42. (General Sporting Terms) to level (the score) in a game, etc
43. (often foll by: with) to agree or cause to agree: your ideas don't square with mine.
44. (Rowing) rowing to turn (an oar) perpendicular to the surface of the water just before commencing a stroke
45. (Swimming, Water Sports & Surfing) (in canoeing) to turn (a paddle) perpendicular to the direction of the canoe at the commencement of a stroke. Compare feather 16
46. to arrange (something), esp by a corrupt method or come to an arrangement with (someone), as by bribery
47. square the circle to attempt the impossible (in reference to the insoluble problem of constructing a square having exactly the same area as a given circle)
adv
48. in order to be square
49. at right angles
50. (General Sporting Terms) sport in a straight line across the pitch: pass the ball square.
51. informal squarely
[C13: from Old French esquare, from Vulgar Latin exquadra (unattested), from Latin ex1 + quadrāre to make square; see quadrant]
ˈsquareness n
n., v. squared, squar•ing, n.
1. a rectangle having all four sides of equal length.
2. something having or resembling this form, as a city block.
3. an open area formed by the intersecting of two or more streets.
4. a rectangularly shaped area on a game board.
5. a try square, Tsquare, or the like.
6.
a. the second power of a quantity, expressed as a2=axa, where a is the quantity.
b. a quantity that is the second power of another: Four is the square of two.
7. Slang. a person who is old-fashioned, conventional, or conservative.
8. a flower bud of the cotton plant.
9. Usu., squares.Informal. a square meal: three squares a day.
v.t.
10. to reduce to square, rectangular, or cubical form (often fol. by off).
11. to mark out in one or more squares or rectangles.
12. to test with measuring devices for deviation from a right angle, straight line, or plane surface.
13.
a. to multiply (a number or quantity) by itself; raise to the second power.
b. to describe or find a square that is equivalent in area to: to square a circle.
14. to bring to the form of a right angle; set at right angles.
15. to even the score of (a contest).
16. to set (the shoulders and back) in an erect posture.
17. to make straight, level, or even: Square the cloth on the table.
18. to regulate, as by a standard.
19. to adjust harmoniously or satisfactorily: Can you square such actions with your conscience?
20. to balance; pay off; settle: to square a debt.
21. Slang. to bribe.
22. to accord; agree: That theory does not square with the facts.
23. square away,
a. to make preparations; get ready.
b. to assume a fighting stance.
c. to put in order.
24. square off, to assume a fighting stance.
25. square up, to settle an account.
adj.
26. forming a right angle: a square corner.
27. having four sides and four right angles or three pairs of parallel sides meeting at right angles: a square box.
28. having the form of a square and designated by a unit of linear measurement forming a side of the square: one square foot.
29. equal to a square of a specified length on a side: five miles square.
30. Naut. being at right angles to the mast and the keel.
31. having a solid, sturdy form.
32. straight, level, or even, as a surface.
33. having all accounts settled.
34. fair; honest.
36. Slang. conventional or conservative in style or outlook.
adv.
37. in square or rectangular form.
38. at right angles.
a. not at right angles.
b. not in agreement.
[1250–1300; < Old French esquar(r)e < Vulgar Latin *exquadra, derivative of *exquadrāre= Latin ex- ex -1 + quadrāre to square (see quadrate )]
square′ness, n.
Noun
1. A rectangle having four equal sides.
2. The product that results when a number or quantity is multiplied by itself. The square of 8, for example, is 64.
Adjective
Of, being, or using units that express the measure of area: square miles.
Verb
To multiply a number, quantity, or expression by itself.
Square
a body of troops drawn up in a square formation.
Examples: square of battle, 1599; of pedestrians, 1893; of pikes, 1602.
square
I will have been squaring
you will have been squaring
he/she/it will have been squaring
we will have been squaring
you will have been squaring
they will have been squaring
Past Perfect Continuous
Noun
1.
square - (geometry) a plane rectangle with four equal sides and four right angles; a four-sided regular polygon; "you can compute the area of a square if you know the length of its sides"
geometry - the pure mathematics of points and lines and curves and surfaces
regular polygon - a polygon with all sides and all angles equal
quadrate - a square-shaped object
rectangle - a parallelogram with four right angles
2.
square - the product of two equal terms; "nine is the second power of three"; "gravity is inversely proportional to the square of the distance"
number - a concept of quantity involving zero and units; "every number has a unique position in the sequence"
3.
city - an incorporated administrative district established by state charter; "the city raised the tax rate"
piazza , plaza , place - a public square with room for pedestrians; "they met at Elm Plaza"; "Grosvenor Place"
4.
square - something approximating the shape of a square
shape , form - the spatial arrangement of something as distinct from its substance; "geometry is the mathematical science of shape"
5.
simpleton , simple - a person lacking intelligence or common sense
6.
colloquialism - a colloquial expression; characteristic of spoken or written communication that seeks to imitate informal speech
conservative , conservativist - a person who is reluctant to accept changes and new ideas
7.
square - any artifact having a shape similar to a plane geometric figure with four equal sides and four right angles; "a checkerboard has 64 squares"
artefact , artifact - a man-made object taken as a whole
checker board , checkerboard - a board having 64 squares of two alternating colors
8.
square - a hand tool consisting of two straight arms at right angles; used to construct or test right angles; "the carpenter who built this room must have lost his square"
carpenter's square - a steel square used by carpenters; larger than a try square
hand tool - a tool used with workers' hands
try square - a square having a metal ruler set at right angles to another straight piece
T-square - a square used by draftsmen to draw parallel lines
Verb
shape , form - give shape or form to; "shape the dough"; "form the young child's character"
2.
square - raise to the second power
arithmetic - the branch of pure mathematics dealing with the theory of numerical calculations
multiply - combine by multiplication; "multiply 10 by 15"
3.
square - cause to match, as of ideas or acts
adapt , conform , adjust - adapt or conform oneself to new or different conditions; "We must adjust to the bad economic situation"
4.
square - position so as to be square; "He squared his shoulders"
position - cause to be in an appropriate place, state, or relation
even up , jog , square up - even up the edges of a stack of paper, in printing
5.
square - be compatible with; "one idea squares with another"
correspond , gibe , jibe , match , tally , agree , fit , check - be compatible, similar or consistent; coincide in their characteristics; "The two stories don't agree in many details"; "The handwriting checks with the signature on the check"; "The suspect's fingerprints don't match those on the gun"
6.
square - pay someone and settle a debt; "I squared with him"
settle - dispose of; make a financial settlement
7.
paddle - propel with a paddle; "paddle your own canoe"
8.
row - propel with oars; "row the boat across the lake"
Adj.
1.
square - having four equal sides and four right angles or forming a right angle; "a square peg in a round hole"; "a square corner"
angulate , angular - having angles or an angular shape
circular , round - having a circular shape
2.
honest , honorable - not disposed to cheat or defraud; not deceptive or fraudulent; "honest lawyers"; "honest reporting"
lawful - conformable to or allowed by law; "lawful methods of dissent"
3.
square - providing abundant nourishment; "a hearty meal"; "good solid food"; "ate a substantial breakfast"; "four square meals a day"
wholesome - conducive to or characteristic of physical or moral well-being; "wholesome attitude"; "wholesome appearance"; "wholesome food"
4.
square - leaving no balance; "my account with you is now all square"
colloquialism - a colloquial expression; characteristic of spoken or written communication that seeks to imitate informal speech
paid - marked by the reception of pay; "paid work"; "a paid official"; "a paid announcement"; "a paid check"
5.
square - without evasion or compromise; "a square contradiction"; "he is not being as straightforward as it appears"
direct - straightforward in means or manner or behavior or language or action; "a direct question"; "a direct response"; "a direct approach"
6.
jargon , lingo , patois , argot , vernacular , slang , cant - a characteristic language of a particular group (as among thieves); "they don't speak our lingo"
conventional - unimaginative and conformist; "conventional bourgeois lives"; "conventional attitudes"
Adv.
1.
2.
square - in a square shape; "a squarely cut piece of paper"; "folded the sheet of paper square"
squarely
3.
square - firmly and solidly; "hit the ball squarely"; "the bat met the ball squarely"; "planted his great bulk square before his enemy"
square
noun
1. town square , close , quad , market square , quadrangle , village square The house is located in one of Pimlico's prettiest squares.
2. (Informal) conservative , dinosaur , traditionalist , die-hard , stick-in-the-mud (informal), fuddy-duddy (informal), old buffer (Brit. informal), antediluvian , back number (informal), (old) fogey I'm a square, man. I adore Steely Dan.
adjective
4. level , even , equal , evenly , matched , balanced , drawn , on a par , neck and neck , level pegging , even stevens (informal) The sides finished all square in the first leg.
verb
1. (often with with) agree , match , fit , accord , correspond , tally , conform , reconcile , harmonize His dreams did not square with reality.
2. even up , make equal They came from three down to square the match.
square
مُرَبَّع مُرَبَّع الشَّكْلمُرَيَّع العَدَدمَيْدانيَتَناسَب، يَتَوافَق
čtverecnáměstíčtvercovýrovnouumocnit
byť v súladedruhá mocninaštvorecumocniťupraviť do štvorca
kvadrattrgkvadratenkvadrirati
kare kare şeklindekare şeklinde bir şeykare yapmakkaresini almak
hình vuôngvuông
[skwɛəʳ]
A. N
1. (= shape) → cuadrado m, cuadro m; (on graph paper, chessboard, crossword) → casilla f; (= piece) [of material, paper, chocolate etc] → cuadrado m; (= scarf) → pañuelo m
to cut into squares → cortar en cuadros or cuadrados
to go back to square one → volver a empezar desde cero
2. (in town) → plaza f
the town square → la plaza del pueblo
3. (US) (= block of houses) → manzana f, cuadra f (LAm)
4. (Math) → cuadrado m
16 is the square of 4 → 16 es el cuadrado de 4
5. (= drawing instrument) → escuadra f
6. (= old-fashioned person) he's a real square → es un carca or un carroza or (Chile) un momio
B. ADJ
1. (in shape) → cuadrado
2. (forming right angle) → en ángulo recto , en escuadra
to be square with sth → estar en ángulo recto or en escuadra con algo
ensure that the frame is square → asegúrese de que el marco forme ángulos rectos
3. [face, jaw, shoulder] → cuadrado
a square foot/kilometre → un pie / kilómetro cuadrado
a kilometre square → un kilómetro por un kilómetro
5. (= substantial) [meal] → decente , como Dios manda
it's three days since I had a square meal → hace tres días que no como decentemente or como Dios manda
6. (= fair, honest) → justo , equitativo
to give sb a square deal → ser justo con algn
he didn't get a square deal → lo trataron injustamente
I'll be square with you → seré justo contigo
7. (= even) now we're all square (Sport) → ahora vamos iguales or (LAm) parejos, ahora estamos empatados ; (financially) → ahora estamos en paz
if you pay me a pound we'll call it square → dame una libra y me quedo conforme
to get square with sb → ajustar las cuentas con algn
8. (= conventional) → anticuado , carca , carroza (Sp)
he's so square → es un carca or un carroza or (Chile) un momio
C. ADV square in the middle → justo en el centro , justo en el medio
to look sb square in the eye → mirar a algn directamente a los ojos
the blow caught him square on the chin → el golpe le dio en plena barbilla or de lleno en la barbilla
he turned to face me square on → se volvió para tenerme de cara
see also fair 1 B1
D. VT
to try to square the circle → intentar lograr la cuadratura del círculo
2. (= settle, reconcile) [+ accounts] → ajustar ; [+ debts] → pagar
can you square it with your conscience? → ¿te lo va a permitir tu conciencia ?
I'll square it with him → yo lo arreglo con él
3. (Math) → elevar al cuadrado
two squared is four → dos al cuadrado es cuatro
E. VI → cuadrar (with con) it doesn't square with what you said before → esto no cuadra con lo que dijiste antes
F. CPD square brackets NPL → corchetes mpl
square dance N → cuadrilla f (baile)
square root N → raíz f cuadrada
square off VT + ADV → cuadrar
square up VI + ADV
1. [boxers, fighters] → ponerse en guardia
to square up to sb → enfrentarse con algn
2. (= settle) to square up with sb → ajustar cuentas con algn
square
a square and a triangle → un carré et un triangle
(on chessboard, in boardgame, in crossword) → case m
square one (fig)
We're back to square one → On se retrouve à la case départ .
(in town) → place f
the town square → la place de l'hôtel de ville
(US) (= block of houses) → pâté m de maisons
(= drawing instrument) → équerre f
(= old-fashioned person) → ringard (e) m/f
Don't be such a square → Ne sois pas aussi ringard .
adj
two square metres → deux mètres carrés
it's two metres square → ça fait deux mètres sur deux
(= broad) [build, shoulders] → carré (e)
(= honest) [person] → honnête ; [deal] → équitable
to be square with sb → être honnête avec qn
(= not owing money) → quitte
Now we're all square → Nous sommes quittes maintenant .
(= old-fashioned) [ideas, tastes] → ringard (e) ; [person] → ringard (e)
vt
I'll square it with him → Je réglerai ça avec lui.
(= reconcile) [+ ideas, actions] → concilier
square up
vi (British) (= settle) → régler
to square up with sb → régler ses comptes avec qnsquare bracket n → crochet msquare dance n
(= dance) → quadrille m (américain)
n
(= shape, Geometry, on graph paper) → Quadrat nt; a 6 metre square → 6 Meter im Quadrat
(piece of material, paper etc) (= perfect square) → Quadrat nt; (= rectangle) → Viereck nt; (on chessboard etc) → Feld nt; (on paper) → Kästchen nt, → Karo nt; (in crossword) → Kästchen nt; (= check on material etc) → Karo nt; (= head square) → Kopftuch nt; form yourselves into a square → stellen Sie sich im Viereck auf; cut it in squares → schneiden Sie es quadratisch or in Quadrate zu; to go back to square one (fig) to start (again) from square one (fig) → noch einmal von vorne anfangen ; we’re back to square one → jetzt sind wir wieder da, wo wir angefangen haben
(in town) → Platz m; (US: of houses) → Block m; (Mil: = barrack square) → (Kasernen) platz m
(Math) → Quadrat (→ zahl f) nt; the square of 3 is 9 → 3 hoch 2 or 3 (im) Quadrat ist 9
(Tech) → Winkelmaß nt; (= set square) → Zeichendreieck nt; (= T-square) → Reißschiene f; to be on the square (fig inf, = above board) → in Ordnung sein
(Mil, = battle formation) → Karree nt
(inf: = conventional person) → Spießer (in) m(f) (inf); to be a square → von (vor) gestern sein
adj (+er)
(in shape) → quadratisch ; picture, lawn etc → viereckig , quadratisch ; nib → viereckig ; block of wood etc → vierkantig; to be a square peg in a round hole → am falschen Platz sein
(= forming right angle) angle → recht; corner → rechtwinklig ; shoulder → eckig ; chin, jaw → kantig , eckig ; build → vierschrötig ; square bracket → eckige Klammer
(Math) → Quadrat- ; 3 square kilometres → 3 Quadratkilometer ; 3 metres square → 3 Meter im Quadrat ; there wasn’t a square inch of space left → es war kein Zentimeter Platz mehr
attr (= complete) meal → anständig , ordentlich
(= fair) deal → gerecht , fair ; dealings, game, person → ehrlich ; to give somebody a square deal → jdn gerecht or fair behandeln ; to get a square deal → fair behandelt werden ; I’ll be square with you → ich will ehrlich or offen mit dir sein
(fig: = even) to be square (accounts etc) → in Ordnung sein; to get square with somebody → mit jdm abrechnen ; we are (all) square (Sport) → wir stehen beide/alle gleich; (fig) → jetzt sind wir quitt ; he wanted to be square with his creditors → er wollte mit seinen Gläubigern im Reinen sein; we can start again all square → wir sind wieder quitt
(inf: = conventional) → überholt , verstaubt ; person, ideas → spießig (inf); he’s square → er ist von (vor) gestern ; be there or be square! → das kann man sich nicht entgehen lassen !
adv (+er)
(= at right angles) → rechtwinklig ; square with something → im rechten Winkel or senkrecht zu etw
(= directly) → direkt , genau ; to hit somebody square in the chest → jdn voll in die Brust treffen ; to look somebody square in the eye → jdm direkt in die Augen schauen ; to be square in the middle of something → mitten in etw (dat) → drin sein ; he kissed her square on the mouth → er küsste sie direkt auf den Mund
(= parallel) to stand square → gerade stehen ; he turned to face me square on → er wandte sich mir voll zu; to be square with or to something → parallel zu etw ausgerichtet sein
(= honestly) → ehrlich , fair ? fair 1
vt
(= make square) → quadratisch machen ; (= make a right angle) → rechtwinklig machen ; to square one’s shoulders → die Schultern straffen ; to square a block of wood (= cut square) → einen Holzklotz vierkantig zuschneiden ; to try to square the circle → die Quadratur des Kreises versuchen ; he squared the ball to Gascoigne → er spielte einen Querpass auf Gascoigne; to square a match → in einem Spiel gleichziehen
(Math) number → quadrieren ; 3 squared is 9 → 3 hoch 2 or 3 (im) Quadrat ist 9
(= adjust) debts → begleichen ; creditors → abrechnen mit; (= reconcile) → in Einklang bringen ; to square one’s accounts → abrechnen (with mit); to square something with one’s conscience → etw mit seinem Gewissen vereinbaren or in Einklang bringen ; I’ll square it with the porter (inf) → ich mache das mit dem Portier ab (inf)
(inf, = bribe) → schmieren (inf)
n (Brit Mil sl) → Drill m
square bracket
adj woman → stämmig or breit gebaut ; man → vierschrötig ; house → quadratisch gebaut
square-cut
adj (in a perfect square) → quadratisch ; (= rectangular) → rechteckig
square
(= stupid person) → Holzkopf m (pej)
(pej: = person of Germanic or Scandinavian origin) → Quadratschädel m (pej)
square-jawed
n (Naut) → Rahsegler m
square root
n → Quadratwurzel f, → zweite Wurzel ; to work out the square of something → die zweite Wurzel or Quadratwurzel aus etw ziehen
square sail
n (US inf) → ehrlicher Kerl (inf)
square-shouldered
adj shoes → mit breiter Kappe
square
we're back to square one (fig) → siamo al punto di partenza
b. (in town) → piazza (Am) (block of houses) → isolato
16 is the square of 4 → 16 è il quadrato di 4
d. (fam) (old-fashioned person) → matusa m inv
he's a real square → è proprio un matusa
2. adj
a. (in shape) → quadrato/a
he's a square peg in a round hole in that job → non è tagliato per quel lavoro
b. (Math) → quadrato/a
it is less than a centimetre square → misura meno di un centimetro per lato
2 metres square → di 2 metri per 2
c. a square meal → un pasto sostanzioso
d. (fair, honest) → onesto/a, retto/a
to give sb a square deal → trattare qn onestamente
to get one's accounts square → mettere in ordine i propri conti
to get square with sb (also) (fig) → regolare i conti con qn
now we're all square (fig) → adesso siamo pari
f. (fam) (old-fashioned, person) → all'antica; (idea) → sorpassato/a; (style) → fuori moda
3. adv square in the middle → esattamente or proprio nel centro
to look sb square in the eye → guardare qn diritto negli occhi
4. vt
a. (make square, stone, timber) → squadrare ; (shape) → rendere quadrato / a
to square one's shoulders → raddrizzare le spalle
b. (settle, accounts, books) → far quadrare ; (debts) → saldare , regolare
can you square it with your conscience? → riesci a conciliarlo con la tua coscienza ?
2 squared is 4 → 2 al quadrato fa 4
5. vi (agree) → accordarsi
to square with → quadrare con
square off vt + adv (wood, edges) → squadrare
square up vi + adv
b. to square up (to) (opponent) → affrontare (fig) (difficulties) → far fronte a
square
(skweə) noun
1. a four-sided two-dimensional figure with all sides equal in length and all angles right angles. vierkant مُرَبَّع квадрат quadrado čtverec das Quadrat kvadrat τετράγωνο ruut مربع neliö carré ריבוע वर्ग kvadrat, četvorina négyzet bujur sangkar ferningur quadrato 正方形 정사각형 kvadratas kvadrāts segi empat sama vierkant firkant , kvadrat kwadrat quadrado pătrat квадрат štvorec kvadrat kvadrat kvadrat สี่เหลี่ยมจัตุรัส kare 正方形(物) квадрат چوکور، مربع شکل hình vuông 正方形（物）
2. something in the shape of this. vierkant شَكْل مُرَبَّع квадратно парче quadrado čtverec das Quadrat firkant τετράγωνο ruut چهارگوش neliö carré מרובע वर्गाकार वस्तु nešto četverokutnog, kvadratnog oblika négyszög benda bujur sangkar ferningslaga hlutur quadrato 正方形 정사각형의 것 kvadratas kvadrātveida priekšmets segi empat vierkant firkant , kvadrat kwadrat quadrado pătrat предмет квадратной формы štvorec kvadrat kvadrat fyrkant, ruta พื้นที่สี่เหลี่ยม kare şeklinde bir şey 方形物體 квадрат; клітина مربع شکل کی کوئی چیز vuông 方形物体
3. an open place in a town, with the buildings round it. plein مَيْدان площад praça náměstí der Platz plads; torv πλατεία väljak ميدان aukio place כיכר स्क्वायर trg tér lapangan torg piazza 広場 광장 aikštė laukums lapangan plein torg , plass skwer , plac praça piaţă площадь námestie trg trg torg ตึกที่มีถนนสี่ด้าน meydan 廣場 площа, сквер عمارتوں کی درمیان شہر کا بڑا چوراہا quảng trường 广场
4. the resulting number when a number is multiplied by itself. 3 3, or 32 = 9, so 9 is the square of 3. vierkantswortel مُرَيَّع العَدَد алг. квадрат на число quadrado dvojmocnina das Quadrat kvadrattal τετράγωνο αριθμού ruut, teine aste مجذور neliö carré חזקה वर्गफल kvadrat, druga potencija négyzet pangkat tvíveldi, annað veldi quadrato ２乗 제곱 kvadratas kvadrāts, (skaitļa) otrā pakāpe kuasa dua kwadraat annen potens kwadrat quadrado pătrat квадрат величины druhá mocnina kvadrat kvadrat kvadrat ผลที่ได้จากกำลังสอง kare 平方 квадрат کسی عدد کو اسی عدد سے ضرب دینے کا حاصل bình phương 平方
adjective
1. having the shape of a square or right angle. I need a square piece of paper; He has a short, square body / a square chin. vierkantig مُرَبَّع الشَّكْل квадратен quadrado čtvercový; hranatý quadratisch firkantet τετράγωνος nelinurkne مربع شكل neliönmuotoinen carré מרובע वर्गाकार, चौकोर četverokutan, četvrtast (négy)szögletes segi empat ferhyrndur; kantaður, kubbslegur quadrato 角ばった 사각형의 kvadratinis, keturkampis kvadrātveida-; taisnstūra- segi empat sama vierkant firkantet , kvadratisk , kvadrat- kwadratowy quadrado pătrat квадратный štvorcový; hranatý kvadraten četvrtast kvadratisk, fyrkantig, markerad [haka] ที่เป็นรูปสี่เหลี่ยม kare şeklinde 方形的，直角的 квадратний; прямокутний مربع شکل یا زاویہ قائمہ کی شکل vuông 方形的，直角的
2. (of business dealings, scores in games etc) level, even, fairly balanced etc. If I pay you an extra $5 shall we be (all) square?; Their scores are (all) square (= equal). gelyk, gebalanseerd مُتَوازِن، مُتَعادِل равен igual vyrovnaný quitt lige ίσος , δίκαιος , ισορροπημένος , που έρχεται στα ίσα tasa(olev), võrdne مساوي شده tasoissa quitte , à égalité הוגן , תיקו चुकता करना čestit, pošten kiegyenlített; kvitt(ek) adil, sama jafn, kvittur giusto , equo , in parità 対等の 동등한 atsiskaitęs, sutvarkytas vienāds; taisnīgs; godīgs adil effen kvitt , oppgjort , lik , jevn wyrównany , równy igual chit; la egalitate равный; уравненный vyrovnaný izenačen; bot jednak kvitt, jämn เสมอกัน eşit , ödenmiş, fit 結清(帳目)的 рівний, точний کھیل میں برابری ہونا công bằng, sòng phẳng 结清（帐目）的
3. measuring a particular amount on all four sides. This piece of wood is two metres square. vierkant تَرْبيعي мярка за повърхност quadrado čtvereční im Quadrat på hver led τετραγωνικός igast (neljast) küljest مربع kanttiinsa carré ריבוע वगै-मीटर kvadratan négyzet alakú persegi fermetri quadrato 平方 평방 kvadratinis kvadrāta-; garumā un platumā persegi vierkant i kvadrat z każdej strony quadrado pătrat квадратный štvorcový kvadraten, na kvadrat sa svake strane kvadrat- ตาราง ... kare 見方的 квадратний چاروں طرف سے کسی مربع کی پیمائش mét vuông 见方的
4. old-fashioned. square ideas about clothes. outydse قَديم، طِراز عَتيق старомоден antiquado zastaralý spießig gammeldags παλιομοδίτικος vanamoodne صادقانه vanhanaikainen vieux jeu “מְרוּבַּע” पुराना konzervativan, malograđanski ódivatú kuno hallærislegur antiquato 昔風の 구식의 senamadiškas vecmodīgs fesyen lama ouderwets gammeldags konserwatywny antiquado de modă veche отсталый zastaraný staromoden staromodan insnöad, mossig ที่ล้าสมัย muhafazakâr, tutucu 古板的 старомодний, застарілий روایتی lỗi thời 古板的
adverb
1. at right angles, or in a square shape. The carpet is not cut square with the corner. teen regte hoeke بِشَكلٍ مُرَبَّع перпендикулярно alinhado v pravém úhlu rechteckig vinkelret κάθετα , σε ορθή γωνία täisnurkselt مربع مانند suorassa kulmassa à angle droit (avec) ישר समकोण पर pod pravim kutom, pravokutno derékszögben siku-siku (horn)rétt (ad angolo retto) 直角に 직각으로, 네모로 tiesiai, statmenai ar taisnu stūri; taisni sudut tepat rechthoekig vinkelrett pod kątem prostym em esquadria în unghi drept (cu) перпендикулярно v pravom uhle pravokotno četvrtasto vinkelrätt อย่างตั้งฉาก 90 derece 直角的 прямокутно زاویہ قائمہ پر، یا مربع شکل میں vuông vắn 直角的
2. firmly and directly. She hit him square on the point of the chin. presies بالضَّبْط، مُباشَرَةً право em cheio rovnou direkt direkte ακριβώς otse(joones) راست suoraan en plein ישר सीधे ravno, pošteno pont(osan) tepat beint; fast proprio まともに 정통으로 tiesiai precīzi; tieši kemas dan tepat regelrecht rett , direkte prosto em cheio în plin прямо rovno naravnost direktno rakt, rätt อย่างตรงไปตรงมา tam ortasına, dosdoğru 結結實實地 прямо; чесно سیدھا، زوردار thẳng thắn, trực tiếp 结结实实地
verb
1. to give a square shape to or make square. vierkantig maak يُرَبِّع، يُعْطي شَكلا مُرَبَّعا правя квадрат/ен tornar quadrado upravit do čtverce quadratisch machen gøre firkantet τετραγωνίζω nelinurkseks tegema به شكل مربع درآوردن tehdä neliön muotoiseksi rendre carré לְרַבֵּע वर्गाकार करना, चौकोर बनाना dati četverokutni oblik négyszögletesre alakít membuat segiempat gera ferkantaðan squadrare 正方形にする 정방형으로 하다 suteikti kvadrato formą, padaryti kvadratą veidot kvadrātu membentuk segi empat vierkant maken gi firkantet form , gjøre firkantet nadawać kształt kwadratu tornar quadrado a da o formă pătrată придавать квадратную форму upraviť do štvorca dati kvadratasto obliko napraviti četvrtastim göra kvadratisk(fyrkantig, rätvinklig) ทำให้เป็นรูปสี���เหลี่ยม köşeli yapmak, kare yapmak 把...弄成方形 надавати квадратної форми; робити пямокутним مربع شکل کا بنانا làm cho vuông 把...弄成方形
2. to settle, pay etc (an account, debt etc). I must square my account with you. betaal يُسَوِّي حِسابا балансирам (сметки) acertar vyrovnat begleichen afregne κανονίζω , διευθετώ (arveid) klaarima, korda ajama تسويه حساب كردن selvittää tilit régler לְהַסדִיר חוֹב चुकाना, रूपया देना izravnati (račun) kiegyenlít menyelesaikan gera upp við regolare 清算する 청산하다 atsiskaityti, apmokėti, sutvarkyti nokārtot (rēķinus); nolīdzināt (parādu) membayar hutang vereffenen gjøre opp , skvære opp wyrównać , policzyć się acertar a regla (conturile cu) улаживать; расплатиться vyrovnať poravnati izravnati reglera, göra upp จ่ายหนี้ ödeşmek 結清(帳目) сплачувати نبٹانا یا ادا کرنا thanh toán, trả 结清（帐目）
3. to (cause to) fit or agree. His story doesn't square with the facts. ooreenstem يَتَناسَب، يَتَوافَق съответствам (си) ajustar(-se) být v souladu übereinstimmen stemme συμφωνώ , ταιριάζω (kokku) sobima, klapitama منطبق كردن täsmätä cadrer avec לְהִסתַדֵר עִם - मेल बैठना, सामंजस्य स्थापित करना uskladiti, prilagoditi megegyezik sesuai samræmast quadrare 一致する 맞추다. 일치시키다 atitikti saskanēt; atbilst sama overeenstemmen stemme , passe pasować , dopasować ajustar a se potrivi (cu) соответствовать byť v súlade, zhodovať sa ujemati se slagati se passa ihop, stämma överens สอดคล้อง uyuşmak, uymak 符合 погоджуватися مطابق ہونا làm cho phù hợp 符合
4. to multiply a number by itself. Two squared is four. met homself maal يُرَبِّع العَدَد на квадрат elevar ao quadrado umocnit quadrieren opløfte til anden potens υψώνω στο τετράγωνο ruutu tõstma, teist astet leidma مجذور كردن korottaa toiseen potenssiin élever au carré בַּרִיבּועַ वर्गफल निकालना kvadrirati, dići na kvadrat négyzetre emel kuadrat hefja í annað veldi elevare al quadrato ２乗する 제곱하다 pakelti kvadratu kāpināt kvadrātā kuasa dua kwadrateren opphøye i annen potens podnosić do kwadratu elevar ao quadrado a ridica la pătrat возводить в квадрат umocniť kvadrirati (število) dići na kvadrat upphöja i kvadrat ยกกำลังสอง karesini almak 平方 підносити до квадрата کسی عدد کو اسی عدد سے ضرب کرنا bình phương 平方
squared adjective
1. marked or ruled with squares. squared paper. geruit ذو مُرَبَّعات кариран quadriculado čtverečkovaný kariert ternet που έχει τετράγωνα ruuduline مربع شده ruutu- quadrillé משובץ वर्गाकार खाना बना कागज kvadratni kockás persegi rúðustrikaður a quadretti 方眼紙の 모눈의 langeliais rūtiņu- ditandakan dengan segi empat met vierkanten rute , millimeter w kratkę quadriculado cadrilat в клетку štvorčekový karirast kockast rutad ที่มีตารางสี่เหลี่ยมจตุรัสเล็ก ๆ kareli 劃分成方格 такий, що у клітинку چار خانہ بنانا có ô vuông 划分成方格
2. having been squared. geruit مُرَبَّع четвъртит elevado ao quadrado zdvojmocněný in Quadrate eingeteilt fået en firkantet form; blevet gjort firkantet τετραγωνισμένος kordaaetud, korras مربع بوده sovittu élevé au carré לְשַבֵּץ चौकोर किया kvadriran négyzetre emelt dibuat persegi sem búið er að hefja í annað veldi al quadrato 正方形の 제곱된 pakeltas kvadratu kvadrātveida-; kāpināts kvadrātā mendapat keadilan rechthoekig gitt firkantet form podniesiony do kwadratu elevado ao quadrado ridicat la pătrat поделённый на квадраты umocnený na druhú kvadraten dignut na kvadrat reglerad, uppgjord ซี่งเป็นสี่เหลี่ยม kareli 成正方形的 прямокутний چار خانا بنایا ہوا được đánh ô vuông 成正方形的
ˈsquarely adverb
directly and firmly. He stood squarely in front of me; She looked squarely at me. reguit مباشَرَةً، بالضَّبْط точно насреща direito přímo direkt direkte ίσια , κατευθείαν otse مستقيما suoraan carrément בְּזַווִית יְשָׁרָה सीधे, जमकर, दृढ़ता से otvoreno, izravno szemtől szembe(n); nyíltan; tisztességesen tepat beint esattamente ; diritto まっすぐに 정통으로 tiesiai tieši; taisni; aci pret aci dengan tepat recht direkte , fast prosto direito drept, direct прямо priamo naravnost odlučno rakt, rätt อย่างตรงไปตรงมา dosdoğru 直截了當地，乾脆地 прямо; відкрито براہ راست، محکم thẳng thắn, trực tiếp 直截了当地，干脆地
square centimetre/metre etc (often abbreviated to cm2, *m2etc when written)
an area equal to a square in which each side is one centimetre, metre etc. If the door is 3 metres high and 1.5 metres wide, its area is 4.5 square metres. vierkante sentimeter/meter سنتيمِتْر مُرَبَّع квадратен сантиметър centímetro/metro quadrado čtvereční 5 metres wide, its area is 4.5 square metres.der Quadrat(zenti)meter etc. kvadratcentimeter; kvadratmeter τετραγωνικό (εκατοστό, μέτρο κτλ.) ruutsentimeeter, ruutmeeter سانتي متر مربع neliö- carré מרובע वर्ग मीटर kvadratni (četvorni) metar, centimetar négyzetcentiméter persegi fersentimetri/-metri quadro 平方センチメートル 제곱 센티미터 kvadratinis centimetras/metras kvadrātcentimetrs; kvadrātmetrs u.tml. persegi vierkante meter etc. kvadrat- centymetr , metr itp. kwadratowy centímetro/metro quadrado (centimetru, metru etc.) pătrat квадратный сантиметр, метр и т.д. štvorcový kvadratni centimeter/meter kvadratni centimetar kvadratcentimeter, -meter ตารางเซนติเมตร; ตารางเมตร santimetre kare 平方公分(公尺) квадратний сантиметр, метр مربع سنٹی میٹر میں رقبے کی پیمائش xăng ti mét vuông 平方厘米（米）
square root
the number which, multiplied by itself, gives the number that is being considered. The square root of 16 is 4 ( 16 = 4). vierkantswortel جَذر تَرْبيعي корен квадратен raiz quadrada kořen mocniny die Quadratwurzel kvadratrod τετραγωνική ρίζα ruutjuur جذر neliöjuuri racine carrée שוֹרֶש רִיבּוּעִי वर्गमूल drugi korijen négyzetgyök akar kuadrat kvaðratrót radice quadrata 平方根 제곱근 kvadratinė šaknis kvadrātsakne punca kuasa dua vierkantswortel kvadratrot pierwiastek kwadratowy raiz quadrada rădăcină pătrată квадратный корень druhá odmocnina kvadratni koren kvadratni koren kvadratrot จำนวนรากกำลังสอง kare kök 平方根 квадратний корінь جزر căn bậc hai 平方根
fair and square
directly. He hit him fair and square on the nose. presies مُباشَرَةً право em cheio rovnou ganz genau direkte κατευθείαν otse مستقيم suoraan en plein יָשָר וְהוֹגֵן सीधे direktno pont,„rendesen”; szemébe tepat beint in pieno まともに 공정한 tiesiai tieši; precīzi adil regelrecht rett på prosto em cheio drept, direct прямо rovno naravnost direktno mitt, rakt, rätt โดยตรง tam 正直 прямо سیدھا، براہ راست trực tiếp 正直
go back to square one
to start all over again. begin oor يبدأ كُلَّ شَيءٍ من جَديد започвам отначало voltar à estaca zero začít úplně znovu nochmal bei Adam und Eva anfangen gå tilbage til udgangspunktet ξαναρχίζω από το μηδέν otsast alustama سر خانه اول برگشتن palata lähtöruutuun repartir à zéro חֲזָרָה לַהַתחָלָה फिर से आरंभ करना natrag na početak, početi iznova elölről kezdi memulai lagi fara aftur á byrjunarreit (ricominciare da zero) 振り出しに戻る 원점으로 돌아가다 pradėti vėl viską iš pradžių sākt visu no jauna mulakan kembali opnieuw beginnen begynne forfra zaczynać od samego początku voltar a ponto zero a o lua de la zero начинать всё сначала začať úplne odznova začeti znova početi ispočetka gå tillbaka till ruta ett กลับไปเริ่มต้นใหม่ทั้งหมดอีกครั้ง yeniden başlamak , işin başına dönmek 重新開始 робити все з початку جہاں سے چلے تھے وہیں واپس، دوبارہ شروعات کرنا không lại hoàn không 重新开始
a square deal
a fair bargain; fair treatment. billike hantering صَفْقَة عادِلَه честна сделка negócio justo poctivé jednání ein ehrlicher Handel fair; redelig δίκαιη συμφωνία aus tehing قول . قرار صادقانه reilu kauppa arrangement équitable עִסקָה הוֹגֶנֶת खरा सौदा, अच्छा व्यवहार poštena pogodba tisztességes eljárás perlakuan adil heiðarleg meðferð (affare onesto); (trattamento equo) 公正な取引 정당한 거래 geras sandėris, garbingas elgesys godīgs darījums jual beli yang adil eerlijke behandeling redelig/skvær avtale; real behandling uczciwe potraktowanie negócio limpo aranjament echitabil честная сделка poctivý obchod; slušné zaobchádzanie (jednanie) pošten postopek fer pogodba rättvis behandling, hygglig uppgörelse การต่อรองที่ยุติธรรม dürüst alışveriş, dürüst bir muamele 公平交易 чесна угода اچھا سودا، مناسب سلوک cách đối xử trung thực 公平交易
square
→ مُرَبَّع čtvercový, čtverec firkant, kvadratisk Quadrat , quadratisch τετράγωνο , τετράγωνος cuadrado neliö, neliömäinen carré četvrtast, kvadrat quadrato 正方形, 正方形の 정사각형, 정사각형의 vierkant firkant , firkantet kwadrat , kwadratowy quadrado квадрат , квадратный fyrkant, fyrkantig เป็นสี่เหลี่ยม, สี่เหลี่ยมจัตุรัส kare hình vuông, vuông 方形的 , 正方形
square
| i don't know |
Which Cardinal gave Hampton Court Palace to King Henry VIII? | Hampton Court Palace Tours | London Tour Guide | Tudor Tour
Select Page
Hampton Court Palace Tours
Built by Cardinal Woolsey in 1514, King Henry VIII used this palace to impress. His heir Edward VI was born here in 1553, and his queen Jane Seymour died here 2 weeks later.
If visiting, Hampton Court is 13 miles outside of London. Allow a half a day for Hampton court, allowing for exploration, lunch, and travel times.
Significant Tudor Events at Hampton Court Palace
King Henry VIII at Hampton Court Palace
Henry spent three of his honeymoons at Hampton Court palace.
Henry discovered at Hampton Court Palace that his fifth wife, Catherine Howard, had committed adultery. After being charged with treason and ordered to stay in her rooms, Catherine escaped from her guards and ran to the chapel where Henry was at Mass. She banged on the doors and screamed Henry’s name, only to be captured by the guards and locked up in her room. She never saw Henry again, and was later beheaded at the Tower of London. Her ghost is said to reenact this scene in the Haunted Gallery to this day.
Henry married his sixth and final wife Catherine Parr near the Chapel Royal.
Jane Seymour and Edward VI at Hampton Court Palace
Jane Seymour gave birth to Edward VI in her room in 1537
Edward VI was baptized in the Chapel Royal
Jane died in her room two weeks later due to childbirth complications
Queen Mary I at Hampton Court Palace
Mary Tudor spent her honeymoon with Philip I at Hampton Court Palace
How to Get to Hampton Court Palace
Take the Northern, Jubilee, Bakerloo, or Waterloo & City Line to Southwest Train
Take Southwest Train to Hampton Court
Get Your Free One-Page Tudor London Tour Guide
Print out this free one-page London tour guide, which includes:
Top Tudor sites in or directly outside London
Why each London attraction is significant to the Tudors
Which tube stop is closest to each Tudor attraction, so you can easily find each London attraction
Download Now
| Thomas Wolsey |
Which 1975 novel by Larry McMurty was adapted for a 1983 film starring Shirley MacLaine and Debra Winger as mother and daughter? | 1000+ images about Hampton Court on Pinterest | Palaces, Henry VIII and King Henry VIII
Forward
Built for Thomas Wolsey in 1514, but taken from him by King Henry VIII a few years later. Used by the royals for many years, notably William III who rebuilt much of it. It's now a popular tourist attraction. This is the main entrance or 'Great Gate'.
See More
| i don't know |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.