The Crabonauts Conquer The Stars
January 1970 saw the presentation to the International Marine Biology Symposium in Khartoum of Jacques Cousteau’s groundbreaking work on the growing literacy of sealife so it was no surprise to see book publishers rush to fill the genre void. One of the first novels to print was C.D. Hippocampus’s science fiction adventure The Crabonauts Conquer The Stars. Taking place in the near future the story follows the first group of space crustaceans and their quest to dominate the wild worlds within the crab nebula. Critics were generally kind to the book and its author although concern was raised that it might give the undersea creatures megalomaniacal ideas. Ultimately, though, Cousteau admitted he’d been drunk during the symposium, the literacy of sealife had been grossly overstated, and crabs overwhelmingly demonstrated a preference for turn-of-the-century romance over sci-fi in the book...
Space Toblerone
A great little find this, Space Toblerone by American author Alan V. Bern. Bern put up all the money to commission the artwork for the science fiction book and self-publish it in 1958, hoping to recoup his investment through support from the Swiss company whose produce he shamelessly promoted in the title. Space Toblerone ended up being his only novel, though, as – soon after publishing – he discovered to both his financial and marital detriment that as a people the Swiss’s famed neutrality in times of war and their workmanship with cuckoo clocks was matched equally by their heartless disdain for books about chocolate starships exploring strange worlds made of pralines and honeycomb in outer space. The book was later printed in the United Kingdom by Puffin Books when Bern removed the controversial visit to the planet of Sodomia and added in the child-friendly co-pilot character of Hornwoggle...
Photographs And History: The Face Of Virginia
I do like to visit charity shops, mostly in search of weird vinyl, but anything related to photography will always catch my eye too and so it was with this recent discovery and purchase, a book titled The Face Of Virginia, a pictorial study by A. Aubrey Bodine. The man himself is described on the inside jacket thusly: Aubrey Bodine has been taking pictures for the Baltimore Sunday Sun for 35 years, and he is practically an institution in Maryland. He also has won national and international recognition for his work, including probably a thousand ribbons, medals, and trophies. One of his pictures won a $5000 prize, and fourteen of them are on permanent exhibition at the Smithsonian Institution. No mean photographer then, and a look at just a few of the photos from the state of Virginia in this book will demonstrate that superbly. His write up on Wikipedia – A. Aubrey Bodine – is very interesting too, especially for his photographic techniques and his use of darkroom tricks to enhance some of his pictures. The book’s inner covers, both front and back, are decorated with a delightful hand drawn map by Richard Q. Yardley, cartoonist and fellow worker on the Baltimore Sunday Sun. And now for a small selection of Bodine’s photos from the book, all of which are accompanied by great historical information in the publication making it well worth tracking down and checking out for yourself should you get the chance: Astronauts! The first Americans into space trained with NASA at Langley Field in Virginia as seen in this photograph from August 1959 showing off four of the Original Seven. Left to right are John H. Glenn Jr (third up and first into orbit), Virgil I. Grissom (second up), Alan B. Shepard Jr (first up), and Malcolm Scott Carpenter (fourth up). One of 6000 ships shipping cargo from Hampton Roads to nearly 350 ports (“in the free world” according to the book) every year. At the time of printing about 200000 tonnes of tobacco was exported annually. A worker showing off a Smithfield ham. According to Virginia law only the four packing companies in Smithfield were permitted to produce it and its distinctive flavour came from feeding the hogs peanuts then hanging the hams over hickory log fires for weeks. Sounds gorgeous. A collection of religious buildings. Top left is Abingdon Church. Top right is Christ Church or King Carter‘s Church (because the cost of building was paid by him). Bottom left is Ware Church. Bottom right is One-Room Shrine, birthplace of Walter Reed, the physician who discoverd the cause of yellow fever. Falls Church...
Prelude To A Bloodbath (1974)
Facing criticism from an increasingly hostile press that its television programming was not preparing the then-present generation of children for what many assumed was going to be the decade-to-come, the 1980s, the British Broadcasting Corporation (sometimes known as the BBC) began to toughen up its output in 1974 starting with this annual based on the popular Basil Brush TV show. In addition to connect-the-dot puzzles, brainteasers, jokes about gay diseases, and facts about fox encroachment in urban environments a number of picture stories entertained the pre-teens who were the target audience for the book all of which culminated in the cheeky puppet Basil graphically tearing his companions to...
Nightmare Before Christmas Gifts
It’s almost Christmas and that means just one thing in our house: The Nightmare Before Christmas, Tim Burton’s musical animation masterpiece. We have a tradition of watching The Nightmare Before Christmas before Christmas (as after or during is terribly unseemly). We don’t follow the tradition every year primarily because we’re forgetful but also we wouldn’t want it to become a ritual. From ritual it’s a short hop to religion and from there to religious wars with Corpse Bridists on one side and Jack Skellingtonians on the other, then schisms among the Skellingtonian followers as cults of Oogie Boogie Resurrectionists blossom. All of which is my way of leading in to highlighting Christmas gift ideas with a Nightmare Before Christmas theme. These are the sorts of things we’d love if they were bought for us, not that you’re going to as demographic studies of the website’s visitors show a distinct lack of Mysterious Wealthy Benefactors. Jack and Sally Nightmare Before Christmas Print 8″ x 12″ Lovely print (and ridiculously cheap) from Kia Wynne featuring my favourite character, the devilishly delicious Sally. There’s something about a woman with a knowing smile, eyes the size of tennis balls, and detachable limbs that just sets my heart racing. Nightmare Before Christmas Jack Skellington Comic Manga Heels – Made to Order No, they wouldn’t be for me. My missus, on the other hand, has a bit of a thing for shoes and this particular listing from Hero Chic Heels really appeals: your choice of shoe style, heel size, and one-of-a-kind Jack Skellington print all for a fixed price! 27×40 Nightmare Before Christmas – Full Size Retro Movie Poster – 1930s Vintage Horror Movie Inspired, Retro Alternative Pop Art If you know anything about me then you know I’m a fan of retro so this vintage-style movie poster for the film by Ehron Asher appeals highly to me. The other posters for sale in that shop would all make equally fantastic presents. Nightmare Before Christmas Tiles I’ll be honest and admit I’ve never really thought of artwork on ceramic tiles as something to desire but these particular ones for The Nightmare Before Christmas (there are 72 designs at the present time) from Terry Tiles are really quite lovely. Nightmare before christmas – Halloween Thong – Jack the Skeleton G-String underwear Again – and let me really stress this – these would not be for me. Not exactly. I mean, I’m not saying I wouldn’t get some enjoyment out of them but I wouldn’t wear them. Ugly Lightup Christmas Sweater – Sally – Doll Santa (link updated following comment 15/12/15) To finish with here’s something from...
Russ Abbot Triple
Blame a friend on a social network for posting the phrase “I love a party with a happy atmosphere” as the inspiration for this trio of music videos from British comedian and actor Russ Abbot. I’m very sorry. Atmosphere The video that, of course, came to mind where Russ sings about parties with happy atmospheres and his love of them all while sporting a happy and atmospheric party jumper. We’re A Folk Group From his Madhouse TV series and featuring Les Dennis, Dustin Gee, and Jeffrey Holland performing a pleasant little comedy folk number. I’m softening you up for the final video. The Four Bottoms I’ve saved the best for last. The same foursome from the same TV series and a parody of a Four Tops number. With blackface! And a bleached lead singer! Ah, can you watch this without...
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