Monday, March 31, 2014

RE-BIRTH

Out of dormant branches...comes new growth.  
Out of chaos...comes order.  
Out of despair...comes hope.
Out of death...comes life.

ALDREN A. WATSON'S FINAL OPUS: WATERFRONT NEW YORK

I talked about my father, Aldren A. Watson, and his final book, Waterfront New York: Images of the 1920s and '30s, in a previous blog post.(http://thewendywatsonblog.blogspot.com/2013/05/aldren-watson-1917-2013.html)

Many people have expressed to me their interest in obtaining copies of this book.  I'm happy to announce here its official publication, with information about pre-publication orders.

ANNOUNCING FALL 2014 PUBLICATION of
WATERFRONT NEW YORK, IMAGES OF THE 
1920S & ‘30S
WRITTEN & ILLUSTRATED BY 
ALDREN A. WATSON

PUBLISHED BY THE QUANTUCK LANE PRESS,
DISTRIBUTED BY W.W. NORTON & COMPANY

Forty-five watercolor paintings and five maps present an 
intimate view of the thriving port city of New York 
in the early 1900s. 
Detailed scenes of everyday life on and around the 
waterfront are rendered through the 
eyes of artist Aldren A. Watson, born and raised in Brooklyn. 
Paintings are accompanied by informative text 
and recollections drawn from 
the artists notebooks. 
Includes comprehensive index.
There will be 500 copies of Waterfront New York available 
at a discount if ordered in advance of the Fall 2014 
publication date. To purchase books at the special 
discounts listed, orders must be prepaid and received 
before September 15thBooks will be shipped as soon 
as they are received from the printer. Once published, 
the book will be available in bookstores for $35.00 each.


Aldren died in May 2013 without the pleasure of 
seeing this book in print. He had looked forward 
to signing copies, so in the spirit of that wish, 
a special bookmark that includes a reproduction 
of his signature will accompany each book 
purchased with this offer.

Prepaid single copies discounted to $30.00 each.
Additional copies discounted to $25.00 each.
Prices include media rate shipping 
for orders within the continental US.
Go to www.aldrenwatson.com for a downloadable 
order form, as well as author/artist biography, bibliography, 
and selected images from the book.
Inquiries can be addressed to 




Sunday, March 30, 2014

MARGUERITE DE ANGELI

Marguerite de Angeli was born on March 14, 1889, and died on June 16, 1987 at the age of 98, after a long and distinguished career as a writer and illustrator of books for children.  In her books, she explored the rich cultural diversity of our country.  Ordinary people and families were her subject matter.  
From African-Americans and racial prejudice 
to Polish mine workers in Pennsylvania (in Up The Hill)
to the physically handicapped
to colonial Mennonites (in Skippack School)
to nineteenth-century Quakers supporting the underground railroad---all became unforgettable characters, in unforgettable settings, in her hands.  
She conducted thorough research for all her work (in photo above she's sketching on-site), and her books give the reader an accurate and convincing portrayal of whatever culture she was depicting.  The subject matters she dealt with (such as racial prejudice) were daring and controversial for her time.  Times have changed, and today her work might seem overly sweet and gentle.  But her storytelling is still powerful, her illustrations are still full of warmth and humanity, and her message of universal tolerance and equality is still necessary.  She's worth reading!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marguerite_de_Angeli
http://www.deangeli.lapeer.org