Little England: A Review of Foundation by Peter Ackroyd

The Medieval period is a time of knights, lords, serfs, and kings. It often calls on images only reserved for Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Peter Ackroyd’s Foundation: The History of England from its Earliest Beginnings to the Tudors tells this story (without any reference to Monty Python I mean). Through the history of Medieval England, Peter Ackroyd is able to present the facts on this era by blending the art of storytelling and historical presentation. Peter Ackroyd’s Foundation is a book that will both educate and entertain the reader.

Summary

Foundation: The History of England from its Earliest Beginnings to the Tudors tells the story of England, covering a period from the time of early man and hunter-gatherer culture, the influence of Roman and Saxon cultures and the arrival of the Normans to the War of the Roses and the advent of Henry Tudor (Henry VII). Ackroyd covers the social and political development in this period with the argument that the history of England is “one of continual movement and of constant variation,”[1] that England was always changing and developing, not in a Whiggish way but that is a starting point and still echoes in contemporary times.

(I know it sounds Whiggish but it’s hard to avoid it when explaining the flow of history. It was also this or stopping to talk about Magna Carta, which has the same result. *sigh* Right, back to the summary.)

The book opens with the early history of England and the hunter-gatherer culture of regions like Cheddar Gorge and Devon and the Romanization of Britannia through both invasion and cultural exchange. Ackroyd then goes on to discuss the Saxon invasion, something created through migration and destruction of the indigenous population by bubonic plague, precursor to the 1300s. Once the Saxons are settled, the reader is given an overview of the new Anglo-Saxon society, such as the use of the Germanic word walh (Saxon for Celtic or Latin speaker) and its use in place names like Wales, Cornwall, Walsall, and Walthamstow.[2] Ackroyd even mentions certain cultural influences such as the cremation cemetery, where smaller villages like Sancton, Yorkshire, where such forms of burial lasted well into the nineteenth century.[3] Chapter 7 introduces the reader to William the Conqueror or William the Bastard (not William the Butcher, the Baker, or Candlestick Maker) and it is here we see the medieval world we know. Readers are introduced to the Feudal System, struggles for power between the king and his lords, pretenders for the throne, the King of France, and (in some cases) the Pope. At this point, Ackroyd takes the reader through events like the Peasants Revolt, the signing of Magna Carta, ultimately culminating at the War of the Roses and the intervention of Henry Tudor, marking the beginning of the Tudor dynasty.

The Writing

Foundation’s greatest strength is in the writing ability of its author, Peter Ackroyd. Throughout the book, Ackroyd has an ability to strike that balance between narrative and analysis. This is never an easy task for any historian. Even I find it hard to create a post that is both informative and entertaining (goodness knows you guys were probably bored to tears by my essay on the history of one-room school houses in Ontatio!). One of my favourite parts in Foundation is Ackroyd’s description of William I’s funeral:

When [William I’s] body was taken to the monetary of St. Stephen at Caen for burial body burst, exuding a foul stench that sent the mourners running from the building. It was, perhaps, a fitting end for one who was already swollen with greed and cruelty.[4]

This morbidly dark yet entertaining excerpt demonstrates Ackroyd’s ability as a writer. From the previous chapter, the reader is given a picture of the cruelty and averous nature of William I. (He was a greedy bastard.) Throughout his rule, William treated England as his cash cow; he confiscated land from English opponents and raised with heavy and sudden taxation, documenting all taxable items in what is known as the The Domesday Book. Ackroyd draws a poetic parallel between William I’s swelling wealth in life and his swollen carcass in death.

The Layout

In addition, the layout of Foundation allows for the reader to smoothly transition throughout each section of the book. Ackroyd arranges his thoughts intricately, each one leading into the next with a flawless stroke. One moment the you’ll be reading about the landing of William the Conqueror, his Norman army and their victory against King Harold’s Saxon forces, the net you’ll be reading about King John “Lackland” signing Magna Carta at Runnymede. The secret to Ackroyd’s brilliance is in how he alternates between the political and social developments in a neat and clear fashion. This alteration between these two historiographical topics allows for the reader to understand the context before Ackroyd begins on the next major topic.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Peter Ackroyd’s Foundation: The History of England from its Earliest Beginnings to the Tudors is worth checking out. Ackroyd’s wit cuts through the shadows of the “Dark Ages” to provide an illustrated narrative that both entertains and informs readers. Therefore, I highly recommend readying Foundation by Peter Ackroyd to anyone who is interested in reading about Medieval England.

Sources:

Ackroyd, Peter. Foundation: The History of England from its Earliest Beginnings to the Tudors. New York: Thomas Dunne Books. 2011.

Notes:

[1] Peter Ackroyd, Foundation: The History of England from its Earliest Beginnings to the Tudors, (New York: Thomas Dunne Books, 2011), 443.

[2] Ibid., 51.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Ibid., 106.

Book vs. Film: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

C. S. Lewis’ series, The Chronicles of Narnia, has been adapted into numerous other forms of media since their publication in the nineteen fifties. In 2005, Lewis’ first book to be published in the series, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, was adapted into a feature-length film by Walt Disney Studios and Walden Media. This film takes an interesting interpretation of the plot in Lewis’ book and, like many others, makes some alterations from the original work. These changes either help to provide context to the plot or to add more action to the film.

First, some new scenes have been added or altered from the story when The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was adapted into its 2005 film version. In the opening scene of the film, the audience sees an air-raid over the city of London, England (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe). The main characters, Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy, are shown to be running to a shelter in the back garden with their mother (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe). After this scene, the audience sees the children being taken by train to the house of the Professor (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe). These scenes are different from what is seen the beginning of the book. Lewis only dedicates a few lines in explaining the children’s circumstances, stating that the children “were sent away from London during the air-raids” (3) and that “[t]hey were sent to live with an old Professor who lived in the heart of the country” (3). In adding scenes to the film that add more detail to Lewis’ description, the adaption creates a better understanding of why the four children had to leave London. A child reading Lewis’ book in 2013 would not be able to understand the effect of the Blitz on London like a child reading it in 1953, who would be growing up in the aftermath of the Second World War and the London Bombings. Thus, in providing context to the opening of the film, the audience is able to better understand the circumstances that the protagonists are in at the beginning of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

Cover of The Lion, The Witch and the
Wardrobe circa 1950.

Also, the scenes with the professor differ in some ways between the film and the book. In The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, the Professor is able to speak Peter and Susan on an even level when they come to see him about Lucy, though telling them to consider that their sister could be telling the truth (Lewis, 47-48). In the film adaption, the Professor comes across as more of a concerned guardian, but quickly becomes more welcoming when he learns that Lucy had discovered a way to Narnia through the wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe). This is just one of the few references to the other Narnia book The Magician’s Nephew, which tells of how the Professor traveled to Narnia when he was a boy. The best example of this is seen at the end of the film when Lucy tries to go back to Narnia, only to see the Professor in the room, disappointed that the wardrobe no longer works (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe). These suggestions of the Professor having been to Narnia before are not mentioned in the book because the The Magician’s Nephew was not published until several years after The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

In addition, the scene where Aslan is sacrificed on the Stone Table is slightly different from the book. In this situation, it is the book that has more detail than the film. Though the film does have some elements from the book such as Aslan being tied down, having his mane cut off, and being dragged up to the Stone Table (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe). Despite the book The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe sharing these parts, Lewis goes into more detail and is more humiliating in his description. After Aslan is muzzled and bound, the White Witch’s minions surround the lion and begin “kicking him, hitting him, spitting on him, jeering at him” (Lewis 154). The reason Lewis puts Aslan through all this suffering and humiliation before being killed by the White Witch is because Aslan is a representation of Jesus Christ from the Bible, who, before being crucified, was put through much suffering and humiliation. Disney probably did not play down this scene in the movie for religious reason though. This scene in the film is frightening already and thus only adapted enough parts from the book as necessary.

Film poster for Disney’s
The Lion, the Witch
and the Wardrobe, 2005 .

Finally, there is a difference in how both the film and the book portray the battle scene and journey to the White Witch’s home to free those who had been statues. In the book, Lewis concentrates on the rescue, giving a detailed account of how Aslan freed the Witch’s captives from being stone statues. Lewis only gives a brief account of the battle, mentioning how Peter and his forces were outnumbered by the White Witch’s forces and how Aslan defeated the Witch (Lewis 175-177). The movie concentrates more on the battle than the rescue. In this instance, the audience sees that from the beginning of the battle, the White Witch’s forces out number Peter (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe). Much like in the book, Peter is victorious over the White Witch when Aslan, Susan, and Lucy arrive with an army of the Witch’s former prisoners (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe). The best argument to why Disney chose to concentrate on the fight would most likely be because the most action can be placed into the scene. Little action happens in the rescue at the White Witch’s house, except for Aslan freeing the captives; this could easily be given less focus as the battle serves more of climax.

In conclusion, the additions and alterations from book to film in the case of C. S. Lewis’ The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe are done to either provide context or to create more action in the film. Some of these scenes, such as the opening, allow for the audience to better understand the circumstances that the children have come into. This said, some sections, like Aslan’s sacrifice at the stone table lack some detail that the book provides. Through looking at an adaption of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, one can see a unique approach to Lewis’ work that has both strong and weak points to how the book was adapted.

Works Cited

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Dir. Andrew Adamson. Perf. William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes. Buena Vista Pictures, 2006. DVD.

“The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe“. Wikipedia.

“The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe“. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lion,_the_Witch_and_the_Wardrobe. Accessed August 7, 2019.

Lewis, C. S. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. New York: Scholastic Inc., 1995. Print.

Wilson, A. N. “The Odd Story of C. S. Lewis, An Extremely Odd Man”. The Daily Beast. July 11, 2017. https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-odd-story-of-cs-lewis-an-extremely-odd-man. Accessed August 7, 2019.

Stapling Canada’s Culture: A review of Great Britain’s Woodyard: British North America and the Timber Trade, 1763-1867 by Arthur R. M. Lower

Arthur R. M. Lower’s book Great Britain’s Woodyard: British North America and the Timber Trade, 1763-1867 takes the reader on a journey to a time before Confederation, the Constitution and Free Trade. It is a time of colonization and British dominance on the world stage, Canada is only a series of individual colonies that provides the empire an important commodity: wood. In Great Britain’s Woodyard, Lower effectively presents the role of timber in the British Empire during the nineteenth century, how the timber trade in British North America influenced the culture of Canada and how these two aspects relate to of Harold A. Innis and W.A. Mackintosh’s Staple Thesis. In examining these aspects of Great Britain’s Woodyard Arthur Lower presents a compelling study of the timber trade in British North America.

*Great Britain’s Woodyard*
by Arthur R. M. Lower

Lower divides Great Britain’s Woodyard: British North America and the Timber Trade, 1763-1867 into two parts. The first part looks at the history of the timber industry in British North America. Here, Lower begins with British trade with Baltic States of Eastern Europe such as Germany, Russia, and Sweden for their lumber and how Napoleon took control of the Baltic States; it caused Britain to turn to its North American colonies as they were unable to continue trade with Eastern Europe due to Napoleon’s mercantilist policies. Lower then goes on to look at the development of the timber trade in British North America and its role in British politics in the nineteenth century. In part two, Lower examines the timber trade’s inner workings in the colonies. In this section the reader is given the different parts of the trade and historical examples of these parts in order to elaborate on their role. While presenting these two sections, Lower argues that the British metropolis exploited the colonies and saw British North America as “its own private woodyard,”[1] allowing them to take as much lumber as they wished.

Lower uses Innis and Mackintosh’s Staples Thesis in his study of the British North American timber trade. The Staples Thesis argues that

…the export of natural resources, or staples, from Canada to more advanced economies has a pervasive impact on the economy as well as on the social and political systems. Furthermore, different staples (fur, fish, timber, grain, oil, etc.) have differing impacts on rates of settlement, federal-provincial conflicts, etc.[2]

This statement means the trading of natural resources, in this case lumber, between Canada and more advanced states, in Lower’s book, Britain, can have effects on the social, political, social, and environmental systems of Canada. Lower was born in Barrie, Ontario in 1889,[3] a community that had forestry as one of its earliest industries.[4] Lower strongly viewed the deforesting of Canada to be devastating, stating in the preface of Great Britain’s Woodyard “[t]he result has been that everywhere huge tracts have been deforested and turned into desert,”[5] an image that he would have seen while living in the region. The Staple Thesis is found in Great Britain’s Woodyard in Lower’s chapter on the early part of the lumber trade; here he gives the account of Philemon Wright.

Wright traveled from Massachusetts in 1797 and surveyed the Grand River, the original name of the Ottawa River, reaching as far as the Chaudière Falls (the location of the Canadian capital of Ottawa).[6] Two year later, after receiving land grants, he developed on the Quebec side of the Ottawa River, adding a mill in 1801; this settlement would later develop into the city of Hull, Quebec. [7] Lower’s example of Philemon Wright shows the application of the Staples Thesis because of how the industry led to the creation of settlements based around the timber trade. Some of these settlements would then go on to expand and attract other people, who were either migrating to Canada or looking for work.

In telling the history of British North America’s timber industry, it is important to understand the role it played in the world that was the British Empire. Lower successfully presents this by showing the elevation of the timber industry in British North America from the turn of the nineteenth century to the time of Canadian Confederation. At the start of the nineteenth century, the British only used the North American colonies’ lumber to make masts for the Royal Navy and to serve as a backup source in times for crisis; the region containing this supply of wood for this purpose was expanded after the British defeated the French in the Seven Years war.[8] After Napoleon took over Europe in the early part of the nineteenth century, Britain had no other option but to rely on the North American colonies for their wood supplies. Through the administrations of Robert Peel and other British Prime Ministers, Lower shows British North America to be growing in importance in its role as a colony of the British Empire by how it influenced the delegation of tariffs on timber imports from the Baltic region and the North American colonies. This case can be connected to the Staple’s Thesis by fact that Britain was forced in to a wood crisis by Napoleon’s Continental System. In order to get out of this crisis, Britain was forced to turn to its colonies in North America for wood, allowing British North America to have a role in legislation concerning the trading of lumber.

In addition, Lower shows how the lumber industry influenced Canadian culture. The Staples Thesis’ argument of trade affecting Canada at a social level can be seen here, the growing employment of shantymen and raftsment created their own unique culture, which in turn developed into an aspect of Canadian culture. In his chapter on the shantyman and raftsman, Lower begins with discussing the folklore of the lumber trade. He explains that within the shantymen and raftsmen added to Canadian culture a “primitive life and art, the counterparts of which have been the base of so much of older countries.”[9] This statement means the lumber folklore gave Canada a base to develop its own culture, this base that Lower states to be similar to the basic aspects of older states and cultures. An example that Lower gives of lumber culture comes in the form of the folktale Chasse-galerie:, the story of lumbermen selling their souls to the devil so they may be able to cross vast distances to visit their loved ones for special occasions, such as New Year, within one night and be back to work by morning.[10]

In conclusion, Arthur R. M. Lower successfully presents a compelling narrative in his book Great Britain’s Wood yard: British North America and the Timber Trade by using Innis and Mackintosh’s Staple’s Thesis in his study of the British North American timber trade. In studying the example of the role of lumber in the British Empire, it can be seen that the North American colonies played a significant role in the empire by providing it with much needed lumber for the navy and in construction. By examining the role of the lumbermen and their own inner culture, the base of a Canadian culture can be seen developing. Therefore, in using the Staples Thesis, Lower is able to develop an insightful study of the British North American timber trade.

Bibliography

Abebooks.com. “Great Britain’s Woodyard: British America and the Timber Trade, 1763-1867“.https://www.abebooks.com/book-search/title/great-britain’s-woodyard/

Frances, Daniel. “Barrie,” The Canadian Encyclopedia, accessed February 3, 2013, http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/barrie.

Lower, Arthur R. M. Great Britain’s Wood yard: British North America and the Timber Trade, 1763-1867. Montreal: McGill-Queen’s University Press, 1973.

NFB. “Canada Vignettes: Log Driver’s Waltz.” YouTube. January 20, 2010. Accessed March 02, 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upsZZ2s3xv8.

Palmer, Henry. “Arthur R. M. Lower, C. C., 17. Accessed March 3, 2017. http://www.aportraitofcanada.ca/?p=1864,%5D.

Watkins, Mel. “Staple Thesis.” The Canadian Encyclopedia. Accessed February 3, 2013. http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/staple-thesis.

Notes:

[1] Arthur R. M. Lower, Great Britain’s Woodyard: British North America and the Timber Trade, 1763-1867, (Montreal: McGill-Queen’s University Press, 1973), 49.

[2] Mel Watkins, “Staple Thesis,” The Canadian Encyclopedia, accessed February 3, 2013, http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/staple-thesis.

[3] Lower, iv.

[4] Daniel Francis, “Barrie,” The Canadian Encyclopedia, accessed February 3, 2013, http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/barrie.

[5] Lower, xiv.

[6] Ibid., 63.

[7] Ibid.

[8] Ibid, 46.

[9] Ibid, 181.

[10] Ibid, 181-182.

The Difficulty of Life: A Review of Herding Cats by Sarah Andersen

Adulthood is a voyage fraught with highs that make you believe that you could touch the sun and lows that drag you lower than you ever thought possible. The very challenges become very much like trying to herd cats, somehow finding a way to become nearly impossible to overcome. To tackle this conundrum, Sarah Andersen returns with an all new collection of comics titled Herding Cats, continuing with her theme of adjusting to the world with the ever anxious and ever loved character Sarah. Readers continue to laugh, cry, cry while laughing, and relate to Andersen’s entertaining comics in this latest anthology.

Herding Cats is the continuation of Andersen’s character, Sarah. In this new volume we see Sarah face life with the same level of excitement and anxiety as she counts the days to Hallowe’en, meeting deadlines, and that delayed pain that hits after stubbing your baby toe. Along with these entertaining comics, Andersen shares with her readers how she was able to accomplish her success via the world of the internet and how to navigate this brave new world where everyone has a megaphone and will proclaim their opinions and discern from the constructive and delusional.

One of the things that works in Andersen’s advantage is this continued theme of adjusting. Her first anthology Adulthood is a Myth looks at adjusting to the new work of adulthood and the idea of what defines adulthood; A Big Mushy Happy Lump can be seen as adjusting to limitations life puts on you and coming to acceptance with those limits. Herding Cats continues this trend with the theme of adjusting and accepting the uncontrollable situations and problems life throws your way. One example of this can be seen in her comic “Taking Care Of…”; here we see in the first three panels showing Sarah being loving to her pets, friends, and boyfriend but when we see Sarah taking care of herself, we see Sarah throwing a copy of herself in to a trash can (5). This is an easy thing we all do, we put people before ourselves and end up leaving our personal needs to the side or being harder on ourselves when things go wrong. Because we are busy putting others first, we end up leaving our own needs behind.

In addition, Andersen’s comics continue their relatability between the reader and Sarah. In the comic “Me + Me: A Great Time!”, we see Sarah finding enjoyment in talking to herself, having a fashion show with herself, and dancing with herself (78). The relatability is seen in how the comic shows the joy one can get with solitude or alone time. Being around does have its benefits and I’m sure there are benefits to social interaction and there are probably stacks of articles by leading scientists and psychologists that back those… But let’s be honest sometimes it’s better have alone time and play on the phone (shut up about how the very fabric of society is being ripped apart by people being on their phones!) and not everyone actually benefits from being about people, like introverts where the opposite can be true in some cases.

Another example is in the comic “Comfort Zone”, here Andersen opens with the line “life begins at the end of your comfort zone” and shows Sarah, wrapped in a blanket, stepping out of a small circle with the word “progress” appearing overhead after the first step (80). Life has always been a we are born with nothing and life promises us nothing, so we therefore have to reach out and work for what we want. Because of life’s difficulty, we tend to stick with what’s comfortable or good enough and easy and forget what we want. Stepping out of out of our comfort zone is never the easy choice but is necessary. Sometimes what is acceptable isn’t healthy like an unhealthy relationship, poor health choices, living somewhere that isn’t safe. Because of that the comfort zone isn’t necessarily the best place. That isn’t to say you should always be running out of the comfort zone, sometimes little steps make better progress and are more realistic some instances.

In conclusion, Herding Cats by Sarah Andersen is a book worth reading. The book’s themes and comics are still as relatable as it’s predecessors and are just as enjoyable as ever. Therefore, I highly recommend picking up a copy of Herding Cats at your nearest book store.

For more of Sarah Andersen’s work check out:

Official Website: http://sarahcandersen.com/

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SarahsScribbles/posts#/_=_

Illustrative Work: http://www.sarahandersenart.com/

**All art used in this post are the property of Sarah Andersen and her respected associates.**

Sources

Andersen, Sara. Herding Cats. Kansas City: Andrews McMeel Publishing. 2018.

Running with the Elephants: A Review of Let the Elephants Run by David Usher

Creativity is a strange beast. For some it is hard to come up up with the simplest ideas for some while others while for others these ideas can come easily. Because of this, there is there is a myth that those who are creative are born with that ability. In his book, Let the Elephants Run: Unlock Your Creativity and Change Everything, singer and song writer David Usher takes a look at this myth and explores one can tap into their hidden creativity whether it comes naturally or not. This blog is going to see if this book has a memorable message or if it would be better for elephants to forget.

Let the Elephants Run: Unlock Your Creativity and Change Everything is Usher’s first venture in writing (well, in nonfictional prose). He opens Let the Elephants Run with the example of his own childhood; how Usher can remember that his love of creating things stemmed from his childhood and that many of us start out like this as well.¹ This love for creativity dwindles as life goes on and “layer upon layer of life begins to separate us from our child’s mind.”² Throughout Let the Elephants Run, Usher argues that curiosity and passion is still accessible, that creativity is not something inherent (or blessed by a fairy godmother) but something learn-able.³ To Usher, all it takes is to “take the time, make the commitment, and learn how.”⁴

One of the things that works in Let the Elephants Run is Usher’s writing ability, particularly in his use of examples when discussing his points. An example of this is seen when Usher discusses a concept that he calls “Pink Elephant Thinking”, to allow your imagination to run on its own and utilize what ideas what it has to offer.⁵Usher elaborates on this concept with how he uses the Pulse Sensor Open Source Heart-Rate Sensor to use an audience member’s heart-rate to set up the beat for his shows. (See what I did there?) The process started with Usher wanting to take his and his band’s usual method of them setting the tone and timbre of their shows and turn it around so that the audience could “power the band.”⁶ Because Usher wanted to make this happen, he searched the web until he found a Kickstarter for the Pulse Sensor Open Source Heart-Rate Sensor. The next step was programming the sensor, this was answered by Robert Brooks, who also had an interest in this endeavour.⁷ The lesson from this example is the benefits of Pink Elephant Thinking, if Usher hadn’t acted on the curiosity, he would have lost out on something that has proven beneficial to his concerts.

Usher also uses a unique design in his book. Rather than using a regular layout where the reader would merely read on how to be creative, Usher has Let the Elephants Run, Usher formats his book to to make the reader more active in their creativity. Throughout the book, Usher presents his audience with different activities or actions ranging from just writing ideas down, forming an idea web (having a central concept that branches off to different topics), or examining your own abilities to determine if you are introverted or extroverted to allow readers to practice and hone their creative abilities. In the first activity, Usher explains that he wants his readers to write and take notes in the book because “learning to be creative is itself a creative act.”⁸ In this way, Usher wants to make his audience active in their learning experience because in doing so when reading Let the Elephants Run it lays a foundation in developing a person’s creativity.

In closing, Let the Elephants Run: Unlock Your Creativity and Change Everything is the perfect book for someone wanting to improve their creativity or just wanting to tap into their unknown talent. Usher proves himself skilful in prose as he is in music. The best part is how Usher gives his book a unique edge by making his readers more active in their education with different activities to build a base in becoming creative. Much like the book title suggests, let the elephants run and let those creative juices flow!

Bibliography

“David Usher.” Wikipedia. July 07, 2018. Accessed July 08, 2018. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Usher.

“Let the Elephants Run.” House of Anansi Press. Accessed July 08, 2018. https://houseofanansi.com/products/let-the-elephants-run-digital.

Usher, David. Let the Elephants Run: Unlock Your Creativity and Change Everything. Toronto: House of Anansi. 2015.

Notes:

1David Usher, Let the Elephants Run: Unlock Your Creativity and Change Everything, (Toronto:House of Anansi Press Inc., 2015), 7.

2Ibid.

3Ibid., 8.

4Ibid.

5Ibid., 91.

6Ibid., 93.

7Ibid., 94.

8Ibid., 12.

Just Be a Lump: A review of Sarah Andersen’s Big Mushy Happy Lump

On March 30^th, 2017, I travelled to Toronto for an adventure of exploration. This trip was topped off with a chance to see Sarah Andersen at Indigo at Bay and Bloor. It was a great experience and Andersen was awesome to meet. The whole event was because on March 7^th, Andersen published her second book.

Yes, Sarah Andersen is back at is again with her newest book Big Mushy Happy Lump, the second book in her Sarah’s Scribbles series. Andersen continues showing us the relatability of her character, Sarah, and even experiments with mixing media to make her character as enjoyable as ever. So, grab your pumpkin spiced [insert thing here], jump into bed, enjoy your pizza, and binge Netflix.

Wait! Hold the Netflix! Read the review, then Netflix, in that order.

Big Mushy Happy Lump continues the exploits of Sarah, a nervous childish twenty-something trying to make her way through the great big world of adulthood. Much like Adulthood is a Myth we see Sarah’s long struggle with Uterus and Brain, relationships, and other personal struggles with the outside world. At the same time, Big Mushy Lump celebrates the small joys in life like books, boyfriend’s sweaters, and learning to like cats. Sarah sees it all as she drifts through life and takes us with her as he meets each moment.

The greatest strength in Big Mushy Happy Lump is the relatability the reader has with Andersen’s character Sarah. My favourite part of this book is in a long form comic Andersen writes about anxiety in “I don’t Know How to be a Person”. In this story, Andersen talks about the difficulty of anxiety and the trouble over thinking can cause in one’s life:

…At times I can be like a robot suffering a severe malfunction. My brain glitches. […] These glitches are so, so painful. And, thanks to my good ole buddy Overthinking, the glitches continue to haunt me long after they’ve happened.
(Andersen, 76-77)

I found this part relatable as someone who deals with anxiety and depression. When things go wrong, it gets stuck in my head and sometimes will work me up into stammering while in my head I am convinced something is or will go wrong.

In addition, Andersen takes a change from her usual comic format by including three long form stories that include comics. These stories continue the themes that carry throughout Andersen’s comics by talking about anxiety, learning that it’s okay to like things that everyone else likes, and the importance of a boyfriend’s sweater. These stories balance prose and comics well with the included comics by having the comics elaborate with Andersen’s prose sections.

In conclusion, Andersen’s Big Mushy Happy Lump is a book with reading. While continuing to provide comics that have been popular among her readers, Andersen also gives her audience a new format that is still in the spirit of the rest of the book but also different enough to make it memorable. If you are a fan of Andersen’s work, Big Mushy Happy Lump is a book that you will enjoy.

For more of Sarah Andersen’s work check out:

Official Website: http://sarahcandersen.com/

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SarahsScribbles/posts#/_=_

Illustrative Work: http://www.sarahandersenart.com/

**All art used in this post are the property of Sarah Andersen and her respected associates.**

Sources

Andersen, Sara. Big Mushy Happy Lump. Kansas City: Andrews McMeel Publishing. 2017.

Something Old, Something New: A look at the updated Edition of Brian Sibley’s The Thomas the Tank Engine Man

*The Thomas the Tank Engine Man*
By Brian Sibley
(2015 Edition)

Of all the things that were a part of my childhood, Thomas the Tank Engine stands out as having a major part. I’m sure there are many who would say the same. I was in grade four when I learned about the Rev. W. Awdry, the Anglican priest who crafted these stories about the little blue tank engine all those years ago. In 1995, Brian Sibley compiled and wrote The Thomas the Tank Engine Man, a book that informed those who had grown up with the Railway Series about the Rev. W. Awdry and how he created the books that brought us Thomas the Tank Engine. Twenty years later in 2015, just in time for the 70^th anniversary of the Railway Series, Lion Hudson Ltd. came published an updated edition of The Thomas the Tank Engine Man. My question is, does the updated book hold up with the original publication? Well, just keep reading this blog and find out!

*The Thomas the Tank Engine Man*
By Brian Sibley
(1995 Edition)

Brian Sibley’s The Thomas the Tank Engine Man tells us about the life of the Rev. Wilbert Vere Awdry. From exploring the family history of the Awdrys to the origins of some of the greatest moments in the Railway Series and the beginning of the television series Thomas the Tank Engine. Sibley follows a simple timeline of the Rev. Awdry’s life while providing moments that highlight the kind hearted, ecclesiastical vicar while also providing quotes from the reverend himself who was interviewed for the book over twenty years ago. All this is tied together by a thesis presented as a question by Brian Sibley’s colleague, John Forrest: “Do you know anything about the Thomas the Tank Engine man” (Sibley, 11, 2015; Sibley, 5, 1995)? This simple question fits well with the book and still holds up today. Everyone is so familiar with the character Thomas the tank engine, his coaches Annie and Clarabelle, Percy, Gordon, Henry, Toby, Edward and others but few know about the kindly clergyman who told these stories to his son seventy-one years ago.

The overall writing of this book was well done. It’s difficult to compare the updated edition from the original publication when both editions have the exact text. The only differing part is the 2015 edition features an epilogue that updates the reader on what has occurred since the original publication in 1995. This add on, though necessary, feels a bit rushed. This section is covering almost twenty years of information, this including the passing of the Rev. W. Awdry and the continuation of Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. It felt much more like a laundry list of events, a very different way from the flowing narrative that is seen in the preceding part of the book. It would have made better sense to up date the previous chapter to 1997 and the have the epilogue cover the years after, that way the finale isn’t squished with concluding the life of the Rev. Awdry, the final books of the Railway Series and the continued momentum of the television series. Despite this short coming, the epilogue is definitely informative and still well written.

My major issue with The Thomas the tank Engine Man was the aesthetics of the book. This can be quite apparent from the covers of the book (as seen above). On the whole, both editions follow the same set up: a collage of different aspects of the Reverend Awdry and Thomas the Tank Engine, both doing this in differing ways. While the adage don’t judge a book by its cover is true in many instances, the book cover still has to convey some level of connection to the content inside. The cover of the 1995 edition concentrates on the “man”, providing images of Awdry, various images from his life, the original drawings from when the stories were originally written for his son Christopher, and the original model of Thomas the tank Engine (spoilers: he looks nothing like the one you grew up with!). The 2015 edition concentrates on the “Thomas the tank Engine” part, showing mainly images from books in the Railway Series and Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends.

Personally, I prefer the 1995 cover more. The book is looking at the figure behind the tank engine. By 1995, Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends was already over shadowing the Railway Series, not enough that the books were no longer out of print (the books ending in 1996 with two follow ups in 2007 and 2011) but it was definitely taking over as what children pictured the Reverend’s famous engines.

In conclusion, Brian Sibley’s book The Thomas the Tank Engine Man is a great read for anyone who grew up with Thomas the Tank Engine. It is well written and provides insight into the creation of Thomas the Tank Engine and his friends. Though the epilogue is a little flawed and the cover art is not to my personal taste, The Thomas the Tank Engine Man is a book worth picking up.

Bibliography

“The Thomas the Tank Engine Man.” Thomas the Tank Engine Wikia. Accessed June 21, 2016. http://ttte.wikia.com/wiki/The_Thomas_the_Tank_Engine_Man.

Diyfather. “The Father of Thomas the Tank Engine.” YouTube. 2010. Accessed June 21, 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MT31slIrwxQ.

Sibley, Brian. The Thomas the Tank Engine Man. London: William Heinmann Ltd. 1995.

—. The Thomas the Tank Engine Man. Oxford: Lion Hudson Ltd. 2015.

Adulting Never felt so Weird: A Review of Sara Andersen’s Adulthood is a Myth

This in November 2016, I had my 25^th birthday (yeah, just put all the cards and presents in the corner over there). On that milestone, I look at all my friends and I see some of them getting their own places, having kids, getting married, etc., while I’m still mulling by with two punches away from a free sub (goody!). It’s stuff like that makes me begin to wonder what this whole adulthood thing is about. Am I even adulating the way I ought to be? Are there certain benchmarks I’m supposed to be reaching by now? Boomers and X-er’s constantly tell us how “Back in my day, when I was your age, I had a job, a house, and [insert thing here].” Now I’m not trying to go into start an argument over which generation is more horrible (you guys know how to do that on your own), I just find myself asking more of those questions when I hear that sort of thing.

Over last year and this year, I’ve become a fan of the webcomic series Sara’s Scribbles by artist Sarah Andersen. These delightful comics follow the day-to-day life of the character Sarah, as she deals with entering the new world of adulthood. These escapades range from love, socializing with people (ugh), and the trials that adulthood and life likes to throw at you. With her boyfriend or pet bunny by her side, Sara faces the world head on, with an air of anxiety and melodrama. Recently, Andersen has published a selection of her comics into a book entitled Adulthood is a Myth.

The greatest strength that Andersen’s comics have is their relatability between the work and the audience. Many of these comics deal with things that you and I face in some form or another. I’ve always had some connection to the book oriented comics that Andersen draws periodically, these include the love of smelling books and prioritising my money to buy them. I find a connection with these examples because I have a love – teetering on obsession at times – for books. Going even further, Sarah’s interactions with the world around her shows how much of a joke the concept of adulthood is just by the fact that she is still childish in her reactions to certain situations, a thing we all can relate with.

In closing, I highly recommend Sarah Andersen’s webcomic series and even her book Adulthood is a Myth. The character Sarah is someone we can see and think to ourselves “That’s totally me!” and good laugh out of our follies. At the same time, it softens the idea that adulthood is this black monster that need you to give up on what makes you… you… by saying “hey, don’t worry, adulthood is a myth so have some fun and enjoy yourself!” For that, Sarah Andersen – if you are reading this – I thank you for that up lifting message.

If you want to check out more:

Official Website: http://sarahcandersen.com/

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SarahsScribbles/posts#/_=_

Illustrative Work: http://www.sarahandersenart.com/

**All art used in this post are the property of Sarah Andersen and her respected associates.**

Bibliography

“Robot Check.” Robot Check. Accessed November 23, 2016. https://www.amazon.ca/Adulthood-Myth-Sarahs-Scribbles-Collection/dp/1449474195.

“Sarah’s Scribbles.” Sarah’s Scribbles. Accessed November 23, 2016. http://sarahcandersen.com/.

Andersen, Sarah. Adulthood is a Myth. Kansas City: Andrews McMeel Publishing. 2016.

Andersen, Sarah. “Sarah’s Scribbles.” Pinterest. Accessed November 23, 2016. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/401735229239719070/.