By Lori Hope Baumel

Originally appeared in Around Wellington Magazine on April 1, 2014

I don’t check Facebook that frequently (as it can be habit forming), but it is a wonderful way to stay in touch with my high school friends. Needless to say, it was a high school friend that shared the post below. At first I didn’t think much about it. I read it and went on with my day. Later on, the words kept coming back to me.

How fortunate I was to have experienced the transition from the telephone cord era to the digital age. When I was in college, music arranging and orchestration were among the many subjects I studied for my music degree. I spent countless hours copying the parts for musicians to be able to perform my compositions. I developed a callous on my finger where my pencil rested. Writing out parts was extremely tedious and tiring. Occasionally, I’d copy a music note incorrectly – causing me great embarrassment in rehearsal. In my wildest dreams I never imagined that one day I would be creating my orchestrations on a computer, and with the touch of an “enter” key the musician’s individual parts would pop out of my wireless printer. To top it off, with the help of digitized instruments, I can hear my pieces in advance prior to rehearsal and performance. This has greatly improved my creative process.

Music students today are fortunate to have the digital jump-start I didn’t have access to. Do I miss writing out those parts? NO! Do I miss the excitement of hearing a work for the first time with full orchestra, jazz band or choir? Yes. What can be learned from this ever-changing era of instantaneous satisfaction? You want a song? Download it. You want to watch a movie? Stream it. Admittedly, I am thrilled that I can do all of the above. But, gone are the days of getting a wrapped gift on your birthday shaped like a record. Of course, we’d always sarcastically say, “Let me guess… it’s a record,” prior to opening it. Those born a bit later than me will one day lament for the same, but the memory will be in the shape of a CD. Now, when asked what I want for my birthday it’s always the same answer: an iTunes card.

My greatest error in judgment about the foreseeable future occurred in about 1982. I had to write a music soundtrack for a corporate film about a computer system called Prodigy. It was a system that you could actually use at home to peruse and shop for goods and services. I said to myself, “This’ll never fly.” Boy, was I wrong! Well, maybe partially. Prodigy didn’t last very long but home computing changed everything about the way we work and live.

In this fast paced digital world I often feel like there is so much to learn and do that it actually stops me in my tracks. I get perplexed and it stifles me! What should I do first? Watch a tutorial on a software upgrade? Tweak my photography with Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom? Write a soundtrack for a short video I edited and post it to YouTube… listen to an audiobook… or simply ride the bicycle I ordered online. Hopefully, if the weather is beautiful, I’ll choose the bike ride.

The best way to handle the changes occurring so quickly is to grow with it. Keep the “analog” that pleases you in your life. Go to “live” concerts by downloading the tickets in advance. Investigate museum websites and explore the exhibits that might interest you. Make a dinner reservation on OpenTable and, after dinner, stop by a Karaoke bar and sing your heart out. Blend the beauty of what we have from yesterday with the tools of tomorrow.

Now if I could only get the computer to do my laundry? Hmmm, a laundry washing app. Nah, that idea will never fly… or will it?

Live… Go… Do!

Top 5 For April 2014

1) Read: The AMC interview with Milton Glaser

Get out your elephant pants… Mad Men is Back!

Iconic artist, Milton Glaser, creator of the I Love New York logo, Bob Dylan’s Greatest Hits album poster, the DC Comics logo and much more has designed the new Mad Men poster for season 7. You know what I’ll be watching on Sunday night, April 13th.

Read about Milton Glaser’s creative process at:

http://blogs.amctv.com/mad-men/2014/03/qa-milton-glaser-designer-of-mad-mens-season-7-key-art/Never see a Mad Men episode? To catch up on missed episodes go to:

http://www.amctv.com/shows/mad-men/where-to-watch2) Go to:

The 19th Annual Palm Beach International Film Festival 

April 3-April 10, 2014Eight days of films from around the globe, industry panels, seminars, student filmmaking programs, network opportunities and gala events all set against the background of our tropical South Florida beaches, waterways and venues. Admission is $10
For film listings and venues see: www.pbifilmfest.org or call 561-362-0003

3) Attend a concert at: Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton

Enjoy a splendid evening of classical, romantic, and modern masterworks from Europe and America. Krisztina Kover, FAU Instructor of Music, will be the featured piano soloist for Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 12 in A Major. Other works include “Papillon”, based on themes from Jerry Goldsmith’s music for the film, arranged by FAU Associate Professor Alejandro Sánchez-Samper; Allegro non troppo from Brahms Symphony No. 2; Verdi I Vespri Siciliani Overtur; and J. Strauss Jr.’s Thunder and Lightning Polka. Tickets $10 at www.fauevents.com

Classical Guitar Society
Sun/Apr. 6/ 3 pm, directed by Ken Keaton. Classical Guitar Society. The Society presents guitar solos and chamber music by FAU students and faculty. Suggested $10 donation at the door.

The FAU Wind Ensemble opens this powerful concert with Above and Beyond, a new work for winds from one of the great musical minds of our time, Gerard Schwarz. Darius Milhaud’s jazz-influenced Le Creation du Monde then paves the way for the David Maslanka’s epic and emotional A Child’s Garden of Dreams. Suggested $10 donation at the door.

FAU Choral Ensembles
Saturday, April 12 at 7 pm Conducted by Patricia P. Fleitas and Stacie Lee Rossow.
FAU’s Chamber Singers, Women’s Chorus and ¡Cantemos! present a variety of choral works in this exciting blend of master works and new music. Suggested $10 donation at the door.

For more information about all concerts go to: www.fau.edu/music/mp_concert_season.php

4) See a play or hear a lecture at: Palm Beach Dramaworks in West Palm Beach:

Times are tough for the Gordon family in this funny, astute play, but the matriarch of the clan has no intention of dividing her 100-year-old estate – even if her greedy children have other ideas.

The author of The House of Bernarda Alba and Blood Wedding was a liberal rebel against Spanish society who was captured and killed by Franco’s brigade. Completely banned in his homeland until decades after his death, Federico Garcia Lorca ultimately would become known as one of the greatest Spanish dramatists – A presentation by Mark Perlberg.
For tickets and more information go to: www.palmbeachdramaworks.org

5) Plan a visit to:

For those curious about the sport of polo, past, present or future, the Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame is a rich repository for the story of American polo. The Museum is home to an extensive collection of historic documents and physical treasures which include extraordinary works of art, magnificent trophies, artifacts, books, statistical records, periodicals, films, videos, recordings and polo memorabilia. The Museum is dedicated to the preservation of the grand history and tradition of the sport of polo for the generations of the future.

A multimedia theater is a part of the Museum that features important films and videos of the sport and the library contains many books, journals, magazines, statistical and written records, all of which are available for research. Every year, new and exciting exhibits are added to the Museum that are of interest to players and fans of the sport.

A permanent and newly renovated exhibit, a polo timeline of sorts, is a fascinating journey from the roots of polo which originated in Asia over 2,600 years ago, through the decades of its evolution in America, to its present day status as a worldwide sport. Polo has survived and continues to flourish owing much to the enduring relationship of human and horse that is celebrated in this exhibit. Other newly added exhibits include fascinating elements of polo such as “The Polo Pony; An Extraordinary Athlete,” The History of the Westchester Cup, Women in Polo, Ten Goal Players, Arena Polo, Horses To Remember Portraits with push-and- play information, Best Playing Ponies, and the sweeping history of the “Super Bowl” of polo in America, the United States Open and much more.

Also in the Museum, visitors can explore the Hall of Fame area, and reflect on the many magnificent trophies dating from the 1880’s around the time of the birth of polo in America. – Taken from the Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame Website

For More information go to: www.polomuseum.com

 

By Lori Hope Baumel

Originally appeared in Around Wellington Magazine on March 1, 2014

Artists and their creative methods have always fascinated me. Recently, I spoke with Erik Kučera, an artist who came to this country to pursue his dreams. His imaginative philosophy is intriguing. I thought it would be a breath of fresh air to pass his thoughts along to our Around Wellington readers.

“I am an artist because to be anything else would be untrue. Through my art I hope to bring awareness to situations in the world which are not always so easy to talk about or even read about.” – Erik Kučera

Erik Kučera is an award-winning artist born in Slovakia and is now currently living in Palm Beach. Erik has been working in the art industry for over 20 years, working successfully as a goldsmith and jeweler in Europe until finding his passion in the visual arts in drawing, painting and sculpting. Since then, Kučera has exhibited in over 200 solo and group shows around the world.

– Erik Kučera (a segment from the artist’s statement)

LHB: Why do you do what you do?

EK: No matter what I have done, I have always had the desire to do something creative. There is something in me, which pushes me to never stop, to always keep experimenting, testing and constantly bringing in new materials and techniques into my work. I can’t imagine ever doing anything else.

It is a wonderful feeling for me to be able to see the fruits of my labor. I love to see how people react… and I share in their joy and surprise as they look at my work. For me, the highlight is to see how kids react. It gives me great pleasure to see that I can create something that makes them so happy.

I love to dream and then show my dreams to others. There are times when my work can be stressful, when there are the pressures of deadlines or when materials don’t behave the way you wish they would… still, I would not change my job for any other.

LHB: What inspires you?

EK: Everything around me can suddenly become an inspiration. More often than not, it will often be something from a machine or technology that inspires me, which one can easily see from the majority of work that I create. There is often a very strong influence of Gematria [Hebrew numerology], astronomy and history combined together. The ideas come quickly. First, I think of what I want to create. Thereafter, I think about how I want it to look and how I will go about creating it. As I work, I must always listen to music. It keeps my spirits high and takes me to the place I need to be to create what is in my soul.

LHB: What materials do you prefer to use?

EK: In the beginning, I only created works on paper with marker. It was simple and it was good, but soon the paper was not big enough for me. I had to move to canvas or wood just to try to satiate my ever-growing appetite for size. I also love to recycle items and use them in new and challenging ways. Attempting to combine materials that don’t normally fit together is a wonderful way to do so. The amazing thing is that when you pull it off, you can create a symbiotic effect between the materials – which is more expressive than with just one material alone.

LHB: Do you have a common theme?

EK: All of my pieces center on carefully planned details of my interpretation of themes… and thoughts that I want to express. In nearly every work I have done you will find two signature aspects: my checkered pattern and technical elements.

The design is where I start. It is the seed that I have sown and has flourished into everything that comes thereafter. The checkered pattern bends and moves and changes colors. It creates depth and movement and gives the onlooker the feeling as if they are always moving deeper into my images. I have coined a term for my designs: Surreallations. In addition, I almost always combine a technical element to my works. It can be parts of a machine, plumbing, a battery, etc. It gives my piece a feeling of completion.

LHB: Please explain your term “Surreallations” in more detail.

EK: Surreallations is the illusion of movement and depth in design. I created this concept many years ago and have continued to expand upon it with each new piece. Surreallations is an intense checkered pattern that changes color, depth, speed and shape. It is my intention that, with a subtle peripheral look, the average person will be able to spot “a Kučera” through its familiar Surreallation design.

LHB: What is special and/or different about your works of art?

EK: One of the motivating factors in my design is to express themes and stories in new and imaginative ways. When I take ideas – such as those from Kabbalah or Ayurveic* healing – I don’t just try to make an old idea better. Rather, I try to create a new story with my own technique and combine images from the world of my own imagination. I always try to create something positive in my own way; images that will make people stop and think… to evoke feelings of joy and pleasure – never to cause sadness or depression. I don’t know anyone who would want to look at gloomy images. I don’t.

* Ayurveic: a 5,000-year-old system of natural healing.

Erik Kučera’s works are on display and for sale through various galleries and exhibitions all over the world. The artist offers originals or limited edition artist embellished Giclée prints via his website. For more information go to:

modernity.us.comTo see the piece Mr. Kučera has on display at Palm Beach International Airport go to:

www.pbcgov.com/fdo/art/exhibitions/ArtAtAirport.htmTo see videos related to Erik Kučera’s work go to:

www.youtube.com/user/ModernityArtLive… Go… Do!

Top 5 For March 2014

1) Read:

The future belongs to a different kind of person with a different kind of mind: artists, inventors, storytellers-creative and holistic “right-brain” thinkers whose abilities mark the fault line between who gets ahead and who doesn’t. Drawing on research from around the world, Pink outlines the six fundamentally human abilities that are absolute essentials for professional success and personal fulfillment–and reveals how to master them. A Whole New Mind takes readers to a daring new place, and a provocative and necessary new way of thinking about a future that’s already here. – A Whole New Mind description, Amazon.com

2) The Norton Museum Presents:

A Major Retrospective of Designer David Webb’s Jewelry, 1960-1975

Exhibition Features Mid-Century Designs,

Including Bejeweled Animals and Pieces Owned by Jacqueline Kennedy

David Webb: Society’s Jeweler will bring together 80 extraordinary examples of Webb’s jewelry from necklaces and rings to pieces made in hammered gold, jade, coral, enamel, and precious stones. The exhibition will also feature preparatory drawings and special displays that offer behind-the-scenes insights into the making of Webb’s jewelry, as well as photographs, magazine spreads, and advertisements that demonstrate the taste-making position Webb held in American high society. The exhibition is on view through April 13, 2014. – Norton Press Release.

3) Celebrate Spring at The Morikami’s largest event:

The 35th annual Hatsume Fair promises to be a spectacular event for the entire family! Celebrating the first bud of spring, Hatsume, the Morikami’s largest annual event, transforms the normally tranquil Morikami Park into a unique Japanese spring festival. The event will feature multiple stages of continuous entertainment where guests can experience taiko drumming performances, martial art and bonsai demonstrations, a costume contest, fashion show, and much more! Avenues of artisan booths, anime dealers, plant sales, Asian and American food vendors, the Kirin Beer Garden, children’s activities and a bonsai exploration area will also be featured and are sure to delight festival-goers. – Morikami Website

Morikami Museum and Japanese GardensSaturday, March 29th and Sunday, March 30th

11 am to 6 pm

4000 Morikami Park Road, Delray Beach, FL
Phone: 561-495-0233

Admission: $15 for adults, $10 for children ages 10 and under;
FREE for museum members ages 3 and under.

4) Experience World Class Dressage in Wellington:

The Adequan Global Dressage Festival offers a wide range of competitions to suit both the amateur and professional rider. The circuit offers eleven weeks of National USDF-sanctioned competitions, with conveniently scheduled training, young horse, young rider, amateur, open and a full range of Small and Large Tour and Para events. Each CDI Weekend features the FEI Grand Prix Freestyle on a Friday evening, under the lights, offering a unique international and festive atmosphere for riders, owners and spectators alike. In 2014, competition prize money over the entire circuit will offer more than $300,000.00, making the Adequan Global Dressage Festival one of the richest dressage circuits on the globe.

For the calendar of events and more information see:

www.globaldressagefestival.com5) Save The Date:

Friday, April 4th and Saturday April 5th7:30 – 10:30 PM

Curated by Lisa Rockford, Outside The Box is the second biennial exhibition of outdoor, site-specific art in Palm Beach County, FL. This unique and alternative format, situated at the uniquely prestigious Whitespace – The Mordes Collection, features innovative contemporary artists that will interact with the unique landscape & outdoor environment. Artists in South Florida working in installation art, mixed media, sculpture, video art, new media, sound, and performance will be included in this exhibition. A piece by our featured artist, Erik Kučera, will be included in this collection. For more information go to:

www.whitespacecollection.com/outsidethebox2014.html

By Lori Hope Baumel

Originally appeared in Around Wellington Magazine on February 1, 2014

“Peoples is peoples… frogs is peoples”

– From the film The Muppets Take Manhattan

As your cultural arts columnist since April 2013, I have been fortunate to meet a wide variety of noted artists, performers, writers, curators and other well-known personalities that I would not have had the opportunity to converse with without my press pass. Of course, meeting creative people is what interests me most about writing for this column.

In December, I wrote several articles about the Miami Book Fair International (MBFI). The interviews were conducted by appointment either by telephone or in the pressroom on the day I went to the fair. I found that the authors at the MBFI were just as nervous about meeting me as I was of them. Of course, as a member of the press, I intended to reprint their thoughts and comments as accurately as possible. Too often the media twists their words and intentions causing a tremendous mistrust between interviewee and interviewer. Granted, that really is something to be nervous about.

On the other hand, I did not want to appear ignorant. I chose my questions carefully and assured each author that the purpose of my interview was to promote their work and get to know them better. In this case, I had the luxury of choosing authors whose work I enjoyed and admired. To me, they were celebrities. Admittedly, I was slightly starstruck. But after I finished my seventh interview I was reminded of the fact that they’re “just people.” We all snacked from the same buffet together and washed up in the same restroom. I realized that “going on the road” to promote their work was just part of their job.

The more people I meet, the more places I experience, the more I satisfy my insatiable curiosities about life. I ground myself by reflecting on the fact that everything that surrounds me, beautiful or otherwise came from the minds and physical labor of people. People like you and me.

Carolyn Stanford, vocal coach and professor at the University of Miami had a plaque on her studio wall that read, “The longer I live, the longer I live.” During my undergraduate training, I visited her studio once or twice a week as a piano accompanist for some of her students. Occasionally, I’d gaze at the plaque. It was placed next to several photographs depicting her days as a world-renowned opera singer. In my younger days, I didn’t take those words very seriously, but as time passed, I started to get it… “The longer I live, the longer I live.” Over the years, I appreciate learning and traveling much more. I am in constant amazement of those who can cultivate their talents and share them with me. I have also learned that “famous” doesn’t necessarily mean talented and talent doesn’t necessarily bring you fame.

For a majority of notable figures, fame and notoriety have a very short shelf life. Opera singers hone their craft until they are about 35 years old and, if they are lucky, they are privileged to perform at their peak for about 20 years. After that, they often teach within a system of higher education. Then there are the one-hit wonders, a term occasionally used to refer to an artist, who is best known for a single work. Examples in literature include Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill A Mockingbird and author Margaret Mitchell whose first and only novel was Gone With The Wind. Did their careers fail, or did they simply reach their goal and felt satisfied?

In this column I will leave you with questions instead of answers:

What are you noted for? Do you have a talent of your own? Do you run an organized household? Are you a creative cook? Are you a loving parent or grandparent? What are you proud of? What are you passionate about – what puts a fire in your belly? Does it necessarily bring you fame and fortune or simply put a roof over your head and food on your table… does it matter?

Whom do you want to be most proud of you? Is it your parents, friends, children or grandchildren? If you can achieve the goal of making as many of the people you value appreciate your talents, then you have your own circle of fame and notoriety.

Remember, people are just people.

Exude confidence. Put your chin up. Put your shoulders back… You’re on!

 

Live… Go… Do!

************The following video (edited exclusively for Around Wellington) includes excerpts from my interviews with authors Mitch Albom, Delia Ephron and Greg Bellow (son of the late Saul Bellow). Fascinating thoughts from fascinating people. Enjoy!

The following video, A Conversation With Inaugural Poet, Richard Blanco contains excerpts from our interview. Mr. Blanco reflects on poetry and how it affects the reader or listener. He also discusses the importance of diversity.

Mr. Blanco read his poem “One Today” at the inauguration ceremony in January 2013. To see Mr. Blanco read One Today on January 20, 2013:

Top 5 List For February 2014

February is a short month; we’re going to keep it simple. Time to reflect – stay close to home. Appreciate what we have here in our own Wellington winter haven. Most importantly, it’s gorgeous out. Be with people. Go outside and play!

1) Take in a Polo Match:

“International Polo Club Palm Beach is a return to the way the game of polo is meant to be enjoyed, where polo players and fans of all ages can gather together in a world-class venue for the sport and the lifestyle. Located in the heart of South Florida’s legendary horse country, International Polo Club Palm Beach is a world-class polo club designed to showcase the finest the sport has to offer. Beginning Sunday, January 5th, thousands of fans will be on hand to kick-off the 2014 Polo Season at International Polo Club Palm Beach. The season will feature a series of renowned polo tournaments attracting the world’s finest players. The line-up includes such prestigious high-goal competitions as the Joe Barry Memorial Cup, Ylvisaker Cup and Piaget USPA Gold Cup®, culminating with the playing of the coveted 110th Maserati U.S. Open Polo Championship®. We invite you to experience some of the best polo in the world taking place at one of the most beautiful clubs in the world.” – IPC Website

For the calendar of events see: www.internationalpoloclub.com 

2) Hop over to:

 

3) It’s Movie time!

Rent, download or view on Netflix:

For the kids: The Muppets Take Manhattan – The film’s dialogue and message remains the same for both children and adults. “Peoples is Peoples.” See it before the new Muppet Most Wanted movie comes out on March 21, 2014.

For the Grown ups: Watch Gone With The Wind again! Before The Butler or 12 Years A Slave, this epic was a social commentary ahead of its time. I saw parts of it recently on AMC and couldn’t tear myself away from the screen.

Then be sure to get out to the movie theaters and see the Oscar contenders. The Academy Awards will be airing on Sunday evening March 2, 2014

 

4) Read: something old, perhaps To Kill A Mockingbird – and then read something new…

I particularly enjoy reading Mr. Albom’s books when en route to a new city. His stories are page-turners and make a plane ride go by very quickly. This month I urge you to grab a copy of The Last Call From Heaven and sit on your patio, near a pool or beach and enjoy the fresh air while you read.

Also: As mentioned previously, see my interview with Mitch Albom at:

 

5) Listen:

… To some of your old records (yes, records), CD’s, or MP3’s that used to make you feel like singing out loud at the top of your lungs or dance in your living room. Get out and go for a run and listen to an old playlist on iTunes. Ask yourself, “Are these still great songs?” Does the music still evoke the same emotions in me that it used to?” Besides production quality, ask yourself, “Have I changed as much as the music has?” Think about who you were then and what you have accomplished since.

 

6) Bonus – one “extra” this month! Go on a photo safari at:

Okeeheelee Nature Center:Bring your “point and shoot” or fancy DSLR and try your hand at photographing the foliage and natural habitats at Okeeheelee Nature Center.

“Okeeheelee Nature Center features 2.5 miles of trails winding through 90 acres of pine flatwoods and wetlands. Highlights of the center include hands-on exhibits, animal encounters and a nature related gift shop. Marvel at our birds of prey, touch a live snake or prowl for owls during one of our many programs scheduled throughout the year for families, youth and adults.” – pbcgov.com website

For information and hours of operation see:
http://www.pbcgov.com/parks/nature/okeeheelee_nature_center/#.UtcgDvZVpM0And, for some good old-fashioned non-digital fun, enjoy all that Okeeheelee Park has to offer. This park is one of the gems of the Western Communities. For more information see:

www.pbcgov.com/parks/locations/okeeheelee.htm#.UtcfgfZVpM1

 

By Lori Hope Baumel

Originally appeared in Around Wellington Magazine on January 1, 2014

Doris Kearns Goodwin         Photo courtesy of MBFI

“There’s nothing that tells you more about what a person’s life might have been like than seeing a house in which they lived.”

                                                       – Doris Kearns Goodwin

On November 22, 2013 I had the privilege of interviewing Pulitzer Prize winning author Doris Kearns Goodwin, one of the leading presidential historians of our era, via telephone. Her book, The Bully Pulpit, an accounting of the relationship between Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and William H. Taft had recently been released. The very next day she flew in to Miami for the Miami Book Fair International (MBFI) to participate in a panel discussion with A. Scott Berg, author of the new book entitled Wilson.

LHB: What aspect of the MBFI is most appealing to you?

DKG: I think what makes it so much fun and, I’ve done it before… there’s such an energy, an excitement and a chance to meet your fellow authors who are all in various places – and somehow you do run into them. Particularly, in this case, I’m going to be in conversation with Scott Berg, the writer of the Wilson biography. He’s an old friend of mine. I saw him last in California during the award ceremonies for Lincoln. I think we’re looking forward to the chance to do this together. I think that underwrites the whole idea that I know what an extraordinary festival it is. To have so many people coming and so many different authors running from one place to another – you feel the energy and excitement of the whole event.

LHB: What question do you want those who attend your panel discussion to be asking themselves upon leaving your presentation?

DKG: What a great question. I think, hopefully, what they will get from the presentation is my own passion and desire to have created a story, a series of stories actually, about these men and women who lived during the progressive era. I’m hoping that they’ll want to hear the story… delve into it so that period can come alive for them the way it has for me. I would hope that after I give them a sense of what drew me to the story that they themselves will come back to me and say, “I feel drawn into this story too and I’d like to learn more about it.”

LHB: There has been a multitude of books written on Teddy Roosevelt, but The Bully Pulpit has a fresh unique perspective covering his relationship with Taft, their wives, the press and, of course, Archie Butt. I know the cast of characters you had to choose from. Besides Roosevelt and Taft, which character in the book were you most fascinated or intrigued by?

DKG: There are probably two answers to that.

One is that there are three women in the book that attracted my continuing fascination. They each chose, in a different way, how a woman could find her own desires and ambitions met in that period of time. Edith Roosevelt becomes a more traditional wife and mother and finds a deep sense of satisfaction in the family. Nellie Taft, [becomes] an actual partner of Will Taft as his political campaign manager [and] his speechwriter… Ida Tarbell, deciding she could not marry in her own right and still have [her career], becoming the most famous journalist of her era. Those three women – each making a choice differently, depending on what they thought was possible for them in their era – really struck a chord with me.

But, if I had to choose one person, rather than the three of them, and you mentioned him, it would be Archie Butt. The idea that this military aide to both Teddy and Taft was able to chronicle the heartbreak of their rupture (because he was so close to both) and write letters to his family every day, great letters… that’s the treasure of being a historian… you’re looking over their shoulders at their writing at the end of a day. So I guess I would say, besides Teddy and Taft, that the triple women and Archie Butt struck a chord in my heart.

LHB: That’s interesting; I thought you would have said S. S. McClure, the editor of McClure magazine.

DKG: That’s who I probably would have said. It’s really interesting. Your mentioning of Archie Butt just got to me.

LHB: Good!

DKG: I’m sure, with anybody else, I would have said McClure. There is something about Archie Butt’s character, especially knowing that he comes back from his vacation on the Titanic. His death is such a blow to Taft and really, again, shadows his presidency.

LHB: I have visited Teddy Roosevelt’s birthplace in Gramercy Park (NYC) many times over the years. The docents there are exceptional. Did you have access to that facility for your research?

DKG: Yes, indeed. I love going to the houses. There’s nothing that tells you more about what a person’s life might have been like than seeing a house in which they lived. To be able to go there and see the formal parlor as they had it then and to see that, eventually, they worked in the back – in the patio… where he could exercise so that his asthma would be able to deal with a body that could help to make him stronger.

The whole atmosphere of that period of time, where Edith lived nearby him… I’ve been there a number of times. You’re right, the docents there become as if they’re living in the house at the same time. They tell you details… there was one little chair – I guess most of the chairs had horsehair on them so they weren’t that comfortable. [His parents] made a little chair that had a different kind of texture on it so he’d be comfortable. Maybe velvet? [The docents] know things that you don’t know and you feel like, in their presence, that you learn something every time you go.

LHB: … and the unusual amount of affection given to Teddy and his siblings (by his parents) during the Victorian era. Both of his parents actually shared a room and the children rooms were on the same floor. It reflected what is described in your book, how Teddy wasn’t afraid to hug his children upon stepping off a ship (after a post – presidential trip to Europe). I thought back to the docent who told me how warm Teddy’s parents were. Looking at the setup of their bedrooms, they broke all precedence from the generations before.

DKG: Wow! You have just taught me something. You’re absolutely right. I know about the warmth. They were an unusually expressive family. They did hug each other. They could talk about loving each other… and you’re right, it’s that Victorian era, where normally the parents and the children are separated. Even in terms of structure, where the house is and the servants are somewhere else… there’s not [usually] that open display of affection. But, I hadn’t thought about it in terms of the house itself and the bedrooms being close together.

LHB: During that era, they usually had the father’s private entrance, quite frankly, should he want to bring up a “guest” right at the top of the steps. At the other end of the hallway was the wife’s bedroom and they would “visit” each other upon occasion. That was tradition… But Theodore Roosevelt Sr. loved his wife so much that they shared a bedroom and kept the children’s rooms near them on the second floor (of the brownstone). Also, on the first floor of TR’s birthplace, there’s a museum. It has items like the thick speech that was in Teddy’s pocket that helped him dodge a bullet… and a picture of his wife Edith campaigning for Herbert Hoover against “cousin” Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

DKG: I’m so glad you told me that… that is great!

LHB: I’m a fan of Audible.com and I preordered The Bully Pulpit (narrated by Edward Herrmann) before it was released. Obviously, it’s a very big business.

DKG: I think it’s going to become bigger and bigger and the great thing is, as I talk to people in publishing, that a lot of people are going to want to have both the book [and the audiobook]. If they get up to a certain point and they are going on a trip they can then follow [the story] in the car. [There are so many] modern ways of reading the book: listening, podcasting or watching it on your computer. If they could absorb the story in different ways – either reading or listening – I think it’s all for the good.

LHB: The only thing missing from the audiobook is the illustrations.

DKG: I suppose that’s right.

LHB: … so I’m going to pick up a copy of The Bully Pulpit at the book fair! But, I’m listening to my “mind movie” [the audio book] already.

DKG: That’s a great way of calling it… “Mind movies.”

LHB: You certainly are the presidential historian of our era. Teddy Roosevelt was one of the presidents whose face was placed on Mount Rushmore. How well do you think the presidents on Mount Rushmore would have gotten along?

DKG: [Hearty laugh]. Well, he would argue with Jefferson, I think, because he believed that government and federal government have to deal with the social problems of the day. Jefferson would have believed in a more limited role of government even though as president he did exercise the powers of the government. I think [TR] and Washington would have been fine.

LHB: Although their personalities were very different.

DKG: Absolutely… and I’d like to think that Lincoln and Teddy would have gotten along. Teddy adored Lincoln… read all of Nicolay and Hay’s biographies – that many volume series. [He] quoted Lincoln, thought about Lincoln a lot. I’m sure Lincoln would be the peacemaker of all of them.

LHB: If you were to put a fifth face on Mount Rushmore, I have a feeling I know the answer to this, who would it be?

DKG: It would be Franklin Roosevelt.

LHB: That’s what I thought. I just got a 100% on my test! Last question…
I am a published music composer, but I don’t solely listen to my own music… What book are you currently reading?

DKG: I read mysteries at night. Somebody just gave me Sherlock Holmes mysteries in short story form. I’ve read Mary Higgins Clark [and] Elizabeth George. When I go to bed at night I just want something that I can read for twenty minutes and go to sleep. Now that I’m finished with this book, after the book tour, I’m going to embark on a serious reading program again because normally I have to read the books that relate to what I’m doing during the day. I’m really looking forward, probably to fiction, once this is over.

LHB: Wonderful.

DKG: Oh, this was such a great treat for me. I’ll see you down there [at the MBFI]… come by and make sure I see you! This was so much fun. I will forever now remember your understanding of the house [TR’s birthplace] and it’s structure… so thank you very, very much.

LHB: You’re welcome. I’ll see you tomorrow.

*************************************************************And so, on November 23, 2013 I met Doris Kearns Goodwin. It was a day I will never forget. She signed our copy of The Bully Pulpit and it was amazing to meet such a humble, delightful person.

For More information on Doris Kearns Goodwin go to:

www.doriskearnsgoodwin.com

 

Live… Go… Do!

Top Five List For January 2014

1) Read:

The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and the Golden Age of Journalism

2) Listen …

To a fascinating podcast of an interview with Doris Kearns Goodwin hosted by National Public Radio’s Diane Rehm.

Go to:
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2013-11-05/doris-kearns-goodwin-bully-pulpit-theodore-roosevelt-william-howard-taft-and-golden

You can also read an excerpt of The Bully Pulpit on the Diane Rehm Show site.

3) Watch:

CSPAN’s BOOKTV

In November, I extensively covered the Miami Book Fair International for our Around Wellington readers. On November 23, 2013 I was THERE! Now, you can be there too. Watch a Miami Book Fair International videotaped panel discussion on CSPAN’s Book TV:

Go To:

BookTV.org/ Doris Kearns Goodwin, “The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and the Golden Age of Journalism” and A. Scott Berg, “Wilson”

For a variety of BookTV panel discussions covering a diverse selection of books and topics visit:

booktv.org

4) Get Jumpin!

Mark your calendars for the Wellington Equestrian Festival 2014:

January 8 – March 30, 2014

It’s time for my favorite Wellington event of the year. Once again, I highly recommend you attend Saturday Night Lights and all of the equestrian events scheduled. It’s “season” and it’s time to see all of the internationally renowned equestrian stars shine. Bring the kids. There’s plenty to do for the entire family.

To whet your appetite, click on the image below to watch a Vimeo video containing highlights of the 2013 Wellington Equestrian Festival:

http://vimeo.com/65534140

For more information go to the calendar of events at:

www.equestriansport.com

See you there!

5) Love the Beatles? Then check out:

It’s What You See:

Exclusive Luncheon with Harry Benson

Jan 13, 2014 11:30 AM – 2:00 PM

Scottish born photojournalist, Harry Benson, arrived in America with the Beatles in 1964. He knew then he would stay. His 60-year career as a photojournalist included an over 25 year contract with LIFE Magazine and photographs on the covers and inside major magazines worldwide, including: Life, Time, Newsweek, Town & Country, Vanity Fair, Quest, Paris Match, G.Q., Esquire, W, The London Sunday Times Magazine, People, Vogue, Architectural Digest and Vice Magazine.

Benson was twice named NPPA Magazine Photographer of the Year and was also twice awarded the Leica Medal of Excellence. In 2009, Benson was named Commander of the British Empire, (CBE) by HRH Queen Elizabeth II, for his service to photography. He has also received a Doctor of Letters from Glasgow University and the Glasgow School of Art, and is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society.

Benson’s photographs are in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.; Kelvingrove Museum in Glasgow and the National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh. He has enjoyed 40 solo exhibitions and published 17 books including New York New York, The Beatles in the Beginning, President and Mrs. Reagan: an American Love Story and The Beatles on the Road: 1964-1966.

Benson will discuss his incredible experiences and give us insight into how he sees the world and translates his vision into some of the world’s most compelling photos.

Admission: $100
Proceeds benefit programs for and about artists in Palm Beach County.
Valet Parking Provided

By Lori Hope Baumel

Originally appeared in Around Wellington Magazine on December 1, 2013

Last night I went to the symphony. I was very moved by the passion and brilliance of a concerto and solo performed by the twenty-five year old Armenian cellist, Narek Hakhnazaryan. Upon leaving the Kravis Center, I said to myself, “What a brilliant young man.” Genius, I thought. He must have spent his entire life dedicated to his craft.

Poor fellow, during the performance, he was sweating profusely, which is very common amongst great performers; like the violinist Joshua Bell or the dancer Savion Glover, both of whom I have seen drench the floor. The late Luciano Pavarotti simply held a towel or large handkerchief at every solo performance I was fortunate to witness. Most likely, these recitalists get a rush of adrenaline, which causes the heart to beat faster. Performing under hot lights with speed and accuracy requires extreme concentration. Under those circumstances it’s not usual to break a sweat.

When I returned home from the concert, I delved deep into thought. I wondered what type of childhood the cellist had. How many hours of practice a day did it take to accomplish so much at such an early age? Did he have time to go out and play? He must have demonstrated great potential early on. Apparently, Mr. Hakhnazaryan comes from an extremely musical family. Perhaps the cultivation of his talent was a product of his environment. Of course, he would not have come this far if he didn’t have the aptitude to learn. Aptitude, combined with an almost painful passion for the sonorous notes he played gave him the drive to become what he is today.

Let’s get back to the genius part of this discussion. What does it take to be considered a genius? I’ve taught many students in my musical career. When I teach piano to a really bright child, one with the capability to master just about anything he or she sets their mind to, I don’t say “You’ll be a great pianist some day.” I say, “You’ll be a really well-rounded person when you grow up. If you have the drive and are willing to work hard (i.e. sweat), you can become a great pianist who happens to be Secretary of State one day!”

Perhaps you’ve read this before, but studies have shown musicianship and high math abilities often correlate. You may have heard of the violinist, Albert Einstein, who discovered the theory of relativity? One of my youngest students has said to me, “I would like to be a teacher when I grow up.” I respond, “You CAN be a teacher one day,” (although I know she’ll more likely be a professor of astrophysics).

When I was in the first grade, our class did an experiment on how electricity is conducted. Attached to a small board was a large 12-volt battery with a red wire and a black wire attached to it. The teacher took the wires and wrapped each one around a tiny screw. Also attached to the board was a small flashlight bulb. When the wires made contact, the bulb would illuminate.

My grandparents had an old electric keyboard (which we referred to as “the organ”) positioned right next to Grandpa’s black recliner chair. The organ was perfect for me to take my small fingers and demonstrate what I had learned in my piano studies that week.  One day, the organ stopped working! Apparently, the instrument was not getting any electrical power. Battery power was not a common electronic keyboard option back then. My grandmother unplugged the organ and said she’d have to call someone to come fix it. The plug was a vintage one, with only cardboard covering its prongs. See photo below:

Grandma walked away. I looked at the plug on the floor. I removed the cardboard cover. I saw two screws and two loose wires. I noticed the wire was not twirled around the screws. Imitating my teacher in school, I proceeded to wrap a wire around each screw. I then replaced the cardboard cover (kids, don’t try this at home). Voilà! I plugged the cord back into the outlet and it worked. I proceeded to sit down and play. My grandparents rushed into the living room rather surprised.  Genius, they said!

At that point, should I have been destined for a career in electrical engineering? I certainly had the aptitude. Perhaps? But in the late 1960′s, girls would never be encouraged to do that. “You’ll be a music teacher, or have a music school,” they said. My destiny was signed, sealed and approved. Children love approval. The first phase of my road in life was paved. I continued my musical journey. I had blinders on to any other possibilities and immersed myself in everything having to do with music. I wrote it, taught it, performed it, directed it, recorded it and mentored others to do the same. Admittedly, I sweat through many a performance. My career was not very lucrative, but it was satisfying.  I’ve taken many a bow.

Those who have high aptitude are good observers. Over the years, I took notice of my best teachers. In my book, there were either really good teachers or there were the ones who just did it for the paycheck. I singled out the most notable ones, analyzed their methods and took notes. The best educators were the ones that recognized a student’s strengths and would guide them. They had a keen ability to measure a pupil’s aptitude and nurtured their interests at the appropriate pace.

I’ve put these notes to good use and have incorporated them into everything I do.  Marriage and children were the second phase of my life. When raising my children, I sat with them and used creative methods to make their homework more interesting. When I quizzed them prior to tests, it thrilled me. I was exposed to subjects that, in my youth, I would never have thought as pertinent. I memorized the subjects along with them. As a result, AP history, creative writing, literature, politics and a multitude of subjects – other than music – fascinated me.  I learned about the world and developed an insatiable desire to travel. In my own way, I was able to attend high school all over again.

Most importantly, now that my children are starting their own careers, I’ve begun to mentor myself, pursue everything that interests me – from writing this cultural column to exhibiting my photography in a juried show. To this day, I am still passionate about technology, electronics and design. Fortunately, my husband shares the same interest. He and I could spend hours in a Radio Shack and we’re frequent flyers at the Apple Store. I have begun a third phase in my life and I’m reveling in it.

In my heart, I am and always will be a musician. I had the aptitude. The right people took me under their wing at the right time and, in turn, I try to pay it forward. As to what’s next, who knows? Hmm, maybe astrophysics…

No sweat!                                        

Live… Go… Do!

 Top Five List For December 2013:

 1) Read (or write) some poetry:

 

Gone are the days of adherence to iambic pentameter. As I witnessed at the Miami Book Fair International 2013, contemporary poetry is very much alive today. In preparation for my interviews with notable poets, Richard Blanco and Julie Marie Wade, I immersed myself in their poetry. I learned that the words don’t have to rhyme – they just have to flow. I actually found myself starting to think like a poet… even tried my hand at some prose in email correspondences with my eldest son. He wrote back poetically in return.

2) Plan ahead:

TICKETS ARE ON SALE FOR THE
MULTIPLE TONY AWARD®-WINNING SHOW

WAR HORSE

At the Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts

“The National Theatre of Great Britain’s epic WAR HORSE, winner of five 2011 Tony® Awards including Best Play, will make its premiere at the Kravis Center beginning Wednesday, February 12 through Sunday, February 16. Hailed by The New York Times as “theatrical magic,” WAR HORSE is the powerful story of young Albert’s beloved horse, Joey, who has been enlisted to fight for the English in World War I. In a tale the New York Daily News calls “spellbinding, by turns epic and intimate,” Joey is caught in enemy crossfire and ends up serving both sides of the war before landing in no man’s land. Albert, not old enough to enlist, embarks on a treacherous mission to find his horse and bring him home. What follows is a remarkable tale of courage, loyalty and friendship, filled with stirring music and songs and told with the some of the most innovative stagecraft of our time.” – Kravis Center Press Release

For more information go to: Kravis.org

 

3) So much talent… right in our own backyard.

 

Grab a beer and hear Fire In The Kitchen on Friday and Saturday nights!

We had a BLAST over at Bull McCabes! I urge you all to try their outstanding craft beer and authentic Celtic rock cooked dishes. The best treat of all is their live music, performed by Fire In The Kitchen on Friday and Saturday nights. Fire In The Kitchen is an outstanding trio of performers specializing in Celtic music. I look forward to hearing their CD – coming out in January. Here’s a little bit about their background:

Bobby O’Donovan hails from Cork City, Ireland, and is a wonderful singer and multi-instrumentalist, playing mandolin, fiddle, bodhran, whistle, bones, spoons – you name it, he probably plays it! He has a long career playing with numerous groups, including, The Irish Rovers and The Sons of Erin. He has played all over the world, and has just returned from New Zealand, where he played with Scottish singer/songwriter Isla Grant. He has played as a session musician on many, many recordings, including a Jimmy Buffett album, “Banana Wind”. He is also very funny!

Bob Noble, a native Brit, accompanies them on keyboards and sings backup vocals and has performed Irish music for about 15 years. Bob has also played all over the world with many different artists. Including Dexy’s Midnight Runners, Aha, Joan Armatrading, Cliff Richard, Bob Geldof, Judie Tzuke and Tanita Tikaram. He has also arranged and produced several albums since coming to South Florida.

Vincent Griffin is a native of Montreal, Canada, and traces his family roots to County Kerry, Ireland. He has a beautiful tenor voice and also plays acoustic and electric guitars. Vincent has a large repertoire from standards to popular classics. He has also been a member of several bands that have toured Canada and the USA, including four trips to South Korea and two tours of New Zealand and Australia with Will Millar, the founder of the Irish Rovers. We are fortunate that he has joined Fire In The Kitchen this season at Bull McCabe’s Irish Pub.

For more information go to: thebullmccabe.com. Also see this month’s “Florida Foodie” review (for more about The Bull McCabe’s Irish Pub).

Check out our AW YouTube video of Fire In The Kitchen at:

http://aroundwellington.net/?p=23556

4) Visit:

“The Norton Museum of Art announces the opening of a pair of exhibitions exposing visitors to dynamic pictures, moving and still. New Works / New Directions: Recent Acquisitions of Photography highlights photographs recently added to the Norton Collection, but not yet exhibited. L.A. Stories: Videos from the West Coast showcases “Left Coast” creativity. The exhibitions are on view through Sunday, January 12, 2014.” – Norton Press Release

 

5) Finally, it’s winter break! Travel to a place that’s fun for all ages.

 

I highly recommend you take the drive up to relax and enjoy the gorgeous blue water and beaches of Sarasota, on the Gulf Coast. While you’re there, visit this extraordinary gem of a museum, planetarium and aquarium all under one roof! The exhibits below, in particular, demonstrate the true meaning of mentoring a student who had the aptitude, talent and drive to succeed. Read on…

“Two exhibitions, running until December 29, 2013, are currently showcased on the second floor of the Museum’s galleries: Fine Art Botanicals by O.M. Braida and Aspects of Art by Julia Rega. Ms. Braida is the founder and an instructor at the Academy of Botanical Art in Sarasota, as well as a member of the American Society of Botanical Artists and the Copley Society of Art.

One of the Academy’s talented graduates, Julia Rega, 25, displays how her skill developed over the course of her journey with Academy studies in the exhibition. Her accomplishment at such a young age was the foundation for a unified personal focus. The abilities and sensitivities she gained paved the way for her career as a graphic designer. The work provides a case study of the training required to become a certified botanical artist. Julia received her certification from the Academy of Botanical Art before going on to become a professional illustrator and designer for such corporations as Victoria’s Secret in Manhattan.” – South Florida Museum Website

 

See this exhibit and more at:

The South Florida Museum, 201 10th Street West, Bradenton FL 34205
Phone: (941) 746-4131 or visit: www.southfloridamuseum.org
To see more of Julie Rega’s work visit:
www.julierega.com

 By

Lori Hope Baumel

Originally appeared in Around Wellington Magazine on November 1, 2013

 

“I shall pass through this world but once.

 Any good therefore that I can do or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it for I shall not pass this way again.”

–          Mahatma Gandhi

Applied art is the application of aesthetics and design to objects of function and everyday use, whereas, fine arts serve as intellectual stimulation to the viewer and is often produced or intended primarily for beauty.

According to the Dewey Decimal System, there are hundreds of topics at the library in the applied arts section. In this column, it is most appropriate to discuss the Culinary Arts, as the month of November and the Thanksgiving meal have become synonymous.

True culinary artists are responsible for skillfully preparing meals that are as pleasing to the palate as to the eye. They are also required to have knowledge of the science of food. Increasingly, a formal culinary education is required for success in this field. The culinary industry continues to be male-dominated, with only one out of five chefs and head cooks being female. Over time, with more women going into the field, the ratio will adjust.

Yet, on the home front, women have predominantly been the chief cooks of the family. Although this trend has been changing rapidly, most recipes passed down from generation to generation have been from mother to daughter.

WAIT! Enough of the pedantic rambling… rather than discuss the virtues of the skill and technique required within the culinary arts:

 

Let me tell you about my Grandma’s apple pie…

 

Autumn, of course, is harvest season. Apples are abundant. Especially baking apples. My late grandmother, Rachel Davis, used Cortland or Macintosh apples to create an eastern European style apple pie. Well, it really wasn’t a pie, it was more of a cake, but we can debate that another time. Instead of baking it in a circular shape, she used a large rectangular pan.

No one could create this epicurean masterpiece like my grandmother did. Grandma Rae, as we called her, would cut the apples in a specific shape and size. She would say that her own (Russian born) mother helped her perfect the process. The recipe was not an exact formula, but the results were magnificent. When we would peek in the oven, a rectangular ring of bubbling caramel on the circumference of the pie would be an indicator that it was just about done.

Yes, the dough contained lots of eggs and oil. From what I witnessed, she used bottled lemon juice and the flour was bleached. By today’s standards, it would not be considered the most organic of ingredients. Regardless, everyone in the family would fight over the last piece. The crust was perfectly moist, the fruit was tender and there was a flawless balance of sugar, lemon and cinnamon. Just thinking about it brings to mind a sense of nostalgia. I can almost smell it cooking as I write this.

In my grandmother’s later years, I tried to write down the recipe in order to replicate it in the future. Over time, my results have been hit or miss. Why? Because simply following a recipe does not make you a culinary artist. Can a trained painter reproduce a Picasso or can a composer write a fugue in the style of Bach? With the proper training, anyone can do anything. Obviously, the original work would have more value, both aesthetically and financially. If I were to parallel Grandma’s pie to a painting, it often resembled a piece by Jackson Pollack. To my family, abstract as it appeared, it was a genuine work of art. The passion and love that went into making that pie could never be duplicated. It was worth more than money could buy.

After my grandfather passed away in 1983, Grandma Rae lost her desire to cook large meals. Three years went by without her celebrated pie. In January of 1986, I convinced her to bake it one more time. I propped a big lug of a VHS video camera onto a tripod and recorded the “process.” I’ve since transferred the videotape to DVD and distributed copies to family members. To this day, I watch that video every time I attempt to bake “Grandma Rae’s apple pie.” It’s rather helpful. Sometimes, I actually come close to baking it the way she did.

I truly believe that the Thanksgiving holiday is not “all about the food.” My grandmother would cook for several days in anticipation of the arrival of those she held closest to her heart. Patience and sincerity were the secret ingredients that went into her preparation. Unfortunately, those virtues are not available on the shelf at the supermarket. As the Davis family’s chief cook, Grandma Rae put those incredible ingredients into every holiday meal she made.

I hope you sense that this column is not just about a simple pie. Rachel Davis gave me the recipe for life. As a role model, she was consistently compassionate, generous and affectionate. Her smile lit up a room and her love for her family was immeasurable. She mentored me as I continue to mentor others.

My family and I wish all of our Around Wellington readers a Thanksgiving filled with traditions and recipes passed down from generation to generation. At the festive meal, look around you and treasure the moments. Try to eat mindfully and slowly. Take plenty of photos. Remember, you are creating memories that will be passed on for many years to come.

Live… Go… Do!

 

The following is an edited (3-minute) version of the video I recorded of Grandma Rae baking her pie with me on January 23, 1986. It seems like it was yesterday. Enjoy!

 See:

http://youtu.be/ZTKh9J66BdE

 

 

Top Five List For November 2013

1) Read:

 

 

“Art Hive Magazine is a true labor of love! We are an arts and entertainment magazine made by creative educators and art lovers. Based out of the Palm Beaches, our mission is to spread the love of the arts throughout the community by showcasing our own creative folks as well as exposing our readers to other interesting stories and art forms. From local street artists to world-renowned musicians, Art Hive magazine has something interesting for everyone.  We give creativity a voice in South Florida.”

                              – Art Hive website

In October, I attended a performance of two one-act plays by Woody Allen at the Lake Worth Playhouse Stonezek Theater. Amongst the free print magazines available there, I picked up a copy of Art Hive and truly enjoyed their coverage of cultural arts in our county. Luckily, the magazine is also available online.

Check it out at:

arthivemagazine.com

2) See talented musicians perform classical music at affordable prices:

Lynn University’s Conservatory of Music Invites the Public to Four Musical Performances in November

 

Jon Robertson, Dean of Lynn University’s Conservatory of Music and Philharmonia Orchestra Guest Conductor, today invited the public to attend four different musical performances during the month of November. “The talented students and extraordinary faculty of the Lynn University Conservatory of Music look forward to sharing the beautiful world of music next month,” said Robertson. “We urge fans of classical music to join us on the Lynn University campus for some magnificent presentations.”

                                                                                                – Lynn University Press Release

November 14 – 7:30 p.m.  (Thursday)

Chamber Music Palm Beach No. 3 

Come join the musicians of The Palm Beach Chamber Music Festival in Boca Raton, as they partner with LynnUniversity to present their premier fall series. Continuing their two decades long tradition of varied programs and mixed ensembles, the group will perform great masterworks of composers ranging from Mozart to Stravinsky. Concerts will include several side-by-side performances with some of Lynn’s most talented students.

Keith C. and Elaine Johnson Wold Performing Arts Center

Tickets: $20

 

November 16 at 7:30 p.m.  (Saturday)

November 17 at 4 p.m.  (Sunday)

Lynn Philharmonia No. 3

Guillermo Figueroa, Conductor

Featuring winners of the annual Conservatory Concerto Competition.

Keith C. and Elaine Johnson Wold Performing Arts Center

Tickets:   Box: $50 / Orchestra: $40 / Mezzanine: $35

 

November 21 at 7:30 p.m.  (Thursday)

Dean’s Showcase No. 2

Amarnick-Goldstein Concert Hall

Tickets: $20

 

How to Purchase Tickets:

Tickets are available for purchase at the Lynn University Box Office, located in the Wold Performing Arts Center at 3601 N. Military Trail. Tickets also may be purchased online at http://events.lynn.edu or by phone at 561-237-9000.

 

3) Watch:

The 87^th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Set your alarm clocks! Join in the Baumel family tradition and watch the 87^th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. It’s the next best thing to being there.

 

When: Thanksgiving Day, 9 AM to Noon

Channel: Your NBC affiliate station

Macy’s has set up a terrific website that includes information on the parade’s history, games, and the names of those who will be performing in this year’s extravaganza.

See the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade link.

http://social.macys.com/parade/?cm_mmc=VanityUrl-_-parade-_-n-_-n

 

4) It’s harvest time! Buy local or grow your own fresh fruits and vegetables:

Williams-Sonoma has a beautiful Harvest Calendar available online. It can help you anticipate what fruits and vegetables are “in season.” If you are ambitious, gardening is an applied art we can enjoy all year round in south Florida.

 

Check out the calendar and click on your “zone” to see the chart of seasonal fruits and vegetables.

Go to:

williams-sonoma.com/shop/agrarian-garden/agrarian-harvest-calendar

Here’s the specific link for the “zone 8” annual harvest calendar for south Florida:

See:

rk.wsimgs.com/wsimgs/rk/images/i/201336/0016/images/pdf/agrarian/harvest-calendar-zone8.pdf

5) Research your family roots at:

 

A few years ago, my husband and I were curious about delving deeper into our family history. We decided to try the 14-day free trial at ancestry.com. The results were fascinating and ultimately, we paid the annual fee. Granted, the least expensive membership is $20 per month or $200 per year, but for me it was well worth it. I ended up connecting and corresponding with family members and strong new bonds were formed. The investment was priceless.

Researching your family tree is rather absorbing. We spent much more time than initially expected during the 14-day trial. Be prepared for an immersive experience. To view your options go to: ancestry.com

Another link on ancestry.com allows you to start your own family tree. This feature is free.

“Start your family tree. Organize facts. Find answers. Why start an online family tree? We think it’s not only the easiest way to organize, preserve and share your family history, but it’s also a direct link to missing information about your roots. And while accessing most of the record collections on Ancestry.com requires a paid subscription, your online family tree is completely FREE.”    – ancestry.com website

To view this feature of the ancestry.com website go directly to:

trees.ancestry.com

 

By Lori Hope Baumel

Originally appeared in Around Wellington Magazine on November 1, 2013

Video preview of the Miami Book Fair International 2013:

See the MBFI video! Go to: http://youtu.be/d05tLUW3m3M 

Video photos courtesy of MBFI 2013

 

Readers from all over the world with authors from all over the world will meet, talk and share ideas.

As I mentioned in A Reader’s Paradise – Part I, earlier this week, hop in the car and head south to the Miami Book Fair International (MBFI). The MBFI is the oldest and largest gathering of authors coming from all over the world with an attendance of 250,000 people of all ages over a period of 8 days.

 

It’s important to reserve your tickets now! The prices are reasonable and many of the ticketed events are free. There are programs, concerts and activities for the entire family. For more information about the weeklong event go to:

http://www.miamibookfair.com/

To review A Reader’s Paradise – Part I

Go to: http://aroundwellington.net/?p=23465

A Conversation With

Poet Julie Marie Wade

Julie Wade  – Photo courtesy MBFI

“I always try to think about the person who, out of love or friendship, has come to a poetry reading for someone else… My hope is that we can, as poets, excite that person to form a new relationship with poetry.” – Julie Marie Wade

“Born in Seattle in 1979, Julie Marie Wade completed a Master of Arts in English at Western Washington University in 2003, a Master of Fine Arts in Poetry at the University of Pittsburgh in 2006, and a Ph.D. in Humanities with creative dissertation at the University of Louisville in 2012. She is the author of the poetry chapbook Without (Finishing Line Press, 2010) and two collections of lyric nonfiction, Wishbone: A Memoir in Fractures (Colgate University Press, 2010) and Small Fires (Sarabande Books, 2011). Julie lives with her partner and their two cats in the Sunshine State, where she teaches creative writing at Florida International University.” – The Marie Alexander Poetry Series Website

Julie Wade will be reading from her latest book, Postage Due, along with poets James Allen Hall, Orlando Ricardo Menes and Jen Karetnick on Saturday, November 23 at 3:00 PM at the Miami Book Fair International 2013. For more information see:

http://www.miamibookfair.com/events/james_allen_hall_on_emnow_youre_the_enem.aspx

Recently, I was fortunate to interview Ms. Wade about the upcoming event. The following is most of our enlightening conversation.

LHB: Your new book, Postage Due, is sincere, heartfelt and innovative. How did the use of the “postcard” concept come to you?

JMW: I’ve always been interested in epistolary literature in general. In graduate school I read A Postcard Memoir by Lawrence Sutin, and in that book he uses random postcards as occasions for musings. I’m sure that collection put certain ideas into my head about how I might use postcards in a more compressed way in my poetry. Typically [on] a postcard, you don’t have a lot of space to write very much… If you were literally sending out postcards, not just using the concept, you are forced to either write very small or compress what you want to say… boil your message down to its essence.

Because I am a long-winded person, I realized this approach would be a really good challenge for me. I’m always looking for some kind of formal challenge. As writers, we tend to circle around a lot of the same themes in our work… The only way I have to know that I’m keeping my work fresh is to try new things formally. The postcard for me was the ultimate challenge… For the literal poems in the book that are postcard sized, I knew I had to force myself to say something very brief and very precise to significant people from my past.

I also reasoned, if I wasn’t fortunate enough to find my way into an academic job, that the next best thing might be becoming a postal carrier… I just thought it would be interesting to work with the mail since I’m fascinated by correspondence. I’m curious about the kind of things that we send to each other and also the kinds of things that we don’t send – maybe the letters that we wished we could send?

And I love all the different stamps that they have at the post office. I always look at the different things that you can stamp on a letter, and “postage due,” to me, is the most fascinating one. How vexing to have something come back postage due! If you’ve mailed it out and hoped that it would make it, but also, if it makes it to someone else, that person will have to pay in order to get at the content. I imagine a lot of letters and parcels slip through the cracks that way in the postal system? This book is interested in those things… with those letters that don’t make it there.

LHB: What attracted you to participate in the Miami Book Fair International?

JMW: I’ve been aware of the Miami Book Fair for years and after I moved to South Florida last year, it was an honor to be asked to participate. What is a special honor for me is that James Allen Hall, one of the other poets on the panel, is a long-time friend of mine. We have overlapped in our careers many ways…  We just found out a couple weeks ago that we’d be reading together for the very first time. So that is thrilling news for me because I’m such a big fan of his work and also of James as a person. Orlando and Jen are two writers whose work I don’t know yet. There’s something lovely about this panel because it’s both a reunion for James and me, [and it’s] also a chance to have the best seat in the house for readings from two new poets.

LHB: What would our readers learn if they attended your panel discussion? What question do you want those who attend the discussion to be asking themselves?

JMW: I think that it’s fantastic to get a book of poems and to savor it on your own…

There’s something fabulous about the private communion you can have with a book of poems. But I also love a poetry reading… My friend James [Allen Hall] is a very dynamic reader, and I would hope and assume that other readers on our panel will be, too. I try to be a reader who would make poetry something that would catalyze you, that would be exciting even if you’re not a person who tends to pick up a book of poems and read it to yourself…

To me, there’s nothing better than hearing any literature read aloud well. It’s captivating. But I always think, for poetry in particular, that it’s meant to be read aloud. I hope that we, as a panel, can deliver that experience – not just for people who are already initiated… I always try to think about the person who, out of love or friendship, has come to a poetry reading for someone else… My hope is that we can, as poets, excite that person to form a new relationship with poetry.

LHB: Is there anything else in particular that you, Julie Wade, the writer or the person, would like our readers to know about you before the Miami Book fair? When they’re thinking, “Hmm… what panel discussions am I going to sit in on?”

JMW: Wow, that’s a hard question!

LHB: It’s insightful. (I then repeated the question slowly).

JMW: A fantastic question… I DO have an answer for this! A huge amount of serendipity has brought me from Seattle, where I was born and raised,to South Florida, which is about as far away within the continental U.S. that you can get.

This sounds like an apocryphal story, but it really is true. When I started my PhD program in 2008 at the University of Louisville, my partner’s sister and brother-in-law asked me, “What’s your dream job? Where would you most like to teach when you get done with your PhD?” The big elephant in the room of course is that if you’re looking for an academic job, everyone [around you] is getting a little nervous, too, knowing there are so few of them.

My first choice school was Florida International University. I thought that there was something really magical about a place where all the faculty stayed… It is a hugely talented faculty in the creative writing program at FIU,… and I reasoned there must have been something special worth staying for when surely other schools would have wanted to hire these faculty members as well.

I dreamed of coming here, and I ended up being hired onto the creative writing faculty at FIU in 2012. I try to remember what a gift it is to have my dream job, even when I get busy and stressed! I am, in fact, working at my dream school.

LHB: Lucky you!

JMW: Lucky me, truly.

***

A Conversation (between planes) with Brad Meltzer!

                                                        

Photo Credit: www.facebook.com/BradMeltzer

 Brad Meltzer in the green room about to go on at CBS This Morning.

“ I believe that ordinary people change the world. I hope that my work speaks for that and I speak for that and I hope I stand for that.”

                                                                                                      – Brad Meltzer

“What’s really going on at Area 51?  Did John Wilkes Booth get away?  Based on his popular History Channel show, Brad Meltzer’s Decoded, Meltzer presents History Decoded:  The Ten Greatest Conspiracies of All Time (Workman Publishing). Each chapter is illustrated and includes an envelope containing removable facsimile documents.  Meltzer is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Inner Circle, as well as the bestselling novels The Fifth Assassin, The Tenth Justice, Dead Even, The First Counsel, The Millionaires, The Zero Game, The Book of Fate and The Book of Lies. His first non-fiction books, Heroes for My Son and Heroes for my Daughter, were also bestsellers.”  – MBFI website

Mr. Meltzer will be presenting History Decoded:  The Ten Greatest Conspiracies of All Time at the MBFI on Saturday, November 23, 2013 at 10 AM on a panel that includes Dave Barry and Roy Blount, Jr. For more information go to:

http://www.miamibookfair.com/events/dave_barry_on_eminsane_city_em_roy.aspx

You can hear it in his voice – the enthusiasm that most of us wish for. A man so busy, that the only way to have a conversation (in time for our deadline) was to catch Brad Meltzer between planes after a speaking engagement with two thousand teachers in attendance. I initiated the dialogue by informing him that we both were born in Brooklyn, NY and graduated from the same high school, North Miami Beach Senior High (only about a decade apart). After reminiscing about terrific teachers we both were fortunate to have, I attempted to conduct an interview between the beeps and announcements often associated with airport ambiance. Brad was an excellent sport and seasoned trooper. The following are some snippets of that conversation.

LHB: What brings you to the MBFI and what do you have in common with your fellow panelists Dave Barry and Roy Blount, Jr.?

BM: Well, I think that we all think that Miami is the craziest place on earth and one of the very best places on earth! I don’t know Roy, but I know Dave well and, I can tell you, I grew up reading Dave Barry. He was one of my early influences as a writer. In fact, the very first piece I ever wrote that got published was in response to a Dave Barry contest that was in Tropic Magazine years ago. He’s always been one of my writing heroes. I tried to get him to speak at my graduation at North Miami BeachSenior High School!

I think what the fun will be with us together is: it’s not just a perspective from authors and it’s not just someone trying to talk about their book, but it’s someone who has a very intimate knowledge, all of us, of Miami and the beautiful chaos that it is.

LHB: What would my readers learn if they attended your panel discussion?

BM: I think that they’ll learn about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, the truth about UFO’s and they will absolutely hear my theory on who really killed John F. Kennedy.

LHB: What questions would you want your audience to be asking themselves after attending your panel’s presentation?

BM: The question I would want them to ask is, “How did I get to have so much fun for free!” How did they get to enjoy a day of books and have a big smile on their face – and they didn’t have to pay a thing!

LHB: That’s great!

BM: It’s more important to learn something about history and themselves. Because every time you learn about history you always learn about yourself.

LHB: Whose idea was it to include the envelopes filled with historical facsimiles in the book? The concept is brilliant.

BM: Thank you. Full credit goes to Peter Workman – who passed away this past year. We were talking to different publishers – we went to lots of different publishers… and we went to Peter and to Bob Miller, who was the original editor on the book and they said, “What do you think of doing something completely different with this book and giving people pullouts from the book?” … and I said that’s exactly what I’d love to do. I loved that idea immediately. I had gone into the treasure vault at the National Archives where they keep the most important documents and they gave me an old oath of allegiance that the revolutionary war soldiers had signed. Our troops today still take that oath of allegiance.

What they showed me there was the oath of allegiance by a man named Benedict Arnold… and Benedict Arnold, for all of us, has become a curse word. It’s almost something bad that you call someone. When I saw that document in front of me and I saw that pen on that paper I could imagine a man with a pen writing on this sheet of paper and Benedict Arnold suddenly became a real person to me. History in that moment came alive. That’s what I wanted for the book. The goal of the book is to bring history alive and let people look at those documents themselves.

When you see the document about Lee Harvey Oswald and what the state department knew about him… when you hold that in your hand and you look at the date [1959]. All those years… you feel like – oh my gosh – you’re uncovering this incredible piece of history. I love that we get to do that for the readers who take the time to play with this book. Now, people said it’s like a pop-up book for adults and I’ll take that as the best compliment.

LHB: Does being involved with The History Channel make it easier to get into the National Archives to see these types of things or does every American have this kind of access?

BM: First of all, anyone can go to the National Archives and see the Declaration of Independence. I highly recommend it. You can also see other incredible documents. Will they take you through a private tour of the treasure vault? For me, it had nothing to do with the History Channel. I went because I was researching my novels. How did I get in there (?)  – Because of thrillers that I write. People know that I do research on my thrillers… everywhere from the secret tunnels below the Capitol to the ones beneath The White House. As a result, they were kind enough to let me inside.

LHB: Is there anything else that you, Brad Meltzer, the writer or person would like our readers to know about you?

BM: Everyone is getting on board. Sorry, they’re about to take off…  Listen; if I want to tell anyone anything… It’s not about book sales; it’s not about something I want to sell. What I want people to know about me, and about themselves, is the power of ordinary people. I believe that ordinary people change the world. I hope that my work speaks for that and I speak for that and I hope I stand for that.

It’s why our new children’s books that are coming out in January, I am Amelia Earhart and I am Abraham Lincoln are exactly on that subject.

Mr. Meltzer then stepped onto the plane.

***

To hear an incredibly detailed podcast about Brad Meltzer’s History Decoded: The Ten Greatest Conspiracies of All Time listen to NPR’s Topical Currents recorded on November 24, 2013.

Listen to the interview at: http://wlrn.org/post/10-greatest-conspiracies

To See Brad Meltzer’s recent appearance on CBS THIS MORNING go to:

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505263_162-57608154/history-decoded-brad-meltzer-talks-conspiracy-theories/

For EVERYTHING Brad Meltzer go to:

bradmeltzer.com

 

By Lori Hope Baumel

Originally appeared in Around Wellington Magazine on January 1, 2014

Video preview of the Miami Book Fair International 2013…

See the MBFI video! Go to: http://youtu.be/Q7DqJFSRuww

Video photos courtesy of MBFI 2013

Readers from all over the world with authors from all over the world will meet, talk and share ideas.

Yes, readers, “Wellyworld” is a comfortable, beautiful place to live and play. For the first time, as your cultural arts columnist, I am going to give you a very good reason to cross the county line. Download an audiobook to play in the car while you head south to the Miami Book Fair International (MBFI). The MBFI is the oldest and largest gathering of authors coming from all over the world with an attendance of 250,000 people of all ages over a period of 8 days. Thus far, such luminaries have confirmed their attendance:

Dan Brown, Angelica Huston, Reza Aslan, Dave Barry, Christopher Kenneally, David Kirk, Paul Pope, Karen Russell, Darrell Hammond, Nikki Giovanni, Richard Russo, Roy Blount, Russell Banks, Wally Lamb, Amy Tan, Cristina Garcia, Patricia Volk, Pat Conroy, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Edna Buchanan, Tom Healy, Patricia Engel, James Reston, Ann Hood, MK Asante, Dr. Paul Farmer, Erica Jong, Jennifer Weiner, Ben Katchor, Adam Mansbach, Geoff Dyer, Mark Halperin, Brad Meltzer, Lori Roy, Mitch Albom, Jamaica Kinkaid, Diane Ladd, Robert Pinsky, Debbie Wasserman Schultz and many, many more.

It’s important to reserve your tickets now! The prices are reasonable and many of the ticketed events are free. There are programs, concerts and activities for the entire family. For information about the week-long event go to:

http://www.miamibookfair.com/

Also featured will be Generation Genius, Destination: Comics and much, much more…

For more info go to: http://www.miamibookfair.com/events/childrensalley/default.aspx

 DESTINATION: COMICS

For more info go to: http://www.miamibookfair.com/events/destinationcomics/default.aspx

 

A Conversation with Christopher Kenneally

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“This is a story about a business – the book business. This is the story about a court case – and in America we do our court cases very well. This is really a story about human folly. This isn’t Athens verses Sparta. But when you really get down to it, Apple verses Amazon is the Athens verses Sparta of our day.”

                                             – Christopher Kenneally

“Christopher Kenneally is the host and producer of the Copyright Clearance Center’s (CCC) weekly podcast series, Beyond the Book, and for OnCopyright Education, CCC’s Educational Services brand, he presents a variety of programs on copyright and intellectual property issues. As a freelance journalist, Christopher Kenneally reported on education, business, travel, culture and technology for the New York Times, Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times, and The Independent of London, among many other publications. He also reported for WBUR-FM (Boston), National Public Radio, and WGBH-TV (PBS-Boston). Mr. Kenneally is also the author of Massachusetts 101 (Applewood Books), a history of the state “from Redcoats to Red Sox” – CCC website

Mr. Kenneally will be moderating After the Apple e-Book Decision: The New World of Book Publishing and Book Selling at the Miami Book Fair International on November 23 at 2:30 PM along with Andrew Albanese and Oren Teicher. Recently, I was fortunate to interview Mr. Kenneally about his upcoming panel discussion:

LHB: What attracted you to attend the upcoming Miami Book Fair International and to lead the panel discussion on the Apple e-book court decision?

CK: Copyright Clearance Center and I have attended and presented at the book fair for a number of years now. I believe we began working with the fair organizers in 2005, if my memory serves me, and, over time we’ve presented a number of programs that are very much about what’s in the news. We always try to come up with a program that will be newsworthy and also devoted to readers.

What really impresses me about the Miami Book Fair is that this is a reader’s book fair. So many other book-publishing events are for the trade as they say; they’re for publishers, authors, for the insiders, “the inner sanctum,” if you will. My feeling is that what Andrew Albanese and Oren Teicher have to say about the case and its implications for the book business will be [of great interest].

People get into book publishing, not just to publish books, but to sell books. What we’re seeing today is a real revolution in the way that books are sold, in the kinds of value the people place in the book as an object and what does it mean when a book isn’t on your shelf any longer, but in your e-book reader? These are things that have changed the way we all read. These are questions we’ll ask that we really do not yet have the answers to. These are things that have changed the way we all read. Now the fact is, and this is a good thing to emphasize: people are reading more than ever. We’re seeing more books published than ever. We’re seeing more people buying, downloading and reading. So reading is doing great!

What we have to look at is: how are authors and publishers doing? How are booksellers, bookstores… how are they doing? They’re part of that whole ecosystem. Without the bookstores, without the successful publishers and authors, readers could be deprived of some really great stuff to read.

LHB: This is an in-depth subject that can be debated for hours. I know that I, personally, love Apple products. You are going to have a lot of people going in that loved Steve Jobs and those who hate the amount of control he wanted. Therefore, are you delegating members of your panel to present both sides of the debate?

CK: The happy role I have is to ask the kind of questions that the people in the audience are asking themselves. I’m a journalist by background and very keen to get to the bottom of things, so I think it’s a fair question to ask.  Andrew is a colleague and a journalist and I believe that he does his very best, as anybody would, to present the many sides… there are not just two sides. It’s not like Apple verses Amazon or that kind of thing. This isn’t a heavyweight grudge match. This is a story that’s a very complicated story with layer upon layer of players with people’s personalities as much as their professions involved.

It’s my own feeling that what drove some of the publishers to think that they could get away from Amazon was essentially a real personal matter. They held a grudge. They saw their business under attack from Amazon and they thought they could fight back. This is my own personal opinion. That kind of hubris led some of the people involved to do things that, I have no doubt, they regret today. That itself is a real human story.

This is a story about a business – the book business. This is the story about a court case – and in America we do our court cases very well. This is really a story about human folly. This isn’t Athens verses Sparta. But when you really get down to it, Apple verses Amazon is the Athens verses Sparta of our day.

LHB: Despite the lawsuit, do you think that e-books are good or ill for publishing?

CK: E-books are very good for the publishing industry. My feeling is, as a journalist, I have to believe in the first amendment first. I believe in freedom of expression and the opportunity that every human being should have to express themselves. Today, because of technology, you can realize your dream to express yourself so much easier and so much more directly than one ever could in the history of the world. That is a wonderful thing. We have more people writing today than ever before. Writing is in great shape. Reading is in great shape. However, this raises a whole wrath of questions about the business.

LHB: I wonder how you feel about the freedom of commerce, the freedom to sell products at the rate you choose to sell them? It is my understanding that Apple wanted to keep the prices up. They were forcing the hand of the publishers.

CK: That’s correct, you’re right. That is a complicated matter. I think that when it comes to what people will pay for a book today, there is no doubt, I mean the evidence is clear, that they will pay and want to pay less for a digital book, for an e-book, than they want to pay for a print book.

LHB: And the theory is that you don’t have to ship it or print it… there has to be some kind of discount for not having that book in your hand.

CK: That’s right.

LHB: On the other hand, you said that people are reading more. So isn’t that the goal?

CK: It’s going to be hard. There’s no question about it. The fact of the matter is, that while we may guarantee freedom of expression in this country, we don’t guarantee a business model for people. What’s happened is the business model has come under pressure and I don’t know any business that is invulnerable to the kinds of economic pressures that the Internet is bringing. Every business, every single business including your business as a journalist and musician, my business as a writer, any business one can think of has really kind of…

LHB: Forever changed.

CK: Forever changed, exactly.

LHB: As an author, what does this settlement or case mean for you? Bottom line… How does it affect authors and readers in general?

CK: The case was fought about competition. The case was brought by the Department of Justice to promote competition. In the economic world we live in, more competition, in general, drives down price. I believe authors should expect to see the price for e-books to fall. So, that’s a bonus for readers. That’s why the case was brought. For authors that’s tough. But again, unfortunately, this isn’t France where you can guarantee things to people by law. We don’t do that here.

LHB: Is it the same for self-published authors?

CK: I think so, absolutely. I believe that because of the downward pressure on price and because the market is seeing so many more titles, the traditional contract between publisher and author looks less and less attractive all the time. Self-published authors can go into business for themselves. They get to keep more money and they have the control over the work that they wouldn’t have in a more traditional environment. I believe we’ll see the ranks of self-published authors grow over time. Authors looking to maximize their potential “profit” will see the deal that’s being offered them in self-publishing is simply a better deal.

***

Are you due for a rebate? 23 million customers of Amazon, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Google, and Sony have been directly noticed via e-mail or by postcard that they are eligible to participate in the settlement. To learn more go to:

http://beyondthebookcast.com/readers-reap-big-in-e-book-case/

To hear more about the Apple e-book decision listen to:

http://beyondthebookcast.com/e-books-case-not-even-close-for-apple/

Choose your topic! For a plethora of podcasts about e-books go to:

http://beyondthebookcast.com/category/podcasts/ebooks/

* This article is Part I of a two-part preview of the MBFI. Later this week we will feature interviews with South Florida author Brad Meltzer and poet Julia Wade.

 

 

By

Lori Hope Baumel

Originally appeared in Around Wellington Magazine on October 1, 2013

Abstract Panorama photo of Head In The Clouds installation by STUDIOKCA at Governor’s Island, NY    iPhone Artistry by Lori Baumel © 2013