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wrong_mix_range_publicationDate_00069	FactBench	0	69	https://jacquiwine.wordpress.com/category/book-reviews/bainbridge-beryl/	en	JacquiWine's Journal	https://s0.wp.com/i/blank.jpg	https://s0.wp.com/i/blank.jpg	[ "https://jacquiwine.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/cropped-blog-header.jpg", "https://jacquiwine.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/anth-christmas.jpg?w=480", "https://jacquiwine.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/boarding-house-novels-.jpg?w=640", "https://jacquiwine.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/a-boty-2020-novels-.jpg?w=225", "https://jacquiwine.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/a-wave-.jpg?w=225", "https://jacquiwine.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/bainbridge.jpg?w=225", "https://jacquiwine.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/img_2842.jpg?w=225", "https://1.gravatar.com/avatar/a08fdf1c2b7247d2ea51bee14dfe66ca7fe7f981e8dc05420157dd490c4bcd5e?s=48&d=identicon&r=G", "https://0.gravatar.com/avatar/0066e39c4bdc018aa00ba0eadfd9bbcd5e1b40357a6a3ccffa37f60ec2f6331f?s=48&d=identicon&r=G", "https://2.gravatar.com/avatar/bdda795cbc1b3a2a4f29b8ee95c65c5bcede687c65cca4beaeb8da48075b81d8?s=48&d=identicon&r=G", "https://2.gravatar.com/avatar/bdda795cbc1b3a2a4f29b8ee95c65c5bcede687c65cca4beaeb8da48075b81d8?s=48&d=identicon&r=G", "https://2.gravatar.com/avatar/bdda795cbc1b3a2a4f29b8ee95c65c5bcede687c65cca4beaeb8da48075b81d8?s=48&d=identicon&r=G", "https://i0.wp.com/jacquiwine.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ann-schlee-1.jpg?resize=200%2C200&ssl=1", "https://i0.wp.com/jacquiwine.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/claire-kilroy.jpg?resize=200%2C200&ssl=1", "https://jacquiwine.files.wordpress.com/2016/07/img_2891.jpg?w=200&h=200&crop=1", "https://i0.wp.com/jacquiwine.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/book-of-goose-.jpg?resize=200%2C200&ssl=1", "https://jacquiwine.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/img_2035.jpg?w=200&h=200&crop=1", "https://i0.wp.com/jacquiwine.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/bad-dreams.jpg?resize=200%2C200&ssl=1", "https://i0.wp.com/jacquiwine.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/colwin-happy-all-the-time-.jpg?resize=200%2C200&ssl=1", "https://i0.wp.com/jacquiwine.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/heaven-.jpg?resize=200%2C200&ssl=1", "https://i0.wp.com/jacquiwine.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/dick-they-.jpg?resize=200%2C200&ssl=1", "https://i0.wp.com/jacquiwine.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/erpenbeck-kairos-.jpg?resize=200%2C200&ssl=1", "https://s2.wp.com/i/logo/wpcom-gray-white.png", "https://s2.wp.com/i/logo/wpcom-gray-white.png", "https://pixel.wp.com/b.gif?v=noscript" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	2023-11-30T07:05:00+00:00	Posts about Bainbridge Beryl written by JacquiWine	en	https://s1.wp.com/i/favicon.ico	JacquiWine's Journal	https://jacquiwine.wordpress.com/category/book-reviews/bainbridge-beryl/	The British Library do a marvellous job with their themed anthologies, regularly issuing selections of mysteries or ghost stories by various authors. Last year, they extended this concept to their very popular Women Writers series, publishing a seasonal anthology of tales by the likes of Stella Gibbons, Muriel Spark and Elizabeth von Arnim. It’s a beautifully produced collection, the literary equivalent of a Christmas selection box, featuring perennial favourites, new discoveries and the occasional left-field choice. There are seventeen stories here, spanning a diverse array of styles from the literary to the commercial, from the traditional to the surreal. Inevitably, different stories will resonate with different readers depending on their personal tastes, but there really seems to be something for every reader here! As in my reviews of other anthologies and short story collections, I’m going to focus on the strongest entries – in other words, the ones I enjoyed the most. Hopefully this will give you a flavour of what to expect! Unsurprisingly, families feature heavily here, sometimes encompassing reconciliations, reunions, or the forging of new connections. Moreover, the stories are arranged to mirror the order of events across the holidays, from pre-Christmas preparations to the Big Day itself, with a New Year’s Eve story towards the end. It’s a lovely way to construct a collection, walking the reader through the festive season as it unfolds. In The Little Christmas Tree by Stella Gibbons, a young spinster begins to regret her decision to spend Christmas alone in her country cottage, having rejected an invitation from Kensington friends. Luckily, Rhoda’s Christmas Day is brightened by a surprise visit when three lively children turn up on her doorstep, as if from a fairy tale. Much merriment ensues in this lovely, magical story with a hint of romance. Maeve Binchy’s This Year It Will Be Different focuses on Ethel, a married woman with a husband and three grown-up children living at home. Despite having a job herself, Ethel is expected to manage all the shopping, cooking and housework for her family. That’s how it’s been for the last twenty-three years, so why should the routine change in the future? Ethel, however, has other plans. This Christmas, things will be different – she simply cannot face the thought of doing it all over again. She didn’t do anything dramatic. She didn’t do anything at all. She bought no tree, she mended no fairy lights, she sent six cards to people who really needed cards. There was no excited talking about weights of turkey and length of time cooking the ham as in other years. There were no lists, no excursions for late-night shopping. She came home after work, made the supper, cleared it away, washed up and sat down and looked at the television. Eventually they noticed. (p. 25) This lovely, unshowy story highlights just how easy it is for women to be taken for granted by their families…and what happens when they take a stand! In Beryl Bainbridge’s excellent tale, Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie, Charles Henderson is somewhat disappointed when his wife, a domestic cleaner, receives six theatre tickets for a pantomime from her employer as a Christmas gift. Still, Mrs Henderson is determined to make the best of it – her two grandchildren will enjoy Peter Pan, even if no one else is very enthusiastic. Bainbridge uses humour to great effect here, crafting a wonderfully vivid story with a sting in its tail. On the day itself, Charles is all out of sorts, unsettled by his son Alec’s wild driving, his daughter Moira’s preoccupations, and a nasty bout of indigestion that worsens as the pantomime unfolds. “…I can’t see the point of it, can you, Moira?” Moira said nothing, but her mouth drooped at the corners. She was probably thinking about her husband who had run off and left her with two kiddies and a gas bill for twenty-seven quid. (p. 188) The story ends with a shock – an unexpected turn of events that feels typical of Bainbridge’s style. Easily one of my favourites in the collection. Christmas Fugue by Muriel Spark is another highly memorable one, the wild card in the pack! In this story, Cynthia, a young Englishwoman, is flying home from Australia on Christmas Day. An early encounter between some of her fellow passengers marks out the tone as surreal… A thin, tall man with glasses passed the couple on the way to the lavatories. On his emergence he stopped, pointed at the paperback and said, “Agatha Christie! You’re reading Agatha Christie. She’s a serial killer. On your dark side you yourself are a serial killer. The man beamed triumphantly and made his way to a seat behind the couple. (p. 87) This story blurs the margins between the real and the imaginary, leaving the reader to tease out the truth. There are shades of Spark’s novella The Driver’s Seat here, the kind of scenario where everything feels somewhat skewed or off-kilter. Gentler fare comes in the shape of Audrey Burton’s Ticket for a Carol Concert, in which Mrs Lorimer is trying to sell the last tranche of tickets for the carol concert with mixed success. Everyone seems to have an excuse not to come, but they buy a ticket anyway just to be charitable. Miss Sweeting was a singer, a professional singer. She got engagements sometimes with the BBC and at Masonic dinners. “A carol concert! She gave a delicate, artistic shudder. No, she really couldn’t listen to amateurs, couldn’t hear all that music being murdered by people who hadn’t been trained how to produce their voices properly. (pp. 54-55) A very enjoyable story with a lovely conclusion, full of gentle humour. Other nostalgic, heartwarming tales include Kate Nivison’s ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas (featuring a very likeable mouse!) and Pantomime by Stella Margetson, in which a young boy is thrilled to be given the chance to act as assistant stage manager for the festive pantomime production. This is a really beautiful story, tinged with the poignancy of a childhood crush. Fans of lighter, romantic fiction will likely enjoy Olive Wadsley’s Snow (a frothy, melodramatic love triangle) and Nancy Morrison’s Freedom (an enjoyable confection), while lovers of Elizabeth von Arnim’s fiction will be pleased to find one of her pieces here. Christmas in a Bavarian Village is short but very evocative, a vivid sketch with hints of more depth beneath the surface. A couple of the other stories, e.g. Alice Munro’s The Turkey Season and Kathleen Norris’s Christmas Bread, didn’t quite land for me, but that’s only to be expected in an anthology such as this. So, in summary then, a delightful anthology of festive stories to suit various tastes – an ideal gift for the right reader. (My thanks to the publishers for kindly providing a review copy.) A few weeks ago, I posted a list of some of my favourite novels set in hotels, featuring much-loved modern classics such as Vicki Baum’s Grand Hotel, Anita Brookner’s Hotel du Lac and Elizabeth Taylor’s Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont. The post proved quite a hit, with many of you adding your own recommendations in the comments. Many thanks for those suggestions – I now have several excellent possibilities to check out! As promised in the ‘hotels’ post, here’s my follow-up piece on boarding-house novels, an interesting variant on the theme. While boarding houses have been around since the 19th century, they were particularly common in the first half of the 20th century, offering each ‘boarder’ the opportunity to rent a room cost-effectively, particularly in towns or cities. Just like hotel guests, every boarder comes with their own backstory, habits and peculiarities, throwing up the potential for drama, romance or tension as different individuals interact, especially in the communal areas of the house. There’s also a seedy ‘feel’ to many boarding houses, a sleazy, down-at-heel atmosphere that adds to their appeal – certainly as settings for fiction if not places to live! So, without further ado, here are a few of my favourite boarding house novels from the shelves. Voyage in the Dark by Jean Rhys (1934) Voyage is narrated by Anna Morgan, an eighteen-year-old girl brought to England from her former home in the West Indies by her stepmother, a selfish woman who all but abandons Anna after her father’s death. What follows is a gradual unravelling as Anna drifts around in a state of depression, moving from one down-at-heel room to another, slipping unconsciously into a state of dependency, turning to drink and sleeping with men in the hope of some much-needed comfort. This is a brilliant, devastating book, played out against a background of loneliness and despair – all the more powerful for its connection to Rhys’ own life. The Slaves of Solitude by Patrick Hamilton (1947) Perhaps the quintessential boarding house novel, this darkly comic tragicomedy revolves around Miss Roach, a spinster in her late thirties whose drab and dreary existence is mirrored by the suffocating atmosphere in her lodgings, The Rosamund Tea Rooms. Located in the fictional riverside town of Thames Lockdon, The Rosamond is home to a peculiar mix of misfits – lonely individuals on the fringes of life. Holding court over the residents is fellow boarder, the ghastly Mr Thwaites, a consummate bully who delights in passing judgements on others, much to Miss Roach’s discomfort. Hamilton excels at capturing the stifling atmosphere of the boarding house and the stealthy nature of war, stealing people’s pleasures and even their most basic necessities. A brilliant introduction to the boarding-house milieu. Of Love and Hunger by Julian Maclaren-Ross (1947) Set in the 1940s, this marvellous novel is narrated by Richard Fanshawe, a young man who finds himself in the unenviable position of trying to eke out a living by selling vacuum cleaners to sceptical housewives. The story is shot through with dark humour, much of which stems from Maclaren-Ross’ wonderfully sharp observations on Fanshawe’s experiences as a salesman and life at the boarding house where he rents a room. Constantly in arrears with the rent and heavily reliant on credit, Fanshawe never seems to have enough money in his pockets. He’s living from one day to the next, but there’s always the hope that wealthy Uncle George will come through with a cheque to tide him over for a while. Meanwhile, Fanshawe’s landlady is on the lookout for any signs of money…Running alongside this storyline is a touch of romance as Fanshawe falls for a colleague’s wife, Sukie, while her husband is away – a relationship played out against the backdrop of prying landladies, seaside cafes and picnics in the woods. This terrific novel is highly recommended, especially for Patrick Hamilton fans. The Girls of Slender Means by Muriel Spark (1963) The setting for this one is The May of Teck, a large boarding house/hostel ‘for Ladies of Slender Means below the age of Thirty’, situated in London’s Kensington. Despite the novel’s wartime setting, there’s a wonderful boarding-school-style atmosphere in The May of Teck, with a glamorous Schiaparelli gown passing from one girl to another for various important dates. Spark is particularly good on the social hierarchy that has developed within the hostel, with the youngest girls occupying dormitory-style rooms on the first floor, those with a little more money sharing smaller rooms on the second, while the most attractive, sophisticated girls occupy the top floor, a status that reflects their interesting jobs and active social lives. By turns sharp, witty, touching and poignant, this evocative novel touches on some dark and surprising themes with a dramatic conclusion to boot. The Boarding-House by William Trevor (1965) I loved this darkly comic novel set in a South London boarding house in the mid-1960s. At first, Mr Bird’s tenants appear to be a disparate bunch, each lodger possessing their own individual characteristics and personality traits. However, it soon becomes clear that they are all solitary figures, a little flawed or inadequate in some way, hovering on the fringes of mainstream society. Residents include Major Eele, an old-school eccentric with a penchant for strip clubs; Mr Scribbin, a railway enthusiast who spends his nights listening to gramophone records of steam trains; and Rose Cave, a gentle, middle-aged woman who remains haunted by the memory of her dead mother. All of these characters are drawn by Trevor with great precision and clarity in such a way that gently elicits the reader’s sympathy. Moreover, their existences are marked by a deep sadness or loneliness, an air of missed opportunities and unfulfilled potential as life has passed them by. In short, this is a brilliantly observed novel, a wickedly funny tragicomedy of the highest order. The House of Dolls by Barbara Comyns (1989) We’re back in Kensington for this one, set in a London boarding house in the midst of the swinging ‘60s. Amy Doll, a widow in her mid-thirties, has four female boarders – all middle-aged or elderly, all divorced or widowed and cast adrift from any immediate family. Low on funds and in need of support to pay the rent, the ladies have turned their hands to a little light prostitution, fashioning a sort of ‘lounge’ for elderly gentlemen in Amy’s drawing-room. Central to this operation are Berti and Evelyn – both stick-thin and well past their prime. With her dyed red hair and skin-tight clothes, Berti is the more formidable of the pair, a rather nosy, bawdy woman who proves difficult for Amy to control. Almost as troublesome is Evelyn – ‘a poor man’s version of Berti’ with her blue rinse and slightly tragic air. This is a charming, wickedly funny novel with some serious themes at its heart – how sometimes our hands are forced by unfortunate circumstances – loneliness, poverty, abandonment or adversity. A lesser-known Comyns, but well worth your time. Also worthy of an honourable mention or two: R. C. Sherriff’s charming 1931 novel The Fortnight in September, in which the Stevens family take their annual holiday at Bognor’s Seaview boarding house, a traditional establishment that has seen better days; Olivia Manning’s excellent 1951 novel School for Love, a wonderfully compelling coming-of-age story set in Jerusalem towards the end of WW2. Notable for the monstrous Miss Bohun, who presides over the central setting – a boarding house of sorts; Patricia Highsmith’s The Sweet Sickness (1960) – an immersive story of obsession, desire and fantasy. David, the novel’s central protagonist, spends much of his time fending off unwanted attention from the other residents at Mrs McCartney’s boarding house, his shabby residence in New York; Beryl Bainbridge’s An Awfully Big Adventure (1989) – a most enjoyable novel set in the theatrical world of 1950s Liverpool, with a down-at-heel boarding house to boot; Do let me know your thoughts if you’ve read any of these books. Or maybe you have some favourite boarding-house novels that you’d like to share with others – I’m sure there are many more I’ve yet to discover, so please feel free to mention them below. Last week, I published part 1 of my favourite reads of 2020, a post focussing on novellas and non-fiction. (If you missed it, you can find it here.) Today, I’m back with part 2, my favourite novels from a year of reading. My reading has been somewhat erratic in 2020, following the ebb and flow of the lockdown-release cycle we’ve been navigating this year. Nevertheless, I have managed to read some truly excellent books. So, without further ado, these are the novels I loved, the books that have stayed with me, the ones I’m most likely to recommend to others. As ever, I’ve summarised each one below, but you can read the full reviews by clicking on the appropriate links. Business as Usual by Jane Oliver and Ann Stafford This is such a charming book, a wonderful novel in which a young woman, Hilary Fane, sets out on her own, hoping to find her way in the world of work before getting married. The story is told through a series of letters – mostly from Hilary to her parents and fiancé – coupled with the occasional interdepartmental memo from the London department store where she works. In short, the letters chart Hilary’s progress in London, the highs and lows of working life and the practicalities of surviving on a meagre wage. What comes through so strongly here is the narrative voice, revealing Hilary to be bright, realistic, witty and self-deprecating; in other words, she is an absolute joy. If you loved Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day or The Diary of a Provincial Lady, chances are you’ll enjoy this. The Skin Chairs by Barbara Comyns The novels of Barbara Comyns continue to be a source of fascination for me, characterised as they are by her unique world view, a surreal blend of the macabre and the mundane. The Skin Chairs is a magical novel in which a bright, curious girl must navigate some of the challenges of adolescence. It is by turns funny, eerie, poignant and bewitching. What Comyns captures so well here is how children can often be excellent intuitive judges of character without fully understanding the complexities or underlying motivations at play. A spellbinding read that reminds me a little of Angela Carter’s The Magic Toyshop and Shirley Jackson’s We Have Always Lived in the Castle — and I can’t recommend it more highly than that! A Wreath of Roses by Elizabeth Taylor Regular readers of this blog will be familiar with my love of Elizabeth Taylor’s fiction, the perfectly executed stories of human nature, the small-scale dramas of domestic life, typically characterised by careful observation and insight. First published in 1949, A Wreath of Roses is one of Taylor’s earliest novels – and quite possibly her darkest too with its exploration of fear, loneliness, mortality and lies. It also features one of the most striking openings in literature, a genuinely unnerving scene that sets a sinister tone right from the start. A Wreath of Roses is right up there with Mrs Palfrey and The Soul of Kindness for me, top-tier Taylor for sure. The Bottle Factory Outing by Beryl Bainbridge The centrepiece of this somewhat surreal novel, which takes place in the 1970s, is a staff outing for the employees of a wine-bottling factory. Observing this ill-fated trip feels somewhat akin to watching a slow-motion car crash, with the reader powerless to divert their attention as the horror unfolds. The tone is darkly comic and farcical, a little like a cross between Willy Russell’s play Our Day Out and Mike Leigh’s Abigail’s Party – maybe with a touch of Nuts in May thrown in for good measure. In essence, this is an excellent, well-crafted tragi-comedy, shot through with Bainbridge’s characteristically acute insight into human nature. It is the juxtaposition between the ordinary and the absurd that makes this such an unsettling yet compelling read. The Balkan Trilogy by Olivia Manning How to do justice to such a deeply rewarding series of novels in just a few sentences? It’s nigh on impossible. All I can do is urge you to read these books for yourself if you haven’t already. Ostensibly a portrait of a complex marriage unfolding against the backdrop of the looming threat of war, this largely autobiographical series is rich in detail and authenticity, perfectly capturing the tensions and uncertainties that war creates. As ever, Manning excels at creating flawed and nuanced characters that feel thoroughly believable. A transportive read with a particularly vivid sense of place. The Offing by Benjamin Myers Set in the summer of 1946, just after the end of the Second World War, The Offing tells the story of an unlikely friendship that develops between two very different individuals, both of whom experience a kind of transformation as a result. In writing this novel, Myers has given us such a gorgeous, compassionate book, one that demonstrates the power of human connection in a damaged world. Alongside its themes of hope, individualism and recovery, this lyrical novel is an evocative paean to the natural world. Fans of A Month in the Country and The Go-Between will likely enjoy this. The Leopard by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa (tr. Archibald Colquhoun) A beautiful, elegiac novel set in 19th century Sicily, a time when the principality was caught in a period of significant change, one ushered in by the Risorgimento, or unification of Italy. It’s a novel that highlights the need for us to adapt if we want certain aspects of our lives to remain the same. The language is especially gorgeous here – sensual, evocative and ornate, frequently tinged with an aching sense of sadness for a vanishing world. Another transportive read, albeit one with an undeniable sense of melancholy. The Weather in the Streets by Rosamond Lehmann A sequel to Lehmann’s earlier novel, Invitation to the Waltz, in which seventeen-year-old Olivia Curtis is captivated at her first society ball by the dashing Rollo Spencer. Ten years later, a chance encounter brings Olivia back into contact with Rollo, sparking a rush of conflicting emotions – more specifically, the desire to open up vs the tendency towards self-protection. This remarkable book expertly captures the cruelty, frustration and devastation of a doomed love affair in the most glittering prose. The modernity of Lehmann’s approach, with its passages of stream-of-consciousness and fluid style, makes the novel feel fresh and alive, well ahead of its time for the mid-1930s. The Children of Dynmouth by William Trevor My fascination with the work of William Trevor continues apace with his 1976 novel, The Children of Dynmouth, the story of a malevolent teenager and the havoc he wreaks on the residents of a sleepy seaside town. It’s an excellent book, one that veers between the darkly comic, the deeply tragic and the downright unnerving. What Trevor does so well here is to expose the darkness and sadness that lurks beneath the veneer of respectable society. The rhythms and preoccupations of small-town life are beautifully captured too, from the desolate views of the windswept promenade, to the sleepy matinees at the down-at-heel cinema, to the much-anticipated return of the travelling fair for the summer season. One for Muriel Spark fans, particularly those with a fondness for The Ballad of Peckham Rye. Hotel du Lac by Anita Brookner As this brilliant novel opens, Edith Hope – an unmarried writer of romantic fiction – has just been packed off by her respectable, interfering friends to the Hotel du Lac, a rather austere hotel of high repute in the Swiss countryside. Right from the start, it is clear that Edith has been banished from her sector of society, sent away to reflect on her misdemeanours, to become herself again following some undisclosed scandal. (The reason for this exile is eventually revealed, but not until the last third of the book.) Central to the novel is Edith and her consideration of the kind of life she can carve out for herself. It’s a truly excellent book, one that throws up so many questions and points for debate – especially on the options open to women in the 1970s/’80s and how these have changed. My third reading of this book, and at last I feel that I’ve got it. The Caravaners by Elizabeth von Arnim The Caravaners is a satire of the highest order, not least because the novel’s narrator – the German baron, Otto von Ottringel – is a colossal ass; a pompous, insufferable individual with absolutely no self-awareness. The novel focuses on a caravanning holiday through the countryside of Kent, ostensibly to mark Otto’s silver wedding anniversary. What von Arnim does so well here is to let the reader see how Otto is perceived by those around him, even though the novel is narrated entirely through the baron’s own eyes. In short, this is a brilliantly-written book, one that casts a sharply satirical eye over such subjects as misogyny, class differences, power dynamics in marriage and Anglo-German relations during the early 20th century – not to mention the delights and follies of caravanning in the inclement British weather. Mr Wilder and Me by Jonathan Coe I have long had a fondness for the work of Billy Wilder, the Austrian-born American filmmaker who moved to Hollywood in the early 1930s. The Apartment (1961) is my all-time favourite film – I watch it at least once a year, often on New Year’s Eve – while Double Indemnity (1945) and Some Like It Hot (1960) would almost certainly make my top ten. So, a novelisation of Wilder’s quest to make his 1978 movie, Fedora was always going to be literary catnip for me. This is a wonderfully charming, warm-hearted book – at once a gentle coming-of-age story and an affectionate portrayal of one of Hollywood’s greatest directors – a compassionate, bittersweet novel about ageing, creativity and what happens when an industry changes, leaving a respected artist somewhat high and dry. So there we have it, my favourite novels from a year of reading. All that remains is for me to wish you a very Merry Christmas and all the best for the year ahead; let’s hope it turns out to be significantly less stressful than 2020… Earlier this week, I posted the first of two pieces on Wave Me Goodbye, a fascinating anthology of stories by women writers – most of whom were writing during the Second World War (or the years immediately following its end). Viewed as a whole, this collection offers a rich tapestry depicting the different facets of women’s lives during this period. We see individuals waiting anxiously for the return of loved ones; women grieving for lives that have been lost, and marriages that have faded or turned sour. The mood and atmosphere on the home front are vividly conveyed through stories of nights in the air raid shelters and the emotional impact of the Blitz. Plus, there are glimpses of Europe too, from the ravages of war-torn France to the tension in Romania as the conflict edges ever closer. In this second post, I’m going to cover some more highlights from the remainder of the anthology, particularly the more humorous stories and those conveying a strong sense of place. (If you missed my first post, you can catch up with it here.) Several of the stories I covered on Tuesday were rather poignant or heartbreaking, with their explorations of loss, grief and mismatched expectations. However, there are some wonderful flashes of humour in this anthology too – pieces by Barbara Pym, Beryl Bainbridge and Margery Sharp where the comedy ranges from the dry to the mordant to the engaging and amusing. Goodbye Balkan Capital is quintessential Pym, a beautifully observed story of two spinster sisters sharing a house together, the protagonists reminiscent of the Bede sisters from this author’s early novel, Some Tame Gazelle. As Laura listens to news of the war on the radio, she is reminded of a night spent in the company of Crispin, a dashing young man who captivated her heart at a ball back in her youth. While Laura has not seen Crispin since that event, she has followed his successful career in the Diplomatic Service over the years, his most recent role having taken him to the Balkans. As reports come in of the Germans’ advance across Europe, Laura envisages Crispin fleeing his office at the British Legation, possibly travelling to Russia and beyond via the Trans-Siberian Express. The excitement Laura experiences vicariously by way of these imaginings contrasts sharply with the mundane realities of her life in the village. Nevertheless, her role as a volunteer in the Air Raid Precautions (ARP) unit makes Laura feel useful and valued – much to the annoyance of her sister, Janet, always the more formidable of the two. Janet ought really to have been the one to go out, thought Laura, but she had resigned from ARP after a disagreement with the Head of the Women’s Section. It had started with an argument about some oilcloth and had gone on from strength to strength, until they now cut each other in the street. And so it was Laura, always a little flustered on these occasions, who had to collect her things and hurry out to the First Aid Post. (pp. 99–100) This is a bittersweet story of romantic dreams and unrequited love, in which the petty slights and disagreements between the two women are captured to perfection. In Beryl Bainbridge’s Bread and Butter Smith, a couple are plagued by the appearance of an intrusive man named Smith, who clings onto them like a limpet, forever popping up when they least expect it. This is a very funny story, shot through with the author’s characteristically black sense of humour. When we said we wouldn’t be available on Boxing Day, he even hinted that we might take him along to Belmont Road. I was almost tempted to take him up on it. Mr Brownlow was argumentative and had a weak bladder. Constance had picked him up outside the Co-op in 1931. It would have served Smith right to have had to sit for six hours in Constance’s front parlour, two lumps of coal in the grate, one glass of port and lemon to last the night, and nothing by the way of entertainment beyond escorting Mr Brownlow down the freezing backyard to the WC. (p. 310) Margery Sharp’s Night Engagement is another delight. In this marvellous story, told in a wonderful gossipy style, we meet Doris, a respectable girl who is on the lookout for a nice young man amidst the swathes of Londoners taking cover in the air raid shelters. When Doris finds herself thrown together with Arthur following an explosion, romance begins to blossom – something their respective mothers are all too willing to encourage. Elsewhere, there are stories with a palpable sense of place. Pieces like Elizabeth Bowen’s Mysterious Kôr, in which a couple’s fantasies of an ideal land contrast sharply with the ghostly images of London at night. The two sets of steps died in opposite directions, and, the birds subsiding, nothing was heard or seen until, a little way down the street, a trickle of people came out of the Underground, around the anti-panic brick wall. These all disappeared quickly, in an abashed way, or as though dissolved in the street by some white acid, but for a girl and a soldier who, by their way of walking, seemed to have no destination but each other and to be not quite certain even of that. (p. 167) Finally, fans of Olivia Manning’s Balkan Trilogy will find much to admire in A Journey, her account of Mary Martin, a journalist who travels from Bucharest to Cluj to cover the Hungarian occupation of Transylvania. The strange town was full of the movement of a break-up. There was a tenseness and suspicion in the atmosphere. The shop windows had their shutters up against riots. Some were shut, others had their doors half open on the chance of somebody at such a time giving thought to purchase of furniture, shoes and books. Women crowded round the grocery stores asking one another when life would be organized again and bread, milk and meet reappear for sale. Only the large café on the square that baked its own rolls, was open. A waiter stood at the door holding the handle and only opening for those whose faces he knew. Curiosity persuaded him to let Mary in. (pp. 80–81) Like The Balkan Trilogy itself, A Journey feels inspired by some of Manning’s own personal experiences of the region. The story ends with a terrifying train journey, reminiscent of Yaki’s escape from Bucharest in The Spoilt City, as individuals try to latch onto the moving carriages in their desperation to get away. In summary, Wave Me Goodbye offers a remarkable range of insights into women’s experiences of the Second World War, both on the Home Front and abroad. The diversity of perspectives is hugely impressive. Very highly recommended for readers with an interest in 20th-century fiction about these aspects of our social history. Wave Me Goodbye is published by Virago Press; personal copy. First published in 1974, The Bottle Factory Outing was Beryl Bainbridge’s fifth novel. It’s only the third of her books that I’ve read (my first was An Awfully Big Adventure, a darkly comic gem); but on the evidence of this, I should probably aim to read some more. Ostensibly, The Bottle Factory Outing focuses on two mismatched young women, Brenda and Freda, who share a shabby bedsit while also working together at a local wine bottling factory. While Brenda is mousey and pessimistic, Freda is loud and outgoing, forever dreaming about the life she would like to be living – preferably that of a successful actress surrounded by friends and family. In the opening paragraphs, Brenda and Freda are watching the early stages of a funeral with the removal of a coffin from another flat in their building. As they speculate on the deceased – an old lady who lived with her cat – the differences between the two women become increasingly apparent. ‘You cry easily,’ said Brenda, when they were dressing to go to the factory. ‘I like funerals. All those flowers – a full life coming to a close…’ ‘She didn’t look as if she’d had a full life,’ said Brenda. ‘She only had the cat. There weren’t any mourners – no sons or anything.’ ‘Take a lesson from it then. It could happen to you. When I go I shall have my family about me – daughters – sons – my husband, grey and distinguished, dabbing a handkerchief to his lips…’ ‘Men always go first,’ said Brenda. ‘Women live longer.’ ‘My dear, you ought to participate more. You are too cut off from life.’ (p. 2) Twenty-six-year-old Freda is a force of nature, a tall curvy blonde who dresses flamboyantly, her cobalt blue eyeshadow and purple pantsuit adding considerably to her striking appearance. Brenda, on the other hand, cuts a dowdy figure in her dark stockings and shabby, over-sized coat. At thirty-two, Brenda already seems old before her time. Having fled an abusive relationship with her selfish husband, Brenda now wishes to hide from the world, far away from Stanley and his deranged mother. The differences between the two girls are also noticeable at the factory – an establishment owned by Mr Paganotti, an enterprising Italian businessman who has built up the business from scratch. While at work, Freda spends much of her time chasing after Vittorio, the handsome trainee manager and nephew of Mr Paganotti. In truth, however, Vittorio shows only limited interest in Freda in spite of her persistent efforts to attract his attention. Nevertheless, there is nothing that Freda would like more than a romantic dinner for two with Vittorio, a situation she tries to engineer with mixed results. He was a man of sensibilities and everything was against her – his background, his nationality, the particular regard he had for women or a category of womanhood to which she did not belong. By the strength of her sloping shoulders, the broad curve of her throat, the dimpled vastness of her columnar thighs, she would manoeuvre him into her arms. I will be one of those women, she thought, painted naked on ceilings, lolling amidst rose-coloured clouds. She straightened and stared at a chair. She imagined how she might mesmerise him with her wide blue eyes. Wearing a see-through dressing-gown chosen from a Littlewoods catalogue, she would open the door to him. (p. 40) Brenda too faces her own particular challenges at work; in this instance, the difficulties involves Mr Rossi, a manager at the firm, who persists in trying to grope Brenda in the seclusion of the cellar. Far from calling out Mr Rossi for sexual harassment, Brenda is too timid to say anything, preferring instead to suffer in near silence. From a young age, Brenda was brought up to be deferential – drilled into saying ‘yes’ when what she really wanted to say was ‘no’ (and vice versa). Now in her thirties, Brenda continues to remain passive while being taken advantage of by others, afraid to speak up for fear of causing a problem. As you’ll have guessed from the novel’s title, the centrepiece of the story revolves around a staff outing, an event that Freda has arranged much to Brenda’s horror. (In truth, Brenda would much rather stay at home, content to remain invisible while others go off to enjoy themselves.) All the other employees are looking forward to the event, especially as Mr Paganotti – notable by his absence – has donated four barrels of wine to be enjoyed during the trip. On the morning of the outing, the van booked for the trip fails to show up, much to Freda’s disappointment. Nevertheless, Rossi cooks up a new plan for the day (largely with the aim of seducing Brenda) by offering his own car together with that of a colleague as alternative transport. It’s at this point in the story that events begin to turn increasingly surreal, culminating in a demented drive through the wilds of Windsor Safari Park as the afternoon unravels. I don’t want to give away too many details about the trip, save to say that it feels as if the reader is watching a slow-motion car crash, powerless to look away as the horror unfolds. The tone is darkly comic and farcical, a little like a cross between Willy Russell’s play Our Day Out and Mike Leigh’s Abigail’s Party – maybe with a touch of Nuts in May thrown in for good measure. The off-the-wall touches are beautifully done, heightened by a sharp eye for detail and freakish imagery. The safari bus when it came was painted with black stripes like a zebra. It looked as if the whole pride of lions had hurled themselves at the rusty bonnet and ill-fitting windows and torn the tyres to ribbons. The driver was dressed in a camouflage jacket of mottled green and a hat to match, one side caught up at the side as if he were a Canadian Mountie. When he opened the double doors at the back of the van, Brenda saw he was wearing plastic sandals, bright orange and practically luminous, and striped socks. (p. 148) The female characters are also particularly well observed, vividly brought to life by Bainbridge’s skills as a writer. At the time of publication, the book was praised in a review by William Trevor who described it ‘as though Muriel Spark had been prevailed upon to write an episode of The Liver Birds,’. (Warning: this excellent piece on Bainbrdge does contain spoilers.) It’s a great description as the novel has something of both the sharpness of Carla Lane’s writing and the savagery of Spark’s worldview. The observations on life on a low wage, social class, worker’s rights, and the harassment of women in the workplace are also keenly felt. As the novel hurtles towards its startling denouement, the tone begins to change, shifting from black humour to deep pathos. It’s a testament to Bainbridge’s skills as a writer that this transition works so well, prompting the reader to feel some degree of sympathy for each of the characters concerned, in spite of their failings. In essence, this is an excellent, well-crafted tragi-comedy, shot through with Bainbridge’s acute insight into human nature. It is the juxtaposition between the ordinary and the absurd that makes this such an unsettling yet compelling read. For other perspectives on this novel, here are links to reviews by Max and Cathy. Thanks, both, for encouraging me to read this. The Bottle Factory Outing is published by Abacus Books; personal copy. I’ve long wanted to read Beryl Bainbridge – her 1989 Booker-shortlisted novel An Awfully Big Adventure has been in my sights since Max reviewed it last year. So, when Annabel announced she would be hosting a Bainbridge Reading Week in June, it seemed the perfect opportunity for me to pick it up. Set in the early 1950s, An Awfully Big Adventure features Stella, a teenage girl who lives with her Uncle Vernon and his wife, Lily, in their down-at-heel boarding house in Liverpool. (Neither of the girl’s parents is on the scene, but the reasons behind their absence only become clear towards the end of the novel). Stella is quick and determined; she has the brains but not the discipline for schoolwork, preferring instead the environment of Mrs Ackerley’s ‘Dramatic Art’ classes where she goes every Friday after school. In his desire to see Stella do well in life, Vernon pulls a few strings with a friend to get her a meeting with the producer at the local repertory theatre, a rather handsome fellow by the name of Meredith Potter. At first, Potter and his colleague – stage manager, Bunny – don’t seem terribly interested in seeing Stella perform the piece she has prepared in advance. Nevertheless, they take her out to tea and Eccles cakes at a nearby café (a wonderful scene which Max highlights in his review). At the end of their meeting, Stella is somewhat surprised when Meredith offers her a role; luckily for her, she is to start at the theatre at the beginning of the new season, one of two juniors Meredith ends up hiring for the run. In due course, Stella meets the other members of the company, most of whom come complete with their own eccentricities and idiosyncrasies. This is a darkly comic novel, with much of the humour arising from the interactions between these characters as they go about their business at the theatre, all heightened by the various romantic attachments and professional rivalries at play within the group. Here’s a brief snippet to give you a feel for the troupe. There were three men and four women in the cast of Dangerous Corner, all of whom, save one, were under contract for the season. The exception was Dawn Allenby, a woman in her thirties who had been engaged for this first production only and who, two days into rehearsal, had fallen heavily for Richard St Ives. If she was served before him at the morning tea-break she offered her cup to him at once, protesting that his need was greater than hers. He had only to fumble in the pocket of his sports jacket, preparatory to taking out his pipe, and she was at his elbow striking on a musical lighter which tinkled out the tune of ‘Come Back to Sorrento’. St Ives was plainly terrified of her. Cornered, he resorted to patting her on the shoulder, while across his face flitted the craven smile of a man dealing with an unpredictable pet that yet might turn on him. He laughed whenever she spoke to him and clung to Dotty Blundell for protection, whirling her away on his arm the moment rehearsals were over. (pg 46) At first, Stella finds herself doing odd jobs around the theatre, running errands for various members of the cast and getting to know how things work. Nevertheless, her lively imagination and rather forthright manner do not go unnoticed. There is something quite refreshing about Stella, and it’s not long before she finds herself in a cameo role in the company’s production of Caesar and Cleopatra. Dotty Blundell had grown especially fond of Stella. She was of the opinion there was more to the girl than might reasonably be expected. She had a boldness of manner, not to be confused with brashness, and an ability to express herself that was amusing, if at times disconcerting. (pg. 77) That said, Stella is still relatively young and inexperienced, especially when it comes to matters of the heart. In her innocence and naivety, she soon falls in love with Meredith, placing him on a pedestal in the hope that he will reciprocate her feelings. Meredith, on the other hand, shows little interest in forging any kind of attachment to the girl – unbeknownst to Stella, he is in fact gay. Things take a bit of turn for Stella with the arrival of P. L. O’Hara, a seasoned actor who is drafted in when one of the regular players breaks his leg in an accident. Having worked with Meredith and other long-standing members of the repertory team in the past, O’Hara has a history with the company and with Liverpool itself (a point of some significance within the story). In an attempt to make Meredith jealous, Stella gets involved with O’Hara, visiting him in his basement room several nights in a row – in essence, she thinks it might be useful to have a bit of experience under her belt for when Meredith finally gets around to showing some interest. It’s not long before the situation gets messy, but I’d better not say anything more for fear of revealing too much about the ending. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel with its sharp observations and darkly comic view of life. In some ways, it reminded me a little of Penelope Fitzgerald’s Offshore, a tragicomedy set within a community of barge dwellers on the River Thames in the early ‘60s. Bainbridge’s novel is perhaps funnier than the Fitzgerald, but with both of these books, one gets the feeling that catastrophe could strike these rather fragile people at any moment. Here, we know from the outset that things don’t end well for Stella. The novel begins with Chapter 0 — effectively a prologue that is revisited in the epilogue — in which she claims ‘I’m not old enough to shoulder the blame. Not all of it. I’m not the only one at fault.’ Only when we reach the closing chapters do we discover what Stella is referring to here. Alongside the comedy and dark undercurrent, Bainbridge brings a real feeling of warmth and affection to this novel, particularly in the portrayal of the various characters, most notably Stella’s Uncle Vernon. Vernon cares very deeply for Stella and doesn’t want to see her get hurt. He knows she is bound to change as she gets more involved with the theatre, and yet he is unprepared for how lost he feels when this starts to happen. He had wanted her to alter, had himself at some sacrifice to his pocket jostled her onto the path towards advancement, and yet he sensed she was leaving him behind. He hadn’t realised how bereft he would feel, how alarmed. (pg. 42) Stella too is a wonderful creation. With her combination of adolescent innocence and frankness, she has a tendency to say exactly what pops into her head without thinking about the consequences, thereby inadvertently creating tensions within the group. Once again, I won’t go into the details as it’s best you discover these for yourselves should you decide to read the book. In her younger days, Bainbridge spent some time working at the Liverpool Playhouse, a fact that shows in this novel as the details feel spot on. (Several of the characters in Meredith’s repertory company are based on people Bainbridge met during that time.) I’ll finish with a final quote, one that conveys something of the atmosphere of England in the early ‘50s, a time when the fallout from WW2 was still visible for all to see. Money is tight in Stella’s family, so baths are a once-a-fortnight luxury here – plus they all seem to use the same towel! It was inconvenient, Stella coming home and wanting a bath. As Uncle Vernon pointed out, it was only Wednesday. ‘I don’t care what day it is,’ she said. She was so set on it she was actually grinding her teeth. It meant paraffin had to be fetched from Cairo Joe’s chandler’s shop next door to the Greek Orthodox church, and then the stove lugged two flights up the stairs and the blanket nailed to the window with tacks. In the alleyway beyond the back wall stood a row of disused stables and a bombed house with the wallpaper hanging in shreds from the chimney-breast, and sometimes women, no better than they ought to be, lured men into the ruined shadows. ‘You’ll freeze,’ Lily threatened, having run upstairs in her coat and hat to lay out the family towel and returned, teeth chattering, like Scott on his way to the Pole. (pgs. 37-38) For other perspectives on this novel, here are links to reviews by Cleo and Emma. An Awfully Big Adventure is published by Abacus Books.
wrong_mix_range_publicationDate_00069	FactBench	3	85	https://www.hachette.co.nz/book/%3Fid%3Dthe-demolished-man-9781857988222	en		https://www.hachette.co.…holder_image.png	https://www.hachette.co.…holder_image.png	[ "https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=274776346316113&ev=PageView&noscript=1", "https://www.hachette.co.nz/graphics/CoverNotAvailable.jpg", "https://images.hachette.com.au/cover/large/9781857990768.jpg", "https://images.hachette.com.au/cover/large/9781472251510.jpg", "https://images.hachette.com.au/cover/large/9781529331103.jpg", "https://images.hachette.com.au/cover/large/9780733633089.jpg", "https://images.hachette.com.au/cover/large/9780733633096.jpg" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	null	- -	en	/favicon.ico		https://www.hachette.co.nz/book/?id=
wrong_mix_range_publicationDate_00069	FactBench	3	9	https://lycanthiabooks.com/book/alfred-bester-demolished-man-first-edition/	en	Alfred Bester, The Demolished Man, first UK edition, 1953	https://lycanthiabooks.c…022/03/84462.jpg	https://lycanthiabooks.c…022/03/84462.jpg	[ "https://lycanthiabooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/logo_lycanthia_600-1.png", "https://lycanthiabooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/logo_lycanthia_600-1.png", "https://lycanthiabooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/84463-100x100.jpg", "https://lycanthiabooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/84435-100x100.jpg", "https://lycanthiabooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/84462-600x600.jpg", "https://lycanthiabooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/84462_2-600x800.jpg", "https://lycanthiabooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/84462_3-600x800.jpg", "https://lycanthiabooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/84462_4-600x800.jpg", "https://lycanthiabooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/84462_5-600x800.jpg", "https://lycanthiabooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/84462_6-600x800.jpg", "https://lycanthiabooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/84462_7-600x800.jpg", "https://lycanthiabooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/84462-300x300.jpg", "https://lycanthiabooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/84462_2-300x400.jpg", "https://lycanthiabooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/84462_3-300x400.jpg", "https://lycanthiabooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/84462_4-300x400.jpg", "https://lycanthiabooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/84462_5-300x400.jpg", "https://lycanthiabooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/84462_6-300x400.jpg", "https://lycanthiabooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/84462_7-300x400.jpg", "https://lycanthiabooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/82422-300x399.jpg", "https://lycanthiabooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/82422_2-300x399.jpg", "https://lycanthiabooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/82389-300x399.jpg", "https://lycanthiabooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/82389_2-300x400.jpg", "https://lycanthiabooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/01170_1-300x494.jpg", "https://lycanthiabooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/01170_2-300x617.jpg", "https://lycanthiabooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/pbfa_logo-280x280.png", "https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=173152841635971&ev=PageView&noscript=1" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	2022-02-19T21:25:00+00:00	The Demolished Man was the first novel by Alfred Bester, who up until its publication had been best known for his Sci-Fi short stories. It was the first Hugo Award winner in 1953. Uncommon in such a nice example of the rather cool dust-jacket, very different from the more austere first US edition.	en	https://lycanthiabooks.c…icon-100x100.png	Lycanthia Rare Books	https://lycanthiabooks.com/book/alfred-bester-demolished-man-first-edition/	London, Sidgwick & Jackson, 1953. First UK edition. 8vo. Original red boards. Dust-jacket, priced 9s 6d and with publisher’s printed overlay to foot of front inside flap. The Demolished Man was the first novel by Alfred Bester, who up until its publication had been best known for his Sci-Fi short stories. It was the first Hugo Award winner in 1953. Uncommon in such a nice example of the rather cool dust-jacket, very different from the more austere first US edition.
wrong_mix_range_publicationDate_00069	FactBench	3	93	https://www.bookey.app/quote-book/the-demolished-man	en	30 Best The Demolished Man Quotes With Image	https://cdn.bookey.app/w…series/share.png	https://cdn.bookey.app/w…series/share.png	[ "https://cdn.bookey.app/web/deploy/assets/static/logo.c1ef962f.png", "https://cdn.bookey.app/web/deploy/assets/static/quoteLogo.52d453ec.png", "https://cdn.bookey.app/web/deploy/assets/static/quoteLogo.52d453ec.png", "https://cdn.bookey.app/web/deploy/assets/static/quoteLogo.52d453ec.png", "https://cdn.bookey.app/web/deploy/assets/static/quoteLogo.52d453ec.png", "https://cdn.bookey.app/web/deploy/assets/static/quoteLogo.52d453ec.png", "https://cdn.bookey.app/web/deploy/assets/static/logo3.3a93bda5.png", "https://cdn.bookey.app/web/deploy/assets/static/quoteLogo.52d453ec.png", "https://cdn.bookey.app/web/deploy/assets/static/quoteLogo.52d453ec.png", "https://cdn.bookey.app/web/deploy/assets/static/quoteLogo.52d453ec.png", "https://cdn.bookey.app/web/deploy/assets/static/quoteLogo.52d453ec.png", "https://cdn.bookey.app/web/deploy/assets/static/quoteLogo.52d453ec.png", "https://cdn.bookey.app/web/deploy/assets/static/quoteLogo.52d453ec.png", "https://cdn.bookey.app/web/deploy/assets/static/quoteLogo.52d453ec.png", "https://cdn.bookey.app/web/deploy/assets/static/quoteLogo.52d453ec.png", "https://cdn.bookey.app/web/deploy/assets/static/quoteLogo.52d453ec.png", "https://cdn.bookey.app/web/deploy/assets/static/quoteLogo.52d453ec.png", "https://cdn.bookey.app/web/deploy/assets/static/logo3.3a93bda5.png", "https://cdn.bookey.app/web/deploy/assets/static/quoteLogo.52d453ec.png", "https://cdn.bookey.app/web/deploy/assets/static/quoteLogo.52d453ec.png", "https://cdn.bookey.app/web/deploy/assets/static/quoteLogo.52d453ec.png", "https://cdn.bookey.app/web/deploy/assets/static/quoteLogo.52d453ec.png", "https://cdn.bookey.app/web/deploy/assets/static/quoteLogo.52d453ec.png", "https://cdn.bookey.app/web/deploy/assets/static/quoteLogo.52d453ec.png", "https://cdn.bookey.app/web/deploy/assets/static/quoteLogo.52d453ec.png", "https://cdn.bookey.app/web/deploy/assets/static/quoteLogo.52d453ec.png", "https://cdn.bookey.app/web/deploy/assets/static/quoteLogo.52d453ec.png", "https://cdn.bookey.app/web/deploy/assets/static/quoteLogo.52d453ec.png", "https://cdn.bookey.app/web/deploy/assets/static/quoteLogo.52d453ec.png", "https://cdn.bookey.app/web/deploy/assets/static/quoteLogo.52d453ec.png", "https://cdn.bookey.app/web/deploy/assets/static/quoteLogo.52d453ec.png", "https://cdn.bookey.app/web/deploy/assets/static/quoteLogo.52d453ec.png", "https://cdn.bookey.app/web/deploy/assets/static/quoteLogo.52d453ec.png", "https://cdn.bookey.app/web/deploy/assets/static/contetList.55e8a744.png" ]	[]	[]	[ "The Demolished ManQuotes", "The Demolished ManQuotes With Image" ]	null	[]	2023-12-08T11:25:40+08:00	1.The only way to cheat, in fact, was to play, and Mr. Presteign never played because he always cheated.2.Thought is a primitive form of telepathy; it travels through wordless spaces between the minds of individuals.	en	/favicon.ico		https://www.bookey.app/quote-book/the-demolished-man
wrong_mix_range_publicationDate_00069	FactBench	0	2	https://www.worldhistory.org/Rollo_of_Normandy/	en	Rollo of Normandy	https://www.worldhistory…200x627/9416.jpg	https://www.worldhistory…200x627/9416.jpg	[ "https://tracker.metricool.com/c3po.jpg?hash=583da8995f3bf53448b13ddf790ada6c", "https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/profile_photos/150-JPryst.JPG", "https://www.worldhistory.org/img/r/p/500x600/9416.jpg?v=1691196849", "https://www.worldhistory.org/img/r/p/500x600/9415.png?v=1712255523", "https://www.worldhistory.org/img/r/p/500x600/9414.jpg?v=1699760704", "https://www.worldhistory.org/img/r/p/500x600/9412.jpg?v=1613851206", "https://www.worldhistory.org/img/r/p/750x750/9413.jpg?v=1605147304", "https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/profile_photos/150-JPryst.JPG?v=1459726565", "https://www.worldhistory.org/img/c/p/360x202/9437.jpg?v=1691196963", "https://www.worldhistory.org/img/c/p/360x202/9654.jpg?v=1664102767", "https://www.worldhistory.org/img/c/p/360x202/9575.jpg?v=1703005083", "https://www.worldhistory.org/img/c/p/360x202/8848.jpg?v=1708466951", "https://www.worldhistory.org/img/c/p/360x202/9472.jpeg?v=1694944443", "https://www.worldhistory.org/img/c/p/360x202/9469.jpg?v=1713764169", "https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51Lu0vwtj9L._SL160_.jpg", "https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41ClcIuR7ML._SL160_.jpg", "https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/417wQcjjGPL._SL160_.jpg", "https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51plrHvqoSL._SL160_.jpg", "https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51yRrPrkpoL._SL160_.jpg", "https://www.worldhistory.org/template/images/timeline-header.jpg?v=6", "https://www.worldhistory.org/template/images/newsletter_banner.jpg", "https://www.worldhistory.org/template/images/membership/membership-sidetab-en.svg?v=1721637553", "https://www.worldhistory.org/images/partners/unesco_archives_white.png" ]	[]	[]	[ "Rollo of Normandy", "Bjorn Ironside", "Charles the Simple", "Gisela of France", "Ivar the Boneless", "Kingdom of West Francia", "Lagertha", "Ragnar Lothbrok", "Viking Raids on Paris" ]	null	[ "Joshua J. Mark" ]	2018-11-08T17:00:20+00:00	Rollo (l. c.860-c.930 CE, r. 911-927 CE) was a Viking chieftain who became the founder and first ruler of the region of Normandy. He converted to Christianity...	en	/template/images/whe-favicon-16px.png	World History Encyclopedia	https://www.worldhistory.org/Rollo_of_Normandy/	Rollo (l. c.860-c.930 CE, r. 911-927 CE) was a Viking chieftain who became the founder and first ruler of the region of Normandy. He converted to Christianity as part of a deal with the Frankish king Charles the Simple (893-923 CE) in 911 CE (changing his name to Robert) and his story was then embellished upon by later Christian writers who held him up as a role model: a savage Viking chief who became a paragon of Christian virtue and established law in the land. In doing so, however, they largely ignored whatever was known of Rollo's life prior to his involvement with Charles. Rollo ruled with a Viking code of law based upon the concept of personal honor & individual responsibility. He is the great-great-great grandfather of William the Conqueror (first Norman King of England, 1066-1087 CE) and ancestor, or supposed ancestor, of a number of European monarchs who trace their line to his immediate descendants. Since 2013 CE, Rollo has been featured in the TV series Vikings in which he is played by British actor Clive Standen. Contrary to his depiction in the series, there is no evidence to suggest that Rollo was the brother of Ragnar Lothbrok but there are suggestions that Rollo did participate in, or even lead, the siege of Paris in 885-886 CE as depicted in the show. Remove Ads Advertisement Whoever or whatever he was prior to ruling Normandy, Rollo kept his word to Charles and not only protected the region from Viking raiders but restored order to the land which he had previously helped destroy. He is said to have ruled with a Viking code of law based upon the concept of personal honor and individual responsibility and reformed the weak and ineffectual laws which magistrates had been struggling to enforce prior to his reign. He died sometime around 930 CE, probably of natural causes as no mention of his death appears in any records of the time indicating otherwise. Early Life & Origins Many of the details of Rollo of Normandy's life are semi-legendary, as the scholar Robert Ferguson notes: Remove Ads Advertisement Also known to his biographers, chroniclers, and poets as Rollo, Rollon, Robert, Rodulf, Ruinus, Rosso, Rotlo and Hrolf, Granger Rolf or Rolf the Walker, founder in about 911 of what became the duchy of Normandy, is another of those, like Ragnar Hairy-Breeches and Ivar the Boneless, whose prominence among their contemporaries conspired over the years with an almost complete lack of biographical information to transform them from ordinary mortals into dense hybrids of men, myth, and legend. (177) Ferguson's point is well made in that no one knows where Rollo came from, his lineage, or what precisely he did prior to his involvement with Charles the Simple. Even after the foundation of Normandy (from `Northmen' to designate the land of the Vikings) his story is far from certain in that it was ornamented by the Norman historian Dudo of Saint-Quentin (10th century CE) some time around 986 CE in his History of the Normans. Dudo claims he was an aristocrat from Denmark who raided the Kingdom of West Francia with his fellow Danes prior to his contract with Charles and conversion to Christianity. Dudo also claims he was a friend and comrade of one king Alstem of East Anglia whom scholars have identified as the former Viking leader Guthrum (died c. 890 CE) who was defeated at the Battle of Eddington by Alfred the Great in 878 CE, was forced to convert to Christianity, and rose to the kingship of East Anglia by 880 CE. Rollo's close relationship with Guthrum argues for his Danish origins since it is known that Guthrum was a Dane and, as Ferguson points out, their meeting, as described in Dudo's account, “has the unique ring of one ex-pat fondly greeting another” (178). Remove Ads Advertisement It has also been claimed that Rollo was from Norway, again of aristocratic lineage, but this claim appears later in the 11th century CE and was popularized in the 12th century CE in the works of William of Malmesbury (c.1095-c.1143 CE). Rollo's grandson, Robert II Archbishop of Rouen (r. 989-1037 CE) was known as Robert the Dane and it is also clear that the majority of Viking raiders came from Denmark so a Danish origin is not only probable but reasonable. There is no clear consensus on this, however, and recent efforts to finally substantiate Rollo's origins have failed. In 2016 CE, Norwegian archaeologists were granted permission to open the tomb of Rollo's grandson Richard I (r.942-996 CE) and great-grandson Richard II (r.996-1026 CE) but found that the bodies in the sarcophagus belonged to neither of these men and, in fact, were much older than the time of the Viking raids. Most likely, according to the archaeologists who opened the tomb, the two bodies were placed in the sarcophagus from another grave and those of Richard I and II relocated at an unknown point in the past to protect them from grave robbers. However that may be, it sheds no light on Rollo's origins. As with many great Viking figures, the legend of Rollo of Normandy eventually overshadowed & then obscured the man's actual life. Dudo's account of Rollo's life, and therefore his Danish origins, has been repeatedly challenged by scholars who point out the obvious Christianization of the man and his actions. Even so, Dudo's work is the first to record anything about Rollo (it was commissioned by Richard I) and he had access to Rollo's immediate descendants as well as documents which were then lost. Remove Ads Advertisement Every later writer on Rollo, including William of Malmesbury, drew on Dudo's work for their own accounts and so, in spite of later claims of a Norwegian origin, it is most likely Rollo was from Denmark, as Dudo claims, even though many scholars prefer the Norwegian claim of the later Icelandic chronicler/historian Snorri Sturlson (1179-1241 CE) because they find corroboration for his claims in the earlier work of Richer of Rheims (10th century CE). As with many great Viking figures, the legend of Rollo of Normandy eventually overshadowed and then obscured the man's actual life. Viking Chieftain It is certain, however, that he was a Viking chieftain who conducted raids in the Kingdom of West Francia. The chronicler Flodoard (c.893-966 CE) describes a Viking raid c. 876 CE which devastated the region around Rouen and this corresponds to what Dudo says of Rollo's activity in the region at the same time. Viking raids in Francia began in 820 CE and continued regularly, with ships making easy incursions up the Seine River, until the peace was concluded with Rollo in c. 911 CE. The first raid in 820 CE was unsuccessful because the Vikings had no idea of who or what they would encounter once they landed. They were therefore easily defeated by the shore guard and, suffering losses, retreated. When they returned in 841 CE, under the command of Asgeir, they were much better prepared. They sacked and burned Rouen and carried off enormous amounts of loot. This raid was followed by the Norse chieftain Reginherus' 845 CE siege of Paris which only concluded when Charles the Bald (r.843-877 CE) paid the Vikings to leave. Remove Ads Advertisement By c.858 CE, the raids on Francia were so lucrative to the Vikings that the famous leaders Bjorn Ironside (allegedly the son of Ragnar Lothbrok and his queen Aslaug) and Hastein (also known as Hasting) attacked the region either just before or following their famous raiding expedition to the Mediterranean. In 876 CE, 100 ships sailed up the Seine to lay waste to the region and this raid was most likely led or co-led by Rollo or, if not, he at least seems to have played a significant role in the event. It also seems fairly certain that he played a significant role in the later siege of Paris in 885-886 CE. By this time, it was obvious to Charles the Simple that trying to fight off the Viking raiders was futile. The only times West Francia experienced anything close to a positive outcome in these raids was when the king paid the Vikings to leave the cities alone. As Ferguson notes, “the policy of a sometimes well-meaning appeasement had been practiced by Frankish rulers for almost a century prior to the agreement [between Charles and Rollo] and the beneficiaries were Danes” (175). Their agreement, therefore, was nothing new but simply the continuation of a policy of defense which seemed to work the best. The difference between the contract of 911 CE and the earlier payoffs was the character of Rollo. Unlike the earlier Viking leaders who took their loot and then either returned or encouraged others to raid, Rollo took the deal offered seriously and committed himself to the king and the people he had sworn to protect. Love History? Sign up for our free weekly email newsletter! Rollo & Charles the Simple According to Dudo, the Franks under Charles the Simple finally understood that there was no stopping the Viking raids and they were either going to have to continue to pay whatever price a Viking leader asked or find some new slant on the old policy. The king's counselors asked him why he was not prepared to do more to save his kingdom than he had been doing and he, enraged, basically told them that if they had any better ideas he would be happy to entertain them. Dudo writes that the counselors responded: If you will trust us, we will give you advice fitting and wholesome for you and for the kingdom, so that the people, who are all too stricken with want, may have repose. Let the land from the River Andelle to the sea be given to the pagan peoples; and in addition, join your daughter to Rollo in marriage. And thereby you will be able to grow mightily in power against the peoples who resist you; for Rollo is born of the proud blood of kings and of chiefs; he is very fair of body, a ready fighter, far-sighted in counsel, seemly in appearance, amenable to us, a faithful friend to those to whom he gives his word, a ferocious enemy to those whom he opposes, a constant and amenable vassal in all things, with a shrewd mind, such as we need. (Dudo's History 2:25) After considering their counsel, Charles sent the Archbishop of Rouen to Rollo to present the offer. Rollo consulted with his Danish chiefs who pointed out that the land, though presently desolate, had a number of redeeming features and that he should accept the proposal. Rollo did so and a date was set for his baptism and marriage to Charles' daughter Gisla (also given as Gisela, c. 911 CE). When the day arrived, however, Rollo refused to go through with the baptism, pointing out that the land the king was offering him was in ruin and would take some years to restore to health. The king's counselors advised him to give Rollo whatever he wanted in order to not only protect the kingdom but win souls for Christ who would be impressed by a Viking leader embracing Christianity. Charles offered Rollo Flanders but Rollo declined because the land was too marshy and so the king then offered him Brittany, which bordered the lands offered in the contract, and Rollo accepted all of it. In order to finalize the deal, and show proper respect to the king, Rollo was then asked to kiss the king's foot but, as Dudo relates: Rollo was unwilling to kiss the king's foot and the bishops said: “He who accepts a gift such as this ought to go as far as kissing the king's foot.” But Rollo replied: “I will never bow my knees at the knees of any man and no man's foot will I kiss." And so, urged on by the prayers of the Franks, he ordered one of his warriors to kiss the king's foot. And the man immediately grasped the king's foot and raised it to his mouth and planted a kiss on it while he remained standing, and laid the king flat on his back. So there arose a great laugh [from among the Vikings] and a great outcry among the [Franks]. (2:29) The king and his nobles were not bothered by the upset, however, and Rollo was baptized, married to Gisla, and took possession of his lands in accordance with the Treaty of Saint Clair sur Epte in 911 CE. He instantly engaged in a policy of reformation and renovation as Dudo describes: He imposed everlasting privileges and laws on the people, authorized and decreed by the will of the chief men, and he compelled them to dwell together in peace. He raised up churches that had been demolished to the ground, he rebuilt temples that had been ruined by the visitations of the heathens, and he made new and extended the walls and defenses of cities. (2:31) Rollo improved the lands he had been given in every aspect but, just as significantly, honored the treaty he had made with Charles: there are no records of any more Viking raids into Francia after 911 CE. Rollo of Normandy Although Rollo is often referenced as the first Duke of Normandy, he never held that title (Richard II, his great-grandson, was the first duke). He is sometimes called Count Rollo by later historians but contemporary documents refer to him simply as “Rollo”. A land grant from 918 CE, for example, mentions “lands which we have granted to the Normans of the Seine, namely to Rollo and his companions, for the defense of the kingdom” (Ferguson, 183). Whatever title he claimed for himself is unknown but early historians like Dudo and Flodoard refer to him as “Chieftain”. By all accounts, he ruled his kingdom as a Viking chief, reforming passive laws which seemed to merely suggest acceptable behavior and implementing a law code which emphasized personal honor and responsibility. Robbery, assault, and murder were punishable by death but so was fraud as one anecdote makes clear: Rollo had introduced a decree ordering that farm implements be left out in the field and not taken into the house at the end of the day. To make it appear as though they had done so and been robbed, it seems that a farmer's wife hid her husband's ploughing implements. Rollo reimbursed the man for his loss and ordered the trials by ordeal of the potential suspects. When all survived the ordeals, he had the wife beaten until she confessed. And when the husband admitted that he had known it was her all along, Rollo handed down a finding of guilty on two counts: “The one, that you are the head of the woman and ought to have chastised her. The other, that you were an accessory to the theft and were unwilling to disclose it.” He had them both hung and finished off by a cruel death, an action which Dudo credibly claims so terrified the local inhabitants that the territory became and remained free of petty criminality for a century afterwards. (Ferguson, 186-187) In another instance, he punished some men who were guilty of dishonoring his reputation and that of his wife by having them executed in the public square of his capital at Rouen. This discouraged others from bearing false witness against their neighbors through gossip and slander. These measures seem to have appeared harsh to some of the bishops of the region who appealed to the Pope for advice. They were told to view Rollo's conversion, and conversion of the pagans generally, “not as an event but a process which would inevitably take time to complete” (Ferguson, 188). Whatever problems the bishops had with Rollo's reign, they could not argue with his success in maintaining law and order or the prosperity he brought to the land. Depiction in Vikings and Legacy In the TV series Vikings, Rollo is the brother of Ragnar Lothbrok who, after the siege of Paris, is left in West Francia to hold a spot on the Seine in order to enable future raids. Having been told by the village seer back home that he would one day rule a kingdom, Rollo is easily persuaded by the Franks to betray his brother's trust and accept their offer of land and marriage to the princess Gisla. As noted, nothing is known of the historical Rollo's youth, upbringing, relatives, or even place of origin and there is no evidence he was related to Ragnar Lothbrok. The historical Gisela of France was a very young girl at the time of her betrothal to Rollo and so her character in the series is fictionalized. The only events depicted in the TV series which correlate to the historical Rollo are those having to do with the foundation of Normandy and defense of the region; including, apparently, his mastery of the language. Rollo is also said to have been quite tall and broad-shouldered (as he is depicted in the show) and was given the epithet “the walker” because he preferred walking to riding a horse (or, alternatively, was too heavy for a horse to carry). Rollo retired in c. 927 CE and was succeeded by his son William Longsword (r. 927-942 CE), dying shortly afterwards in c. 930 CE. William Longsword's illegitimate son, Richard I (also known as Richard the Fearless) came to the throne at around the age of ten, following his father's death. Richard I honored the policies of his father and grandfather and this policy would be continued by Richard II.
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"https://www.awayfromthegrind.com/wp-content/themes/atlatl/images/divider.png", "https://www.awayfromthegrind.com/wp-content/themes/atlatl/images/divider.png", "https://www.awayfromthegrind.com/wp-content/themes/atlatl/images/divider.png", "https://www.awayfromthegrind.com/wp-content/themes/atlatl/images/divider.png", "https://www.awayfromthegrind.com/wp-content/themes/atlatl/images/divider.png", "https://www.awayfromthegrind.com/wp-content/themes/atlatl/images/divider.png", "https://www.awayfromthegrind.com/wp-content/themes/atlatl/images/divider.png", "https://www.awayfromthegrind.com/wp-content/themes/atlatl/images/divider.png", "https://www.awayfromthegrind.com/wp-content/themes/atlatl/images/divider.png", "https://www.awayfromthegrind.com/wp-content/themes/atlatl/images/divider.png", "https://www.awayfromthegrind.com/wp-content/themes/atlatl/images/divider.png" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	2009-08-08T00:00:00	Veduawoo and Pole Mountain is Cheyenne's back forty. We love to play up there, all with our different passions: fishing, four-wheeling, camping, hiking,	en			https://www.awayfromthegrind.com/hiking/wyoming/treasure-hunt-at-pole-mountain/
wrong_mix_range_publicationDate_00069	FactBench	3	66	https://yellowedandcreased.wordpress.com/2017/01/04/the-demolished-man-alfred-bester/	en	Battered, Tattered, Yellowed, & Creased	https://yellowedandcreas…emolishedman.jpg	https://yellowedandcreas…emolishedman.jpg	[ "https://yellowedandcreased.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/cropped-noriyoshi-ohrai-illustrations-diverses-mister-gutsy-post-15.jpg", "https://yellowedandcreased.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/demolishedman.jpg?w=529&h=883", "https://yellowedandcreased.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/thedemolishedman.jpg?w=529&h=896", "https://yellowedandcreased.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/thdmlshdmn1955.jpg?w=529", "https://graph.facebook.com/v2.2/100003026681568/picture?type=large", "https://0.gravatar.com/avatar/693b32a4db944920d918aa7d75045b16add0be18c0f4d06879ead28686ee1509?s=32&d=monsterid&r=R", "https://1.gravatar.com/avatar/df14ad411a4f74223d0b7dc49c06975cefd3e60d3514ce938811e51b3e522357?s=32&d=monsterid&r=R", "https://1.gravatar.com/avatar/19393a3152e1a0694dc3845338e14c48825505731ab3749774b779d81448a484?s=32&d=monsterid&r=R", "https://1.gravatar.com/avatar/df14ad411a4f74223d0b7dc49c06975cefd3e60d3514ce938811e51b3e522357?s=32&d=monsterid&r=R", "https://0.gravatar.com/avatar/693b32a4db944920d918aa7d75045b16add0be18c0f4d06879ead28686ee1509?s=32&d=monsterid&r=R", "https://1.gravatar.com/avatar/19393a3152e1a0694dc3845338e14c48825505731ab3749774b779d81448a484?s=32&d=monsterid&r=R", "https://0.gravatar.com/avatar/907026512f26cc3a9bf529762fdcaaa585311081b73891e878a533f32f307733?s=32&d=monsterid&r=R", "https://1.gravatar.com/avatar/df14ad411a4f74223d0b7dc49c06975cefd3e60d3514ce938811e51b3e522357?s=32&d=monsterid&r=R", "https://2.gravatar.com/avatar/5fef53e8c01aa8dfb7eedde8794350578a104d520b72c2ee8ad122284399519e?s=32&d=monsterid&r=R", "https://1.gravatar.com/avatar/df14ad411a4f74223d0b7dc49c06975cefd3e60d3514ce938811e51b3e522357?s=32&d=monsterid&r=R", "https://0.gravatar.com/avatar/c0c9f72529593bb5bcab5ac105c3bfd9a408b6f9e7e94392e283729d7649692f?s=32&d=monsterid&r=R", "https://1.gravatar.com/avatar/df14ad411a4f74223d0b7dc49c06975cefd3e60d3514ce938811e51b3e522357?s=32&d=monsterid&r=R", "https://1.gravatar.com/avatar/accd314d1ea5d26200d5499c4050ca3a03afc483977d0f6512dcc383bd6cc37d?s=32&d=monsterid&r=R", "https://1.gravatar.com/avatar/df14ad411a4f74223d0b7dc49c06975cefd3e60d3514ce938811e51b3e522357?s=32&d=monsterid&r=R", "https://0.gravatar.com/avatar/c9aa2d1913abedf352aa9beff73465bf13af446f0a035788d96d8353b3762166?s=32&d=monsterid&r=R", "https://s2.wp.com/i/logo/wpcom-gray-white.png", "https://s2.wp.com/i/logo/wpcom-gray-white.png", "https://pixel.wp.com/b.gif?v=noscript" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[ "admiral.ironbombs" ]	2017-01-04T00:00:00	For the first time in centuries, someone has committed premeditated murder---almost unthinkable in an age of telepathy. Psychic detective Lincoln Powell will risk it all to meet out justice.	en	https://s1.wp.com/i/favicon.ico	Battered, Tattered, Yellowed, & Creased	https://yellowedandcreased.wordpress.com/2017/01/04/the-demolished-man-alfred-bester/	‘Be grateful you’re not a peeper, sir. Be grateful that you only see the outward man. Be grateful that you never see the passions, the hatreds, the jealousies, the malice, the sickness… Be grateful you rarely see the frightening truth in people.’ Alfred Bester appears on best-of/top SF lists with regularity based on the strength of his two novels The Demolished Man and The Stars My Destination; those novels’ impact on the genre cannot be understated, and you can feel their influence in various ’70s New Wave novels and ’80s cyberpunk works. They exist as two halves of the same coin, the former a detective novel about an impossible murder in a telepathic society, the latter a crime-revenge novel drawing from The Count of Monte Cristo. Bester also wrote a number of excellent short stories in the 1950s but spent most of his career editing Holiday magazine, and when he returned to writing science fiction in the 1970s his novels were mere shadows of their predecessors. Signet #T4461 – 1970 – Bob Pepper In the 24th Century, telepaths—Espers or “peepers”—are completely integrated in modern society. They are the secretaries, the psychologists, the high-priced doctors, lawyers, consultants, and police detectives. With telepathy a common presence, nobody has committed premeditated murder and got away with it in centuries. But that’s what Ben Reich plans to do—with his back against the wall, losing market share to the D’Courtney Cartel, he made one final offer for a merger, equal partnership. D’Courtney declined. That meant war to Reich, and he has a cunning plan to get away with murder. What he didn’t expect was the dogged perseverance of Lincoln Powell, Police Prefect and powerful Esper, whose abilities threaten to undermine Reich’s cunning plan. At its core, The Demolished Man is just an inverted detective story—the kind of mystery where you start with the impossible crime, and read to see how the detective manages to solve it. It’s also a psychodrama depicting the battle of wills between two powerful characters, something like a Jacobean revenge drama recast in future imagery and adorned in Freudian symbols (Reich’s dreams are haunted by the faceless man pursuing him; later, one of the characters has her mind psychologically rebuilt from infancy to adulthood, and in the process she falls in love with her foster-papa Powell). Bester does a great job with his characters’ psychology, even if it is crusty old Freudian stuff, and it makes for an engaging game of cat-and-mouse. Reich is something of a jerk even though we’re told he’s charismatic, but watching him plan and execute his plot is as entertaining as seeing Powell unravel it. It’s addictive to read the tightly paced power struggles between Reich and Powell, their depth and the stakes with which they play drawn out to epic proportion. Bester manages to do so many things that still feel fresh or groundbreaking today. Characters will toss out an original idea or concept in casual conversation that’s pretty creative, painting in broad, general strokes but layering on those details thick. It creates a deep and textured world for the story without getting bogged down in how jump-cars or video-phones work. Bester plays with linguistics like nobody’s business, breaking traditional formats to depict the Esper conversations. And they’re a thing of beauty, watching the words flow across the page in literal streams of conversations that intersect at one word only to fork off, or playing party games where words become visualizations in a telepathic form of charades. Other linguistic flourishes include truncating names to include other characters, in what felt like an odd choice in the days before 1337speak: “Wygand” becomes “Wyg&;” “Atkins” becomes “@kins.” While the novel has its timeless elements, others are stark reminders that the novel was born in the early 1950s. There’s a strong Mad Men vibe to everything, where the women are all career girls, pneumatic femme fatale types, or virgin seductresses. And some elements of the book betray Bester’s background in comics. The Esper bureaucracy and metaphysical climax always remind me of Bester’s work on Green Lantern, where he helped define the corps and its oath. One of the early chapters notes that there are only around 111,000 Espers across Earth and its colonies (including Mars and Venus), but the frequency that Espers show up in the novel makes it feel as though you can’t swing a dead cat without hitting one (or ten). And the passing references to crystal-tech feel like comic-book magic that more than misses the mark on prophetic technology; I’m not sure even Bester knew how his crystal screens and crystal-recorders functioned, but it sure sounded futuristic, right? Also, how about the corporate code-book that seems more like a throwback to the telegraph? I could pick a few more nits, but really, the great parts more than outweigh the imperfections. The Demolished Man is a masterstroke of ’50s science fiction: it’s a book that’s unequivocally a product of the 1950s that still feels modern and fresh, like it was inspired by the cyberpunk generation instead of visa versa. It’s a dynamic, witty, and compelling novel that’s hard to put down. Aside from some quibbles here and there, you could call it flawless. This is a must-read for any science fiction fan, and a fun diversion for mystery readers as well; it’s a great starting-off point if you want to dive into older SF, and if you’re reading all the Hugo Award winners in order, at least you should start on the right foot. For other perspectives, see the reviews at From Couch To Moon, Speculiction, and Weighing a pig doesn’t fatten it.
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The main conclusion must be this: times have changed. The CIA had a secret program ('Project MKULtra') trying to gain insight into mind control during the 1950s and the early sixties. Arthur C. Clarke dabbled in the paranormal: see the few lines I quoted from…	en	https://secure.gravatar.com/blavatar/392656716f4d7a9829ca94ce9826bd17acc641fe20a033387b9abe6c663e989c?s=32	Weighing a pig doesn't fatten it.	https://schicksalgemeinschaft.wordpress.com/2016/06/12/the-demolished-man-alfred-bester-1953/	What to write about this first ever winner of the Hugo award? The main conclusion must be this: times have changed. The CIA had a secret program (‘Project MKULtra’) trying to gain insight into mind control during the 1950s and the early sixties. Arthur C. Clarke dabbled in the paranormal: see the few lines I quoted from the foreword to Childhood’s End – also published in 1953, Asimov had telepaths living in a second Foundation, and Frank Herbert wrote The Santaroga Barrier as late as 1968. It were trippy times, and the belief in the potential powers of the mind was hopeful and naive. Is this book science fiction? Not because it’s set in 2301 AD, as that doesn’t matter for the story: it could have been 1981 AD just as well. Not because it features Venus or Ganymede as locations, as that doesn’t matter either, it could have been Hawaii and Malawi too. The fact that humans colonized the solar system is not explored one bit – the most comical moment of the book is when a character wonders if he’ll catch the “10 o’clock rocket” to someplace off-planet. Not because cars are called jumpers and can fly. And not because the judge is a computer, as that could have been any bureaucrat. It is science fiction because Freudian psychoanalysis was still considered scientific at the time, and Bester imagines a future time wherein a certain percentage of humans have discovered their telepathic powers. Within that frame The Demolished Man is mainly a police procedural about a megalomaniacal murderer and a psychic cop. If not taken too seriously, it has aged quite well. It’s fun and entertaining. 250 pages, nothing complex, the pacing is spectacular. It’s finished in a couple of hours easily. Bester knew how to write. The prose is sharp and the tension alright. But… it’s obviously pulp. Not the worst pulp, not even bad pulp. But pulp. Characters do not evolve. Emotions thin, if any. Tons of plot inconsistencies. (TONS!) Highly intelligent characters behave foolishly. Justifications for that stupid behavior are one-dimensional (or power, or self-deception, or love). There’s a crescendo of additional speculative elements. Ok, a percentage of humans can read minds, but as we get to the end of the novel our heroes turn out to also possess the power to broadcast feelings to animals, get trapped in the Id of others, and channel all their minds into one giant energy beam that does something unclear. The book is steeped in middle school level Freud, but I’m sure that wouldn’t hold Slavoj Žižek from reading something profoundly Lacanian into Bester’s debut. Also: what’s Bester’s view on humanity? That there is nothing in man but love and faith, courage and kindness, generosity and a sacrifice. All else is only the barrier of your blindness. Yet at the same time the book deals with “the passions, the hatreds, the jealousies, the malice, the sickness” inside everybody, as “it’s quite simple. Everyman is a balance of two opposed drives . . . The Life Instinct and the Death Instinct.” Etc. It must have been quite something in its days. As I said, times have changed. While reading this was not a full success, I am intrigued enough to try The Stars My Destination, Bester’s much lauded second novel. The Demolished Man is recommended for those with an interest in the history of SF, fans of good pulp, fans of comics, and Žižek. If you’re looking for consistent & elaborate SF, look elsewhere.
wrong_mix_range_publicationDate_00069	FactBench	3	70	https://archive.org/details/demolishedman00best	en	The demolished man : Bester, Alfred : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive	https://archive.org/services/img/demolishedman00best	https://archive.org/services/img/demolishedman00best	[ "https://archive.org/components/donation-banner/images/close-circle-dark.svg", "https://archive.org/components/donation-banner/images/close-circle-white.svg", "https://archive.org/services/img/etree", "https://archive.org/services/img/librivoxaudio", "https://archive.org/services/img/metropolitanmuseumofart-gallery", "https://archive.org/services/img/clevelandart", "https://archive.org/services/img/internetarcade", "https://archive.org/services/img/consolelivingroom", "https://archive.org/images/book-lend.png", "https://archive.org/images/widgetOL.png", "https://archive.org/services/img/tv", "https://archive.org/services/img/911", "https://archive.org/images/worldcat-small.png", "https://archive.org/services/img/internetarchivebooks", "https://archive.org/services/img/americana", "https://archive.org/services/img/printdisabled", "https://analytics.archive.org/0.gif?kind=track_js&track_js_case=control&cache_bust=916332424", "https://analytics.archive.org/0.gif?kind=track_js&track_js_case=disabled&cache_bust=1909824361" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	null		en	https://archive.org/images/glogo.jpg	Internet Archive	https://archive.org/details/demolishedman00best	Send me an email reminder Email address (required) Please enter a valid email address. First name Last name By submitting, you agree to receive donor-related emails from the Internet Archive. Your privacy is important to us. We do not sell or trade your information with anyone.
wrong_mix_range_publicationDate_00069	FactBench	2	10	https://fantasy-hive.co.uk/2021/10/the-demolished-man-by-alfred-bester-book-review/	en	The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester (Book Review)	https://fantasy-hive.co.…olished-Man-.png	https://fantasy-hive.co.…olished-Man-.png	[ "https://fantasy-hive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Hive-Header-2023-TEXT-transparent.png", "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/583e1895aa5d1ffb7f2ddd86e2d4a0a4?s=90&r=r", "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/8305c7923a94685fd5168cec5c8f4ca8?s=60&r=r", "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/583e1895aa5d1ffb7f2ddd86e2d4a0a4?s=60&r=r", "https://fantasy-hive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/AskTheWzardBadge.jpeg", "https://fantasy-hive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/AuthorSpotlightBadge.jpeg", "https://fantasy-hive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/CruisingTheCosmereBadge.jpeg", "https://fantasy-hive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/OriginalFictionBadge.jpeg", "https://fantasy-hive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/TheUnseenAcademicBadge.jpeg", "https://fantasy-hive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/ToughTravellingBadge.jpeg", "https://fantasy-hive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/WomenInSFFBadge.jpeg", "https://fantasy-hive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/WWBadge.jpeg" ]	[ "https://www.youtube.com/embed/56qnIEtggWg?feature=oembed" ]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[ "Filip Magnus" ]	2021-10-01T12:00:32+00:00	Filip reviews The Demolished Man: "Plenty of hardboiled fun set in a gripping version of the twenty-fourth century..."	en	https://fantasy-hive.co.…teIcon-32x32.png	Fantasy-Hive	https://fantasy-hive.co.uk/2021/10/the-demolished-man-by-alfred-bester-book-review/	Old science fiction! It can be endlessly entertaining in wholly unintentional ways—I owe linguistic drift alone for more than a few chuckles as I explored the very first novel awarded the Hugo for best sci-fi, all the way back in 1953. Despite certain antiquated notions, The Demolished Man made for exciting reading and I can see why it still holds a place in the science fictional canon. When you read a novel so old, with so much familiar already, it can be easy to lose track of some of the once-fresh elements introduced. This is one of the earliest sci-fi thrillers out there, reading almost as Philip Marlowe if a slightly less deranged Philip K. Dick had written it. There’s plenty of hardboiled fun set in a gripping version of the twenty-fourth century, as our two protagonists go forth to war with one another. Ben Reich, a solar system-spanning business tycoon at the end of his rope, offers his greatest rival, D’Courtney, a merger deal. When he is refused by the old man, he decides to solve the issue of his business rival in a less savoury way: “If you won’t let it be merger, then I’ll make it murder.” Got to appreciate a man willing to go all the distance, eh? But murder is not easy in the future, not when that future is filled with Espers capable of reading your mind. Reich’s task at the opening of the book is to navigate his way through a series of challenges in the accomplishment of this goal. While it’s certainly an engaging start, The Demolished Man is at its best when the 1st Class Esper, Lincoln “Dishonest Abe” Powell enters into the fray. At this point, about a quarter into the book, the two begin a contest of wills and wits that dominates the remnant of the book; both spin circles over the other, outthinking each other in cleverly thought-out ways. Bester’s writing at the height of this is gripping, intelligent, witty—a pleasure to read. The way Bester draws Powell and Reich as the antitheses of one another, the chemistry they have when they share a space—this has to be one of the original science fictional frenemy relationships and I could not get enough of it. A recurring gag with Powell is the line, “Who stole the weather?” which never fails to make him blush; though we never get an exact explanation, it’s certain that Dishonest Abe is to blame. This part of Powell’s personality is a liar extraordinaire, jumping into high gear whenever the policeman seems to lose focus in a more informal conversation; and the gusto with which he tells these lies makes for lies so outrageous as to be believable. It’s not all butterflies and rainbows, alas. The Demolished Man is a wholly Freudian affair in its conception of familial relationships and in its ultimate resolution alike, which I find not only outdated, but also…yucky. In addition to that, Bester allows himself to moralize at the readers at the novel’s very end—humanist notions, to be sure, and soaked through with admirable enough sentiment. Yet to most of us readers in the early twenty-first century, moralising is a sure-fire way to lose us. But that’s a small matter, compared to the (alas, expected) sexist portrayals of female characters. Not much in the way of representation of strong female characters—women seem to only have two-three roles to choose from: lovesick, maliciously insane, and secretaries. It’s at once to be anticipated with so many of these Golden Age sci-fi novelists and disappointing beyond measure—because although so many of them had visionary ideas of what society might grow to be in the future, they could only think of it in a very limited framework, monochromatic and male-dominated. Do I recommend it? With these two big caveats in mind, I would–if you have an interest in some of the older foundations of the sci-fi genre, if you’re capable of compartmentalizing the elements that make up a book, there is a whole lot in The Demolished Man you’ll find compelling.
wrong_mix_range_publicationDate_00069	FactBench	3	6	https://atboundarysedge.com/2022/12/28/book-review-the-demolished-man-by-alfred-bester/comment-page-1/	en	BOOK REVIEW: The Demolished Man, by Alfred Bester	https://atboundarysedge.…22/12/bester.jpg	https://atboundarysedge.…22/12/bester.jpg	[ "https://atboundarysedge.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/cropped-logo.png", "https://atboundarysedge.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/bester.jpg?w=315", "https://0.gravatar.com/avatar/626830c64f7c941684e93b9d2c4e19bf2494b7aab1f13b31da5939c945da7539?s=48&d=identicon&r=G", "https://1.gravatar.com/avatar/ae5a1baf7b0c4abe1bb0956ce4a5b397b00d448410807b65473c70c840b4d390?s=40&d=identicon&r=G", "https://0.gravatar.com/avatar/626830c64f7c941684e93b9d2c4e19bf2494b7aab1f13b31da5939c945da7539?s=40&d=identicon&r=G", "https://1.gravatar.com/avatar/ae5a1baf7b0c4abe1bb0956ce4a5b397b00d448410807b65473c70c840b4d390?s=40&d=identicon&r=G", "https://atboundarysedge.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/cropped-logo.png?w=40", "https://atboundarysedge.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/cropped-logo.png?w=50", "https://atboundarysedge.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/cropped-logo.png?w=50", "https://pixel.wp.com/b.gif?v=noscript" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	2022-12-28T00:00:00	A Standalone Novel First Published in 1953 Reprinted under the Gollancz SF Masterworks banner A violent SF thriller 250 pages With telepathic law enforcement, violent crime should be impossible. But death always finds a way, and one man's journey into violence could spell disaster for all involved . . . The Demolished Man holds a…	en	https://atboundarysedge.…ed-logo.png?w=32	At Boundary's Edge	https://atboundarysedge.com/2022/12/28/book-review-the-demolished-man-by-alfred-bester/comment-page-1/#comments	A Standalone Novel First Published in 1953 Reprinted under the Gollancz SF Masterworks banner A violent SF thriller 250 pages With telepathic law enforcement, violent crime should be impossible. But death always finds a way, and one man’s journey into violence could spell disaster for all involved . . . The Demolished Man holds a special place in the science fiction canon. As this SF Masterwork edition proudly boasts, it was the first novel to win a Hugo Award, which even now is one of the most coveted literary awards in the science fiction community. That sort of reputation is enough to make me sit up and take notice. And then there’s the premise of the book, which promises a fraught battle of wits between a would-be murderer and the telepathic police force determined to stop him. Though The Demolished Man came out well beforehand, there are shades of Minority Report in that summary, and I was intrigued. To give Bester credit, the ideas in this book are great. A considerable amount of thought has gone into the espers (Extra Sensory Perception-ers) who make up the police force. Bester has clearly thought long and hard about the way these abilities would change law enforcement, and how they might conceivably alter society as a whole. When I could follow the plot, it was indeed exciting and tense. But as with Bester’s other work, those moments of beinga ble to follow what was going on were not as extended as I would have liked them to be. The ideas are great, but the execution is a distaster. In general, I find Bester’s prose difficult to get into. This is one of those quibbles I have with a handful of authors, but one that I can’t pinpoint precisely. Something about the way he strings a sentence together just makes my brain glaze over. That’s a matter of personal taste, of course, and it’s hard to fault Bester for my own interests in terms of prose. Where I find it easier to fault the man is in his more bizarre stylistic choices. Any other author would have called a man Atkins. Not Bester, he calls him @kins. Likewise, Quartermain becomes 1/4main. Clever little jokes, for sure, but the shorthand writing pulls me out of the writing every time, breaking up the flow of the writing every time it starts to form. And that’s far from the worst of it. Entire pages of this book are almost impossible to read. Paragraphs drift across the page like leaves on the wind, making iot impossible to tell which order to read them in. In one case a poem must be read by reading down the left hand side of the page, up the righ, and finally across the middle. In another, words fall out the neat lines of print for no discernable reason. Ampersands abound and words are struck through or printed in gothic fonts. It is absolutely infuriating to read, and sucks any remaining joy out of the book, whatever Bester’s final claims about joy returning might be. In short, The Demolished Man is a book I simply cannot reccommend, and proves that even an institution as venerable as the Hugo Awards can get off to a rocky start. More by Alfred Bester The Stars My Destination
wrong_mix_range_publicationDate_00069	FactBench	3	73	https://www.gollancz.co.uk/titles/alfred-bester/the-demolished-man/9781857988222/	en	The Demolished Man	https://www.gollancz.co.…57988222-342.jpg	https://www.gollancz.co.…57988222-342.jpg	[ "https://www.gollancz.co.uk/wp-content/themes/hachette-uk/domain-themes/gollancz/template-parts/site/images/Facebook.png", "https://www.gollancz.co.uk/wp-content/themes/hachette-uk/domain-themes/gollancz/template-parts/site/images/Twitter.png", "https://www.gollancz.co.uk/wp-content/themes/hachette-uk/domain-themes/gollancz/template-parts/site/images/Instagram.png", "https://www.gollancz.co.uk/wp-content/themes/hachette-uk/domain-themes/gollancz/template-parts/site/images/GoodReads.png", "https://www.gollancz.co.uk/wp-content/themes/hachette-uk/domain-themes/gollancz/template-parts/site/images/YouTube.png", "https://www.gollancz.co.uk/wp-content/themes/hachette-uk/domain-themes/gollancz/template-parts/site/images/gollancz-logo.png", "https://www.gollancz.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/hbg-title-9781857988222-342.jpg?w=439" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	2018-07-12T23:33:45+00:00	In the year 2301, guns are only museum pieces and benign telepaths sweep the minds of the populace to detect crimes before they happen. In 2301 murder is vir...	en	https://www.gollancz.co.…sparent.png?w=32	Gollancz - Bringing You News From Our World To Yours	https://www.gollancz.co.uk/titles/alfred-bester/the-demolished-man/9781857988222/	First name: Email address: Sign up to our monthly email to keep up to date with new releases, author news, and exclusive competitions. The data controller is The Orion Publishing Group Limited. Read about how we’ll protect and use your data in our Privacy Notice. You can unsubscribe at any time via the link in any email we send you. Thank you. You are successfully signed up!
wrong_mix_range_publicationDate_00069	FactBench	2	13	https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ruskin	en	John Ruskin	https://upload.wikimedia…_Ruskin_1863.jpg	https://upload.wikimedia…_Ruskin_1863.jpg	[ "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/icons/wikipedia.png", "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-wordmark-en.svg", "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-tagline-en.svg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0a/John_Ruskin_1863.jpg/220px-John_Ruskin_1863.jpg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5c/John_Ruskin_signature_1880.svg/150px-John_Ruskin_signature_1880.svg.png", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c8/JJ_Ruskin_grave.jpg/260px-JJ_Ruskin_grave.jpg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/John_Ruskin_by_James_Northcote.jpg/240px-John_Ruskin_by_James_Northcote.jpg", 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"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/18px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Wikidata-logo.svg/21px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/8a/OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg/10px-OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg.png", "https://login.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?type=1x1", "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/footer/wikimedia-button.svg", "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/footer/poweredby_mediawiki.svg" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[ "Contributors to Wikimedia projects" ]	2002-08-27T14:26:03+00:00		en	/static/apple-touch/wikipedia.png		https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ruskin	English writer and art critic (1819–1900) This article is about the art critic. For the painting by Millais, see John Ruskin (Millais). For the Canadian media personality, see Nardwuar. John Ruskin (8 February 1819 – 20 January 1900) was an English writer, philosopher, art historian, art critic and polymath of the Victorian era. He wrote on subjects as varied as geology, architecture, myth, ornithology, literature, education, botany and political economy. Ruskin was heavily engaged by the work of Viollet-le-Duc which he taught to all his pupils including William Morris, notably Viollet-le-Duc's Dictionary, which he considered as "the only book of any value on architecture".[1] Ruskin's writing styles and literary forms were equally varied. He wrote essays and treatises, poetry and lectures, travel guides and manuals, letters and even a fairy tale. He also made detailed sketches and paintings of rocks, plants, birds, landscapes, architectural structures and ornamentation. The elaborate style that characterised his earliest writing on art gave way in time to plainer language designed to communicate his ideas more effectively. In all of his writing, he emphasised the connections between nature, art and society. Ruskin was hugely influential in the latter half of the 19th century and up to the First World War. After a period of relative decline, his reputation has steadily improved since the 1960s with the publication of numerous academic studies of his work. Today, his ideas and concerns are widely recognised as having anticipated interest in environmentalism, sustainability and craft. Ruskin first came to widespread attention with the first volume of Modern Painters (1843), an extended essay in defence of the work of J. M. W. Turner in which he argued that the principal role of the artist is "truth to nature". From the 1850s, he championed the Pre-Raphaelites, who were influenced by his ideas. His work increasingly focused on social and political issues. Unto This Last (1860, 1862) marked the shift in emphasis. In 1869, Ruskin became the first Slade Professor of Fine Art at the University of Oxford, where he established the Ruskin School of Drawing. In 1871, he began his monthly "letters to the workmen and labourers of Great Britain", published under the title Fors Clavigera (1871–1884). In the course of this complex and deeply personal work, he developed the principles underlying his ideal society. As a result, he founded the Guild of St George, an organisation that endures today. Ruskin was the only child of first cousins.[2] His father, John James Ruskin (1785–1864), was a sherry and wine importer,[2] founding partner and de facto business manager of Ruskin, Telford and Domecq (see Allied Domecq). John James was born and brought up in Edinburgh, Scotland, to a mother from Glenluce and a father originally from Hertfordshire.[2][3] His wife, Margaret Cock (1781–1871), was the daughter of a publican in Croydon.[2] She had joined the Ruskin household when she became companion to John James's mother, Catherine.[2] John James had hoped to practise law, and was articled as a clerk in London.[2] His father, John Thomas Ruskin, described as a grocer (but apparently an ambitious wholesale merchant), was an incompetent businessman. To save the family from bankruptcy, John James, whose prudence and success were in stark contrast to his father, took on all debts, settling the last of them in 1832.[2] John James and Margaret were engaged in 1809, but opposition to the union from John Thomas, and the problem of his debts, delayed the couple's wedding. They finally married, without celebration, in 1818.[4] John James died on 3 March 1864 and is buried in the churchyard of St John the Evangelist, Shirley, Croydon. Ruskin was born on 8 February 1819 at 54 Hunter Street, Brunswick Square, London (demolished 1969), south of St Pancras railway station.[5] His childhood was shaped by the contrasting influences of his father and mother, both of whom were fiercely ambitious for him. John James Ruskin helped to develop his son's Romanticism. They shared a passion for the works of Byron, Shakespeare and especially Walter Scott. They visited Scott's home, Abbotsford, in 1838, but Ruskin was disappointed by its appearance.[6] Margaret Ruskin, an evangelical Christian, more cautious and restrained than her husband, taught young John to read the Bible from beginning to end, and then to start all over again, committing large portions to memory. Its language, imagery and parables had a profound and lasting effect on his writing.[7] He later wrote: She read alternate verses with me, watching at first, every intonation of my voice, and correcting the false ones, till she made me understand the verse, if within my reach, rightly and energetically. — Praeterita, XXXV, 40 Ruskin's childhood was spent from 1823 at 28 Herne Hill (demolished c. 1912), near the village of Camberwell in South London.[8] He had few friends of his own age, but it was not the friendless and toyless experience he later said it was in his autobiography, Praeterita (1885–89).[5] He was educated at home by his parents and private tutors, including Congregationalist preacher Edward Andrews,[9] whose daughters, Mrs Eliza Orme and Emily Augusta Patmore were later credited with introducing Ruskin to the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.[10] From 1834 to 1835 he attended the school in Peckham run by the progressive evangelical Thomas Dale (1797–1870).[11] Ruskin heard Dale lecture in 1836 at King's College, London, where Dale was the first Professor of English Literature.[5] Ruskin went on to enrol and complete his studies at King's College, where he prepared for Oxford under Dale's tutelage.[12][13] Ruskin was greatly influenced by the extensive and privileged travels he enjoyed in his childhood. It helped to establish his taste and augmented his education. He sometimes accompanied his father on visits to business clients at their country houses, which exposed him to English landscapes, architecture and paintings. Family tours took them to the Lake District (his first long poem, Iteriad, was an account of his tour in 1830)[14] and to relatives in Perth, Scotland. As early as 1825, the family visited France and Belgium. Their continental tours became increasingly ambitious in scope: in 1833 they visited Strasbourg, Schaffhausen, Milan, Genoa and Turin, places to which Ruskin frequently returned. He developed a lifelong love of the Alps, and in 1835 visited Venice for the first time,[15] that 'Paradise of cities' that provided the subject and symbolism of much of his later work. These tours gave Ruskin the opportunity to observe and record his impressions of nature. He composed elegant, though mainly conventional poetry, some of which was published in Friendship's Offering. His early notebooks and sketchbooks are full of visually sophisticated and technically accomplished drawings of maps, landscapes and buildings, remarkable for a boy of his age. He was profoundly affected by Samuel Rogers's poem Italy (1830), a copy of which was given to him as a 13th birthday present; in particular, he deeply admired the accompanying illustrations by J. M. W. Turner. Much of Ruskin's own art in the 1830s was in imitation of Turner, and of Samuel Prout, whose Sketches Made in Flanders and Germany (1833) he also admired. His artistic skills were refined under the tutelage of Charles Runciman, Copley Fielding and J. D. Harding. Ruskin's journeys also provided inspiration for writing. His first publication was the poem "On Skiddaw and Derwent Water" (originally entitled "Lines written at the Lakes in Cumberland: Derwentwater" and published in the Spiritual Times) (August 1829). In 1834, three short articles for Loudon's Magazine of Natural History were published. They show early signs of his skill as a close "scientific" observer of nature, especially its geology. From September 1837 to December 1838, Ruskin's The Poetry of Architecture was serialised in Loudon's Architectural Magazine, under the pen name "Kata Phusin" (Greek for "According to Nature"). It was a study of cottages, villas, and other dwellings centred on a Wordsworthian argument that buildings should be sympathetic to their immediate environment and use local materials. It anticipated key themes in his later writings. In 1839, Ruskin's "Remarks on the Present State of Meteorological Science" was published in Transactions of the Meteorological Society. In Michaelmas 1836, Ruskin matriculated at the University of Oxford, taking up residence at Christ Church in January of the following year.[22] Enrolled as a gentleman-commoner, he enjoyed equal status with his aristocratic peers. Ruskin was generally uninspired by Oxford and suffered bouts of illness. Perhaps the greatest advantage of his time there was in the few, close friendships he made. His tutor, the Rev Walter Lucas Brown, always encouraged him, as did a young senior tutor, Henry Liddell (later the father of Alice Liddell) and a private tutor, the Reverend Osborne Gordon.[23] He became close to the geologist and natural theologian William Buckland. Among his fellow undergraduates, Ruskin's most important friends were Charles Thomas Newton and Henry Acland. His most noteworthy success came in 1839 when, at the third attempt, he won the prestigious Newdigate Prize for poetry (Arthur Hugh Clough came second).[24] He met William Wordsworth, who was receiving an honorary degree, at the ceremony. Ruskin's health was poor and he never became independent from his family during his time at Oxford. His mother took lodgings on High Street, where his father joined them at weekends. He was devastated to hear that his first love, Adèle Domecq, the second daughter of his father's business partner, had become engaged to a French nobleman. In April 1840, whilst revising for his examinations, he began to cough blood, which led to fears of consumption and a long break from Oxford travelling with his parents.[25] Before he returned to Oxford, Ruskin responded to a challenge that had been put to him by Effie Gray, whom he later married: the twelve-year-old Effie had asked him to write a fairy story. During a six-week break at Leamington Spa to undergo Dr Jephson's (1798–1878) celebrated salt-water cure, Ruskin wrote his only work of fiction, the fable The King of the Golden River (not published until December 1850 (but imprinted 1851), with illustrations by Richard Doyle). A work of Christian sacrificial morality and charity, it is set in the Alpine landscape Ruskin loved and knew so well. It remains the most translated of all his works.[27] Back at Oxford, in 1842 Ruskin sat for a pass degree, and was awarded an uncommon honorary double fourth-class degree in recognition of his achievements.[28] For much of the period from late 1840 to autumn 1842, Ruskin was abroad with his parents, mainly in Italy. His studies of Italian art were chiefly guided by George Richmond, to whom the Ruskins were introduced by Joseph Severn, a friend of Keats (whose son, Arthur Severn, later married Ruskin's cousin, Joan). He was galvanised into writing a defence of J. M. W. Turner when he read an attack on several of Turner's pictures exhibited at the Royal Academy. It recalled an attack by the critic Rev John Eagles in Blackwood's Magazine in 1836, which had prompted Ruskin to write a long essay. John James had sent the piece to Turner, who did not wish it to be published. It finally appeared in 1903.[29] Before Ruskin began Modern Painters, John James Ruskin had begun collecting watercolours, including works by Samuel Prout and Turner. Both painters were among occasional guests of the Ruskins at Herne Hill, and 163 Denmark Hill (demolished 1947) to which the family moved in 1842. What became the first volume of Modern Painters (1843), published by Smith, Elder & Co. under the anonymous authority of "A Graduate of Oxford", was Ruskin's answer to Turner's critics.[30] Ruskin controversially argued that modern landscape painters—and in particular Turner—were superior to the so-called "Old Masters" of the post-Renaissance period. Ruskin maintained that, unlike Turner, Old Masters such as Gaspard Dughet (Gaspar Poussin), Claude, and Salvator Rosa favoured pictorial convention, and not "truth to nature". He explained that he meant "moral as well as material truth". The job of the artist is to observe the reality of nature and not to invent it in a studio—to render imaginatively on canvas what he has seen and understood, free of any rules of composition. For Ruskin, modern landscapists demonstrated superior understanding of the "truths" of water, air, clouds, stones, and vegetation, a profound appreciation of which Ruskin demonstrated in his own prose. He described works he had seen at the National Gallery and Dulwich Picture Gallery with extraordinary verbal felicity. Although critics were slow to react and the reviews were mixed, many notable literary and artistic figures were impressed with the young man's work, including Charlotte Brontë and Elizabeth Gaskell.[32] Suddenly Ruskin had found his métier, and in one leap helped redefine the genre of art criticism, mixing a discourse of polemic with aesthetics, scientific observation and ethics. It cemented Ruskin's relationship with Turner. After the artist died in 1851, Ruskin catalogued nearly 20,000 sketches that Turner gave to the British nation. Ruskin toured the continent with his parents again during 1844, visiting Chamonix and Paris, studying the geology of the Alps and the paintings of Titian, Veronese and Perugino among others at the Louvre. In 1845, at the age of 26, he undertook to travel without his parents for the first time. It provided him with an opportunity to study medieval art and architecture in France, Switzerland and especially Italy. In Lucca he saw the Tomb of Ilaria del Carretto by Jacopo della Quercia, which Ruskin considered the exemplar of Christian sculpture (he later associated it with the then object of his love, Rose La Touche). He drew inspiration from what he saw at the Campo Santo in Pisa, and in Florence. In Venice, he was particularly impressed by the works of Fra Angelico and Giotto in St Mark's Cathedral, and Tintoretto in the Scuola di San Rocco, but he was alarmed by the combined effects of decay and modernisation on the city: "Venice is lost to me", he wrote.[33] It finally convinced him that architectural restoration was destruction, and that the only true and faithful action was preservation and conservation. Drawing on his travels, he wrote the second volume of Modern Painters (published April 1846). The volume concentrated on Renaissance and pre-Renaissance artists rather than on Turner. It was a more theoretical work than its predecessor. Ruskin explicitly linked the aesthetic and the divine, arguing that truth, beauty and religion are inextricably bound together: "the Beautiful as a gift of God". In defining categories of beauty and imagination, Ruskin argued that all great artists must perceive beauty and, with their imagination, communicate it creatively by means of symbolic representation. Generally, critics gave this second volume a warmer reception, although many found the attack on the aesthetic orthodoxy associated with Joshua Reynolds difficult to accept.[36] In the summer, Ruskin was abroad again with his father, who still hoped his son might become a poet, even poet laureate, just one among many factors increasing the tension between them. During 1847, Ruskin became closer to Euphemia "Effie" Gray, the daughter of family friends. It was for her that Ruskin had written The King of the Golden River. The couple were engaged in October. They married on 10 April 1848 at her home, Bowerswell, in Perth, once the residence of the Ruskin family.[38] It was the site of the suicide of John Thomas Ruskin (Ruskin's grandfather). Owing to this association and other complications, Ruskin's parents did not attend. The European Revolutions of 1848 meant that the newlyweds' earliest travels together were restricted, but they were able to visit Normandy, where Ruskin admired the Gothic architecture. Their early life together was spent at 31 Park Street, Mayfair, secured for them by Ruskin's father (later addresses included nearby 6 Charles Street, and 30 Herne Hill). Effie was too unwell to undertake the European tour of 1849, so Ruskin visited the Alps with his parents, gathering material for the third and fourth volumes of Modern Painters. He was struck by the contrast between the Alpine beauty and the poverty of Alpine peasants, stirring his increasingly sensitive social conscience. The marriage was unhappy, with Ruskin reportedly being cruel to Effie and distrustful of her.[39] The marriage was never consummated and was annulled six years later in 1854.[40] Ruskin's developing interest in architecture, and particularly in the Gothic, led to the first work to bear his name, The Seven Lamps of Architecture (1849). It contained 14 plates etched by the author. The title refers to seven moral categories that Ruskin considered vital to and inseparable from all architecture: sacrifice, truth, power, beauty, life, memory and obedience. All would provide recurring themes in his future work. Seven Lamps promoted the virtues of a secular and Protestant form of Gothic. It was a challenge to the Catholic influence of architect A. W. N. Pugin. In November 1849, John and Effie Ruskin visited Venice, staying at the Hotel Danieli.[42] Their different personalities are revealed by their contrasting priorities. For Effie, Venice provided an opportunity to socialise, while Ruskin was engaged in solitary studies. In particular, he made a point of drawing the Ca' d'Oro and the Doge's Palace, or Palazzo Ducale, because he feared that they would be destroyed by the occupying Austrian troops. One of these troops, Lieutenant Charles Paulizza, became friendly with Effie, apparently with Ruskin's consent. Her brother, among others, later claimed that Ruskin was deliberately encouraging the friendship to compromise her, as an excuse to separate. Meanwhile, Ruskin was making the extensive sketches and notes that he used for his three-volume work The Stones of Venice (1851–53).[43][44] Developing from a technical history of Venetian architecture from the Byzantine to the Renaissance, into a broad cultural history, Stones represented Ruskin's opinion of contemporary England. It served as a warning about the moral and spiritual health of society. Ruskin argued that Venice had degenerated slowly. Its cultural achievements had been compromised, and its society corrupted, by the decline of true Christian faith. Instead of revering the divine, Renaissance artists honoured themselves, arrogantly celebrating human sensuousness. The chapter, "The Nature of Gothic" appeared in the second volume of Stones. Praising Gothic ornament, Ruskin argued that it was an expression of the artisan's joy in free, creative work. The worker must be allowed to think and to express his own personality and ideas, ideally using his own hands, rather than machinery. We want one man to be always thinking, and another to be always working, and we call one a gentleman, and the other an operative; whereas the workman ought often to be thinking, and the thinker often to be working, and both should be gentlemen, in the best sense. As it is, we make both ungentle, the one envying, the other despising, his brother; and the mass of society is made up of morbid thinkers and miserable workers. Now it is only by labour that thought can be made healthy, and only by thought that labour can be made happy, and the two cannot be separated with impunity. — John Ruskin, The Stones of Venice vol. II: Cook and Wedderburn 10.201. This was both an aesthetic attack on, and a social critique of, the division of labour in particular, and industrial capitalism in general. This chapter had a profound effect, and was reprinted both by the Christian socialist founders of the Working Men's College and later by the Arts and Crafts pioneer and socialist William Morris.[46] John Everett Millais, William Holman Hunt and Dante Gabriel Rossetti had established the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood in 1848. The Pre-Raphaelite commitment to 'naturalism' – "paint[ing] from nature only", depicting nature in fine detail, had been influenced by Ruskin. Ruskin became acquainted with Millais after the artists made an approach to Ruskin through their mutual friend Coventry Patmore.[49] Initially, Ruskin had not been impressed by Millais's Christ in the House of His Parents (1849–50), a painting that was considered blasphemous at the time, but Ruskin wrote letters defending the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood to The Times during May 1851. Providing Millais with artistic patronage and encouragement, in the summer of 1853 the artist (and his brother) travelled to Scotland with Ruskin and Effie where, at Glen Finglas, he painted the closely observed landscape background of gneiss rock to which, as had always been intended, he later added Ruskin's portrait. Millais had painted a picture of Effie for The Order of Release, 1746, exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1852. Suffering increasingly from physical illness and acute mental anxiety, Effie was arguing fiercely with her husband and his intense and overly protective parents, and sought solace with her own parents in Scotland. The Ruskin marriage was already undermined as she and Millais fell in love, and Effie left Ruskin, causing a public scandal. During April 1854, Effie filed her suit of nullity, on grounds of "non-consummation" owing to his "incurable impotency",[51][52] a charge Ruskin later disputed.[53] Ruskin wrote, "I can prove my virility at once."[54] The annulment was granted in July. Ruskin did not even mention it in his diary. Effie married Millais the following year. The complex reasons for the non-consummation and ultimate failure of the Ruskin marriage are a matter of enduring speculation and debate. Ruskin continued to support Hunt and Rossetti. He also provided an annuity of £150 in 1855–1857 to Elizabeth Siddal, Rossetti's wife, to encourage her art (and paid for the services of Henry Acland for her medical care).[55] Other artists influenced by the Pre-Raphaelites also received both critical and financial assistance from Ruskin, including John Brett, John William Inchbold, and Edward Burne-Jones, who became a good friend (he called him "Brother Ned").[56] His father's disapproval of such friends was a further cause of tension between them. During this period Ruskin wrote regular reviews of the annual exhibitions at the Royal Academy with the title Academy Notes (1855–1859, 1875). They were highly influential, capable of making or breaking reputations. The satirical magazine Punch published the lines (24 May 1856), "I paints and paints,/hears no complaints/And sells before I'm dry,/Till savage Ruskin/He sticks his tusk in/Then nobody will buy."[58] Ruskin was an art-philanthropist: in March 1861 he gave 48 Turner drawings to the Ashmolean in Oxford, and a further 25 to the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge in May.[59] Ruskin's own work was very distinctive, and he occasionally exhibited his watercolours: in the United States in 1857–58 and 1879, for example; and in England, at the Fine Art Society in 1878, and at the Royal Society of Painters in Watercolour (of which he was an honorary member) in 1879. He created many careful studies of natural forms, based on his detailed botanical, geological and architectural observations.[60] Examples of his work include a painted, floral pilaster decoration in the central room of Wallington Hall in Northumberland, home of his friend Pauline Trevelyan. The stained glass window in the Little Church of St Francis Funtley, Fareham, Hampshire is reputed to have been designed by him. Originally placed in the St. Peter's Church Duntisbourne Abbots near Cirencester, the window depicts the Ascension and the Nativity.[61] Ruskin's theories also inspired some architects to adapt the Gothic style. Such buildings created what has been called a distinctive "Ruskinian Gothic".[62] Through his friendship with Henry Acland, Ruskin supported attempts to establish what became the Oxford University Museum of Natural History (designed by Benjamin Woodward) - which is the closest thing to a model of this style, but still failed to satisfy Ruskin completely. The many twists and turns in the Museum's development, not least its increasing cost, and the University authorities' less than enthusiastic attitude towards it, proved increasingly frustrating for Ruskin.[63] The Museum was part of a wider plan to improve science provision at Oxford, something the University initially resisted. Ruskin's first formal teaching role came about in the mid-1850s,[64] when he taught drawing classes (assisted by Dante Gabriel Rossetti) at the Working Men's College, established by the Christian socialists, Frederick James Furnivall and Frederick Denison Maurice.[65] Although Ruskin did not share the founders' politics, he strongly supported the idea that through education workers could achieve a crucially important sense of (self-)fulfilment. One result of this involvement was Ruskin's Elements of Drawing (1857). He had taught several women drawing, by means of correspondence, and his book represented both a response and a challenge to contemporary drawing manuals.[68] The WMC was also a useful recruiting ground for assistants, on some of whom Ruskin would later come to rely, such as his future publisher, George Allen.[69] From 1859 until 1868, Ruskin was involved with the progressive school for girls at Winnington Hall in Cheshire. A frequent visitor, letter-writer, and donor of pictures and geological specimens to the school, Ruskin approved of the mixture of sports, handicrafts, music and dancing encouraged by its principal, Miss Bell.[70] The association led to Ruskin's sub-Socratic work, The Ethics of the Dust (1866), an imagined conversation with Winnington's girls in which he cast himself as the "Old Lecturer". On the surface a discourse on crystallography, it is a metaphorical exploration of social and political ideals. In the 1880s, Ruskin became involved with another educational institution, Whitelands College, a training college for teachers, where he instituted a May Queen festival that endures today.[72] (It was also replicated in the 19th century at the Cork High School for Girls.) Ruskin also bestowed books and gemstones upon Somerville College, one of Oxford's first two women's colleges, which he visited regularly, and was similarly generous to other educational institutions for women.[73][74] Both volumes III and IV of Modern Painters were published in 1856.[75] In MP III Ruskin argued that all great art is "the expression of the spirits of great men". Only the morally and spiritually healthy are capable of admiring the noble and the beautiful, and transforming them into great art by imaginatively penetrating their essence. MP IV presents the geology of the Alps in terms of landscape painting, and their moral and spiritual influence on those living nearby. The contrasting final chapters, "The Mountain Glory" and "The Mountain Gloom"[77] provide an early example of Ruskin's social analysis, highlighting the poverty of the peasants living in the lower Alps.[79] In addition to leading more formal teaching classes, from the 1850s Ruskin became an increasingly popular public lecturer. His first public lectures were given in Edinburgh, in November 1853, on architecture and painting. His lectures at the Art Treasures Exhibition, Manchester in 1857, were collected as The Political Economy of Art and later under Keats's phrase, A Joy For Ever. In these lectures, Ruskin spoke about how to acquire art, and how to use it, arguing that England had forgotten that true wealth is virtue, and that art is an index of a nation's well-being. Individuals have a responsibility to consume wisely, stimulating beneficent demand. The increasingly critical tone and political nature of Ruskin's interventions outraged his father and the "Manchester School" of economists, as represented by a hostile review in the Manchester Examiner and Times.[81] As the Ruskin scholar Helen Gill Viljoen noted, Ruskin was increasingly critical of his father, especially in letters written by Ruskin directly to him, many of them still unpublished.[82] Ruskin gave the inaugural address at the Cambridge School of Art in 1858, an institution from which the modern-day Anglia Ruskin University has grown.[83] In The Two Paths (1859), five lectures given in London, Manchester, Bradford and Tunbridge Wells, Ruskin argued that a 'vital law' underpins art and architecture, drawing on the labour theory of value. (For other addresses and letters, Cook and Wedderburn, vol. 16, pp. 427–87.) The year 1859 also marked his last tour of Europe with his ageing parents, during which they visited Germany and Switzerland. Ruskin had been in Venice when he heard about Turner's death in 1851. Being named an executor to Turner's will was an honour that Ruskin respectfully declined, but later took up. Ruskin's book in celebration of the sea, The Harbours of England, revolving around Turner's drawings, was published in 1856. In January 1857, Ruskin's Notes on the Turner Gallery at Marlborough House, 1856 was published. He persuaded the National Gallery to allow him to work on the Turner Bequest of nearly 20,000 individual artworks left to the nation by the artist. This involved Ruskin in an enormous amount of work, completed in May 1858, and involved cataloguing, framing and conserving.[88] Four hundred watercolours were displayed in cabinets of Ruskin's own design.[55] Recent scholarship has argued that Ruskin did not, as previously thought, collude in the destruction of Turner's erotic drawings,[89] but his work on the Bequest did modify his attitude towards Turner.[90] (See below, Controversies: Turner's Erotic Drawings.) In 1858, Ruskin was again travelling in Europe. The tour took him from Switzerland to Turin, where he saw Paolo Veronese's Presentation of the Queen of Sheba at the Galleria Sabauda. He would later claim (in April 1877) that the discovery of this painting, contrasting starkly with a particularly dull sermon that he had listened to at a Waldensian church in Turin, led to his "unconversion" from Evangelical Christianity. He had, however, doubted his Evangelical Christian faith for some time, shaken by Biblical and geological scholarship that was claimed to have undermined the literal truth and absolute authority of the Bible:[92] "those dreadful hammers!" he wrote to Henry Acland, "I hear the chink of them at the end of every cadence of the Bible verses." This "loss of faith" precipitated a considerable personal crisis. His confidence undermined, he believed that much of his writing to date had been founded on a bed of lies and half-truths.[94] He later returned to Christianity.[95] Although in 1877 Ruskin said that in 1860, "I gave up my art work and wrote Unto This Last... the central work of my life" the break was not so dramatic or final.[96] Following his crisis of faith, and urged to political and economic work by his professed "master" Thomas Carlyle, to whom he acknowledged that he "owed more than to any other living writer", Ruskin shifted his emphasis in the late 1850s from art towards social issues. Nevertheless, he continued to lecture on and write about a wide range of subjects including art and, among many other matters, geology (in June 1863 he lectured on the Alps), art practice and judgement (The Cestus of Aglaia), botany and mythology (Proserpina and The Queen of the Air). He continued to draw and paint in watercolours, and to travel extensively across Europe with servants and friends. In 1868, his tour took him to Abbeville, and in the following year he was in Verona (studying tombs for the Arundel Society) and Venice (where he was joined by William Holman Hunt). Yet increasingly Ruskin concentrated his energies on fiercely attacking industrial capitalism, and the utilitarian theories of political economy underpinning it. He repudiated his sometimes grandiloquent style, writing now in plainer, simpler language, to communicate his message straightforwardly.[100] Ruskin authored several works on political economy.[101][102] Ruskin's social view broadened from concerns about the dignity of labour to consider issues of citizenship and notions of the ideal community. Just as he had questioned aesthetic orthodoxy in his earliest writings, he now dissected the orthodox political economy espoused by John Stuart Mill, based on theories of laissez-faire and competition drawn from the work of Adam Smith, David Ricardo and Thomas Malthus. In his four essays Unto This Last, Ruskin rejected the division of labour as dehumanising (separating the labourer from the product of his work), and argued that the false "science" of political economy failed to consider the social affections that bind communities together. He articulated an extended metaphor of household and family, drawing on Plato and Xenophon to demonstrate the communal and sometimes sacrificial nature of true economics.[103] For Ruskin, all economies and societies are ideally founded on a politics of social justice. His ideas influenced the concept of the "social economy", characterised by networks of charitable, co-operative and other non-governmental organisations. The essays were originally published in consecutive monthly instalments of the new Cornhill Magazine between August and November 1860 (and published in a single volume in 1862). However, the Cornhill's editor, William Makepeace Thackeray, was forced to abandon the series by the outcry of the magazine's largely conservative readership and the fears of a nervous publisher (Smith, Elder & Co.). The reaction of the national press was hostile, and Ruskin was, he claimed, "reprobated in a violent manner".[105] Ruskin's father also strongly disapproved. Others were enthusiastic, including Carlyle, who wrote, "I have read your Paper with exhilaration... Such a thing flung suddenly into half a million dull British heads... will do a great deal of good", declaring that they were "henceforth in a minority of two",[107] a notion which Ruskin seconded. Ruskin's political ideas, and Unto This Last in particular, later proved highly influential. The essays were praised and paraphrased in Gujarati by Mohandas Gandhi, a wide range of autodidacts cited their positive impact, the economist John A. Hobson and many of the founders of the British Labour party credited them as an influence.[109] Ruskin believed in a hierarchical social structure. He wrote "I was, and my father was before me, a violent Tory of the old school."[110] He believed in man's duty to God, and while he sought to improve the conditions of the poor, he opposed attempts to level social differences and sought to resolve social inequalities by abandoning capitalism in favour of a co-operative structure of society based on obedience and benevolent philanthropy, rooted in the agricultural economy. If there be any one point insisted on throughout my works more frequently than another, that one point is the impossibility of Equality. My continual aim has been to show the eternal superiority of some men to others, sometimes even of one man to all others; and to show also the advisability of appointing such persons or person to guide, to lead, or on occasion even to compel and subdue, their inferiors, according to their own better knowledge and wiser will. — John Ruskin, Unto This Last: Cook and Wedderburn 17.34 Ruskin's explorations of nature and aesthetics in the fifth and final volume of Modern Painters focused on Giorgione, Veronese, Titian and Turner. Ruskin asserted that the components of the greatest artworks are held together, like human communities, in a quasi-organic unity. Competitive struggle is destructive. Uniting Modern Painters V and Unto This Last is Ruskin's "Law of Help":[111] Government and cooperation are in all things and eternally the laws of life. Anarchy and competition, eternally, and in all things, the laws of death. — John Ruskin, Modern Painters V and Unto This Last: Cook and Wedderburn 7.207 and 17.25. Ruskin's next work on political economy, redefining some of the basic terms of the discipline, also ended prematurely, when Fraser's Magazine, under the editorship of James Anthony Froude, cut short his Essays on Political Economy (1862–63) (later collected as Munera Pulveris (1872)). Ruskin further explored political themes in Time and Tide (1867), his letters to Thomas Dixon, a cork-cutter in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who had a well-established interest in literary and artistic matters. In these letters, Ruskin promoted honesty in work and exchange, just relations in employment and the need for co-operation. Ruskin's sense of politics was not confined to theory. On his father's death in 1864, he inherited an estate worth between £120,000 and £157,000 (the exact figure is disputed).[114] This considerable fortune, inherited from the father he described on his tombstone as "an entirely honest merchant", gave him the means to engage in personal philanthropy and practical schemes of social amelioration. One of his first actions was to support the housing work of Octavia Hill (originally one of his art pupils): he bought property in Marylebone to aid her philanthropic housing scheme.[116] But Ruskin's endeavours extended to the establishment of a shop selling pure tea in any quantity desired at 29 Paddington Street, Paddington (giving employment to two former Ruskin family servants) and crossing-sweepings to keep the area around the British Museum clean and tidy. Modest as these practical schemes were, they represented a symbolic challenge to the existing state of society. Yet his greatest practical experiments would come in his later years. In 1865–66, Ruskin became involved in the controversy surrounding Edward John Eyre's suppression of the Morant Bay rebellion. Mill formed the Jamaica Committee for the purpose of holding Governor Eyre accountable for what they perceived to be his unlawful, inhumane, and unnecessary quelling of the insurrection. In response, the Eyre Defence and Aid Fund was formed to support Eyre for having fulfilled his duty to defend order and save the white population from danger; Carlyle served as the chairman. Ruskin allied with the Defence, writing a letter which appeared in the Daily Telegraph in December 1865 ("they are for Liberty, and I am for Lordship; they are Mob's men, and I am a King's man"), donating £100 to the Fund, and giving a speech at Waterloo Place on Pall Mall in September 1866, also reported in the Telegraph. In addition to this, Ruskin "threw himself into" personal work for the Defence, "enlisting recruits, persuading waverers, combating objections." Ruskin lectured widely in the 1860s, giving the Rede lecture at the University of Cambridge in 1867, for example. He spoke at the British Institution on 'Modern Art', the Working Men's Institute, Camberwell on "Work" and the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich on 'War.'[119] Ruskin's widely admired lecture, Traffic, on the relation between taste and morality, was delivered in April 1864 at Bradford Town Hall, to which he had been invited because of a local debate about the style of a new Exchange building.[120] "I do not care about this Exchange", Ruskin told his audience, "because you don't!" These last three lectures were published in The Crown of Wild Olive (1866). The lectures that comprised Sesame and Lilies (published 1865), delivered in December 1864 at the town halls at Rusholme and Manchester, are essentially concerned with education and ideal conduct. "Of Kings' Treasuries" (in support of a library fund) explored issues of reading practice, literature (books of the hour vs. books of all time), cultural value and public education. "Of Queens' Gardens" (supporting a school fund) focused on the role of women, asserting their rights and duties in education, according them responsibility for the household and, by extension, for providing the human compassion that must balance a social order dominated by men. This book proved to be one of Ruskin's most popular, and was regularly awarded as a Sunday School prize. Its reception over time, however, has been more mixed, and twentieth-century feminists have taken aim at "Of Queens' Gardens" in particular, as an attempt to "subvert the new heresy" of women's rights by confining women to the domestic sphere.[124] Although indeed subscribing to the Victorian belief in "separate spheres" for men and women, Ruskin was however unusual in arguing for parity of esteem, a case based on his philosophy that a nation's political economy should be modelled on that of the ideal household. Ruskin was unanimously appointed the first Slade Professor of Fine Art at Oxford University in August 1869, though largely through the offices of his friend, Henry Acland.[125] He delivered his inaugural lecture on his 51st birthday in 1870, at the Sheldonian Theatre to a larger-than-expected audience. It was here that he said, "The art of any country is the exponent of its social and political virtues... she [England] must found colonies as fast and as far as she is able, formed of her most energetic and worthiest men;—seizing every piece of fruitful waste ground she can set her foot on..."[126] It has been claimed that Cecil Rhodes cherished a long-hand copy of the lecture, believing that it supported his own view of the British Empire. [127] In 1871, John Ruskin founded his own art school at Oxford, The Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art.[128] It was originally accommodated within the Ashmolean Museum but now occupies premises on High Street. Ruskin endowed the drawing mastership with £5000 of his own money. He also established a large collection of drawings, watercolours and other materials (over 800 frames) that he used to illustrate his lectures. The School challenged the orthodox, mechanical methodology of the government art schools (the "South Kensington System").[129] Ruskin's lectures were often so popular that they had to be given twice—once for the students, and again for the public. Most of them were eventually published (see Select Bibliography below). He lectured on a wide range of subjects at Oxford, his interpretation of "Art" encompassing almost every conceivable area of study, including wood and metal engraving (Ariadne Florentina), the relation of science to art (The Eagle's Nest) and sculpture (Aratra Pentelici). His lectures ranged through myth, ornithology, geology, nature-study and literature. "The teaching of Art...", Ruskin wrote, "is the teaching of all things." Ruskin was never careful about offending his employer. When he criticised Michelangelo in a lecture in June 1871 it was seen as an attack on the large collection of that artist's work in the Ashmolean Museum.[131] Most controversial, from the point of view of the University authorities, spectators and the national press, was the digging scheme on Ferry Hinksey Road at North Hinksey, near Oxford, instigated by Ruskin in 1874, and continuing into 1875, which involved undergraduates in a road-mending scheme.[132] The scheme was motivated in part by a desire to teach the virtues of wholesome manual labour. Some of the diggers, who included Oscar Wilde, Alfred Milner and Ruskin's future secretary and biographer W. G. Collingwood, were profoundly influenced by the experience: notably Arnold Toynbee, Leonard Montefiore and Alexander Robertson MacEwen. It helped to foster a public service ethic that was later given expression in the university settlements,[133] and was keenly celebrated by the founders of Ruskin Hall, Oxford.[134] In 1879, Ruskin resigned from Oxford, but resumed his Professorship in 1883, only to resign again in 1884.[135] He gave his reason as opposition to vivisection,[136] but he had increasingly been in conflict with the University authorities, who refused to expand his Drawing School.[129] He was also suffering from increasingly poor health. In January 1871, the month before Ruskin started to lecture the wealthy undergraduates at Oxford University, he began his series of 96 (monthly) "letters to the workmen and labourers of Great Britain" under the title Fors Clavigera (1871–84). (The letters were published irregularly after the 87th instalment in March 1878.) These letters were personal, dealt with every subject in his oeuvre, and were written in a variety of styles, reflecting his mood and circumstances. From 1873, Ruskin had full control over all his publications, having established George Allen as his sole publisher (see Allen & Unwin). In the July 1877 letter of Fors Clavigera, Ruskin launched a scathing attack on paintings by James McNeill Whistler exhibited at the Grosvenor Gallery. He found particular fault with Nocturne in Black and Gold: The Falling Rocket, and accused Whistler of asking two hundred guineas for "flinging a pot of paint in the public's face".[138] Whistler filed a libel suit against Ruskin, but Ruskin was ill when the case went to trial in November 1878, so the artist Edward Burne-Jones[139] and Attorney General Sir John Holker represented him. The trial took place on 25 and 26 November, and many major figures of the art world at the time appeared at the trial. Artist Albert Moore appeared as a witness for Whistler, and artist William Powell Frith appeared for Ruskin. Frith said "the nocturne in black in gold is not in my opinion worth two hundred guineas". Frederic Leighton also agreed to give evidence for Whistler, but in the end could not attend as he had to go to Windsor to be knighted.[140] Edward Burne-Jones, representing Ruskin, also asserted that Nocturne in Black and Gold was not a serious work of art. When asked to give reasons, Burne-Jones said he had never seen one painting of night that was successful, but also acknowledged that he saw marks of great labour and artistic skill in the painting. In the end, Whistler won the case, but the jury awarded damages of only a derisory farthing (the smallest coin of the realm) to the artist. Court costs were split between the two parties. Ruskin's were paid by public subscription organised by the Fine Art Society, but Whistler was bankrupt within six months, and was forced to sell his house on Tite Street in London and move to Venice. The episode tarnished Ruskin's reputation and may have accelerated his mental decline.[141] It did nothing to mitigate Ruskin's exaggerated sense of failure in persuading his readers to share in his own keenly felt priorities.[142] Ruskin founded his utopian society, the Guild of St George, in 1871 (although originally it was called St George's Fund, and then St George's Company, before becoming the Guild in 1878). Its aims and objectives were articulated in Fors Clavigera. A communitarian protest against nineteenth-century industrial capitalism, it had a hierarchical structure, with Ruskin as its Master, and dedicated members called "Companions".[144] Ruskin wished to show that contemporary life could still be enjoyed in the countryside, with land being farmed by traditional means, in harmony with the environment, and with the minimum of mechanical assistance.[145] He also sought to educate and enrich the lives of industrial workers by inspiring them with beautiful objects. Toward this end, with a tithe (or personal donation) of £7,000, Ruskin acquired land and a collection of art treasures.[146] Ruskin purchased land initially in Totley, near Sheffield, but the agricultural scheme established there by local communists met with only modest success after many difficulties.[147] Donations of land from wealthy and dedicated Companions eventually placed land and property in the Guild's care: in the Wyre Forest, near Bewdley, Worcestershire, called Ruskin Land today;[148] Barmouth, in Gwynedd, north-west Wales; Cloughton, in North Yorkshire; Westmill in Hertfordshire;[149] and Sheepscombe, Gloucestershire.[150][151] In principle, Ruskin worked out a scheme for different grades of "Companion", wrote codes of practice, described styles of dress and even designed the Guild's own coins. Ruskin wished to see St George's Schools established, and published various volumes to aid its teaching (his Bibliotheca Pastorum or Shepherd's Library), but the schools themselves were never established.[153] (In the 1880s, in a venture loosely related to the Bibliotheca, he supported Francesca Alexander's publication of some of her tales of peasant life.) In reality, the Guild, which still exists today as a charitable education trust, has only ever operated on a small scale.[154] Ruskin also wished to see traditional rural handicrafts revived. St. George's Mill was established at Laxey, Isle of Man, producing cloth goods. The Guild also encouraged independent but allied efforts in spinning and weaving at Langdale, in other parts of the Lake District and elsewhere, producing linen and other goods exhibited by the Home Arts and Industries Association and similar organisations.[155] The Guild's most conspicuous and enduring achievement was the creation of a remarkable collection of art, minerals, books, medieval manuscripts, architectural casts, coins and other precious and beautiful objects. Housed in a cottage museum high on a hill in the Sheffield district of Walkley, it opened in 1875, and was curated by Henry and Emily Swan.[156] Ruskin had written in Modern Painters III (1856) that, "the greatest thing a human soul ever does in this world is to see something, and to tell what it saw in a plain way." Through the Museum, Ruskin aimed to bring to the eyes of the working man many of the sights and experiences otherwise reserved for those who could afford to travel across Europe. The original Museum has been digitally recreated online.[158] In 1890, the Museum relocated to Meersbrook Park. The collection is now on display at Sheffield's Millennium Gallery.[159] Ruskin had been introduced to the wealthy Irish La Touche family by Louisa, Marchioness of Waterford. Maria La Touche, a minor Irish poet and novelist, asked Ruskin to teach her daughters drawing and painting in 1858. Rose La Touche was ten. His first meeting came at a time when Ruskin's own religious faith was under strain. This always caused difficulties for the staunchly Protestant La Touche family who at various times prevented the two from meeting.[160] A chance meeting at the Royal Academy in 1869 was one of the few occasions they came into personal contact. After a long illness, she died on 25 May 1875, at the age of 27. These events plunged Ruskin into despair and led to increasingly severe bouts of mental illness involving breakdowns and delirious visions. The first of these had occurred in 1871 at Matlock, Derbyshire, a town and a county that he knew from his boyhood travels, whose flora, fauna, and minerals helped to form and reinforce his appreciation and understanding of nature. Ruskin turned to spiritualism. He attended séances at Broadlands. Ruskin's increasing need to believe in a meaningful universe and a life after death, both for himself and his loved ones, helped to revive his Christian faith in the 1870s. Ruskin continued to travel, studying the landscapes, buildings and art of Europe. In May 1870 and June 1872 he admired Carpaccio's St Ursula in Venice, a vision of which, associated with Rose La Touche, would haunt him, described in the pages of Fors. In 1874, on his tour of Italy, Ruskin visited Sicily, the furthest he ever travelled. Ruskin embraced the emerging literary forms, the travel guide (and gallery guide), writing new works, and adapting old ones "to give", he said, "what guidance I may to travellers..."[162] The Stones of Venice was revised, edited and issued in a new "Travellers' Edition" in 1879. Ruskin directed his readers, the would-be traveller, to look with his cultural gaze at the landscapes, buildings and art of France and Italy: Mornings in Florence (1875–1877), The Bible of Amiens (1880–1885) (a close study of its sculpture and a wider history), St Mark's Rest (1877–1884) and A Guide to the Principal Pictures in... Venice (1877). In the 1880s, Ruskin returned to some literature and themes that had been among his favourites since childhood. He wrote about Scott, Byron and Wordsworth in Fiction, Fair and Foul (1880) in which, as Seth Reno argues, he describes the devastating effects on the landscape caused by industrialization, a vision Reno sees as a realization of the Anthropocene.[164] He returned to meteorological observations in his lectures, The Storm-Cloud of the Nineteenth-Century (1884), describing the apparent effects of industrialisation on weather patterns. Ruskin's Storm-Cloud has been seen as foreshadowing environmentalism and related concerns in the 20th and 21st centuries.[166] Ruskin's prophetic writings were also tied to his emotions, and his more general (ethical) dissatisfaction with the modern world with which he now felt almost completely out of sympathy. His last great work was his autobiography, Praeterita (1885–1889) (meaning, 'Of Past Things'), a highly personalised, selective, eloquent but incomplete account of aspects of his life, the preface of which was written in his childhood nursery at Herne Hill. The period from the late 1880s was one of steady and inexorable decline. Gradually it became too difficult for him to travel to Europe. He suffered a complete mental collapse on his final tour, which included Beauvais, Sallanches and Venice, in 1888. The emergence and dominance of the Aesthetic movement and Impressionism distanced Ruskin from the modern art world, his ideas on the social utility of art contrasting with the doctrine of "l'art pour l'art" or "art for art's sake" that was beginning to dominate. His later writings were increasingly seen as irrelevant, especially as he seemed to be more interested in book illustrators such as Kate Greenaway than in modern art. He also attacked aspects of Darwinian theory with increasing violence, although he knew and respected Darwin personally. In August 1871, Ruskin purchased, from W. J. Linton, the then somewhat dilapidated Brantwood house, on the shores of Coniston Water, in the English Lake District, paying £1500 for it. Brantwood was Ruskin's main home from 1872 until his death. His estate provided a site for more of his practical schemes and experiments: he had an ice house built, and the gardens comprehensively rearranged. He oversaw the construction of a larger harbour (from where he rowed his boat, the Jumping Jenny), and he altered the house (adding a dining room, a turret to his bedroom to give him a panoramic view of the lake, and he later extended the property to accommodate his relatives). He built a reservoir and redirected the waterfall down the hills, adding a slate seat that faced the tumbling stream and craggy rocks rather than the lake, so that he could closely observe the fauna and flora of the hillside.[168] Although Ruskin's 80th birthday was widely celebrated in 1899 (various Ruskin societies presenting him with an elaborately illuminated congratulatory address), Ruskin was scarcely aware of it.[169] He died at Brantwood from influenza on 20 January 1900 at the age of 80.[170] He was buried five days later in the churchyard at Coniston, according to his wishes.[171] As he had grown weaker, suffering prolonged bouts of mental illness, he had been looked after by his second cousin, Joan(na) Severn (formerly "companion" to Ruskin's mother) and she and her family inherited his estate. Joanna's Care was the eloquent final chapter of Ruskin's memoir, which he dedicated to her as a fitting tribute.[172] Joan Severn, together with Ruskin's secretary, W. G. Collingwood, and his eminent American friend Charles Eliot Norton, were executors to his will. E. T. Cook and Alexander Wedderburn edited the monumental 39-volume Library Edition of Ruskin's Works, the last volume of which, an index, attempts to demonstrate the complex interconnectedness of Ruskin's thought. They all acted together to guard, and even control, Ruskin's public and personal reputation.[173] The centenary of Ruskin's birth was keenly celebrated in 1919, but his reputation was already in decline and sank further in the fifty years that followed.[174] The contents of Ruskin's home were dispersed in a series of sales at auction, and Brantwood itself was bought in 1932 by the educationist and Ruskin enthusiast, collector and memorialist, John Howard Whitehouse.[175] Brantwood was opened in 1934 as a memorial to Ruskin and remains open to the public today.[176] The Guild of St George continues to thrive as an educational charity, and has an international membership.[177] The Ruskin Society organises events throughout the year.[178] A series of public celebrations of Ruskin's multiple legacies took place in 2000, on the centenary of his death, and events are planned throughout 2019, to mark the bicentenary of his birth.[179] In middle age, and at his prime as a lecturer, Ruskin was described as slim, perhaps a little short,[180] with an aquiline nose and brilliant, piercing blue eyes. Often sporting a double-breasted waistcoat, a high collar and, when necessary, a frock coat, he also wore his trademark blue neckcloth.[181] From 1878 he cultivated an increasingly long beard, and took on the appearance of an "Old Testament" prophet. The following description of Ruskin as a lecturer was written by an eyewitness, who was a student at the time (1884): [Ruskin's] election to the second term of the Slade professorship took place in 1884, and he was announced to lecture at the Science Schools, by the park. I went off, never dreaming of difficulty about getting into any professorial lecture; but all the accesses were blocked, and finally I squeezed in between the Vice-Chancellor and his attendants as they forced a passage. All the young women in Oxford and all the girls' schools had got in before us and filled the semi-circular auditorium. Every inch was crowded, and still no lecturer; and it was not apparent how he could arrive. Presently there was a commotion in the doorway, and over the heads and shoulders of tightly packed young men, a loose bundle was handed in and down the steps, till on the floor a small figure was deposited, which stood up and shook itself out, amused and good humoured, climbed on to the dais, spread out papers and began to read in a pleasant though fluting voice. Long hair, brown with grey through it; a soft brown beard, also streaked with grey; some loose kind of black garment (possibly to be described as a frock coat) with a master's gown over it; loose baggy trousers, a thin gold chain round his neck with glass suspended, a lump of soft tie of some finely spun blue silk; and eyes much bluer than the tie: that was Ruskin as he came back to Oxford. — Stephen Gwynn, Experiences of a Literary Man (1926)[182] An incident where the Arts and Crafts master William Morris had aroused the anger of Dr Bright, Master of University College, Oxford, served to demonstrate Ruskin's charisma: William Morris had come to lecture on "Art and plutocracy" in the hall of University College. The title did not suggest an exhortation to join a Socialist alliance, but that was what we got. When he ended, the Master of University, Dr Bright, stood up and instead of returning thanks, protested that the hall had been lent for a lecture on art and would certainly not have been made available for preaching Socialism. He stammered a little at all times, and now, finding the ungracious words literally stick in his throat, sat down, leaving the remonstrance incomplete but clearly indicated. The situation was most unpleasant. Morris at any time was choleric and his face flamed red over his white shirt front: he probably thought he had conceded enough by assuming against his usage a conventional garb. There was a hubbub, and then from the audience Ruskin rose and instantly there was quiet. With a few courteous well chosen sentences he made everybody feel that we were an assembly of gentlemen, that Morris was not only an artist but a gentleman and an Oxford man, and had said or done nothing which gentlemen in Oxford should resent; and the whole storm subsided before that gentle authority. — Stephen Gwynn, Experiences of a Literary Man (1926)[182] Ruskin's influence reached across the world. Tolstoy described him as "one of the most remarkable men not only of England and of our generation, but of all countries and times" and quoted extensively from him, rendering his ideas into Russian.[183] Proust not only admired Ruskin but helped translate his works into French.[184] Gandhi wrote of the "magic spell" cast on him by Unto This Last and paraphrased the work in Gujarati, calling it Sarvodaya, "The Advancement of All".[citation needed] In Japan, Ryuzo Mikimoto actively collaborated in Ruskin's translation. He commissioned sculptures and sundry commemorative items, and incorporated Ruskinian rose motifs in the jewellery produced by his cultured pearl empire. He established the Ruskin Society of Tokyo and his children built a dedicated library to house his Ruskin collection.[185][186] A number of utopian socialist Ruskin Colonies attempted to put his political ideals into practice. These communities included Ruskin, Florida, Ruskin, British Columbia and the Ruskin Commonwealth Association, a colony in Dickson County, Tennessee in existence from 1894 to 1899. One of Ruskin's students, Ralph Radcliffe Whitehead, founded the Byrdcliffe Colony in Woodstock, New York, partly inspired by his teacher's beliefs.[187] Ruskin's work has been translated into numerous languages including, in addition to those already mentioned (Russian, French, Japanese): German, Italian, Catalan, Spanish, Portuguese, Hungarian, Polish, Romanian, Swedish, Danish, Dutch, Czech, Chinese, Welsh, Esperanto, Gikuyu, and several Indian languages such as Kannada. Theorists and practitioners in a broad range of disciplines acknowledged their debt to Ruskin. Architects including Le Corbusier, Louis Sullivan, Frank Lloyd Wright and Walter Gropius incorporated his ideas in their work.[188] Writers as diverse as Oscar Wilde, G. K. Chesterton, Hilaire Belloc, T. S. Eliot, W. B. Yeats and Ezra Pound felt Ruskin's influence.[189] The American poet Marianne Moore was an enthusiastic Ruskin reader. Art historians and critics, among them Herbert Read, Roger Fry and Wilhelm Worringer, knew Ruskin's work well.[190] Admirers ranged from the British-born American watercolourist and engraver John William Hill to the sculptor-designer, printmaker and utopianist Eric Gill. Aside from E. T. Cook, Ruskin's editor and biographer, other leading British journalists influenced by Ruskin include J. A. Spender, and the war correspondent H. W. Nevinson. William Morris and C. R. Ashbee (of the Guild of Handicraft) were keen disciples, and through them Ruskin's legacy can be traced in the arts and crafts movement. Ruskin's ideas on the preservation of open spaces and the conservation of historic buildings and places inspired his friends Octavia Hill and Hardwicke Rawnsley to help found the National Trust.[191] Pioneers of town planning such as Thomas Coglan Horsfall and Patrick Geddes called Ruskin an inspiration and invoked his ideas in justification of their own social interventions; likewise the founders of the garden city movement, Ebenezer Howard and Raymond Unwin.[192] Edward Carpenter's community in Millthorpe, Derbyshire was partly inspired by Ruskin, and John Kenworthy's colony at Purleigh, Essex, which was briefly a refuge for the Doukhobors, combined Ruskin's ideas and Tolstoy's. The most prolific collector of Ruskiniana was John Howard Whitehouse, who saved Ruskin's home, Brantwood, and opened it as a permanent Ruskin memorial. Inspired by Ruskin's educational ideals, Whitehouse established Bembridge School, on the Isle of Wight, and ran it along Ruskinian lines. Educationists from William Jolly to Michael Ernest Sadler wrote about and appreciated Ruskin's ideas.[193] Ruskin College, an educational establishment in Oxford originally intended for working men, was named after him by its American founders, Walter Vrooman and Charles A. Beard. Ruskin's innovative publishing experiment, conducted by his one-time Working Men's College pupil George Allen, whose business was eventually merged to become Allen & Unwin, anticipated the establishment of the Net Book Agreement. Ruskin's Drawing Collection, a collection of 1470 works of art he gathered as learning aids for the Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art (which he founded at Oxford), is at the Ashmolean Museum. The Museum has promoted Ruskin's art teaching, utilising the collection for in-person and online drawing courses.[194] Pierre de Coubertin, the innovator of the modern Olympic Games, cited Ruskin's principles of beautification, asserting that the games should be "Ruskinised" to create an aesthetic identity that transcended mere championship competitions.[195] Ruskin was an inspiration for many Christian socialists, and his ideas informed the work of economists such as William Smart and J. A. Hobson, and the positivist Frederic Harrison.[196] Ruskin was discussed in university extension classes, and in reading circles and societies formed in his name. He helped to inspire the settlement movement in Britain and the United States. Resident workers at Toynbee Hall such as the future civil servants Hubert Llewellyn Smith and William Beveridge (author of the Report ... on Social Insurance and Allied Services), and the future Prime Minister Clement Attlee acknowledged their debt to Ruskin as they helped to found the British welfare state. More of the British Labour Party's earliest MPs acknowledged Ruskin's influence than mentioned Karl Marx or the Bible.[197] In Nazi Germany, Ruskin was seen as an early British National Socialist. William Montgomery McGovern's From Luther to Hitler (1941) identified Ruskin as a thinker who made Nazism possible, and one 1930s German headmaster told his students that "Carlyle and Ruskin were the first National Socialists."[198][199] More recently, Ruskin's works have also influenced Phillip Blond and the Red Tory movement.[200] In 2019, Ruskin200 was inaugurated as a year-long celebration marking the bicentenary of Ruskin's birth.[201] Admirers and scholars of Ruskin can visit the Ruskin Library at Lancaster University, Ruskin's home, Brantwood, and the Ruskin Museum, both in Coniston in the English Lake District. All three mount regular exhibitions open to the public all the year round.[202][203][204] Barony House in Edinburgh is home to a descendant of John Ruskin. She has designed and hand painted various friezes in honour of her ancestor and it is open to the public.[205][206] Ruskin's Guild of St George continues his work today, in education, the arts, crafts, and the rural economy. Many streets, buildings, organisations and institutions bear his name: The Priory Ruskin Academy in Grantham, Lincolnshire; John Ruskin College, South Croydon; and Anglia Ruskin University in Chelmsford and Cambridge, which traces its origins to the Cambridge School of Art, at the foundation of which Ruskin spoke in 1858. Also, the Ruskin Literary and Debating Society, (founded in 1900 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada), the oldest surviving club of its type, and still promoting the development of literary knowledge and public speaking today; and the Ruskin Art Club in Los Angeles, which still exists. In addition, there is the Ruskin Pottery, Ruskin House, Croydon and Ruskin Hall at the University of Pittsburgh. Ruskin, Florida, United States—site of one of the short-lived American Ruskin Colleges—is named after John Ruskin. There is a mural of Ruskin titled "Head, Heart and Hands" on a building across from the Ruskin Post Office.[207] Since 2000, scholarly research has focused on aspects of Ruskin's legacy, including his impact on the sciences; John Lubbock and Oliver Lodge admired him. Two major academic projects have looked at Ruskin and cultural tourism (investigating, for example, Ruskin's links with Thomas Cook);[208] the other focuses on Ruskin and the theatre.[209] The sociologist and media theorist David Gauntlett argues that Ruskin's notions of craft can be felt today in online communities such as YouTube and throughout Web 2.0.[210] Similarly, architectural theorist Lars Spuybroek has argued that Ruskin's understanding of the Gothic as a combination of two types of variation, rough savageness and smooth changefulness, opens up a new way of thinking leading to digital and so-called parametric design.[211] Notable Ruskin enthusiasts include the writers Geoffrey Hill and Charles Tomlinson, and the politicians Patrick Cormack, Frank Judd,[212] Frank Field[213] and Tony Benn.[214] In 2006, Chris Smith, Baron Smith of Finsbury, Raficq Abdulla, Jonathon Porritt and Nicholas Wright were among those to contribute to the symposium, There is no wealth but life: Ruskin in the 21st Century.[215] Jonathan Glancey at The Guardian and Andrew Hill at the Financial Times have both written about Ruskin,[216] as has the broadcaster Melvyn Bragg.[217] In 2015, inspired by Ruskin's philosophy of education, Marc Turtletaub founded Meristem in Fair Oaks, California. The centre educates adolescents with developmental differences using Ruskin's "land and craft" ideals, transitioning them so they will succeed as adults in an evolving post-industrial society.[218] Ruskin wrote over 250 works, initially art criticism and history, but expanding to cover topics ranging over science, geology, ornithology, literary criticism, the environmental effects of pollution, mythology, travel, political economy and social reform. After his death Ruskin's works were collected in the 39-volume "Library Edition", completed in 1912 by his friends Edward Tyas Cook and Alexander Wedderburn.[219] The range and quantity of Ruskin's writing, and its complex, allusive and associative method of expression, cause certain difficulties. In 1898, John A. Hobson observed that in attempting to summarise Ruskin's thought, and by extracting passages from across his work, "the spell of his eloquence is broken".[220] Clive Wilmer has written, further, that, "The anthologising of short purple passages, removed from their intended contexts [... is] something which Ruskin himself detested and which has bedevilled his reputation from the start."[221] Nevertheless, some aspects of Ruskin's theory and criticism require further consideration. Ruskin's early work defended the reputation of J. M. W. Turner.[222] He believed that all great art should communicate an understanding and appreciation of nature. Accordingly, inherited artistic conventions should be rejected. Only by means of direct observation can an artist, through form and colour, represent nature in art. He advised artists in Modern Painters I to: "go to Nature in all singleness of heart... rejecting nothing, selecting nothing and scorning nothing." By the 1850s. Ruskin was celebrating the Pre-Raphaelites, whose members, he said, had formed "a new and noble school" of art that would provide a basis for a thoroughgoing reform of the art world.[224] For Ruskin, art should communicate truth above all things. However, this could not be revealed by mere display of skill, and must be an expression of the artist's whole moral outlook. Ruskin rejected the work of Whistler because he considered it to epitomise a reductive mechanisation of art.[citation needed] Ruskin's strong rejection of Classical tradition in The Stones of Venice typifies the inextricable mix of aesthetics and morality in his thought: "Pagan in its origin, proud and unholy in its revival, paralysed in its old age... an architecture invented, as it seems, to make plagiarists of its architects, slaves of its workmen, and sybarites of its inhabitants; an architecture in which intellect is idle, invention impossible, but in which all luxury is gratified and all insolence fortified."[225] Rejection of mechanisation and standardisation informed Ruskin's theories of architecture, and his emphasis on the importance of the Medieval Gothic style. He praised the Gothic for what he saw as its reverence for nature and natural forms; the free, unfettered expression of artisans constructing and decorating buildings; and for the organic relationship he perceived between worker and guild, worker and community, worker and natural environment, and between worker and God. Attempts in the 19th century to reproduce Gothic forms (such as pointed arches), attempts he had helped inspire, were not enough to make these buildings expressions of what Ruskin saw as true Gothic feeling, faith, and organicism. For Ruskin, the Gothic style in architecture embodied the same moral truths he sought to promote in the visual arts. It expressed the 'meaning' of architecture—as a combination of the values of strength, solidity and aspiration—all written, as it were, in stone. For Ruskin, creating true Gothic architecture involved the whole community, and expressed the full range of human emotions, from the sublime effects of soaring spires to the comically ridiculous carved grotesques and gargoyles. Even its crude and "savage" aspects were proof of "the liberty of every workman who struck the stone; a freedom of thought, and rank in scale of being, such as no laws, no charters, no charities can secure."[226] Classical architecture, in contrast, expressed a morally vacuous and repressive standardisation. Ruskin associated Classical values with modern developments, in particular with the demoralising consequences of the industrial revolution, resulting in buildings such as The Crystal Palace, which he criticised.[227] Although Ruskin wrote about architecture in many works over the course of his career, his much-anthologised essay "The Nature of Gothic" from the second volume of The Stones of Venice (1853) is widely considered to be one of his most important and evocative discussions of his central argument. Ruskin's theories indirectly encouraged a revival of Gothic styles, but Ruskin himself was often dissatisfied with the results. He objected that forms of mass-produced faux Gothic did not exemplify his principles, but showed disregard for the true meaning of the style. Even the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, a building designed with Ruskin's collaboration, met with his disapproval. The O'Shea brothers, freehand stone carvers chosen to revive the creative "freedom of thought" of Gothic craftsmen, disappointed him by their lack of reverence for the task. Ruskin's distaste for oppressive standardisation led to later works in which he attacked laissez-faire capitalism, which he thought was at its root. His ideas provided inspiration for the Arts and Crafts Movement, the founders of the National Trust, the National Art Collections Fund, and the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings. Ruskin's views on art, wrote Kenneth Clark, "cannot be made to form a logical system, and perhaps owe to this fact a part of their value." Ruskin's accounts of art are descriptions of a superior type that conjure images vividly in the mind's eye.[228] Clark neatly summarises the key features of Ruskin's writing on art and architecture: Art is not a matter of taste, but involves the whole man. Whether in making or perceiving a work of art, we bring to bear on it feeling, intellect, morals, knowledge, memory, and every other human capacity, all focused in a flash on a single point. Aesthetic man is a concept as false and dehumanising as economic man. Even the most superior mind and the most powerful imagination must found itself on facts, which must be recognised for what they are. The imagination will often reshape them in a way which the prosaic mind cannot understand; but this recreation will be based on facts, not on formulas or illusions. These facts must be perceived by the senses, or felt; not learnt. The greatest artists and schools of art have believed it their duty to impart vital truths, not only about the facts of vision, but about religion and the conduct of life. Beauty of form is revealed in organisms which have developed perfectly according to their laws of growth, and so give, in his own words, 'the appearance of felicitous fulfilment of function.' This fulfilment of function depends on all parts of an organism cohering and co-operating. This was what he called the 'Law of Help,' one of Ruskin's fundamental beliefs, extending from nature and art to society. Good art is done with enjoyment. The artist must feel that, within certain reasonable limits, he is free, that he is wanted by society, and that the ideas he is asked to express are true and important. Great art is the expression of epochs where people are united by a common faith and a common purpose, accept their laws, believe in their leaders, and take a serious view of human destiny.[229] Ruskin's belief in preservation of ancient buildings had a significant influence on later thinking about the distinction between conservation and restoration. His position at the beginning of his career was very radical and he believed that if no conservation had been done on a building it should be left to die. In The Seven Lamps of Architecture, (1849) Ruskin wrote: Neither by the public, nor by those who have the care of public monuments, is the true meaning of the word restoration understood. It means the most total destruction which a building can suffer: a destruction out of which no remnants can be gathered: a destruction accompanied with false description of the thing destroyed. Do not let us deceive ourselves in this important matter; it is impossible, as impossible as to raise the dead, to restore anything that has ever been great or beautiful in architecture. — Seven Lamps ("The Lamp of Memory") c. 6; Cook and Wedderburn 8.242. For Ruskin, the "age" of a building was crucially significant as an aspect in its preservation: "For, indeed, the greatest glory of a building is not in its stones, not in its gold. Its glory is in its Age, and in that deep sense of voicefulness, of stern watching, of mysterious sympathy, nay, even of approval or condemnation, which we feel in walls that have long been washed by the passing waves of humanity."[230] It has been thought that he was a strong proponent of his contemporary, Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, who promoted the view that "if no conservation had been done [to] a building it should be restored". In fact Ruskin never criticised Viollet le Duc's restoration work, just the idea of restoration.[231] Ruskins radical position on restoration was nuanced at the end of his life as he wrote in his last book Preateria in which " he regretted that no one in England had done the work that Viollet le Duc had done in France".[232] Ruskin wielded a critique of political economy of orthodox, 19th-century political economy principally on the grounds that it failed to acknowledge complexities of human desires and motivations (broadly, "social affections"). He began to express such ideas in The Stones of Venice, and increasingly in works of the later 1850s, such as The Political Economy of Art (A Joy for Ever), but he gave them full expression in the influential and at the time of publication, very controversial essays, Unto This Last. ... the art of becoming "rich," in the common sense, is not absolutely nor finally the art of accumulating much money for ourselves, but also of contriving that our neighbours shall have less. In accurate terms, it is "the art of establishing the maximum inequality in our own favour." — Ruskin, Unto This Last At the root of his theory, was Ruskin's dissatisfaction with the role and position of the worker, and especially the artisan or craftsman, in modern industrial capitalist society. Ruskin believed that the economic theories of Adam Smith, expressed in The Wealth of Nations had led, through the division of labour to the alienation of the worker not merely from the process of work itself, but from his fellow workmen and other classes, causing increasing resentment. Ruskin argued that one remedy would be to pay work at a fixed rate of wages, because human need is consistent and a given quantity of work justly demands a certain return. The best workmen would remain in employment because of the quality of their work (a focus on quality growing out of his writings on art and architecture). The best workmen could not, in a fixed-wage economy, be undercut by an inferior worker or product. In the preface to Unto This Last (1862), Ruskin recommended that the state should underwrite standards of service and production to guarantee social justice. This included the recommendation of government youth-training schools promoting employment, health, and 'gentleness and justice'; government manufactories and workshops; government schools for the employment at fixed wages of the unemployed, with idlers compelled to toil; and pensions provided for the elderly and the destitute, as a matter of right, received honourably and not in shame. Many of these ideas were later incorporated into the welfare state.[234] Until 2005, biographies of both J. M. W. Turner and Ruskin had claimed that in 1858 Ruskin burned bundles of erotic paintings and drawings by Turner to protect Turner's posthumous reputation. Ruskin's friend Ralph Nicholson Wornum, who was Keeper of the National Gallery, was said to have colluded in the alleged destruction of Turner's works. In 2005, these works, which form part of the Turner Bequest held at Tate Britain, were re-appraised by Turner Curator Ian Warrell, who concluded that Ruskin and Wornum had not destroyed them.[235][236] Ruskin's sexuality has been the subject of a great deal of speculation. He was married once, to Effie Gray, whom he met when she was 12 and he was 21, and Gray's family encouraged a match between the two when she had matured. The marriage was annulled after six years owing to non-consummation. Effie, in a letter to her parents, claimed that Ruskin found her "person" repugnant: He alleged various reasons, hatred of children, religious motives, a desire to preserve my beauty, and finally this last year he told me his true reason... that he had imagined women were quite different to what he saw I was, and that the reason he did not make me his Wife was because he was disgusted with my person the first evening 10th April [1848]. Ruskin told his lawyer during the annulment proceedings: It may be thought strange that I could abstain from a woman who to most people was so attractive. But though her face was beautiful, her person was not formed to excite passion. On the contrary, there were certain circumstances in her person which completely checked it.[237] The cause of Ruskin's "disgust" has led to much conjecture. Mary Lutyens speculated that he rejected Effie because he was horrified by the sight of her pubic hair. Lutyens argued that Ruskin must have known the female form only through Greek statues and paintings of nudes which lacked pubic hair.[238] However, Peter Fuller wrote, "It has been said that he was frightened on the wedding night by the sight of his wife's pubic hair; more probably, he was perturbed by her menstrual blood."[239] Ruskin's biographers Tim Hilton and John Batchelor also took the view that menstruation was the more likely explanation, though Batchelor also suggests that body-odour may have been the problem. There is no evidence to support any of these theories. William Ewart Gladstone said to his daughter Mary, "should you ever hear anyone blame Millais or his wife, or Mr. Ruskin [for the breakdown of the marriage], remember that there is no fault; there was misfortune, even tragedy. All three were perfectly blameless."[240] Ruskins' marriage is the subject of a book by Robert Brownell.[241] Ruskin's later relationship with Rose La Touche began on 3 January 1858, when she was 10 years old and he was about to turn 39. He was her private art tutor,[242] and the two maintained an educational relationship through correspondence until she was 18. Around that time he asked her to marry him. However, Rose's parents forbade it, after learning about his first marriage.[243] Ruskin repeated his marriage proposal when Rose became 21, and legally free to decide for herself. She was willing to marry if the union would remain unconsummated, because her doctors had told her she was unfit for marriage; but Ruskin declined to enter another such marriage for fear of its effect on his reputation.[244] Ruskin is not known to have had any sexually intimate relationships. During an episode of mental derangement after Rose died, he wrote a letter in which he insisted that Rose's spirit had instructed him to marry a girl who was visiting him at the time.[245] It is also true that in letters from Ruskin to Kate Greenaway he asked her to draw her "girlies" (as he called her child figures) without clothing: Will you – (it's all for your own good – !) make her stand up and then draw her for me without a cap – and, without her shoes, – (because of the heels) and without her mittens, and without her – frock and frills? And let me see exactly how tall she is – and – how – round. It will be so good of and for you – And to and for me.[246] In a letter to his physician John Simon on 15 May 1886, Ruskin wrote: I like my girls from ten to sixteen—allowing of 17 or 18 as long as they're not in love with anybody but me.—I've got some darlings of 8—12—14—just now, and my Pigwiggina here—12—who fetches my wood and is learning to play my bells.[247][248] Ruskin's biographers disagree about the allegation of "paedophilia". Tim Hilton, in his two-volume biography, asserts that Ruskin "was a paedophile", alluding by way of explanation to a sensual description by Ruskin of a half-naked girl he saw in Italy and quoting Ruskin's own statements about his liking for young girls, while John Batchelor argues that the term is inappropriate because Ruskin's behaviour does not "fit the profile".[249] Others point to a definite pattern of "nympholeptic" behaviour with regard to his interactions with girls at a Winnington school.[250] However, there is no evidence that Ruskin ever engaged in any sexual activity with anyone at all. According to one interpretation, what Ruskin valued most in pre-pubescent girls was their innocence; the fact that they were not (yet) fully sexually developed. However, James L. Spates describes Ruskin's erotic life as simply "idiosyncratic" and concludes that he "was physically and emotionally normal".[251] The age of consent in the United Kingdom was 12 for females until 1875 and then raised to 16 in 1885, having been 13 in Great Britain between those dates. Ruskin was not a fan of buying low and selling high. In the "Veins of Wealth" section of Unto This Last, he wrote: "So far as I know, there is not in history record of anything so disgraceful to the human intellect as the modern idea that the commercial text, 'Buy in the cheapest market and sell in the dearest,' represents, or under any circumstances could represent, an available principle of national economy." Perhaps due to such passages, Ruskin is frequently identified as the originator of the "common law of business balance"—a statement about the relationships of price and quality as they pertain to manufactured goods, and often summarised as: "The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot." This is the core of a longer statement usually attributed to Ruskin, although Ruskin's authorship is disputed among Ruskin scholars. Fred Shapiro maintains that the statement does not appear anywhere in Ruskin's works,[252] and George Landow is likewise sceptical of the claim of Ruskin's authorship.[253] In a posting of the Ruskin Library News, a blog associated with the Ruskin Library (a major collection of Ruskiniana located at Lancaster University), an anonymous library staff member briefly mentions the statement and its widespread use, saying that, "This is one of many quotations ascribed to Ruskin, without there being any trace of them in his writings – although someone, somewhere, thought they sounded like Ruskin."[254] In an issue of the journal Heat Transfer Engineering, Kenneth Bell quotes the statement and mentions that it has been attributed to Ruskin. While Bell believes in the veracity of its content, he adds that the statement does not appear in Ruskin's published works.[255] Early in the 20th century, this statement appeared—without any authorship attribution—in magazine advertisements,[256][257][258][259] in a business catalogue,[260] in student publications,[261] and, occasionally, in editorial columns.[262][263] Later in the 20th century, however, magazine advertisements, student publications, business books, technical publications, scholarly journals, and business catalogues often included the statement with attribution to Ruskin.[252][264][265][266][267][268][269][270][271] In the 21st century, and based upon the statement's applicability of the issues of quality and price, the statement continues to be used and attributed to Ruskin—despite the questionable nature of the attribution.[272][273][274][275] For many years, various Baskin-Robbins ice cream parlours prominently displayed a section of the statement in framed signs: "There is hardly anything in the world that someone cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price alone are that man's lawful prey."[253][254][276][277][278][279] The signs listed Ruskin as the author of the statement, but the signs gave no information on where or when Ruskin was supposed to have written, spoken, or published the statement. Due to the statement's widespread use as a promotional slogan, and despite questions of Ruskin's authorship, it is likely that many people who are otherwise unfamiliar with Ruskin now associate him with this statement. The OED credits Ruskin with the first quotation in 152 separate entries. Some include: Pathetic fallacy: Ruskin coined this term in Modern Painters III (1856) to describe the ascription of human emotions to inanimate objects and impersonal natural forces, as in "Nature must be gladsome when I was so happy" (Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre).[280] Fors Clavigera: Ruskin gave this title to a series of letters he wrote "to the workmen and labourers of Great Britain" (1871–84). The name was intended to signify three great powers that fashion human destiny, as Ruskin explained at length in Letter 2 (February 1871). These were: force, symbolised by the club (clava) of Hercules; Fortitude, symbolised by the key (clavis) of Ulysses; and Fortune, symbolised by the nail (clavus) of Lycurgus. These three powers (the "fors") together represent human talents and abilities to choose the right moment and then to strike with energy. The concept is derived from Shakespeare's phrase "There is a tide in the affairs of men/ Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune" (Brutus in Julius Caesar). Ruskin believed that the letters were inspired by the Third Fors: striking out at the right moment.[281][282] Illth: Used by Ruskin as the antithesis of wealth, which he defined as life itself; broadly, where wealth is 'well-being', illth is "ill-being".[283] Theoria: Ruskin's 'theoretic' faculty – theoretic, as opposed to aesthetic – enables a vision of the beautiful as intimating a reality deeper than the everyday, at least in terms of the kind of transcendence generally seen as immanent in things of this world.[284] For an example of the influence of Ruskin's concept of theoria, see Peter Fuller.[285] Modern Atheism: Ruskin applied this label to "the unfortunate persistence of the clerks in teaching children what they cannot understand and employing young consecrated persons to assert in pulpits what they do not know."[citation needed][286] Excrescence: Ruskin defined an "excrescence" as an outgrowth of the main body of a building that does not harmonise well with the main body. He originally used the term to describe certain gothic revival features[287] also for later additions to cathedrals and various other public buildings, especially from the Gothic period.[288] Ruskin was the inspiration for either the Drawling Master or the Gryphon in Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865).[289][290] Ruskin figures as Mr Herbert in The New Republic (1878), a novel by one of his Oxford undergraduates, William Mallock (1849–1923).[291] False Dawn (1924), a novella by Edith Wharton, was the first in the 1924 Old New York series, and had the protagonist meet John Ruskin. McDonald, Eva (1979). John Ruskin's Wife. Chivers. ISBN 978-0745113005. A novel about the marriage of John Ruskin. Peter Hoyle's novel, Brantwood: The Story of an Obsession (1986), ISBN 9780856356377, is about two cousins who pursue their interest in Ruskin to his Coniston home. Morazzoni, Marta (1995). The Invention of Truth. Ecco Pr. ISBN 978-0880013765. A novel in which Ruskin makes his last visit to Amiens cathedral in 1879. Donoghue, Emma (2002). The Woman Who Gave Birth to Rabbits. Virago. ISBN 978-1860499548. A collection of short stories that includes Come, Gentle Night, about Ruskin and Effie's wedding night. Manly Pursuits (1999), Ruskin and the Hinksey diggings form the backdrop to Ann Harries' novel. [292] Sesame and Roses (2007), a short story by Grace Andreacchi that explores Ruskin's twin obsessions with Venice and Rose La Touche.[293] Benjamin, Melanie (2010), Alice I Have Been. ISBN 0385344139. A fictionalized account of the life of Alice Liddell Hargreaves, the inspiration for Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. Light, Descending (2014), is a biographical novel about John Ruskin by Octavia Randolph.[294] The Love of John Ruskin (1912), a silent movie about Ruskin, Effie and Millais.[295] Dante's Inferno (1967), Ken Russell's biopic for television of Rossetti, in which Ruskin is played by Clive Goodwin[296] The Love School (1975), a BBC TV series about the Pre-Raphaelites, starring David Collings (Ruskin), Anne Kidd (Effie), Peter Egan (Millais).[297] Dear Countess (1983), a radio play by Elizabeth Morgan, with Derek Jacobi (Ruskin), Bridget McCann (Gray), Timothy West (Old Mr Ruskin) Michael Fenner (Millais). The author played Ruskin's mother.[298] The Passion of John Ruskin (1994), a film directed by Alex Chapple.[299] Parrots and Owls (1994), a radio play by John Purser about Ruskin's attempt to revive Gothic architecture and his connection to the O'Shea brothers.[297] Modern Painters (1995), an opera about Ruskin by David Lang.[300] The Countess (1995), a play written by Gregory Murphy, dealing with Ruskin's marriage.[301] The Order of Release (1998), a radio play by Robin Brooks about Ruskin (Bob Peck), Effie (Sharon Small) and Millais (David Tennant).[302] Mrs Ruskin (2003), a play by Kim Morrissey dealing with Ruskin's marriage.[303] Desperate Romantics (2009), a six-part BBC drama serial about the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. Ruskin is played by Tom Hollander.[297] Mr. Turner (2014), a biopic of J. M. W. Turner directed by Mike Leigh with Ruskin portrayed by Joshua McGuire.[304] Effie Gray (2014), a biopic about the Ruskin-Gray-Millais love triangle, written by Emma Thompson, directed by Richard Laxton, and featuring Greg Wise (Ruskin), Dakota Fanning (Gray) and Tom Sturridge (Millais).[305] Light, Descending (2014), is a biographical novel about John Ruskin by Octavia Randolph.[294] Lion's profile View of Amalfi Self Portrait with Blue Neckcloth River Seine and its Islands Falls of Schaffhausen Rocks in Unrest Fribourg Suisse Zermatt Sunset seen from Goldau (after J. M. W. Turner) Cook, E. T.; Wedderburn, Alexander (eds.). The Works of John Ruskin. (39 vols.). George Allen, 1903–12. It is the standard scholarly edition of Ruskin's work, the Library Edition, sometimes called simply Cook and Wedderburn. The volume in which the following works can be found is indicated in the form: (Works [followed by the volume number]).[306] Poems (written 1835–1846; collected 1850) (Works 2) The Poetry of Architecture (serialised The Architectural Magazine 1837–38; authorised book, 1893) (Works 1) Letters to a College Friend (written 1840–1845; published 1894) (Works 1) The King of the Golden River, or the Black Brothers. A Legend of Stiria (written 1841; published 1850) (Works 1) Modern Painters (5 vols.) (1843–1860) (Works 3–7) Vol. I (1843) (Parts I and II) Of General Principles and of Truth (Works 3) Vol. II (1846) (Part III) Of the Imaginative and Theoretic Faculties (Works 4) Vol. III (1856) (Part IV) Of Many Things (Works 5) Vol. IV (1856) (Part V) Mountain Beauty (Works 6) Vol. V (1860) (Part VI) Of Leaf Beauty (Part VII) Of Cloud Beauty (Part VIII) Of Ideas of Relation (1) Of Invention Formal (Part IX) Of Ideas of Relation (2) Of Invention Spiritual (Works 7) The Seven Lamps of Architecture (1849) (Works 8) The Stones of Venice (3 vols) (1851–53) Vol. I. The Foundations (1851) (Works 9) Vol. II. The Sea–Stories (1853) (Works 10) – containing the chapter "The Nature of Gothic" Vol. III. The Fall (1853) (Works 11) Notes on the Construction of Sheepfolds (1851) (Works 12) Pre-Raphaelitism (1851) (Works 12) Letters to the Times on the Pre-Raphaelite Artists (1851, 1854) (Works 12) Lectures on Architecture and Painting (Edinburgh, 1853) (1854) (Works 12) Academy Notes (Annual Reviews of the June Royal Academy Exhibitions) (1855–59, 1875) (Works 14) The Harbours of England (1856) (Works 13) The Elements of Drawing, in Three Letters to Beginners (1857) (Works 15) 'A Joy Forever' and Its Price in the Market: being the substance (with additions) of two lectures on The Political Economy of Art (1857, 1880) (Works 16) The Two Paths: being Lectures on Art, and Its Application to Decoration and Manufacture, Delivered in 1858–9 (1859) (Works 16) The Elements of Perspective, Arranged for the Use of Schools and Intended to be Read in Connection with the First Three Books of Euclid (1859) (Works 15) Unto This Last: Four Essays on the First Principles of Political Economy (serialised Cornhill Magazine 1860, book 1862) (Works 17) Munera Pulveris: Six Essays on the Elements of Political Economy (serialised Fraser's Magazine 1862–63, book 1872) (Works 17) The Cestus of Aglaia (serialised Art Journal 1864–64, incorporated (revised) in On the Old Road (1882) (Works 19) Sesame and Lilies: Two Lectures delivered at Manchester in 1864 (1865) (i.e., "Of Queens' Gardens" and "Of Kings' Treasuries" to which was added, in a later edition of 1871, "The Mystery of Life and Its Arts") (Works 18) The Ethics of the Dust: Ten Lectures to Little Housewives on the Elements of Crystallisation (1866) (Works 18) The Crown of Wild Olive: Three Lectures on Work, Traffic and War (1866) (to a later edition was added a fourth lecture (delivered 1869), called "The Future of England") (1866) (Works 18) Time and Tide, by Weare and Tyne: Twenty-five Letters to a Working Man of Sunderland on the Laws of Work (1867) (Works 17) The Queen of the Air: A Study of the Greek Myths of Cloud and Storm (1869) (Works 19) Lectures on Art, Delivered before the University of Oxford in Hilary term, 1870 (Works 20) Aratra Pentelici: Six Lectures on the Elements of Sculpture Given before the University of Oxford in Michaelmas term, 1
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wrong_mix_range_publicationDate_00069	FactBench	1	4	https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/978-1-349-20678-0.pdf	en	Twentieth-Century Suspense	https://media.springerna…-349-20678-0.jpg	https://media.springerna…-349-20678-0.jpg	[ "https://link.springer.com/oscar-static/images/darwin/header/img/logo-springerlink-39ee2a28d8.svg", "https://link.springer.com/oscar-static/images/palgrave-macmillan-logo-f1c69a6ce9.svg", "https://media.springernature.com/w90/springer-static/cover-hires/book/978-1-349-20678-0?as=webp", "https://link.springer.com/oscar-static/images/logo-springernature-white-19dd4ba190.svg" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	null		en	/oscar-static/img/favicons/darwin/apple-touch-icon-92e819bf8a.png	SpringerLink	https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-1-349-20678-0	Access this book Subscribe and save Springer+ Basic EUR 32.99 /Month Get 10 units per month Download Article/Chapter or eBook 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter Cancel anytime Subscribe now Buy Now eBook EUR 12.99 Price includes VAT (Germany) Available as PDF Read on any device Instant download Own it forever Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout Other ways to access
wrong_mix_range_publicationDate_00069	FactBench	3	69	https://pangobooks.com/books/b4e10c1e-03a0-4bd1-bd62-80628c1b6c04-zsG1tOQd37az9zykCiPIT5gojkv1	en	The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester, Paperback	https://images.pangobooks.com/images/f608c313-1448-432f-b3a6-0016f6f4441f?quality=85&width=1200&crop=1%3A1	https://images.pangobooks.com/images/f608c313-1448-432f-b3a6-0016f6f4441f?quality=85&width=1200&crop=1%3A1	[ "https://images.pangobooks.com/images/f608c313-1448-432f-b3a6-0016f6f4441f?width=800&quality=85&crop=1%3A1", "https://images.pangobooks.com/images/f608c313-1448-432f-b3a6-0016f6f4441f?width=800&quality=85&crop=1%3A1", "https://images.pangobooks.com/images/dd091635-72b3-45f9-b56e-46db88303953?width=800&quality=85&crop=1%3A1", "https://images.pangobooks.com/images/a869cbfe-24b6-4e8f-983c-27538cb15e0a?width=800&quality=85&crop=1%3A1", "https://images.pangobooks.com/book_images/fj7sOflnuZOyIcf13MVtPjNX9qr1/1661980838856_fj7sOflnuZOyIcf13MVtPjNX9qr1?auto=webp&format=webp&width=300&quality=85&crop=1%3A1", "https://pangobooks.com/images/pango-avatar-large.png" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	null	Used copy of The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester sold on Pangobooks.	en		PangoBooks	https://pangobooks.com/titles/the-demolished-man	Additional Information The Demolished Man Publisher Description In the year 2301, the wealthiest man in the universe is determined to commit murder in a world in which telepaths are used to detect possible crimes before they can happen.
wrong_mix_range_publicationDate_00069	FactBench	3	90	https://www.jwkbooks.com/pages/books/17175/alfred-bester/the-demolished-man	en	THE DEMOLISHED MAN	https://jwkbooks.cdn.bib…ebp&v=1502996667	https://jwkbooks.cdn.bib…ebp&v=1502996667	[ "https://www.jwkbooks.com/images/logo.png", "https://jwkbooks.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/17175.jpg?width=768&height=1000&fit=bounds&auto=webp&v=1502996667" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[ "Alfred Bester", "www.bibliopolis.com" ]	null	Chicago: Shasta Publishers, 1953 . Octavo, cloth-backed boards. First edition. One of the subscriber's copies signed by Bester on the front free endpaper. A classic science-fiction novel based on Fyodor Dostoyevsky's CRIME AND PUNISHMENT 1866 , in which the obsessed villain ultimately fails to avoid detection by a telepathic policeman, but finds the prospect of punitive 'demolition' less	en	/apple-touch-icon-57x57.png	John W. Knott Bookseller LLC	https://www.jwkbooks.com/pages/books/17175/alfred-bester/the-demolished-man	Bester, Alfred. Chicago: Shasta Publishers, [1953]. Octavo, cloth-backed boards. First edition. One of the subscriber's copies signed by Bester on the front free endpaper. A classic science-fiction novel based on Fyodor Dostoyevsky's CRIME AND PUNISHMENT (1866), "in which the obsessed villain ultimately fails to avoid detection by a telepathic policeman, but finds the prospect of punitive 'demolition' less terrible than its name implies." - Clute and Nicholls (eds), The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction (1993), p. 275. Winner of the 1953 Hugo award for best novel and runner-up for the 1954 International Fantasy Award. [Reference: Anatomy of Wonder (2004) II-116. Pringle, Science Fiction: The 100 Best Novels 7. Sargent, British and American Utopian Literature, 1516-1985, Additions. Survey of Science Fiction Literature II, pp. 529-32]. Narrow strip of tanning to front free endpaper along gutter margin, a fine copy in fine dust jacket. (17175). Item #17175
wrong_mix_range_publicationDate_00069	FactBench	3	53	http://www.editoreric.com/greatlit/books/Demolished-Man.html	en	The Demolished Man â The Greatest Literature of All Time	http://www.editoreric.com/sharedimages/Ericicon.png	http://www.editoreric.com/sharedimages/Ericicon.png	[ "http://www.editoreric.com/sharedimages/GreatestLiteraturebannerflex2.jpg", "http://www.editoreric.com/greatlit/bookoriginals/Demolished-Man-1953.jpg", "http://www.editoreric.com/sharedimages/FollowEE-2019.jpg" ]	[]	[]	[ "Demolished Man", "Alfred Bester", "science fiction", "scifi", "SF", "literature", "American literature", "great literature", "literary works", "books", "novels", "novellas", "poetry", "poems", "verse", "drama", "plays", "short stories", "creative writing", "critique", "criticism", "commentary", "review" ]	null	[]	null	The Demolished Man reads in part like thrilling old-fashioned pulp fiction but it's also one of the first science fiction works to start moving into the modern mainstream.	en	http://www.editoreric.com/sharedimages/Ericicon.png		null	The Demolished Man Critique â¢ Quotes The shape of science fiction to come Anyone reading The Demolished Man for the first time today may enjoy it as a kind of typical science fiction thriller—a cat-and-mouse game between cop and criminal, set in the future. A Sleuth-style battle taking place in a future of rocket flight and humans who have developed powers of extra-sensory perception. Very well done, cleverly plotted. Spiced up with a few typographical experiments, such as arranging words on the page to visually represent the shared thoughts of ESPers at a party, much like so-called concrete poetry. All these interesting observations make Alfred Bester's first novel, well, interesting. Perhaps deserving of being, as it was, the first winner of the Hugo award for best novel from the World Science Fiction Society in 1953. But these points wouldn't necessarily convey to the first-time reader why The Demolished Man is regarded by old-timers as so important to the science fiction field: namely, because it starts to move science fiction out of the scifi ghetto toward a merger with the modern mainstream of popular writing. Which is not to say Bester goes all literary, like some other speculative fiction authors, looking to become respectable. Whole swatches of The Demolished Man still read like pulp fiction. The action is brisk, dialogue is breathless and the sentences are short. Characters still snap, growl and explode. Beyond artiness Yet the Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia of Science Fiction called Bester's first two novels the sf equivalent of the Jacobean revenge drama: both feature malcontent figures, outsiders from society bitterly cognizant of its corruption, but themselves partly ruined by it, just as in The Revenger's Tragedy or The Duchess of Malfi; like them, too, [Bester's] novels blaze with a sardonic imagery, mingling symbols of decay and new life—rebirth is a recurrent theme of [Bester's]—with a creative profligacy. Can you imagine Isaac Asimov's or Robert Heinlein's work of that period being discussed in such terms? For there is a perceived depth in Bester's work that is signalled by his experimentation with grammar and typesetting but goes beyond artsy play to hint at psychological dimensions to his characters not found in prior science fiction. Now, to be honest, The Demolished Man, in the character of the mind-reading cop Powell and more especially in the character of the ruthless, murderous business mogul Reich (a name to conjure with), offers rather simplistic pseudo-Freudian psychoanalysis. But the fast pace, the sardonic tone and the innovative narrative style tend to lend a surreal quality to the whole experience, as though it's all taking place in a hectic dream—resisting cool analysis. Then when the psychological pieces fall together during the final plot twists with revelations that would be laughable in an afternoon soap opera, we feel we've settled back to sanity after a weird dream. At which point, Bester gets in his moral of the story, which foretells a New Age of light and joy—as clearly a harbinger of the 1960s counterculture and Heinlein's similarly revered Stranger in a Strange Land (1961) as could be imagined. Depending on how you feel about that later time and the direction of new-wave science fiction away from hard science and into the more literary mainstream of mysticism and perverse psychology, either The Demolished Man is a milestone or it has a lot to answer for. But still, to come full circle, you can skip all that stuff about its place in SF history and enjoy it as one of the more clever—and most fun to read—novels of our era. — Eric
wrong_mix_range_publicationDate_00069	FactBench	0	10	https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Column_of_Fire	en	A Column of Fire	https://upload.wikimedia…lumn_of_Fire.jpg	https://upload.wikimedia…lumn_of_Fire.jpg	[ "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/icons/wikipedia.png", "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-wordmark-en.svg", "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-tagline-en.svg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/64/A_Column_of_Fire.jpg/220px-A_Column_of_Fire.jpg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1c/Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg/20px-Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg.png", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/8a/OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg/10px-OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg.png", "https://login.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?type=1x1", "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/footer/wikimedia-button.svg", "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/footer/poweredby_mediawiki.svg" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[ "Contributors to Wikimedia projects" ]	2017-09-18T17:04:36+00:00		en	/static/apple-touch/wikipedia.png		https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Column_of_Fire	2017 novel by Ken Follett This article is about the Ken Follett novel. For the Judith Tarr novel, see Pillar of Fire (novel). A Column of Fire is a 2017 novel by British author Ken Follett,[1] first published on 12 September 2017.[2] It is the third book in the Kingsbridge Series, and serves as a sequel to 1989's The Pillars of the Earth and 2007's World Without End.[3][4] Beginning in 1558, and continuing through 1605, the story chronicles the romance between Ned Willard and Margery Fitzgerald, as well as the political intrigue of the royal courts of England, France, and Scotland, and the oft-times violent conflict between supporters of the nascent Protestant Reformation and those supporting the Catholic Church’s Counter-Reformation in the late 16th century. As depicted in the early chapters, the city of Kingsbridge is ruled by an oligarchy of rich merchants who sit on the city's council; the most powerful family holds the position of the city's mayor. The plot focuses on three families; each represents a major ideological division present in English society at the time. The Fitzgeralds are a staunchly Catholic family, which under the Catholic Queen Mary gives them an advantage over the others and the position of Mayor. They seek to upgrade their social position by a marrying into the titled aristocracy. At the opposite pole are the intransigently Puritan Cobleys, who secretly hold Protestant worship - a highly dangerous act under Catholic rule. Their strong religious principles do not, however, stop the Cobleys from resorting to occasional underhand tricks to cheat their competitors and employees, and dabbling in the new lucrative field of the Transatlantic Slave Trade. In between are the more pragmatic Willards - nominal Catholics under Mary, but who would turn Protestant once Elizabeth came to power. In the book's early part, the dominant Fitzgeralds make use of their alliance with the ruthless Catholic Bishop Julian to hit at their rivals. They get Philbert Cobley burned as a heretic for conducting a Protestant service and drive the Willards virtually bankrupt by strictly enforcing anti-usury laws which are usually regarded as a legal fiction (since in fact all merchants take interest on loans). This forces Ned Willard to take service with Princess (later Queen) Elizabeth, rather than pursuing his family's traditional commercial activities - eventually ending up as the Queen's spymaster. Later on, with the Protestants gaining ascendancy, they take revenge on the Fitzgeralds, making their commercial activity dependent on renouncing the Catholic faith - thereby driving Rollo Fitzgerald out of business and into becoming an exile Catholic Priest and a mastermind of Catholic plots against Queen Elizabeth with pseudonym Jean Langlais. With these two major viewpoint characters thrown out of Kingsbridge and into the wider scene, the book's focus changes. Unlike the two previous novels in this series, a large portion of the plot takes place outside the town of Kingsbridge, utilizing such far-flung settings as London, Paris, Seville, Geneva, Antwerp, Scotland and the Caribbean, and involving many major characters who have no direct connection with the town. In the later part of the book, Ned Willard's nephew Alfonso restores the Willard family fortunes by conducting projects designed by his grand-mother and becomes the new Mayor like his grand-father. However, to the end of the book the local affairs of Kingsbridge remain secondary to the greater political and religious struggles. The later parts of the book focus on the deadly battle of wits between Catholic conspirator Rollo Fitzgerald, hatching sophisticated dangerous conspiracies, and Ned Willard, the Royal spymaster tasked with uncovering and foiling these conspiracies. In many ways this echoes, under 16th Century conditions, the themes of Follet's WWII spy thriller Eye of the Needle - which featured a similar struggle between German spy Henry Faber ("Die Nadel") and MI5 spy catcher Percival Godliman. The plot includes extensive depictions of several important historical events of the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Follett in general follows known historical facts, but altering them to the extent necessary for his fictional characters to play a significant role: The death of King Henry II of France in a jousting accident - a traumatic event setting the stage for the decades-long French Wars of Religion. The Massacre of Wassy on 1 March 1562, the first major event of those wars. The escape of Mary, Queen of Scots, from imprisonment at Lochleven Castle (1568), described in great detail from the point of view of the fictional Alison McKay, to whom Follett attributed the part of various actual ladies in waiting and servants of Queen Mary. Alison McKay is depicted as afterwards strongly but vainly urging Mary not to take the decision to go to England - a fatal mistake which led to a much longer imprisonment which the loyal Alison shared up to the moment of Mary's execution. St. Bartholomew's Day massacre (1572) in which Catholic mobs massacred thousands of Protestants in Paris. Conflicting interpretations of this catastrophic event were current at the time and are still debated among modern historians - some regarding the massacre as the unplanned culmination of escalating religious tensions, while others attributed it to a deliberate Machiavellian planning. In the latter case, the blame for planning the massacre is variously attributed to the Guise Family, leaders of the fanatic Catholic League, to King Charles IX and his mother Catherine de Medici, or to both. Follett's account attributes to the book's main villain, Pierre Aumande - an intelligent, capable, and utterly ruthless man - the main responsibility for planning and initiating the massacre. He is depicted as manipulating the Guise Family, the King and his mother and the Mayor of Paris, getting the Paris militia mobilized on false pretexts and then made to start killing Protestants and making deadly use of meticulous lists of the names and addresses of Paris Protestants, which Aumande had compiled through previous years of systematic espionage. In all that, Aumande is shown as being motivated mainly by opportunism, seeking to bolster his position as the Guise Family's main adviser, and he also makes of use of the general massacre to sadistically settle some personal accounts. The protagonist Ned Willard and Sylvie, the French Protestant woman he loves, get only a belated warning of the impending massacre and are able to warn in time only a few of the threatened Protestants - at considerable risk to their own lives. The Babington Plot (1587) in which Queen Elizabeth I's agents got hold of secret correspondence in which Mary, Queen of Scots explicitly assented to the conspirators' plan to kill the Protestant Queen Elizabeth and place the Catholic Mary on the throne - the evidence which led to Mary being executed for treason. Follett attributes to Ned Willard - working in the Queen's Secret Service as Francis Walsingham's deputy - the credit for having painstakingly uncovered the plot and intimidated Gilbert Gifford into becoming a double agent and delivering to the Queen's agents the letters sent to and by Mary. In actuality, Gifford was recruited by Walsingham himself. Drake's raid on Cadiz in 1587 - emphasizing that as well as delaying the sailing of the Spanish Armada, the English raiders were motivated by seeking to loot Spanish ships (including Follet's viewpoint character, the sea captain Barney Willard). The Spanish Armada (1588), by which King Philip II of Spain sought to conquer England. Follett attributes to Ned Willard two important contributions to the English victory. First, years earlier, Ned talks to his brother Barney, a seasoned English sailor whose ship had done well in a sea battle with a Spanish galleon off Hispaniola. Based on that experience, Barney believes that England should not seek to build galleons of its own, but rather create a navy composed of "smaller, more agile ships, which could dance around a galleon and rake it with cannon fire". Ned conveys this advice to the Queen, who acts on it - and builds the ships which would eventually defeat the Armada. Closer to the events, Ned Willard goes on a dangerous spying mission from Antwerp to Calais, to assess the Spanish strength. From his merchant cousin, based in Antwerp, Willard hears of the Hellburners, fireships employed against the Spanish during the recent Siege of Antwerp. On this basis, Willard advises the English commanders to load the cannons of the fireships sent into the port of Calais, so that even with no human crews they would start firing when the fire gets to them. This turns out to be very crucial, as otherwise the Spanish might have been able to tow the English fireships to burn harmlessly in the open sea. Without the fireships causing the Spanish ships to scatter and break formation, the outcome of the entire battle might have been different. As depicted in the story, neither Ned nor anyone else is aware of the crucial role his advice had in the English victory. Only the omniscient writer conveys it to the reader by shifting back and forth between the English and the Spanish points of view. In his depiction of the Armada, Follett clearly strives to be fair to both sides, several times emphasizing that both the English and the Spanish had courageous fighters and skilled sailors. The Gunpowder Plot (1605), in which Catholic conspirators sought to blow up the English Parliament and kill in one blow the recently enthroned King James I, his sons Henry and Charles and all his principal ministers and advisers, and to use the resulting power vacuum to seize power. Follett attributes to the book's antagonist, the staunch Catholic Rollo Fitzgerald, the role of initiating the plot and recruiting Guy Fawkes to implement it. To Ned Willard is attributed the role of uncovering the conspiracy and averting it at the last moment. For dramatic purposes, Follett omits the historical fact that the gunpowder had undergone some deterioration and might not have exploded. As depicted in the book, it was completely combustible and the plot might well have been carried out, with drastic results for later English history, but for Willard discovering it in the very nick of time. Point-of-View Characters Ned Willard - The younger son of a prosperous Kingsbridge merchant family, a tolerant Protestant who desires no man should die for his faith. Margery Fitzgerald - Daughter of the mayor of Kingsbridge, a Catholic with loyalties torn between her religion and her love for Ned Willard, with whom she shares common ideals. Rollo Fitzgerald - Margery's elder brother, a hard-line Catholic. A relentless bully who views his family honor as more important than its individual members. Pierre Aumande - An ambitious but low-born French Catholic con man. As the story moves forward, he is revealed to be progressively more sadistic and black-hearted. Sylvie Palot - Daughter of a Parisian printer and bookseller, a zealous but tolerant Protestant. Full of courage, and a desire to change the world, she puts herself willingly in danger for the sake of her faith and her ideals. Alison McKay - Lady-in-waiting and close childhood friend to Mary, Queen of Scots, a Catholic. Described as beautiful, and loyal to a fault, there is little she will not do for Mary's sake. Barney Willard - Ned's elder brother, a merchant living with relatives in Spain, a tolerant Catholic. A devil-may-care, enterprising rogue, he lives for the thrill of adventure, the company of beautiful women, and the life of the sailor. Ebrima Dabo - An enslaved West African man, in bondage to the Willards' Spanish relations, a nominal Catholic who secretly follows traditional Mandinka beliefs. Prominently Featured Historical Figures Mary Tudor, Queen of England - Elder half-sister of Elizabeth I, a hard-line Catholic (mentioned, but does not appear). Philip II of Spain, King of Spain and King of England de jure uxoris - Husband of Mary Tudor, a hard-line Catholic (mentioned, but does not appear). Elizabeth Tudor, Queen of England - Called Elizabeth I, a tolerant Protestant. Tom Parry - Treasurer to Queen Elizabeth I. Sir William Cecil - Advisor to Queen Elizabeth I. Francis, Duke of Guise - Called Scarface, a celebrated French general, father of Henri I of Guise and uncle of Mary, Queen of Scots, a hard-line Catholic. Charles, Cardinal of Lorraine - Spymaster, younger brother of Scarface and uncle of Mary, Queen of Scots, a hard-line Catholic. Mary Stuart, Queen of Scotland - A Catholic, briefly Queen Consort of France, niece of Scarface and Cardinal Charles, called Mary, Queen of Scots. Francis II, King of France - Son of Henri II of France and Catherine de' Medici, first husband of Mary, Queen of Scots, a hard-line Catholic. Catherine de' Medici - Queen Consort of France and Queen Regent during the reign of her son Charles, wife of Henri II, mother of Francis II, Charles IX, and Henri III, a tolerant Catholic. Sir Francis Walsingham - Secretary and spymaster to Queen Elizabeth I. Sir Francis Throckmorton - Conspirator against Queen Elizabeth I. Sir Francis Drake - English fleet commander. Henri, Duke of Guise - Leader of the French Catholic League, son of Scarface. Charles IX, King of France - Son of Henri II of France and Catherine de' Medici, younger brother of Francis II. Gaspard de Coligny - Admiral of France and Protestant leader, advisor of Charles IX. Henri III, King of France - Son of Henri II of France and Catherine de' Medici, younger brother of Francis II and Charles IX. Princess Margot, Princess of France - Daughter of Henri II of France and Catherine de' Medici, lover of Henri I, Duke of Guise, married to Henry of Navarre. Henry of Navarre, Heir of Navarre Kingdom - Protestant, married to Princess Margot to deal peace between Catholics and Protestants. Robert Cecil, Earl of Salisbury - Son of William, advisor and Secretary of State to Queen Elizabeth and King James. James VI and I, King of Scotland, and later, of England - Son of Mary, Queen of Scots and Lord Darnley. Guy Fawkes - A Catholic conspirator in the Gunpowder Plot. Thomas Percy - A Catholic conspirator in the Gunpowder Plot. Other Major Characters Alice Willard - Mother of Ned and Barney, widow of the former mayor of Kingsbridge, a prosperous Kingsbridge merchant and tolerant Protestant. Sir Reginald Fitzgerald - Father of Margery and Rollo, mayor of Kingsbridge, a vindictive Catholic. Bart Shiring - Son of the Earl of Shiring, rival suitor for Margery's hand. Swithin, Earl of Shiring - Father of Bart. Bishop Julius of Kingsbridge - A hard-line Catholic who want buy to Sir Reginald Fitzgerald the Kingsbridge priory. Philbert Cobley - A strict Protestant merchant of Kingsbridge who hold secret and forbidden Protestant worship. Dan Cobley - Son of Philbert, a strict Protestant merchant of Kingsbridge. Isabelle Palot - Mother of Sylvie, a Protestant. Louise, Marchioness de Nîmes - A Protestant aristocrat, member of Sylvie's congregation. Carlos Cruz - A merchant from Seville, cousin of the Willards, a tolerant Catholic. Odette - Maidservant to Veronique de Guise, later wife of Pierre Aumande. Nath - Maidservant working for Pierre Aumande, a Protestant. Alain de Guise - Stepson of Pierre Aumande, a Protestant. Bella - A mixed-race enterprising rum distiller on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. Alfonso Willard - Bella's son by Barney Willard, eventually taken to England and becoming Mayor of Kingsbridge. Other Characters with spoilers Bartlet Shiring - First son of Margery and officially Bart Shiring (in fact Swithin), Earl of Shiring after Bart. Roger - Second son of Margery and officially Bart Shiring (in fact son of Ned), deputy of Kingsbridge and member of King privy council after Ned. Donal Gloster - Former Philbert Cobley's employee who tries to seduce Ruth Cobley, Philbert Cobley's daughter. His failure made him alcoholic and manipulable. Jonas Bacon - Captain of the Hawk, seized vessel in Calais by French which ruined Sir Reginald Fitzgerald then Alice Willard A Column of Fire shares a major plot element with Follet's Winter of the World. Though set in respectively the 16th Century and the 20th, both novels have a rich commoner woman (Margery Fitzgerald in the one book, Daisy Peshkov in the other) marrying the scion of a titled English aristocratic family. In both books, the character finds herself trapped in a loveless and unhappy marriage, overshadowed by her husband's powerful autocratic father, and must try to make the best of it; starts a secret affair with a man she truly loves; and is able, after many tribulations, to escape the unhappy aristocratic marriage and happily marry her true love. Bill Sheehan of The Washington Post summarizes the book by commenting: "Like its predecessors in the Kingsbridge series, “A Column of Fire” is absorbing, painlessly educational and a great deal of fun. Follett uses the tools of popular fiction to great effect in these books, illuminating a nation’s gradual progress toward modernity. The central theme of this latest book — the ongoing conflict between tolerance and fanaticism — lends both relevance and resonance to the slowly unfolding story of England’s past."[4]
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Written by Alfred Bester and published in 1953, it’s one of the most lauded novels in science fiction history.	en	https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59c43236a9db0969bd315681/1608229442830-T8FJ8SV25K19TFBZ8K1O/favicon.ico?format=100w	THE HEAD SCRATCHER	https://www.theheadscratcher.com/blog/2019/1/27/book-review-the-demolished-man-by-alfred-bester	The Demolished Man is your typical police procedural, a tale of murder, deception, lust and...telepathy? Written by Alfred Bester and published in 1953, it’s one of the most lauded novels in science fiction history. My first introduction to the works of Alfred Bester was with his third novel The Stars My Destination which I took a chance on after scouring the science fiction section of my local bookstore for classic sci-fi titles. Luckily it turned out to be a fantastically addictive and breathlessly paced, intergalactic revenge story and unexpectedly became one of my favourite books of all time. I later discovered that Alfred Bester is a bona fide Science Fiction legend. He was made an SF Grand Master in 1987 (think the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame but for SF writers) rubbing shoulders with the likes of Isaac Asimov (Foundation), Robert Heinlein (Starship Troopers) and Arthur C. Clarke (Rendezvous with Rama) and his very first novel, The Demolished Man, won the inaugural Hugo Award, one of the most prestigious literary prizes for the Science Fiction and Fantasy genres. Having enjoyed The Stars My Destination so much I was desperate to read The Demolished Man but had a backlog of other books to get through first (damn you, Asimov!). Finally though, after picking up a copy in The Strand Bookstore in NYC (a Mecca for book lovers), I've finished it. Did it live up to the hype? In short, yes, yes it did. The story begins following Ben Reich, the charismatic, driven and above all ruthless owner of the intergalactic business empire known as Monarch. When we first meet the power hungry Reich he's suffering from traumatic nightmares about "the man with no face" and is simultaneously struggling to counter the success of his closest competitor Craye D'Courtney whose thriving business threatens to bury the Monarch company. The thought of being beaten by D'Courtney makes infuriates Reich yet he reaches out to his enemy, proposing a merger. The offer is flatly refused and in this moment Reich resolves to take drastic action...drastic action of the murderous variety. Unfortunately for Reich, there's just one small problem with his plan. In the 24th Century many of Earth's inhabitants are latent telepaths called Espers, or more commonly peepers. In society there are three classes of Espers, the lowest of which can only read immediate thoughts and tend to be employed as secretaries and administrators, the middle class can dig a little deeper and read the pre-conscious level; they're typically employed as lawyers and psychologists but the highest class of Esper can delve deep into the subconscious mind and as a result they command the most respected jobs in the upper echelons of the police force and government. Since the police force is full of Espers and peeping is a talent that Reich does not possess, he needs all the help he can get. We soon learn that despite being governed by a strict code of conduct, the lure of money is enough even for an Esper to take a great risk, collaborate with a devious character such as Reich and help him carry out the unthinkable. Later in the story Police Prefect Lincoln Powell, an Esper first class, is called to a party for the rich and powerful where one Craye D'Courtney has been brutally murdered. There is no murder weapon and the only witness, his daughter, has vanished. Despite the seemingly hopeless case, Powell begins an intense investigation in to an attendee at the party, Ben Reich, who he is certain is the killer but cannot prove it. Much like an episode of Columbo, we know who the killer is from the start, we know their motivation and despite their reprehensible actions we actually grow to kind of like them. Unlike Columbo we're fully involved in the investigation through Powell and as such we know the moves that the police are going to make to try and trip the killer up and it's fascinating to follow how Reich is able to successfully duck and dive these traps and how with each subsequent duck and each successive dive he becomes more and more desperate up until the thrilling confrontation with "the man with no face". Bester paints a wonderfully vivid and futuristic world full of flying cars, off-world colonies and telepathic socialites (with names like @tkins or Wyg&) communicating silently, frowning upon those who talk out loud. It's also quite charming in the typical way that old sci-fi often is, where they still use archaic technologies such as magnetic tape. Where it also shows its age is in the female characters who can be strong, confident and independent one moment but the next they are swooning at the feet of the male protagonists. It's an outdated attitude but one that I hope most readers can look past and forgive as a product of its time. It doesn't form a big part of the story but does need to be acknowledged. Ultimately though The Demolished Man is a story of how far a person will go to get what they want. It's a study on how devious a person can become in order to overcome odds that seem utterly insurmountable and how, even when all seems lost, they will continue to battle on and on until they face nothing but demolition. It also explores what can be hidden in the depths of our deepest, darkest subconscious and how those secrets can unwittingly drive us and cloud our judgement. Overall it’s an engaging, enthralling and utterly encapsulating experience and an absolute must for lovers of classic science fiction. If you like a good crime or detective thriller then you might just get a kick out of it too. Highly recommended. If you can't get a copy in your local bookstore or library then grab one here. Why not also try The Stars My Destination here? Let me know your own thoughts on The Demolished Man and leave your own recommendations in the comments below. Peace. This article contains affiliate links which provide the writer with a small kick back when you make a purchase.
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In a world in which the police have telepathic powers, how do you get away with murder? …	en	/favicon.ico	Goodreads	https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/76740.The_Demolished_Man	December 22, 2015 This is what my poor review looks like now that the 'pre' tag is broken: So too? what telepath do a you are think fun Oh of kind the It's Demolished Man? ... and here's the source: Come on Goodreads, fix this bug! You've been sitting on it for months. May 29, 2021 Man will find a way to cheat even in the ideal utopian society – the nature of human being is incorrigible… The Demolished Man is a unique and very idiosyncratic dystopian mystery and an early harbinger of cyberpunk. The tale is taking place in the distant future where psychiatric science is in prime and psychic phenomena factually rule society. Psychology is used to detect criminals and even to escape reality smartly utilizing catatonia. A great new treatment… Patient goes into catatonia. It's an escape. Flight from reality. The conscious mind cannot face the conflict between the external world and its own unconscious. It wishes it had never been born. It attempts to revert back to the foetal stage. To defy telepathic supervision the main villain applies a psychological decoy – a primitive ditty that is a real earworm – even the most advanced modern pop idols would envy its global stupidity: Eight, sir; seven, sir; six, sir; five, sir; four, sir; three, sir; two, sir; one! Tenser, said the Tensor. Tension, apprehension, And dissension have begun. Reeling this stupendous masterpiece inside his head, the knave blocks the telepathic access to his mind. But sooner or later truth will out and at length the fox is brought to the furrier… However in the ideal utopias, there are no gallows therefore all the nefarious wrongdoers are demolished absolutely humanistically. January 17, 2024 Another of my 2023 reads. I approach classic SF novels with trepidation. Many of them were revolutionary at their time but for the readers of Today do not hold the same appeal. I was disappointed by a few of them, including the legendary Foundation. I am happy to report that I enjoyed this one. It is a science fiction novel which can also be read as a psychological thriller and crime investigation with a twist. Sometime in the future, certain people can read minds. As a result, the crime ratio is almost 0. One very rich man wants to kill one of his rivals and uses his brilliant mind and influence to try to get away with murder. One investigator with telepatic capacities fights to prove him guilty. Strange, dark, fast paced and also well written. Ps. Do not expect well written female characters, I am yet to find one in classic SF. March 28, 2020 I have a bee in my bonnet that I would like to deal with first. I tend to feel annoyed (even though I shouldn’t) when people ask for sci-fi recommendations with the caveat that the book being recommended must not be more than 10 years old. The reason given for this clause is usually because the science is “wrong”, there is no internet or history did not turn out the way the author depicted in the book. WUT? I would like to reiterate that it is not a sci-fi author’s job to predict the future, the whole point is to speculate. Anybody who want to get into reading sci-fi but steadfastly refuse to read the classics from the 50s, 60s etc. is really doing themselves a disfavor and missing out on some of the greatest sf stories and ideas ever written in the history of mankind. Which brings us to Alfred’s Bester’s The Demolished Man, first published in 1953. Read this or his other classic The Stars My Destination and you will understand why I insist sci-fi readers should never neglect older science fiction. These are two terrific stories that stand the test of time. 1953 cover In The Stars My Destination Bester posits a strange future society where everybody can teleport using the power of their mind. In The Demolished Man not everybody is a telepath but they are quite commonplace and can be found in all kinds of profession. Boy, did he get the future “wrong”! In lesser hands, this conceit would never work but Alfred’s Bester was able to spin a great yarn from this fairly simple premise. The Demolished Man is an “inverted detective story” in that the reader is immediately told who the murderer is, but the difficulty for our hero is how to catch the devious bastard. The murderer Ben Reich is a “normal”, non-telepathic person, but he is extremely smart and is able to foil even mind reading policemen. For example to avoid his mind being read by telepathic police he goes to a commercial jingle writer to play him a jingle that lodges in his brain after just one listening and bounces around it in an incessant looping playback. The hero policeman Lincoln Powell can barely keep up with him even with all the telepathic power (and manpower) at his disposal. The climax of the book is wonderfully surreal and reminds me of Ursula K. Le Guin’s The Lathe of Heaven and PKD’s Flow My Tears the Policeman Said. A friend recently told me that I sometimes inadvertently put spoilers in my reviews so I’d better not elaborate any more on this point. The awesome edition I had (lost it now!) Bester’s writing style reminds me of noir detective fiction by the likes of Raymond Chandler, with the clipped dialogue and witty banter. The book is quite short so there is not a lot of room for character development, but the protagonist and antagonist are quite complex and believable characters. All in all a gripping, entertaining and very readable sci-fi classic that should please all sci-fi fans. Read August 29, 2021 "If you won't let it be merger, then I'll make it murder." American author Alfred Bester's 1953 zooming supersonic science fiction crime thriller The Demolished Man features power- hungry Ben Reich, corporate tycoon a la Jonas Cord from The Carpetbaggers, moving and shaking and shooting he way through 24th Century New York City and beyond. Action and more action - enough unexpected zigzags to keep any reader guessing. A batch of highlights from this future world: Brain Peepers: Many thousands of men and women known are Espers and that's "Esper for Extra Sensory Perception," have the unique power of reading minds. These Telepaths take up many roles in society, such as physician and police commissioner. The Espers influence is pervasive - on nearly every page of the novel, these peepers are peeping into the minds of "normal people" (author's language here) or conversing amongst themselves, mind to mind, without the need for speech. To add complexity to this brain peeping, the Espers are categorized by the level they can penetrate: 3rd Class Espers can peep the conscious mind to discover what the person is thinking at the moment, 2nd Class Espers can peep below the conscious level to the preconscious and 1st Class Espers can peep all the way down to the unconscious, the deepest levels of the mind. Incidentally, in this 24th century world such Extra Sensory Perception isn't the consequence of specially endowed individuals or futuristic chemical or electrical brain zapping; rather, all women and men have the potential to become Espers but only a sliver of the population receives exotic ESP training from childhood. If all this peeping sounds like an invasion of privacy, you are spot-on - it most certainly is an invasion of privacy! However, counted among the social benefits is the fact that there hasn't been a premeditated murder in many, many years since peepers can peep the intent to murder in members of society and thus prevent the murder from happening in the first place. Deep Psychology: Coupled with brain peeping, the characters in the novel pepper their conversation with Freudian terms like id, ego, superego. Sigmund Freud was a huge influence back in the 1950s and Alfred Bester picks up on the prevailing psychological theory in a major way. The Big Shot and His Specter: Ben Reich (as in Third Reich, perhaps?) has a recurrent nightmare where The Man With No Face constantly appears. The further the story progresses, the more this sinister apparition is connected with Freudian theory. Also connected (ah, Freud!) is Ben's drive to control the financial/business/commercial world, not only in his capacity as head of his Monarch organization but by murdering his main competitor, old man D'Courtney. But, again, with all the peepers peeping into people's minds, premeditated murder is nearly impossible nowadays. Ben Reich needs help from powerful 1st class Espers to cancel out those other damn Espers working for the police. To this end Ben strong- arms Augustus Tate, one of the world's most powerful Espers, to run interference for him. Since Tate can only exert his Esper powers when in the same room with Ben, our passionate tycoon with "the killer instinct" requires an additional shield for his murderous mind - an especially potent advertising jingle he can repeat over and over when in the presence of an invasive peeper. Thus he seeks out one of the key creators of such jingles, Duffy Wyg& (more about the crazy spelling below). By the way, back in the 1950s companies hired psychologies and put heaps of energy into making certain their advertising jingles would be unforgettable, especially when broadcast on that new piece of mind-controlling technology, the television. Lincoln Powell, Ph.D: Police Perfect and upper-grade Esper (author's term) - Powell is one smart cookie who isn't about to let Ben Reich get away with murder. Following the evil deed, here's an exchange between Powell and Reich that kicks off their cat and mouse game: Powell shrugged angrily. They both arose. Instinctively, their hands met in the four-way clasp of final farewell. "I lost a great partner in you," Reich said. "You lost a great man in yourself, Ben." "Enemies?" "Enemies." It was the beginning of Demolition. Super Judge: One piece of science fiction technology injected into the mix is the police force's Mosaic Multiplex Prosecution Computer, termed "Old Man Mose," a 24th century stationary robot that calculates a perpetrator's three key elements: motive, method, opportunity to determine the percentage for a successful conviction. Back in the 1950s the computer was in its infancy but forward-thinkers envisioned infinite possibilities for the new calculating tool. The Unexpected: One of the many unanticipated events in the story is a case of female hysteria. And those 24th century futuristic psychologists give a new twist in their treatment to what was known in the 19th century as déjà éprouvé. Certainly one of the more fascinating bits of Bester's tale. Nabokov Allusion: I would be remiss if I didn't note how Alfred Bester gives a nod to VN when he characterizes down on his luck former Esper Jerry Church: "The bend sinister of ostracism was the source of his hunger." Innovative Language: With his sentences in non-liner curlicues and names with both letters and signs - @#%& - it is as if Alfred Bester wanted to underscore his speaking to a new readership rebelling again old pre-1950s mindsets. Disgusting Cultural Assumptions: Unfortunately, Bester falls into the trap, so pervasive at the time, in his treatment of women and minorities. Growing up in the 1950s myself, I had firsthand experience of such appalling attitudes. Innovative Novel: The Demolished Man has inspired many sf writers in both New Wave and Cyberpunk. Robert Silverberg judges Bester's novel as among the ten greatest sf novels ever written. I'm relatively new to sf but I can see this is a novel not to be missed by fans of the genre. Also, in its portrayal of 1950s America, not to be overlooked by more general readers. Two outstanding book covers: Alfred Bester, 1913 - 1987 March 1, 2024 The Demolished Man (1953), first winner of the Hugo Award, is an ingenious amalgam of noir policier and dystopian science fiction of the mega-corporate/telepathic surveillance variety. It poses the question: what if you are a very rich man who wishes to kill another rich man, but you live in a society in which mutant telepaths (called “Espers” or “peepers”) guard every big corporation and work for the metropolitan police? Is the perfect crime still possible? And how would you go about committing it? This begins as a Columbo-style tale, in which we first watch Ben Reich as he plots and executes the murder of Craye D’Courtney, and then observe Police Prefect Lincoln Powell—an Esper himself—as he investigates the crime, interrogating Reich periodically as he gets closer to the truth. Both Reich and Powell have their stratagems and their “peeper” allies, and their dance of pursuit and flight is intricate and entertaining. Oh, and there is a love interest too, between the Prefect and the murdered man’s daughter, the traumatized—and (of course) beautiful—Barbara D’Courtney. The best part of the book, however, is the conclusion. where we learn what “demolition”--the penalty of a serious crime—really means. It is a tour-de-force as good as anything Bester ever wrote, including The Stars My Destination, my favorite science fiction novel of all time. Unfortunately, I can’t bring myself to rate Demolished quite as highly as Stars. Some of the plot twists are too intricate, some for the dialog too hardboiled, some of the Freudian psychology outdated. Still, it is a wild ride, always entertaining, and the conclusion does not disappoint. Here’s how the conclusion—the “Demolition”--begins: The stars!" Reich cried. "Look up at the sky. The stars are gone. The constellations are gone! The Great Bear... The Little Bear... Cassiopeia... Draco… Pegasus... They're all gone! There's nothing but the moon! Look!" "It's the way it always is," Duffy said. "It is not! Where are the stars?" "What stars?" "I don't know their names... Polaris and... Vegä... and… How the hell should I know their names? I'm not an astronomer. What's happened to us? What's happened to the stars?" "What are stars?" Duffy asked. Reich seized her savagely. "Suns... Boiling and blazing with light. Thousands of them. Billions of them... shining through the night. What the hell's the matter with you? Don't you understand? There's been a catastrophe in space, the stars are gone!" Duffy shook her head. Her face was terrified. "I don't know what you're talking about, Ben. I don't know what you're talking about." . . . "Wait here for me," he growled. "I'm going to find out." "Find out about what?" "About the stars!" he yelled. "The Christ almighty missing stars!" April 19, 2018 In a world dominated by telepaths known as Espers or Peepers crime is very difficult to get away with. When thoughts and memories are up for grabs a man like Ben Reich, who is premeditating a murder, must employ unorthodox methods to protect his inner most thoughts. He decides to go to a jingle songwriter for protection. He asks for the most mundane song to be played, a song that simple will not escape your brain, the type of jingles from commercials (usually beer) my brother and I used to sing in the car to drive my parents crazy. Eight, sir; seven, sir; Six, sir; five, sir; Four, sir; three, sir; two, sir; one! 'Tenser,' said the Tensor. 'Tenser,' said the Tensor. 'Tension, apprehension, And dissension have begun.' The best protection, Ben Reich believes, against at least lower level peepers is a song that creates interference in his thoughts concealing his true intentions and his memories. He is in an epic corporate struggle with his main rival D'Courtney and the old man running the company is his target for MURDER. He hatches an elaborate plan involving a book of games, an antique pistol, and a flash grenade that skews a person's sense of time by wiping out the victim's rhodopsin otherwise known as visual purple. Even the best laid plans encounter problems and just as Reich is preparing to destroy his nemesis D'Courtney's daughter runs into the room and becomes a witness to the death of her father. She, as they say, becomes the fly in the ointment. Lincoln Powell, a level one peeper and a man with a bright future in the police department is called in to investigate. It doesn't take him long to discover that Reich is his man. He is conflicted because he likes Reich and ponders at one point about the fact that Reich is really two men, a man with charm and grace and also a man who could very well bring civilization to her knees with his evil intentions. A battle begins between peepers as Reich hires his own to combat the invasive mind probes of the police detectives. Witnesses vanish. There are crosses and double crosses as the chess match between Powell and Reich becomes more and more serious. Powell tries to protect Miss D'Courtney and heal her shattered mind as Reich searches desperately for the one witness that can send him to DEMOLISHION. This is Alfred Bester's first novel and from what I've read about the book it had a real impact on the genre when it was released in 1953 and in some cases is considered the grandfather to the cyberpunk generation. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I liked the cat and mouse between Powell and Reich. As the hunt continues Reich's brain becomes more and more unstable. The degradation of his reasoning eventually gives Powell enough of a wedge to bring about his downfall. Reich is sent to be demolished. In this society they don't have capital punishment, no one is wasted. They simply recycle them. The process in itself is brutal and all memory of what you once were is eliminated. "When a man is demolished at Kingston Hospital, his entire psyche is destroyed. The series of osmotic injections begins with the topmost strata of cortical synapses and slowly works down, switching off every circuit, extinguishing every memory, destroying every particle of the pattern that has been built up since birth. And as the pattern is erased, each particle discharges its portion of energy, turning the entire body into a shuddering maelstrom of dissociation. But this is not the pain; this is not the dread of Demolition. The horror lies in the fact that the consciousness is never lost; that as the psyche is wiped out, the mind is aware of its slow, backward death until at last it too disappears and awaits the rebirth. The mind bids an eternity of farewells; it mourns at an endless funeral." In this society the government does steal your body when you are convicted and sent for demolishion. They wipe your mind of any memories of who you were and then implant a new personality. They may think of that as more humane, but really the result is the same. I can't think of anything more terrifying than watching the doors of my mind ripped off their hinges and my memories and reasoning slowly stolen from me. This book is a gem of science fiction history. This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers. October 15, 2019 One of the first Sci-Fi crime novel hybrids with an epic scramble between a Psi investigator and an ingenious, but normal human. This opens the questions of how each side can use its special abilities to fool the opponent and what potentials of Psi may be relevant in the future. Around this, a quite fitting description of today's circumstances draws a picture of a disparate society. Next to the fantasy Psi that is simply there, pharmacological and technical possibilities may be on a table in a farther future. Not to forget the usage of the potential meditation and mindfulness bring with them. Like a monk that has the technical tools or implants to use the immense force of his will outside his body, expanding it, invading other minds. Probably connected to all the other million monks, uniting to an evil, absorbing, soul-eating (literally) super hive mind. August 21, 2016 Winner of the very first Hugo Award in 1953, "The Demolished Man" is a classic by any metric you might measure it with. Some fans and critics consider it a watershed moment, the transition from planetary romance, with its laser guns, barely dressed ladies and bug-eyed monsters to 'serious' considerations of the impact of technology on society and on individual lives. Under the pen of Alfred Bester a futuristic murder investigation becomes the eternal struggle for the soul of Man, as it is played through the centuries between the angels of our better nature and the demons of our base emotions. The essence of murder never changes. In every era it remains the conflict of the killer against society with the victim as the prize. And the ABC of conflict with society remains constant. Be audacious, be brave, be confident and you will not fail. Against these assets society can have no defense. We know who the killer is : Ben Reich, one of the richest men in Bester's future Earth, the CEO of the biggest corporation in the Solar System. Reich is a predator, and when financial double-dealings, takeovers and forced bankruptcies are no longer enough to maintain his elevated position, he is ready to murder his main rival. Reich's spanner in the works is the fact that this Tomorrow's World has managed to discover, train and deploy telepaths capable of reading minds at all levels of the social scale. Nobody can hide from the radar of these 'peepers', especially from the more proficient 'lever-3' master Espers. Corporations use them to screen job applicants and protect technological secrets. Doctors peep their patients to identify psychological problems, police use them to search for criminal intentions and to interrogate witnesses. Ben Reich must find a way to bypass these telepaths if he wants to escape punishment, or Demolition. The first part of the novel describes in detail the careful planning and the murder. This is not a conventional whodunit. Bester uses the premise for developing his future world, most of the new techologies being related to telepathic powers in part of the population. He also puts the spotlight on Ben Reich's personality, 'emphatically' not a hero but a scoundrel, looking at his motivations, his recurrent nightmares and his forceful (bully) business and social interactions. 'Pfutz!' Reich said emphatically. 'We don't play girl's rules. We play for keeps, both of us. It's the cowards and weaklings and sore-losers who hide behind rules and fair play.' 'What about honor and ethics?' 'We've got honor in us, but it's our own code ... not the make-believe rules some frightened little man wrote for the rest of the frightened little men. Every man's got his own honor and ethics, and so long as he sticks to 'em, who's anybody else to point the finger? You may not like his ethics, but you've no right to call him unethical.' Do I detect here a reaction to Ayn Rand's novel "The Fountainhead" published only a couple of years earlier? An extrapolation of her objectivist and libertarian principles? Since I never read any of Rand's books and I am only familiar with them through second hand commentaries, I probably should simply note that the future imagined by Bester, the world ruled by the likes of Ben Reich, looks more Dystopian than Utopian. We may have unlocked the hidden powers of our brains, but the animal hiding in the subconscious still lurks, ready to pounce. Powell repressed the wave of exasperation that rose up in him. [...] It was anger for the relentless force of evolution that insisted on endowing man with increased powers without removing the vestigial vices that prevented him from using them. Lincoln Powell is the opponent of Ben Reich, a top peeper that works as the chief of New York's Police Department. He is a member of the elite guild of Espers (as in Extrasensory Perception), the organization that trains new telepaths with native, untapped talents, and guards against abuses by the Espers against the 'normals'. Because with great power comes great responsibility, and some Espers are not above temptation. Here is an example of mind reading by Powell, watching over a batch of new trainees, each dreaming of what he or she will do with the superpower: Read minds and make a killing on the market ... Read minds and know the answers to al exam questions ... Read minds and know what people really think of me ... Read minds and know which girls are willing ... Read minds and be like a King ... What makes Espers like Powell better than corporate fat cats like Reich? The line of demarcation is so thin it is almost invisible, and in the end the reader will probably have to decide for himself where he stands on the issues. It is tempting to read the novel at the superficial level of a high octane cat and mouse game between Reich and Powell, one using his money and his connections to hide his crime, the other using mind games to trip the criminal into confession. Bester knows one of the most basic rules of the art of the novel is: first of all, tell a story! After you captured his attention, you can then guide your reader to the larger implications and underlining philosophy that made you attack the subject in the first place. Look at Reich's position in time and space. Will not his beliefs become the world's belief? Will not his reality become the world's reality? Is he not, in his critical position of power, energy, and intellect, a sure road to utter destruction? Are we there yet? Look at the oligarchy that is writing national and international laws in the third millenium, controlled by a small corporate and banking elite. While the earth is getting hotter each year, the oceans get poisoned, forests are clear-cut, the workers unions gets outlawed and any protest is crushed by a subservient military and police force. For a novel written almost seven decades ago, "The Demolished Man" seems painfully modern. One quote taken from Reich's power book should suffice (think of student loans) : Keep a man in debt and he's afraid to ask for a raise The commercial ditty that Reich uses as a shield for hiding his thoughts becomes the leitmotif of an unavoidable doom: Tenser, said the Tensor. Tenser, said the Tensor. Tension, apprehension, And dissention have begun. I believe that if the novel was written today, Reich will win the game of power, and the Esper Guild would become an accessory of a mega-rich transnational corporation. In the 1950's though, there was still a romantic aura that surrounded scientific breakthroughs, and the future still held a Utopian promise. After spectacular chases and reversals of fortune, the ending pages of the novel are both cautionary and hopeful, same as in the other Alfred Bester masterpiece, "The Stars My Destination". The judge and the jury are all inside our heads, the world is what we make of it, neither good or bad by itself, but transformed by our expectations, by our actions or inactions. The mind is the reality. You are what you think. The last aphorism is also an example of an ambivalence in my reactions : mostly admiration for the elegance of the parable, but also a slight disappointment at the obvious and more than a little outdated Freudian interpretation of Reich's personality. First comes the pro-argument, as in the choice is ours, but so are the consequences of our actions. It's a Cosmic Game, and the stakes are the survival of the species, not simply the fate of Ben Reich: 'The maze ... the labyrinth .. all the universe, created as a puzzle for us to solve. The galaxies, the stars, the sun, the planets ... the world as we knew it. We were the only reality. All the rest was make-believe ... dolls, puppets, stage-setting ... pretended passions. It was a make-believe reality for us to solve.' 'I conquered it. I owned it.' 'And you failed to solve it. We'll never know what the solution is, but it's not theft, terror, hatred, lust, murder, rapine. You failed, and it's all been abolished, disbanded ...' 'But what's to become of us?' 'We are abolished too. I tried to warn you. I tried to stop you. But we failed the test.' 'But why? Why? Who are we? What are we?' 'Who knows? Did the seed know who or what it was when it failed to find fertile soil? Does it matter who or what we are? We have failed. Our test is ended. We are ended.' When we get demolished, maybe another intelligent species, with a better instinct for self-preservation will take over. Maybe ... Science can show us the way, but it cannot teach how to be human. Telepathy sounds great on paper, but what about privacy, what about diversity and challenging the status quo? That's where we live ... All of us. In the psychiatric ward. Without escape ... without refuge. Be grateful you're not a peeper, sir. Be grateful that you only see the outward man. Be grateful that you never see the passions, the hatreds, the jealousies, the malice, the sicknesses ... Be grateful you rarely see the frightening truth in people. The world will be a wonderful place when everyone's a peeper and everyone's adjusted ... But until then, be grateful you're blind. Which brings me to the real scoop of the story, so important that I will put in spoilers: Can we live without rebels and outcasts? Doesn't the eternal sunshine of the well adjusted mind sound just a little bit scary? Ben Reich needs to be stopped from killing and from making over the world in his own image, but a world without people like him may be even worse: If a man's got the talent and guts to buck society, he's obviously above average. You want to hold on to him. You straighten him out and you turn him into a plus value. Why throw him away? Do that enough and all you've got left are the sheep. A little sidenote before the end of my review: instead of going into details about what bothered me about Oedypian complexes and the rational mind being dominated by the subconscious, I would rather quote a quaint and mostly funny detail about how the future has surpassed some of Bester's visions already. In the novel, the ruling judge in the criminal case is a computer nicknamed Old Man Mose, big as a house, with led lights on his front panel, a feed slot that receives punch cards and an output on scrolling telex tape. I remember using punch cards back in the 1980's for a school assignment, and I wonder what would Bester's reaction be at seeing all the kids on the block chasing Pokemons on their smartphones: ... they fed in the last of the punched data, warmed the computer up from "Idle" to "Run", and kicked him into it. Moses eyes blinked in hard meditation; his stomach rumbled softly; his memories began to hiss and stutter. Powell and the others waited with mounting suspense. Abruptly, Mose hiccupped. A soft bell began to "Ping-Ping-Ping-Ping-Ping-Ping ..." and Mose's type began to flail the virgin tape under it. >><<>><<>><< In conclusion, I liked "The Stars My Destination" a little better than this one, but I can still recognize greatness in the vision Bester paints for our future. His final plea is as passionate and fierce as the final message of Gully Foyle : don't give in to despair, work together and hope because the future is waiting for us to raise up to its challenges: "Listen," he cried in exaltation. "Listen, normals! You must learn what it is. You must learn how it is. You must tear the barriers down. You must tear the veils away. We see the truth you cannot see ... That there is nothing in man but love and faith, courage and kindness, generosity and sacrifice. All else is only the barrier of your blindness. One day we'll all be mind to mind and heart to heart ... There has been joy. There will be joy again." >><<>><<>><< p.s. While finishing my review about the first Hugo winner, I saw the Hugo results for 2016. For once, my personal favorite won. "The Broken Earth" by N K Jemisin was everything I love about speculative fiction last year, and I can hardly wait to dig into the sequel, due this month. August 16, 2017 I probably never would have gotten to this classic if a reading group hadn’t chosen it… and I really wouldn’t have missed it. My response was kinda “meh”, and I’ve been thinking about why. I believe at least two problems can interfere with my appreciation of any old book, and science fiction often has further liabilities. The first general problem is that these works, when new, were sometimes exploring ideas that were fresh and invigorating. The passage of years and the spread of mass media means what was once new is now hackneyed. This can apply to the religious revelations of Fyodor Dostoevsky as well as to the scifi innovations of Alfred Bester. The other broad problem is a change in style. In Dostoevsky’s time the reading population was probably biased heavily towards elites with a “liberal arts education” that we can only dream of today, and since reading was the dominant entertainment pastime the readers’ attention span was probably also beyond ours. Cultural changes have rendered Dostoevsky inaccessible and dull. In contrast, Alfred Bester was writing when popular culture was exploding, and the genre of science fiction was bursting with excitement and creativity. We’ve gotten much more serious since then, and some of the “flash” of those years seems garish and amateurish now. For Bester’s The Demolished Man these problems of content and style have both hurt. His use of interplanetary travel, for example, or extra-planetary habitats, seem poorly thought out. The Guild of Espers is simplistic, with no depth of subtext to flesh it out. In terms of style, his exuberance as a writer can get it the way. Harry Harrison notes in the introduction to the 1996 reissue that Bester had “cut his teeth in comics”, and perhaps people with a visual sensibility will find his style more appealing. Science and technology have changed so much in the six decades since this book was written, and that can always hurt a science fiction writer who chooses to write with such particular technology in mind. Freely intermixed are technologies that have long since been rendered obsolete (especially the “Mose” computer), and others that are still futuristic (most transportation and weapons, and the “out-of-phase” safe) or represent a road not taken (his recording crystals). But these will be problems for any old technology-laden book. Other changes hurt Bester more, such as his chauvinism. The New York of three hundred years from now is remarkably similar to that portrayed in the television series “Mad Men”, with the emphasis on “pneumatic” women (well, since I don’t actually watch television, I’m extrapolating a bit here). The “virgin seductress” is described as being Reich’s idea of the epitome of the modern career girl—Bester was doing a very good job of projecting the cultural development of the fifties and sixties, since Playboy wasn’t first published for two more years. His reliance on an outmoded Freudian model of the psyche leads to some rather awkward plot developments. What was it with that era of scifi writers and peculiar sexual developments? For a moment I felt like he might drift into the creepy-Heinlein territory, but thankfully he never went that far. It also didn’t help that he contradicts himself. A fundamental premise for the conflict is that telepaths make premeditated murder essentially impossible. Bester establishes early in the story that anyone contemplating murder is as likely to go unnoticed by the telepaths as “a man with three heads”. And yet two more premeditated murders take place, neither of which seem to trouble the police as particularly improbable. On a lesser note, Reich’s safe is carefully described as one that can only be opened by his index finger, and remains “out of phase” with the rest of reality otherwise. Yet later he is spooked by the idea that a telepath might have “peeped” the combination out of his brain, even though the earlier security aspect should render a combination superfluous. This was probably a fun and invigorating book way back when — and still might be to a subset of today’s readers — but it doesn’t have that “timeless” appeal. March 15, 2016 So, I finished this book yesterday. The first lady that you meet in this book spends two pages begging the hero character to marry and have children with her, even though she knows he doesn't love her. The second lady that you meet in this novel is a shop girl that spends her whole scene trying to get the protagonist to "kiss her like he means it" "pout" The third lady that you meet in this novel is a ditsy esper 3, only invited to the party because of her looks. She makes a fool of herself and everyone has a good laugh. The fourth lady you meet in this book is an oversexed society lady who has an obscene body sculpted by pneumatic surgery. This lady is the convenient host of the sex party where the murder takes place. She spends all of her scenes trying to get whoever she's talking to to stick it in her. Enter the Heroine, who witnesses the cold blooded murder of her father, becomes so traumatized that she runs outside naked and disappears. Did we mention she's naked, and also super hot. By the way, this girl is super super hot. and naked. Eventually the heroine is found in the care of the sixth female character in this novel, who is a con artist using the traumatized heroine to run a shady fortune telling operation. The heroine is rescued from this situation and taken to the hospital where it is determined she is SO traumatized from witnessing the murder of her father, that she has to undergo some bizarre science fiction "regression therapy" so she can grow back up into accepting the truth of what happened. So she get's this therapy, which regresses her back to the mentality of a baby. And get this - gets taken home by the hero, to be re-raised over the course of three months by the hero and lady number one, the swarthy unloved live in girlfriend. Who knows by now that the hero is totes in love with baby baba. All the murder bs gets resolved and the book is wrapped up by hero and baba sharing a couple of cute little jokes about how just a couple weeks ago he was changing her diaper! now they're gonna be doin it! tee hee! great effin book, thanks for the legacy of your gross ass gender politics 1950's. September 26, 2020 SF Masterworks #14. Another eerily almost-surreal futurist tale from Bester; this one's a detective story focusing on the wrong-doer in a world that strongly relies on people with extra sensory perception in all the key businesses and industries. Shaping Freudian thought, Agatha Christie whodunnit and sci-fi galaxy world-building around a very much character driven dive into the possible dangers of profit/power driven free thinking, this was the first book to receive a Hugo Award! Another Bester jam whose descent into my surreal story mapping kind of lost me; despite that it's also another Bester jam, where he goes beyond the norm to detail how a future world/galaxy would be impacted at every level if ESP was a thing. 6 out of 12, for this alright read, but sadly ageing (plot wise) read. [image error] September 25, 2022 Beni uzun bir aradan sonra yeniden bilim kurgu ile barıştırdı. Read August 29, 2021 A fantastical futuristic crime story that I read as a child, not as a stand alone novel but as part of a fat hardback compendium of science fiction novels, I am no longer sure what else was in the volume, maybe some Azimov, maybe a triffrid or three. It was fun - the original typesetting was playful, words strung out and down in diagonals across the page to indicate telepathic communication (an important element of the story) its notions of telepaths, on reflection, may well have gone on to influence Philip K. Dick I think, perhaps though the influence went the other way round, or maybe the similarities were purely coincidental . It's central idea that criminals should be rehabilitated and returned to function in society remains science-fiction however, indeed one has to wonder where writers get these crazy ideas from. Arguably it is less science-fiction, despite it's vaguely futuristic, setting than psychological fiction; as it is more interested in the mind and the impact on people of some people being able to 'read' other people' minds and to communicate telepathically. November 18, 2015 The Demolished Man: A SF classic about murder in a telepathic society (Posted at Fantasy Literature) If I had read this book back in 1952 when it was first published, I would have given it 5 stars, no question. But in 2014, with 60 years of refinements in the genre, it suffers from some very dated dialogue and characterization, and some really condescending portrayals of women, so I'm afraid the present value of the book is 4 stars. Having said that, The Demolished Man remains an impressively-imagined story of future society shared by telepaths and normals, and the attempt by a wealthy megalomaniac industrialist Ben Reich to stage and get away with murder in a society where the police and many others can read thoughts and memories. It's an exciting and pulpy adventure, and presages the cyberpunk genre by over 30 years (Neuromancer, Altered Carbon, Minority Report in particular; they all contain remnants of Bester's DNA). So it was well deserving of the inaugural Hugo Award, especially when you see the low quality of some of the other nominees and winners back in the early days, most of which have faded from popular memory without a murmur of protest (has anyone read the next year's winner They'd Rather Be Right? Didn't think so). It's not fair to ridicule how badly aged the future visions of venerable SF authors from the Golden Age can become. Instead, we should consider how much they inspired future generations of genre practitioners, who updated and improved on the early ideas and imbued them with more telling details that resonated with each successive generation. Just like a piece of classical music, it's value lies not only in the music itself but its legacy for the musical compositions that follow. September 22, 2013 The very first Hugo winner of all time, The Demolished Man is more like a crime novel that happens to be in a science fiction universe, an earth where nobody has committed a murder in 70 years because so many people are trained to be telepathic. The people who have telepathy are referred to as Espers, and go through training, and fall into three categories depending on their abilities. This is a good read because of the action (fast-paced) but also because I love all the little details of the world. I wish I could see a movie version because I want to see people fighting in their heads, having telepathic party games, and more than anything I want to see the Rainbow House of Chooka Frood. Number 99 was an eviscerated ceramics plant. During the war a succession of blazing explosions had burst among the stock of thousands of chemical glazes, fused them, and splashed them into a wild rainbow reproduction of a lunar crater. Great splotches of magenta, violet, bice green, burnt umber, and chrome yellow were burned into the stone walls. Long streams of orange, crimson, and imperial purple had erupted through windows and doors to streak the streets and surrounding ruins with splashing brush streets.... A molten conglomerate had oozed down through the floors to settle on the floor of the lowest vault and harden into shimmering pavement, crystal in texture, phosphorescent in color, strangely vibrant and singing." Gorgeous, and I really want to see it. I also enjoyed my friends Scott and Julie discussing this novel over at their podcast, A Good Story is Hard to Find. May 22, 2014 “But man is not made for defeat," he said. "A man can be destroyed but not defeated.” (Hemingway, 1952) The human spirit cannot be defeated, but it can be destroyed, in this case, the complete eradication of what you once were, the complete destruction of the psyche, the birth of The Demolished Man. Awarded the first ever Hugo Awards in 1953,The Demolished Man is considered to have had an extensive impact to the genre that rippled through the ages especially in the cyberpunk generation. But 62 years after it first came out, reading it today felt worn-out and clichéd, I guess in the science fiction genre, it just got ‘old’. An idea similarly grounded to that of Philip K. Dick’s The Minority Report, The Demolished Man operates in a world where crime is but a concept thanks to Espers, individuals who are capable of ESP, which of course involves reception of information not gained through the recognized physical senses but is sensed with the mind. No murder, designated as a triple AAA felony, has been committed in over 70 years since the latent capacity for ESP emerged, until a fatal game of Sardine was played in the Beaumont Mansion. The prime suspect, Ben Reich, is the owner of the company, Monarch, second only to the D’Courtney Cartel to its lucrativeness. The victim, Craye D’Courtney, the namesake and owner of the most profitable cartel, had his head blown off by an unknown weapon. Enter Lincoln Power, a 1st class Esper and Prefect of the Police Psychotic Division who investigates the historic murder case which inevitably leads him to a collision course and hunting expedition for the world-shaker Ben Reich. Voila! You have The Demolished Man. I am arguably compelled to label this as a mystery, police, and investigative novel rather than a sci-fi book. Really, the plot is all about the investigation of the murder, the search for evidence, and the incarceration of the criminal. This is a mystery novel done the science fiction way. But that aspect was actually the fun enjoyable part of the book. The morally challenged banters, the deceptive maneuverings, and the cunning and shrewd exchanges between Reich and Powell were exhilarating. Of course, the concept of intent versus positive act in crimes was included in this book, albeit it was not played out as well or as extensively as was done in The Minority Report. What I failed to appreciate however was how Bester chose to lay down his world building and science fiction elements, his style. For example, the explanation of the varying levels of Esper classification was carried out in a rough unrealistic fashion. “First, the background, Mr. Reich: There are approximately one hundred thousand (100,000) 3rd Class Espers in the Esper Guild. An Esper 3 can peep the conscious level of a mind---can discover what a subject is thinking at the moment of thought. A 3rd is the lowest class of telepath. Most of Monarch's security positions are held by 3rds. We employ over five hundred...” (15) The instance above plays out when Reich turns to one of his employees, but the facts therein stated are not the things an owner/CEO does not know when he runs and owns a company that employ Espers. What happens here is that Bester directly laid down the ideas thread bare, without any effort at subtly building his world. This instance is repeated again when he tried to connive with one of his Esper employees to which in response he gets this; “You don't understand. We're born in the Guild. We live with the Guild. We die in the Guild. We have the right to elect Guild officers, and that's all. The Guild runs our professional lives. It trains us, grades us, sets ethical standards, and sees that we stick to them. It protects us by protecting the layman, the same as medical associations. We have the equivalent of the Hippocratic Oath. It's called the Esper Pledge. God help any of us if we break it... as I judge you're suggesting I should.”(19) The point is, these are things that are not introduced through a normal conversation, they made certain characters stupid and seemingly oblivious to the operative facts of the world they were supposed to be living in. Another aspect of Bester’s style that bothered me was how he transitioned between scenes in his story. They felt rough at times and I experienced this momentary feeling of displacement and surprise that I’m reading another unrelated scene. It was okay (2.5 Stars), but I will not recommend it to people when they ask me about sci-fi books. Instead, why not read the Hyperion Cantos and have a science fiction experience of a lifetime. And please do forgive me for using Hemingway as an attention step for this review. :) This has been cross-posted in i'mbookedindefinitely This book forms part of my HUGO AWARDS reading list. March 28, 2017 The Demolished Man is sometimes called the first cyberpunk novel, and it took me ages to figure out why. There's one computer in this story and it doesn't even have a screen. The characters feed data in using punchcards. But that's not where the cyberpunk comes from. The Demolished Man features a society of telepaths, known as Espers, and Bester has clearly given a lot of thought to how telepathic communication might work – and pretty much predicted how conversation works on the internet! People speak to each other using symbols in place of letters, in names such as @kins and Wyg&. The Espers send each other images (just like memes) and see each others self-image (like avatars). They even arrange their thoughts in pleasing patterns on the page. You can see why this was the first Hugo winner. Not only because of the well-thought out telepathy, the story also has some fun SF speculation about life on Venus and Mars (with characters taking interplanetary jaunts in rockets), and wonderfully weird futuristic buildings, despite very 1950s social structures. It's also a very good noir thriller. The early chapter where the villainous Captain of Industry plays a game of cat-and-mouse with the heroic Esper Police Prefect is perfectly paced tension-building. I really enjoyed these parts of the book, so it's a shame that the rest of the book has dated so badly. For some reason, Freudian psychotherapy was very popular in America in the 50s; people even thought it was 'scientific'. And this book was really, terribly marred by it. The stronger Espers can pry right down to the level of the sub-conscious to discover the deep motivating drives of people and, well, if you're even slightly aware of Freud's favourite Greek myth then you know what they discover there. As the Oedipal complex drives one character, so the Electra complex drives another, in what is a very well-structured mirroring, so it's a shame that it's so gross. The character suffers a sever shock, has to regress and grow out of childhood all over again with the loving guidance of a 'father figure'. The reader will find this revolting or not, depending on how much they enjoy some light Daddy/daughter romance. Unfortunately, this was not the worst depiction of women in the book, which was really one of the most misogynistic stories that I've read. Every single female character is described primarily by how fuckable she is. Literally every time Barbara is mentioned the men harp on about her great rack and vacant eyes (ah women, how lovely they are when they're brain dead, amirite?) As a female lead, she could easily have been replaced with a sexy lampshade. Poor Mary, the perfect female martyr, begs Powell to marry her and have children, despite the fact that he doesn't love her and doesn't want to; meanwhile Duffy begs Reich to knock her around a bit before he conquers the universe. All the women, whether mothers or sexbots, are terrible masochists and pawns in the games of powerful men. It was difficult to struggle through, although, on the whole, I do think it was worth it for the fun parts. April 15, 2018 3.5* Alfred Bester, one of the icons of science fiction (though I didn’t know him until a month ago [yep you got me I’m not much of a sci-fi guy]), challenges himself by writing an inter-genre novel, The Demolished Man , which is the Hugo Award winner dated in 1953. The novel is certainly one of his best novels but a way behind to best his best Bester novel: The Stars My Destination . Yet it was a pretty entertaining novel with some good old ancient obsolete science. Oh I’m exaggerating; you can leave out the word “ancient.” Bester mixes two genres: sci-fi and detective, and succeeds in doing so. In a world where murder is nearly impossible, because of a cult of better evolved humans who can read the mind of other people, a man cleverly manages to murder (the first murder in seventy years) a VIP and a dozen more after that. Well how did that murderer got past from those mind readers* without letting the cat out of the bag? And how did the murderer got away from the murder without revealing the truth that he had committed the murder? Oh well there remains the mystery and my loathsome LINCOLN POWELL, The Perfect, Esper#1, and a detective tries to solve this case. ---------------------------- * Or peepers [or Espers] which are of three degrees: Esper#3: Just peeps the conscious. Esper#2: the conscious and the subconscious. Esper#1: the former, the latter, and the unconscious!). I wish I could write with a “pattern”: the peeper-exclusive way of communication. April 28, 2019 Un argumento original y muy atractivo. Un crimen y el enfrentamiento de los dos personajes principales (el policía y el asesino) en un juego con reglas muy restrictivas para ambos: una sociedad en que un importante número de personas es telépata por lo que es casi imposible cometer un crimen premeditado, y un sistema judicial que no acepta los testimonios de los telépatas si, además, no hay evidencias del motivo, el método y la oportunidad para cometer el crimen. La trama es muy inteligente respecto de cómo estos dos personajes van elaborando sus respectivas estrategias; uno para evitar que los telépatas lo detengan antes de cometer el asesinato, y el otro, para demostrar lo que ya leyó en la mente del asesino. A pesar de lo anterior, la lectura me dejó algunas cosas al debe o no bien sustentadas, como por ejemplo, la motivación del asesino, o las características que adopta hacia el final y que hacen imprescindible su detención “y demolición”. Por otra parte y sin considerar las descripciones de las grandes computadoras “del futuro” (siempre me ha llamado la atención que en las décadas de los 50 y 60, la mayoría de los escritores de CF las concibieran como gigantescas cuando, en realidad, ha sido al revés: “mientras más pequeñas, mejor”), es una novela de ciencia ficción que ha envejecido muy, pero muy bien. Digna merecedora del primer premio Hugo. November 6, 2023 2023 re-read: Mantengo el rating. Tan bueno como lo recordaba. ---- Un clásico de la ciencia ficción ganadora del primer premio Hugo en 1953 que gira en torno a un asesinato en una sociedad llena de telépatas y un sistema solar colonizado. Buen libro, lo disfruté incluso 60 años después de haber sido escrito. May 9, 2016 Yıkıma Giden Adam pek çok katmandan oluşan bir keşmekeş ve ben bunu iyi anlamda söylüyorum. New York'lu Bester'ın büyük şehir insanının içine doğduğu, büyüdüğü ve öldüğü kaosu anlatımına taşıdığı; sürekli bir yerlere yetişme, bir şeyleri kaçırmamak için acele etme ve bu sırada önüne geleni ezip geçme dürtülerini diline aktardığı bir eser. Bester'ın bu büyük şehir dili bana inanılmaz tanıdık geldi. Eh, bir İstanbullu olarak ben ve bu şehrin diğer insanları da büyük bir kaosun parçasıyız. İşte tüm bu nedenlerden Ben Reich'ın karakteri ile Bester'ın anlatımı adeta tek yumurta ikizi özelliği gösteriyor. Bu da karakteri daha somut, daha gerçek kılıyor. Evrimin bile kapitalizmin bir parçası olması bu kitapta çok güzel aktarılmış. Dahası, Oedipus Kompleksi de bizlere göz kırpıyor. Hatta burada Chuck Palahniuk ve Görünmez Canavarlar geldi aklıma. Spoiler'a girmemek için burayı detaylandırmıyorum, ama bu kitabı okumuş olanlar Oedipus Kompleksi ile ne demek istediğimi anlayacaktır. Chuck Palahniuk'un Görünmez Canavarlar'da geçen bir sözü de buraya cuk diye oturuyor. Kitabın alt metninde yatan bir sağ-sol çatışması bile mevcut ki, bunu okurken çok eğlendim. Ama buradaki "sağ-sol"dan kastım para vs. idealler tadında. Son olarak, Reich'ın bir başkarakter olarak "doğal yok edici" rolü de hoşuma giden bir başka etmen. Evet, kendisi nam-ı diğer "yıkıma giden adam". Evet, kitap boyunca Yıkım iki anlamda kullanılıyor (çiftdüşün). Ancak tüm bunların dışında, Reich başlı başına bir sembol. O bir doğal yok edici. Ben Reich, pek çoğumuzun özünde barındırdığı bir adam. Bir de bana mı öyle geliyor, yoksa Kaplan! Kaplan! ile Yıkıma Giden Adam arasında benzerlikler mi var? Sanki aynı zemin üzerine inşa edilmiş farklı mimariler gibi. Özünde aynı evreni kullanıyorlarmış gibi bir his verdi bana. Velhasıl, büyük şehrin büyük öfkesi ve yıkımını taşıyan güzel bir romandı bu. Tavsiye ederim. April 18, 2023 A rather solid / immensely clever / consistently engaging classic - which manages to be a non-stop brain-tease from start to finish. There were moments, early on, when insecurity crept into me (the passing thought that I wasn't smart-enough to penetrate this, even with excavation equipment) but I soon became familiar with the (often futuristic) 'language' and the storyline fell into an accessible range. Enough people here have disclosed the plot. I knew much less about that, going in - which served as a plus-point. I wasn't, of course, anticipating that almost all of the characters would have telepathic ability (basically spread over three levels of proficiency) - which gives the read a general feel of playing pinball, with all of the internal 'bouncing around' and / or the blocking of attempts at 'scoring points'. While reading, I gave some thought to how certain sci-fi writers can influence other sci-fi writers - not something that usually occurs to me but the focus here on telepathy did bring things like Philip K. Dick's 'Ubik' and Silverberg's 'Dying Inside' to mind. Perhaps most writers engage in such give-and-take. In this novel, Bester himself is not above echoing Raymond Chandler in his wordplay: "Didn't you once ask to be dragged through the gutter, Duffy?" "That was a childish whim. I thought I could meet a better class of people." The hardboiled tone suggests comedy, and I did hear in passing that, if this book were to be successful as a film, its chances would improve if it were directed by the likes of the Coen Brothers. A marriage blend of the cynical, the savage and even the silly would be paramount. All told, I probably admire this as opposed to feeling it's in line with my personal taste. But there's still much to find impressive and it's very much worth a classic sci-fi fan's time. June 15, 2015 This is a 2.5 for me and I'm hovering on which way to round it. What will I decide?? See, this book has rubbed off on me! At many turns, this book sounds overwhelmingly cheesy. I can see why these roots of sci-fi are so interesting to people, because they're such a product of their period as well as reaching for something forward -- thus, it's weirdly bold and corny at the same time. This book is focused on its characters, which is a very good way to write. (This was a present from Evan, who pointed that out.) Yet, allow me to quote the inner monologue that closes the first chapter: "'All right, D'Courtney. If you won't let it be merger, then I'll make it murder.'" Er. Wow. There is a lot of this level of silliness in the text, and it's not really like what I usually read. It was a bit hard to adjust to. The most unique part of the book is of course the "Espers," the eminently well-structured class of telepathic humans. There is spoken dialogue and telepathic dialogue, and some neat layout of the text to try and show how they think. Powell's ventures deep into Barbara's unconscious as part of his police investigation are probably the coolest scenes. And I really liked when he and Mary bickered subconsciously. In general the book got much much better to me near the end, but also more confusing. I guess the peril of establishing a genre as an author is that your work won't benefit from the refined expectations of its later fans, so in a lot of ways I felt lost as a reader -- what's this world like, what's the explanation? There is a lot of pop psychology here, and that's the main basis for everything, so a lot of the characterization doesn't make enough sense to my ear. And Reich's position as a "Universe-shaker" is properly surprising but entirely undefined. (Is it a spoiler if I really don't know what it is?) But, the revelation of what the Demolition threat really means, and the final scene about "Maybe in those days they wanted sheep," that's pretty damn good. Like all old sci-fi, it's irresistible to compare the "future" to what's come to pass since it's written. This book is from 1951, which in pop culture terms is endearingly ancient, a decade or two off some of the most influential events of the century. (Of course, also rather nearby some others, but I don't feel the war's impact here so much.) It's fantastic to see what an author was able to conceptualize, and what just couldn't possibly happen for them yet. So on the one hand, in this book there is a wall-sized supercomputer that doesn't even have a screen. It outputs on a typewriter! Incredible, considering the fact that I am posting this review on Goodreads.com right now, you know what I mean? So far away. And "Do I have time to catch the 10:00 rocket? Call Idlewild," kind of slayed me. How could this rocketeer know the airport would rather soon have to be renamed JFK? The future, it's dated. But there's plenty of right ideas, the ubiquitous video-phone and audio-bookstore, plus the humorous "brooch-operas" ("She Shall Have Music Wherever She Goes") that I suppose are probably how iPods would have been designed in 1950, sure. And, distressingly: "Snim trudged downtown to Maiden Lane and cased the banks in that pleasant esplanade around Bomb Inlet." Too right. Actually. I can't, though, let this book go without saying that its misogyny makes it really hard to enjoy. For this reader. Indeed some won't mind but it did do its number on me. It isn't just that the only women in the book are just around to want the men, who are allowed to want other things besides the women. It's that it is mean, kinda borderline violent, and that's not good fun or inevitable social history to me. Like: The literal infantilization of Barbara the love interest -- she regresses into a drooling, baby-talking woman-baby, as a coping mechanism -- who then falls in love with her Da-Da. And there's Duffy, the "virgin seductress," who begs to be thrown around. A few moments: "You're delighted with yourself because you're a woman, aren't you? It's your substitute for living. ... 'It's enough to know that thousands of men could have me if I'd let them. That makes me real.'" "'I'm beginning to hate her ... that goddamn girl.'" "'Mr. Beck, I hate women too. For Christ's sake, why are they all trying to get me married?'" "[laughter]" "'Why waste all that dear violence? Punch me around a little.'" (Thanks, Duffy.) Some of this is intentionally disturbing, but some of it is probably not. Sometimes this atmosphere is just icky. I don't like reading around this, but I know some readers don't mind it, and some enjoy the sort of pulpiness about it. So they can rate this higher, whatever. January 19, 2012 An enjoyable story that combines a murder mystery with SF. I liked it, but was a bit let down after the awesomeness that was _The Stars My Destination_. Once again Bester introduces an sfnal change to the world and logically posits some of the possible changes that would result in society: in this case it is psychic ability. The most obvious impact that Bester examines is the way in which crime and policing will be affected by the fact that a fairly large segment of the population can at least sense, if not outright read, the thoughts of others. Thus in this world a premeditated murder has not happened for 70 years, primarily due to the existence of the Esper Guild, the mandatory society of all espers who live under a strict code of conduct...the angle on being able to stop murder before it happens reminded me of Philip K. Dick, though of course Bester did it here first. Along comes Ben Reich, one of the richest men in the solar system, and someone with both the resources and the willpower to get what he wants when he wants it. Ben Reich is also a man with a problem in the form of his biggest business rival Craye D'Courtney. When overtures of a more peaceable nature are apparently denied he decides it's high time that he proves that he is the one man on the planet that can get away with murder. Enter Lincoln Powell, class 1 telepath and police prefect. Lincoln is equally driven and just as resourceful as Reich. what ensues is a game of cat and mouse between the two, as each attempts to thwart the other using every resource at his disposal. As I said the story is enjoyable, but it seemed a bit more dated to me than _The Stars My Destination_. While some of the changes Bester made to his society made sense and certainly changed elements from what we know today, other aspects of it felt a lot like nothing much had changed since the 1950's and 60's, the era when the book was written. For some reason I also started to lag a bit near the middle of the book, but, as thus far has always been the case with Bester, he manages to turn things around at the end and make me see the whole as much greater than I thought it might end up being. The climax and finale of the book were especially enjoyable and had elements that made me think of the best aspects of the classic Twilight Zone series...not exactly an unforeseen conclusion, but one that was constructed just right. All in all an enjoyable read, if not one that totally blew me away. February 5, 2010 4.5 stars. One the first (if not the first) true SF psychological thrillers. A superb read that ranks up there with another classic Bester novel, The Stars My Destination. A true science fiction classic that lives up to the name. Highly recommended. Winner: Hugo Award for Best Science Fiction Novel (1953) September 23, 2013 3.5 Stars This book manages to both impress and fail to impress, on account of its strong plot and weak narration. The conception is realistic, exciting, and has enough elements of SF - that of a world teeming with graded Espers or mind-readers who police the world that has now expanded to settle on various planets, and catch the criminal before he can even properly lay on the plan. In 2301, Ben Reich, owner of Monarch corporation, decides, in murderous passion, to murder (of, course) his rival - knowing well enough that it is nearly impossible. A premeditated murder can be easily detected by the Peepers. And he intends to not only commit it, but also get away with it - in a world where murder has been unheard of for at least 80 years. And he succeeds. Police Prefect Powell, a Grade 1 Esper, knows it is him, but cannot nail him down. And thus begins the cat and mouse game to implicate Reich before THE MAN WITHOUT A FACE devours Reich. It could have been amazing - the conception is strong, but fails on account of the clumsy, unbelievable narration. The motivations of the characters are too fast, too abrupt to allow the reader to enjoy the work. Comes across as phony when it could have been simply amazing. The narrative mars a solid concept, a promising story and nearly ruins it. The only lines I liked in this work are these words that come at the end: “Be grateful that you only see the outward man. Be grateful that you never see the passions, the hatreds, the jealousies, the malice, the sicknesses... Be grateful you rarely see the frightening truth in people.” And this is the only time I really felt like I had any insight in any character of this story. The world-building is not only adequate, but in fact, novel, innovative, far ahead of its time and yet plausible. But too many things seem artificial, some things fall into place too conveniently, and the dialogues are plain pathetic. And to think how much more scope in this novel has been wasted! THE MAN WITHOUT A FACE was such a beautiful trope - the psychological aspect that could have elevated the novel from a mere run-of-the-mill thriller to a psychological masterpiece - the Freudian elements were barely touched upon in a novel that focused so much on the gradations of Espers on the basis of their ability to peep into the layers of the mind. The play of the conscious, subconscious and the unconscious was the perfect place to play out the game - Reich outwitting the Espers, pitting two Class 1 Espers against each other would have been so much fun, apart from the brilliant expositions Bester could have made deriving from Freud or Lacan or whoever he wished. The conception is superb - but the execution is deeply flawed. The story wasn't properly explored, leaving quite a few glaring loopholes and other lapses, not to mention the narrative that bogged down the work even more. And yes, what was it with female characters in the 50s? Why did all of them have to be fawning, helpless creatures waiting in the sidelines for their man to come and deliver them? Did this story really need Barbara or Mary in the way they were used towards the end? And how stupidly convenient was the resolution for Powell and Barbara - honestly, I'd already seen through it long before it actually came. In the end, I'm only glad it didn't clinch the Nebula, because Nebulas came much later - it is way too flawed. As for the Hugo, well, I can see how radical this would have seemed in the 50s, and well, who cared back then about how women were depicted, anyway? And in any case, this was the first work to get a Hugo, so there was no set benchmark for it to be judged against. To be concise, disappointed is the word. Great conception that descends into mediocrity. The stars are only for the world-building and plot-outline.
wrong_mix_range_publicationDate_00069	FactBench	3	13	https://universesofthemind.com/category/1953-the-demolished-man/	en	1953 – The Demolished Man – Universes of the Mind	https://universesofthemi…earewe.jpg?w=200	https://universesofthemi…earewe.jpg?w=200	[ "https://universesofthemind.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/cropped-11794389_10207186459240555_3365266383901038141_o.jpg", "https://universesofthemind.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/the-demolished-man-lester-waldman.jpg?w=640", "https://universesofthemind.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/wp-1477097272420.jpg?w=640", "https://universesofthemind.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/wp-1477095490699.jpg?w=640", "https://universesofthemind.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/wp-1477094848069.jpg?w=640", "https://universesofthemind.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/wp-1477094358844.jpg?w=640", "https://universesofthemind.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/cropped-wherearewe.jpg?w=50", "https://universesofthemind.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/cropped-wherearewe.jpg?w=50", "https://pixel.wp.com/b.gif?v=noscript" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[ "Miles Schneiderman" ]	2016-10-26T06:03:24+00:00	Posts about 1953 – The Demolished Man written by Miles Schneiderman	en	https://universesofthemi…rearewe.jpg?w=32	Universes of the Mind	https://universesofthemind.com/category/1953-the-demolished-man/	I’ve read a lot of articles recently looking back on The Demolished Man, and one thing that amazes me is how little attention is paid to the actual concept of Demolition, and how frequently (in my opinion, anyway) the writer seems to misunderstand the actual themes of the book. They talk about the Espers and the world-building, they talk about the breakneck pace and lack of descriptive detail, they bring up the Freud thing every time, but the social and political commentary that I believe is the most intriguing thing about Bester’s novel is consistently glossed over. I’ve saved this post for last because I think The Demolished Man is about something much more interesting than murder in a telepathic society. Bester hints at several larger ideas throughout the book, but the final chapter is where they all come out into the open. And maybe it’s just because I studied political science, but it seems to me that Bester is not only advocating a philosophy of fundamental human goodness, but making an argument in favor of a socialist society. Or, at the very least, an argument against a capitalist one. Continue reading “The Demolished Man: The Barrier of Our Blindness” → Every good book has a twist, and if you’ll pardon the innuendo, The Demolished Man has a pair of big ones. The first involves the character of Ben Reich and the revelation of how deteriorated his mind truly is; the second has to do with the nature of Demolition itself. The truth about Demolition bleeds over into the discussion of overall theme, which will be the topic of my final post on this book, so we’ll save that for last and start with Reich, who, as the ultimate unreliable narrator, provides the reader with a beautiful bait-and-switch at the very beginning of the book. Continue reading “The Demolished Man: What A Twist” → First of all, I should take a moment to admit that writing blog posts on all five days of last week probably wasn’t a great thing to plan on doing during a week when I was scheduled for double shifts on three of those days. Sorry about that. Second, a friend of mine recently informed me that Alfred Bester was the guy who wrote the Green Lantern oath for DC Comics. So…that’s pretty cool. Even if he apparently hated comics. That same friend also mentioned the way language and typeface is used in The Demolished Man, which might actually be the most fun part of the book. Just like watching a musician live is always better if you can tell he or she loves playing an instrument, this novel benefits from the obvious joy Bester takes in playing with language. It’s not just that he writes great dialogue or that he excels at using language to convey setting. I mean, he does, but so do other people. The two things that really strike you linguistically about The Demolished Man are name abbreviations straight out of the Net Generation’s wet dreams, and a bizarre and beautiful presentation of telepathic speech. The former may have been done by others at some point, likely in recent years. As for the latter, it’s unique in my experience. Which might not be saying much, given that this blog exists because of my lack of experience, but still. Continue reading “The Demolished Man: Spoken Like The Future” → Jo Walton has said that one of the reasons she, personally, has never re-read The Demolished Man is because she didn’t enjoy spending time with any of the characters, which…yeah, that kind of makes sense. Ben Reich, the demolished man in question, and certainly the central figure of the story if not its protagonist, starts out as a rage-fueled sociopath who seems to believe that killer instinct is an inherited trait, gains a bit of admiration from the reader as the book goes on in a “at least this psycho is a smart psycho” kind of way, briefly becomes sympathic (a little, maybe) toward the climax when Bester begins tipping his hand as to what’s really going on, but ends the story having been definitively characterized as a man so powerfully immoral that he threatens to derail the entire course of human evolution, and who must be stopped at all costs. Bester goes out of his way to drive home the point that Reich is, quite literally, the worst person in the world. His name alone tells that story; this book was published in 1952, and it’s pretty easy to see what the name “Reich” is referencing. Who wants to hang out with that guy? Continue reading “The Demolished Man: Capitalists and Cops” → I had never read this book before, nor indeed, anything by Alfred Bester. He’s perhaps best known for his 1956 novel, The Stars My Destination, a book I’ve heard a great deal about and would very much like to read someday. Unfortunately, its year of publication meant it would have fallen under the purview of the 1957 Hugo Awards, which were…weird, to say the least (we’ll get to that later, when I skip 1957). So what seems to be considered Bester’s seminal work does not appear on my list. That said, it’s not nothing to be the winner of the first Hugo for Best Novel, and The Demolished Man is a fascinating book that I highly enjoyed. Continue reading “The Demolished Man: A World of Peepers” →
wrong_mix_range_publicationDate_00069	FactBench	3	52	https://www.greenhousebooks.co.nz/products/the-demolished-man-by-alfred-bester	en	The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester	http://www.greenhousebooks.co.nz/cdn/shop/files/20240206_145727.jpg?v=1707189356	http://www.greenhousebooks.co.nz/cdn/shop/files/20240206_145727.jpg?v=1707189356	[ "https://www.greenhousebooks.co.nz/cdn/shop/files/Transparent_Background_Olive-02_51663511-3d73-418d-a6c8-391f1e5b15c5_300x300.png?v=1686028703", "https://www.greenhousebooks.co.nz/cdn/shop/files/Transparent_Background_Olive-02_51663511-3d73-418d-a6c8-391f1e5b15c5_100x.png?v=1686028703", "https://www.greenhousebooks.co.nz/cdn/shop/files/20240206_145727_{width}x.jpg?v=1707189356", "https://www.greenhousebooks.co.nz/cdn/shop/files/20240206_145737_{width}x.jpg?v=1707189383", "https://www.greenhousebooks.co.nz/cdn/shop/files/20240206_145727_530x@2x.jpg?v=1707189356", "https://www.greenhousebooks.co.nz/cdn/shop/files/20240206_145727_110x110@2x.jpg?v=1707189356", "https://www.greenhousebooks.co.nz/cdn/shop/files/20240206_145737_110x110@2x.jpg?v=1707189383" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	null	In a world in which the police have telepathic powers, how do you get away with murder?Ben Reichs heads a huge 24th century business empire, spanning the solar system. He is also an obsessed, driven man determined to murder a rival. To avoid capture, in a society where murderers can be detected even before they commit	en		Green House Books	https://www.greenhousebooks.co.nz/products/the-demolished-man-by-alfred-bester	In a world in which the police have telepathic powers, how do you get away with murder? Ben Reichs heads a huge 24th century business empire, spanning the solar system. He is also an obsessed, driven man determined to murder a rival. To avoid capture, in a society where murderers can be detected even before they commit their crime, is the greatest challenge of his life. _____________________________________________ Paperback, good condition for age. Some wear on cover. Published by Panther Books, 1962 (originally published 1953).
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"https://s2.wp.com/i/logo/wpcom-gray-white.png", "https://s2.wp.com/i/logo/wpcom-gray-white.png", "https://pixel.wp.com/b.gif?v=noscript" ]	[ "https://www.youtube.com/embed/dTz-I8shps0?version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en&autohide=2&wmode=transparent", "https://www.youtube.com/embed/NeMrAsPt64U?version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en&autohide=2&wmode=transparent", "https://www.youtube.com/embed/0q8UM4LKA4s?version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en&autohide=2&wmode=transparent", "https://www.youtube.com/embed/hboIjY7ft48?version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en&autohide=2&wmode=transparent" ]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	null	Posts about Rollo of history written by judywork1957	en	https://s1.wp.com/i/favicon.ico	Time Slips	https://timeslipsblog.wordpress.com/category/rollo-of-history/	In my previous post, I shared my personal timeline going back to Uhtred the Bold, Bamburgh Castle and early Northumbria. Within that lineage, I found one Judith of Lens who married Waltheof of Northumbria and gave me that link back to the history of Northumbria. What is important and special about Judith of Lens is that she also takes me back to Rollo of Normandy! Many of us know Rollo for his current claim to fame in the Vikings Saga. If you follow this blog, you are well aware that I have always had a certain affinity or fondness for Rollo. Of course, it does help that Clive Standen does such a fine job of portraying him and probably makes him much more appealing to watch than the real Rollo would have been. As I’ve watched the series unfold, I have become much more interested in the character and true history of Rollo than that of Ragnar. That is not because of Clive’s portrayal of the character although that does not hurt, but because of the actual history and the importance of Rollo and Normandy. If you look at the history of the Vikings and compare the events or accomplishments of Ragnar and Rollo, it is clear that as far as Viking history and events go, Rollo of Normandy had a far more important and long lasting impact than Ragnar Lodbrok. Ragnar is more of a myth or legend and his claims to fame have come more from the actions of his sons than any of his own accomplishments. When you look at his sons, even their claims to fame were relatively short lived and can not really be documented much deeper than their individual involvements in the Great Heathen Wars that constituted one portion of the Viking era in England. Rollo of Normandy though, left a dynasty and legacy of many future generations that is verifiable and documented. Season 4 of the Vikings Saga will soon be upon us and we will see how Michael Hirst’s version of the Viking era plays out. While we should all be in agreement that this show is more historical fantasy than actual history, Mr. Hirst has made numerous assurances and promises that he will present Rollo’s story more according to actual historical events than fantasy. Perhaps this is due to the fact that Rollo’s life and accomplishments are more historically sound than the events of Ragnar’s or even Ecbert’s… By including Rollo in this family story as a brother of Ragnar, I think in a way that Hirst painted or wrote his way into a corner with Rollo’s story. Now, he must find a way to get Rollo out of that corner, separate him from the confines of Ragnar’s story and from the events that will take place in England. So far, he has made a start at this separation by creating the rivalry and possible betrayal of Ragnar on the part of Rollo. He has set up a scenario whereby it will be possible to set Rollo’s story up as separate from Ragnar and his family. If you look at the truer history of Rollo, there is little actual documentation of his Danish or Norse family ties so it would seem that for what ever reason, Rollo did indeed separate himself from any of those family ties. That is not to say that he separated himself from his Viking heritage, traditions or beliefs because throughout his life he seemed to hold on to many of those traditions and beliefs. What we glimpse in previews of season 4 is Rollo realizing that he must choose between family and personal destiny. Rollo must follow his own destiny even if it means a betrayal of his brother Ragnar. I know that this story arc has in a way turned into an us against them, team Ragnar vs team Rollo following or feeling but in reality, this confrontation and closing has to take place for the story to move on. Perhaps Rollo does have to betray Ragnar in order to achieve his own goals, his own success in life. If he has to betray Ragnar, so be it… Ragnar will be dead before Rollo anyway. As for the future that the preview shows us, my bigger concern is for Bjorn- it appears as though power may be corrupting him and going to his head bit? Now, back to Rollo… he seems to be adjusting to the Frankish customs and life rather well if you ask me! I am digressing and getting a bit side tracked here because my main intent for this post is to share more about the real Rollo and my personal connection to him, ancient and distant as it may be! So, let us return to the original focus of this discussion- which is my path back to Rollo through Judith of Lens. Let’s play a quick game of six degrees of separation… How are these people connected to each other? I have spent the past few weeks trying to sort through the tangled webs and branches of my tree and figure out this connection. There were some extremely tangled branches due that pesky habit they had back then of marrying relatives, casting off wives, disowning each other or legitimizing children of concubines and mistresses, and that does not include the habit of listing heirs or offspring by their land titles or such instead of a common surname! Anyway, I have now untangled enough to trace a lineage back through Judith of Lens to Rollo. For those of you unfamiliar with Judith of Lens, you can read her story in this previous article. https://timeslipsblog.wordpress.com/2015/10/19/my-ancestor-path-to-normandy-northumbria-and-even-a-uthred-the-bold/ You can also read more about her and Waltheof of Northumbria in a book by Elizabeth Chadwick called the Winter Mantle. The book is historical fiction- I definitely would not call it historical romance unless of course you consider a husband who commits treason and gets beheaded for it, and a wife who turns bitter and resentful a romance? Elizabeth Chadwick provides excellent historical details and events while creating two stories that cover the time and lives of Judith of Lens, Waltheof of Northumbria, their daughter Maude of Huntington and her husband Simon De Senlis. She also includes some a not so likable or pleasant portrayal of Judith’s Mother Adelaide of Normandy who was a sister to William the Conqueror. It is more of an epic lifetime saga than a romance and my only minor disappointment was in the fact that she ended the story before Simon’s death and Maude’s marriage to King David of Scotland! I will admit that had she included that portion, the book would have gone beyond the bounds of epic and been far too long for most people to keep going with the story. I am probably one of few who would endure the added length in order to read the rest of Maude’s story unfold! After picking through all of the threads of my lineage, here is my connection back to Rollo through Judith of Lens. Relationship to me So, Judith of Lens connects me to both Uhtred of Northumbria and Last Kingdom fame, and Rollo of history and Vikings Saga fame! In my previous post, I shared some of the history I learned about Northumbria. Now, I will share more of the history surrounding Rollo and his dynasty. If you browse through my archives, you will find that I have already shared much of his history so I am not going to repeat all of it again. I am just going to add some of the history I’ve found about the family- the real family, not Mr. Hirst’s version of it, or the numerous variations and versions presented by Norse Sagas. Because I am attempting to stick to the more factual details and documented evidence while tracing my ancestors, I am not going any further back than Rollo because there is just no concise or conclusive proof of anything beyond Rollo’s existence. One could include the information from Norse Sagas and such but that information is varying depending on which Saga one goes by. It’s difficult enough trying to piece together the sketchy documents there are for this far back let alone try to sift through numerous oral renditions written down centuries after the events. I have not included any of those possibilities in my family tree and will not include them here. Yes, I do know there are a great many stories and legends that take Rollo’s ancestry further back but at this point there is just not enough evidence to say conclusively exactly who his family really was. Historians can not even agree whether he was of Norse descent or Danish. Some documents list his origins as Danish and others list it as Norse. The only thing certain is that he was a Scandinavian Viking raider who managed to cut a good deal with a Frankish King for some coastal land which later became Normandy! We know little or nothing factual about Rollo’s earlier life before Normandy but in reading through information on his son and grandson, we find that he did have a loyal group of Vikings that stood with him, supported him and went on to look after his interests/family after his death in 931. When Rollo’s son William took over rule in 927, many of the men loyal to Rollo would eventually rebel against his son. Rollo’s son William proved to be a bit of a disappointment to most. It appears that he faced a rebellion early in his reign, from Normans who felt he had become too Gallicised. Subsequent years are obscure. In 939 William became involved in a war with Arnulf I of Flanders, which soon became intertwined with the other conflicts troubling the reign of Louis IV. He was killed by followers of Arnulf while at a meeting to settle their conflict in abt 940. After having made rather a mess of his reign and the land of Normandy, his death also left the future uncertain because his heir was a young child at the time. The age of Richard was not his only obstacle to his inheritance. He was also the son of William I and a mistress and so was illegitimate. There were many who tried to take advantage of this for their own gain. Richard was born to William I Longsword, princeps (chieftain or ruler) of Normandy, and Sprota. His mother was a Breton concubine captured in war and bound to William by a more danico marriage. He was also the grandson of the famous Rollo. Richard was about 10 years old when his father was killed on 17 December 942. William was told of the birth of a son after the battle with Riouf and other Viking rebels, but his existence was kept secret until a few years later when William Longsword first met his son Richard. After kissing the boy and declaring him his heir, William sent Richard to be raised in Bayeux. After William was killed, Sprota became the wife of Esperleng, a wealthy miller; Rodulf or Ralf of Ivry was their son and Richard’s half-brother. It is with young Richard that we find the men who had been loyal to Rollo stepping up to save the boy and the future of Normandy. With the death of Richard’s father in 942, King Louis IV of France seized the lands of the Duchy of Normandy. The king installed the boy Richard in his father’s office, and placed him in the custody of the count of Ponthieu. He then split up the Duchy, giving its lands in lower Normandy to Hugh the Great. The King used the excuse that he was seeing to the young nobleman’s education, but at the same time was giving some of Richard’s lands in Lower Normandy to Hugh the Great, Count of Paris. Louis IV thereafter kept Richard in solitary confinement at Lâon, but the youth escaped from imprisonment with assistance of Osmond de Centville, Bernard de Senlis (who had been a companion of Rollo of Normandy), Ivo de Bellèsme, and Bernard the Dane (ancestor to the families of Harcourt and Beaumont). According to legend, Richard refused to eat while in captivity. Because he appeared ill, the guard on him was relaxed. Osmond de Centville secretly entered Laon and smuggled Richard out of his confinement, reportedly by hiding him in a truss of hay. They then took refuge with Bernard of Senlis. In 1854 Charlotte Yonge retold the story of Richard in a series of stories called “The Little Duke.” These stories, in turn, inspired Mark Twain’s book, “The Prince and the Pauper.” Besides these men, another Viking is often mentioned in relation to Richard. By 944 Louis IV’s soldiers had invaded Normandy again, and had seized control of Rouen, while Hugh the Great, Count of France invaded Lower Normandy around Bayeux. The alliance between Louis and Hugh, always historically unstable, broke down, when Bernard the Dane suggested to Louis that Hugh was getting more than his share of Normandy land. Hugh, in response to the King’s hostility, joined an alliance of Normans loyal to Richard and Danish Vikings under Harold (Harald) of Bayeux or of The Bassin. This alliance ultimately defeated King Louis. Harald continued to be of assistance to Richard and Normandy. According to Flodoard, King Louis was invited to a meeting with this Harold in order to discuss peace terms. Louis arrived with only a few men; Harold killed most of his men and Louis fled to Rouen where other Northmen, previously thought to be friendly to Louis, captured him. He was only released to Hugh the Great when Louis gave his son Charles as a hostage at Rouen. Although Louis was eventually given his freedom, the new alliance of Hugh of France and Richard of Normandy was now the new power in the region. In 946, Richard agreed to “commend” himself to Hugh, the Count of Paris. At the age of 14, Richard allied himself with the Norman and Viking leaders in France, drove king Louis IV’s army out of Rouen, and successfully took back Normandy from him by 947. Richard with the backing, the council and advice from those much older Viking Warriors took control and it might be said that he was the one most responsible for turning his Grandfather’s dream into a solid reality, a Kingdom to be reckoned with and if not liked, at least respected and possibly feared by other countries. By 966 he was using the title “Marquis des Normands.” He never used the title Duke of Normandy, though some historians have retroactively assigned it to him. Richer of Rheims refers to him as “dux pyratorum” or “leader of the pirates”. In no sense did he mean “dux” as an official title. Richard was also given the nickname of “Sans Peur” or The Fearless. Throughout Richard’s reign, there was continued connection and involvement with Viking factions which would suggest that while his Grand father Rollo may have severed personal family ties, he did not severe his connection to the Vikings. In 961 a Viking band arrived in the Seine Valley and conducted raids towards the Brittany border and around Chartres. It is possible these Vikings had the tacit support of Richard because the raids provoked hostility between Richard and an alliance of King Lothair and Theobald, Count of Chartres and Blois. Theobald attacked the Norman cities of Évereux and Roeun, and the Normans, in return, attacked Dunois and burned Chartres. This conflict raged for four years. It is reported that Harold the Dane again came to the aid of Richard in 962. Unless the medieval historians confused this war with the one of 945, this may be the same Harold who resided in the vicinity of Bayeux when William Longsword died. Eventually Richard did swear allegiance to Louis’ successor Lothar [Lothaire] in 965 at Gisors and the King acknowledged Richard’s rule over the Bessin, the Contetin and the Avranchin regions of Normandy. Richard promised to rebuild and restore the monastery of Mont. St. Michael, which he acquired in the agreement. Other than these early conflicts, Richard’s long reign was relatively peaceful. After 965, Viking raids in the area ceased. Richard quarreled with King Æthelred (Ethelred) II of England. At the time the Danes had invaded England and taken control over much of the eastern part of country. Apparently the Normans had been purchasing a lot of the loot. In 991 Richard agreed to a non-aggression pact with King Æthelred, probably to keep either side from sheltering Viking marauders. Further evidence of the continued connection to the Danes is Richard’s relationship and eventual marriage to his concubine or mistress, Gunnora who was said to be of a noble family of Danes. It is known that Richard had more than one mistress and one of these, Gunnora, he eventually married some time before 989. Richard and Gunnora had eight children. She is sometimes called “Gunnora of Crépon” because she had a brother named “Herfast (Artfast) de Crépon” and nephew named “Osborn de Crépon.” The term de Crépon was never attached to Gunnora’s name during her lifetime and, though Crépon is a town in Lower Normandy near Bayeux, there is no direct evidence that this was a location in which she ever lived. Richard’s formal marriage to Gunnora was certainly carried out in order to legitimize their children, especially his eldest son and heir Richard II and his second son Robert who Richard had appointed as the Archbishop of Reoun. All we know about Gunnora is that she was from a “noble family of Danes”, and so her family was probably one of the many Nordic settlers or their descendants that lived in Normandy. According to Legend the young Richard was hunting in the forests of Normandy when he met and was attracted to a young lady named Sainsfrida (Senfrie), the daughter of a forester of Arques. Sainsfrida was, however, married and so sent her sister Gunnora to Richard. The chronicles do not give the name of her parents. Since their eldest son Richard II was born about 953, their relationship must have begun some time before this date. In spite of conjecture in many family trees, there is absolutely no evidence that she was the daughter of Harold Bluetooth, King of Denmark. She was referred to as Gunnora Harldsdottir but it is likely that she may have been the daughter of the previously mentioned Harald the Dane who, contrary to some popular assumption is not the same Harald as Harald Bluetooth. In looking at the differences between the failures of William and the successes of his son Richard, we probably need to look at them in relation to Rollo. By the time he was awarded Normandy, Rollo was a hardened professional warrior who was used to fighting for what he wanted. He most likely had not lived any easy life, nor had anything handed to him. When he finally achieved his goal of wealth and land, he still had to work to hold on to it. He was a Viking and for the most part lived by Viking traditions and customs. One example of those customs was his “wife” Poppa of Bayeux. The generally accepted theory is that Poppa was the daughter of Berenger II of Nuestria and was taken captive by Rollo during an attack on Bayeux in about 885. She was Rollo’s concubine or wife “more danico” in Norse/Danish tradition. She was not a slave and was most likely of high nobility. A more danico marriage meant “in the Danish manner” or “by Norse customary law“. It designates a type of traditional marriage practiced in northern Europe during the Middle Ages. It is possible, therefore, that marriage more danico was neither informal marriage nor even legitimized abduction, but simply secular marriage contracted in accordance with Germanic law, rather than ecclesiastical marriage. More danico permitted polygyny (serial or simultaneous), but is not synonymous with it. The “putting away” of a more danico wife could apparently be done at the mere wish of the husband; the rights of the wife are unclear. Often the putting away was done with the intention of marrying a still higher-ranking woman more christiano; but since there are numerous instances of the husband returning to themore danico wife, it is possible that the relationship had merely been deactivated or kept in the background. The union could also be fully dissolved, so that the wife was free to marry another man. Her consent in the matter may or may not have been required; again, the consensual aspect is unknown. By tradition and customary law, the children of such a relationship were in no way considered of lesser rank or disadvantaged with respect to inheritance. Many sons more danico went on to become dukes or kings by succession or conquest. By accepting baptism and vassalage under a Christian prince under Charles the Simple after the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte in 911, Rollo had placed the Vikings of Normandy on the inevitable path of Christianization; but they clung to some old customs. Norman chronicler William of Jumieges uses the term explicitly to refer to two relationships: Rollo, founder of the Norman dynasty, had taken captive at Bayeux, Poppa, daughter of a count, Berengar. Dudo of Saint-Quentin relates that they had been joined in marriage (“connubium”), William of Jumieges describing that Rollo had joined himself to her by more danico. She was mother of his son William Longsword. It is related that he put Poppa aside to marry Gisela, daughter of Charles the Simple, and that when Gisela died, he returned to Poppa. However, the absence of any record of this royal princess or her marriage in Frankish sources suggests the entire supposed marriage to Gisela may be apocryphal. William Longsword in his turn, had a son and heir by a woman whose name is given as Sprota. William of Jumieges reports that Longsword was bound to her pursuant to the mos danicus (“danico more iuncta”). The chronicler Flodoard refers to her simply as Longsword’s ‘Breton concubine’ (“concubina britanna”). William would formally marry Luitgarde of Vermandois, daughter of Heribert II, count of Vermandois. [Dudo iii, 32 (p. 70)], who following William’s death remarried to Thibaut, count of Blois. Sprota, who was mother of Longsword’s heir, Richard I, Duke of Normandy, is said to have been forced to become concubine of Esperleng, the rich owner of several mills, by whom she became mother of Rodulf of Ivry, although it is unclear if this occurred at the time of William’s marriage to Luitgarde, or at his death. Richard I carried on the tradition of more danico with Gunnora. She was his wife more danico or concubine as early as sometime in 950s even though he entered into a Christian marriage with Emma daughter of Hugh the Great, Count of Paris. She was born about 943 and died after 19 Mar 968. After her death he eventually married Gunnora in the Christian manner to ensure legitimacy of their many children after the church began taking a stricter approach and view on the more danico marriages. While many may perceive the relationship between Rollo and Poppa as that of her being a captive slave or just a mistress, in reality it was more likely a relationship and marriage of importance in terms of alliances and politics of the time. Being of some high status herself, Poppa would probably have taken this relationship seriously and expected to be treated with the respect due her rank and status. When she gave birth to son William in 893, she provided the much needed heir to the dynasty and would have sealed an alliance between Normandy and Bayeux. William was the heir apparent most likely would have been treated with high regard and esteem… given advantages and a much easier life than Rollo had. There is reference to Rollo being well attached to his son and at one point he sent William to Bayeux to learn more of the Norse ways of Northmen residing within Bayeux. From most accounts though, William was far more interested in becoming more Frankish and as a result his own people rebelled against him. It seems that this may have been a case of William possibly being over indulged, given too much advantage and not having had to truly work for his title… not such an uncommon occurence for many heirs or children of a parent who has worked to achieve wealth and standing. William was born in 893 while Rollo was working towards his greatness. This meant that Rollo was absent during most of William’s youth so his upbringing was most likely left predominantly to Poppa who was of Noble birth and would have raised William within that context of privilage and esteem. Rollo ruled until 927, which put William well into adulthood with little chance of ruling… it probably seemed to him that Rollo was going to live forever! This situation left William as a well privelaged adult with not a whole lot to do besides enjoy his Father’s wealth. When Rollo turned over the rule to his son in 927, he may have had concerns but probably felt that his son was capable of ruling and continuing along the path he had set. He also had few other choices… William was his only son and at the time, he was the legitimate heir. Had Rollo chosen someone else to rule, there would have been rebellion from some faction. Rollo died in 931 and William quickly began to make changes and rebelling against his Father’s policies. He set about building up his allegiances and alliances to the French Kings which caused the Norman Nobles to dissent. In 935, he went so far as to marry his younger sister Gerloc to William, Count of Poitou with the approval of Hugh the Great. At the same time he At the same time Longsword married Luitgarde, daughter of Count Herbert II of Vermandois whose dowry gave him the lands of Longueville, Coudres and Illiers l’Eveque. In addition to supporting King Raoul, he was now a loyal ally of his father-in-law, Herbert II, both of whom his father Rollo had opposed. At the time of his arranged marriage to Luitgarde, William had a wife more danica, Sprota as well as his son and heir, Richard. This new marriage left Sprota and Richard in a difficult situation. He did provide for her and Richard during this period as there was reference to her living in her own household at Bayeux under his protection but she was now looked on as a cast off concubine rather than a wife. Richard was left to endure the being the subject of ridicule, the French King Louis “abused the boy with bitter insults”, calling him “the son of a whore who had seduced another woman’s husband.” William’s actions during this time led to his ultimate downfall and death which in turn led to his young son Richard having to fight against all odds to reclaim his title and regain control of Normandy. So, essentially Richard was in much the same position as his Grandfather Rollo had been, fighting and working to achieve his worth and his fame. After regaining control of Normandy in about 960, Richard spent the remainder of his lengthy reign focused on Normandy itself, and participated less in Frankish politics and its petty wars. In lieu of building up the Norman Empire by expansion, he stabilized the realm and reunited the Normans, forging the reclaimed Duchy of his father and grandfather into West Francia’s most cohesive and formidable principality. Rather than outright war, Richard used marriage to build strong alliances. His marriage to Emma of Paris connected him directly to the House of Capet. His second wife, Gunnora, from a rival Viking group in the Cotentin, formed an alliance to that group, while her sisters formed the core group that were to provide loyal followers to him and his successors. His daughters forged valuable marriage alliances with powerful neighboring counts as well as to the king of England. He also strengthened ties to the church presumably understanding how important the church alliances were. Richard also built on his relationship with the church, restoring their lands and ensuring the great monasteries flourished in Normandy. His further reign was marked by an extended period of peace and tranquility. While William may not have been successful in his reign or achievements, his son Richard more than made up for his inadequacies. Also, William’s decision to marry his sister into the house of Poitou and Aquitaine would prove to be one of his better decisions. Gerloc (or Geirlaug), baptised in Rouen as Adela (or Adèle) in 912, was the daughter of Rollo, first duke of Normandy, and his wife, Poppa. She was the sister of Duke William Longsword. In 935, she married William Towhead, the future count of Poitou and duke of Aquitaine. They had two children together before she died on 14 October 962: William IV of Aquitaine Adelaide of Aquitaine, wife of Hugh Capet Through her son William IV of Aquitaine, she would be ancestor to Dukes of Aquitaine and to Eleanor of Aquitaine. Her daughter Adelaide would go on to become a Queen of France. Adbelahide or Adele or Adelaide of Aquitaine (or Adelaide of Poitiers) (c. 945 or 952 – 1004) was the daughter of William III, Duke of Aquitaine andAdele of Normandy, daughter of Rollo of Normandy. Her father used her as security for a truce with Hugh Capet, whom she married in 969. In 987, after the death of Louis V, the last Carolingian king ofFrance, Hugh was elected the new king with Adelaide as queen. They were proclaimed at Senlis and blessed at Noyon. They were the founders of the Capetian dynasty of France. Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became queen Ceased to be queen spouse Adelaide of Aquitaine William III, Duke of Aquitaine c. 945 970 3 July 987 1004 Hugh Rozala of Italy Berengar II of Italy c. 937 988 996 7 February 1003 Robert II Bertha of Burgundy Conrad of Burgundy c. 952 996 1035? Constance of Arles William I, Count of Provence 986 1003 25 July 1034 Matilda of Frisia Liudolf, Margrave of Frisia c. 1024 1034 1044 Henry I Anne of Kiev Yaroslav I, Grand Prince of Kiev c. 1024 19 May 1051 1075 Bertha of Holland Floris I, Count of Holland c. 1055 1072 1094 Philip I Bertrade de Montfort Simon I de Montfort c. 1070 15 May 1092 1117 Adélaide de Maurienne Humbert II, Count of Savoy 1092 3 August 1115 18 November 1154 Louis VI Eleanor of Aquitaine William X, Duke of Aquitaine 1122 22 July 1137 1137 21 March 1152 annulment 1 April 1204 The list of the Capetian dynasty is actually much longer. This above list is just a partial list of Queen Consorts for the Dynasty which continued until the death of Charles the IV in 1328. The dynasty had a crucial role in the formation of the French state. Initially obeyed only in their own demesne, the Île-de-France, the Capetian kings slowly, but steadily, increased their power and influence until it grew to cover the entirety of their realm. For a detailed narration on the growth of French royal power, see Crown lands of France. As you’re wading through all of this you may be wondering where Gisela of France is, and why she is not mentioned anywhere in this information? Well, Gisela is not here because there simply is not enough verifiable evidence to back up her existence let alone her marriage to Rollo. Gisela of France, also called Gisella or Giséle (fl. 911), was traditionally a French princess and the consort of Rollo, duke of Normandy. Gisela had no children. According to tradition, Rollo was betrothed to Gisela, daughter to the king of West Francia, Charles the Simple, after his conversion to Christianity upon his ascension as ruler of Normandy in 911. The marriage and the existence of Gisela are not confirmed. This excerpt from a book called Dictionary of Heroes gives an account of the supposed legend pertaining to Rollo and Gisela and also reaffirms the lack of any proof or evidence to back up the story. If she did exist and did marry Rollo, she died childless and he maintained his previous relationship with Poppa, the Mother of his children. So, for the purposes of lineage and ancestry or descendants of Rollo she would be inconsequential. Also, the accounts taken from the treaty of Saint Clair Epte only state that Rollo offered to marry her as a goodwill gesture. Since there is no definitive proof or documentation of any such actual marriage taking place, perhaps Rollo or Charles decided that the baptism would suffice and there was no need to carry things to such extreme as the marriage between the Viking and a Princess of France! There is a Gisela listed as a daughter of Charles the Simple and his first wife Frederuna, daughter of Dietrich, Count in the Hamaland. Together they had six daughters: Ermentrude Frederuna Adelaide Gisela, wife of Rollo (existence doubtful) Rotrude Hildegarde There is always the possibility that having six daughters, Charles may have been willing to part with one of them in order to achieve some sort of peace but it does seem rather doubtful that a Carolingian King would allow for such an arrangement with one of their princesses that were so highly valued and esteemed. My one thought on this is that the daughter must really have annoyed and irritated him- obviously she would not have been a favored daughter for him to so willingly have traded her to a heathen Viking warrior. Hmmm come to think of it, perhaps it did happen and perhaps Hirst has given us a somewhat more accurate portrayal of history than we give him credit for? If Mr Hirst goes for more historical accuracy with Rollo’s story, perhaps this will be a short lived marriage… Gisla will meet some sort of untimely or unfortunate demise and a woman named Poppa will show up. It’s hard to say where Mr. Hirst will take any of the story but at least now you know truer details of Rollo’s dynasty and legacy that includes so many generations of famous descendants as well as ordinary peons like myself. And, at least now I know why I feel so compelled to remain loyal to Rollo despite his many faults, flaws and errors in judgement! I promised earlier to take a closer, more in depth look at the season 4 preview released at Comi-con. I spent much of yesterday doing just that. It’s amazing how long it can take to watch and re-watch a 1 minute trailer. It’s also amazing how much you can pull out of it when you slow it down, pay close attention and manage to catch somewhat hidden flashes! I believe that I have accomplished that and will share some of those half hidden bits with you here. Before we get into the trailer, it’s content and what it all might mean, I want to remind everyone of a few very important things pertaining to this and other promo trailers. First and foremost, as I have mentioned previously, these trailers are a collection of various scenes and events splice together- often in random order- to pique your interest and grab you attention. If you watch closely, you will see that those events and scenes have been taken apart and re-inserted at random perhaps not so random… but more pivotal moments that will cause you to start guessing and making your own assumptions as to what is happening or will happen. A promo trailer is designed to do just that, to immediately draw you in and create those doubts in your mind so that you want to watch the future episodes to find out if your assumptions and guesses were correct! You also need to be aware that episodes and scenes are not shot consecutively or in any linear fashion. Scenes and events are shot according to things such as location availability and cost effectiveness as far as shooting as many scenes as possible at one place and time with as many cast members as possible in a given location at the same time. So, while the production may have just begun recently, that does not mean that all of these clips are necessarily from just the beginning episodes. Lastly, please remember that I am presenting my personal thoughts on the preview. I was as confused, baffled and curious about what all of this means as the rest of you probably are. This is my attempt to sort through it and make some sense of it for myself and hopefully others of you who are just as confused! If you missed the trailer, here it is again. If you’ve already watched it, it never hurts to watch again and refresh your memory or your thoughts on it as we begin our discussion of it! The entire preview was a bit eerie for me and threw me from the very beginning, listening to Athelstan’s narration of it. Here are his words “Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher. Vanity of vanities. Who is vanity? What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun? One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.” Athelstan After listening to his words throughout the preview, we were then presented with a flash of one who resembles him so much that it becomes one of those curious wtf moments… Please note that I have stated that this is a flash of one who closely resembles Athelstan… we all know that Athelstan is dead. So, short of resurrecting him, I can only assume that this either a vision, or it is one in the future who will bear a great resemblance to him? I am not even going to guess on this one because I really have no clue! Some have put forth the idea that this may be a glimpse of the future when all of the sons are grown and perhaps this is Athelstan’s son Alfred? I do think that with the number of episodes set now at somewhere between 16 and 20, that there could possibly be more than one time jump to get the story to a point where the next generation fully takes over. Hirst has confirmed at least one time jump of a few years, but that would not put the children as old enough to take over on their own. My own thought is that at some later point in the season, perhaps as next season reaches it’s finale there will be that other time jump to all of the children as adults ready to begin that next stage of the Viking era. Now that we have that first curious and mysterious overall feeling out of the way, the biggest WTF moment for most people was of course Floki’s situation! It has left many with conflicted thoughts on it. Even those who have come to hate Floki and want him to receive his justly deserved punishment seem to be a bit unsettled by these scenes of his arrest, his punishment and his possible demise. I have watched the trailer more than a few times and still confused by these scenes of Floki, and Bjorn’s announcement of his arrest. There is just something about the situation and how these clips present it that lead me to wonder about all of it. First of all throughout the trailer, we do see other scenes of Floki, alive and well, fighting with the others. My immediate thought on that is, Ok- do those scenes take place before or after this arrest and his torture? The initial thought would be that they must take place prior to this event, while they are making their way home… which Hirst does say will take a good deal of time- almost two years. So, during that two years, they say nothing of Floki’s betrayal, allowing him to spend that entire time waiting, wondering when the axe will drop on his head… They finally reach home where a number of things await Ragnar’s attention besides Floki’s past betrayal… it would seem that while they were gone so long Aslaug was contemplating her own thoughts of power and reign over Kattegat. Now, realistically, why would she not? If they were gone such a length of time and she had no idea whether they were alive or dead, why would she not think about such a thing. She was in control of the kingdom while Ragnar was gone and the people probably accepted her reign. She went so far as to seek the Seer out for his thoughts on such an event as woman ruling Kattegat. His answer was cryptic as usual but he did say that one day a woman would rule Kattegat. As to whether she would be that woman was left unsaid… It was unsettling to see that the Seer ventured out of his hut into daylight sunshine for once… he should be more careful though, it looks like he may have been out there too long… his skin was probably not used to such exposure and unfortunately, there was no such thing as sunscreen back then! So, Ragnar finally makes it home to find that his people may be having second thoughts about who their ruler is… Bjorn must set them all straight on that count. Aslaug does not look too happy about this? These boys, whom we later recognize as Ragnar’s sons, are quite vocal in their allegiance and praise of their King and father… Another couple who do not look quite as enthusiastic about it are Floki and Helga.. Perhaps that is because the next clip we see is Bjorn ordering the arrest of Floki for the murder of Athelstan… We then see the result of Floki’s arrest and what appears to be his torture… which has a great resemblance to some parallel or symbolism related to Athelstan? We would assume this to be Floki tortured and hanging in some cave at a later point. What we see in between Floki’s arrest and his later torture is Ragnar’s comments to Floki. What we see later are two things that speak of some serious change in Ragnar’s character. We know that his thoughts and his actions are turning more to the dark side…so could these two action be predictions of that darker side? We see what appears to be his very physical reprimand or treatment of Aslaug- something he has never resorted to previously. And, then we see this treatment of Floki… My own personal thought on this scene of Floki being tortured is that I do wonder whether this is out of context to throw us off and assume that it is Ragnar’s doing and that Floki meets his end here. I could see this being Ragnar’s personal revenge upon Floki, especially seeing how his mind is now working. I could also see Ragnar doing this act to show the villagers of Kattegat just who is in charge, and using Floki as an example to show his force and his power. What I can not see or understand is Bjorn and the other villagers completely going along with this act. In their minds, Floki killing a Christian would not have warranted such a punishment and torture as this. Bjorn was Floki’s friend from childhood, he even agreed with Floki on the matter of the Christians and their religion. For Ragnar to make such a public display and example of Floki in this way would not draw these people to remain loyal to him out of trust and belief in him but more out of fear of him and his reprisals… in this way he is becoming more and more like those he fought against- Earl Haraldson and King Horik! If this is truly the path he going down, then his people would most likely looking for some way out from under his control… What I could more easily envision is if Ragnar did do this to show his supreme authority, then others might be willing to secretly rescue him from this fate and send him on his way to some exile with warnings to never return to face Ragnar’s wrath… I could even see Bjorn going along with something such as this if he comes to realize his Father’s darker path. If Bjorn were to aid in such an act and others knew of it, then it would set Bjorn up as a better leader to follow than Ragnar… Perhaps an act such as this is part of why Bjorn sets off on a solitary journey or quest to clear his mind and his heart. In the Comi-con discussion, it was revealed that on learning of Porunn’s departure, Bjorn leaves on this quest to find himself and his true destiny or fate… during which he has the fateful and already famous encounter with the bear. At some point Bjorn does find time to bond with his young half brothers… interestingly, it’s Bjorn’s bonding we see and not Ragnar’s! Another event has set many on edge and to the point of taking sides is of course, the matter of Rollo and his ultimate betrayal of Ragnar and his own blood- his own people. We all knew that it would come down to this and surely Rollo knew that it have to happen eventually as well. Some have noted rightly, that had Ragnar been well enough to make the decision, he would never have left Rollo there in the first place knowing full well what the Seer’s prophecy was. This decision by Bjorn could foreseeably put him and his Father at odds in the future. What ever the case, Rollo had to follow his own fate, his own heart and his destiny knowing fully that he would have to side with the Franks in any future battles against the Vikings. These are the decisions and choices that men, and women must make in their quests for their own power, fame or reputation. Hirst has given fair warning and confirmation that Rollo’s future path will follow closely to that of the real Rollo of history. In that historical context, Rollo pledged his alliance and allegiance to Charles, and he held himself to that oath for as long as Charles was alive. After Charles died, however, all oaths were off the table and Rollo was on good terms with his Viking blood. The preview trailer naturally plays up this ultimate betrayal of his own people, but what we do not know yet is what the reason or context is surrounding this battle and betrayal. What we do see is Rollo coming into his own power within the Frankish dynasty. I personally have no issue with any of this… I have been waiting for three seasons to see Rollo step up and take his own power, his own destiny. I am anxiously awaiting the story of Rollo and his battle for a foothold, a new dynasty in this place that will come to be Normandy, land of Northmen! Three long seasons, I have been by his side in the filth and muck that was his previous life and now finally am rewarded with his upswing, his conquest of both Normandy and Gisla! It appears that we will indeed get to see at least a glimpse of a Royal Wedding, even though neither the Bride or Groom looks all that happy about it. The Bride’s father seems to be the only one remotely happy about it? We also see a glimpse of the unhappy and still rather childish Gisla attempting to take matters of the wedded bliss into her own hands and make herself a widow by morning… As to what Rollo’s reaction will be at awaking to find a dagger at his throat remains to be seen…. I have a hunch that what ever his reaction, Gisla will not be allowed to play with sharp objects any time soon! Yes, there is indeed some sort of battle that ensues between the Franks with Rollo included, and a force of Vikings. We do not know who this group of Vikings are or what their reason is for being in France. Nor do we know when this takes place… we would assume that it takes places some time after that two years of Ragnar’s travel home but we can not be certain of that either. All we know for now is that yes there is a battle and Rollo fights with the Franks, thereby as the wounded warrior states, betraying his own blood and people. We do not even know for sure who this wounded warrior is, whether he is one of Rollo’s men or a warrior from the other side. Now, when Rollo signed his oath of allegiance, his men would have sworn along with him and profited along with him from that decision. Rollo along with his men profited a great deal from this allegiance and would have received land grants in return. That is how Normandy was founded, through those land grants. Perhaps this warrior was a disgruntled man of Rollo’s. I am sure that were would have been some who were not in so much agreement on this decision, or some who might not have taken into consideration everything that the agreement would entail. The initial reward may have been appealing to them but then at some later time such as this, some of them would realize just what this bargain really involved. It also could have been an opposing warrior who is giving the warning that Ragnar will hear of this, he will come to revenge us… We shall have to wait to see what this battle is actually all about! We shall also have to wait to see what this person’s part in the battle is and what if any importance they might be? We do see the return of another rather mysterious character who has as yet not had any real significance in the story… could that be changing though, will we see more of Roland’s story? As to the news that Ragnar is on his way… Rollo knew that fact would be inevitable and this time he will present a much different face and force than in the past. This time, Rollo has come into his own power, his own right and destiny. This time, Rollo is fighting with the entire force of the Franks on his side. He is also fighting now as a Landowner defending what is his. He should not be taken so lightly this time! With that all in mind, it would appear that Ragnar does eventually come… We see a voyage to somewhere that includes at least one of Ragnar’s young sons… We can’t be certain of where this particular journey is to because Hirst makes mention of a number of places this next season. In looking these pictures though, it does not really look like the landscape of France but I could be mistaken! In a few other less obvious and more hidden glimpses, we see someone who looks much like Torvi in her own difficulties once again… Torvi’s difficulties bring us to her current husband, Erlandeur who for no good reason to me, still seems to be alive and well! His appearance is linked to the events surrounding Lagertha and Kalf. Lagertha seems to be having some difficulties as well but has not killed off Kalf yet as previously threatened. She and Kalf remain together for the time being and Kalf gives off an appearance of being in some control and continuing to display a calm form of leadership. What we see of Lagertha seems to be of two separate events, one being some sort of interrupted celebration in which she ruins that beautiful dress with the usual blood stains that seem to follow her! It’s hard to see or know what the interrupted event was or what set her off… The other event involves that earlier traitor, Einar, whom she has apparently finally caught up with after these few years of travel. It also perhaps involves Kalf, and yes even sleazy Erlandeur is involved as a bystander… She and Kalf seem to be on somewhat good terms with each other… as I said, at least she has not killed him off yet? It would appear that Einar may not be so lucky? Now, in watching these scenes and deciphering some of them by looking at their attire in the separate clips… that does give a clue as to putting things together, there is something else going one in the following scenes that has Lagertha concerned, puzzled or even a bit fearful. It’s difficult to know for sure whether this takes place before or after her treatment of Einar. Her revenge of Einar, with Kalf looking on calmly and seemingly giving some approval? Ohhhh yes, and Sleazy Erlandeur is here watching as well… Last but certainly not least by any means, there is Wessex and England to think about because really, this where the future for the Vikings will be most played out and give them their most talked of fame. This is where the sons of Ragnar Lothbrok will eventually leave their mark and do battle with ones such as that grandson of Ecbert, Alfred the Great. King Ecbert still holds his power and gives warning that Ragnar Lothbrok could return at any moment. We do catch a glimpse of Kweni so yes, she is still alive and plotting… but she does appear somewhat rattled or fearful? Interestingly enough, it looks like she’s in a dungeon… and she’s not looking too well if you ask me! Judith, on the other hand seems to be faring much better? She’s survived some serious difficulties in the past but looks like she finding her way to playing to the power game. At the end of last season, we saw her making a start at realizing that she might have some chance in this game. I will update her story soon to include this beginning realization. Good for Judith, I can’t wait to see her figure this all out! One last thing of interest…. we seldom see Ragnar with a look of real fear on his face but something has put this look on him in the next season! We’ve reached another huge milestone and once again it’s time to take a few moments to thank everyone who visits and travels through history with me! A few of you have been here since the beginning with me and I want you to know how much I appreciate your continued following through all of the paths we’ve taken in exploring history. Some of you arrived here via the Sims, where this all started, some made the journey through those mysterious Outlander Stones, and yet others have sailed in with the Vikings! No matter how you have found us, many of you have chosen to stay on the journey. I can not tell you how much it means to me, how much I appreciate your visits, your comments, questions, and your involvement in this site. I bid you all a gracious and heartfelt welcome and hope that you will continue to enjoy exploring the past with me! As I mentioned, we have reached a personal milestone for me- 100,000 views! If you have been with me from the earliest beginnings, you will understand why this is such an amazing accomplishment for me. I began this blog as a way to share my little fantasy world of the Sims 3, my builds, my characters and my stories within that context. One thing has been here since that initial beginning and that has been a life long love of history! I used that Sims platform to begin sharing my love of history, story telling and the weaving of those passions together. I am forever grateful to the Sims 3 for providing me with a basis to begin this journey! If you look back in my archives, you will find the creations, the ideas and the stories that have led us to where we are today- in the middle of the Viking era with historical figures such as Ragnar, Rollo, King Ecbert, King Charles of France and others who will arrive in our future. When I began building the castles and homes of history, I did it with the thought and premise that every building has a history filled with people, events and stories never told. I went on the idea that perhaps if one had such ability, they might be able to feel the vibrations, hear the sounds of that past and see the stories unfold in some way. Much of my early writing was a combination of building or renovation progress and the stories that came to life with that progress. I based it much on the way you might see it if you were renovating a historical building in real life. Each time you strip away a layer of paint or dust, you find a new layer, a new story of the past. As I’ve mentioned, it all began with Sims 3, with castles, with royals, with history and fantasy woven together. Those creations, characters and stories were a huge part of our beginnings here . While I have progressed from them, I have not forgotten them and I am proud of them. That early work enabled me to set a foundation for this blog that I have tried to keep in mind even today as I use other platforms such books and television to hopefully inspire and encourage you on your own explorations of history. My intent has always been to present history in a way that is interesting and captures your attention. I have always tried, from the beginning to present historical facts in a way that you might be curious enough to go off on your own search of history. In the past, I used the Sims 3 platform to weave together a long and ongoing look at history with a huge dose of fantasy… the Sims allowed me to explore that venue, that realm of vampires, fairies, witches and time travel and use them in telling the stories of the past. As I used that method, I always tried to incorporate actual events, facts and real life mysteries where ever possible along the way. Those early stories, while often fanciful did lead us through history from the present to the past and back again. Yes, I have taken a break from them, but as any writer can attest to, sometimes you need to step back, take a long break, and perhaps re-evaluate your work. The story remains in the background waiting for that time when you can return, re-focused with a clearer idea of where to go. That is where my story is… always in the back of my mind, always in my heart, waiting for that time when I can return to it and give it the proper attention and focus that it deserves! In a way, my deviation and time away from the story is actually a way of doing more research into the past while keeping my original story and those characters that are now like a part of my family in mind. In some ways, the paths are always connected whether or not you are ever aware of it. My mind continues to research, to piece together events and people together in relation to my beloved story of the past, the present and the future! For those of you who have arrived later in the journey and have not searched this space for other bits of information, I can only suggest and hope that you take some time during your visits here to explore those other times, places and stories that are stored here! My archives have become a rather vast vault of time and history spanning from the earliest Roman history in Britain, to that now ever present Viking era that involves so much more than just the Vikings, it veers from tales and history of King Arthur to the mysteries of the princes of the tower. Our journey through time brought us to the world of Outlander, where we became lost in the Standing Stones and spent much time in the 1700s of Scotland and early America, and because of that trip, we found ourselves immersed in the world of the Vikings and early Saxon history! As a result, we are now on a journey through the early medieval period that includes those Vikings, Saxons, and everyone else in between that the Vikings influenced from the Frankish Empire to the creation of Normandy and the eventual battle for a united Kingdom of Britain, as well as future travels to Iceland, Ireland, Scotland, and possibly even on to earliest explorations of North America. So, how do my early stories of history still remain connected to this present path we are on? Well, for that you need to take a look at some of those early stories and where my characters have been in the past. First of all, you may need a short summary of how their stories actually began with a fantasy called Royals Castle and a young woman named Eleanor Deguille… my first blog entries covered the beginnings of her story and her life. She began at Royals Castle, traveled through time to various points in history, arrived in the present and then travelled back again. Throughout her story, she met a number of historical figures, viewed some important events and, her story introduced us to some other important characters who had their own stories to tell. Eleanor’s story was the start of this blog! If you are interested, you can read those earliest beginnings here: https://timeslipsblog.wordpress.com/2013/07/19/eleanors-journal-entries/ For another look at Eleanor and how her life is woven together within the threads of history and legends, you can read this story about the legends of Avalon, Melusine the Water Goddes and my interpretation of that legend as it shows up through history with people such as Henry VIII and his ancestors making claims to being descended from Arthur and even Melusine! Melusine is a legend or tale that has it’s origins in early France, mainly Poitou, the low countries, and Normandy! She was often referred to as the fairy of Normandy, or Bretagne. Connecting Eleanor to this legend gave her a more solid connection to the history of France. https://timeslipsblog.wordpress.com/melusinas-story-a-royals-link-to-avalon/ Eleanor Deguille’s mysterious life eventually connected her to the beginnings of tales of Britain, Romans and a man named Arthur… that is was where her life, her time travel and her story began. While her story and the rest of it is steeped in the fantasy of those Vampires, Witches, Fairies and time travel, it is woven together with those real events of history. Eleanor’s story took her from that early beginning in the fairy tale realm of British history to the 1400s and 1500s of France, England and Scotland. In those earliest beginnings we met a man named Eric North. Eric’s story is just as important as Eleanor’s and it is a connecting point for that earliest time in Britain’s history. Eric’s story begins in the present day, and then goes on to tell the story of the earliest migrations of the Norse to areas of Northern Britannia as it was known then by the Romans who inhabited the isle. Eric began his life in one of the far off North places and made a journey by sea as a young child with his family to a place now known as the Isle of Skye on the coast of Scotland. He spent his youth growing up in that place which would eventually become Dunvegan Castle. I used this place and this Castle as the setting for Eric’s birthplace and ancestral home because of it’s rich ties to early Viking history as well as it’s stories of such mythical things as the Fairie Flag. It’s location also lent itself well to making it plausible as a place that some of those earliest travelers might have made their way to. I have always attempted to make those connections where ever possible when weaving together the fantasy and the history. You can read part of Eric’s story here: https://timeslipsblog.wordpress.com/2014/06/20/eleanors-journal72-erics-memories-a-time-before-vampyres-and-a-life-of-contradictions/ While Eric’s character and story are that of the fantasy realm, his story does make the connections from that earliest migration of the Norse, their settling in this new unknown place and their eventual plausible meetings with the Romans who were attempting to advance from the southern portions of Britannia into the northern portions which were already inhabited by groups such these ancient Norse and Picts… Eric’s story tells of the rich history those northern regions now known as Scotland. His story presents the earliest known legends and theories that go back as far as Egyptian migrations to that area! You can find more of the ancient history of the Romans and the Norse migration here: https://timeslipsblog.wordpress.com/2014/06/24/from-the-creator-ancient-history-connects-the-norse-with-romans-and-king-arthur/ This early post explains some of the theories and thoughts on possible Egyptian migration to Ireland and Scotland! https://timeslipsblog.wordpress.com/2014/07/20/from-the-creator-historical-information/ As to why I chose the Isle of Skye for the setting, you can read that here: https://timeslipsblog.wordpress.com/2014/06/02/from-the-creator-some-historical-background/ If you go back and read some of these early posts, I think you will see how Eric came to play such an important part in my story, how he sort of took over the story with his life and his story and why he remains such an important connection for me on my path through history which has landed me in this time of the Vikings and kept me here for so long! All of those early stories of history have led us to where we are right now, exploring the real history of all of those people that Michael Hirst and other creators/authors introduce us to! One such important person is Rollo, who we have seen claw his way out of the shadows and darkness of his early life to put himself on the path to his own fame and dynasty. Recently, I began reading a book about our Viking, Rollo’s descendant, William the Conqueror and was rather surprised to find a mention of the Fairie Flag in it. The Fairie Flag is one of those relics of Dunvegan Castle that I originally found so intriguing when researching a past for my character, Eric. http://fairyroom.com/2013/01/fairy-flag-of-dunvegen/ More information on the history of Scotland, Clans, Dunvegan Castle and the Fairy Flag can be found in this early post: https://timeslipsblog.wordpress.com/2014/06/21/from-the-creator-some-history-of-clans-in-scotland/ Now, as I mentioned, the book I was reading was about William the Conqueror and Normandy so I was immediately puzzled and curious about this reference to the Fairy Flag. The book is The Lion and the Rose: William Rising by Hilary Rhodes. It is the first book in a series about William, his history and his conquest of England. Yes, it is historical fiction, but it is extremely well researched and I think it presents a great picture of the man and his path to the Crown of England. The author presents and provides some excellent resources and references as well as weaving together an interesting story! http://www.amazon.com/Lion-Rose-Book-One-William-ebook/dp/B00L4K5GKE/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1433189138&sr=1-3&keywords=the+lion+and+the+rose In the beginning of the book, William’s Father, Robert the Magnificent or Robert the Devil, travels to the Byzantine Empire where he meets the Empress Zoe, who shares a foreshadowing, a prophecy of his future with him. That prophecy is a bit of a puzzle for readers to decipher throughout the book or books. I found it interesting, intriguing and of course I had to go in search of answers! The prophecy states: The fighting man and the wyvern and the fairie flag, all will come, and all will give battle, but it is the lion that reaches for the roots. I can not see the end of that. I can not see if it will be enough. The deepest roots can be ripped free. And there is a great ripping to come, aye. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_I,_Duke_of_Normandy In attempting to make sense of this puzzle, there is one other piece of information that shows up on the same page and is an important clue. This bit of information ultimately gives us the answer to the puzzle of the Fairie Flag and links the entire story and history of Dunvegan Castle to that of the Vikings. That clue is found in the mention of one Harald Sigurdsson… otherwise known as Harald Hardrada! Harald Sigurdsson (Old Norse: Haraldr Sigurðarson; c. 1015 – 25 September 1066), given the epithet Hardrada (harðráði, roughly translated as “stern counsel” or “hard ruler”) in the sagas, was King of Norway (as Harald III) from 1046 to 1066. In addition, he unsuccessfully claimed the Danish throne until 1064 and the English throne in 1066. Prior to becoming king, Harald had spent around fifteen years in exile as a mercenary and military commander in Kievan Rus’ and in the Byzantine Empire. When he was fifteen years old, in 1030, Harald fought in the Battle of Stiklestad together with his half-brother Olaf Haraldsson (later Saint Olaf). Olaf sought to reclaim the Norwegian throne, which he had lost to the Danish king Cnut the Great two years prior. In the battle, Olaf and Harald were defeated by forces loyal to Cnut, and Harald was forced in exile to Kievan Rus’ (the sagas’ Garðaríki). He thereafter spent some time in the army of Grand Prince Yaroslav the Wise, eventually obtaining rank as a captain, until he moved on to Constantinople with his companions around 1034. In Constantinople, he soon rose to become the commander of the Byzantine Varangian Guard, and saw action on the Mediterranean Sea, in Asia Minor, Sicily, possibly in the Holy Land, Bulgaria and in Constantinople itself, where he became involved in the imperial dynastic disputes. Harald amassed considerable wealth during his time in the Byzantine Empire, which he shipped to Yaroslav in Kievan Rus’ for safekeeping. He finally left the Byzantines in 1042, and arrived back in Kievan Rus’ in order to prepare his campaign of reclaiming the Norwegian throne. Possibly to Harald’s knowledge, in his absence the Norwegian throne had been restored from the Danes to Olaf’s illegitimate son Magnus the Good. In 1046, Harald joined forces with Magnus’s rival in Denmark (Magnus had also become king of Denmark), the pretender Sweyn Estridsson, and started raiding the Danish coast. Magnus, unwilling to fight his uncle, agreed to share the kingship with Harald, since Harald in turn would share his wealth with him. The co-rule ended abruptly the next year as Magnus died, and Harald thus became the sole ruler of Norway. Domestically, Harald crushed all local and regional opposition, and outlined the territorial unification of Norway under a national governance. Harald’s reign was probably one of relative peace and stability, and he instituted a viable coin economy and foreign trade. Probably seeking to restore Cnut’s “North Sea Empire“, Harald also claimed the Danish throne, and spent nearly every year until 1064 raiding the Danish coast and fighting his former ally, Sweyn. Although the campaigns were successful, he was never able to conquer Denmark. Not long after renouncing his claim to Denmark, the former Earl of Northumbria, Tostig Godwinson, brother of the newly chosen English king Harold Godwinson, pledged his allegiance to Harald and invited him to claim the English throne. Harald went along and entered Northern England in September 1066, raided the coast and defeated English regional forces in the Battle of Fulford near York. Although initially successful, Harald was defeated and killed in an attack by Harold Godwinson’s forces in the Battle of Stamford Bridge. Modern historians have often considered Harald’s death at Stamford Bridge, which brought an end to his invasion, as the end of the Viking Age. Harald is also commonly held to have been the last great Viking king, or even the last great Viking. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harald_Hardrada Harald Hardrada could be considered as the fighting man of the prophecy, but what connection would that have in relation to the other parts, such as the Fairie Flag of Dunvegan Castle? What does the Fairie Flag or Dunvegan have to do with this at all? Well, for that, you need to know the history of Dunvegan Castle, and the theories on the origins of the Fairie flag! https://timeslipsblog.wordpress.com/2014/06/09/from-the-creator-history-of-dunvegan-castle/ Although three individual Chiefs in the last seven generations have been comprehensively ruined by the apocalyptic difficulties caused by the unrelenting hostility from centralised government towards the Clan system practised behind the Highland line, they have remained faithful to the Rock. Dunvegan Castle is said to be the oldest inhabited castle in Northern Scotland, having been occupied by the Chiefs of MacLeod continuously, for over seven centuries and still today remaining the Ancestral home of the present chief, Hugh MacLeod of MacLeod, the 30th of the line, and his family. Geneologies trace the origins of the McClures and the MacLeods to a thirteenth century fellow named Leod (1200-1283), the son of Olaf the Black, King of the Isle of Man, who in turn was the descendent of the eleventh century Norse King Harald Hardrada. Leod married Lady Macarailt, an heiress to Dunvegan, the birth of their two sons (Tormond and Torquil) marking the entry of the MacLeods into Dunvegan and the pages of history. Very simply, “Mac” is a Gaelic word meaning “son of” with Tormond fathering the MacLeods of Harris, and Torquil begetting the MacLeods of Lewis. (Incidentally, the McClure’s are the descendents of Tormond.) As to the theories on the Fairie Flag… Legends, however fantastic or far-fetched they may appear to be, are rarely without some trace of historical fact. When a relic survives to tell its own story, that at least is one fact it is impossible to ignore. The precious Fairy Flag of Dunvegan, the most treasured possession of the Clan, is just such a relic …The traditional tales about its origin, some of them very old indeed, have two themes – Fairies and Crusaders. Fairy stories are difficult to relate to fact; they often occur as a substitute for forgotten truth. The connection with the Crusades can, however, be linked to the only definite information available as to the origin of the Fairy Flag – the fabric, thought once to have been dyed yellow, is silk from the Middle East (Syria or Rhodes); experts have dated it between the 4th and 7th centuries A.D., in other words, at least 400 years before the First Crusade. So was it the robe of an early christian saint? Or the war banner of Harold Hardrada, King of Norway, killed in 1066, or did it emerge mysteriously from some grassy knoll in Skye? The Legends are all we have to guide us to the answer. So, there is our connection between Harald Hardrada, the Fairie Flag and Dunvegan Castle! Harald’s connection to the prophecy and to William the Conqueror is that he was one of the fighting men attempting to lay claim to the crown of England at the same time as William. He felt he also had a valid claim and chose to fight Harald Godwinsson for it. It is sometimes thought that his battle with Harald brought about the end of the Viking age, and the end of Harald’s rule of England as well. Harald Godwinsson and his forces defeated Harald Hardrata at the Battle of Stamford Bridge but did not have time to recover fully before having to turn around and face William and his army at Hastings. The forces were well evenly matched and the battle was close. It is thought that had Godwinsson’s army been better rested and recovered from the previous battle with Hardrada, they would probably have been victorious in the battle of Hastings. There is one bit of information on Harald Hardrada that should be of interest to all of us who are waiting for the next raiding season of the Vikings Saga to arrive… Harald Hardrada was a descendant and a member of the Fairhair/Finehair dynasty of Norway. A member of that dynasty is rumored to be arriving on our Viking shores soon! One Harald Finehair and brother, Halfdan the Black will be showing up as rivals and threats to Ragnar. https://timeslipsblog.wordpress.com/2015/05/06/vikings-season-4-coming-soon-to-a-village-near-you/ Harald Fairhair (Old Norse: Haraldr Hárfagri, Norwegian: Harald Hårfagre; c. 850 – c. 932) was remembered by medieval historians as the first King of Norway. According to traditions current in Norway and Iceland in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, he reigned from c. 872 to 930. Most of his life remains uncertain, since the extant accounts of his life in the sagas were set down in writing around three centuries after his lifetime. A few remnants of skaldic praise poems attributed to contemporary court poets exist which seem to refer to Harald’s victories against opponents in Norway. The information supplied in these poems is inconsistent with the tales in the sagas in which they are transmitted, and the sagas themselves often disagree on the details of his background and biography. Two of his sons, Eric Bloodaxe and Haakon the Good, succeeded Harald to become kings after his death. A last bit of interesting information on Harald Hardrada…. it seems that there has been some effort and attempt being made to make a bio-pic movie about his life. I just recently came across a few articles regarding the possibility of Leonardo DeCaprio producing and starring in such a movie. The articles are a bit dated though and I have heard nothing else about such a project. I am curious about it and wonder if it is still going forward…. With all of interest now in Viking history, I would think it might do well! http://www.slashfilm.com/leonardo-dicaprio-producing-and-could-star-in-viking-film-king-harald/ This battle for the crown of England was much a case of family disputes and feuds over who had right or claim to that crown. Harald Hardrada had a claim based on his link to the previous ruler, Harthacanut of Denmark and England but realistically he had a very weak claim at best. Harald Godwinsson had no real claim either, the only with any true justifiable blood claim to the crown was indeed William the Conqueror, who was at least a blood relative- even though distant- of King Edward. So, in this sense, William would end up digging deep into the family roots and toppling all to claim the crown. The only other person with a better and legitimate blood claim was unfortunately a young boy with no hope of winning any battle for the crown. The one other part of the prophecy that we have not mentioned yet is the wyvern. A wyvern (// WEYE-vərn), sometimes spelled wivern, is a legendary winged creature with a dragon‘s head and wings; a reptilian body; two legs; and a barbed tail. The wyvern in its various forms is important to heraldry, frequently appearing as a mascot of schools and athletic teams (chiefly in the United States and United Kingdom). It is a popular creature in European and British literature, video games, and modern fantasy. The wyvern is often (but not always) associated with cold weather and ice, and it will sometimes possess a venomous bite or have the ability to breathe fire. The wyvern is a frequent charge in English heraldry and vexillology, also occasionally appearing as a supporter or crest. In regards to it’s mention in the prophecy, a wyvern is used as symbol in one very important place. The Wyvarn is depicted as the symbol of Wessex, the home of Ecbert and his descendents including Alfred the Great and on to Edward the Confessor who left the future rule of England in such dispute and question that his witan/council even went so far as to search for a long exiled and hidden heir residing in Hungary! After the Danish conquest of England in 1016, Canute had the sons of Edward’s half brother Edmund Ironside, Edward said to be only a few months old, and his brother, Edmund, sent to the Swedish court of Olof Skötkonun (who was either Canute’s half-brother or stepbrother), supposedly with instructions to have the children murdered. Instead, the two boys were secretly sent either to Kiev, where Olof’s daughter Ingigerd was the Queen, or to Poland, where Canute’s uncle Bolesław I Chrobry was duke. Later Edward made his way to Hungary, probably in the retinue of Ingigerd’s son-in-law, András in 1046, whom he supported in his successful bid for the Hungarian throne. Many years later when it became apparent that King Edward and his wife Edyth were not going to produce and heir, a search for any missing heirs ensued and Edward the exile was found in Hungary. On hearing the news of his being alive, Edward the Confessor recalled him to England in 1056 and made him his heir. Edward offered the last chance of an undisputed succession within the Saxon royal house. News of Edward’s existence came at a time when the old Anglo-Saxon Monarchy, restored after a long period of Danish domination, was heading for catastrophe. The Confessor, personally devout but politically weak and without children, was unable to make an effective stand against the steady advance of the powerful and ambitious sons of Godwin, Earl of Wessex. From across the Channel William, Duke of Normandy, also had an eye on the succession. Edward the Exile appeared at just the right time. Approved by both king and by the Witan, the Council of the Realm, he offered a way out of the impasse, a counter both to the Godwinsons and to William, and one with a legitimacy that could not be readily challenged. Edward, who had been in the custody of Henry III, the Holy Roman Emperor, finally came back to England at the end of August 1057. But he died within two days of his arrival. The exact cause of Edward’s death remains unclear, but he had many powerful enemies, and there is a strong possibility that he was murdered, although by whom is not known with any certainty. It is known, though, that his access to the king was blocked soon after his arrival in England for some unexplained reason, at a time when the Godwinsons, in the person of Harold, were once again in the ascendant. This turn of events left the throne of England to be disputed by Earl Harold and Duke William, ultimately leading to the Norman Conquest of England. Edward the exile did leave an heir, a young boy- Edgar the Aetheling who was immediately made heir apparent or Atheling. When Edward died, the boy, a young teen at the time was too young to successfully wage a fight for the crown or win any war that was certain to follow. The council feared being taken over again by outsiders waiting for a chance to claim England so they chose instead to elect Harald Godwinsson to the rule. Edgar eventually found asylum in Scotland with Malcom III, who had married Edgar’s sister Margaret. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_the_%C3%86theling http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_the_Confessor Wessex is often symbolised by a wyvern or dragon. Both Henry of Huntingdon and Matthew of Westminster talk of a golden dragon being raised at the Battle of Burford in AD 752 by the West Saxons. The Bayeux Tapestry depicts a fallen golden dragon, as well as a red/golden/white dragon at the death of King Harold II, who was previously Earl of Wessex. However, dragon standards were in fairly wide use in Europe at the time, being derived from the ensign of the Roman cohort, and there is no evidence that it identified Wessex. Why is any of this important in relation to where we’re at now in history with the Viking age? It is extremely important because the Vikings of our Vikings saga as presented by Michael Hirst, and hopefully soon the onscreen version of Bernard Cornwell’s Saxon Chronicles, will soon move on to the next years, the next era of the Viking history that includes so much more than just the story of Ragnar Lodbrok and his adventures. We will soon be traveling to the time when Ragnar’s sons and so many others make their own marks and contributions to history. We will see the beginning of Rollo’s great dynasty in Normandy take shape, we will see Ecbert’s grandson, Alfred the Great will take his place in history. The battles for land and claims to kingdoms will begin in earnest and we will witness all of it. As we do, I will continue to help weave the history and the stories together, and perhaps one of these days, I will even find time and inspiration to return to some of my original stories. I hope that all of you will remain on the journey with me and enjoy all of it! OMG! Ok, I do not have much time right now to go in depth about this final epic event that will leave all of us tearing our hair out and drinking far too much mead for the foreseeable future as we try to return to our normal lives for the next months as we wait for the next raiding season. I just want to give my first thoughts on it. I will have a full review on Sunday or Monday… Damn real life things like work keep interfering with my fantasy life! I just finished watching the finale and am now torn between wanting to give Mr. Hirst my undying gratitude for putting Rollo’s story in high gear, and also wanting to put him at the top of my hate/hit list for leaving so much hanging, so many questions and puzzles with no answers until next year! I want to grab Lagertha’s stealth maidens- well who ever is left of them- and go on a covert mission into Hirst’s computer and find my answers cause it’s going to drive me nuts! And, if he thinks that meager little teaser of Bjorn and the Bear is going to appease me, he is sooo wrong! Thanks and credit to the wonderful group of friends at Vikings Aftermath on facebook for this screen art and the following one of Mr. Michael Hirst! https://www.facebook.com/groups/1549964118584940/ First of all, My undying gratitude to you Mr. Hirst for giving us Rollo’s story and his future. Because of you, more people have taken an interest in the real history of Rollo and that always makes me happy! Of course, I must add my thanks and greatest fan appreciation of Mr. Clive Standen who has brought the character to life for us! History tells us various stories about the man, Rollo but, Clive Standen has managed to put a face (and, as a fan, I must add, a very handsome one at that!), and heart rending emotion to the Character of Rollo. I know that as with all historical fiction, Mr. Hirst has to continually play with time lines, events and characters in order to fit the scope of the story he is telling. What I appreciate so much is that within all of those twists and bends of history, Hirst does always run a thread of truth through the story. He has not failed me with his coming interpretation of Rollo’s destiny as founder of Normandy! For more insight on what the future will hold, here are a few previews and interviews with Michael Hirst regarding the future! This was a transformative season for Rollo. One of the standout scenes was his conversation with the seer. At the time, he was a man who seemed to have nothing left. But now, in Paris, his legend seems even larger than Ragnar’s. Can you talk about where his journey will take him, going forward? The conversation with the seer was critical and vital. It’s also one of the best moments for Clive [Standen] in the entire show. We happened to have a great female director [Helen Shaver] at the time, and I think she encouraged him to give a really emotional, deeply felt performance. And he was saying: “I’m worthless. I’ll always be in Ragnar’s shadow. It’s not worth me being alive, frankly.” And the seer told him: “If you know what I knew, you’d be dancing naked on the beach.” So Rollo’s been on a private journey to work out what the f— that actually meant. For a long time, he can’t figure it. The raid is so disastrous. So many things go wrong. He has a glimpse of the Frankish princess. For some reason, he’s drawn to her. And when they come to him with this offer, I think that the pieces start to fall into place. He thinks that this is why he should dance naked on the sand. He is being given the opportunity to be his own man. What he said to Ragnar in the coffin was: “I’m surprised that you went first. And I’m sure you are, too. We all thought the gods favored you, and not me.” Here, it looks to him—reading into what the seer said—that the gods, at last, are favoring him. He’s come out of that in a totally extraordinary way. He is on the verge of a big, huge change in his life. Which is a good setup for the new season. And of course [laughs] if anyone wants to read the history books, they can find out how important Count Rollo was in French history. Earlier this season, it felt to me as if, after many years of turmoil between them, Rollo and Ragnar were very much united. Could he once again turn on his brother? I think he knows that that is what his part of the bargain is. It’s costing the French Emperor a lot of money. But it’s a very clever move. How do you beat a Viking? You hire another Viking to do it. As far as the brothers are concerned, Rollo has confessed to what he thought was a dead Ragnar that he’s never got over his jealousy. So Ragnar knows. And remember, it wasn’t Ragnar who let Rollo stay. He was too sick to make that decision. It was Bjorn. Ragnar, I don’t think, would have ever allowed Rollo to stay. And I don’t think that Ragnar ever forgave Rollo. He just let him go because he was blood. I really don’t think that Ragnar felt able to forgive Rollo. http://www.ew.com/article/2015/04/23/vikings-season-finale-michael-hirst Here is another article dealing with the finale! http://www.tvguide.com/news/the-vikings-finale-just-pulled-off-the-most-epic-bait-and-switch/ Although Micahel Hirst is the undisputed genius creator behind this Vikings saga, he does have some incredible help in putting all of this history into context. Meet the man who makes sure Vikings is historically accurate: interview with Justin Pollard! Justin Pollard is an archaeologist, author, screenwriter, and consultant who has worked as a historical consultant on a large number of movies and popular television programs, including the History Channel’s Vikings. In this short interview we discuss how he got into this line of work, his research, and the mythological and historic roots of Vikings. First things first: Among other things, you’re a historical consultant on a variety of great television shows. I’m envious! How did you get into this line of work? I started out after Cambridge as a field archaeologist working for the Museum of London on Thomas Becket’s old monastery at Merton. After a year there the unit rather abruptly folded due to lack of funding and, combines with a tragedy in the family, I was left wondering what to do next really. I thought about going back into academe but I didn’t want to have to narrow down my frankly dilettante interests to one period or subject so I needed to invent a job for myself. This was the mid 1990s and a lot of US companies were starting to commission historical documentaries from London TV production houses so I started writing to lots of them offering my services as a historical consultant/ researcher/ writer. After a lot of polite refusals one company took me up on the offer and I’ve been fairly consistently employed ever since. How did you become attached to Vikings? That’s all thanks to Michael Hirst the writer and show-runner. I had my ‘break’ into movies in 1997/8 when I was asked to advise on a movie called Elizabeth starring Cate Blanchett. The writer was Michael and we got along so well that we’ve been working together ever since. It was working on The Tudors that Michael mentioned he wanted to write about the Vikings. I had written a biography of Alfred the Great, who we’d previously talked about making a movie of, and mentioned the somewhat obscure history of Ragnar and his sons. Michael took it from there. What kinds of preparation do you make when you’re going to start consulting on a program? Do you do field research, reach out to historians, visit the library? The research process has changed dramatically since I started. When I began you’d go to the British Library for a month and call up book after book, searching for those little individual nuggets of information that inform a scene – those small details that make it instantly believable but still strange and wonderful. These days much more is online. From my study in Dorset I have access to very large reference collections, the whole of JSTOR for academic papers as well as the usual online academic sources. Not only has having these available online reduced the need for library work but the search-ability of online sources has radically changed the time it takes to find things out. Failing inline sources I can now order a book over the net in minutes and have it delivered from just about anywhere in the world in a matter of days. I have a very eclectic library! The face to face work comes these days mainly from visiting museums and academics. I keep in touch with lots of great academics from around the world who are unfailingly helpful withe everything from small queries about 16th century etiquette to how to swear in Old Low Franconian. For more of the interview go here! http://suvudu.com/2015/04/meet-the-man-who-makes-sure-vikings-is-historically-accurate.html Now, as to my personal thought on the idea of Rollo betraying Ragnar again. I do not see it that way and I hope that it really does not come down to that… although, that may be the way Ragnar will perceive it. In my opinion, Rollo is just doing what he feels he needs to do for himself now. He realizes that he and Ragnar will never see things the same way and in his mind, Ragnar has done his own share of betraying their people. I will go more into this when I post the rest of my thoughts along with the in depth review. Now, on to the second half of my thoughts right now… the ones where I wish to recruit who ever is left of Lagertha’s elite stealth maidens and make a covert hit on Michael Hirst’s private notes to answer those puzzles and questions that will drive me nuts while I wait for next season! Just a few of the nagging unanswered questions I will spend the next months trying to figure out on my own… Where the hell did Porunn go, and will we ever see her again? I’m sure we will, but will we even recognize her when she shows up again? What’s going on in Wessex… and what is so damn important about baby Magnus in the future? I hope that Kweni finds a somewhat rational and sane nursemaid for him or we could see a truly berserker future ruler of Mercia- even more so than Kweni herself… now that’s a scary thought! Does Judith manage to find a way out of this nasty web that Ecbert has her caught in? I hope she does not become a dead victim cause I do like her. Then, there is the whole puzzle of Kalf… Ohhhh Kalf, Please do not turn out to be another evil, devious villain… we have more than enough of those already! What about slimely little scum Erlandeur, Why, ohhh Why is that boy still alive even now and would someone please kill him quickly next season! for all of those questions you have left us with Mr. Hirst, I must agree with this thought! Ahhhhh and one last thought today for you Mr. Hirst… if you think this tiny snippet preview of next season is going to appease me, Please think again! First of all, I do apologize for the delay in my post and review of last week’s events. It’s been a bit hectic and chaotic here in Paris! Our visit is not going as well as planned and everyone, including me, is at their breaking point! Our people are wounded, sick and dying faster than we can care for them or count the dead. I do have to admit right now that while I will be sad at this season ending, especially in such loss to all of us… I am mentally and emotionally exhausted and am in desperate need of a real vacation after this! Somewhere warm, quiet and filled with luxury will do me just fine at this point! I also apologize for the extreme length of this post! I usually try to break them up but am running behind this week and did want to make sure I got it all posted! Another attempt was made to get inside Paris… this time it was planned and executed by Lagertha and Rollo. I do want to say that even though it too ended in complete and utter disaster, it could be looked on as success in some ways. They did get inside this time, and Rollo did end up making a name and great reputation for himself as a result of the attack. In fact, the Franks were so impressed with his actions that they wanted to know more about him! I will touch on that later. What I want to bring up now is the initial portion of the attack in which Lagertha and her shieldmaidens made a covert stealth move to the bridge and eventually made their way inside without notice. The reason I mention this is because when I first heard of the plan for the bridge, I was reminded of part of the actual attacks in history. I should have said something right then and made my own suggestions… but alas I am not in a position to give out tactical advice and be taken seriously. In the attack of Paris in 885-886, which Rollo was involved in… For two months the Vikings maintained the siege, making trenches and provisioning themselves off the land. In January 886 they tried to fill the river shallows with debris, plant matter, and the bodies of dead animals and dead prisoners to try to get around the tower. They continued this for two days. On the third day they set three ships alight and guided them towards the wooden bridge. The burning ships sank before they could set the bridge on fire, but the wooden construction was nonetheless weakened. On 6 February, rains caused the river (still filled with debris) to overflow and the bridge supports gave way. The bridge gone, the northeast tower was now isolated with only twelve defenders inside. The Vikings asked the twelve to surrender, but they refused, and were all subsequently killed. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Paris_(885%E2%80%9386) That is of little consequence here and now. They went with Lagertha’s plan to sneak into the city and open the gates for Rollo’s army of warriors. It was not without it’s own hazards and death but Lagertha held up her end even while watching her shieldmaidens get dowsed with boiling oil. She fought fire with fire, and set the gates flaming so Rollo’s group could enter. My own personal thought is… Ok, now the damn gates are permanently open for quite a while- those gates can’t just be replaced over night! Wouldn’t it be relatively easy for us to swarm through there at a later time? Just a thought… now back to what actually happened! The gates were on fire and easily knocked down for our men to enter. This is where it all once again, started to go so terribly wrong for us! While the Franks were initially surprised by this attack, they were quick to man their defense which as usual for them included advance war machines. While Odo set about preparing this defense, a worried Gisla prepared her women and warned them not to be taken alive by these barbaric heathens. As our Viking warriors raced into the hall towards the inner city, they were suddenly met with the Frankish secret weapon… a literal wheel of death! This wheel is truly a grisly weapon of mass torture and death as it rolls down the hall over our men who can not out run it fast enough! Rollo was not deterred by it though, he was determined to get into this city and some machine was not going to stop him! While Odo, his army, and yes, Gisla watched in some amazement and even awe, Rollo fought like a mad man… a true berserker against them all! Eventually even Rollo had to admit defeat, retreat, and haul ass out of there! During this battle there is something else to note… that would be the true spinelessness of this King Charles. I actually had some empathy for Odo as he attempted to get Charles to at least go down and show his face to his troops as a way of inspiring them to fight. Count Odo begged the King to make an appearance for the sake of the Holy Mother. He even tried to spur Charles on with a reference to Charlamaigne, his Grandfather, how Charlamaigne would have put on his armor and fought with his men. Charles replied to these requests first by stating that if the Holy Mother was on their side protecting them, then what did they need of him? His response to the comment about Charlamaigne was, “I am not him, I am not my Grandfather Charlamaigne” I’m sure that Odo’s thought at the time was one of, No unfortunately for all of us, you are not… you are a worthless and spineless imitation of any King and we are stuck with you!” Now back to Rollo and his retreat for self preservation in order fight another day… As I mentioned earlier, this was actually a success for him in some ways. His actions during this fight brought him fame, attention and even some respect in the eyes of the Franks, and his retreat ensured that he would still be alive to appreciate it later! During the battle, our warrior Sigfrid and our wanderer Sinric were captured and brought before the court where their fate would be decided, not so much by Charles- for he stayed mostly silent during this event, his mind thinking of other things- but by Odo and by Gisla… it is here that we find out the thoughts these people were having about our Rollo. There was much discussion about what to do with these prisoners, whether they were of any value or not? during the discussion, Odo wants to know of the great warrior that managed to take down their machine with his bare hands. Everyone is speaking of this wild and brave warrior? Sinric replies, “That is Rollo, brother to the King Ragnar… he fights like a crazed bear!” And, so Rollo’s fame and reputation have begun… to the Franks he will now ever be known as that wild Viking warrior bear! Odo decided that Sinric would be of future use to them and so spared his life. To Odo’s credit, he did make some attempt as well to spare Sigfrid’s life by suggesting that he as an earl might be worth bartering for? He was shot down by a now somewhat more petulant Gisla, who demands that Odo bring her his head if he cares anything for her. Now, possibly Gisla was thinking that after such a disaster, her people needed to see themselves in more control of this situation? Perhaps she felt that they were so cowed and awed by the actions of Rollo that they needed to see a different side of these Viking warriors… they needed to see one taken down and conquered by death. Perhaps she felt that her people needed to see a Viking warrior die in front of them to counteract the now legendary fighting of Rollo. What ever she might be attempting to achieve in this situation, the reality was that she came across as the petulant demanding princess that she could probably be quite often. Odo was not exactly in favor of the idea but if it would score him points in Gisla’s favor, he was willing to go along with it. After all, it was just another heathen they were killing… This came down to a sort of compromise between Odo and Gisla. Odo got to keep the different one, Sinric and Gisla got her wish for Sigfrid’s head. Sigfrid would eventually lose his head but, he would have the last laugh before it was finished! Odo shows he does have some compassion for a dying man’s last wishes and goes along with Sigrid’s request… Sigfrid pulled back his head at the last minute and the axe went through the man’s hand… Needless to say, Odo and Gisla did not see the humor in it… Sinric tried to hide hi
wrong_mix_range_publicationDate_00069	FactBench	3	87	https://mbc1955.wordpress.com/2015/12/18/alfred-bester-a-driver-of-tigers-the-demolished-man/	en	Alfred Bester: a Driver of Tigers – The Demolished Man	http://www.overthinkingit.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/demolished-man-cover-1.jpg	http://www.overthinkingit.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/demolished-man-cover-1.jpg	[ "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/027d02379366cdb88e86094f0ca821db?s=100&d=identicon&r=g", "https://i0.wp.com/www.overthinkingit.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/demolished-man-cover-1.jpg", "https://s2.wp.com/i/logo/wpcom-gray-white.png", "https://s2.wp.com/i/logo/wpcom-gray-white.png", "https://pixel.wp.com/b.gif?v=noscript" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	2015-12-18T00:00:00	Alfred Bester published his first novel in 1953 under the title The Demolished Man. It became the first novel to win the Hugo Award for the Best SF Novel of the year and has been barely out-of-print ever since. Bester wanted to call the book Demolition!, which, on reading the story, is a more appropriate…	en	https://s1.wp.com/i/favicon.ico	Martin Crookall - Author For Sale	https://mbc1955.wordpress.com/2015/12/18/alfred-bester-a-driver-of-tigers-the-demolished-man/	Alfred Bester published his first novel in 1953 under the title The Demolished Man. It became the first novel to win the Hugo Award for the Best SF Novel of the year and has been barely out-of-print ever since. Bester wanted to call the book Demolition!, which, on reading the story, is a more appropriate title on a lineal level, but was talked out of it by his friend and editor Horace Gold. The Demolished Man first appeared in Gold’s Galaxy magazine, serialised in three parts starting in January 1952. At that time, it began with a prologue, a sweeping account of the beginnings of things that would be prominent in the story itself. When the book saw print in 1953, this prologue had been cut (and some other, minor, elements tweaked). This was done for economic reasons: the publishers were a small house, paper restrictions still afflicted publishing, the prologue was detachable. All later editions followed the first and The Demolished Man‘s prologue vanished. I’m not aware of any editions that have reincorporated it, but fifty years later, the Prologue appeared in the paperback collection Re-Demolished, collected in 2000. Re-Demolished also reprints Bester’s 1972 article on the writing of the novel, in which he recalls that the original idea behind the story came from Horace Gold and that the society that sprung from that notion was argued out in long, collaborative conversations. That idea was unique at the time. The Demolished Man is a murder mystery, a crime story, transgression to investigation to conviction and Demolition. The twist is that the crime takes place against a society of telepaths, ESPers, peepers. How can a man commit murder when a peeper can discern his intention before he kills? Bester, whose radio work was largely in crime stories, wrote the book as an Open Murder. There’s no patient, step-by-step detection that leads the Detective to reveal that the murder was carried out in the Ballroom by Miss Scarlet with the Blunt Instrument. We see all steps through the murderer’s own eyes, we know who, how, when, where but the one thing Bester withholds until the eleventh hour is why, because not even Ben Reich knows the real reason why his hatred leads him to kill Craye D’Courtney. Reich and Powell, protagonist and antagonist, the relationship between them and the battle they engage in is the heart of this book. Reich’s the murderer, a vicious, relentless, amoral, dominant and personally charming man, Powell the cerebral, liberal, generous, welcoming yet relentless peeper First Class Prefect of Police who, despite Reich’s every effort to conceal his tracks, knows from the outset that Reich is a murderer and who is determined to bring him to justice, and to Demolition. They’re opposites, locked in a struggle that only one can win, yet they like each other tremendously. The story begins with a locking heads of rival empires, concerns built up over centuries by families: Monarch, headed by Ben Reich, is being slowly pushed to the wall by the D’Courtney Cartel. Reich’s growing desperate. He’s also being terrorised by recurring nightmares in which he flees with fear from The Man With No Face. Reich believes he has only two options. Lowering himself to sue for peace, he invites Craye D’Courtney to enter into an equal partnership, a merger. He expects D’Courtney to refuse: he has the upper hand, inexorably, why should he settle for 50% when he will eventually have all? When D’Courtney refuses, it merely confirms Reich’s expectation that he must follow his only alternative: to murder D’Courtney. The astute reader, at this point, turns back seven pages to the exclusive code Reich has employed, where Bester has planted a massive clue: D’Courtney’s response is Acceptance. Reich, a driven man, reads it as its opposite because he expects it, because subconsciously he wants it. Reich dominates the first half of the book, laying his plans, suborning Gus Tate, a peeper First Class who’s already his psychiatrist, dragging in the ostracised Jerry Church, exiled from the esper community for one of Reich’s earlier schemes, setting up an innocuous chain of accidental events, including an atrocious musical mindworm, all of which take him closer and closer to his goal. What strikes the most is Reich’s conception of himself as a killer, a natural killer in a society that, thanks to the openness of minds, hasn’t suffered a deliberate killing in nearly seventy years. Powell, who’ll take the dominant role in the second half of the book, as pursuer, is a complete contrast. He’s gentle, kind, outgoing, for reasons that Bester saves as a glorious epiphany at the very end. He’s liberal in every aspect of the word, to the point that he’s the only peeper on Earth prepared to share his mind with the disgraced, near-mad Jerry Church. He could be unrealistically perfect, indeed he almost is, despite the presence of an antic humour that has him spin elaborate fantasies with a straight face in his Dishonest Abe aspect. But the best part of The Demolished Man is its encoding of a future in which a small but significant proportion of the population can read minds, to one degree or another. Esp is represented in italic conversations, speech in plain type, but the two forms are also distinguished by the extra informality, the irreverence the espers show to one another. Bester also introduces tricks of typography to demonstrate the flexibility and artistry of the esper elite, layouts of words in patterns. He visualises the future by spelling certain names with typographical symbols: Samuel @kins, Duffy Wyg&, Jo ¼maine. He moves at speed through an elegant, poised future world that still contains desperate danger and filth in its criminal classes, the gimpsters who are always present. In the end, things come together, as they must. Ben Reich is freed from suspicion, until the true nature of his hatred comes out, the subconscious hatred of illegitimate son for the father who abandoned him. The beautiful but catatonic Barbara D’Courtney, unexpected witness to her father’s murder, is the half-sister he can’t, psychologically, murder to cover his tracks. She recapitulates her childhood, fall in love with Powell, and he with her, but he has to marry a fellow-peeper, to extend the gene pool. But Barbara turns out to be latent. And when Reich, horribly adrenalised by his victory, looks to change the world in his own image, change the balance of society, Powell proves to be strong enough to be the conduit for Mass Cathexis Measure, stripping Reich down to the ultimate solipsis. Then it’s time for Demolition. Not death, of any form, but the breaking down of Reich’s personality, the excision of the aberrant aspects of his personality, and the rebuilding of a good, decent man on the bedrock of that intellect, that drive, that ingenuity. Why kill a man, waste all his abilities, when you can re-make him? It’s the expression of hope, of belief in what mankind is and is consistently being, and Bester ends with an overt expression of wide-eyed faith in us: …there is nothing in man but love and faith, courage and kindness, generosity and sacrifice. All else is only the barrier of your blindness. One day we’ll all be mind to mind and heart to heart… There’s a tremendous amount to enjoy and admire in The Demolished Man, but there’s still a lot to be questioning of. This is a very Fifties book, inescapably rooted in the mores of its time, for all that it’s set in the twenty-fourth century, and it’s a very Alfie Bester book. You may well ask what else it could be, but though Bester is a tremendous driving writer, his attitudes are utterly reflective of his time. Bester was a very psychological writer, a deeply convinced Freudian. His most vivid characters are driven by compulsions that run their lives and override their conscious concerns. We’ve seen that in Ben Reich, but it’s an underlying factor throughout the book, which frequently dips into the psychological underpinnings of its various characters, to an extent that sometimes it may seem to be a paid promotion for Siggy and his ilk. Reich’s the most blatant, and certainly the most objectionable. He’s basically a murderous bastard, selfish to the core, a deliverer or orders that he expects to have executed instantly. He’s callous and selfish and he wants the power-rush that comes with killing and getting away with it. Reich’s the model for corporate power, his own concerns, his overwhelming wealth and his insistence on always increasing it are all that matters. He might be an incarnation of our current Tory party indifference to those who are not filthy rich, and exist only to have their little taken and given to those who already have have have. It’s already difficult to give any sympathy towards Reich, or recognise the charm he radiates, though this would have been an easier leap to make in the times that he reflects. But there’s a second, time-influenced factor to take into account, and that’s Reich’s masculinity. He’s the ultimate man, locked into the worst aspects of his gender, and his thoughts of what he can accomplish, if not hindered by the pettiness of modern society are far too often expressed in terms of rape. Yes, the masculine elemental force is, in the early Fifties, still represented by the notion that He can have any woman he wants, not because they will fall for him but because He will simply take what he wants, irrespective of any notion that others may want something different. “My God, we could rape the Universe!”, he says. I don’t want to start slating Bester too heavily on this score but many before me have pointed out that he isn’t at all feminist in his thinking. There’s an undercurrent of approval of Reich in this book and that goes for his attitudes. The four principle female roles in The Demolished Man are minor, secondary characters, none of whom is what you would necessarily call enriching. Duffy Wyg& is a professional songwriter, an exuberant, expansive girl with an overt sexuality that remains naively schoolgirlish through, and who is perpetually rebuffed. She wants to be defiled – at one point she invites Reich to beat her up – but her overt eagerness for sex, which she expresses as fooling around, is put down as being too open and therefore unappealing. You can’t ‘conquer’ Duffy, not when she’s trying to drag you between the sheets. Mary Noyes is in a similar bracket. She’s a Second Class peeper, she loves Powell distractedly, both emotionally and sexually, but whilst he treats her as a dear friend, she is sexless to him, and Bester takes us too far into Powell’s head for us to see her in her own right: snow, mint, taffeta. Maria Beaumont, aka The Gilt Corpse, is a caricature of sex, inflated and thus self-neutered. She’s a party woman, surgically altered to be ‘pneumatic’ (and we all know what that means, don’t we?). Maria is a cartoon of the sexually-ideal Fifties woman, big-breasted, wide-hipped, slinky and ultimately and forever unreal. You can’t expect to get an erection for that. And lastly, there’s Barbara D’Courtney. She bursts into the book as an interruption to, a witness to Reich murdering her father, before fleeing into the night. Unfortunately, Bester can’t resist introducing her naked, under a frosty nightgown that she promptly leaves behind (an adult version of Cinderella?). She spends most of the book catatonic or in a child-like state, with little adult standing. And, as the hero’s love interest, whom he rescues, damsel-in-distress, she is blonde and beautiful and (naturally) stacked. All these things are very obvious, and collectively they undercut not just The Demolished Man but other books in Bester’s oeuvre, as we shall see. Nevertheless, the book was a tremendous success at the time, and astonishingly influential, even to the present day. Bester’s next novel was, however, to be astonishingly obscure.
wrong_mix_range_publicationDate_00069	FactBench	3	68	https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Demolished_Man.html%3Fid%3D89SCDwAAQBAJ	en	Google Books			[]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	null					https://books.google.com/	Search the world's most comprehensive index of full-text books. My library
wrong_mix_range_publicationDate_00069	FactBench	0	70	https://salutemmundo.wordpress.com/tag/heribert-ii-of-vermandois/	en	Heribert II of Vermandois – The Historian's Sketchpad	https://s0.wp.com/i/blank.jpg	https://s0.wp.com/i/blank.jpg	[ "https://1.gravatar.com/avatar/7c6e21e2ed1d76dbde548b015056e3d670d68bbf9a4c9b475cc98af2d108b12c?s=24&d=identicon&r=G", "https://salutemmundo.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/918-diploma.jpg?w=903", "https://1.gravatar.com/avatar/7c6e21e2ed1d76dbde548b015056e3d670d68bbf9a4c9b475cc98af2d108b12c?s=24&d=identicon&r=G", "https://salutemmundo.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/29kvqs.jpg", "https://1.gravatar.com/avatar/7c6e21e2ed1d76dbde548b015056e3d670d68bbf9a4c9b475cc98af2d108b12c?s=24&d=identicon&r=G", "https://1.gravatar.com/avatar/7c6e21e2ed1d76dbde548b015056e3d670d68bbf9a4c9b475cc98af2d108b12c?s=24&d=identicon&r=G", "https://s2.wp.com/i/logo/wpcom-gray-white.png", "https://s2.wp.com/i/logo/wpcom-gray-white.png", "https://pixel.wp.com/b.gif?v=noscript" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	2022-03-08T11:11:00+00:00	Posts about Heribert II of Vermandois written by ralphtorta	en	https://s1.wp.com/i/favicon.ico	The Historian's Sketchpad	https://salutemmundo.wordpress.com/tag/heribert-ii-of-vermandois/	Bear with me here. I said last time that the mid-930s was a problematic time to be focussing on whilst running a series which looks at charters, and this week is a case in point. It doesn’t help that my plans for the 933 charter were completely ruined when writing up the commentary for my charter from a few weeks ago. You see, originally my choice for a 933 charter was a no-brainer. However, doing the reading around the charter of Bishop Godeschalk of Puy that I put in the 931 slot, it turns out that it is by no means clear that my 933 choice was actually from 933, and rather more likely that it wasn’t. I had a look at other options, but none of them were very inspiring. So, I thought, I don’t often get into the weeds of technical diplomatic here – why not look at this act’s problematic dating, and explain which this fairly dry discussion matters to our knowledge of the period? D RR no. 21 In the name of the holy and indivisible Trinity. Ralph, by God’s grace pious, invincible and ever august king of the Franks and Aquitanians and Burgundians. Since ‘there is no power but of God’, who (as is written) ‘doth establish kings upon their throne’, it thus follows entirely that those on high should humble themselves below His powerful hand and that the ministers of their realm ought to conduct themselves in accordance with His will. Wherefore let it be known to all carrying out duties to the realm in time both present and future that I, solicitous to restore to wholeness the state of religion, decreed that the abbey of Tulle should be renewed in a Regular way of life, as once it was. It is sited in the district of Limousin, on the river Corrèze, built in honour, that is, of the most blessed lord Martin. In this place, by God’s largess, the ancient reverence is preserved to this day by new miracles. By the prayers of the noble man Adhemar, who has until this point held that place, and also at the suggestion of Count Ebalus [Manzer], I commended the same place to a certain religious abbot named Aimo to restore a Regular way of life; and I made it subject to the abbey of Saint-Savin. However, because experience proved that this subjection was an obstacle to religion, wishing to take complete care of that same religion, by wiser counsel We decreed that, in accordance with ancient custom, it should be held under the protection – as opposed to the domination – of the king alone. However, no-one may decide to do this against the laws of the realm. Seeing that the most excellent emperors are read to have changed their decrees whenever the situation made it necessary and – as the apostle adduces – ‘there is made of necessity a change in the law’, We therefore by the authority of this Our precept establish this monastery, with everything which now pertains to it or which might fall to it hereafter, should endure such that they might be subjected to the domination of no-one save only the holy Rule. Furthermore, after the death of Our most faithful and beloved lord Odo [of Cluny], who succeeded the aforesaid venerable Aimo, and after Adacius, whom the same venerable Odo asked be ordained to supply a replacement for him, let them have permission in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict to elect from amongst themselves whomsoever they, through wiser counsel, choose. And let neither king nor count nor bishop nor any other person presume to disturb their goods nor give them to anyone; and let no-one at all dare to dominate them. Let them receive after his death the whole part of the abbey which the aforesaid Adhemar, by the abbot’s consent, retained. When he dies, let whomsoever they communally wish have mundeburdum and legal oversight. In addition, We concede the right of immunity and the reverence which now and previously has been divinely observed in that holy place, such that no-one should undertake to inflict any violence on either it or the goods pertaining to it. As for the rest, let both the abbot and the monks together – as if before the eyes of God – conserve a regular way of life. But that this Our precept might persevere undiminished, We signed it in the name of the Creator on High with Our signet. Sign of the most glorious king Ralph. Godfrey the priest, on behalf of Bishop Ansegis [of Troyes], witnessed and subscribed. Enacted at Anatiacus, on the ides of [most copies: September; one copy: December] [13th September/December], in the third indiction, in the 11th year of the reign of the most glorious King Ralph. So, what’s the problem here? The problem is the fact that the elements of the diploma’s dating clause don’t add up. The third indiction (a Byzantine system – figuratively and literally – to do with Roman tax collection) ought to be 930; the 11th year of the reign of King Ralph ought to be 933. How do we tell which is which? There are a few methods. First, we might note that scribes tend (although by no means universally) to be more confident about the regnal year than the indiction. This would point us towards 933. Second, though, we might look to contextual elements. Take Abbot Aimo, for instance. Aimo is last attested at Tulle in May 931, and this again pushes us towards 933. So far, it’s sounding like 933 is a pretty solid choice for a date. But wait! There’s one key element we have to talk about here, and that’s the place at which the act was issued, Anatiacus. The act’s editor, Dufour, plumped for Anizy-le-Château, roughly halfway between Soissons and Laon. However, Jean-Pierre Brunterc’h pointed out that Anizy’s Latin form is always something like Anisiacus – it’s always got that first i and a following s, not an a and a t. He pointed instead towards Ennezat, a centre for assemblies under the Guillelmid dukes and – crucially – a place whose Latin orthography fits Anatiacus notably better. The problem now is that by dint of his itinerary, Ralph cannot have been at Ennezat at any point in 933. However, as we’ve seen, thanks to the reference to Abbot Aimo, 930 is also out. Brunterc’h therefore proposes 931, a time when we know that Ralph was in the Auvergne and one which requires the scribes who wrote the later copies in which this act survives to have simply misplaced a minim, turning ‘the IXth year’ into the ‘XIth year’ (as well, perhaps, as the ‘IVth indiction’ into the ‘III indiction’), something known to have happened elsewhere. That such changes to the no-longer-surviving original might have been made are indicated by other signs this charter has been tampered with. This is, for reasons we’ll discuss below, an unusual document anyway, which makes our job harder; but the sections in first person singular (‘I’) rather than first person plural (the royal ‘We’) are very suspicious to my mind, and may have been added later. (I doubt, though, that it was much later.) Similarly, the reference to miracles at Tulle strikes me as a later addition – we know from a letter of Odo of Cluny to the brothers at Saint-Martin of Tours that Tulle was experiencing a surge of miracles at this time, but as a former canon of Saint-Martin himself I don’t think any act in which Odo was so heavily involved would have made quite so much of them at Tulle. For these reasons, I think December 931 (as Brunterc’h suggests) is the most plausible date, although it’s far from conclusive. Why does this matter? It matters because this act is crucial evidence for Ralph’s involvement with the Aquitanian elite, and that involvement looks very different depending on whether this diploma comes from Ennezat in 931 or Anizy in 933. I covered the Ennezat side in my previous installment of Charter A Week, so you can go there for the details; but the short version is that if it’s from there he appears as a regional peacemaker in the wake of the disturbances following the death of the last Guillelmid duke of Aquitaine Acfred. If it’s from Anizy, it’s a different story. In 933, Ralph’s attention was firmly focussed on attacking and defeating the persistent northern rebel Count Heribert II of Vermandois, in pursuit of which goal he besieged Château-Thierry and Ham. In this context, Adhemar and Ebalus Manzer are most likely north to provide Ralph with military support. This would be far from unprecedented – the most clear-cut example comes from the reign of Ralph’s successor Louis IV, where Ebalus’ son William Towhead is unambiguously attested doing just that for the new king – but in that case this diploma would be firm evidence that connections between the king and the Aquitanian magnates were less arms-length than often supposed. Whether the act is from 931 or 933, though, one important thing remains unchanged. The unusual preamble and titulature Ralph is given here has usually – and in my view correctly – been taken to show the influence of Odo of Cluny on the drafting of the diploma. We’ve noted the importance of Odo to Ralph’s regime at this time in previous posts, but this is quite a dramatic departure for West Frankish diplomatic, and is an interesting view of a road ultimately not taken, where Cluniac – or, better, Odonian – ideology became a crucial part of West Frankish kingship. When I’ve spoken before about the foundation of Normandy, I’ve referred to the treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte, made in 911. The problem is that this date, whilst traditional, is less secure than it looks. The only person who actually puts a date on the agreement made between Charles the Simple and Rollo is Dudo of Saint-Quentin, whose chronology is dreadful. For instance, he puts Rollo’s arrival in the West Frankish kingdom in 876, a date cherry-picked from his written sources with no internal logic behind it. 911, in Dudo’s work, was clearly picked because that was the date of the battle of Chartres, and whilst we know from other sources that an agreement was reached soon after that, it could have been up to several years later. (One historian, in fact, has argued that the foundation of Normandy happened several decades before, in the 880s; but her arguments have not generally found any traction because they’re very reliant on internal chronological indicators within Dudo’s writings which aren’t themselves trustworthy.) What that means is that the earliest reference we have to the existence of Rollonid Rouen is in fact this: DD CtS no. 92 (14th March 918, Compiègne) = ARTEM no. 2049 = DK 6.xxi In the name of the holy and indivisible Trinity. Charles, by gracious favour of divine clemency king of the Franks. Because God Almighty, Who is King of Kings, by His gift worthily placed Our Clemency over both His realm and His people, it therefore behoves Us not only to preside over, but truly rather to profit holy churches, and especially the downfallen, in whom the bodies of the saints lie beaten by pagan savagery, lacking until now due veneration. Wherefore let the skill of all those faithful to the holy Church of God and to Us, as well present as future, ascertain that the venerable margrave Robert [of Neustria], the counsel of Our realm and a helper to Us, and also abbot of the monastery of the holy martyr Vincent and the outstanding pontiff of Paris Germanus, approaching Our Sublimity with Count Heribert [II of Vermandois] and the extraordinary Bishop Abbo [of Soissons], advised that both for the veneration of holy remains, to wit, of Archbishop Audoënus and as well of the blessed confessors Leutfred and his brother Agofred, and also moreover for Our salvation and that of the whole realm, the abbey which is named Croix-Saint-Ouen should be conceded to the monks of the aforesaid confessor Germanus, so that from now and in future, the limbs of the aforesaid saints, which have for a long time gone without the divine office, might be reverently received by the same abbey-dwellers and be honoured, having been set beside the blessed limbs of Germanus. Assenting to their worthy petitions, to wit, those of Our followers, We donated and subjected that abbey, whose head is in the district of Madrie, on the river Auture, to Saint-Germain and its monks, to constantly [serve] their mensa, except the part of that abbey which We granted to the Seine Norse, that is, to Rollo and his comrades, for the defence of the realm. Therefore, We decreed the goods of the aforesaid abbey, with all estates, lands cultivated and uncultivated, vineyards, meadows, woods, waters and watercourses, mills, with bondsmen and cottars, and with all other dependencies therein, except the Northmen’s portion, be given and subdued and confirmed for the food, clothing, and also other uses of the congregation of Saint-Germain, so that each year, on the 4th ides of February[10th February], they might markthe anniversary of Our most beloved spouse Frederuna with vigils and offerings of masses, and celebrate the day of Our unction, the 5th kalends of February[28th January], the feast of Saint Agnes, with a great feast; and after Our death, let this be changed and the help of prayers and feasts be on the day of Our passing. And We commanded this Our royal precept be made concerning the authority of this cession, through which We decree and command that none of the faithful of the holy Church of God, present and future, or the abbot of that abbey, should try to cause a disturbance or resistance or inflict prejudice or violence concerning the abovewritten goods. Rather, the same congregation should be permitted to securely and perpetually possess and enjoy the same goods in their entirety, inviolably, without any calumny or contradiction, without any subtraction or diminution. Therefore, that this precept of Our authority might firmly obtain the vigour of continuation and be truly believed through the course of years to come, confirming it below with Our own hand, We commanded it be signed by Our signet. Sign of Charles, most glorious of kings. Gozlin the notary witnessed and subscribed on behalf of Archbishop and High Chancellor Heriveus [of Rheims]. Given on the 2nd ides of March (14th March), in the 6th indiction, in the 26th year of the reign of the glorious king Charles, the 21st of his restoration of unity to the kingdom, and the 6th of his acquisition of a larger inheritance. Enacted at the palace of Compiègne. Happily in the name of God, amen. The abbey of Croix-Saint-Ouen, in the village now called Croix-Saint-Leufroy, is somewhat to the north-east of Évreux, which is an interesting place for a dividing line to be drawn by itself. We know from Flodoard’s account that Rouen was always the home-base of the Seine Norse, but the boundaries of their power are somewhat vague. To the north-east, the river Bresle seems to have been generally acknowledged as a border. To the south-east, the river Epte was the border in place by the turn of the millennium, although there are hints in our sources that the original border was rather further north, at the river Andelle. To the west of the Seine, though, things get a lot murkier. Évreux itself, for instance, seems by the 930s to have been under the control of a band of Northmen with only a loose affiliation to Rouen. (Further west, as we saw in previous weeks, Bayeux was under the control of Botho, who despite Dudo’s efforts to make a Viking chieftain was probably a Frankish count.) Given the liminal position of Évreux, it is notable that taking possession of Croix-Saint-Ouen implants the Robertian abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés right in the middle of this zone of loose control. One thing I’ve always wondered about is what the phrase ‘for the defence of the realm’, pro tutela regni, is actually supposed to attach to. It’s normally taken as referring to the grant of lands to Rollo; but If the part about Rollo is an extended sub-clause, it could refer to the grant of lands to Saint-Germain. If the former, Charles is commenting on his ‘poachers to gamekeepers’ strategy of setting Rollo to defend against other Vikings; if the latter, it’s a comment on how the king doesn’t trust his new Northman subordinate. You see who he does trust, though; or, at least, who he wants to make damn sure everyone else knows he trusts? Robert of Neustria. The dramatic set of epithets Robert is given in this diploma is about as high as he ever gets. At this point, his influence stretches from Nantes to Flanders, and he’s easily the most powerful man in the realm besides Charles himself. Some measure of his power here can be seen in the other count making the request alongside him: Heribert II of Vermandois, his son-in-law. Older historians will tell you that Heribert was in charge of the Vexin, but there’s little enough evidence for that. His presence here seems instead to be due to his role as a Robertian protégé being shown onto the royal stage for the first time. In fact, he’s very well-placed to take advantage of both Charles and Robert, as the latter’s in-law and the son of the former’s most prominent lay support back at the start of his reign. As we leave 918 behind us, take a deep breath. This is going to be the last peaceful year for a very, very long time… Well, I’m in Leeds now. It’s not so much that everything’s sorted – much remains to be done – but I have an office and I’m sitting in it and so blog can be written. Onwards! Last week I put up a charter translation, which pointed towards this blog post. I mentioned when I was leaving Germany that it made sense to put all the arguments I had about the political narrative of tenth-century West Frankish history in separate articles so that, someday, I could write a book for a general audience without getting bogged down. Fairly high up my to-do list, then (largely because big chunks of it were already written and even partly footnoted) is a short piece on our old friend, the succession to Ralph of Burgundy. The basic point of this, which I will rehearse in brief here, is not to make any big splash with new information, but to reinterpret what we already know. “So, like most of medieval history then?”, I hear you say. Good point well made, reader; but in this case we’ve ‘known’ something for rather longer than usual and it has remained unchallenged – as far as I know, at all. But on really trying to set down the state of affairs, I think that the consensus is all wrong and a bag of chips. That consensus in a nutshell. I presume if you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time you already know the events, but if not, briefly: in January 936, King Ralph of the West Frankish kingdom, whose core support base was Burgundy, died. As king, he was succeeded by Louis IV, an exile who had lived his entire life in England; as duke of Burgundy, by his brother Hugh the Black. After Louis was crowned, he and Hugh the Great, the so-called ‘duke of the Franks’ and the magnate who had organised Louis’ crowning, attacked Burgundy, seizing the north of it from Hugh the Black. This was an unscrupulous attack carried out at Hugh the Great’s instigation and for his profit, snatching northern Burgundy from the rightful heir, Hugh the Black; and the only reason it could be done was because Louis was a helpless pawn completely under the power of Hugh the Great, whose only interest lay in exploiting the king’s presence to increase his own power, leaving Louis helpless and dependent. Now, in recent works this is presented a bit less moralistically than it was in the early twentieth century, but it’s still more-or-less the same argument. However, it hinges on the idea that a) Hugh the Black was the ‘rightful heir’ to a ‘duchy of Burgundy’ and b) Hugh the Great was shortsightedly self-serving. I’ve argued against the first point here (Hugh the Black was an outsider to much of his brother’s core regions, and there’s no reason to think that men who had been operating in Ralph’s royal court would not look to the next royal court – rather than a not-so-local potentate – as his successor); but the second is also important. Historians have long appreciated that kings and nobles were not always and inherently antagonistic such that the kings had to keep unruly and unscrupulous aristocrats down before they tore polities apart in pursuit of their own profit. This appreciation can sometimes seem to stop at around 870. But let’s look at Hugh the Great’s actions. We have a new king. He’s young, and unlike his almost-as-young East Frankish counterpart Otto the Great, he’s inexperienced. He has no West Frankish allies, and a lot of the old royal lands and palaces in the north-east are contested (thanks, Heribert of Vermandois!). But, there are these other guys to the south, in Burgundy, who were in with the last king, and who have no particular love for his brother’s attempts to impose himself on them by force… Seen in this light, Hugh the Great’s campaign against Hugh the Black looks like a good-faith attempt to set Louis up as successor to Ralph’s power in the region of Burgundy. Certainly, not a disinterested one – Hugh the Great was made lay abbot of Saint-Germain-d’Auxerre – but this was just allowing Hugh an office which had for most of the late ninth century been attached to his particular bloc of lands and offices. (Hugh’s Neustria was actually much more formal than Ralph’s Burgundy, and maybe I should do a post about that…) But Ralph of Burgundy had not been a negligible figure, and asserting Louis as his heir in Burgundy made sense as a way of ensuring that Louis would also be a figure to reckon with. Why did Hugh want Louis to be a figure to reckon with? Because useless kings were… erm, useless. If, as Hugh could reasonably expect, he would be the most important figure in Louis’ regime, then he needed the king to be rich and powerful, or else he couldn’t reward Hugh or judge in his favour in any meaningful way. He’d just be a useless appendage of Hugh’s own power. Moreover, in the 930s this wasn’t just hypothetical. Less than ten years before, Heribert of Vermandois had tried that sort of puppet arrangement with Louis’ imprisoned father, Charles the Simple, who – absent any particular power of his own – could add nothing to Heribert’s own resources except an alliance with the Normans, who were so suspicious of Heribert’s treatment of the king that they ended up demanding enough in the way of hostages to be rather counter-productive. Hugh the Great, then, emerges not as a grasping aristocrat exploiting a helpless king, but as a man who, for his own benefit certainly but that makes it no less illustrative of how politics worked, tried to turn an exile king into a political force to be reckoned with.
wrong_mix_range_publicationDate_00069	FactBench	3	72	https://www.bookleggers.com/pages/books/002785E/alfred-bester/the-demolished-man-signed	en	THE DEMOLISHED MAN SIGNED	https://bookleggers.cdn.…ebp&v=1569797633	https://bookleggers.cdn.…ebp&v=1569797633	[ "https://www.bookleggers.com/images/logo.png", "https://bookleggers.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/002785E.jpg?width=768&height=1000&fit=bounds&auto=webp&v=1569797633", "https://bookleggers.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/002785E_2.jpg?width=320&height=427&fit=bounds&auto=webp&v=1569797633", "https://bookleggers.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/002785E_3.jpg?width=320&height=427&fit=bounds&auto=webp&v=1569797633" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[ "Alfred Bester", "www.bibliopolis.com" ]	null	Chicago: Shasta, 1953. Very Fine / Very Fine. Item #002785E A very fine, crisp, clean and tight copy in a very fine jacket/brodart covered. Stated First Edition. SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR on the front free endpaper. A very nice copy. Very mild bump to lower right corner of front corner board. Still remains sharp. No tears no chips to jacket. See Pict's .	en	/apple-touch-icon.png	Bookleggers	https://www.bookleggers.com/pages/books/002785E/alfred-bester/the-demolished-man-signed	Chicago: Shasta, 1953. Very Fine / Very Fine. Item #002785E A very fine, crisp, clean and tight copy in a very fine jacket/brodart covered. Stated First Edition. SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR on the front free endpaper. A very nice copy. Very mild bump to lower right corner of front corner board. Still remains sharp. No tears no chips to jacket. (See Pict's).
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"Bester's two superb books have stood the test of time. For nearly sixty years they've held their place on everybody's list of the ten greatest sf novels" -Robert Silverberg…	en	https://secure.gravatar.com/blavatar/de60740be105b1d492f06a1ba30affe469322412cd5c99df2ecaf9bc76ed7cfd?s=32	Science Book a Day	https://sciencebookaday.com/2017/02/11/the-demolished-man/	The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester Synopsis: Winner of the First Hugo Award. #14 in the Millennium SF Masterworks series, a library of the finest science fiction ever written. “Bester’s two superb books have stood the test of time. For nearly sixty years they’ve held their place on everybody’s list of the ten greatest sf novels” -Robert Silverberg “One of the all-time classics of science fiction.”-Isaac Asimov ” Alfred Bester wrote with the pedal to the floor and the headlights on full beam. His work combined erudition with an unparalleled imaginative inventiveness. Bester was writing cyberpunk while William Gibson was still running around zapping the other kids at school with a toy raygun.”-James Lovegrove In a world policed by telepaths, Ben Reich plans to commit a crime that hasn’t been heard of in 70 years: murder. That’s the only option left for Reich, whose company is losing a 10-year death struggle with rival D’Courtney Enterprises. Terrorized in his dreams by The Man With No Face and driven to the edge after D’Courtney refuses a merger offer, Reich murders his rival and bribes a high-ranking telepath to help him cover his tracks. But while police prefect Lincoln Powell knows Reich is guilty, his telepath’s knowledge is a far cry from admissible evidence. 1953 WINNER OF HUGO AWARD FOR BEST NOVEL First Published: 1953 \| ISBN: 978-0679767817 Mini-Bio: Alfred Bester was an American science fiction author, TV and radio scriptwriter, magazine editor and scripter for comic strips and comic books. Though successful in all these fields, he is best remembered for his science fiction, including The Demolished Man, winner of the inaugural Hugo Award in 1953. Book’s Wiki Entry All great science fiction contains elements of brilliant character psychology, but this 1953 classic is a rapid-paced crime novel with icky Freudianisms and telepathic policemen. Experience the mind of a wealthy sociopath as he plots cold-blooded murder and tries to get away with it. – From 10 Great Books on Science Fiction The Independent Book Review SF Site Book Review Dear Author Book Review TOR Book Review Amazon Associates (SBAD gets a % of sales from books sold via these links, to help us do more work for science books)
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"https://m.media-amazon.com/images/G/01/Audible/images/author-no-img._V505117375_.png", "https://m.media-amazon.com/images/G/01/Audible/images/author-no-img._V505117375_.png", "https://m.media-amazon.com/images/G/01/Audible/images/author-no-img._V505117375_.png", "https://m.media-amazon.com/images/G/01/Audible/images/author-no-img._V505117375_.png", "https://m.media-amazon.com/images/G/01/Audible/images/author-no-img._V505117375_.png" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[ "Alfred Bester" ]	2017-12-26T00:00:00	The Demolished Man as it's meant to be heard, narrated by Gerard Doyle. Discover the English Audiobook at Audible. Free trial available!	en	https://images-na.ssl-im…ns/icons16px.png	Audible.com	https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Demolished-Man-Audiobook/B078GXCG7W	A clever mystery and fascinating science fiction A clever police procedural written with a fascinating science fiction twist. The emergence of telepathy has made it impossible to commit murder and escape justice. But, a corrupt businessman pulls it off, and a telepathic police detective has to figure out how. A story that relies as much on psychology as mind reading. Incel’s delight This is a fairly engaging and well-written psychological thriller, but the sexism is disturbing even for 1953. Every single female character exists only to lust after a man, who either doesn’t want her or abuses her. The protagonist actually falls in love with a sexy 25-year-old who has the literal mind of an infant, and also believes he is her “daddy.” And there are repeated scenes of women begging to be knocked around, 1953 was a different time, but it’s disheartening that this is the book that won the first Hugo Award. Demolishing the perfect murder The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester is a far future tale of a perfectly planned murder in the context of a society where a portion of humanity possesses mind reading powers. A rich business tycoon plans the perfect murder of a rival, but things go awry when a witness shows up. The tycoon battles a determined police investigator with the highest esp levels. At the same time, the tycoon is battling a personal demon that haunts his dreams that is partly to blame for his paranoid behaviors. The main sci-fi element is the development of latent "esper" power of the human mind that only some individuals possess to varying degree ("peeping" the conscious, the unconscious, or the subconscious). This effectively precludes someone from lying or hiding information. Major portions of the solar system have been settled, although life in many respects is pretty typical of mid 20th century (the tale is set at the dawn of the 24th century). The use of logic computer for assessing adequacy of a criminal case for prosecution was an intriguing application for its time. Finally, mental illness and criminal punishment is treated by "demolition" whereby the subject's mental construct is broken down and permitted to re-establish itself through an accelerated childhood that recapitulates normal growth. The narration is well done with excellent character distinction of both genders. Pacing and tone are well aligned to the story, especially given the multiple scenes of nightmares and other related mental instabilities. Profoundly dated, yet inventive sf If like me you arrived here on the strength of Bester’s far superior second novel ‘The Stars My Destination’ here are a few words of warning. The story of the so-called perfect murder is well told, and moves along at a quick pace. And Gerard Doyle’s read is lively. The future New York setting is largely sketched in lacking much of the detail of the author’s later works, focusing instead on the ESP abilities of the Espers. So far so good. Unfortunately the story is profoundly dated, the deeply ingrained sexism and misogynistic attitudes marring an otherwise inventively told tale. Doyle’s read compounds the book’s problems by giving all the female characters an obsequious tone that ups the pulp quality of the dialogue beyond the point most could tolerate, even giving some allowance for the era it was written in. It needed the visuals of the paper book. There is no denying that Bester has written a top notch SF mystery. I read it many years ago in book form. While the audio is excellent, there were visuals that needed to be seen to understand some of the story. The conversational patterns just got lost without that visual. BUT...since I had read it before, I could follow along with those. The overall thrust of the story remained intact; I just missed those little things. Visionary and remarkably timeless The winner of the very first Hugo, but it could have been written today. I didn't expect a sci fi novel from 1952 to hold up as well as this one does, and while there are the odd tells with regard to assumptions about future technology, and one or two romantic interactions that might warrant a sidelong glance, the story is wildly innovative, and the writing superb. Anyone who has seen Babylon 5 knows it pays homage to Alfred Bester, but it's remarkable just how directly it and nearly any other book about telepaths is templated on this book in particular. A worthwhile read on its own merits as well as its place on the history of the genre.
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"https://i0.wp.com/therationalmale.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/img_3176.jpg?fit=600%2C400&ssl=1", "https://i0.wp.com/therationalmale.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/patreon_logo.png?fit=600%2C137&ssl=1", "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f1aa2fe5caec560036ed9198c9897557?s=48&r=x", "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/ab1be81c942cc249a507a2096bb9cd8c?s=48&r=x", "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/ab1be81c942cc249a507a2096bb9cd8c?s=48&r=x", "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f1aa2fe5caec560036ed9198c9897557?s=48&r=x", "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f1aa2fe5caec560036ed9198c9897557?s=48&r=x" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[ "Rollo Tomassi" ]	2016-04-04T00:00:00	As a part of my line of work doing liquor branding promos, I've frequently had to do spots with (terrestrial) radio talk shows for events and such. I've had to familiarize myself often with these personalities; some I became long time friends with, others kind of burned out or became victims of what they thought…	en	https://i0.wp.com/therat…it=32%2C32&ssl=1		https://therationalmale.com/2016/04/04/damaged-goods/	As a part of my line of work doing liquor branding promos, I’ve frequently had to do spots with (terrestrial) radio talk shows for events and such. I’ve had to familiarize myself often with these personalities; some I became long time friends with, others kind of burned out or became victims of what they thought was a greater social proof than they actually had. One thing I’ve noted in working with the men who host these shows is that more often than not they suffer from deeply invested Blue Pill mindsets with regard to women. Many of them eventually invited women into their male space as co-hosts to help with appealing to the female demographic, and like all other “female friendly” ventures, the character of the show shifts to promoting the same feminized boilerplate we see in Purple Pill forums and blogs that began with a more Red Pill tone. Almost invariably there develops a segment or some call in bit where the host and hostess(es) attempt to suss out the romantic problems of a caller or emailer. If you listen to any semi-popular local morning commute show you’ll get this segment at least once or twice a week. All of them follow the same format. All of them rattle off the same Blue Pill tropes even those without the aid of a Red Pill Lens are familiar with – open communication, keep it fresh, meeting (her) needs, be supportive, etc. and all the standards you can expect from a society that doesn’t question the rote memorization of Oprah or Dr. Phil’s idioms. If you do have a reasonably attuned Red Pill Lens you’ll just grind your teeth at all of it, but it confirms and highlights the Beta inside the host despite all his other blusterings on the show. It also serves to highlight the saturation of the Blue Pill’s conditioning reach into society. So it was on one of these shows I was listening to this week that the ‘morning zoo’ decided to take a stab at one emailer’s very common problem. It was the typical Dead Bedrooms problem you’ll find in the subredd of the same name; “My wife is frigid, how do I get her to want to fuck me?” However, the story had a slight twist that nicely dovetails into a topic I’ve wanted to explore. In this man’s story, he’d married a woman for all the right Blue Pill reasons. He loved her, “connected” with her on what he imagines are deep emotional levels, was supportive, dedicated, but was only able to have sex with her in as limited and as lackluster a way as she felt ‘comfortable‘ in having with him. After a year and a half of marriage, she’d completely “shut down” on him sexually. Anytime he initiated she would recoil from him and begin to cry. There was no elaboration on her part as to why she was crying and up to the point of his seeking advice she’d offered no reason for her reluctance to fuck him. Fast forward to now and it’s been almost a year for him without sex with his wife, no explanation, and his ‘needs‘ are being unmet. He’s emotionally invested in her in the way you’d expect a Blue Pill, dutiful Beta would be, so his inner turmoil is one of the Paradox of Commitment conflict with his ‘need‘ and expectation of having sex with his wife. As I said, this is standard Dead Bedrooms fare for the majority of men who married while fully immersed in a Blue Pill world. Unfortunately, we don’t have much more to go on – there were no descriptions of background, histories, family particulars, etc. given, however, my guess would be his wife is experiencing the very common post-marriage Beta ‘buyers remorse’. However, this is why I thought the analysis and advice on the part of the hosts (1 male host, 1 male, and 2 female co-hosts) were very telling about the state of the Blue Pill world. Presuming Abuse The first reflexive interpretation on the part of the women was that this wife had some form of sexual abuse in her personal history and the husband’s initiating sex was triggering some unresolved sex issues she’d never dealt with and apparently never revealed to her husband when they were having sex in the years leading up to it. Again, there was no information about this from the emailer, but this was the first presumption the female co-hosts jumped to whenever a woman is described as crying about having sex. We don’t really know if this is the case, but I found it interesting how useful that presumption is for women. In almost every social infraction we are expected to presume a blameless state with women. Whether that stems from rape allegations, ‘slut shaming’, past sexual history, red-handed infidelity, or, in this case, the presumed possibility of sexual abuse in a woman’s past, we are expected, on whole, as a society to presume that even the possibility is the actual fact. Even when the actual fact is disproven, and the fault or choice blatantly falls upon the woman in question, the rationale and after-the-fact absolving of that woman of her own culpability is still expected to take precedence over the actual fault. For example, when I first detailed the situation of the woman and her husband in For example, when I first detailed the situation of the woman and her husband in Saving the Best the reflex on the part of virtually all women responding to this story (as well as the relinks to it) and most Blue Pill men was to presume she had some damaged past where she was trying to find some emotional connection with the men she was having amateur porn orgies with in her college years. The acceptable, socially reflexive presumption was to give this woman a plausible reason – and one designed to evoke feminine victim sympathy – for her actions rather than consider that she was simply living in the moment and following her Hypergamous imperatives at the time. Of course, the simple answer was that the husband was put into the same Dead Bedrooms scenario most men in his situation are placed in. He was the dutiful Beta in Waiting and “married a slut who fucks (him) like a prude”. There are over 30,000 subscribers on the dead bedrooms subreddit, this is not an uncommon occurrence, but just as common is the social convention of redirecting the fault on the part of the husband for his ‘selfish concerns’ for ever having been upset by this revelation about his wife. He was the bad guy for feeling ‘underserved’ with regards to his wife’s genuine, unobligated, sexual desire. He’s the bad guy for not being understanding and supportive of the reflexive rationale that his wife must’ve been damaged goods (and damaged by other, equally horrible, men) before he decided to marry her. He’s responsible for coming to terms with it on his own. So it’s either face that or risk being perceived as the same kind of ‘typical’ asshole man who brought her to this by abandoning her in divorce. ‘Abuse’ as a Tool ‘Abuse’ is easily one of the most generic and utilitarian of catch terms and social conventions available to women living in a feminine-primary social order. It’s ambiguous, but also carries enough associative horror to get others to accept it at face value while killing any need for the uncomfortable explanations that would qualify it. A woman says “I was abused” and it ends the discussion regardless of any mitigating factors or particulars about it – and despite the particulars of what she claims ‘abuse’ to avoid. There simply is no qualifying it. If she feels abused it is abuse, and don’t worsen the situation by asking her to qualify it. Claims of prior abuse are the perfect tool for women to explain past sexual indiscretions as well as to explain frigidity with a husband or a boyfriend, even those with whom she’d been sexual with before. Needless to say, this is a very useful tool for explaining and excusing women’s Hypergamous impulses and concurrent behaviors, however, I should note that the ‘abuse’ social convention will become less and less tenable as Open Hypergamy becomes more widespread and embraced. For Beta men – Blue Pill men plugged into the narrative of unqualified female victimhood – there is a very real risk of becoming trapped in a cycle of White Knighting against the evils of ‘typically masculine’ men who would ‘abuse’ his princess while simultaneously reinforcing his Beta status in avoiding the perception of being an ‘abuser’ himself. Knights Against Abuse The men and boys I detail in Promise Keepers are prime examples of this looping presumption of abuse. For the most, these men had, or understood that they had, “abusive” fathers whom they swore never to emulate in their adult lives. While that abusiveness may or may not be factual the impression of it is what molds that man’s life, but at the same time predisposes him to the Savior Schema that only cements him into a personal life founded in Blue Pill White Knight heroics. There develops an internal conflict for these heroes of abuse because their dedication to themselves as their own Mental Point of Origin will always be compromised by a Blue Pill conditioned responsibility of supportiveness for women. For the patient, waiting Beta, the man who’s played by what he believes are the rules for the better part of his teens and 20s, there is a unique anger he experiences when his ‘dream girl’ (or one that closely aligns with that ideal) isn’t sexual with him in the way he’s imagined women are with men during their 20s. She’s come to him in her Epiphany Phase and after all the sexual indiscretions and self-discovery of her 20s, she finally wants to “do things right” by making him wait to have sex (so he won’t think she’s easy) and when they do it’s inhibited or becomes so once he’s locked into emotional or marital commitment with her. Now add to this the presumption of, or stated account of, ‘abuse’ she’s experienced in the past with the ‘typical’ men she was discovering herself sexually with. You might even add the child of one of her former ‘abusers’ into the mix with whom he’s expected to form a paternal bond with. That Beta now hates those ‘abusers’ with more passion than when he was brooding about them banging the girls he wanted to fuck in his 20s because they ruin women in both the short and long term to him. They’ve ruined his girl for him now that she’s come to her senses and chosen him to pair with “forever”. Now she’s a mess, a mess he’s expected to untangle and heal and reconstruct into something resembling the sexual dream girl he’s convinced she used to be, and all because of that “Bro”, the abuser, they guy(s) she had to discover for herself she ‘really didn’t need in her life’. She’s damaged goods, but to that Beta, she’s blameless in her having been “abused” because she didn’t know any better that ‘typical’ men, the ones she chose, would abuse her. Now their abuses are his problems and he’s reminded of that every time she cries when he initiates sex with her. The Utility of Damaged Goods In this context, the social convention that is “abuse” becomes another form of insurance of Hypergamy for women. That presumption of blameless abuse locks Beta providers into a Dream Killers schema to the point that they will prioritize the healing of their ‘abused’ princess, the one who would otherwise be his dream girl, above his own imperatives, aspiration and goals in order to prove his quality as a supporter of women. For women, the assurances that the social convention of ‘abuse’ represents also comes with a measure of internal conflict. From the Alpha Fucks side of Hypergamy, her subconscious hates the idea of being obligated to fuck her Beta Bucks provider, but again, subconsciously, she needs (or feels she needs) his support, provisioning, and emotional availability. However, for all of his self-evincing support, comfort and emotional investment in being a “better man” than the nebulous ‘abusers’ of her past, those anti-seductive aspects only serve to remind and confirm to her that he ‘doesn’t get it‘ and she’s obligated to be intimate and affectionate in a seemingly genuine way if she’s to maintain the provisional relationship. The default presumption of ‘abuse’ fills the need for a buffer between reconciling the Hypergamous want of an Alpha lover and the provisional, emotional need for a Beta’s resources and comforts. The DeadBedrooms and MarriedRedPill subredds (not to mention the MMSL forums) are littered with the stories of men who discovered (sometimes secretly) how sexual their ‘abused’ wives were in their Party Years or what their wives’ real sexual appetites were for other men after their divorce. Now, as I close here, let me state that I’m not discounting the real possibilities of actual cases of abuse among women. I have no doubt I’ll generate a slew of disgruntled comments from women relating their personal tragedies in today’s comment thread, but my point in this essay isn’t to question women’s legitimate claims of abuse. Rather it is to lay bare the utility invested in presuming the legitimacy of abuse whenever a woman even hints at the possibility of it by crying before sex or any number of other behaviors or mental states that would be affirmed or excused by just the claim.
wrong_mix_range_publicationDate_00069	FactBench	3	55	https://astrofella.wordpress.com/2019/12/20/the-demolished-man-alfred-bester/	en	The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester (1953)	https://s0.wp.com/i/blank.jpg	https://s0.wp.com/i/blank.jpg	[ "https://astrofella.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/cropped-panorama-1.jpg", "https://s2.wp.com/i/logo/wpcom-gray-white.png", "https://s2.wp.com/i/logo/wpcom-gray-white.png", "https://pixel.wp.com/b.gif?v=noscript" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	2019-12-20T00:00:00	Bester is not a subtle writer. This is his first novel and it opens with the main character waking screaming from a nightmare, and then keeps up more or less the same helter-skelter, overdriven pace throughout. Everyone is running around shouting, arguing, fighting, partying. It's full of what my kids' primary school teachers used to…	en	https://s1.wp.com/i/favicon.ico	Books & Boots	https://astrofella.wordpress.com/2019/12/20/the-demolished-man-alfred-bester/	Bester is not a subtle writer. This is his first novel and it opens with the main character waking screaming from a nightmare, and then keeps up more or less the same helter-skelter, overdriven pace throughout. Everyone is running around shouting, arguing, fighting, partying. It’s full of what my kids’ primary school teachers used to call ‘doing’ words: Reich tore out of Personnel… He returned to his own office and paced in a fury… With a roar of rage, Reich snatched up a gold paper-weight and hurled it into the crystal screen… Reich swore feverishly all the way down from the tower apartment to the cellar garage… Reich hurled himself to the ground… Slam, bam, thank you ma’am. Or, as the characters say, using the latest zippy catchphrase: ‘Pip,’ she said. ‘Pop,’ he said. ‘Bim,’ she said. ‘Bam,’ he said. 24th century telepathy The Demolished Man is set in the 24th century when telepathy has become common, boring and mundane. Telepaths are called Espers (extra-sensory perception) or, colloquially, ‘peepers’. They have an Esper Guild, which holds exams and enforces rules. There are some 100,000 3rd class Espers in the Esper guild (who can send and receive simple messages, mind to mind), and 10,000 2nd class Espers (who can penetrate some way into a person’s thoughts), and about 1,000 1st class Espers (who can read anything in another person’s mind, drilling right down into their unconscious mind). Multi-millionaire boss of the multi-planet corporation Monarch Industries, Ben Reich, wakes from a terrifying dream, screaming because he is haunted every night by ‘The Man With No Face’. His staff analyst, Carson Breen, Esper Medical Doctor 2, therapist, tells him what he already suspects, that this figure is a symbol of his powerful business rival, Craye D’Courtney, owner of the powerful D’Courtney Cartel. In between zipping all over New York (a city of 17.5 million in the 24th century) supervising his multinational corporation, Reich conceives the simple idea of murdering his rival and thus stopping his anxiety dreams, an ambition which becomes burning after D’Courtney rejects merger talks Reich sends him via coded telegram. Right! He returned to his own office and paced in a fury for five minutes. ‘It’s no use,’ he muttered. ‘I know I’ll have to kill him. He won’t accept merger. Why should he? He’s licked me and he knows it. I’ll have to kill him and I’ll need help. Peeper help.’ Murder is unknown Peeper help, yes, because it turns out that nobody has committed a murder for generations. This is the basic idea of the plot: in a world of powerful telepaths, murder – in fact most forms of crime – are impossible, because Espers or peepers will read a criminal’s plans beforehand, and can certainly be hired to track down the guilty afterwards. So the initial interest of the book, such as it is, is How do you commit a murder in a world where minds can be read? In fact, the answer turns out to be, pretty easily. Reich pays a young woman working in the equivalent of Tin Pan Alley, Duffy Wyg&, to sing him a song so horribly catchy that all he has to do is think it and it completely blocks his thinking from all peepers. Then he blackmails a former peeper who helped him once before and got thrown out of the Espers Guild for his pains, Jerry Church, and who now runs a pawn shop, to sell him an antique, rather odd-sounding ‘knife-gun’.(Not many of them about in the peaceful future.) Lastly, Reich pays a high-powered Esper, Gus Tate, to establish that D’Courtney is visiting Terra from his base on Mars (humans appear to have colonised Mars and Venus, Reich has a digital clock showing the time on earth, Mars and Venus – later there are quick jaunts to the moons of Jupiter and a vast pleasurecentre which has been built in space). So Reich ascertains that D’Courtney is staying at the house of notorious socialite Madame Maria Beaumont – nicknamed the Gilt Corpse and recipient of vast amounts of plastic surgery which she likes to show off by dressing in the fashionable half-naked style of the times. The murder So Reich makes his plans. He sends Madame Maria a copy of an old book of party games which includes the instructions for Sardines (one person hides, everyone else looks for them, as they find them the seekers join the hider, until only one seekers is left; they’re the loser). She is enchanted and, once her party is underway, from a raised platform tells the semi-naked fashionable guests they’re going to play it. The lights go off and – this being a titillating, pulpy novel – most of the guests proceed to take off the remainder of their clothes amid squeals and giggles. These are exactly the conditions Reich had intended, ideal for making his way through the darkness to the secret upper-floor room where his Esper, Tate, has ascertained that D’Courtney is hiding. Reich has come armed with stun capsules, to be precise: They were cubes of copper, half the size of fulminating caps, but twice as deadly. When they were broken open, they erupted a dazzling blue flare that ionized the Rhodopsin—the visual purple in the retina of the eye—blinding the victim and abolishing his perception of time and space. He throws these into the ante-room to paralyse the two guards, then pushes into the main room to encounter D’Courtney who turns out to be a frail old man who can barely stand and barely talk. He is, apparently, struggling to make peace with bullish Reich and agree and reconcile, when the door bursts open and D’Courtney’s half-dressed blonde daughter, Barbara, comes racing in begging Reich not to hurt her father. Too late. Reich grabs the fragile old man, grabs his head, forces the pistol into his mouth and shoots him through the mouth and bottom of the brain. Corpse falls to floor. Daughter runs out screaming. Reich turns, tries to follow her through the pitch-dark mansion, gets caught back up in the game, the hostess announces he is the loser since he’s the only one not in her secret hiding place, party lights come back on as guests exit the hiding place and refill the main room where she’s making a jokey speech to Reich when everyone notices blood dripping onto his clothes through the ceiling above. Hostess screams. Someone calls the cops. Lincoln Powell, the Prefect of the Police Psychotic Division Apparently, a police procedural is: a subgenre of procedural drama and detective fiction that emphasizes the investigative procedure of a police officer or department as the protagonist(s), as contrasted with other genres that focus on either a private detective, amateur investigator or characters who are the targets of investigations. So The Demolished Man is a police procedural insofar as, from this point onwards (about page 80 to the end of the 250-page Gollancz edition), the interest is in whether Reich will be caught. But it also belongs to the genre of the inverted detective story: a murder mystery fiction in which the commission of the crime is shown or described at the beginning, usually including the identity of the perpetrator and the story then describes the detective’s attempt to solve the mystery. It becomes even more so once snazzy Lincoln Powell, the Prefect of the Police Psychotic Division and himself a powerful 1st class Esper, turns up on the scene, pushing his way through the bustling uniformed cops and the forensics boys, as we have seen the handsome lead detective do in thousands of TV cop series and thriller movies, in order to schmooze the bosomy socialite hostess and her guests. Powell is clever, he is dangerous, and within a few pages he catches Reich out in his account of events (by this time everyone knows D’Courtney has been murdered since half the party went upstairs to see the body, and the hostess has also told them D’Courtney’s daughter was with him but has now disappeared) but Reich lets slip that he knows she (the daughter) was half-dressed – giving away the fact that he was there. And, although Reich has called to his side a powerful Esper lawyer, Jo ¼maine, Powell still slips into his mind for a moment when it isn’t filled with the inane pop jingle mentioned earlier, and confirms to his own satisfaction that Reich did it. So by page 100 we know who committed the murder – Reich – and we know that the lead detective on the case knows it, too. So, in fictional terms, the interest ought to become the cat-and-mouse process of the detective trying to prove it and the culprit trying to prevent him. Except that this isn’t really a very serious book. I’ve just read several science fiction masterpieces which take the idea of telepathy extremely seriously, powerfully conveying the shock and disorientation and fear that would be caused if someone else really could penetrate your thoughts, and speak to you inside your head – namely Ursula Le Guin’s The Left Hand of Darkness and, in a rather different mode, The Fifth Head of Cerberus. By comparison, The Demolished Man is about as serious as an episode of Starsky and Hutch with spaceships. It comes as no surprise to flick through his Wikipedia article and learn that Bester wrote extensively during his career for popular TV shows such as Nick Carter, The Shadow, Charlie Chan, The New Adventures of Nero Wolfe and The CBS Radio Mystery Theater. ‘Are you rocketing?’ he said hoarsely. ‘Do you think I’ll fall into that orbit?’ Telepathy No, having destroyed any suspense by telling us who did it, and that the investigating detective knows whodunnit, the interest switches to admiring how many variations Bester can wring out of their cat-and-mouse confrontations, how many wacky, 24th century scenes he can cook up. First and foremost there is the recurring trope of telepathy, where there’s lots of fun to be had from Bester fleshing out the idea of a Guild of Espers, with all its procedures and politics and rivalries – its selection procedures and what he tells us, straight-faced, is its ‘Esper Pledge’. I will look upon him who shall have taught me this Art as one of my parents. I will share my substance with him, and I will supply his necessities if he be in need. I will regard his offspring even as my own brethren and I will teach them this Art by precept, by lecture, and by every mode of teaching; and I will teach this Art to all others. The regimen I adopt shall be for the benefit of mankind according to my ability and judgment, and not for hurt or wrong. I will give no deadly thought to any, though it be asked of me. Whatsoever mind I enter, there will I go for the benefit of man, refraining from all wrong-doing and corruption. Whatsoever thoughts I see or hear in the mind of man which ought not to be made known, I will keep silence thereon, counting such things to be as sacred secrets. In the middle of the book, Powell finds the runaway daughter, Barbara, brings her safely to his house where he gets an assistant, Mary Noyes to look after her. Barbara is in such a state of catatonic shock – Powell finds her mind to be a raging chaos – that they embark on a newly discovered technique (‘the Déjà Èprouvé Series for catatonia’) of regressing Barbara to childhood and getting her to relive her mental development – the idea being to regrow her mind in an environment where her father is already dead, so Powell can access her adult mind. But along the way he has to peer deep, deep into her primitive child-mind and these scenes – the sensations and feelings of telepathy – are described for pages with a kind of vivid, technocratic exuberance, with the technicolour blaze of the kinds of American TV sci fi shows I loved when I was a boy – Time Tunnel, Land of the Giants, Star Trek. It sounds like this: Here were the somatic messages that fed the cauldron; cell reactions by the incredible billion, organic cries, the muted drone of muscle tone, sensory sub-currents, blood-flow, the wavering superheterodyne of blood pH… all whirling and churning in the balancing pattern that formed the girl’s psyche. The never-ending make and-break of synapses contributed a crackling hail of complex rhythms. Packed in the changing interstices were broken images, half-symbols, partial references… Theionized nuclei of thought. Similarly, a number of parties are described or encounters and conversations between peepers, in which the exchanges are written in quickfire italics or – a Bester trademark, this – clever and stylised typography, the words of different telepaths set in different positions around the page, for example creating rows and columns which the reader has to navigate, typographically conveying the sense of complex telepathic interactions. In its shiny, snappy, techno diction and Pop Art layout, this is all a million miles away from the subtlety and Eastern-inspired insights of Ursula Le Guin’s descriptions of telepathy. Narrative energy But above all the book’s fundamental quality is the relentless speed, its zingy, fast-paced narrative and its bubblegum, wow-words style. They all shot to their feet and shouted “No! No! No!” He horded the terrified squad toward the door, pushed them out, slammed the door and locked it. Reich wrapped the book, addressed it to Graham, the appraiser, and dropped it into the airslot. It went off with a puff and a bang. As, indeed, does the whole book. Colourful incidents The book is packed with quickfire, colourful incident. Set in New York (admittedly in the 24th century and after some kind of war wrecked parts of the city in the late twentieth) many of the settings (casino, nightclub, pawn shop) and many of the outlandish names (Keno Quizzard, Choka Frood) reminded me of Damon Runyon, but above all the snappy dialogue, and smart-alec attitude of all concerned. ‘I’ve got no time for a two-bit hater with coffin-queer friends.’ Everyone’s a wiseguy. ‘You took out our tail, Duffy. Congratulations.” Ah-ha! Hassop is your pet horse. A childhood accident robbed him of a horse’s crowning glory. You substituted an artificial one which— ‘Clever-up, Duffy. That isn’t going to travel far.’ ‘Then, boy-wonder, will you ream your tubes?’ This is a snappy exchange between Powell and a sassy young woman he thinks is working for Reich about a guy named Hassop who Powell set to tail her. I like the phrase ‘clever-up’ which numerous characters use to each other, obviously Bester’s 24th century version of ‘wise up’. I’ve no idea what ‘will you ream your tubes?’ means. Rough and Smooth Anyway, Powell tells his team they’re going to Rough-and-Smooth Reich, with a whole set of plain clothes detectives and snoops following him in plain sight, so that when he evades them he lets his guard down and is accessible to the much subtler undercover cops. The Monarch Jumper Doesn’t really work out as Reich zips around the city taking care of all the loose ends which might tie him to the crime, and all the time coming up with hare-brained schemes for finding the girl, the key witness. He persuades one of his advertising executives that they need a pretty girl to be the face of ‘the Monarch Jumper’ (apparently a kind of rocketship), and sketches Barbara’s face and tells him to scour the city for her. He offers a fortune to set up sanctuaries for the city’s homeless, and then pays for a man at the door of every shelter, with a sketch of Barbara and a hefty bonus if they spot her. The Rainbow House of Chooka Frood None of this works till an underworld contact of Reich’s, Keno Quizzard, tracks the girl down to the bizarre entertainment venue at 99 Bastion West, hosted by Chooka Frood (in that crazy twentieth century war a bomb blew up a ceramics factory and created a mad multi-coloured swirl of melting glaze which poured down into the cellar and solidified, hence The Rainbow House of Chooka Frood). Upstairs there’s a ‘frab’ joint, whatever that is. The Neuron Scrambler Anyway, from different directions, Powell and Reich both arrive there at the same time, Powell getting into the actual room where the blind, sluglike Quizzard is pawing and fondling the catatonic Barbara. Powell paralyses Quizzard and seizes the girl. Reich was slower, having to threaten sleazy Chooka with a ‘neuron scrambler’ in order to get her to reveal the girl’s location, and watches through the transparent floor from the from above, holding the scrambler on both of them. (A neuron scrambler has three settings or notches: Notch 1. charges the central nervous system with a low induction current. Notch 2. Break-bone ague, brute groans of a tortured animal. Notch 3. Death.) For a moment he has it in his power to stun Powell and grab the girl but he doesn’t, he himself doesn’t know why. Deep down he’s a decent sort, maybe. Or there is a bond between him and the cop, they’re the same type, clever, charismatic, it’s an accident they’ve ended up on opposing sides. The harmonic gun There are many many other colourful episodes. Powell drops into Jerry Church’s pawnshop, having invited Reich’s tame peeper Gus Tate to meet him there and is in the middle of carrying out a subtle psychological con on Church when… someone attacks the joint with a ‘harmonic gun’ which sends fatal ripples up through the floor. Powell leaps for the chandelier, along with Church, but can’t prevent Tate falling to the floor where he is instantly vibrated into a bloody raw mess. In another episode Powell gets the laboratory at the Espers Guild to put on a show for the old and vain Dr Wilson Jordan who, Powell has established, helped Reich with the crime. By pandering to his vanity one of the teams in the lab gets him to own up to inventing the anti-rhodopsin drops which stunned D’Courtney’s guards. It is extremely intricate and fast-paced and wonderfully silly. [Choka] shot up from the desk and screamed: ‘Magda!’ Reich caught her by the arm and hurled her across the office. She side-swiped the couch and fell across it. The red-eyed bodyguard came running into the office. Reich was ready for her. He clubbed her across the back of the neck, and as she fell forward, he ground his heel into her back and slammed her flat on the floor. Spaceland In another abrupt change of scene, Powell and his sidekick Jackson Beck (Esper class 2) get wind that Reich has jetted to Spaceland, the enormous adapted asteroid in space where entrepreneurs have set up concatenations of luxury hotels. Even more colourful, they learn that his ship crash-landed or was involved in a collision with an asteroid or space junk, but that Reich was injured and one of the passengers killed. When they catch up, Powell and team realise the dead man was Quizzard, the crash was faked, and Reich is leaving a trail of the corpses of his collaborators behind him. The Reservation But the plot keeps racing on to ever-more colourful scenarios, and now Powell learns Reich has gone into ‘the Reservation’, an off-world recreation of the untouched jungle, and has taken with him Hassop, keeper of Reich and Monarch’s secret codes, and the only man who has a record of the coded exchange that took place between Reich and D’Courtney. With typical wild abandon, Powell recruits a whole raft of civilians to go into the Reservation and track the pair, quickly finding them and closing in to discover that Reich has set up an impenetrable security bubble around them, while he whittles a bow and arrow and Hassock builds a fire. Spooked by what he senses of someone closing in, Reich panics and starts firing his arrows at Hassock who runs round and round the perimeter of the security bubble panicking and screaming, until Powell performs the trick of projecting a vast wave of TERROR at the lowest range possible for an Esper and thus stampedes all the elephants, rhinos and other big game for miles who stomp right through Reich’s security bubble and, in the chaos, Powell grabs hold of the terrified Hassop and yanks him to safety. Old Man Moses By page 180, the thoroughly exhausted reader watches Powell gather up all the testimony he has accumulated and present it to the District Attorney and, more importantly, to ‘Old Man Mose’, the giga-computer more correctly referred to as the Mosaic Multiplex Prosecution Computer. After some comic stumbles (the programmer makes a mistake and the computer rejects Powell’s entire case) it not only accepts all the evidence, but states he has a 97.0099% probability of a successful prosecution. Powell is just celebrating when the door opens and two technicians rush in with terrible news – they’ve decoded the exchange Reich and D’Courtney had a few days before the murder – and D’Courntey accepted the offer of a merger. He was giving Reich everything the latter could possibly want. At a stroke, the entire motive for the murder disappears! Mad finale At which point the novel feels like it goes into overdrive for the final mad fifty pages: Assassination attempts First of all there are no fewer than three attempts on Reich’s life – bombs going off in his spacerocket back to earth, in his office and in a domestic ‘jumper’ (a kind of rocket taxi). Reich jumps to the wild conclusion that it is Powell trying to kill him, out of frustration that his legal case has collapsed and so he creates a diversion, threatening Choka Frood into video phoning Powell that she has the knife-gun which killed D’Coutney. Powell is excited at the thought of getting his hand on key evidence, tells Frood not to move and grabs a jet over… while Reich jets to Powell’s home, stuns Mary (the woman who loves Powell and has move into his house to chaperone Barbara D’Courtney) and starts trying to interrogate Barbara, thinking her little-girl-lost behaviour is a wisecracking act… before Powell arrives home, having realised the Frood gun-thing was a distraction. They talk, they fight, Powell deep-peeps Reich and is horrified by what he finds. To cut a long story short, Powell realises that Reich is D’Courtney’s son. D’Courtney had an affair with Reich’s mother. For the rest of his life he’s felt increasingly guilty at having abandoned him. Now, in the final stages of throat cancer, D’Courtney had agreed to the merger and wanted to meet Reich to explain that he was his son and to be reconciled. But Reich was so fired up by his own impetuous rage that he a) misread the telegram back agreeing to the merger b) refused to listen as D’Courtney struggled to tell him the truth, at Maria’s mansion. This explains a lot of the doppelganger imagery which has been floating round in Reich’s mind, but also explains other oddities, like how he couldn’t shoot the neuron scrambler at Barbara and Powell when the latter rescued her from The Rainbow House of Chooka Frood. It was because, at some level, he knew Barbara was his step-sister. Anyway, this confrontation builds up to the climax of Powell telling Reich that the real person responsible for the assassination attempts on his is not Powell – it is THE MAN WITH NO FACE, at which point Reich screams in mental agony and blunders out of Powell’s house into the streets. But in fact this isn’t what had shocked Powell because, as he deep-peeped Reich’s mind he saw something far, far worse, he saw that Reich is one of the rare individuals who can change reality; whose paranoia and fear and rage are so intense that they can wrest reality to their fantasies. The Esper Guild Council So Powell calls an emergency meeting of the Espers Guild’s Council at which he explains that it is necessary to carry out a Mass Cathexis, a rare united action by the top Espers in which they focus all their energy via one individual. Powell presents his case that Reich is a one in a generation individual who has the capacity to shape the world to his own paranoid needs. To be precise, as Powell tells the emergency meeting of the Esper Guild’s Council: Reich is about to become a Galactic focal point… A crucial link between the positive past and the probable future. He is on the verge of a powerful reorganization at this moment. Time is of the essence. If Reich can readjust and reorient before I can reach him, he will become immune to our reality, invulnerable to our attack, and the deadly enemy of Galactic reason and reality.’ The council reluctantly agrees to carry out the cathexis – reluctantly because the Esper at the centre of it – in this case Powell – has in all previous cases been destroyed. Powell jets home and packs off the unwilling Mary and Barbara to Kingston mental hospital in upstate New York, getting them out of the way so he can prepare for the final battle. Powell goes to NYC police HQ Meanwhile we cut to what turns into the weirdest and most intense passage of the novel, a sequence of scenes in which Reich finds himself in different settings as the universe collapses around him. First he wakes in the gutter in the rain in a foetal position, realising he must have blacked out and being helped to his feet by young Galen Chervil, a minor character we met earlier. Chervil helps him stagger along to police headquarters where Reich demands to see the Chief of Police (who is on his payroll) and learns that the murder case against him has definitely been dropped. He runs out of police headquarters roaring with triumph but then sees, walking across the busy New York street towards him, The Man With No Face! In Duffy Wyg&’s bed When he comes round he is in the pretty pink bedroom of the songwriter Duffy Wyg& who has always fancied him. They josh and banter in a wisecracking 1950s style, but when Reich sticks his head out the bedroom window he notices something terrible – there are no stars in the sky. Worse, when he quizzes Wyg& about it – she has never heard of stars, doesn’t know what stars are, thinks he’s mad. Terrified, Reich dresses, rushes out into the street and catches a jumper to the city observatory where the man at the telescope tells him there are no stars, there have newver been stars… turns round and is revealed to be… The Man With No Face! At Monarch HQ Running out the observatory screaming, Reich tells the jumper pilot (basically a rocket taxi) to take him to Monarch HQ, where he calls senior managers to his office to announce the merger with D’Courtney and that he will soon be ruling over Mars and Venus and all the satellites. They look at him blankly. They’ve never heard of Mars and Venus. Reich has a fit mad and ransacks through the office files to get confirmatory documents but there are none – there is no record of a Venus or Mars or indeed of the entire solar system. It doesn’t exist. It has never existed. Reich’s people call Monarch security – the boss has obviously gone mad, but Reich dodges them and makes it out into the streets of the hectic city to discover that… There is no sun. There has never been a sun. The world has always been illuminated by streetlights. Reich shouts about it at passersby who look at him as at any maniac. He goes to a public information booth and quizzes the central computer, which says… there has never been a sun. Overhead is black black black. At each of these junctures he has suddenly come face to face with… The Man With No Face… And now there is no New York, there is just a waste land in darkness stretching off in every direction and the voice, the voice loud and commanding saying There is nothing, There is nowhere, the voice of the Man With No Face. An hysterical style for a tale of hysteria This is all very effective. Because the entire novel has been written at such a hectic pace, the reader has become used to being rushed and buffeted into new scenes and revelations, and this final sequence feels like a natural climax to Reich’s hysteria. It is thrilling to read about the slow demolition of the universe and I assumed that it really reflected reality, that Reich really was remodelling the universe to reflect his own terrors, as in a Philip K. Dick novel or in Le Guin’s Lathe of Heaven where individual’s minds can change the world… although I was a little puzzled that there was no sign of Powell and the big Mass Cathexis we had been promised… But then, a new chapter starts and all is made clear. The universe and the world haven’t ended at all. What we had read so vividly described in the previous chapter was the Mass Cathexis. It was the power of all the Espers in the Guild channeling their energy through Powell who projected it into Reich’s mind, and made all his worst fears come true in his mind. Eventually there is nothing but darkness and The Man With No Face in Reich’s mind only because he has gone mad. And been shut down. Neutralised. Kingston Hospital The scene cuts to Kingston hospital in the sunshine where happy patients are doing outdoors exercises as Powell’s rocket descends. He survived. He was not consumed in the Mass Cathexis. Reich was contained. His destructive energies were broken. Now he is a mad patient at the hospital. Powell has come to declare his love for the beautiful blonde Barbara D’Courtney, bringing with him a box of luxury treats. The sun is shining, the world is saved, boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl. They walk into the sunset… Oh, there’s a slight interruption when Reich gets free and jumps from a balcony into the garden setting patients screaming. Powell puts Barbara protectively behind him and walks over to confront Reich. The latter is half-way through his treatment, the psychological ‘demolition’ which gives the book its title. What does that entail? I’m glad you asked: When a man is demolished at Kingston Hospital, his entire psyche is destroyed. The series of osmotic injections begins with the topmost strata of cortical synapses and slowly works down, switching off every circuit, extinguishing every memory, destroying every particle of the pattern that has been built up since birth. And as the pattern is erased, each particle discharges its portion of energy, turning the entire body into a shuddering maelstrom of dissociation. But this is not the pain; this is not the dread of Demolition. The horror lies in the fact that the consciousness is never lost; that as the psyche is wiped out, the mind is aware of its slow, backward death until at last it too disappears and awaits the rebirth. The mind bids an eternity of farewells; it mourns at an endless funeral. And in those blinking, twitching eyes of Ben Reich, Powell saw the awareness… the pain… the tragic despair. Reich is not going to be executed. That’s the kind of barbaric punishment they meted out back in the twentieth century ha ha. He is going to be stripped down and remade, preserving his manic energy and character, refocusing it on socially useful ends. Powell looks into the eyes of the slobbering half-man in front of him, and gently offers him the goodies he had brought Barbara. His attendants arrive and take Reich away. Powell returns to the pretty blonde who is his reward for being such a hero. All’s right with the world. Thoughts It has been a rollicking read. My guess would be that most initial readers were blown away by the thoroughness of Bester’s ideas and conceits – namely his working out of all aspects of the his very practical conception of telepathy – the Guild, the pledge, the comic conversations telepaths have at parties and so on – along with the powerful (for 1953) Freudian themes of oedipal murder, frustrated incest, and so on – not to mention the intense final scenes where Reich goes mad and experiences a collapsing universe – and all this stuff is tremendously compelling, albeit in a dated, bubblegum, 1950s sort of way. But reading it 60 years later, what is clear to me is that the real secret of The Demolished Man is its extraordinary verbal energy and phenomenal narrative pace. It is a rollercoaster of a read which it is impossible to put down or pause. As so often, I believe the real secret of a bestseller or legendary book, is in the quality of its writing. Reich may be going out of his mind but Good God, the energy of the man, and the energy the writing conveys right into the reader’s head. He carried her to the window, tore away the drapes and kicked open the sashes… He shoved her away, turned and ran to the bathroom… He flung out of the apartment and rushed down to the street… Reich cried out. He turned and ran. He flew out of the door, down the steps and across the lawn to the waiting cab… He darted to the desk and yanked out drawers. There was a stunning explosion… He ran out of his office and burst into the file vaults. He tore out rack after rack; scattering papers, clusters of piezo crystals, ancient wire recordings, microfilm, molecular transcripts… Reich howled. He leaped to his feet, knocking the desk chair backward. He picked it up and smashed it down on that frightful image… He spun around twice, heart pounding, skull pounding, located the door and ran out… He ran blindly onto the skyway, shied feebly from an oncoming car, and was struck down into enveloping darkness Of course the themes are important and the plot is gripping, but it’s this bombardment of hyperactivity, it’s all the running and smashing and kicking and yanking and exploding and screaming which really characterises the visceral experience of reading this breathless text. Related links The Demolished Man online Other science fiction reviews Late Victorian 1888 Looking Backward 2000-1887 by Edward Bellamy – Julian West wakes up in the year 2000 to discover a peaceful revolution has ushered in a society of state planning, equality and contentment 1890 News from Nowhere by William Morris – waking from a long sleep, William Guest is shown round a London transformed into villages of contented craftsmen 1895 The Time Machine by H.G. Wells – the unnamed inventor and time traveller tells his dinner party guests the story of his adventure among the Eloi and the Morlocks in the year 802,701 1896 The Island of Doctor Moreau by H.G. Wells – Edward Prendick is stranded on a remote island where he discovers the ‘owner’, Dr Gustave Moreau, is experimentally creating human-animal hybrids 1897 The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells – an embittered young scientist, Griffin, makes himself invisible, starting with comic capers in a Sussex village, and ending with demented murders 1899 When The Sleeper Wakes/The Sleeper Wakes by H.G. Wells – Graham awakes in the year 2100 to find himself at the centre of a revolution to overthrow the repressive society of the future 1899 A Story of the Days To Come by H.G. Wells – set in the same future London as The Sleeper Wakes, Denton and Elizabeth defy her wealthy family in order to marry, fall into poverty, and experience life as serfs in the Underground city run by the sinister Labour Corps 1900s 1901 The First Men in the Moon by H.G. Wells – Mr Bedford and Mr Cavor use the invention of ‘Cavorite’ to fly to the moon and discover the underground civilisation of the Selenites 1904 The Food of the Gods and How It Came to Earth by H.G. Wells – scientists invent a compound which makes plants, animals and humans grow to giant size, prompting giant humans to rebel against the ‘little people’ 1905 With the Night Mail by Rudyard Kipling – it is 2000 and the narrator accompanies a GPO airship across the Atlantic 1906 In the Days of the Comet by H.G. Wells – a comet passes through earth’s atmosphere and brings about ‘the Great Change’, inaugurating an era of wisdom and fairness, as told by narrator Willie Leadford 1908 The War in the Air by H.G. Wells – Bert Smallways, a bicycle-repairman from Kent, gets caught up in the outbreak of the war in the air which brings Western civilisation to an end 1909 The Machine Stops by E.M. Foster – people of the future live in underground cells regulated by ‘the Machine’ until one of them rebels 1910s 1912 The Lost World by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle – Professor Challenger leads an expedition to a plateau in the Amazon rainforest where prehistoric animals still exist 1912 As Easy as ABC by Rudyard Kipling – set in 2065 in a world characterised by isolation and privacy, forces from the ABC are sent to suppress an outbreak of ‘crowdism’ 1913 The Horror of the Heights by Arthur Conan Doyle – airman Captain Joyce-Armstrong flies higher than anyone before him and discovers the upper atmosphere is inhabited by vast jellyfish-like monsters 1914 The World Set Free by H.G. Wells – A history of the future in which the devastation of an atomic war leads to the creation of a World Government, told via a number of characters who are central to the change 1918 The Land That Time Forgot by Edgar Rice Burroughs – a trilogy of pulp novellas in which all-American heroes battle ape-men and dinosaurs on a lost island in the Antarctic 1920s 1921 We by Evgeny Zamyatin – like everyone else in the dystopian future of OneState, D-503 lives life according to the Table of Hours, until I-330 wakens him to the truth 1925 Heart of a Dog by Mikhail Bulgakov – a Moscow scientist transplants the testicles and pituitary gland of a dead tramp into the body of a stray dog, with disastrous consequences 1927 The Maracot Deep by Arthur Conan Doyle – a scientist, engineer and a hero are trying out a new bathysphere when the wire snaps and they hurtle to the bottom of the sea, where they discover… 1930s 1930 Last and First Men by Olaf Stapledon – mind-boggling ‘history’ of the future of mankind over the next two billion years – surely the most sweeping vista of any science fiction book 1938 Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis – baddies Devine and Weston kidnap Oxford academic Ransom and take him in their spherical spaceship to Malacandra, as the natives call the planet Mars 1940s 1943 Perelandra (Voyage to Venus) by C.S. Lewis – Ransom is sent to Perelandra aka Venus, to prevent a second temptation by the Devil and the fall of the planet’s new young inhabitants 1945 That Hideous Strength: A Modern Fairy-Tale for Grown-ups by C.S. Lewis– Ransom assembles a motley crew to combat the rise of an evil corporation which is seeking to overthrow mankind 1949 Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell – after a nuclear war, inhabitants of ruined London are divided into the sheep-like ‘proles’ and members of the Party who are kept under unremitting surveillance 1950s 1950 I, Robot by Isaac Asimov – nine short stories about ‘positronic’ robots, which chart their rise from dumb playmates to controllers of humanity’s destiny 1950 The Martian Chronicles – 13 short stories with 13 linking passages loosely describing mankind’s colonisation of Mars, featuring strange, dreamlike encounters with Martians 1951 Foundation by Isaac Asimov – the first five stories telling the rise of the Foundation created by psychohistorian Hari Seldon to preserve civilisation during the collapse of the Galactic Empire 1951 The Illustrated Man – eighteen short stories which use the future, Mars and Venus as settings for what are essentially earth-bound tales of fantasy and horror 1952 Foundation and Empire by Isaac Asimov – two long stories which continue the future history of the Foundation set up by psychohistorian Hari Seldon as it faces attack by an Imperial general, and then the menace of the mysterious mutant known only as ‘the Mule’ 1953 Second Foundation by Isaac Asimov – concluding part of the ‘trilogy’ describing the attempt to preserve civilisation after the collapse of the Galactic Empire 1953 Earthman, Come Home by James Blish – the adventures of New York City, a self-contained space city which wanders the galaxy 2,000 years hence, powered by ‘spindizzy’ technology 1953 Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury – a masterpiece, a terrifying anticipation of a future when books are banned and professional firemen are paid to track down stashes of forbidden books and burn them until one fireman, Guy Montag, rebels 1953 The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester – a breathless novel set in a 24th century New York populated by telepaths and describing the mental collapse of corporate mogul Ben Reich who starts by murdering his rival Craye D’Courtney and becomes progressively more psychotic as he is pursued by telepathic detective, Lincoln Powell 1953 Childhood’s End by Arthur C. Clarke a thrilling narrative involving the ‘Overlords’ who arrive from space to supervise mankind’s transition to the next stage in its evolution 1954 The Caves of Steel by Isaac Asimov – set 3,000 years in the future when humans have separated into ‘Spacers’ who have colonised 50 other planets, and the overpopulated earth whose inhabitants live in enclosed cities or ‘caves of steel’, and introducing detective Elijah Baley to solve a murder mystery 1956 The Naked Sun by Isaac Asimov – 3,000 years in the future detective Elijah Baley returns, with his robot sidekick, R. Daneel Olivaw, to solve a murder mystery on the remote planet of Solaria — Some problems with Isaac Asimov’s science fiction 1956 They Shall Have Stars by James Blish – explains the invention, in the near future, of i) the anti-death drugs and ii) the spindizzy technology which allow the human race to colonise the galaxy 1956 The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester – a fast-paced phantasmagoria set in the 25th century where humans can teleport, a terrifying new weapon has been invented, and tattooed hard-man, Gulliver Foyle, is looking for revenge 1959 The Triumph of Time by James Blish – concluding novel of Blish’s ‘Okie’ tetralogy in which mayor of New York John Amalfi and his friends are present at the end of the universe 1960s 1961 A Fall of Moondust by Arthur C. Clarke a pleasure tourbus on the moon is sucked down into a sink of moondust, sparking a race against time to rescue the trapped crew and passengers 1962 A Life For The Stars by James Blish – third in the Okie series about cities which can fly through space, focusing on the coming of age of kidnapped earther, young Crispin DeFord, aboard space-travelling New York 1962 The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick In an alternative future America lost the Second World War and has been partitioned between Japan and Nazi Germany. The narrative follows a motley crew of characters including a dealer in antique Americana, a German spy who warns a Japanese official about a looming surprise German attack, and a woman determined to track down the reclusive author of a hit book which describes an alternative future in which America won the Second World War 1966 Rocannon’s World by Ursula Le Guin – Le Guin’s first novel, a ‘planetary romance’ or ‘science fantasy’ set on Fomalhaut II where ethnographer and ‘starlord’ Gaverel Rocannon rides winged tigers and meets all manner of bizarre foes in his quest to track down the aliens who destroyed his spaceship and killed his colleagues, aided by sword-wielding Lord Mogien and a telepathic Fian 1966 Planet of Exile by Ursula Le Guin – both the ‘farborn’ colonists of planet Werel, and the surrounding tribespeople, the Tevarans, must unite to fight off the marauding Gaal who are migrating south as the planet enters its deep long winter – not a good moment for the farborn leader, Jakob Agat Alterra, to fall in love with Rolery, the beautiful, golden-eyed daughter of the Tevaran chief 1967 City of Illusions by Ursula Le Guin – an unnamed humanoid with yellow cat’s eyes stumbles out of the great Eastern Forest which covers America thousands of years in the future when the human race has been reduced to a pitiful handful of suspicious rednecks or savages living in remote settlements. He is discovered and nursed back to health by a relatively benign commune but then decides he must make his way West in an epic trek across the continent to the fabled city of Es Toch where he will discover his true identity and mankind’s true history 1968 2001: A Space Odyssey a panoramic narrative which starts with aliens stimulating evolution among the first ape-men and ends with a spaceman being transformed into a galactic consciousness 1968 Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick In 1992 androids are almost indistinguishable from humans except by trained bounty hunters like Rick Deckard who is paid to track down and ‘retire’ escaped ‘andys’ – earning enough to buy mechanical animals, since all real animals died long ago 1969 Ubik by Philip K. Dick In 1992 the world is threatened by mutants with psionic powers who are combated by ‘inertials’. The novel focuses on the weird alternative world experienced by a group of inertials after they are involved in an explosion on the moon 1969 The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula Le Guin – an envoy from the Ekumen or federation of advanced planets – Genly Ai – is sent to the planet Gethen to persuade its inhabitants to join the federation, but the focus of the book is a mind-expanding exploration of the hermaphroditism of Gethen’s inhabitants, as Genly is forced to undertake a gruelling trek across the planet’s frozen north with the disgraced native lord, Estraven, during which they develop a cross-species respect and, eventually, a kind of love 1970s 1970 Tau Zero by Poul Anderson – spaceship Leonora Christine leaves earth with a crew of fifty to discover if humans can colonise any of the planets orbiting the star Beta Virginis, but when its deceleration engines are damaged, the crew realise they need to exit the galaxy altogether in order to find space with low enough radiation to fix the engines – and then a series of unfortunate events mean they find themselves forced to accelerate faster and faster, effectively travelling forwards through time as well as space until they witness the end of the entire universe – one of the most thrilling sci-fi books I’ve ever read 1971 The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula Le Guin – thirty years in the future (in 2002) America is an overpopulated environmental catastrophe zone where meek and unassuming George Orr discovers that is dreams can alter reality, changing history at will. He comes under the control of visionary neuro-scientist, Dr Haber, who sets about using George’s powers to alter the world for the better with unanticipated and disastrous consequences 1971 Mutant 59: The Plastic Eater by Kit Pedler and Gerry Davis – a genetically engineered bacterium starts eating the world’s plastic 1972 The Word for World Is Forest by Ursula Le Guin – novella set on the planet Athshe describing its brutal colonisation by exploitative Terrans (who call it ‘New Tahiti’) and the resistance of the metre-tall, furry, native population of Athsheans, with their culture of dreamtime and singing 1972 The Fifth Head of Cerberus by Gene Wolfe – a mind-boggling trio of novellas set on a pair of planets 20 light years away, the stories revolve around the puzzle of whether the supposedly human colonists are, in fact, the descendants of the planets’ shapeshifting aboriginal inhabitants who murdered the first earth colonists and took their places so effectively that they have forgotten the fact and think themselves genuinely human 1973 Rendezvous With Rama by Arthur C. Clarke – in 2031 a 50-kilometre-long object of alien origin enters the solar system, so the crew of the spaceship Endeavour are sent to explore it in one of the most haunting and evocative novels of this type ever written 1974 Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said by Philip K. Dick – America after the Second World War is a police state but the story is about popular TV host Jason Taverner who is plunged into an alternative version of this world where he is no longer a rich entertainer but down on the streets among the ‘ordinaries’ and on the run from the police. Why? And how can he get back to his storyline? 1974 The Dispossessed by Ursula Le Guin – in the future and 11 light years from earth, the physicist Shevek travels from the barren, communal, anarchist world of Anarres to its consumer capitalist cousin, Urras, with a message of brotherhood and a revolutionary new discovery which will change everything 1980s 1981 The Golden Age of Science Fiction edited by Kingsley Amis – 17 classic sci-fi stories from what Amis considers the ‘Golden Era’ of the genre, basically the 1950s 1982 2010: Odyssey Two by Arthur C. Clarke – Heywood Floyd joins a Russian spaceship on a two-year journey to Jupiter to a) reclaim the abandoned Discovery and b) investigate the monolith on Japetus 1984 Neuromancer by William Gibson – Gibson’s stunning debut novel which establishes the ‘Sprawl’ universe, in which burnt-out cyberspace cowboy, Case, is lured by ex-hooker Molly into a mission led by ex-army colonel Armitage to penetrate the secretive corporation, Tessier-Ashpool, at the bidding of the vast and powerful artificial intelligence, Wintermute 1986 Burning Chrome by William Gibson – ten short stories, three or four set in Gibson’s ‘Sprawl’ universe, the others ranging across sci-fi possibilities, from a kind of horror story to one about a failing Russian space station 1986 Count Zero by William Gibson – second in the ‘Sprawl trilogy’ 1987 2061: Odyssey Three by Arthur C. Clarke – Spaceship Galaxy is hijacked and forced to land on Europa, moon of the former Jupiter, in a ‘thriller’ notable for Clarke’s descriptions of the bizarre landscapes of Halley’s Comet and Europa 1988 Mona Lisa Overdrive by William Gibson – third of Gibson’s ‘Sprawl’ trilogy in which street-kid Mona is sold by her pimp to crooks who give her plastic surgery to make her look like global simstim star Angie Marshall, who they plan to kidnap but is herself on a quest to find her missing boyfriend, Bobby Newmark, one-time Count Zero; while the daughter of a Japanese gangster who’s sent her to London for safekeeping is abducted by Molly Millions, a lead character in Neuromancer
wrong_mix_range_publicationDate_00069	FactBench	2	5	https://atboundarysedge.com/2022/12/28/book-review-the-demolished-man-by-alfred-bester/comment-page-1/	en	BOOK REVIEW: The Demolished Man, by Alfred Bester	https://atboundarysedge.…22/12/bester.jpg	https://atboundarysedge.…22/12/bester.jpg	[ "https://atboundarysedge.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/cropped-logo.png", "https://atboundarysedge.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/bester.jpg?w=315", "https://0.gravatar.com/avatar/626830c64f7c941684e93b9d2c4e19bf2494b7aab1f13b31da5939c945da7539?s=48&d=identicon&r=G", "https://1.gravatar.com/avatar/ae5a1baf7b0c4abe1bb0956ce4a5b397b00d448410807b65473c70c840b4d390?s=40&d=identicon&r=G", "https://0.gravatar.com/avatar/626830c64f7c941684e93b9d2c4e19bf2494b7aab1f13b31da5939c945da7539?s=40&d=identicon&r=G", "https://1.gravatar.com/avatar/ae5a1baf7b0c4abe1bb0956ce4a5b397b00d448410807b65473c70c840b4d390?s=40&d=identicon&r=G", "https://atboundarysedge.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/cropped-logo.png?w=40", "https://atboundarysedge.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/cropped-logo.png?w=50", "https://atboundarysedge.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/cropped-logo.png?w=50", "https://pixel.wp.com/b.gif?v=noscript" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	2022-12-28T00:00:00	A Standalone Novel First Published in 1953 Reprinted under the Gollancz SF Masterworks banner A violent SF thriller 250 pages With telepathic law enforcement, violent crime should be impossible. But death always finds a way, and one man's journey into violence could spell disaster for all involved . . . The Demolished Man holds a…	en	https://atboundarysedge.…ed-logo.png?w=32	At Boundary's Edge	https://atboundarysedge.com/2022/12/28/book-review-the-demolished-man-by-alfred-bester/comment-page-1/#comments	A Standalone Novel First Published in 1953 Reprinted under the Gollancz SF Masterworks banner A violent SF thriller 250 pages With telepathic law enforcement, violent crime should be impossible. But death always finds a way, and one man’s journey into violence could spell disaster for all involved . . . The Demolished Man holds a special place in the science fiction canon. As this SF Masterwork edition proudly boasts, it was the first novel to win a Hugo Award, which even now is one of the most coveted literary awards in the science fiction community. That sort of reputation is enough to make me sit up and take notice. And then there’s the premise of the book, which promises a fraught battle of wits between a would-be murderer and the telepathic police force determined to stop him. Though The Demolished Man came out well beforehand, there are shades of Minority Report in that summary, and I was intrigued. To give Bester credit, the ideas in this book are great. A considerable amount of thought has gone into the espers (Extra Sensory Perception-ers) who make up the police force. Bester has clearly thought long and hard about the way these abilities would change law enforcement, and how they might conceivably alter society as a whole. When I could follow the plot, it was indeed exciting and tense. But as with Bester’s other work, those moments of beinga ble to follow what was going on were not as extended as I would have liked them to be. The ideas are great, but the execution is a distaster. In general, I find Bester’s prose difficult to get into. This is one of those quibbles I have with a handful of authors, but one that I can’t pinpoint precisely. Something about the way he strings a sentence together just makes my brain glaze over. That’s a matter of personal taste, of course, and it’s hard to fault Bester for my own interests in terms of prose. Where I find it easier to fault the man is in his more bizarre stylistic choices. Any other author would have called a man Atkins. Not Bester, he calls him @kins. Likewise, Quartermain becomes 1/4main. Clever little jokes, for sure, but the shorthand writing pulls me out of the writing every time, breaking up the flow of the writing every time it starts to form. And that’s far from the worst of it. Entire pages of this book are almost impossible to read. Paragraphs drift across the page like leaves on the wind, making iot impossible to tell which order to read them in. In one case a poem must be read by reading down the left hand side of the page, up the righ, and finally across the middle. In another, words fall out the neat lines of print for no discernable reason. Ampersands abound and words are struck through or printed in gothic fonts. It is absolutely infuriating to read, and sucks any remaining joy out of the book, whatever Bester’s final claims about joy returning might be. In short, The Demolished Man is a book I simply cannot reccommend, and proves that even an institution as venerable as the Hugo Awards can get off to a rocky start. More by Alfred Bester The Stars My Destination
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Written by Alfred Bester and published in 1953, it’s one of the most lauded novels in science fiction history.	en	https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59c43236a9db0969bd315681/1608229442830-T8FJ8SV25K19TFBZ8K1O/favicon.ico?format=100w	THE HEAD SCRATCHER	https://www.theheadscratcher.com/blog/2019/1/27/book-review-the-demolished-man-by-alfred-bester	The Demolished Man is your typical police procedural, a tale of murder, deception, lust and...telepathy? Written by Alfred Bester and published in 1953, it’s one of the most lauded novels in science fiction history. My first introduction to the works of Alfred Bester was with his third novel The Stars My Destination which I took a chance on after scouring the science fiction section of my local bookstore for classic sci-fi titles. Luckily it turned out to be a fantastically addictive and breathlessly paced, intergalactic revenge story and unexpectedly became one of my favourite books of all time. I later discovered that Alfred Bester is a bona fide Science Fiction legend. He was made an SF Grand Master in 1987 (think the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame but for SF writers) rubbing shoulders with the likes of Isaac Asimov (Foundation), Robert Heinlein (Starship Troopers) and Arthur C. Clarke (Rendezvous with Rama) and his very first novel, The Demolished Man, won the inaugural Hugo Award, one of the most prestigious literary prizes for the Science Fiction and Fantasy genres. Having enjoyed The Stars My Destination so much I was desperate to read The Demolished Man but had a backlog of other books to get through first (damn you, Asimov!). Finally though, after picking up a copy in The Strand Bookstore in NYC (a Mecca for book lovers), I've finished it. Did it live up to the hype? In short, yes, yes it did. The story begins following Ben Reich, the charismatic, driven and above all ruthless owner of the intergalactic business empire known as Monarch. When we first meet the power hungry Reich he's suffering from traumatic nightmares about "the man with no face" and is simultaneously struggling to counter the success of his closest competitor Craye D'Courtney whose thriving business threatens to bury the Monarch company. The thought of being beaten by D'Courtney makes infuriates Reich yet he reaches out to his enemy, proposing a merger. The offer is flatly refused and in this moment Reich resolves to take drastic action...drastic action of the murderous variety. Unfortunately for Reich, there's just one small problem with his plan. In the 24th Century many of Earth's inhabitants are latent telepaths called Espers, or more commonly peepers. In society there are three classes of Espers, the lowest of which can only read immediate thoughts and tend to be employed as secretaries and administrators, the middle class can dig a little deeper and read the pre-conscious level; they're typically employed as lawyers and psychologists but the highest class of Esper can delve deep into the subconscious mind and as a result they command the most respected jobs in the upper echelons of the police force and government. Since the police force is full of Espers and peeping is a talent that Reich does not possess, he needs all the help he can get. We soon learn that despite being governed by a strict code of conduct, the lure of money is enough even for an Esper to take a great risk, collaborate with a devious character such as Reich and help him carry out the unthinkable. Later in the story Police Prefect Lincoln Powell, an Esper first class, is called to a party for the rich and powerful where one Craye D'Courtney has been brutally murdered. There is no murder weapon and the only witness, his daughter, has vanished. Despite the seemingly hopeless case, Powell begins an intense investigation in to an attendee at the party, Ben Reich, who he is certain is the killer but cannot prove it. Much like an episode of Columbo, we know who the killer is from the start, we know their motivation and despite their reprehensible actions we actually grow to kind of like them. Unlike Columbo we're fully involved in the investigation through Powell and as such we know the moves that the police are going to make to try and trip the killer up and it's fascinating to follow how Reich is able to successfully duck and dive these traps and how with each subsequent duck and each successive dive he becomes more and more desperate up until the thrilling confrontation with "the man with no face". Bester paints a wonderfully vivid and futuristic world full of flying cars, off-world colonies and telepathic socialites (with names like @tkins or Wyg&) communicating silently, frowning upon those who talk out loud. It's also quite charming in the typical way that old sci-fi often is, where they still use archaic technologies such as magnetic tape. Where it also shows its age is in the female characters who can be strong, confident and independent one moment but the next they are swooning at the feet of the male protagonists. It's an outdated attitude but one that I hope most readers can look past and forgive as a product of its time. It doesn't form a big part of the story but does need to be acknowledged. Ultimately though The Demolished Man is a story of how far a person will go to get what they want. It's a study on how devious a person can become in order to overcome odds that seem utterly insurmountable and how, even when all seems lost, they will continue to battle on and on until they face nothing but demolition. It also explores what can be hidden in the depths of our deepest, darkest subconscious and how those secrets can unwittingly drive us and cloud our judgement. Overall it’s an engaging, enthralling and utterly encapsulating experience and an absolute must for lovers of classic science fiction. If you like a good crime or detective thriller then you might just get a kick out of it too. Highly recommended. If you can't get a copy in your local bookstore or library then grab one here. Why not also try The Stars My Destination here? Let me know your own thoughts on The Demolished Man and leave your own recommendations in the comments below. Peace. This article contains affiliate links which provide the writer with a small kick back when you make a purchase.
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wrong_mix_range_publicationDate_00069	FactBench	1	17	http://lib.ru/GIBSON/neuromancer.txt	en	William Gibson. Neuromancer			[ "http://lib.ru/GIBSON/neuromancerfront.jpg", "http://lib.ru/GIBSON/neuromancerback.jpg" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	null					null
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"https://assets.prod.abebookscdn.com/cdn/shared/images/common/social/x-twitter.svg", "https://assets.prod.abebookscdn.com/cdn/shared/images/common/social/instagram.svg", "https://assets.prod.abebookscdn.com/cdn/shared/images/common/footer/abebooks-footer-logo.png" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[ "Alfred Bester", "BESTER Alfred" ]	1959-07-25T00:00:00	The Demolished Man by Bester, Alfred and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at AbeBooks.com.	en			https://www.abebooks.com/book-search/title/the-demolished-man/author/alfred-bester/first-edition/	Hardcover. Condition: Fair. Dust Jacket Condition: No Dust Jacket. 1st Edition. Originally issued as a paperback. Original covers removed and replaced with an after market set of boards. . Size: 12mo - over 6¾ - 7¾" tall. 189 pages. Item Type: Book. Binding loose. Previous owner's signature in ink. Shipped Weight: Under 250 grams. Category: Science Fiction & Fantasy; ; . Please contact H4o Books if you require images or further information. Inventory No: 030054. Softcover. Condition: Acceptable. Dust Jacket Condition: NO. First Panther Edition Softcover NO Dust JAcket. Acceptable condition with creases and rubbing to covers, heavy tanned edge paper. Essentially a decades old paperback fragile pages and adhesives; we handle all documents with care this is not a robust copy. U5A27. Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. 1st Edition. Hardcover, first UK edition. This book is in very good condition -top corner of ffep has been removed; very slight lean to spine. No dust jacket. Mass Market Paperback. Condition: Very Good. 1st Printing. First printing, mass market paperback, has a light lean to the binding, bumps to spine ends and corners with a touch of creasing to covers and corners of first and last pages, slight rubbing with a touch of edgewear to covers, and reading creases starting to hinges and spine with a small pull starting to text block, otherwise a solid, clean VG copy. Paperback. Condition: Very good. First Paperback printing. 4 1/4 x 7 inches. 175 pages. 'First printing, March 1954' on copyright page. Condition is Very Good; exterior excellent, pages are slightly age-toned, first page of text (p.7) is detached but present. STK. Paperback. Dust Jacket Condition: No Dustjacket. First Edition. ISBN . Mass market paperback . First Signet Books printing from MArch 1954 as stated on the copyright page. Signet Book #1105. Near Fine condition. Tight bright attractive copy with no markings to the book. Collectors grade condition with flat spine and no creasing to the covers. No Signature. Condition: Good. 1953. First UK Edition. 224 pages. Pictorial dust jacket with white lettering over red cloth. Jacket design by Gerard Quinn. Label stuck to front flap announcing that it won an award at 11th World Science Fiction Convention. Clean pages with firm binding. Minimal tanning to endpapers and page edges. Text block edges more notably tanned with slight nicks. Mild wear to spine, board edges and corners, with mild scuffing and soiling to boards. Slight sunning to spine ends. Boards a little rubbed and marked overall. Book has a slight forward lean. Unclipped dust jacket. Mild wear and chipping to edges and corners. Several minor tears to folds. Notable sunning to spine. Small scuff to rear panel. Slightly sticky patch to front panel from removal of sticker. Slightly rubbed and marked overall. Hard Cover. Condition: VG+. Dust Jacket Condition: VG. First UK. VG+/VG. 12mo. original red boards (a trifle rubbed & bumped, slight crease to spine, occ. faint speckling to leaf edges, else clean & unmarked) in dustwrapper priced 6s. 6d. net (a little rubbed & frayed, spine slightly sunned); pp. 224. A very good copy in the stunning dustwrapper. Publisher's label to front flap, announcing that the book was voted the outstanding science fiction novel at the 11th World Science Fiction Convention (i.e. the inuagural Hugo Award). Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. First Edition. First edition in book format, previously serialized in Galaxy Science Fiction. Red cloth with gilt spine titling, very good with slight bumping to top fore-edge corner of front panel. Spine cocked forward. Binding sound. Dust jacket scuffed and edgeworn with light toning, small note regarding its win at the eleventh world science fiction convention adhered to bottom margin of front inner flap. Light soil to top of textblock. Pages lightly toned to margins. Prior owner's name penned to FFEP. Interior else clean, text unmarked. Hardcover - 2nd printing. Bester's classic science fiction novel which was originally serialized in Galaxy Magazine in 1952, and which was the first novel to win the Hugo Award. Copyright page states "second edition" but this is actually the fairly uncommon 2nd printing of the first edition by the original publisher. Dust jacket by Martin Herbstman. 250 pp. Near fine (previous owner's name on pastedowns, mostly hidden by dj flaps) in a fair only dust jacket. (price-clipped, tape reinforcement added to the edges, now protected by an archival cover). Hardcover. Condition: As New. No Jacket. VINCENT DIFATE (illustrator). 1st Edition, Book Club Edition. Single Owner - Private Collection - Stored in Dust free bookcases in dry climate - Limited run - a stunning volume with original artwork by Vincent Difate - Introduction by Kurt Vonnegut - Collector's Edition Accented in 22kt gold, printed on archival paper with gilded edges, smyth sewing & concealed muslin joints - Bound In full leather with hubbed spines - Includes pristine bookplate on inside of front cover - Condition: Pristine - from the Masterpieces of Science Fiction Collection by The Easton Press.
wrong_mix_range_publicationDate_00069	FactBench	3	19	https://arecklessventure.wordpress.com/book-review-the-demolished-man-by-alfred-bester/	en	Book Review: The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester	http://www.sfreviews.com/graphics/Alfred%20Bester_1953_The%20Demolished%20Man.jpg	http://www.sfreviews.com/graphics/Alfred%20Bester_1953_The%20Demolished%20Man.jpg	[ "https://arecklessventure.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/cropped-new-picture-e1429817421453.png", "https://i0.wp.com/www.sfreviews.com/graphics/Alfred%20Bester_1953_The%20Demolished%20Man.jpg", "https://arecklessventure.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/3a035-alfredbesterconcretepoetry1.gif?w=320&h=203", "https://s2.wp.com/i/logo/wpcom-gray-white.png", "https://s2.wp.com/i/logo/wpcom-gray-white.png", "https://pixel.wp.com/b.gif?v=noscript" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	2015-12-27T03:35:49+00:00	Alfred Bester is an odd landmark in science fiction history. On one hand he’s indisputably a pulp author who put a heavy emphasis on pacing and excitement. On the other his experiments with typography and form prefigured New Wave Science Fiction and are occasionally credited with birthing the movement. He was a white man writing in…	en	https://s1.wp.com/i/favicon.ico	A Reckless Venture	https://arecklessventure.wordpress.com/book-review-the-demolished-man-by-alfred-bester/	Alfred Bester is an odd landmark in science fiction history. On one hand he’s indisputably a pulp author who put a heavy emphasis on pacing and excitement. On the other his experiments with typography and form prefigured New Wave Science Fiction and are occasionally credited with birthing the movement. He was a white man writing in the 1950s, so when describing a black woman’s skin color in The Stars my Destination he uses the word “negro” (which is unacceptable in modern culture but at the time was considered the “proper” way to say “black person”) but the actual character is independent, intelligent and holds a respectable job as a hospital worker who rehabilitates accident victims. It’s Bester’s contradictions that make him so fascinating to watch, even when he’s not entirely successful. However good he is (or however bad he became after his hiatus), in his prime Bester was always delivering an experience that was somehow unique and strange. Case in point: The Demolished Man, a Freudian thriller. In the 24th century, where a small fraction of humanity has developed telepathic powers, corporate executive Ben Reich is being out-competed by a rival company. Desperate to hold onto his power, Reich decides to murder the opposing CEO and take control of the market by force. The problem is that, thanks to the presence of telepaths in the populace, there hasn’t been a successful premeditated murder for 70 years. Armed with only his wits, a telepathic partner-in-crime and a very catchy tune Reich must cheat a seemingly flawless system and win a battle of wits with the police prefect, Lincoln Powell, one of the most powerful telepaths in the solar system. It’s a great premise for a suspense story, but the execution is not what you’d expect. If you don’t have at least a passing familiarity with Freudian psychology then the book will make very little sense to you because the characters’ traits and behaviors are written for the express purpose of being in line with Freud’s theories. It’s similar to a magic system except instead of deciding which spells a character can cast it determines what a character does and how they behave. It’s an interesting concept, but in some ways it’s the book’s main issue. In theory there isn’t a reason why one can’t change the psychological system by which characters operate in the same way that one changes a setting or, again, a magic system. In practice, however, tampering with character psychology means altering the system that has allowed works of fiction to function for the past millennia. If characters’ behaviors and traits don’t obey the psychological system that all people operate by then it becomes difficult to sympathize or get invested in their struggles (which is not to say that characters have to reflect the audience’s opinions). Some writers choose to take this to its extreme and create characters who are so utterly alien that they fascinate rather than endear, but Bester does not go this far, and so his characters are stuck in a limbo where they come off as strange but in a contrived way rather than a natural one. Then again, Bester’s strong suit is not psychology, which under him tended to be slapdash even when he wasn’t evoking Freud. Probably because he didn’t care about making sure everything lined up from one chapter to the next. Bester’s approach to worldbuilding seems to be taking everything that he thought might be cool or help the plot and cramming it into this story with wanton disregard for consistency. People who obsess over inconsistencies and plot holes in fiction might end up frustrated by Bester, but I appreciate that in his universe there’s always an interesting idea just around the corner, which complements the breakneck pace very well. Even when he’s contradicting what he established previously he’s still delivering an exciting story. There are some truly standout sequences in this book, even if the pace is too quick to tell the terrifying and claustrophobic tale that the premise implies. The writing can get a bit repetitive because the book was originally serialized—each chapter was a stand-alone story and the book is simply a collection of them—but on the whole Bester’s writing is every bit as precise and laconic as I’ve come to expect from him (I wouldn’t have it any other way). It’s a thrilling and strange mystery novel that at times even manages to be funny, but I must say that it loses steam by the end thanks to a twist ending that will come off as either absurd or lackluster depending on how much you buy into the setting’s Freudian cosmology and an unconvincing philosophical conclusion. The story is wrapped up a bit too neatly where an open-ended conclusion would have been preferable. And now an obligatory comment about the book’s gender politics. In this respect the book hasn’t aged particularly well. There’s nothing outright insulting in the book’s portrayal of women, but it’s not what I’d call “progressive,” either. Some of this might be attributable to the book’s Freudian themes and feminist icons in the 1950s aging poorly (I’m just guessing; I haven’t done research into the matter) but coming to this from The Stars my Destination was disappointing. Ultimately, for all its merits, The Demolished Man falls short of the high mark Bester set for himself with The Stars my Destination. It isn’t as tight, the ending isn’t nearly as good and Bester’s famed experiments aren’t as fascinating here. Bester’s attempts to portray telepathic conversations through designs created entirely out of words (right) is interesting, but even if it’s a more complex technique than anything he did in Stars it’s still not as memorable as the chapter where Bester uses changing font sizes and arrangement of letters in order to show a character experiencing synesthesia. After all that, however, I do recommend The Demolished Man. It’s a weird, fun and exciting little book that I appreciate in part because it’s well-constructed but also because it’d be very difficult to find anything like it in any medium.
wrong_mix_range_publicationDate_00069	FactBench	3	58	https://snaomiscott.net/the-demolished-man/	en				[]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	null					null
wrong_mix_range_publicationDate_00069	FactBench	3	62	https://www.behemothrarebooks.com/product-page/the-demolished-man-alfred-bester-signet-1954-1st-vintage-paperback	en	THE DEMOLISHED MAN: Alfred Bester Signet 1954 1st Vintage Paperback	https://static.wixstatic…00,q_90/file.jpg	https://static.wixstatic…00,q_90/file.jpg	[ "https://static.wixstatic.com/media/8a187a_6c7ee20d999d4a298db65f9f8cb7fd77~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_172,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/8a187a_6c7ee20d999d4a298db65f9f8cb7fd77~mv2.jpg", "https://static.wixstatic.com/media/8a187a_6c7ee20d999d4a298db65f9f8cb7fd77~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_45,h_45,al_c,q_50,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01/8a187a_6c7ee20d999d4a298db65f9f8cb7fd77~mv2.jpg", "https://static.wixstatic.com/media/8a187a_85ad6e8ade4a41708ee110c504201073~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_45,h_45,al_c,q_50,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01/8a187a_85ad6e8ade4a41708ee110c504201073~mv2.jpg", "https://static.wixstatic.com/media/8a187a_8deb5637baf74305ba98e33e1abcea2c~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_45,h_45,al_c,q_50,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01/8a187a_8deb5637baf74305ba98e33e1abcea2c~mv2.jpg", "https://static.wixstatic.com/media/8a187a_e20794b902ef41ca9547392074c31283~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_45,h_45,al_c,q_50,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01/8a187a_e20794b902ef41ca9547392074c31283~mv2.jpg", "https://static.wixstatic.com/media/8a187a_c4fe35a10a99450db7f1a6f4103306a2~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_45,h_45,al_c,q_50,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01/8a187a_c4fe35a10a99450db7f1a6f4103306a2~mv2.jpg", "https://static.wixstatic.com/media/8a187a_7031b9d5a5f34c1d965db2f6d2b22a59~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_45,h_45,al_c,q_50,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01/8a187a_7031b9d5a5f34c1d965db2f6d2b22a59~mv2.jpg", "https://static.wixstatic.com/media/8a187a_4282bf20bf724ec6bae62d60f8e424c6~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_45,h_45,al_c,q_50,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01/8a187a_4282bf20bf724ec6bae62d60f8e424c6~mv2.jpg", "https://static.wixstatic.com/media/8a187a_f918d702445b41628403f66267fcf6c7~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_45,h_45,al_c,q_50,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01/8a187a_f918d702445b41628403f66267fcf6c7~mv2.jpg" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	null	THE DEMOLISHED MAN ALFRED BESTER SIGNET BOOKS 1954 1st Signet Printing VintagePaperback The Demolished Man is a science fiction novel by American writer Alfred Bester, which was the first Hugo Award winner in 1953. An inverted detective story, it was first serialized in three parts, beginning with the January 1952 issue of Galaxy Science Fiction, followed by publication of the novel in 1953 Condition: Good For It's Age - See Images - Couple Of Early Pages Seem To Be Hanging on Still, So Be Careful..After Those The Others Are Fine...It Isn't Far Off Being 70yrs Old Though!	en	https://static.wixstatic…fdc393%7Emv2.jpg	Behemoth Rare Books	https://www.behemothrarebooks.com/product-page/the-demolished-man-alfred-bester-signet-1954-1st-vintage-paperback	THE DEMOLISHED MAN ALFRED BESTER SIGNET BOOKS 1954 1st Signet Printing VintagePaperback The Demolished Man is a science fiction novel by American writer Alfred Bester, which was the first Hugo Award winner in 1953. An inverted detective story, it was first serialized in three parts, beginning with the January 1952 issue of Galaxy Science Fiction, followed by publication of the novel in 1953
wrong_mix_range_publicationDate_00069	FactBench	0	17	https://www.fosters.com/story/news/2004/12/08/as-argument-escalates-suspect-smushes/52680057007/	en	As argument escalates, suspect smushes steaming burger into Rochester clerk’s face	https://www.gannett-cdn.…ages/favicon.png	https://www.gannett-cdn.…ages/favicon.png	[]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[ "JASON HOWE Democrat Staff , Foster's Daily Democrat" ]	2004-12-08T00:00:00	ROCHESTER — Police issued an arrest warrant Monday for a man charged with assaulting a convenience store clerk with a hamburger. \n District Court Judge Daniel Cappiello signed a city police warrant f…	en	https://www.gannett-cdn.…ages/favicon.png	Fosters Daily Democrat	https://www.fosters.com/story/news/2004/12/08/as-argument-escalates-suspect-smushes/52680057007/	ROCHESTER — Police issued an arrest warrant Monday for a man charged with assaulting a convenience store clerk with a hamburger. District Court Judge Daniel Cappiello signed a city police warrant for Tony Carr, 37, of 22 Wendy Lane, Berwick, Maine, on Class A misdemeanor charges of simple assault and criminal mischief stemming from a Nov. 28 incident. The incident unfolded at the Highland Street Cumberland Farms, in East Rochester, when a man entered the building and placed a fast-food burger in the microwave, then attempted to pay for the hamburger as it was heating, police Sgt. Anthony Triano said. The man became enraged when clerk Scott Litzenberger told him he had to bring the burger from the microwave to the front counter 15 feet away in order to pay for it. After a sharp exchange of words, the man walked back to the microwave, removed the steaming burger and walked back to the waiting Litzenberger. The two apparently exchanged a few brief words again, when the man, "just lost it," according to another clerk. Instead of paying, the suspect shoved the steaming, greasy burger into Litzenberger’s left eye, causing scalding burns, Triano said. He then smashed the now dripping burger face-down on the counter and stormed out of the store without paying for the ruined food or helping the burned Litzenberger, police said. The charge of simple assault stems from Carr’s use of the burger to strike and burn Litzenberger, while the criminal mischief charge stems from Carr’s destruction of the hamburger without paying, Triano said. Police confirmed that the hamburger was taken as evidence after the assault. The incident is apparently a common one, according to another clerk at the store. "That time of night, you tend to get people who are belligerent. They want things they can’t have and we just try and do our job," said clerk Bill Rollo at just after 2 a.m. this morning. The actual assault was surprising though, Rollo said. "He (Litzenberger) didn’t seem too happy about it at all when I showed up to relieve him. He had a burned eye and eyeball. It was all red," said Rollo, who often replaces Litzenberger. "I know Scott said that the guy was giving him a really hard time about telling him to pay for the burger up front, so he shoved the burger in his face," Rollo said. He added that Litzenberger was slated to go on vacation at the end of the week, but should be returning to work on Thursday night. "I think he was well enough to go on vacation and I’m sure he’s fine now. I know he got it taken care of that night," Rollo added.
wrong_mix_range_publicationDate_00069	FactBench	3	15	https://speculativerhetoric.wordpress.com/2017/06/29/the-demolished-man-typography-and-language/	en	The Demolished Man: Typography and Language	https://speculativerheto…over-1.jpg?w=366	https://speculativerheto…over-1.jpg?w=366	[ "https://speculativerhetoric.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/blog-header-2.jpg", "https://speculativerhetoric.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/cover-1.jpg?w=183&h=300", "https://speculativerhetoric.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/cover-2.jpg?w=182&h=300", "https://speculativerhetoric.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/conversation.jpg?w=600", "https://speculativerhetoric.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/party.jpg?w=600&h=680", "https://speculativerhetoric.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/party-3.jpg?w=600", "https://speculativerhetoric.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/study-buddies.jpg", "https://speculativerhetoric.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/email-variation.png", "https://speculativerhetoric.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/twitter-variation.png", "https://speculativerhetoric.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/gplus-variation2.png", "https://s2.wp.com/i/logo/wpcom-gray-white.png", "https://s2.wp.com/i/logo/wpcom-gray-white.png", "https://pixel.wp.com/b.gif?v=noscript" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	2017-06-29T00:00:00	After a very, very long vacation, Speculative Rhetoric is back, this time with even more ambitious reading plans. I’ve decided to mark the occasion of me throwing myself back into the world of reading and writing about speculative fiction by reviewing the very first winner of the Hugo Award, Alfred Bester’s 1953 novel The Demolished…	en	https://s1.wp.com/i/favicon.ico	Speculative Rhetoric	https://speculativerhetoric.wordpress.com/2017/06/29/the-demolished-man-typography-and-language/	After a very, very long vacation, Speculative Rhetoric is back, this time with even more ambitious reading plans. I’ve decided to mark the occasion of me throwing myself back into the world of reading and writing about speculative fiction by reviewing the very first winner of the Hugo Award, Alfred Bester’s 1953 novel The Demolished Man. In the course of his varied career, Bester wrote for television, radio, and comics (he created DC villain Solomon Grundy) as well as science fiction short stories and novels. The Plot: The Demolished Man is best described as a police procedural in a world with telepaths – when antagonist Ben Reich sets out to commit a premeditated murder, he is more concerned with someone catching him before he can act than he is with how he will carry out the crime itself. Reich is a vicious businessman, completely convinced that his primary competitor, the D’Courtney Cartel, will ruin him and that the only way to prevent that from happening is to kill its head, Craye D’Courtney. This paranoia is both fueled by and results in recurring dreams of a man with no face constantly appearing in Reich’s life. Having decided on his plan of action, Reich blackmails/bribes Class 1 esper (a powerful telepath) Augustus Tate to aid him by shielding his mind from other espers, but his carefully laid plans are completely disrupted when D’Courtney’s daughter interrupts Reich during the act and he is unable to permanently silence her before she escapes. Once the murder is discovered, Class 1 esper and police Prefect Lincoln Powell is faced with a whole party of suspects and a missing eye witness. Reich and Powell find themselves in a race to locate the missing woman, while the true motivation for the crime continues to unfold. The World: What we know about the world of The Demolished Man is mostly glimpsed through brief references, but humans have apparently colonized much of their solar system and have relatively easy transport throughout. Contemporary society is highly capitalistic, as seen with Reich’s drive toward creating a transport monopoly, and heavily branded – one character is a famous writer of jingles that Reich visits to infect himself with an earworm, a further measure against prying espers. The espers themselves are the most wide-reaching feature of the novel, though they continue to be a minority in the population. Telepaths are organized into a Guild that has established the class system based on a telepaths ability, educational and recruitment programs, and regulations regarding marriage, employment, and appropriate ethical behavior for espers. Should an esper break these regulations, they are exiled from the Guild for a period of time, and no Guild esper will communicate with them telepathically; one character describes this as being like an able-bodied person forced to live in a community of deaf and blind people, never able to fully engage with others. The Guild requires that espers marry other espers, in the interest of producing children with telepathic abilities. Additionally, due to espers throughout society, including in the police force, pre-meditated crime happens rarely, because an individual’s intentions are detected before they can act. As I was preparing to write this post, I found this quote from Bester’s essay “My Affair with Science Fiction” describing the events that followed his first published story winning an amateur story competition in Thrilling Wonder Stories: “Two editors on the staff […] took an interest in me, I suspect mostly because I’d just finished reading and annotating Joyce’s Ulysses and would preach it enthusiastically without provocation, to their great amusement.” I was struck by this statement because I had described The Demolished Man as a science fiction version of British modernism, chocked full of awkward Freudianism, with the plot hinging on Reich’s oedipal compulsions (spoiler alert: D’Courtney is Reich’s father, though Reich seems to have repressed his knowledge of this fact to the point of unconsciously misreading messages sent by the other man). Sections of the novel are devoted to Lincoln Powell diving into the psyche of D’Courtney’s daughter Barbara who, after becoming catatonic as a result of witnessing her father’s murder, is regressed to an infant state to mentally grow up once more and thereby come to cope with the trauma – a plot device that allows the electra complex to make an appearance as Barbara and Lincoln fall in love with each other as he raises her out of infancy and into adulthood. It’s actually this Freudianism that takes the misogyny of the era from irritating to downright creepy for me; while Lincoln has a grown woman with whom he’s developed a close friendship (Mary) who loves and is in love with him, he wants the woman who he raised through childhood and adolescents (although it appears that Mary did most of the work). While I may have rolled my eyes at the psychoanalytics of The Demolished Man (much in the same way I roll my eyes as D. H. Lawrence), I can see why it would have been chosen as a Hugo winner, as it does what science fiction as a genre is best at: Bester takes one change to the world as we know it (the existence of a relatively large number of telepaths) and explores the social implications of this change, especially in matters of law enforcement. I was particularly drawn to the question of what counts as evidence; while Lincoln is sure from the start that Reich was the culprit, he needed to find the right kinds of evidence to convince the Mosaic Multiplex Prosecution Computor, or “Old Man Mose,” that the case is solid enough for the District Attorney to move on it. Lincoln can’t just dive into Reich’s brain and pull out the memory of the murder, for instance, and have it count as proof within a court of law as such an act would be a violation of due process and, perhaps, Guild regulations. There’s also the issue of the limitations of espers themselves. Lincoln Powell is a Class 1 esper, one of only a few very powerful telepaths, yet even can’t “peep” a whole group of people at one time. Interrogating a mind to the depths that are required to determine a murderer who is hiding as well as Reich is requires time, energy, and focus, and in the end, the entire Guild must channel their power into Lincoln for him to adequately breach Reich’s repressed knowledge and emotions toward D’Courtney. In terms of language, the most interesting aspect of this book was the ways Bester found to represent telepathic communication in typography, which further solidifies this notion that espers are not all-powerful – they must make a point to organize their communication much in the same way we do when we speak, not all talking over each other at once. In fact, the way TP communication is presented is more like the realities of spoken communication. Apart from more experimental poetry and the like, print text can only present speech as happening linearly – first one person speaks, then another. Even if the narrator describes these statements as happening at the same time, we still read one first, then the other. Bester uses a few typographical tricks to break up this linearity, like in this conversation between Lincoln and another detective. And here’s a couple of images of esper party conversation, one from before Lincoln called attention to the mess of a pattern they were making with their chatter and the more organized pattern that the guests arranged themselves in after. The thing I really like about these typographical tricks is that they imply that, like most people, even telepaths can only focus on understanding one bit of language at a time, a limitation that becomes all too clear when you’re sitting in a presentation where the speaker has a screen full of text she wants you to read while you listen to her say something entirely different.
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Through out the month of January, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016,, 2017, every year since 2012 I will be reading and discussing as much "older than I am" science fiction and fantasy that I can, and everyone is invited to join me! We'll be talking about time travel,…	en	https://s1.wp.com/i/favicon.ico	the Little Red Reviewer	https://littleredreviewer.wordpress.com/vintage-scifi-not-a-challenge/	Welcome to the Vintage Science Fiction not-a-challenge! Through out the month of January, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016,, 2017, every year since 2012 I will be reading and discussing as much “older than I am” science fiction and fantasy that I can, and everyone is invited to join me! We’ll be talking about time travel, laser guns, early robotics, first contact, swords and sorcery, predictions for humanity and the authors who came up with it all. Haphazardly, the defining year for “vintage” is 1979. The only “rule” for this not-a-challenge is that your blog post must be during the month of January. To see previous posts about Vintage Science Fiction Month, just type “Vintage” into the little search box-thing. You too, can be on red alert for the Interstellar Patrol by using the badge above in your posts, or blog side bar, or wherever you’d like.
wrong_mix_range_publicationDate_00069	FactBench	3	78	https://www.ebay.com/itm/266405213222	en	FINE! SIGNED — THE DEMOLISHED MAN — FIRST EDITION — FIRST PRINTING — BESTER 1953	https://i.ebayimg.com/im…k-5Yo/s-l400.jpg	https://i.ebayimg.com/im…k-5Yo/s-l400.jpg	[ "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/PbsAAOSwaq1k-5Yo/s-l140.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/CKUAAOSwdY1k-5OI/s-l140.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/imIAAOSwgZVk-5OJ/s-l140.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/ZpEAAOSwBYhk-5OJ/s-l140.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/AMEAAOSwjSJk-5OI/s-l140.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/jpkAAOSwpwxk-5OJ/s-l140.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/q6MAAOSwh3Bk-5OJ/s-l140.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/CYQAAOSwWeNk-5OI/s-l140.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/zeAAAOSwE3xk-5OH/s-l140.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/XtAAAOSwz41k-5OI/s-l140.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/4goAAOSwSWVk-5OI/s-l140.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/X1gAAOSwsxNk-5OJ/s-l140.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/P3sAAOSwmjRk-5OI/s-l140.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/c4cAAOSw11dk-5OI/s-l140.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/PbsAAOSwaq1k-5Yo/s-l1600.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/CKUAAOSwdY1k-5OI/s-l1600.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/imIAAOSwgZVk-5OJ/s-l1600.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/ZpEAAOSwBYhk-5OJ/s-l1600.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/AMEAAOSwjSJk-5OI/s-l1600.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/jpkAAOSwpwxk-5OJ/s-l1600.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/q6MAAOSwh3Bk-5OJ/s-l1600.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/CYQAAOSwWeNk-5OI/s-l1600.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/zeAAAOSwE3xk-5OH/s-l1600.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/XtAAAOSwz41k-5OI/s-l1600.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/4goAAOSwSWVk-5OI/s-l1600.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/X1gAAOSwsxNk-5OJ/s-l1600.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/P3sAAOSwmjRk-5OI/s-l1600.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/c4cAAOSw11dk-5OI/s-l1600.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/PbsAAOSwaq1k-5Yo/s-l1600.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/CKUAAOSwdY1k-5OI/s-l1600.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/imIAAOSwgZVk-5OJ/s-l1600.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/ZpEAAOSwBYhk-5OJ/s-l1600.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/AMEAAOSwjSJk-5OI/s-l1600.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/jpkAAOSwpwxk-5OJ/s-l1600.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/q6MAAOSwh3Bk-5OJ/s-l1600.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/CYQAAOSwWeNk-5OI/s-l1600.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/zeAAAOSwE3xk-5OH/s-l1600.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/XtAAAOSwz41k-5OI/s-l1600.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/4goAAOSwSWVk-5OI/s-l1600.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/X1gAAOSwsxNk-5OJ/s-l1600.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/P3sAAOSwmjRk-5OI/s-l1600.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/c4cAAOSw11dk-5OI/s-l1600.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/PbsAAOSwaq1k-5Yo/s-l500.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/CKUAAOSwdY1k-5OI/s-l500.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/imIAAOSwgZVk-5OJ/s-l500.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/ZpEAAOSwBYhk-5OJ/s-l500.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/AMEAAOSwjSJk-5OI/s-l500.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/jpkAAOSwpwxk-5OJ/s-l500.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/q6MAAOSwh3Bk-5OJ/s-l500.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/CYQAAOSwWeNk-5OI/s-l500.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/zeAAAOSwE3xk-5OH/s-l500.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/XtAAAOSwz41k-5OI/s-l500.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/4goAAOSwSWVk-5OI/s-l500.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/X1gAAOSwsxNk-5OJ/s-l500.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/P3sAAOSwmjRk-5OI/s-l500.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/c4cAAOSw11dk-5OI/s-l500.jpg", "https://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NDAwWDQwMA==/z/H9YAAOSwrR1g05VS/$_0.PNG", "https://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NDAwWDQwMA==/z/H9YAAOSwrR1g05VS/$_0.PNG" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	null	AUTHOR : ALFRED BESTER. THE DEMOLISHED MAN. DATE : 1953. PRINTING: FIRST PRINTING.	en		eBay	https://www.ebay.com/itm/266405213222	US $62.36GermanyeBay International ShippingUS $0.00
659	dbpedia	2	7	https://www.facebook.com/WestfieldHeritage/	en	Facebook	https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/rsrc.php/yv/r/B8BxsscfVBr.ico	https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/rsrc.php/yv/r/B8BxsscfVBr.ico	[ "https://facebook.com/security/hsts-pixel.gif?c=3.2" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	null	Sieh dir auf Facebook Beiträge, Fotos und vieles mehr an.	de	https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/rsrc.php/yv/r/B8BxsscfVBr.ico		https://www.facebook.com/login/
659	dbpedia	3	41	https://www.texascitytx.gov/476/Museum	en	Texas City, TX	https://www.texascitytx.gov/images/favicon.ico	https://www.texascitytx.gov/images/favicon.ico	[ "https://www.texascitytx.gov/ImageRepository/Document?documentID=4567", "https://www.texascitytx.gov/ImageRepository/Document?documentID=4574", "https://www.texascitytx.gov/ImageRepository/Document?documentID=76", "https://www.texascitytx.gov/ImageRepository/Document?documentId=1053", "https://www.texascitytx.gov/ImageRepository/Document?documentID=1048", "https://www.texascitytx.gov/ImageRepository/Document?documentID=77", "https://www.texascitytx.gov/ImageRepository/Document?documentID=48", "https://www.texascitytx.gov/ImageRepository/Document?documentID=50", "https://www.texascitytx.gov/ImageRepository/Document?documentID=49", "https://www.texascitytx.gov/ImageRepository/Document?documentID=51" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	null	The Texas City Museum encourages the explorer in everyone to experience the past, encounter the present, and discover the future.	en	/images/favicon.ico		null	Mission Statement The Texas City Museum is the center of history, culture, and heritage for the people of Texas City. We seek to educate and enlighten visitors as we become a premier destination museum by creating an engaging experience for all. Encouraging Exploration The Texas City Museum encourages the explorer in everyone to experience the past, encounter the present, and discover the future. It is a place where both emotions and intellect are challenged. The Galveston County Model Railroad Club Exhibit is also open each Saturday on the second floor of the museum. Please join us in our discovery of the past and journey toward a brighter future. Facility The Texas City Museum is supported by the City of Texas City. The Museum acquired its current building in March 1992. The 30,000 square foot building, previously known as the old J.C. Penney building, was donated by the McDaniel family of La Marque. Since its opening in March 1994, visitors from around the United States and abroad have toured the Museum. Exhibits A few of the exhibits featured in the museum are:
659	dbpedia	3	16	https://theheartofontario.com/plan-your-trip/museums-heritage-sites/	en	Museums & Heritage Sites	https://theheartofontari…e-3-Hamilton.jpg	https://theheartofontari…e-3-Hamilton.jpg	[ "https://theheartofontario.com/wp-content/themes/rto3/images/icons/region-mini-hamilton-purple.png", "https://theheartofontario.com/wp-content/themes/rto3/images/icons/region-mini-hamilton-purple.png" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	2017-10-19T20:21:15+00:00	The beat of a drum echoing through a Pow Wow. The ring […]	en	/wp-content/uploads/fbrfg/apple-touch-icon.png	Hamilton Halton Brant	https://theheartofontario.com/plan-your-trip/museums-heritage-sites/	The beat of a drum echoing through a Pow Wow. The ring of the telephone that would change the course of communication across the world. Canada’s war heroes, Aboriginal warriors, inventors and founding families aren’t just remembered in Hamilton Halton Brant, they’re celebrated in creative ways that ensure the spirits of the people who shaped our country live on. Interactive programming, creatively curated collections of artifacts and one-of-a-kind events and festivals transform history into engaging moments that shift perspectives and remind us how special it is to call this country home.
659	dbpedia	3	57	https://www.museumofflight.org/	en	The Museum of Flight	https://www.museumofflig…img/fb_share.png	https://www.museumofflig…img/fb_share.png	[ "https://www.museumofflight.org/Areas/CMS/assets/img/clouds/Clouds.jpg", "https://www.museumofflight.org/Areas/CMS/assets/img/pause.png", "https://www.museumofflight.org/Areas/CMS/assets/img/play.png", "https://www.museumofflight.org/user_area/content_media/raw/email.png", "https://www.museumofflight.org/user_area/content_media/raw/calendar.png", "https://www.museumofflight.org/user_area/content_media/raw/email-white_1.png", "https://www.museumofflight.org/Areas/CMS/assets/img/charity-nav.jpg", "https://www.museumofflight.org/user_area/uploads/TC_L_2023-281x300-f35a733.png", "https://www.museumofflight.org/user_area/uploads/badge1.png", "https://www.museumofflight.org/areas/cms/assets/img/moncur.png" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	null	The Museum of Flight holds one of the largest air and space collections in the US and aims to become the foremost educational air and space museum in the world!	en	/areas/cms/assets/img/favicon.png	Museum of Flight	https://www.museumofflight.org/	Diversity & Inclusion The Museum of Flight is dedicated to providing a welcoming experience for all visitors, staff, volunteers, learners and community members. We respect, celebrate and honor all people and the unique perspective they bring to our institution.
659	dbpedia	2	60	https://chinmayaottawa.com/chinmaya-trail-westfield-village-conservation/	en	New Chinmaya trail at Westfield Heritage Village Conservation Area	https://chinmayaottawa.c…Nature-image.jpg	https://chinmayaottawa.c…Nature-image.jpg	[ "https://chinmayaottawa.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Chinmaya_Logo.png", "https://chinmayaottawa.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Chinmaya_Logo.png", "https://chinmayaottawa.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Chinmaya_Logo.png", "https://chinmayaottawa.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Chinmaya-Trail-4-768x1024.jpeg", "https://chinmayaottawa.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Chinmaya-Trail-5-e1699288851190-539x1024.jpeg", "https://chinmayaottawa.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Chinmaya-Trail-7.jpg", "https://chinmayaottawa.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Chinmaya-Trail-1-768x576.jpeg", "https://chinmayaottawa.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Chinmaya-Trail-3-768x576.jpeg", "https://chinmayaottawa.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Chinmaya-Trail-6-2-768x576.jpeg", "https://chinmayaottawa.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Chinmaya-Trail-2-2-768x576.jpeg" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[ "co_handle" ]	2023-11-06T16:25:14+00:00	A new trail has been added to the Hamilton Conservation Authority (HCA) in Ontario, Canada in honour of our Swami Chinmayananda. The “Chinmaya Trail” is located in Westfield Heritage Village Conservation…	en	https://chinmayaottawa.c…Logo-120x120.png	Chinmaya Mission Ottawa	https://chinmayaottawa.com/chinmaya-trail-westfield-village-conservation/	A new trail has been added to the Hamilton Conservation Authority (HCA) in Ontario, Canada in honour of our Swami Chinmayananda. The “Chinmaya Trail” is located in Westfield Heritage Village Conservation area and adds 2.4 kilometres of trails to the existing trail network. Park visitors can now enjoy 6.7 kilometres of hiking, natural woodlands, plantation forests, significant wetlands, meadows, and cultural heritage features from past farming operations on the 204-hectare (503-acre) property. Notably, the trail system is designed to be accessible for strollers and wheelchairs, featuring flat-packed gravel surfaces and boasting three new bridges that cross over wetlands and streams. The official inauguration and ribbon-cutting ceremony occurred on Saturday, November 4, 2023. Representatives from the Chakraburtty family, along with HCA staff and board members, gathered to cut the ribbon and elaborate on the trail’s dedication. In 2016, HCA acquired the Chakraburtty family property, the final piece of land connecting two separate tracts. This pivotal acquisition made it possible to develop the trail system and elevate Westfield Heritage Village to a conservation area, preserving its natural heritage features and supporting passive recreational activities. Inauguration speech by Mr. Joti Chakraburtty Good afternoon, Chief Administrator of Hamilton Conservation Authority Lisa Burnside, Councillor Brad Clark, Director Scott Peck, Councillor Gord Costie and to the members of Chinmaya Missions Ottawa, Halton, Niagara and Toronto for coming here today, Hari Om and welcome to all. Before we begin, we will get the group to stand up and recite the Chinmaya Pledge: We stand as one family, bound to each other with love and respect. We serve as an army, courageous and disciplined, ever ready to fight against all low tendencies and false values, within and without us. We live honestly the noble life of sacrifice and service, producing more than what we consume and giving more than what we take. We seek the Lord’s grace to keep us on the path of virtue, courage, and wisdom. May thy grace and blessings flow through us to the world around us. We believe that the service of our country is the service of the Lord of Lords, and devotion to the people is devotion to the supreme Self. We know our responsibilities. Give us the ability and courage to fulfill them. Om Tat Sat The pledge is exactly that – a promise to oneself to have a universal vision and organizational compassion to work together in society—a promise to strive for good and aim to attain maximum happiness for all. Why did Swami Chinmayananda begin this great worldwide vision? He himself was a seeker and believed that the message of Vedanta in English through classes and lectures was a simple, logical and widespread means to bring this philosophy to life in day-to-day living. Swamiji’s message was to spread to families, with focus on children and youth as well. As you see, we have with us Chinmaya families with children, youth, adults, and seniors. Many children who started with us, now have become teachers and leaders within their own community. In the 80’s, the community of St. John’s Newfoundland created the first Chinmaya Centre in Canada. We then moved to Ontario, and slowly Chinmaya families joined in Halton, Niagara, Ottawa regions and growth continues to spread over Canada. Today, Ontario itself has five Chinmaya centres. These centres provide a space to host these classes, camps, events and other activities. Chinmaya Worldwide, is not just about disseminating Vedanta. The organization has and continues to build schools, hospitals, universities, and international schools, as well as, have seminars for men and women who become monks to continue the Vedantic traditions. There are schools all over Europe, India, Asia, Australia and North America. Years ago, my wife Sneh Latha Chakraburtty had purchased this lot of land. She had always wanted to use this land for either a Chinmaya centre for Halton or an old age home for Chinmaya Mission. Due to zoning issues, access to water sewer and many more obstacles this dream of Sneh’s was not getting any traction. Then in May of 2015, Chris Firth-Eagland called Sneh and asked if she would be interested in selling the land to the Hamilton Conservation Authority. He made her realise that if she cannot convert the land for his work, then the land should remain untouched and preserved for eternity. She had deep sentimental value of this purchased land which had been earned through her hard work, but felt that Chris’s vision was aligned with hers. These 46 acres were the last piece to link an amazing conservation network. Her only stipulation was that it be named Chinmaya Trail, so that for generations to come, this area will be protected and maintained by an institution that believes and respects nature, something Swami Chinmayananda repeatedly preached. It gives me great pleasure that today these forests remain as Sneh loved them. I am so thankful that both Chris and Sneh’s vision has come to life. It gives me a feeling of humility to honor our teacher and life guide Swami Chinmayananda and it gives me so much happiness to see my grandchildren here to witness acts of kindness and respect towards the Earth. I will now request Saakshi, Divya, Bharat and Arjun to come up and present our dignitaries with a gift from us. Thank you and Hari OM
659	dbpedia	2	76	https://www.westath.org/	en	Enriching the Diverse Community of Westfield	https://www.westath.org/…avicon-32x32.png	https://www.westath.org/…avicon-32x32.png	[ "http://testing.westath.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/The-Westfield-Athenaeum-Half-Circle-Logo.png", "http://testing.westath.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/The-Westfield-Athenaeum-Logo-Horizontal-SM.png", "https://www.westath.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/women-in-history-300x169.jpg", "https://www.westath.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/1-TOR-main-page-min-300x199.png", "https://www.westath.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/logoNOVPLg.gif", "https://www.westath.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/pcpr.png", "https://www.westath.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/transparent_language.png", "https://www.westath.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/moderna_hdr_brand_250.png", "http://testing.westath.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Westfield-Newspapers.png", "https://www.westath.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/gale-legalforms.png", "http://testing.westath.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/CustomerHomeBanner.jpg", "http://testing.westath.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Gale-Logo.png", "http://testing.westath.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/heritage-quest.jpg", "http://testing.westath.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Brittanica-Library.png", "https://www.westath.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/terc.png", "http://testing.westath.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/m_logo_primary.png", "http://testing.westath.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Gale-High-School.png", "http://testing.westath.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/wowbrary_logo-scaled.jpg", "http://testing.westath.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/rmv-practice-tests.png", "https://www.westath.org/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png", "https://www.westath.org/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png", "https://www.westath.org/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png", "https://www.westath.org/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png", "https://www.westath.org/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png", "https://www.westath.org/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png", "https://www.westath.org/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png", "https://www.westath.org/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png", "https://www.westath.org/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	null		en	https://www.westath.org/…avicon-32x32.png		https://www.westath.org/	Upcoming Events eBooks & Audiobooks Local History Readers’ Advisory Community Resources Contact Us Blog \| Library News View All Women in History Women in History Browse below to find both fiction and nonfiction tales based on the real stories of many amazing women who have existed throughout time. Throughout history, many women's stories were treated as less important than their male counterparts'. Books like these remind... Read More Seeking out the Strange with Tor.com Seeking out the Strange with Tor.com If you like science fiction, fantasy and/or horror, this is the website for you. While Tor.com publishes their own physical books, it also has a website with a massive collection of short fiction (for free!) and articles galore covering all corners of pop culture... Read More Celebrate Edgar Allan Poe Celebrate Edgar Allan Poe Feeling squeamish? Celebrate Edgar Allan Poe on October 7th with a macabre celebration of gothic and supernatural horrors. All Hallows by Christopher Golden The Atrocities by Jeremy Shipp Bunny by Mona Awad The Cloisters by Katy Hays The Collected Tales and poems... Read More Featured Online Resources View All New Adult Arrivals New Youth Arrivals
659	dbpedia	0	18	https://support.apple.com/en-gw/HT204916	en	Apple Pay participating banks in Canada, Latin America, and the United States	https://support.apple.com/favicon.ico	https://support.apple.com/favicon.ico	[ "https://support.apple.com/library/content/dam/edam/applecare/images/en_US/mac_apps/itunes/divider.png", "https://support.apple.com/library/content/dam/edam/applecare/images/en_US/mac_apps/itunes/divider.png", "https://support.apple.com/library/content/dam/edam/applecare/images/en_US/mac_apps/itunes/divider.png", "https://support.apple.com/library/content/dam/edam/applecare/images/en_US/il/spacer.png", "https://support.apple.com/library/content/dam/edam/applecare/images/en_US/mac_apps/itunes/divider.png", "https://support.apple.com/library/content/dam/edam/applecare/images/en_US/mac_apps/itunes/divider.png", "https://support.apple.com/library/content/dam/edam/applecare/images/en_US/mac_apps/itunes/divider.png", "https://support.apple.com/library/content/dam/edam/applecare/images/en_US/il/spacer.png", "https://support.apple.com/library/content/dam/edam/applecare/images/en_US/mac_apps/itunes/divider.png", "https://support.apple.com/library/content/dam/edam/applecare/images/en_US/il/spacer.png", "https://support.apple.com/library/content/dam/edam/applecare/images/en_US/mac_apps/itunes/divider.png", "https://support.apple.com/library/content/dam/edam/applecare/images/en_US/il/spacer.png", "https://support.apple.com/library/content/dam/edam/applecare/images/en_US/mac_apps/itunes/divider.png", "https://support.apple.com/library/content/dam/edam/applecare/images/en_US/mac_apps/itunes/divider.png", "https://support.apple.com/library/content/dam/edam/applecare/images/en_US/mac_apps/itunes/divider.png", "https://support.apple.com/library/content/dam/edam/applecare/images/en_US/mac_apps/itunes/divider.png", "https://support.apple.com/library/content/dam/edam/applecare/images/en_US/mac_apps/itunes/divider.png", "https://support.apple.com/library/content/dam/edam/applecare/images/en_US/mac_apps/itunes/divider.png", "https://support.apple.com/library/content/dam/edam/applecare/images/en_US/il/spacer.png", "https://support.apple.com/library/content/dam/edam/applecare/images/en_US/il/spacer.png", "https://support.apple.com/library/content/dam/edam/applecare/images/en_US/il/spacer.png", "https://support.apple.com/library/content/dam/edam/applecare/images/en_US/il/spacer.png", "https://support.apple.com/library/content/dam/edam/applecare/images/en_US/il/spacer.png", "https://support.apple.com/library/content/dam/edam/applecare/images/en_US/il/spacer.png", "https://support.apple.com/library/content/dam/edam/applecare/images/en_US/il/spacer.png", "https://support.apple.com/library/content/dam/edam/applecare/images/en_US/il/spacer.png", "https://support.apple.com/library/content/dam/edam/applecare/images/en_US/il/spacer.png" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	2024-08-06T00:00:00	Apple Pay works with many of the major credit and debit cards from the top banks. Just add your supported cards and continue to get all the rewards, benefits, and security of your cards.	en	/favicon.ico	Apple Support	https://support.apple.com/en-gw/HT204916	We’re working with more banks to support Apple Pay. If you don’t see your bank below, check back soon. Some cards from participating banks might not be supported in Apple Pay. Contact your bank for more information.
659	dbpedia	1	0	https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westfield_London	en	Westfield London	https://upload.wikimedia…_London_logo.png	https://upload.wikimedia…_London_logo.png	[ "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/icons/wikipedia.png", "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-wordmark-en.svg", "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-tagline-en.svg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/33/Westfield_London_logo.png", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/20/Westfield_London_shopping_area_in_London_Borough_of_Hammersmith_and_Fulham%2C_spring_2013_%2811%29.jpg/250px-Westfield_London_shopping_area_in_London_Borough_of_Hammersmith_and_Fulham%2C_spring_2013_%2811%29.jpg", "https://maps.wikimedia.org/img/osm-intl,10,a,a,250x200.png?lang=en&domain=en.wikipedia.org&title=Westfield_London&revid=1220301152&groups=_1d8640fbe55a9f983ef1fcacb62ffea6efb94d6b", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Underground_%28no_text%29.svg/10px-Underground_%28no_text%29.svg.png", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/73/Overground_roundel_%28no_text%29.svg/10px-Overground_roundel_%28no_text%29.svg.png", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/31/National_Rail_logo.svg/12px-National_Rail_logo.svg.png", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/8a/OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg/10px-OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg.png", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1e/Westfield_London_shopping_area_in_London_Borough_of_Hammersmith_and_Fulham%2C_spring_2013_%288%29.jpg/220px-Westfield_London_shopping_area_in_London_Borough_of_Hammersmith_and_Fulham%2C_spring_2013_%288%29.jpg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/20/Westfield_sm.jpg/220px-Westfield_sm.jpg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5e/Westfield_Interior.JPG/220px-Westfield_Interior.JPG", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/18/Westfield_London_The_Village_200906.jpg/120px-Westfield_London_The_Village_200906.jpg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/21/Westfield_London_Food_Court_200906.jpg/120px-Westfield_London_Food_Court_200906.jpg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9c/Westfield_foodcourt.jpg/120px-Westfield_foodcourt.jpg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b4/Goin_to_the_mall_%2814864243941%29.jpg/120px-Goin_to_the_mall_%2814864243941%29.jpg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/20/Westfield_London_Interior_1_200906.jpg/120px-Westfield_London_Interior_1_200906.jpg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/95/Westfield_London_Level_2_Restaurant.jpg/120px-Westfield_London_Level_2_Restaurant.jpg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png", "https://login.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?type=1x1", "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/footer/wikimedia-button.svg", "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/footer/poweredby_mediawiki.svg" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[ "Contributors to Wikimedia projects" ]	2006-11-30T20:49:05+00:00		en	/static/apple-touch/wikipedia.png		https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westfield_London	Shopping centre in White City, London Not to be confused with Westfield College or Westfield Stratford City. Westfield London is a large shopping centre in White City, west London, England, developed by the Westfield Group at a cost of £1.6bn,[3][4] on a brownfield site formerly the home of the 1908 Franco-British Exhibition. The site is bounded by the West Cross Route (A3220), the Westway (A40) and Wood Lane (A219). It opened on 30 October 2008 and became the largest covered shopping development in the capital;[5] originally a retail floor area of 1,600,000 sq ft (150,000 m2),[6] further investment and expansion led to it becoming the largest shopping centre in the UK and Europe by March 2018, an area of 2,600,000 sq ft (240,000 m2).[7] The mall is anchored by department stores John Lewis and Marks & Spencer, as well as multi brand retailer Next and large fast fashion brand Primark. Former anchor retailers include House of Fraser and Debenhams. History [edit] The development is on a large brownfield site, part of which was once the location of the 1908 Franco-British Exhibition. The initial site clearance demolished the set of halls still remaining from the exhibition (their cheap-to-build, white-painted blank facades are said to be the origin of the name White City). There were also considerable precautions needed during demolition due to the expectation of finding unexploded bombs from raids on a local munitions factory during the World War II blitz. Elsewhere on the site was a London Underground railway depot, which had to be kept fully operational while a new depot was built underground to allow the new shopping centre to be built above both the new depot, and on the old depot site. The old depot was then demolished.[8] The initial plan for a shopping centre at this location was developed by a consortium, the largest company involved being the UK division of Australian property company Multiplex. However, due to heavy financial losses in other ventures, including the construction of the new Wembley Stadium, Multiplex was forced to sell its stake to the Westfield Group.[9] The development was built by Westfield Construction, the developer's own construction arm and was delivered on schedule.[10] Robert Bird Group were the structural engineers for the job.[11] The roof was designed by Knippers Helbig Advanced Engineering (Stuttgart, Germany).[12] The project took five years to build, employing 8,000 people.[13] On the 7 July 2015, Mohammed Rehman and Sana Ahmed Khan planned to explode a bomb which consisted of 10 kg of urea nitrate inside the shopping centre. The attack was set to occur on the 10 year anniversary of the 7 July 2005 London bombings, but was thwarted by police.[14] Opening [edit] The centre was opened to the public on 30 October 2008 by Frank Lowy, CEO of Westfield Group, in an event also attended by Mayor Boris Johnson, with a retail floor area of 1,600,000 sq ft (150,000 m2).[3][6] It became the largest covered shopping centre in London having overtaken the Whitgift Centre in Croydon.[6] Amid great hype, two million shoppers visited the centre in its first three weeks, despite the ongoing credit crunch in the UK.[15] However the financial crisis of the time did cause a swift fall in shoppers and some shops forcing to close in 2009. While some commentators suspected Westfield London to fail during the economic gloom, the centre reported increased sales in 2010 following an unexpectedly large number of tourist shoppers.[16][17] Extension [edit] On 16 February 2012, Hammersmith & Fulham Council approved a 700,000 sq ft extension to the north of the existing site. Building work began in 2014,[18] and the extension opened in three phases. The first phase opened in March 2018, and the final phase opened in October 2018. Once the extension was completed, Westfield London's size increased to 2.6 million square feet (240,000 m2), making it the largest shopping centre in Europe.[19] The north side of the extension is bounded by a railway viaduct, and the south side of the extension is adjunct to the original shopping centre. The extension replaces an industrial estate which previously occupied the area, divided by Ariel Way. The extension includes 51,000 square metres (550,000 sq ft) of retail space including a 70,000 sq ft Primark store, offices, new streets, public spaces, and approximately 1,522 new homes. The development ranges from four to twelve storeys high with one building of 20 storeys. The work also includes modifications to Shepherd's Bush railway station, relocation of the White City bus station and reuse of the Dimco Buildings, and pedestrian links on the east side of the site connecting Hammersmith & Fulham with Kensington & Chelsea.[20][21][22] The department store John Lewis is the occupant of an 'anchor store' within the extension. Kidzania, a part of the extension, opened in 2015.[23][24][25] COVID-19 [edit] On 28 April 2020 it was announced that Debenhams Westfield London store had closed permanently due to the COVID-19 lockdown and entering administration.[26][27] On 28 July Hammersmith & Fulham Council's Planning Committee approved Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield's planning application on transforming two-thirds of House of Fraser's space into office spaces and two separate retail units that will face the inside of the centre.[28][29][30] The former Debenhams space was occupied by a Harrods Outlet for a time.[31][32] In 2023, It was confirmed that TK Maxx would be taking over much of the former Debenhams anchor unit space.[33] Constituent sections [edit] Retail area [edit] It has a retail floor area of 2.6 million square feet (240,000 m2).[19] The centre features around 320 stores, including AllSaints, Apple, Bershka, Boots, Bose, Cotton On (includes RUBI and Factorie), Dwell, Early Learning Centre, Ernest Jones, Gerry Weber, Hackett, Hollister Co, House of Fraser, H.Samuel, Jaeger, Kurt Geiger, Lego, Mamas & Papas, Mango, Marks & Spencer, Next, Nomination, Oakley, Reiss, River Island, schuh, Starbucks Coffee, Tesla, Topshop, Uniqlo, the multiplex cinema Vue, Waitrose and Zara. The development also includes a high-end retail area called The Village. The area includes brands Burberry, De Beers, Georg Jensen, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Miu Miu, Mulberry, Myla, Tiffany & Co and Versace. 'The Village' Food Court Food Court Main Atrium Interior The Loft Vue digital cinema [edit] Vue opened a seventeen-screen cinema on 12 February 2010,[34] including five 3-D-enabled screens, with a seating capacity of almost 3,000. Transport connections [edit] As part of the planning permission for the shopping centre, Westfield Group contributed £170m towards local transport improvements, with Transport for London contributing a further £30m.[35] These transport improvements now serve the shopping centre, as well as the surrounding area. London Underground: Two Underground stations serve the centre - a newly built Wood Lane station (Circle and Hammersmith & City lines) on the western side,[36] and the rebuilt Shepherd's Bush station (Central line) on the southern side.[37] There are also two other stations close by; White City and Shepherd's Bush Market. London Overground/Southern: Shepherd's Bush railway station is a newly constructed station on the West London Line. The station, which opened on 28 September 2008, is located on the southern side of the Westfield centre, next to the Central line tube station.[38] The opening of the station was delayed by several months when the finished platform was found to be 18 inches narrower than the required width.[39] Bus and taxi: The Shepherd's Bush Interchange is located to the south of the centre next to the Overground station and includes a bus station and a taxi rank.[40] Close to Wood Lane tube station is the White City bus station on Ariel Way.[41] The red brick, Grade II listed Dimco Buildings, which were originally built in 1898 as an electricity generating station for the Central London Railway, was used to stable buses as the current White City bus station.[42][43] The Dimco buildings were used as a filming location for the ‘Acme Factory’ in the 1988 film Who Framed Roger Rabbit.[44] Cycle improvements: The development includes four new cycle routes, as well as 570 cycle parking spaces.[41] However, advocates consider the new cycle routes woefully inadequate.[45] Road links: A grade-separated junction connects to the West Cross Route (A3220), which runs alongside the development site. Impact and criticism [edit] Before opening, the centre was expected to attract trade that otherwise might have gone to the already busy West End, as well as having a potentially negative impact on nearby Kensington High Street.[46] The development has also pushed up rents in the Shepherds Bush area, which is expected to impact on the value retail offer in the area, with many businesses as well as the Shepherds Bush Market expected to suffer.[47] Others have criticised the centre's "clone stores".[48] See also [edit] List of shopping centres in the United Kingdom List of shopping centres in the United Kingdom by size Westfield Stratford City – a similar development in east London Brent Cross Shopping Centre – a similar major shopping centre in north London References [edit]
659	dbpedia	2	40	https://www.westfieldnj.gov/397/Historic-Preservation-Commission	en	Historic Preservation Commission	https://www.westfieldnj.gov/images/favicon.ico	https://www.westfieldnj.gov/images/favicon.ico	[ "https://www.westfieldnj.gov/Common/Images/AlertCenter/alertBarBlink.svg", "https://www.westfieldnj.gov/ImageRepository/Document?documentID=1361", "https://www.westfieldnj.gov/ImageRepository/Document?documentID=62", "https://www.westfieldnj.gov/ImageRepository/Document?documentID=40", "https://www.westfieldnj.gov/ImageRepository/Document?documentID=42", "https://www.westfieldnj.gov/ImageRepository/Document?documentID=41", "https://www.westfieldnj.gov/ImageRepository/Document?documentID=43", "https://www.westfieldnj.gov/ImageRepository/Document?documentID=46", "https://www.westfieldnj.gov/ImageRepository/Document?documentId=1183", "https://www.westfieldnj.gov/ImageRepository/Document?documentId=1182", "https://www.westfieldnj.gov/ImageRepository/Document?documentId=6382", "https://www.westfieldnj.gov/ImageRepository/Document?documentId=6248", "https://www.westfieldnj.gov/ImageRepository/Document?documentId=1268", "https://www.westfieldnj.gov/ImageRepository/Document?documentID=1420", "https://www.westfieldnj.gov/ImageRepository/Document?documentID=65" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	null	The Westfield Historic Preservation Commission is established by municipal ordinance; it has designated a number of historic sites and districts.	en	/images/favicon.ico		null	Mission Statement Recognizing the cultural significance of Westfield’s rich historic and architectural heritage, the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) was established by municipal ordinance in December 1984. The HPC is charged with preserving historical sites and structures while fostering an appreciation for these landmarks as an essential element of the town’s unique character. The Commission considers potential sites for historic designation, reviews proposed work on designated historic properties, advises homeowners in planning and designing their construction projects, and submits recommendations to the Planning Board. Additionally, the Harry Devlin Awards program recognizes homeowners for commendable preservation efforts. By preserving Westfield’s legacy, the Historic Preservation Commission strives to protect Westfield's original neighborhoods and provides a valuable link for generations to come. HPC Overview To designate and regulate historic sites and historic districts within the Town consistent with and pursuant to authority granted under the New Jersey Municipal Land Use Law (MLUL), N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1 et seq. Highly Valued Qualities Westfield is a compact suburban town with many highly valued qualities - a vibrant pedestrian-oriented downtown, a centrally located train station, tree-lined neighborhoods with handsome houses spaced close enough to be neighborly yet far enough part to provide private yards, dynamic cultural institutions, and public parks and playgrounds. These qualities make Westfield a desirable place to live. It is perhaps less widely understood that many of these valuable features are also historic resources - the product of three centuries of creating home and community in Westfield. The Town of Westfield has recognized that there is a public interest in preserving the town's historic resources. The Westfield Historic Preservation Commission is established by municipal ordinance, and have designated a number of historic sites and districts. Design Guidelines Design guidelines were written and adopted to assist the Historic Preservation Commission in its review of proposed work on designated history properties and to guide property owners in planning and designing their construction projects. The guidelines are intended to help protect the community's historic buildings and places, to expedite and ensure consistency in local decision-making, and to benefit property owners by clarifying community expectations. Designated history sites and districts in Westfield comprise only a small portion of the town's historic buildings and environments. Owners of these residential and commercial properties in Westfield are encouraged to apply these guidelines, as appropriate, when planning repairs, additions, or new construction. "Westfield: Then & Now" Photography Exhibit In celebration of National Preservation Month, Westfield’s Historic Preservation Commission and Public Arts Commission have teamed up to host a special photography exhibit at the Center for Creativity at the Rialto, 250 E. Broad Street, throughout May. Titled “Westfield: Then & Now,” the exhibit features vintage photos sourced from the archives of the Westfield Historical Society alongside present-day views of the same scene. The resulting images are a vivid portrait of Westfield’s timeless architectural heritage and enduring community spirit. Among the many municipal, commercial and residential sites featured are Arcanum Hall, Elm Street, Mindowaskin Park, and historic neighborhoods including Boulevard, Stoneleigh Park, and Kimball Avenue. In some cases, the image was faithfully recreated using the site’s current occupants. In conjunction with the exhibition, the public is invited to submit their own “Then & Now” photographs for an online display by emailing them to hpc@westfieldnj.gov. Historic Preservation Element of the Master Plan After input received during public forums held on October 19 and December 14, 2023, field surveys, research, and collaboration with a steering committee comprised of members of the Historic Preservation Commission and Town Staff, the Historic Preservation Element of the Town Master Plan has been prepared by the consulting team of H2M Associates, Inc. and Easton Architects and is available for review. Funded by a grant from the New Jersey Historic Trust, the the project will result in the update of the 2002 Historic Preservation Element of the Town Master Plan. Additional input has come from the Planning Board who reviewed a draft at their February 5, 2024 meeting and provided comments to the consulting team. The Historic Preservation Commission also reviewed thedraft at their February 26, 2024 meeting and provided comments. The final draft was then prepared after receiving these comments from the Planning Board, Historic Preservation Commission, and also members of the public. A public hearing was held at the April 1, 2024 meeting of the Planning Board, at which time the the Historic Preservation Element's was adopted. A copy of the final draft of the Historic Preservation Element of the Town Master Plan may be found here. . Meetings 7:30 pm Fourth Monday of every month Municipal Building 425 E Broad Street Council Chambers Westfield, NJ 07090 Agendas & Minutes Agendas are available prior to the meetings. Minutes are available following approval. View Most Recent Agendas and Minutes Pending Certificate of Appropriateness Applications Pending Certificate of Appropriateness applications before the Historic Preservation Commission can be found through the following link: Historic Preservation Commission - Pending Applications The Department of Planning and Zoning maintains all pending applications before the Commission and makes digital copies (when available) of pending applications available through the Town website. Pending and past Certificate of Appropriateness Applications from the years of 2020 to the present for the Historic Preservation Commission are also available for public inspection in the Department of Planning and Zoning at 959 North Avenue West. Members Carol Tener, Class B, Historian Term Expires: December 31, 2027 Greg Blasi, Class A Term Expires: December 31, 2027 Greg Talmont, Class A Term Expires: December 31, 2027 Maria Boyes, Class B Term Expires: December 31, 2024 Maryellen McVeigh, Class B Term Expires: December 31, 2027 Jennifer Jaruzelski, Class C Term Expires: December 31, 2024 Christopher DeFreitas, Class C Term Expires: December 31, 2025 (unexpired term) Michal Domogala, Council Liaison Term Expires: December 31, 2024 Jacqueline Brevard, Class C Term Expires: December 31, 2025 Cheryl Katz, Alternate #1 Term Expires: December 31, 2025 Meridith Bridge, Alternate #2 Term Expires: December 31, 2024 (unexpired term) Ann Freedman, Planning Board Rep., Class C Term Expires: December 31, 2023 Additional Member Information Mayor appointment/Council consent 9 members and 2 alternates 4-year term - members; 2-year term - alternates Contact Email the Historic Preservation Commission with any comments or questions. 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659	dbpedia	0	9	https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_museums_in_Massachusetts	en	List of museums in Massachusetts	https://en.wikipedia.org/static/favicon/wikipedia.ico	https://en.wikipedia.org/static/favicon/wikipedia.ico	[ "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/icons/wikipedia.png", "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-wordmark-en.svg", "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-tagline-en.svg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c0/Smithsonian_Building_NR.jpg/120px-Smithsonian_Building_NR.jpg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f2/Flag_of_Massachusetts.svg/32px-Flag_of_Massachusetts.svg.png", "https://login.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?type=1x1", "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/footer/wikimedia-button.svg", "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/footer/poweredby_mediawiki.svg" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[ "Contributors to Wikimedia projects" ]	2007-12-14T23:23:22+00:00		en	/static/apple-touch/wikipedia.png		https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_museums_in_Massachusetts	Name Town/City County Region Type Notes 1749 Court House and Museum Plymouth Plymouth Plymouth County Local history Early Plymouth history, open seasonally Abbot Hall Marblehead Essex North Shore Maritime Operated by the Marblehead Historical Commission, includes cases with local history displays and the Maritime Room Museum Abigail Adams Birthplace Weymouth Norfolk Greater Boston Historic house website Adams National Historical Park Quincy Norfolk Greater Boston Historic house Preserves the homes of Presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams, of U.S. Ambassador to Great Britain Charles Francis Adams, Sr., and of the writers and historians Henry Adams and Brooks Adams house Addison Gallery of American Art Andover Essex Merrimack Valley Art American art, photography and decorative arts, part of Phillips Academy African Meeting House on Nantucket Nantucket Nantucket Nantucket African American website, part of Museum of Afro-American History Agawam Historical Fire House & Museum Agawam Hampden Pioneer Valley Fire website Alden House Historic Site Duxbury Plymouth Plymouth Historic house National Historic Landmark; Includes 1659 John Alden House and 1632 original Alden Homestead Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum Springfield Hampden Pioneer Valley Children's Dedicated to the art of Dr. Seuss, opened in 2017 Amelia Park Children's Museum Westfield Hampden Pioneer Valley Children's website, formerly Discover Westfield Children's Museum American Heritage Museum Stow Middlesex Greater Boston Military history website, large collection of tanks and other military artifacts of the 20th and early 21st centuries Amesbury Carriage Museum Amesbury Essex Merrimack Valley Transportation website Amherst Center for Russian Culture Amherst Hampshire Pioneer Valley Art Includes gallery for the display of over 50 works of Russian art Amherst History Museum Amherst Hampshire Pioneer Valley History Operated by the Amherst Historical Society in the Simeon Strong House, includes decorative arts, paintings, household implements, agricultural tools and other historic items Amos Blanchard House and Barn Museum Andover Essex Merrimack Valley History website, recreates the life and times of a typical middle-class family of the early 19th century, operated by the Andover Historical Society Animagic Lee Berkshire The Berkshires Art website, museum of animation, special effects and art Aptucxet Trading Post Museum Bourne Barnstable Cape Cod Open air website, operated by the Bourne Historical Society, includes replica 17th-century trading post, Gray Gables Railroad Station, replica 19th-century saltworks, and a wooden windmill Aquinnah Cultural Center Aquinnah Dukes Martha's Vineyard Native American History and culture of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head Armenian Library and Museum of America Watertown Middlesex Greater Boston Ethnic Arrowhead Pittsfield Berkshire The Berkshires Historic house Home of Herman Melville Art Complex Museum Duxbury Plymouth Plymouth Art Collections include American painting, prints, Shaker furniture and Asian art Arthur M. Sackler Museum Cambridge Middlesex Greater Boston Art Part of Harvard, ancient, Islamic, Asian, and later Indian art Ashfield Historical Society Museum Ashfield Franklin Pioneer Valley Local history website Athol Historical Society Museum Athol Worcester Blackstone Valley Local history Open on Sunday afternoons in June and July Attic Children's Museum Uxbridge Worcester Blackstone Valley Children's website, operated by Uxbridge Public Schools Attleboro Arts Museum Attleboro Bristol Southeastern Massachusetts Art website, contemporary visual and performing arts Attleboro Area Industrial Museum Attleboro Bristol Southeastern Massachusetts Industry website, refiner of gold, silver and copper by-products for jewelry Atwood House Museum Chatham Barnstable Cape Cod Historic house 18th-century house reflecting Cape Cod life, art, and culture of the 18th and 19th centuries, run by the Chatham Historical Society Auburn Historical Museum Auburn Worcester Blackstone Valley Local history Housed in a historic school building Bare Cove Fire Museum Hingham Plymouth Plymouth Fire website Barrett-Byam Homestead Chelmsford Middlesex Merrimack Valley Historic house Operated by the Chelmsford Historical Society Bartlett Museum Amesbury Essex Merrimack Valley Multiple Historic house with Amesbury history exhibits, replicas of a colonial kitchen and a Victorian parlor, a natural history room, a schoolroom and a carriage house Bartholomew's Cobble Sheffield Berkshire The Berkshires Natural history Basketball Hall of Fame Springfield Hampden Pioneer Valley Sports Battleship Cove Fall River Bristol Southeastern Massachusetts Maritime Includes the World War II battleship USS Massachusetts, PT Boat Museum, destroyer USS Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr., submarine USS Lionfish, German corvette Hiddensee Baxter Mill Yarmouth Barnstable Cape Cod Mill Restored grist mill, open seasonally Beauport, Sleeper-McCann House Gloucester Essex North Shore Historic house Owned by Historic New England, early 20th-century house with dozens of rooms decorated to evoke different historical and literary themes Beebe Estate Melrose Middlesex Greater Boston Art Features changing exhibits of local art Beer Can Museum East Taunton Bristol Southeastern Massachusetts Collection Beer cans Belchertown Firefighters Museum Belchertown Hampshire Pioneer Valley Firefighting [1] Bell School Westport Bristol Southeastern Massachusetts Local history website, operated by the Westport Historical Society Beneski Museum of Natural History Amherst Hampshire Pioneer Valley Natural history Part of Amherst College, large collection of dinosaur fossils, area minerals Benjamin Caryl House Dover Norfolk Greater Boston Historic house Operated by the Dover Historical Society, which also owns the Sawin Museum and Fisher Barn, late 18th-century period house Benjamin Nye Homestead East Sandwich Barnstable Cape Cod Historic house 18th-century period home Benjamin Thompson House-Count Rumford Birthplace Woburn Middlesex Greater Boston Historic house Birthplace of scientist and inventor Benjamin Thompson Berkshire Athenaeum Pittsfield Berkshire The Berkshires Library Library, literary, Herman Melville Collection Berkshire Museum Pittsfield Berkshire The Berkshires Multiple Art, natural history, culture of ancient civilizations, science, aquarium Berkshire Scenic Railway Museum Lenox Berkshire The Berkshires Railroad Museum and heritage railroad Bernardston Historical Society Museum Bernardston Franklin Pioneer Valley Local history [2] Bidwell House Museum Monterey Berkshire The Berkshires Historic house 18th-century period house, also has hiking trails Bisbee Mill Museum Chesterfield Hampshire Pioneer Valley History Reconstructed 19th-century grist mill, blacksmith shop, woodworking shop, historic artifacts Blackstone Historical Museum Blackstone Worcester Blackstone Valley Local history [3] Blanchard's Colonial Tavern Avon Norfolk Southeastern Massachusetts Historic house website, 18th-century tavern, also Captain Sam Robbins House Blue Hill Observatory & Science Center Milton Norfolk Greater Boston Science Blue Hills Trailside Museum Milton Norfolk Greater Boston Nature center Operated by the Massachusetts Audubon Society, natural history of the Blue Hills Reservation, live animals, programs Boardman House Saugus Essex North Shore Historic house Owned by Historic New England, open two days a year, late 17th-century saltbox Boylston Historical Society Museum Boylston Worcester Blackstone Valley Local history website, located in the former town hall Brewster Historical Society Museum Brewster Barnstable Cape Cod Local history website Briggs-McDermott House Bourne Barnstable Cape Cod Local history Operated by the Bourne Historical Society Brockton Historical Society Homestead Brockton Plymouth Plymouth History website, also see Brockton Historical Society other site, includes the Brockton Shoe Museum, Brockton Fire Museum, Rocky Marciano and Thomas Edison exhibits Brocklebank Museum Georgetown Essex Merrimack Valley Historic house 18th-century period house operated by the Georgetown Historical Society Brooks Academy Museum Harwich Barnstable Cape Cod Local history website, operated by the Harwich Historical Society Brooks Estate Medford Middlesex Greater Boston Historic house Victorian manor and carriage house Browne House Watertown Middlesex Greater Boston Historic house Open twice a year Buckland Historical Society Museum Buckland Franklin Pioneer Valley Local history website, open on a limited basis Buckman Tavern Lexington Middlesex Greater Boston Tavern 18th-century tavern Bullard House Berlin Worcester Blackstone Valley Historic house Open by the Berlin Art and Historical Society for special events Burlington Historic Museum Burlington Middlesex Greater Boston Local history website, operated by the Burlington Historical Commission Busch-Reisinger Museum Cambridge Middlesex Greater Boston Art Part of Harvard, art of Northern and Central Europe, focusing on German-speaking cultures Buttonwoods Museum Haverhill Essex Merrimack Valley History Operated by the Haverhill Historical Society, includes John Ward House, the Duncan House and the Daniel Hunkins Shoe Shop, collections include furniture, ceramics, clothing, photographs, paintings, tools, banners, books, documents and Native American artifacts Cahoon Museum of American Art Cotuit Barnstable Cape Cod Art American art Calvin Coolidge Presidential Library & Museum Northampton Hampshire Pioneer Valley Biographical Cape Ann Museum Gloucester Essex North Shore Multiple Fisheries & maritime, fine art, granite quarrying & decorative arts galleries Cape Cod Children's Museum Mashpee Barnstable Cape Cod Children's website Cape Cod Museum of Art Dennis Barnstable Cape Cod Art Collection of artists with regional association Cape Cod Museum of Natural History Brewster Barnstable Cape Cod Natural history Bird and wildlife mounts, Native American displays, aquariums, marsh trails Captain Bangs Hallet House Yarmouth Barnstable Cape Cod Historic house website, 19th-century period house, operated by the Historical Society of Old Yarmouth Captain John Wilson House Cohasset Norfolk Greater Boston Historic house 19th-century period house operated in the summer by the Cohasset Historical Society Carpenter Museum Rehoboth Bristol Southeastern Massachusetts Local history Collections of the Rehoboth Antiquarian Society Castle Hill Ipswich Essex North Shore Historic house 59-room Stuart-style mansion and extensive grounds Centerville Historical Museum Centerville Barnstable Cape Cod Local history website, includes an 1840 house with historic costumes, maritime and military artifacts, quilts, 18th- and 19th-century decorative arts, paintings, tools, and children's toys and dolls Charles River Museum of Industry Waltham Middlesex Greater Boston Industry Area textile and watch industries, steam power, early transportation, recreated early 20th-century machine shop, antique machines Chatham Marconi Maritime Center Chatham Barnstable Cape Cod History History of maritime wireless communication Chatham Railroad Museum Chatham Barnstable Cape Cod Transportation 1887 railroad depot, features New York Central model locomotives used at the 1939 New York World’s Fair, HO model railroad Chesterwood Estate & Museum Stockbridge Berkshire The Berkshires Historic house Home of sculptor Daniel Chester French Children's Museum at Holyoke Holyoke Hampden Pioneer Valley Children's website Children's Museum in Easton Easton Bristol Southeastern Massachusetts Children's Claflin-Richards House Wenham Essex North Shore Historic house Owned by Wenham Museum, open by appointment Clara Barton Birthplace Museum North Oxford Worcester Blackstone Valley Biographical 19th-century home of Clara Barton, founder of the Red Cross Clara Sexton House Billerica Middlesex Merrimack Valley Historic house website, operated by the Billerica Historical Society Clark Art Institute Williamstown Berkshire The Berkshires Art Also known as Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute Clinton Historical Society Museum Clinton Worcester North County Historic house website, open on Saturday morning by tour Coast Guard Heritage Museum Barnstable Barnstable Cape Cod Maritime History of the United States Coast Guard and its predecessor organizations, includes the Old Jail (Barnstable, Massachusetts) Codman House Lincoln Middlesex Greater Boston Historic house Owned by Historic New England, estate with furnishings from many periods, also gardens Coffin House Newbury Essex Merrimack Valley Historic house Owned by Historic New England, Colonial American house Cogswell's Grant Essex Essex North Shore Historic house Owned by Historic New England, 18th-century farmhouse with collection of American decorative arts Cohasset Historical Society Museum Cohasset Norfolk Greater Boston Local history Features textile collection, 19th-century furniture and decorative arts, ephemera capturing Cohasset's theatrical past and paintings depicting the town's seascapes, landscapes, people and places Cohasset Maritime Museum Cohasset Norfolk Greater Boston Maritime Operated in the summer by the Cohasset Historical Society Concord Museum Concord Middlesex Greater Boston Local history Includes collection of artifacts from authors Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, 17th, 18th, and 19th-century decorative arts Cooper-Frost-Austin House Cambridge Middlesex Greater Boston Historic house Owned by Historic New England, 17th-century Colonial American house, open twice a year Cottage Museum Oak Bluffs Dukes Martha's Vineyard Religious website, typical Campground cottage, operated by the Martha's Vineyard Campmeeting Association Crane Museum of Papermaking Dalton Berkshire The Berkshires Industry Paper-making and the history of Crane & Co. Crowninshield-Bentley House Salem Essex North Shore Historic house Owned by the Peabody Essex Museum, restored 1794 period Colonial house Crosby Mansion Brewster Barnstable Cape Cod Historic house website, late 19th-century mansion open for tours on specific dates Cushing House Museum and Garden Newburyport Essex Merrimack Valley Historic house 19th-century Federal mansion with collection of decorative arts Custom House Maritime Museum Newburyport Essex Merrimack Valley Maritime Operated by the Newburyport Maritime Society, maritime heritage of the Merrimack Valley and its role in American history Cyrus E. Dallin Art Museum Arlington Middlesex Greater Boston Art Many works by sculptor Cyrus Edwin Dallin Danforth Art Framingham Middlesex Greater Boston Art Collection of American art, changing exhibits of contemporary artists, classes and workshops Dan Raymond House Sheffield Berkshire The Berkshires Historic house website, operated by the Sheffield Historical Society Danvers Historical Society Danvers Essex North Shore History website, operates Page House, Tapley Memorial Hall, Glen Magna Farms and General Israel Putnam House Davis Museum and Cultural Center Wellesley Norfolk Greater Boston Art Part of Wellesley College, collections include ancient to contemporary sculptures, paintings, decorative objects, and works on paper DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park Lincoln Middlesex Greater Boston Art Modern and contemporary art, American sculpture and 35-acre (140,000 m2) sculpture park Dedham Historical Society Museum Dedham Norfolk Greater Boston History website, features collection of Dedham and Chelsea pottery, furnishings, Civil War artifacts and a number of important paintings Discovery Museums Acton Middlesex Greater Boston Children's, Science Two museums in separate facilities, Children's Discovery Museum and Science Discovery Museum Dole-Little House Newbury Essex Merrimack Valley Historic house Operated by Historic New England, 18th-century house Dwight-Derby House Medfield Norfolk Greater Boston Historic house Open by appointment, 17th-century house East Brookfield Historical Museum East Brookfield Worcester Blackstone Valley History website, operated by the East Brookfield Historical Commission in the Hodgkins School Eastham Windmill Eastham Barnstable Cape Cod Mill Windmill dating back to the late 17th century Easthampton Historical Society Museum Easthampton Hampshire Pioneer Valley History information EcoTarium Worcester Worcester Blackstone Valley Multiple Natural history, science, live animals Edmund Fowle House and Museum Watertown Middlesex Greater Boston History Operated by the Historical Society of Watertown, Edward Gorey House Yarmouth Barnstable Cape Cod Historic house Also known as Elephant House, home of illustrator Edward Gorey Edward Devotion House Brookline Norfolk Greater Boston Historic house Museum and home to the Brookline Historical Society, features 18th- and 19th-century furnishings and Brookline-related artifacts Edwards Memorial Museum Chesterfield Hampshire Pioneer Valley History website, operated by the Chesterfield Historical Society Eleanor Cabot Bradley Estate Canton Norfolk Greater Boston Historic house 1902 country house and garden belonging to the Cabot family Elizabeth Cassidy Folk Art Museum Peabody Essex North Shore Art website, operated by the Peabody Historical Society in the Osborne-Salata House, permanent and rotating folk art exhibits including architectural embellishments, funerary art, pottery, portraits and needlework Emily Dickinson Museum Amherst Hampshire Pioneer Valley Historic house Birthplace of 19th-century American poet Emily Dickinson and adjacent home of her brother, lawyer William Austin Dickinson E. N. Jenckes Store Museum Douglas Worcester Blackstone Valley History Operated by the Douglas Historical Society, photos[usurped] Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art Amherst Hampshire Pioneer Valley Art Art in picture books and children's books, works of Eric Carle Erving House Museum Erving Franklin Pioneer Valley Local history Housed in the former Erving Fire Station[4] Essex Shipbuilding Museum Essex Essex North Shore Industry Area shipbuilding, includes antique shipbuilding tools, photographs Eustis Estate Milton Norfolk Greater Boston Historic house Late Victorian house, operated by Historic New England Fred Holland Day House Norwood Norfolk Greater Boston History Operated by the Norwood Historical Society, Arts & Crafts-style home of photographer F. Holland Day Fairbanks House Dedham Norfolk Greater Boston Historic house built c. 1637, is the oldest wood-frame house in America Fall River Firefighters Memorial Museum Fall River Bristol Southeastern Massachusetts Firefighting Facebook site Fall River Historical Society Museum Fall River Bristol Southeastern Massachusetts Local history website, city history with an emphasis on 19th-century decorative arts Falls Fire Barn Museum Attleboro Falls Bristol Southeastern Massachusetts Firefighting Located in a historic fire station Falmouth Museums on the Green Falmouth Barnstable Cape Cod Open air website, operated by the Falmouth Historical Society, includes 1790 Dr. Francis Wicks House, 1724 Conant House, Hallett Barn Faulkner House Acton Middlesex Greater Boston Historic house Operated by Iron Work Farm, 18th-century house with ties to the American Revolutionary War Field Farm Williamstown Berkshire The Berkshires Historic house The Folly, a Modernist house, designed by Ulrich Franzen in 1966 Fisher Barn Dover Norfolk Greater Boston Historic site website, tools and agriculture equipment, operated by the Dover Historical Society, which also owns the Benjamin Caryl House and Sawin Museum Fisher Museum Harvard Forest Petersham Worcester North County Natural history Located in Harvard Forest, 3,000 acres (12 km2) with trails, museum with 23 dioramas portraying the history, conservation and management of central New England forests Fisher School Westwood Norfolk Greater Boston History website, headquarters of the Westwood Historical Society Fitchburg Art Museum Fitchburg Worcester North County Art Includes American and European paintings, prints, and ceramics, Egyptian, Classical, and pre-Columbian antiquities Fitchburg Historical Society Museum Fitchburg Worcester North County History website Florence Higginbotham House Nantucket Nantucket Nantucket Historic house website, part of Museum of African American History Fogg Art Museum Cambridge Middlesex Greater Boston Art Part of Harvard University, history of western art from the Middle Ages to the present Forbes House Museum Milton Norfolk Greater Boston Historic house 19th-century period mansion Fort Warren Milton Norfolk Greater Boston Military 19th-century fort, located on Georges Island Fort Taber Historical Association Museum New Bedford Bristol Southeastern Massachusetts Military Framingham History Center Framingham Middlesex Greater Boston History website, local history and culture Franklin Historical Museum Franklin Norfolk Greater Boston History website, operated by the Franklin Historical Commission Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site Brookline Norfolk Greater Boston Biographical Victorian home of landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted Freetown Historical Society Museum Assonet Bristol Southeastern Massachusetts History website French Cable Station Museum Orleans Barnstable Cape Cod History Collection of original Atlantic undersea telegraphic cables, instruments, maps and memorabilia Frelinghuysen Morris House and Studio Lenox Berkshire The Berkshires Historic house Home of American Abstract Artists George L.K. Morris and Suzy Frelinghuysen, collection of American and European Cubist Art Fruitlands Museum Harvard Worcester North County Multiple Historic house museum with exhibits about transcendentalism, buildings with Native American, Shaker and American art collections on 200 acres (0.81 km2) Fuller Craft Museum Brockton Plymouth Plymouth Art Contemporary crafts including furniture, glass, ceramics, jewelry, wood and textiles G.A.R. & Civil War Museum Marblehead Essex North Shore Military website The Gardner Museum (Gardner, Massachusetts) Gardner Worcester North County History website, local history, household artifacts, firefighting equipment, paintings by local artists, locally-made furniture and silver Gardner-Pingree House Salem Essex North Shore Historic house 19th-century period townhouse, operated by the Peabody Essex Museum Gedney House Salem Essex North Shore Historic house Owned by Historic New England, open two days a year, 17th-century home General Artemas Ward House Museum Shrewsbury Worcester Blackstone Valley Historic house 18th-century home of the First Commander-in-Chief of the American Revolution, owned by Harvard University General Gideon Foster House Peabody Essex North Shore Historic house Home to Peabody Historical Society which also operates Osborne - Salata House, Nathaniel Felton Houses, Peabody Historical Fire Museum which are open by appointment George A. Smith Museum Arlington Middlesex Greater Boston History website, operated by the Arlington Historical Society, local history, also 18th- and 19th-century period Jason Russell House George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum Springfield Hampden Pioneer Valley Art Includes Japanese Samurai armor, Middle Eastern rugs, ceramics, an authentic Shinto shrine and Oriental cloissonné work George Peabody House Museum Peabody Essex North Shore Biographical Life of 19th-century U.S. entrepreneur and philanthropist George Peabody Gershom Bradford House Duxbury Plymouth Plymouth Historic house 1840s period house, operated by the Duxbury Rural & Historical Society Gilbert Bean Museum Braintree Norfolk Greater Boston Local history website, home to Braintree Historical Society, display of military artifacts of various periods of war, and includes artifacts, documents, manuscripts, and artwork from the estate of Thomas A. Watson, assistant to Alexander Graham Bell Gill Historical Commission Museum Gill Franklin Pioneer Valley Local history [5] Girl Scout Museum (Massachusetts) Waltham Middlesex Greater Boston History website, open to Girl Scout troops, also located in North Andover, Massachusetts and Middleboro, Massachusetts Glen Magna Farms Danvers Essex North Shore Historic house Historic country estate with grounds for touring Golden Ball Tavern Museum Weston Middlesex Greater Boston Historic house website Gore Place Waltham Middlesex Greater Boston Historic house Early 19th-century estate of Massachusetts Governor Christopher Gore, also small farm with animals Governor Bellingham-Cary House Chelsea Suffolk Greater Boston Historic house 17th-century mansion Grand Army of the Republic Museum Lynn Essex North Shore Military Artifacts and memorabilia from the Civil War and other wars Great Barrington Historical Society Museum at the Wheeler Family Farmstead Great Barrington Berkshire The Berkshires History Great Falls Discovery Center Turners Falls Franklin Pioneer Valley Multiple website, Connecticut River watershed's natural, cultural and industrial history Gropius House Lincoln Middlesex Greater Boston Historic house Owned by Historic New England, designed by and family home of architect Walter Gropius Groton Historical Society Museum Groton Middlesex Greater Boston History website Grout-Heard House Wayland Middlesex Greater Boston Historic house website, home to the Wayland Historical Society Hadley Farm Museum Hadley Hampshire Pioneer Valley History website, household tools, furnishings, vehicles and equipment used on New England farms and farmhouses from the late 1700s to the early 20th century Hadwen House Nantucket Nantucket Nantucket Historic house website, operated by the Nantucket Historical Association, 19th-century period mansion Hammond Castle Museum Gloucester Essex North Shore Historic house Homeand laboratory of inventor John Hays Hammond, Jr., features collection of Roman, medieval, and Renaissance artifacts, and exhibits about his life and inventions Hancock-Clarke House Lexington Middlesex Greater Boston Historic house 18th-century period home, played a prominent role in the Battle of Lexington and Concord Hancock Shaker Village Hancock Berkshire The Berkshires Religious Open air Shaker village with 20 historic buildings Handy House Westport Bristol Southeastern Massachusetts History Operated by the Westport Historical Society, 18th and 19th-century house Harlow Old Fort House Plymouth Plymouth Plymouth Historic house 17th-century period house Hart Nautical Museum Cambridge Middlesex Greater Boston Maritime Operated by the MIT Museum, includes drawings and ship models Harvard Historical Society Harvard Worcester North County History Town history including furniture, artifacts, and paintings Harvard Museum of Natural History Cambridge Middlesex Greater Boston Natural history Part of Harvard University, includes Harvard University Herbaria and Botanical Museum, Museum of Comparative Zoology and Harvard Mineralogical Museum Haverhill Fire Fighting Museum Haverhill Essex Merrimack Valley Firefighting website Heald House Carlisle Middlesex Greater Boston Historic house website, operated by the Carlisle Historical Society Heard House Museum Ipswich Essex North Shore Historic house website, operated by the Ipswich Historical Society, 19th-century period house Heath Historical Society Museum Heath Franklin Pioneer Valley Local history [6] Hedge House Plymouth Plymouth Plymouth Historic house Also known as Plymouth Antiquarian House, 19th-century period house Helen Bumpus Gallery Duxbury Plymouth Plymouth Art website, art gallery at the Duxbury Free Library Heritage Museums and Gardens Sandwich Barnstable Cape Cod Multiple History, industry, art, automobiles and horticulture, featuring J. K. Lilly III Antique Automobile Collection, American History Museum with military miniatures, antique toys, Native American artifacts and the Cape Cod Baseball League Hall of Fame and exhibit, and the Art Museum with folk art, carvings, collectibles and American fine art, as well as an operating hand-carved carousel Highland House Museum Truro Barnstable Cape Cod History Operated by the Truro Historical Society Historic Deerfield Deerfield Franklin Pioneer Valley Open air Includes seven historic house museums and a modern museum with changing exhibits Highfield Hall Falmouth Barnstable Cape Cod Multiple website, late 19th-century mansion, features art exhibits, culture and nature programs Historic Northampton Northampton Hampshire Pioneer Valley History website, Northampton and Connecticut Valley history Historical Society of Phillipston Museum Phillipston Worcester North County History website, located in a 19th-century church Holden Historical Society Holden Worcester Blackstone Valley History website, housed in Hendrick's House Holyoke Heritage State Park Holyoke Hampden Pioneer Valley Industry Exhibits about area paper and textile industry, local cultural heritage Hooper-Lee-Nichols House Cambridge Middlesex Greater Boston Historic house Colonial American house, operated by the Cambridge Historical Society Hopkinton Center for the Arts Hopkinton Middlesex Greater Boston Art website, art gallery, performing arts, arts education Hose Cart House Nantucket Nantucket Nantucket Fire website, operated by the Nantucket Historical Association, vintage 19th-century hose carts and pumpers Hosmer House Acton Middlesex Greater Boston Historic house website, operated by the Acton Historical Society, restored mid-18th-century house, open for special events House of the Seven Gables Salem Essex North Shore Historic house Colonial mansion, property includes Nathaniel Hawthorne Birthplace Hoxie House Sandwich Barnstable Cape Cod Historic house 17th-century saltbox house, open seasonally Hull Lifesaving Museum Hull Plymouth Plymouth Maritime 1889 Point Allerton U.S. Lifesaving Station with exhibits about the maritime history of Boston Harbor Imagine: A Center for Community & the Arts Cambridge Middlesex Greater Boston Children's website, Children's Museum; Indoor Playground; Art Gallery; Party & Event Venue Indian House Children’s Museum Deerfield Franklin Pioneer Valley Children's website, operated by Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, focuses on history International Paper Museum Brookline Norfolk Greater Boston Industry website, active papermaking studio, history of paper making, books, operated by the Research Institute of Paper History and Technology Isaac Winslow House Marshfield Plymouth Plymouth Historic house Early 18th-century period house and Daniel Webster Law Office Jabez Howland House Plymouth Plymouth Plymouth Historic house 17th-century period house Jacob Thompson House Monson Hampden Pioneer Valley Historic house website, operated by the Monson Historical Society, 18th-century period house Jason Holbrook Homestead Weymouth Norfolk Greater Boston Historic house website, operated by the Weymouth Historical Society, includes antiques, a shoe shop, military room, carriage house with antique sleighs, ice harvesting tools and antique farm tools Jason Russell House Arlington Middlesex Greater Boston Historic house 18th- and 19th-century period house Jenney Grist Mill Plymouth Plymouth Plymouth Mill Working grist mill Jeremiah Lee Mansion Marblehead Essex North Shore Historic house 18th-century period mansion with early American furniture and decorations, Jericho Historical Center West Dennis Barnstable Cape Cod Historic house website, operated by the Dennis Historical Society, features exhibits of antiques, glassware, costumes Job Lane House Bedford Middlesex Greater Boston Historic house 18th-century period house John Adams Birthplace Quincy Norfolk Greater Boston Historic house Part of Adams National Historical Park, next door to John Quincy Adams Birthplace Colonel John Ashley House Sheffield Berkshire The Berkshires Historic house 18th-century house with 18th- and early-19th-century furnishings John Balch House Beverly Essex North Shore Historic house Operated by the Beverly Historical Society, 17th-century house John Cabot House Beverly Essex North Shore Historic house Operated by the Beverly Historical Society, 18th-century house with rotating exhibits Rev. John Hale Farm Beverly Essex North Shore Historic house Operated by the Beverly Historical Society, early 17th-century house with room containing witchcraft-related artifacts, also called John Hale House John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum Hyannis Barnstable Cape Cod Biographical Collection of photographs relating to the Kennedy family and the times they spent vacationing nearby John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum Boston Suffolk Greater Boston History Official repository for original papers and correspondence of the Kennedy Administration, as well as special bodies of published and unpublished materials, such as books and papers by and about Ernest Hemingway. John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site Brookline Norfolk Greater Boston Historic house Birthplace and childhood home of President John F. Kennedy restored to 1917 appearance John Greenleaf Whittier Home Amesbury Essex Merrimack Valley Historic house Home of poet John Greenleaf Whittier John Greenleaf Whittier Homestead Haverhill Essex Merrimack Valley Historic house Birthplace of John Greenleaf Whittier John Quincy Adams Birthplace Quincy Norfolk Greater Boston Historic house Next door to John Adams Birthplace, part of Adams National Historical Park John Ward House Salem Essex North Shore Historic house 17th-century period house, operated by the Peabody Essex Museum Jonathan Bourne Historical Center Bourne Barnstable Cape Cod Local history website, operated by the Bourne Historical Society Jones Tavern Acton Middlesex Greater Boston Tavern Operated by Iron Work Farm, 18th-century home and tavern Joseph Allen Skinner Museum South Hadley Hampshire Pioneer Valley Multiple website, owned by Mount Holyoke College, collection of American and European furniture, decorative arts, crafts, tools, and geological specimens Josiah Day House West Springfield Hampden Pioneer Valley Historic house 18th-century house with artifacts from 1754–1902 Josiah Dennis Manse Museum Dennis Barnstable Cape Cod Historic house 18th-century period house, open in the summer, operated by the Dennis Historical Society Josiah Quincy House Quincy Norfolk Greater Boston Historic house Owned by Historic New England, 18th-century home open 5 days a year Judge Samuel Holten House Danvers Essex North Shore Historic house Open by appointment, 17th-century house Keep Homestead Museum Monson Hampden Pioneer Valley History website, known for its button collection Kemp-McCarthy Memorial Museum Rowe Franklin Pioneer Valley History website, operated by the Rowe Historical Society, includes antique quilts, 19th-century dolls, period costumes, china and glassware, sleighs, furniture, photographs, cookware, tools, farm implements King Caesar House Duxbury Plymouth Plymouth Historic house Early 19th-century period home, operated by the Duxbury Rural & Historical Society Kingman Tavern Historical Museum Cummington Hampshire Pioneer Valley Historic house website, includes early 19th-century house, replica of a 1900 country store, a two-story barn, a carriage shed and an 1840s cider mill Lafayette-Durfee House Fall River Bristol Southeastern Massachusetts Historic house 18th-century period house Larz Anderson Auto Museum Brookline Norfolk Greater Boston Automotive Early automobiles and horse-drawn vehicles Lawrence Heritage State Park Lawrence Essex Merrimack Valley Industry Exhibits include life of 19th-century textile mill workers and the industrial history of Lawrence Lawrence History Center Lawrence Essex Merrimack Valley History website Leominster Historical Society Museum Leominster Worcester North County History website Lesley University Galleries Cambridge Middlesex Greater Boston Art website, includes the Roberts Gallery and Raizes Gallery in the Lunder Arts Center, VanDernoot Gallery in University Hall, Marran Gallery Leverett Family Museum Leverett Franklin Pioneer Valley Local history website, operated by the Leverett Historical Society, also operates the Moore’s Corner Schoolhouse List Visual Arts Center Cambridge Middlesex Greater Boston Art Contemporary art gallery of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Little Red Schoolhouse Museum Brockton Plymouth Plymouth Local history Operated by the Little Red Schoolhouse Association in the two-story schoolhouse on the grounds of Brockton High School Little Red Shop Museum Hopedale Worcester Blackstone Valley Local history website, exhibits of local history, area textile company looms Longfellow House–Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site Cambridge Middlesex Greater Boston Historic house Home of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and former headquarters of George Washington during the Siege of Boston Long Plain Friends Meetinghouse Acushnet Bristol Southeastern Massachusetts Religious 18th-century Quaker meetinghouse with exhibits about Quakers Long Plain Museum Acushnet Bristol Southeastern Massachusetts Local history website, operated by the Acushnet Historical Society Longyear Museum Chestnut Hill Suffolk Greater Boston Biographical website, life and work of Mary Baker Eddy, founder of Christian Science Lowell National Historical Park Lowell Middlesex Merrimack Valley Industry Includes visitor center, Boott Cotton Mills Museum, Patrick J. Mogan Cultural Center, Mill Girls and Immigrants Exhibit Lura Woodside Watkins Museum Middleton Essex North Shore History Home of Middleton Historical Society[7][8] Luther Museum Swansea Bristol Southeastern Massachusetts History photos, home to Swansea Historical Society Lynn Heritage State Park Lynn Essex North Shore Local history Exhibits on area shoe manufacturing, pioneering developments in electronics, 19th-century reformers, Lydia Pinkham's medicinals Lynn Museum & Historical Society Lynn Essex North Shore Multiple website, art, history, library, collections of art, tools, decorative arts & textiles Macy-Colby House Amesbury Essex Merrimack Valley Historic house 18th-century period saltbox house Major John Bradford Homestead Kingston Plymouth Plymouth Historic house Home to Jones River Village Historical Society Manchester Historical Museum Manchester-by-the-Sea Essex North Shore Historic house website, includes the 19th-century period Trask House and the Seaside No. 1 Fire House Marblehead Arts Association Marblehead Essex North Shore Art Located in historic Robert "King" Hooper Mansion, features four galleries for changing art exhibits Marblehead Museum Marblehead Essex North Shore Multiple website, local history, Frost Folk Art Gallery, operates the Jeremiah Lee Mansion and G.A.R. & Civil War Museum Marine Museum at Fall River Fall River Bristol Southeastern Massachusetts Maritime Memorabilia, artifacts, and ship models of the Fall River Line and RMS Titanic Marion Natural History Museum Marion Plymouth Plymouth Natural history website, located on the 2nd floor of the town library Martha's Vineyard Museum Edgartown Dukes Martha's Vineyard Local history website, island's history, art and culture Martin House and Farm Swansea Bristol Southeastern Massachusetts Historic house Run by the National Society of Colonial Dames of America, early 18th-century house and early 19th-century farm Mary Baker Eddy Historic House Stoughton Norfolk Greater Boston Historic house Owned by Longyear Museum, one of several homes associated with Mary Baker Eddy, founder of the Church of Christ, Scientist Mary Baker Eddy Historic House Swampscott Essex North Shore Historic house Owned by Longyear Museum, one of several homes associated with Mary Baker Eddy, founder of the Church of Christ, Scientist Mashpee Wampanoag Indian Museum Mashpee Barnstable Cape Cod Native American History and culture of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Massachusetts Air and Space Museum Hyannis Barnstable Cape Cod Air and space Its collection includes aircraft, aerospace systems, space craft, photographs, and artifacts MassArt Art Museum Boston Suffolk Longwood Medical Area/Fenway Contemporary and visual performing arts website, Boston's newest and only free contemporary art museum. The teaching museum for Massachusetts College of Art and Design, referred to as MAAM Massachusetts Golf Museum Norton Bristol Southeastern Massachusetts Sports website, operated by the Massachusetts Golf Association Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art North Adams Berkshire The Berkshires Art Contemporary visual and performing arts, commonly referred to as MASS MoCA Massachusetts National Guard Museum Concord Middlesex Greater Boston Military website, history of the Massachusetts National Guard Mattapoisett Historical Society Museum Mattapoisett Plymouth Plymouth Local history website Mayflower House Museum Plymouth Plymouth Plymouth Historic house 18th-century period mansion McMullen Museum of Art Chestnut Hill Suffolk Greater Boston Art Part of Boston College Mead Art Museum Amherst Hampshire Pioneer Valley Art Part of Amherst College, collection includes American art, Russian Modernist works, decorative arts Meeting House Museum Orleans Barnstable Cape Cod History Local history, operated by the Orleans Historical Society in a 19th-century meeting house Memorial Hall Museum Deerfield Franklin Pioneer Valley History website, operated by Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, includes furnishings, paintings, textiles and Indian artifacts Mendon Historical Museum Mendon Worcester Blackstone Valley Local history Operated by the Honeoye Falls-Town of Mendon Historical Society[9] Merwin House Stockbridge Berkshire The Berkshires Historic house Owned by Historic New England, 19th-century period home Michele & Donald D'Amour Museum of Fine Arts Springfield Hampden Pioneer Valley Art Includes American art, contemporary art glass, lithographs of Currier & Ives, fine European art Middleborough Historical Museum Middleborough Plymouth Plymouth Local history Features collection on Tom Thumb Middlesex Canal Museum North Billerica Middlesex Merrimack Valley Transportation website, history of the Middlesex Canal Milford Historical Museum Milford Worcester Blackstone Valley History Local history, operated by the Milford Historical Commission Milton Art Museum Milton Norfolk Greater Boston Art website, collections include fine art, limited prints, sculpture, photography and Asian art, located at Massasoit Community College Minute Man National Historical Park Lexington Middlesex Greater Boston History Visitor center exhibits and several famous historic sites of the American Revolutionary War Mission House Stockbridge Berkshire The Berkshires Historic house 18th-century period home Mitchell House Nantucket Nantucket Nantucket Historic house 19th-century period home of astronomer Maria Mitchell MIT Museum Cambridge Middlesex Greater Boston Science Part of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, ongoing and changing exhibitions on science and technology, holography, artificial intelligence, robotics and history of MIT The Mount Lenox Berkshire The Berkshires Historic house Early 20th-century mansion and gardens, home of author Edith Wharton Mount Holyoke College Art Museum South Hadley Hampshire Pioneer Valley Art Collections include ancient Egypt, China, Peru, contemporary American art Munroe Tavern Lexington Middlesex Greater Boston Historic house 18th-century tavern that played a prominent role in the Battle of Lexington and Concord Murdoch-Whitney House Museum Winchendon Worcester North County Historic house website, home of Winchendon Historical Society, Victorian-period house Museum of Antiquated Technology Hanson Plymouth Plymouth Technology website, open by appointment, includes antique telephones, radios, antique cars and miscellaneous household items Museum of American Bird Art at Mass Audubon Canton Norfolk Greater Boston Art website, museum and nature center with collections of natural history art and photography Museum of Bad Art Dedham Norfolk Greater Boston Art "art too bad to be ignored", location currently closed Museum of Bad Art Somerville Middlesex Greater Boston Art "art too bad to be ignored" Museum of Fairhaven History Fairhaven Bristol Southeastern Massachusetts Local history website, operated by the Fairhaven Historical Society Museum of Lenox History Lenox Berkshire The Berkshires History website, operated by the Lenox Historical Society Museum of Our Industrial Heritage Greenfield Franklin Pioneer Valley Industry website, area industrial history and impact Museum of Madeiran Heritage New Bedford Bristol Southeastern Massachusetts Ethnic website, dedicated to the history and heritage of the islands of Madeira that lie 600 miles (970 km) southwest of Portugal Museum of Printing North Andover Essex Merrimack Valley Industry History of printing technologies and practices Museum of Springfield History Springfield Hampden Pioneer Valley History City's history and culture, includes Indian motorcycles from the former Indian Motorcycle Museum Museum of Russian Icons Clinton Worcester North County Art Includes Russian icons from the 13th century to the present Museum of World War II Natick Middlesex Greater Boston Military World War II history, photos, documents and memorabilia Nahant Historical Society Nahant Essex North Shore Local history website, located in the Nahant Community Center Nantucket Life-Saving Museum Nantucket Nantucket Nantucket Maritime History of shipwrecks off the Nantucket coast and in Nantucket Sound Nantucket Lightship Basket Museum Nantucket Nantucket Nantucket Decorative arts History of Nantucket lightship baskets Narragansett Historical Society Templeton Worcester North County Local history website Nash Dinosaur Track Site and Rock Shop South Hadley Hampshire Pioneer Valley Paleontology website, features dinosaur tracks and dinosaur fossils Nathaniel Felton Houses Peabody Essex North Shore Historic house Colonial period houses, operated by the Peabody Historical Society Natick Historical Society Museum Natick Middlesex Greater Boston Local history website, housed on the lower level of the Bacon Free Library National Heritage Museum Lexington Middlesex Greater Boston Multiple American and Massachusetts history, culture, decorative arts and Freemasons National Streetcar Museum Lowell Middlesex Merrimack Valley Transportation Historic streetcars, influence of street railways on the development of cities National Yiddish Book Center Amherst Hampshire Pioneer Valley Ethnic Yiddish and Jewish culture Natural Science Museum in Hinchman House Nantucket Nantucket Nantucket Natural history Part of the Maria Mitchell Association museums, Nantucket animals, insects, plants Naumkeag Stockbridge Berkshire The Berkshires Historic house Turn-of-the-century mansion and grounds New Bedford Art Museum New Bedford Bristol Southeastern Massachusetts Art website, changing exhibits of art, no permanent collections New Bedford Fire Museum New Bedford Bristol Southeastern Massachusetts Firefighting New Bedford Museum of Glass New Bedford Bristol Southeastern Massachusetts Multiple Glass from ancient Mediterranean to contemporary with a special focus on the glass of New Bedford New Bedford Whaling Museum New Bedford Bristol Southeastern Massachusetts Multiple Exhibits include whaling industry, local history, local fine art and decorative arts, maritime history New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park New Bedford Bristol Southeastern Massachusetts Multiple Partner sites include the New Bedford Whaling Museum, Rotch-Jones-Duff House and Garden Museum, Seamen's Bethel, Waterfront Visitor Center and Schooner Ernestina New Braintree Historical Society New Braintree Worcester Blackstone Valley Local history website, operates the 1939 Grade School as a town post office and schoolroom museum that is open by appointment New England Pirate Museum Salem Essex North Shore Pirate website, famous pirates who operated in New England including Captains Kidd and Blackbeard New England Quilt Museum Lowell Middlesex Merrimack Valley Textile Art and craft of quilting Newton History Museum at the Jackson Homestead Newton Middlesex Greater Boston Local history Norman Rockwell Museum Stockbridge Berkshire The Berkshires Art Features largest collection of art by Norman Rockwell, also his painter's studio North Adams Museum of History and Science North Adams Berkshire The Berkshires Multiple Located in building 5A at Western Gateway Heritage State Park, area cultural history and industry North Andover Historical Society Museum North Andover Essex Merrimack Valley Local history website, also tours of the 18th-century period Parson Barnard House on a seasonal basis Oakham Historical Museum Oakham Worcester Blackstone Valley Local history website, operated by the Oakham Historical Association Old Bridgewater Historical Society Museum West Bridgewater Plymouth Plymouth History website, also Keith House Parsonage is open by appointment Old Castle Rockport Essex North Shore Historic house Open on Saturdays in July and August, 18th-century house Old Chelmsford Garrison House Chelmsford Middlesex Merrimack Valley Historic house Includes Colonial period house, barn with tools and farm implements, blacksmith shop, Colonial summer kitchen and craft demonstration house Old Colony Train Station North Easton Bristol Southeastern Massachusetts History website, operated by the Easton Historical Society Old Colony Historical Society Taunton Bristol Southeastern Massachusetts Local history Oldest House Nantucket Nantucket Nantucket Historic house Also known as the Jethro Coffin House, 17th-century saltbox house, operated by the Nantucket Historical Association Old Firehouse Museum South Hadley Hampshire Pioneer Valley Local history website, operated by the South Hadley Historical Society, history of the people and industries of South Hadley, firefighting gear Old Gaol (Nantucket, Massachusetts) Nantucket Nantucket Nantucket Prison website, operated by the Nantucket Historical Association Old Greenfield Village Greenfield Franklin Pioneer Valley Open air website, replica turn-of-the-century village with a general store, church, school house, drugstore, blacksmith, tin shop, ice cream shop, medical offices and more The Old Manse Concord Middlesex Greater Boston Historic house 18th- and 19th-century period home with links to authors Nathaniel Hawthorne and Ralph Waldo Emerson Old Meeting House Museum Wilbraham Hampden Pioneer Valley History website, operated by the Atheneum Society of Wilbraham Old Mill Nantucket Nantucket Nantucket Mill Operated by the Nantucket Historical Association Old Ordinary Hingham Plymouth Plymouth Historic house website, operated by the Hingham Historical Society, Colonial tavern dating to 1688 Old Red Carriage House Gill Franklin Pioneer Valley Collection website, baby and children's memorabilia, carriages, dolls, toys, and clothing from the 18th century through the present Old Schwamb Mill Arlington Middlesex Greater Boston Industry Working 19th-century woodworking factory Old Sturbridge Village Sturbridge Worcester Blackstone Valley Living 1790 to 1830 period village Orange Historical Society Museum Orange Franklin Pioneer Valley Local history website Orchard House Concord Middlesex Greater Boston Historic house 19th-century home of Louisa May Alcott family Osterville Historical Museum Barnstable Barnstable Cape Cod Open air website, operated by the Osterville Historical Society, includes Captain Jonathan Parker House, circa 1824, the Cammett House, circa 1730, and the Herbert F. Crosby Boat Shop, circa 1855 Pan-African Historical Museum Springfield Hampden Pioneer Valley Cultural website, African culture and African-American history Paper House Rockport Essex North Shore Historic house website, house made entirely of paper Parker Tavern Reading Middlesex Greater Boston Historic house 17th-century period tavern house, owned by the Reading Antiquarian Society Parson Capen House Topsfield Essex North Shore Historic house 17th-century Colonial house Peabody Essex Museum Salem Essex North Shore Multiple Includes Asian, Native American and folk art, maritime artifacts, collection, folk art and other art, 24 historic structures and gardens, and Yin Yu Tang House, an authentic Chinese merchant's house Peabody Historical Fire Museum Peabody Essex North Shore Fire website, open by appointment Peabody Leather Museum Peabody Essex North Shore Industry website Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology Cambridge Middlesex Greater Boston Multiple Archaeology and culture Peacefield Quincy Norfolk Greater Boston Historic house Part of the Adams National Historical Park, 18th-century home and farm of President John Adams Peter Rice Homestead and Museum Marlborough Middlesex Greater Boston Historic house website, 18th-century period house, home of Marlborough Historical Society Pickering House Salem Essex North Shore Historic house Owned by one family for over three centuries Pilgrim Hall Museum Plymouth Plymouth Plymouth Local history Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum Provincetown Barnstable Cape Cod Local history 252-foot-tall monument to climb and a museum of the town's history at its base Pioneer Village Salem Essex North Shore Living 1630 period village of Salem's settlers Platts-Bradstreet House Rowley Essex Merrimack Valley Historic house Home of the Rowley Historical Society, 17th-century house open for events and tours Plimoth Patuxet (formerly Plimoth Plantation) Plymouth Plymouth Plymouth Living Reconstructs the original 17th-century settlement of the Plymouth Colony The Plumbing Museum Watertown Middlesex Greater Boston Technology website, features early examples of plumbing equipment with modern fixtures and techniques Polish Center of Discovery and Learning Chicopee Hampden Pioneer Valley Multiple website, galleries with Polish folk art, local history, music collection, Polish-American exhibits, and a period Polish cottage Porter-Phelps-Huntington House Museum Hadley Hampshire Pioneer Valley Historic house 18th-century period house Provincetown Art Association and Museum Provincetown Barnstable Cape Cod Art Art by local artists Public Health Museum Tewksbury Middlesex Merrimack Valley Medical website, located on the historic grounds of Tewksbury Hospital General Israel Putnam House Danvers Essex North Shore Historic house Open for tours by appointment with the Danvers Historical Society, house dating back to the late 17th century Putterham School Brookline Norfolk Greater Boston School One room schoolhouse Quaboag Historical Museum West Brookfield Worcester Blackstone Valley Local history website, operated by the Quaboag Historical Society in the former West Brookfield railroad station Quaker Meetinghouse (Nantucket, Massachusetts) Nantucket Nantucket Nantucket Religious website, operated by the Nantucket Historical Association Ralph Waldo Emerson House Concord Middlesex Greater Boston Historic house 19th-century period home of American philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson Rebecca Nurse Homestead Danvers Essex North Shore Historic house 17th-century period home Reed Homestead Townsend Middlesex North County Historic house 19th-century period home Rider Tavern Charlton Worcester Blackstone Valley Historic tavern Operated by the Charlton Historical Society Robert S. Peabody Museum of Archaeology Andover Essex Merrimack Valley Native American Part of Phillips Academy, paleo-Indian and Native American archeological artifacts Rocky Hill Meeting House Amesbury Essex Merrimack Valley Historic church Owned by Historic New England, open twice a year, 18th-century meeting house Ropes Mansion Salem Essex North Shore Historic house Owned by Peabody Essex Museum Rose Art Museum Waltham Middlesex Greater Boston Art Part of Brandeis University Rotch-Jones-Duff House and Garden Museum New Bedford Bristol Southeastern Massachusetts Historic house 19th-century whaling family period mansion Royalston Historical Museum Royalston Worcester Blackstone Valley Local history website, operated by the Royalston Historical Society in a historic schoolhouse Royall House and Slave Quarters Medford Middlesex Greater Boston Historic house 18th-century period house and slave quarters Rutland Historical Society Rutland Worcester Blackstone Valley Local history website Salem Athenaeum Salem Essex North Shore Library Exhibits of art, history and literary topics from its collections Salem Wax Museum Salem Essex North Shore Wax website Salem Maritime National Historic Site Salem Essex North Shore Maritime Tours of a replica late 18th-century ship, several houses and a customs house Salem Witch Museum Salem Essex North Shore History website, life-size dioramas of the Salem witch trials Salem Witch Village Salem Essex North Shore Culture website, indoor guided tour through a maze containing sets about the history of witchcraft Salisbury Mansion Worcester Worcester Blackstone Valley Historic house 1830s period mansion and changing exhibits Samuel Slater Experience Webster Worcester The Last Green Valley History website, interactive and immersive 4-D exhibits Sanborn House Historical & Cultural Center Winchester Middlesex Greater Boston Multiple Being restored by the Winchester Historical Society a historical and cultural center Sandwich Glass Museum Sandwich Barnstable Cape Cod Glass Glass from the Boston and Sandwich Glass Company and around the world Sargent House Museum Gloucester Essex North Shore Historic house Late 18th-century period house, also known as Sargent-Murray-Gilman-Hough House Saugus Historical Society Museum Saugus Essex North Shore History website Saugus Iron Works Saugus Essex North Shore Industry Includes the reconstructed blast furnace, forge, rolling mill, and a restored 17th-century house Sawin Museum Dover Norfolk Greater Boston Local history website, operated by the Dover Historical Society, which also owns the Benjamin Caryl House and Fisher Barn Schoolhouse Museum Eastham Barnstable Cape Cod School website, operated by the Eastham Historical Society, restored 19th-century schoolhouse, includes local history displays Schooner Ernestina New Bedford Bristol Southeastern Massachusetts Maritime Part of the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, museum ship Scituate Maritime and Irish Mossing Museum Scituate Plymouth Plymouth Maritime website, operated by the Scituate Historical Society Semitic Museum at Harvard Cambridge Middlesex Greater Boston Archaeology Archaeological materials from the Ancient Near East Sewall Scripture Museum Rockport Essex North Shore History Operated by the Sandy Bay Historical Society, local history Sharon Historical Society Museum Sharon Norfolk Southeastern Massachusetts Local history website, also known as the Yellow Schoolhouse Museum Sheffield Historical Society Sheffield Berkshire The Berkshires History website, includes the late 18th-century Dan Raymond House Museum, a carriage barn with agriculture and household equipment Shelburne Falls Trolley Museum Shelburne Falls Franklin Pioneer Valley Railroad Shelburne Historical Society Museum Shelburne Falls Franklin Pioneer Valley History Located in old Arms Academy[10] Shirley Historical Society Museum Shirley Middlesex North County Local history website Sippican Historical Society Marion Plymouth Plymouth Local history website Smith College Museum of Art Northampton Hampshire Pioneer Valley Art Collections include paintings, sculptures, works on paper (prints, drawings, photographs, and books), antiquities, decorative arts, and non-Western art Somerset Historical Society Somerset Bristol Southeastern Massachusetts Local history website Somerville Museum Somerville Middlesex Greater Boston Multiple website, exhibitions featuring local visual arts, history and culture in the context of neighborhoods and community Southborough Historical Society Museum Southborough Worcester Blackstone Valley History website South Shore Natural Science Center Norwell Plymouth Plymouth Nature center website, live native animals, ecozone exhibits, located on 30 acres surrounded by 200 acres of town conservation/recreation land Sparrow House Plymouth Plymouth Plymouth Historic house 17th-century house and art gallery Spellman Museum of Stamps & Postal History Weston Middlesex Greater Boston Philatelic Located at Regis College, stamps and postal history Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm Newbury Essex Merrimack Valley Historic house Owned by Historic New England, Colonial farm and house Spooner House Plymouth Plymouth Plymouth Historic house website, operated by the Plymouth Antiquarian Society, mid-18th-century house reflecting 200 years of ownership Springfield Armory National Historic Site Springfield Hampden Pioneer Valley Military Springfield Science Museum Springfield Hampden Pioneer Valley Natural history Natural history dioramas, dinosaurs, science Stephen Phillips House Salem Essex North Shore Historic house Operated by Historic New England, contains a family collection that spans five generations Stevens-Coolidge Place North Andover Essex Merrimack Valley Historic house Operated by The Trustees of Reservations, early 20th-century house with Asian artifacts including Chinese porcelain, American furniture, European decorative arts and gardens Stoneham Historical Society Museum Stoneham Middlesex Greater Boston Local history website Stone House Museum Belchertown Hampshire Pioneer Valley Historic house website, home of the Belchertown Historical Association, features mid-17th- and 18th-century American furniture, china and decorative accessories Stony Brook Grist Mill and Museum Brewster Barnstable Cape Cod History Working grist mill, exhibits include weaving demonstrations, Native American stone tools, artifacts from 19th-century Cape Cod life, open seasonally[11] Storrowton Village Museum West Springfield Hampden Pioneer Valley Open air Recreated village of 18th- and 19th-century buildings assembled around a traditional town green, open seasonally Storrs House Longmeadow Hampden Pioneer Valley Historic house website, operated by the Longmeadow Historical Society, mid-18th-century house Stoughton Historical Society Stoughton Norfolk Southeastern Massachusetts Local history website, Society's home hosts exhibits of manuscripts, art, period clothing and artifacts from its archives Susan B. Anthony Birthplace Museum Adams Berkshire The Berkshires Historic house Home of Susan B. Anthony Sutton Historical Society Museum Sutton Worcester Blackstone Valley Local history website, located in the General Rufus Putnam Hall, includes antique clothing, tools, household items Swett-Ilsley House Newbury Essex Merrimack Valley Historic house Operated by Historic New England as a study museum Swift-Daley House Eastham Barnstable Cape Cod Historic house website, includes Chester Ranlett Tool Museum behind the house, 18th-century period house, operated by the Eastham Historical Society Swift River Valley Historical Society Museum New Salem Franklin Pioneer Valley Local history website, includes the Whitaker Clary House and Prescott Museum Sylvanus Thayer Birthplace Braintree Norfolk Greater Boston Historic house Operated by the Braintree Historical Society, 17th-century period house Titanic Museum Springfield Hampden Pioneer Valley Maritime Artifacts and history of the Titanic Toad Hall Classic Sports Car Museum Hyannis Port Barnstable Cape Cod Automotive website, private collection of over 50 classic sports cars Top Fun Aviation Toy Museum Fitchburg Worcester North County Toy website, aviation-related toys Tsongas Industrial History Center Lowell Middlesex Merrimack Valley Industry website, part of Lowell National Historical Park, American Industrial Revolution through hands-on history and science programs for students Turn Park Art Space West Stockbridge Berkshire The Berkshires Art Sculpture park and gallery of Soviet Nonconformist art. United States Naval Shipbuilding Museum Quincy Norfolk Greater Boston Maritime Home to USS Salem (CA-139), world's only preserved Heavy Cruiser Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum Lenox Berkshire The Berkshires Historic house Late 19th-century period mansion Vincent House (Edgartown, Massachusetts) Edgartown Dukes Martha's Vineyard Historic house website, operated by Martha’s Vineyard Preservation Trust, 17th-century house depicts Island life throughout the last four centuries Volleyball Hall of Fame Holyoke Hampden Pioneer Valley Sports The Waltham Museum Waltham Middlesex Greater Boston Local History History of Waltham. Wakefield Historical Society Museum Wakefield Middlesex Greater Boston Local history website Warwick Historical Society Museum Warwick Franklin Pioneer Valley Local history http://www.whs.steamkite.com/ website] Waters Farm Sutton Worcester Blackstone Valley Farm 19th-century period farm, open for special events Waterworks Museum Chestnut Hill Suffolk Greater Boston Technology website, Site of the original Chestnut Hill Reservoir and pumping station, housing three historic, steam-powered pumping engines. Exhibits about technology, local history and public health. The Wayside Concord Middlesex Greater Boston Historic house Part of Minute Man National Historical Park, home to authors Louisa May Alcott, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Margaret Sidney Wayside Inn Sudbury Middlesex Greater Boston Historic house property includes several historic buildings: the Old Grist Mill, the Martha-Mary Chapel and the Redstone Schoolhouse, reputed to be the school in nursery rhyme Mary Had a Little Lamb Webster-Dudley Historical Society Museum Webster Worcester Blackstone Valley Local history Located in a historic school building Wellfleet Historical Society Museum Wellfleet Barnstable Cape Cod Local history website, whaling, fishing, oystering, farming, shipping (and wrecking), surf lifesaving, salt making, and the worldwide voyages of its residents Wenham Museum Wenham Essex North Shore Multiple Local history, doll and toy collection, model train gallery, costumes & textiles, photographs, historic Claflin-Richards House West Barnstable Railway Station and Museum West Barnstable Barnstable Cape Cod Railway Heritage railroad and restored early 20th-century railroad station West Dennis Graded School House West Dennis Barnstable Cape Cod Historic house Operated by the Dennis Historical Society, open in summer, historic school house Western Gateway Heritage State Park North Adams Berkshire The Berkshires Multiple History, science, industry, Hoosac Tunnel, location of North Adams Museum of History and Science Westfield Athenaeum Library Museum Westfield Hampden Pioneer Valley Multiple Includes Jasper Rand Art Museum and Edwin Smith Historical Museum Westford Museum Westford Middlesex Merrimack Valley Local history website, operated by the Westford Historical Society Weymouth Historical Museum Weymouth Norfolk Greater Boston Local history website, operated by the Weymouth Historical Society Whaling Museum Nantucket Nantucket Nantucket Industry Includes restored 1847 candle factory, whaling industry artifacts, local maritime and historic artifacts, operated by the Nantucket Historical Association Whately Historical Society Museum Whately Franklin Pioneer Valley Local history website Whipple House Museum Ipswich Essex North Shore Historic house Operated by the Ipswich Historical Society, 17th- and 18th-century period house Whistler House Museum of Art Lowell Middlesex Merrimack Valley Art Birthplace of James McNeill Whistler Whydah Pirate Museum Provincetown Barnstable Cape Cod Maritime website, collection from the excavated shipwreck of the pirate ship Whydah Gally, which sank with 4.5 tons of pirate treasure in 1717 Wilder House Buckland Franklin Pioneer Valley Historic house Operated by the Buckland Historical Society on open house days Willard House and Clock Museum North Grafton Worcester Blackstone Valley Horology Clock museum and 18th-century farm homestead William Cullen Bryant Homestead Cummington Hampshire Pioneer Valley Historic house 19th-century period summer home of poet and newspaper editor William Cullen Bryant Williams College Museum of Art Williamstown Berkshire The Berkshires Art Wilmington Town Museum Wilmington Middlesex Merrimack Valley History 18th-century tavern Winslow Crocker House Yarmouth Barnstable Cape Cod Historic house Operated by Historic New England, 18th-century house with hooked rugs, ceramics, and pewter, and furniture from many early American styles, from Jacobean, William and Mary, and Queen Anne to Chippendale Wistariahurst Museum Holyoke Hampden Pioneer Valley Historic house Late 19th-century house, reflects owners through the 1950s, exhibits of local history, art, culture Witch Dungeon Museum Salem Essex North Shore History website Witch History Museum Salem Essex North Shore History History of the area witch hysteria in 1692 The Witch House Salem Essex North Shore Historic house 17th-century home of Judge Jonathan Corwin, with direct ties to the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 Women at Work Museum Attleboro Bristol Southeastern Massachusetts Women's website Woods Hole Historical Museum Falmouth Barnstable Cape Cod Local history website Worcester Art Museum Worcester Worcester Blackstone Valley Art Collections include American and European art, Asian art, Greek and Roman sculpture and mosaics, and Contemporary art Worcester Center for Crafts Worcester Worcester Blackstone Valley Art Gallery of crafts and center for craft education
659	dbpedia	0	22	https://www.discoverlosangeles.com/media/facts-about-la	en	Facts About Los Angeles	https://www.discoverlosangeles.com/themes/custom/dla/favicon.ico	https://www.discoverlosangeles.com/themes/custom/dla/favicon.ico	[ "https://www.discoverlosangeles.com/sites/default/files/images/2019-01/hollywood-bowl-fireworks.jpg?width=480&fit=bound&quality=1&auto=webp", "https://www.discoverlosangeles.com/themes/custom/dla/dla_logo_gradient.svg", "https://www.discoverlosangeles.com/sites/default/files/images/2019-02/dtla-skyline-night.jpg?width=480&fit=bound&quality=1&auto=webp", "https://www.discoverlosangeles.com/sites/default/files/images/2024-08/LAT_EM_PopUp_800x800_v2.png?width=480&fit=bound&quality=1&auto=webp", "https://www.discoverlosangeles.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/images/2023-01/warnerbros-new_0.png?itok=SwXlpTVU", "https://www.discoverlosangeles.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/images/2019-09/partner_logo_laxlogo_1.png?itok=VmsVq113", "https://www.discoverlosangeles.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/images/2019-01/partner_logo_hollywood_studios.png?itok=mhS0GwKc", "https://www.discoverlosangeles.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/images/2019-01/partner_logo_BrandUSA.png?itok=KUtl4kDt", "https://www.discoverlosangeles.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/images/2024-01/logo_visitcalifornia_white.png?itok=Ujdjb0lP", "https://www.discoverlosangeles.com/themes/custom/dla/assets/apps/app-apple.webp", "https://www.discoverlosangeles.com/themes/custom/dla/assets/apps/app-googleplay.webp" ]	[]	[]	[ "Media", "", "Los Angeles" ]	null	[ "Discover Los Angeles" ]	null	The City of Los Angeles holds many distinctions. L.A. is the entertainment capital of the world, a cultural mecca boasting more than 100 museums, and a paradise of idyllic weather. Learn all the facts about Los Angeles	en	/themes/custom/dla/favicon.ico	Discover Los Angeles	https://www.discoverlosangeles.com/media/facts-about-la	Los Angeles’ comeback story is well underway. While 2019 capped a decade of record-setting growth with 50.7 million visitors to L.A. – driving a record $37.8 billion to our local business community – LA County is estimated to have recovered to 91% of 2019 levels with 46.4 million visitors driving over $22 billion in spending in 2022. Top International Markets: (forecasted for 2022) Mexico 1.6M Canada 600,000 UK 260,000 France 230,000 Australia 175,000 Germany 160,000 South Korea 160,000 China 140,000 Japan 103,000 Scandinavia 95,000 Source: Tourism Economics In 2023, Los Angeles County is expected to reach near full recovery to 2019 visitation with a total of 50.3 million visitors (99% vs. 2019). This recovery is driven by domestic visitation forecasted at 44.1 million visitors (102% vs. 2019), with international visitation forecasted at 6.2 million visitors (84% vs. 2019). City of Los Angeles: 3.9 Million County of Los Angeles: 10 Million Los Angeles Five-County Area: 18.6 Million (Los Angeles, Riverside, Ventura, Orange and San Bernardino) Source: California Department of Finance, Demographic Research Visit Los Angeles County is the first in the nation to reach 10 million residents. If the Los Angeles five-county area were a state, it would surpass all states in total population size with the exception of California, Texas, New York and Florida. The County of Los Angeles alone would be the seventh most populated state. The diverse, multiethnic population of Los Angeles today distinguishes the city as the cultural hub of the Pacific Rim. People from more than 140 countries, speaking 224 different identified languages, currently call Los Angeles home. Los Angeles does not have a majority population. Hispanic or Latino (of any race): 48.1 percent White, non-Hispanic: 28.5 percent Asian/Pacific Islander: 12 percent African-American: 8.8 percent American Indian/Others: 2.6 percent Source: U.S. Census Bureau – 2020 American Community Survey Sept. 4, 1781 is the city’s official birthdate, when 44 village settlers from the Mexican provinces of Sonora and Sinaloa made their home in what is now Downtown Los Angeles. Two of the 44 settlers were Spaniards, while the others were Indians, Blacks and Mestizos of mixed ancestry. The Spanish named the new settlement El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina de Los Angeles, or The Town of Our Lady the Queen of the Angels. After the territory changed hands from Spain to Mexico, the town was officially declared a city in 1835. Los Angeles became part of the U.S. in January 1847. Los Angeles is the world's premier center for the entertainment industry, home to a handful of the planet's most famous studios. In addition, L.A. is a tour de force in tourism and international trade, as well as having an increasing strength in digital media, technology, fashion and the arts, solidifying the diversification of the region's economy. Aerospace is a key innovation industry in L.A., being home to headquarters or offices for SpaceX, NASA’s Jet Propulsions Lab, Boeing and more, the city employs top engineering talent and this fast-growing industry results in a tremendous amount of indirect employment. A manufacturing powerhouse, Los Angeles is also home to the largest twin-port complexes in the Western Hemisphere, processing more than 40 percent of the goods entering to and from the United States and providing directly and indirectly hundreds of thousands of middle-class jobs to the region. Jobs in health care and tourism are on a particular growth spurt, indicating the region's increasing reliance on services and as an attractive place to visit and live. Source: LAEDC With more museums than any city in the U.S., including New York City, Los Angeles is full of inspiring art and diverse cultural experiences. As an epicenter for arts and culture, Los Angeles is the perfect place to be immersed in art and science museums, theaters, architecturally acclaimed structures and beautiful gardens. Pre-pandemic, the city also boasted more than 1,500 theatrical productions annually. Los Angeles is home to world-class collections at institutions like the Getty, the Broad, LACMA and more, as well as the spectacular new Academy Museum of Motion Pictures immersing guests in LA moviemaking magic. Los Angeles is home to some of the most dynamic dining experiences a destination can offer. From comfort food and homegrown cooks to upscale dishes and Michelin-star chefs, the possibilities are endless in LA Each region offers a variety of dining options that appeal to any palate and price point, with LA’s diverse neighborhoods offering a chance to experience authentic cultural cuisine without ever leaving the city. Visitors can also participate in dineLA Restaurant Week celebrating its 15th anniversary in 2023, held every spring and fall. As the largest restaurant week in the country, dineLA showcases the city as a premier dining destination stimulating business and introducing diners to restaurants located in the many neighborhoods throughout LA County. As the sixth largest hotel market in the U.S., Los Angeles offers over 1,000 hotels with more than 98,600 hotel rooms. Accommodations are conveniently located near prized attractions, museums and public transportation, ranging from value to luxury and simplistic to trendy. Los Angeles’ hotel community continues to grow along with the tourism industry with over 2,100 rooms added during the pandemic. The past few years have brought a new generation of boutique hotels to luxurious new properties across the city, including DTLA Proper Hotel, the Fairmont Century Plaza, the Conrad Los Angeles, the Thompson Hollywood, the Shay in Culver City and more. Southern California is famous for its near-perfect weather and Los Angeles has plenty of outdoor activities to allow visitors to enjoy the sunshine. Plus, Los Angeles is one of few cities in the world where it’s possible to ski in the morning and surf in the afternoon. Los Angeles is home to Griffith Park, the largest city park in the country, with 400 square feet of recreational space and 50 miles of hiking trails that lead to some of the most spectacular views of the city and Hollywood Sign. Visitors can hike to the Griffith Observatory or even travel on horseback to experience the best sights. Runyon Canyon also offers great space for visitors to hike, bike and walk. The 106-acre park sits in the middle of Hollywood and offers several great hiking trails and a dog park. With over 431 miles of bikeways, including 120 new miles created within the city of Los Angeles in recent years, and increased Metro transit options that include the new K Line and upcoming Regional Connector Transit Project, it’s easier than ever to get around and experience Los Angeles car-free. Visitors can also see LA without having to get behind the wheel with guided tour options such as Bikes and Hikes LA and Starline Tours Hop-On, Hop-Off tours. With famous venues like the Crypto.com Arena, formerly the Staples Center, at L.A. LIVE, home to NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers, NHL’s L.A. Kings, Dodger’s Stadium, where the Los Angeles Dodgers serve as a main attraction sports fans flock to in L.A., and SoFI Stadium, where the NFL’s L.A. Rams brought home the 2022 Super Bowl Championship. Los Angeles is also home to several esteemed universities that have large sports followings such as USC and UCLA. In the wake of Super Bowl 2022, Los Angeles is also hosting a number of large events, including the 2023 College Football Playoff Championship, WrestleMania 2023, and the 2028 Olympic & Paralympic games. LA Metro & Bus System: Los Angeles is home to one of the country’s best public transportation networks, including subways, light-rail, buses and shuttles to nearly every corner of the Greater Los Angeles area. The Metro Rail System offers Six fast, easy-to-use and environmentally friendly rail lines for visitors to get from one destination to the next. All rail stations are served by Metro bus lines, which offers Local, Rapid, Express and BRT (bus rapid transit) services throughout the Greater Los Angeles area. With nearly 200 different lines, buses travel all over the region to every major destination including state parks, area attractions and shopping districts. In 2021, there was an estimated ridership of 227,726,057. Source: isotp.metro.net Amtrack Traffic: Los Angeles Union Station is the 5th busiest station in the national Amtrak system. In 2021, there were 1,521,145 Amtrak passenger boardings in all LA country stations. Source: Amtrak.com Cruise Traffic: In 2019 the total cruise passengers for the Port of Los Angeles was 650,010 Source: Portoflosangeles.org Regional Airport Traffic: Bob Hope Airport (Burbank): 3.7 million in 2021 Long Beach Airport: 2.1 million in 2021 Source: Burbankairport.com, Lgb.org Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) is a unique system of airports owned and operated by the City of Los Angeles. Each of the airports – Los Angeles International (LAX) and Van Nuys (VNY) – plays an integral role in helping to meet the regional demand for passenger, cargo and general aviation service. Underscoring its status as the gateway to the West Coast and to Asia/Pacific, LAX offers direct flights from more than 100 domestic cities and 46 countries. LAX is now the fifth busiest commercial airport in the world with over 48 million passengers traveling through LAX in 2021, an increase of 67% compared to 29 million passengers in 2020. As predicted, LAX had an incredible year for cargo operations in 2021, shattering prior records as their role in the global supply chain gained new importance. LAX cargo totaled 2,974,073 tons last year representing a 20.64% increase in calendar year 2021 as compared to calendar year 2020, which was already their busiest year on record. As international visitors are welcomed back to Los Angeles, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) has prepared accordingly with several new or improved services prioritizing safety and efficiency, including on-site COVID-19 testing options. The airport also continues with its USD$15 billion capital improvement program, welcoming travelers to the new tech-forward facilities and transportation options including: The West Gates at Tom Bradley International Terminal Opened in May 2021, the West Gates at Tom Bradley International Terminal welcome both international and domestic guests to the five-level, 15-gate facility with a modern experience, cutting-edge technology and stunning architecture. The new gates were designed around a digitally-based travel experience with biometric boarding gates, a checked-bag storage system, next-generation wireless internet, touchscreen kiosks and other advancements. The project also includes over 1.5 million sq. feet of new aircraft apron and taxiways, as well as underground utility improvements as part of the USD$15 billion capital improvement program. Automated People Mover (2024) The Automated People Mover (APM) is the centerpiece of LAX’s $5.5 Landside Access Modernization Program (LAMP) which will enhance the traveler experience, giving guests an easier, faster and time-certain access to terminals. The APM system will connect to the terminals via elevated pedestrian bridges as well as a new Consolidated Rent-A-Car facility, the LAX Economy Parking facility and provide the long-awaited connection to the regional transportation system. The APM system is a 2.25-mile elevated, electric train system with six stations total –three inside the Central Terminal Area (CTA) and three outside the CTA. LAX broke ground on the APM project in March of 2019 and anticipates that the system will be operational in 2024. During peak hours (9 a.m. to 11 p.m.), APM trains will pull into a station every two minutes and have the capacity to move 10,000 passengers per hour and 85 million per year. The APM will be free for all users and operate 24/7. The Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach combine to make our sea ports complex the largest in the Western Hemisphere, handling over 40% of all inbound containers for the entire United States. Over time, a sophisticated and mature logistics economy has developed around these ports, including high-capacity rail networks, endless warehousing and distribution options, and businesses that have located in LA County to leverage this infrastructure. Over 160,000 workers in LA County alone support the international trade sector. Source: LAEDC LA County is an entertainment, manufacturing and international trade behemoth, with a fast growing high-tech and digital media industry cluster largely centered in West LA and, increasingly, in the Hollywood area and beyond. With $807 billion in annual output, Los Angeles County ranks among the world’s largest economies. Its GDP, which would rank No. 19 in the world if it were a standalone nation, is larger than Switzerland and Saudi Arabia, and right behind Netherlands and Turkey, underscoring the magnitude of the region's economy. Source: LAEDC
659	dbpedia	3	2	https://westfieldheritage.ca/hours-and-events/	en	Hours and Events – Westfield Heritage Village	https://westfieldheritag…ed-fav-32x32.png	https://westfieldheritag…ed-fav-32x32.png	[ "https://westfieldheritage.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2024-WHV-logo-1.png", "https://westfieldheritage.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2024-WHV-logo-1.png", "https://westfieldheritage.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/250px-Cottingley_Fairies_1.jpg", "https://westfieldheritage.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/rug4-300x225.jpg", "https://westfieldheritage.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2024-WHV-Fairies-banners-300x157.jpg", "https://westfieldheritage.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/SteamTraction-300x200.jpg", "https://westfieldheritage.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/1964SitePhoto-300x214.jpg", "https://westfieldheritage.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/2024-WHV-logo-wht.png" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	2024-10-26T00:00:00		en	https://westfieldheritag…ed-fav-32x32.png		https://westfieldheritage.ca/hours-and-events/	Sundays & Holidays from May 19, 2024 to end of October From 12PM to 4PM, a selection of historical buildings will be open with costumed interpreters. There will also be a family craft, children’s activity and special demonstration. The General Store and Gift Shop are also open. Holidays include Victoria Day, Canada Day, Labour Day and Thanksgiving Day. Reservations are not required for this experience. Events Westfield Heritage Village hosts several special events throughout the year. These include our Maple Syrup, Halloween and Christmas programs. Visit our events page to see our scheduled upcoming events. 2024 Special Events Maple Syrup Season: March 3, 10, 13, 14, 17, 24, 29 & 31 Fairies in the Forest: August 4 & 5 Halloween Pumpkin Party: October 26 & 27 Christmas in the Woods: December 8 & 15 Reservations are required for special events. No access will be permitted to all of Westfield on these days without a reservation.
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"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a4/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg/16px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/96/Symbol_category_class.svg/16px-Symbol_category_class.svg.png", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/96/Symbol_category_class.svg/16px-Symbol_category_class.svg.png", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/8a/OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg/10px-OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg.png", "https://login.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?type=1x1", "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/footer/wikimedia-button.svg", "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/footer/poweredby_mediawiki.svg" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[ "Contributors to Wikimedia projects" ]	2003-07-26T16:49:47+00:00		en	/static/apple-touch/wikipedia.png		https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sears	Department store chain in the United States This article is about the American chain of department stores. For the defunct Canadian chain of department stores, see Sears Canada. For the Mexican chain of department stores, see Sears Mexico. For other uses, see Sears (disambiguation). Sears, Roebuck and Co. ( SEERZ),[5] commonly known as Sears, is an American chain of department stores founded in 1892 by Richard Warren Sears and Alvah Curtis Roebuck and reincorporated in 1906 by Richard Sears and Julius Rosenwald, with what began as a mail ordering catalog company migrating to opening retail locations in 1925, the first in Chicago.[6] In 2005, the company was bought by the management of the American big box discount chain Kmart, which upon completion of the merger, formed Sears Holdings. Through the 1980s, Sears was the largest retailer in the United States.[7] In 2018, it was the 31st-largest.[8] After several years of declining sales, Sears's parent company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on October 15, 2018.[9] It announced on January 16, 2019, that it had won its bankruptcy auction, and that a reduced number of 425 stores would remain open, including 223 Sears stores.[10] Sears was based in the Sears Tower in Chicago from 1973 until 1995,[11] and was later headquartered in Hoffman Estates, Illinois from 1993 until 2021, the year when it announced that it would be selling its Hoffman Estates headquarters complex.[12] On December 12, 2022, Sears Authorized Hometown Stores, LLC, and affiliated debtor Sears Hometown, Inc., filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, and on December 26 announced the liquidation of the 115 largely owner-operated Hometown stores.[13][14] As of April 2024, there are 11 Sears stores remaining, with 10 in the mainland US and one location in the US territory of Puerto Rico.[2] History [edit] Beginnings [edit] Richard Warren Sears was born in 1863 in Stewartville, Minnesota, to a wealthy family which moved to nearby Spring Valley.[15] In 1879, his father died shortly after losing the family fortune in a speculative stock deal.[15] Sears moved across the state to work as a railroad station agent in North Redwood, then Minneapolis. While he was in North Redwood, a jeweler refused delivery on a shipment of watches. Sears purchased them and sold them at a low price to the station agents, making a profit. He started a mail-order watch business in Minneapolis in 1886, calling it the R.W. Sears Watch Company. That year, he met Alvah Curtis Roebuck, a watch repairman. In 1887, Sears and Roebuck relocated the business to Chicago, and the company published Richard Sears's first mail-order catalog, offering watches, diamonds, and jewelry. In 1889, Sears sold his business for $100,000 ($3 million in 2021 dollars) and relocated to Iowa, planning to be a rural banker.[16] He returned to Chicago in 1892 and established a new mail-order firm, again selling watches and jewelry, with Roebuck as his partner, operating as the A. C. Roebuck watch company. On September 16, 1893,[17] they renamed the company Sears, Roebuck, and Co. and began to diversify the product lines offered in their catalogs. Before the Sears catalog, farmers near small rural towns usually purchased supplies, often at high prices and on credit, from local general stores with narrow selections of goods. Prices were negotiated and relied on the storekeeper's estimate of a customer's creditworthiness. Sears built an opposite business model by offering in their catalogs a larger selection of products at published prices. By 1894, the Sears catalog had grown to 322 pages, including many new items, such as sewing machines, bicycles, sporting goods and automobiles (later produced, from 1905 to 1915, by Lincoln Motor Car Works of Chicago [no relation to the current Ford line]).[18] By 1895, the company was producing a 532-page catalog. Sales were over $400,000 ($12 million in 2021 dollars) in 1893 and over $750,000 ($20 million in 2021 dollars) two years later.[19] By 1896, dolls, stoves, and groceries were added to the catalog. Despite the strong and growing sales, the national Panic of 1893 led to a full-scale economic depression, causing a cash squeeze and large quantities of unsold merchandise by 1895. Roebuck decided to quit, returning later in a publicity role. Sears offered Roebuck's half of the company to Chicago businessman Aaron Nusbaum, who in turn brought in his brother-in-law Julius Rosenwald, to whom Sears owed money. In August 1895, they bought Roebuck's half of the company for $75,000 ($2.7 million today), and that month the company was reincorporated in Illinois with a capital stock of $150,000 ($5.5 million today). The transaction was handled by Albert Henry Loeb of Chicago law firm Loeb & Adler (now Arnstein & Lehr); copies of the transaction are still displayed on the firm's walls.[20] Early 20th century [edit] Sears and Rosenwald got along well with each other, but not with Nusbaum; they bought his interest in the firm for $1.3 million in 1903 ($44.1 million today). Rosenwald brought to the mail-order firm a rational management philosophy and diversified product lines: dry goods, consumer durables, drugs, hardware, furniture, and nearly anything else a farm household could desire. Sales continued to proliferate, and the prosperity of the company and their vision for more significant expansion led Sears and Rosenwald to take the company public in 1906, with a stock placement of $40 million ($1.4 billion today). They had to incorporate a new company to bring the operation public; Sears and Rosenwald established Sears, Roebuck and Company with the legal name Sears, Roebuck and Co., in the state of New York, which effectively replaced the original company.[22] The current company inherits the history of the old company, celebrating the original 1892 incorporation, rather than the 1906 revision, as the start of the company. Sears's successful 1906 initial public offering (IPO) marks the first major retail IPO in American financial history and represented a coming of age, financially, of the consumer sector.[23] The company traded under the ticker symbol S and was a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average from 1924 to 1999. In 1906, Sears opened its catalog plant and the Sears Merchandise Building Tower in Chicago's West Side.[24] The building was the anchor of what would become the massive 40-acre (16 ha) Sears, Roebuck and Company Complex of offices, laboratories, and mail-order operations at Homan Avenue and Arthington Street. The complex served as corporate headquarters until 1973 when the Sears Tower was completed and served as the base of the mail-order catalog business until 1995. By 1907, under Rosenwald's leadership as vice president and treasurer, annual sales of the company climbed to roughly $50 million ($1.6 billion today). Sears resigned from the presidency in 1908 due to declining health, with Rosenwald named president and chairman of the board and taking on full control. In 1910, Sears acquired the David Bradley Plow company. This acquisition would lead to the manufacturing of riding mowers, chainsaws, tillers, etc., in the Bradley Illinois factory.[27] The company was badly hurt during 1919–21 as a severe depression hit the nation's farms after farmers had over-expanded their holdings. To bail out the company, Rosenwald pledged $21 million ($358.7 million today) of his personal wealth in 1921.[28] By 1922, Sears regained financial stability. Boom years [edit] Brick and mortar [edit] Rosenwald decided to shift emphasis to urban America and brought in Robert E. Wood to take charge. Rosenwald oversaw the design and construction of the firm's first department store, built on land within the Sears, Roebuck, and Company Complex. The store opened in 1925. In 1924, Rosenwald resigned the presidency but remained as chair until he died in 1932; his goal was to devote more time to philanthropy.[29] The first store opened on February 2, 1925, as an experiment in the North Lawndale Sears, Roebuck and Company Complex.[30] Despite its remote location on the outskirts of Chicago, its success led to dozens of further openings across the country, many in conjunction with the company's mail-order offices,[31] typically in lower-middle-class and working-class neighborhoods, far from the main downtown shopping district. This was considered highly unconventional at a time when shopping was concentrated in city centers, but through World War II, there was an extensive streetcar network in Chicago and other US cities. However, rapidly increasing car ownership and the brand's huge popularity helped attract customers.[32] Sears retail stores were pioneering and broke the conventions of the time in three ways: their location away from central shopping districts, innovative store design, and unconventional product mix and retailing practices. Many stores at this time were designed by architect George C. Nimmons and his firms. The architecture was driven by merchandising needs rather than the desired outer appearance. This made the stores excellent examples of the modern architecture of the time—styles made famous by Bertram Goodhue and Eliel Saarinen.[31][32] Its stores were oriented to motorists. Set apart from existing business districts amid residential areas occupied by their target audience, they had ample, free, off-street parking and communicated a clear corporate identity. In the 1930s, the company designed fully air-conditioned, "windowless" stores, such as Sears-Pico in 1939 in Los Angeles,[33][34] which was the first to have an open plan selling floor (instead of breaking up the floor into discrete sections).[31] Sears was also a pioneer in creating department stores that catered to men and women. The stores included hardware and building materials. It de-emphasized the latest clothing fashions in favor of practical and durable clothing and allowed customers to select goods without the aid of a clerk. Catalog [edit] In 1933, Sears issued the first of its Christmas catalogs known as the "Sears Wishbook", a catalog featuring toys and gifts, separate from the annual Christmas Catalog. From 1908 to 1940, it included ready-to-assemble Sears Catalog Home kit houses.[35] Americas and Spain [edit] Main article: Sears in Latin America Sears opened a small store in Downtown Havana, Cuba in 1942. Sears opened its first store in Mexico City in 1947; the Mexican stores would later spin off into Sears Mexico, now owned by billionaire Carlos Slim's Grupo Sanborns, which in 2020 operated more than 75 stores across Mexico.[36] Sears had sales of US$78 million in other territories in 1953. Over time, Sears expanded into all Central American countries, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, and Spain.[37][38] Currently Sears operates in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Puerto Rico. Expansion [edit] From the 1920s to the 1950s, Sears built many urban department stores in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico (apart from, but not far from, existing central business districts), and they overshadowed the mail-order business. Following World War II, the company expanded into suburban markets and malls. In 1959, it had formed the Homart Development Company for developing malls. Many of the company's stores have undergone major renovations or replacements since the 1980s. Sears began to diversify in the 1930s, creating Allstate Insurance Company in 1931 and placing Allstate representatives in its stores in 1934 (Allstate was also used as a house brand on a range of motorized vehicles sold by Sears). Over the decades, it established major national brands, such as Kenmore, Craftsman,[39] DieHard, Silvertone, Supertone, and Toughskins — and marketed widely under its private labels, e.g., marketing the Sears Archer 600 typewriter as a rebranded Silverette model, manufactured by Silver Seiko Ltd. of Japan. The success of Sears outdoor products raised the attention of the Federal Government and the antitrust laws. Sears purchased David Bradley to manufacture farm and lawn equipment. Its success was broken up in 1962 as they sold more plows than John Deere.[40] Sears sold half of the David Bradley factory in Bradley, Illinois to the Newark Ohio Company that was shortly acquired by Roper Industries. 1970s pinnacle [edit] Sears reached its pinnacle in the 1970s.[41] In 1974, Sears completed the 110-story Sears Tower in Chicago, which became the world's tallest building, a title it took from the former Twin Towers in New York. Upon moving out of Chicago, Sears sold the Sears Tower in 1988.[42] In the sale contract of the tower, Sears retained its naming rights to the building until 2003, but the Sears Tower retained the name until early 2009, when London-based insurer Willis Group Holdings, Ltd. was given the building's naming rights to encourage them to occupy the building.[43] Sears moved to the new Prairie Stone Business Park in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, between 1993 and 1995.[44] The Sears Centre is a 10,001-seat multi-purpose arena located in Hoffman Estates adjacent to the Prairie Stone campus.[45] Mail order [edit] The Sears catalog became known in the industry as "the Consumers' Bible".[46] The company began selling to foreign customers after the American occupation of Greenland in World War II and the Philippines, among others, when locals ordered from catalogs left by soldiers.[47] Novelists and story writers often portrayed the importance of the catalog in the emotional lives of rural folk. The catalog also entered the language, particularly of rural dwellers, as a euphemism for toilet paper, as its pages could be torn out and used as such.[48] In addition, for many rural African-Americans, especially in areas dominated by Jim Crow racial segregation, the Sears catalog was a vital retail alternative to local white-population-dominated stores, bypassing the stores' frequent intention to deny them fair access to their merchandise.[49] However, as the nation urbanized, Sears's catalog business faced competition from city department stores. Rural America's population was slow-growing and possessed far less spending power than urban America. Decline [edit] In the 1980s, the company began to diversify into non-retail entities such as buying Dean Witter and Coldwell Banker in 1981. In 1984, it launched Prodigy as a joint venture with IBM, and introduced the Discover credit card in 1985. However, these actions have been said to have distracted management's attention from the core retail business and allowed competing retailers to gain significant ground, culminating with Walmart surpassing Sears as the largest retailer in the United States in 1990.[41] In the 1990s, the company began divesting itself of many non-retail entities, which were detrimental to its bottom line. Sears spun off its financial services arm, which included brokerage business Dean Witter Reynolds and Discover Card. It sold its mall building subsidiary Homart to General Growth Properties in 1995.[50] Sears later acquired hardware chain Orchard Supply Hardware in 1996 and started home improvement store The Great Indoors in 1997.[51] The cost of distributing the once highly influential general merchandise catalog became prohibitive; sales and profits had declined. The company discontinued the catalog in 1993. It dismissed 50,000 workers who had filled the orders.[41] In 1992, the company posted a $3.9 billion loss, the largest ever from an American retailer.[52] In 1992, California successfully sued the company for falsely finding things wrong with automobiles in for repair for other reasons.[53] In 1997, criminal charges were made.[54][55] In 1998, Sears announced it had sold the remnants of Western Auto (which it had acquired in 1998) to Roanoke-based Advance Auto Parts. The business deal was not what experts in the after-market automotive industry expected: Sears, Roebuck became "one of the largest shareholders" after obtaining a 40% stake in Advance Auto Parts and merging their two store networks, which included Western Auto's wholesale and retail operations. The existing store network of Advance Auto Parts, comprising 915 stores in 17 U.S. states, merged with 590 U.S.-based Parts America Stores in addition to 40 Western Auto stores in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. In 1997, Sears sold 85% of its Mexico affiliate to Grupo Carso. Sears Holdings continued to produce specialty catalogs and reintroduced a smaller version of the Holiday Wish Book in 2007.[clarification needed] In 2003, Sears sold its U.S. retail credit card operation to Citibank.[56] The remaining card operations for Sears Canada were sold to JPMorgan Chase in August 2005.[57] In 2003, Sears opened a new concept store called Sears Grand. Sears Grand stores carried everything that a regular Sears carries, and more. Sears Grand stores were about 175,000 to 225,000 square feet (16,300 to 20,900 m2). On November 17, 2004, Kmart Holdings Corporation announced it would acquire Sears, Roebuck, and Co. for $11 billion after Kmart completed its recovery from bankruptcy.[58] As a part of the acquisition, Kmart Holding Corporation, along with Sears, Roebuck, and Co., was transformed into the new Sears Holdings Corporation. The new company started trading on the NASDAQ stock exchange as SHLD; Sears sold its single-letter ticker symbol 'S' in the New York Stock Exchange that it had held since 1910 to Sprint Corporation.[59] The new corporation announced that it would continue to operate stores under both the Sears and Kmart brands. In 2005, the company began renovating some Kmart stores and converting them to the Sears Essentials format, only to change them later to Sears Grands.[60] The combined company's profits peaked at $1.5 billion in 2006. By 2010, the company was no longer profitable; from 2011 to 2016, the company lost $10.4 billion. In 2014, its total debt ($4.2 billion at the end of January 2017) exceeded its market capitalization ($974.1 million as of March 21, 2017). Sears declined from more than 3,500 physical stores to 695 US stores from 2010 to 2017.[61] Sales at Sears stores dropped 10.3 percent in the final quarter of 2016 when compared to the same period in 2015.[62] Sears spent much of 2014 and 2015 selling off portions of its balance sheet; namely, Lands' End and its stake in Sears Canada, one of the biggest e-commerce players in Canada, with Can$505 million in sales in 2015—more than Walmart and others who had begun pushing aggressively into online sales, such as Canadian Tire.[63] Sears stated that the company was looking to focus on becoming a more tech-driven retailer. Sears's CEO and top shareholder said the sell-off of key assets in the last year had given the retailer the money it needs to speed up its transformation.[63] Sears Holdings had lost a total of US$7 billion in the four years to 2015. In part, the retailer was trying to curb losses by using a loyalty program called Shop Your Way.[63] Sears believed the membership scheme would enhance repeat business and customer loyalty in the long term.[63] CEO Eddie Lampert also concluded an arrangement that sold the Craftsman brand to Stanley Black & Decker Inc. for approximately US$900 million.[64] In October 2017, Sears and appliance manufacturer Whirlpool Corporation ended their 101-year-old association, reportedly due to pricing issues, although Whirlpool continued supplying Sears with Kenmore-branded appliances.[65] In May 2018, Sears announced it had formed a "special committee" to explore the sale of Kenmore.[66] Bankruptcy and current operations [edit] On September 24, 2018, the retailer's CEO warned that the company was "running out of time" to salvage its business.[67] Sears Holdings filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on October 15, 2018, ahead of a $134 million debt payment due that day.[68] On November 23, 2018, Sears Holdings released a list of 505 stores, including 266 Sears stores, that were for sale in the bankruptcy process, while all others would hold liquidation sales.[69] On January 16, 2019, Sears Holdings announced it would remain open after Lampert won a bankruptcy auction for the company with an offer to keep about 400 stores open.[10] On February 7, 2019, a bankruptcy judge approved a $5.2 billion plan by Sears's chairman and biggest shareholder to keep the business going. The approval meant roughly 425 stores, including 223 Sears stores, and 45,000 jobs would be preserved.[70] In April 2019, Sears announced the opening of three new stores with a limited set of merchandise under the name Sears Home & Life.[71] Also that month, Sears closed its store at Windward Mall in Kaneohe, Hawaii, and its store at Oakbrook Center in Oak Brook, Illinois (which was razed and already rebuilt as a 1-story store), making it the first post-bankruptcy closure for the brand since being bought by ESL.[72][73] On June 3, 2019, the company announced that Transform Holdco would acquire Sears Hometown & Outlet Stores. As per deal, it might need to divest its Sears Outlet division to gain approval.[74] On August 6, 2019, it was announced that 26 stores would close that October, including 21 Sears stores, among them the last Sears stores in Alabama and West Virginia, at Riverchase Galleria in Hoover and at Huntington Mall in Barboursville, respectively. The announcement also included plans to "accelerate the expansion of our smaller store formats which includes opening additional Home & Life stores and adding several hundred Sears Hometown stores after the Sears Hometown and Outlet transaction closes."[75] On August 31, 2019, management announced that Transform would close an additional 92 stores, including 15 Sears stores, by the end of 2019. Near the end of 2019, Sears sold the brand name DieHard to Advance Auto Parts for $200 million.[76] A total of 100 more stores closed by January 2020.[77] 51 Sears stores were closed in February 2020.[78] More stores continued to close throughout 2020 and 2021, including the final Sears in Maine at The Maine Mall. In September 2021, the company's website listed 35 Sears stores.[79] That month, Sears announced that it would close more stores, including the last Sears store in New York City. The New York City Sears closed by November 24, 2021, with the potential to be redeveloped.[80][81] Transformco announced in December 2021 its plans to sell the 2.3 million-square-foot Sears headquarters in Hoffman Estates, which includes 100 acres of undeveloped land.[82] On January 19, 2022, Sears shut the remaining 15 Sears Auto Centers in the United States with a message on the Sears Auto Center website stating: "Auto Centers have closed for business. We appreciate your patronage over the years. If you have any questions concerning warranty claims, please visit us at Sears Help."[83] In May 2022, it was announced that roughly 100 more Sears Hometown stores, including the last four in Michigan, would close permanently.[84][85][86] On December 13, 2022, Sears Hometown filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.[14] It was later revealed that all remaining Sears Hometown stores would be liquidated and permanently closed.[87] As of April 2024, with the closing of locations in NJ and Palm Beach Gardens, FL,[88] only 10 full-line Sears stores remain open in the mainland United States plus one in Puerto Rico.[2] The company's U.S. website, Sears.com, remains active for online purchases. In July 2024, Sears began to liquidate its store in Stockton, California as announced in late June 2024.[89][90] Later in July, Sears began liquidating another store in Union Gap, Washington.[91] Corporate affairs [edit] Logo [edit] Logo used in 1907 Logo used from 1966 to 1984 Logo used from 1984 to 1994 Logo used from 1994 to 2004; a red version of this logo is still used by Sears in Mexico. Logo used from 2004 to 2010 in the United States Logo used from 2010 to 2019 Logo used from 2020 to Present Before the company filed for bankruptcy, Sears sponsored many entertainment and sporting events. From 2006 until 2020, it had the naming rights to an 11,000-seat multi-purpose family entertainment, cultural and sports center in Hoffman Estates the Now Arena.[92] The company sponsored the television series Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.[93] The company also underwrote the PBS television series Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, under the name The Sears-Roebuck Foundation, from the show's premiere in 1968 until 1992.[94] Through the Sears Auto Centers, the company sponsored the Formula Drift Darren McNamara Sears/Falken Saturn Sky drift car.[citation needed] It sponsored the NASCAR Truck Series, using the Craftsman brand as the title sponsor, from the series' inception in the 1995 NASCAR SuperTruck Series presented by Craftsman to the 2008 season, when the agreement ended.[95] It sponsored the #10 Gillett Evernham Motorsports car of Scott Riggs for the September 2, 2007, running of the Sharp AQUOS 500 at California Speedway through its Sears Auto Center branch.[citation needed] However, Riggs failed to qualify for the event. In 2016, Craftsman became the title sponsor of the World Racing Group, World of Outlaws Sprint car racing series.[96][failed verification] Employee relations [edit] Sears has struggled with employee relations. One notable example was the shift in 1992 from an hourly wage based on longevity to a base wage (usually between US$3.50 and US$6 per hour) and commissions ranging from 0.5% to 11%. Sears claimed the new base wage, often constituting a substantial (up to 40%) cut in pay, was done "to be successful in this highly competitive environment".[97] In early October 2007, Sears cut commission rates for employees in some departments to between 0.5% and 4% but equalized the base wage across all Home Improvement and Electronics departments. In 2011, commission rates on non-base items were cut by 2% in the electronics department. In late 2009, the electronic department's commission on "base items" was cut to 1%. As of 2017, appliances is the only remaining department where compensation is based entirely on commission. Other departments give a base pay plus commission. In many stores, jewelry department associates receive a low base salary with a 1% commission on their sales. In March 2019, Sears claimed that it was ending life insurance benefits for an undisclosed number of its 90,000 retirees. A few months earlier, the company handed out over $25 million in bonuses to executives.[98] This key Sears Retiree Benefit was worth between $5,000 and $15,000 for most of the pool (29,000) of eligible retired employees.[99] In May 2019, former Sears Holdings chairman and CEO Eddie Lampert, months after purchasing the remains of Sears from the holding company, threatened not to pay out the $43 million in pension payments[100] owed to 90,000 former Sears and Kmart employees and retirees.[101] A Forbes editorial pointed out that Steven Mnuchin, Secretary of the Treasury at the time, was a board member of Sears Holding until 2016, and was, at the time, one of three directors of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, which manages administration of pensions for defunct or bankrupt businesses.[102] Gallery [edit] Mall entrance to the Sears store at Plaza del Norte in Hatillo, Puerto Rico, in 2011. This store closed in April 2021. Sears Auto Center at Steeplegate Mall in Concord, New Hampshire, in 2017. The Auto Center and the main store at this location closed in February 2020. Exterior of the Sears at the Westfield Hawthorn in Vernon Hills, Illinois, in 2006. This location closed in August 2018 and was demolished in 2021. Mall entrance to the former Sears at Paramus Park in Paramus, New Jersey, in 2009. This location closed in 2018. Sears, Roebuck and Company Warehouse and Service Center in Houston, Texas, in August 2020. On the National Register of Historic Places Exterior of the Sears Essentials in Palm Springs, Florida, in 2010 (reopened as Sears Outlet and closed) 2013 photo of the mall entrance to the Sears Grand at Pittsburgh Mills in Tarentum, Pennsylvania. This Sears closed in January 2015. Exterior of the Sears Parts & Repair Store in Brooklyn, Ohio, in 2012 Inside a Sears Store at Coral Gables in Miami, Florida, in 2022, one of the few remaining Sears stores See also [edit] Chicago portal Illinois portal Companies portal Gala-Sears – disbanded Chilean unit Sears Puerto Rico - Puerto Rican unit Sears Canada – disbanded Canadian unit Sears Mexico – Mexican unit held by Grupo Carso Sears plc – former UK company unrelated to U.S. retailer Retail apocalypse References [edit] Further reading [edit] Chang, Myong-Hun, and Joseph E. Harrington Jr. (December 1998). "Organizational structure and firm innovation in a retail chain". Computational & Mathematical Organization Theory 3.4: 267–288. doi:10.1023/A:1009657511505. Compares Sears's Robert E. Wood with Montgomery Ward's Sewell Avery. Creswell, Julie (August 11, 2017). "The Incredible Shrinking Sears". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Emmet, Boris, and John E. Jeuck. Catalogues and counters: A history of Sears Roebuck and Company (1950). Israel, Fred L. (1993). 1897 Sears, Roebuck, and Co Catalogue 100th Anniversary Edition. Philadelphia: Chelsea House. ISBN 978-0-8775-4045-8. Katz, Donald R. (1987). The Big Store. New York: Viking Press. pp. 272–273. ISBN 978-0-6708-0512-9 . Worthy, James C. (December 1984). Shaping an American Institution: Robert E. Wood and Sears, Roebuck. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. ISBN 978-0-2520-1051-4. Sears, Roebuck and Company records are archived at the American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming. Official website Sears Catalogs: online scans of pages from several past Sears catalogs ⚫
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It is in the center of the (former) iron, coal, and limestone mining belt of the Southern United States. Most of the original settlers were migrants of English ancestry from the Carolinas.[4] Jefferson County has a land area of about 1,119 square miles (2,900 km2). Early county seats were established first at Carrollsville (1819 – 21), then Elyton (1821 – 73). Founded around 1871, Birmingham was named for the industrial English city of the same name in Warwickshire. That city had long been a center of iron and steel production in Great Britain. Birmingham was formed by the merger of three towns, including Elyton. It has continued to grow by annexing neighboring towns and villages, including North Birmingham. As Birmingham industrialized, its growth accelerated, particularly after 1890. It attracted numerous rural migrants, both black and white, for its new jobs. It also attracted European immigrants. Despite the city's rapid growth, for decades it was underrepresented in the legislature. Legislators from rural counties kept control of the legislature and, to avoid losing power, for decades refused to reapportion the seats or redistrict congressional districts. Birmingham could not get its urban needs addressed by the legislature. Nearby Bessemer, Alabama, located 16 miles by car to the southwest, also grew based on industrialization. It also attracted many workers. By the early decades of the 20th century, it had a majority-black population, but whites dominated politically and economically. Civil rights edit Racial tensions increased in the cities and state in the late 19th century as whites worked to maintain white supremacy. The white-dominated legislature passed a new constitution in 1901 that disenfranchised most blacks and many poor whites, excluding them totally from the political system. While they were nominally still eligible in the mid-20th century for jury duty, they were overwhelmingly excluded by white administrators from juries into the 1950s. Economic competition among the new workers in the city also raised tensions. It was a rough environment of mill and mine workers in Birmingham and Bessemer, and the Ku Klux Klan was active in the 20th century, often with many police being members into the 1950s and 1960s.[5] In a study of lynchings in the South from 1877 to 1950, Jefferson County is documented as having the highest number of lynchings of any county in Alabama. White mobs committed 29 lynchings in the county, most around the turn of the century at a time of widespread political suppression of blacks in the state.[6] Notable incidents include 1889's lynching of George Meadows. Even after 1950, racial violence of whites against blacks continued. In the 1950s KKK chapters bombed black-owned houses in Birmingham to discourage residents moving into new middle-class areas. In that period, the city was referred to as "Bombingham."[7][8] In 1963 African Americans led a movement in the city seeking civil rights, including integration of public facilities. The Birmingham campaign was known for the violence the city police used against non-violent protesters. In the late summer, city and business officials finally agreed in 1963 to integrate public facilities and hire more African Americans. This followed the civil rights campaign, which was based at the 16th Street Baptist Church, and an economic boycott of white stores that refused to hire blacks. Whites struck again: on a Sunday in September 1963, KKK members bombed the 16th Street Baptist Church, killing four young black girls and injuring many persons. The African-American community quickly rebuilt the damaged church. They entered politics in the city, county and state after the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was passed. Sewer construction and bond swap controversy edit In the 1990s, the county authorized and financed a massive overhaul of the county-owned sewer system, beginning in 1996. Sewerage and water rates had increased more than 300% in the 15 years before 2011, causing severe problems for the poor in Birmingham and the county. Costs for the project increased due to problems in the financial area. In addition, county officials, encouraged by bribes by financial services companies, made a series of risky bond-swap agreements. Two extremely controversial undertakings by county officials in the 2000s resulted in the county having debt of $4 billion. The county eventually declared bankruptcy in 2011. It was the largest municipal bankruptcy in United States history at that time. Both the sewer project and its financing were scrutinized by federal prosecutors. By 2011, "six of Jefferson County's former commissioners had been found guilty of corruption for accepting the bribes, along with 15 other officials."[9][10] The controversial interest rate swaps, initiated in 2002 and 2003 by former Commission President Larry Langford (removed in 2011 as the mayor of Birmingham after his conviction at trial[11]), were intended to lower interest payments. But they had the opposite effect, increasing the county's indebtedness to the point that it had to declare bankruptcy. The bond swaps were the focus of an investigation by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.[12] In late February 2008 Standard & Poor's lowered the rating of Jefferson County bonds to "junk" status. The likelihood of the county filing for Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection was debated in the press.[13] In early March 2008, Moody's followed suit and indicated that it would also review the county's ability to meet other bond obligations.[14] On March 7, 2008, Jefferson County failed to post $184 million collateral as required under its sewer bond agreements, thereby moving into technical default.[15] In February 2011, Lesley Curwen of the BBC World Service interviewed David Carrington, the newly appointed president of the County Commission, about the risk of defaulting on bonds issued to finance "what could be the most expensive sewage system in history."[10] Carrington said there was "no doubt that people from Wall Street offered bribes" and "have to take a huge responsibility for what happened."[10] Wall Street investment banks, including JP Morgan and others, arranged complex financial deals using swaps. The fees and penalty charges increased the cost so the county in 2011 had $3.2 billion outstanding. Carrington said one of the problems was that elected officials had welcomed scheduling with very low early payments so long as peak payments occurred after they left office. In 2011 the SEC awarded the county $75 million in compensation in relation to a judgment of "unlawful payments" against JP Morgan; in addition the company was penalized by having to forfeit $647 million of future fees.[16] 2011 bankruptcy filing edit Jefferson County filed for bankruptcy on November 9, 2011.[17] This action was valued at $4.2 billion, with debts of $3.14 billion relating to sewer work; it was then the most costly municipal bankruptcy ever in the United States. In 2013, it was surpassed by the Detroit bankruptcy in Michigan.[10] The County requested Chapter 9 relief under federal statute 11 U.S.C. §921. The case was filed in the Northern District of Alabama Bankruptcy Court as case number 11-05736. As of May 2012 , Jefferson County had slashed expenses and reduced employment of county government workers by more than 700.[18] The county emerged from bankruptcy in December 2013, following the approval of a bankruptcy plan by the United States bankruptcy court for the Northern District of Alabama, writing off more than $1.4 billion of the debt.[19][20][21] Historical population CensusPop.Note%± 18306,855—18407,1314.0%18508,98926.1%186011,74630.7%187012,3455.1%188023,27288.5%189088,501280.3%1900140,42058.7%1910226,47661.3%1920310,05436.9%1930431,49339.2%1940459,9306.6%1950558,92821.5%1960634,86413.6%1970644,9911.6%1980671,3714.1%1990651,525−3.0%2000662,0471.6%2010658,466−0.5%2020674,7212.5%2023 (est.)662,895[24]−1.8% 2020 census edit Jefferson County, Alabama – Racial and ethnic composition Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race. Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2000[29] Pop 2010[30] Pop 2020[31] % 2000 % 2010 % 2020 White alone (NH) 379,707 340,213 324,252 57.35% 51.67% 48.06% Black or African American alone (NH) 259,623 275,511 280,112 39.22% 41.84% 41.52% Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 1,314 1,431 1,207 0.20% 0.22% 0.18% Asian alone (NH) 5,909 9,085 13,043 0.89% 1.38% 1.93% Pacific Islander alone (NH) 125 154 311 0.02% 0.02% 0.05% Some Other Race alone (NH) 367 531 1,966 0.06% 0.08% 0.29% Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH) 4,718 6,053 18,974 0.71% 0.92% 2.81% Hispanic or Latino (any race) 10,284 25,488 34,856 1.55% 3.87% 5.17% Total 662,047 658,466 674,721 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% As of the 2020 census, there were 674,721 people, 274,699 households, and 170,971 families residing in the county.[32] The population density was 607.0 inhabitants per square mile (234.4/km2) There were 307,927 housing units. 2010 census edit Jefferson County population had decreased slightly by 2010. According to the 2010 census, residents of metropolitan Jefferson County identified as the following: 53.0% White 42.0% Black 0.3% Native American 1.4% Asian 0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 1.1% Two or more races 3.9% Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 2000 census edit As of the 2000 census, there were 662,047 people, 263,265 households, and 175,861 families residing in the county. The population density was 595 people per square mile (230 people/km2). There were 288,162 housing units at an average density of 259 units per square mile (100 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 58.10% White, 39.36% Black or African American, 0.21% Native American, 0.90% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.59% from other races, and 0.80% from two or more races. About 1.55% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. The largest self-reported European ancestries in Jefferson County, Alabama are English 9.7%(64,016), "American" 9.6%(63,015), Irish 8.6%(56,695), German 7.2%(47,690). Many Americans whose ancestors came from Britain or Ireland identify simply as American, because their immigrant ancestors arrived so long ago, in some cases in the 17th and 18th centuries. Demographers estimate that roughly 20–23% of people in Alabama are of predominantly English and related British Isles ancestry.[33][34][35][36] Researchers believe that more of the European-American population has Scots-Irish ancestry than residents identify with today. In addition, many African Americans have racially-mixed ancestry, often with some ancestors from the British Isles. Having been classified in the South as black under racial segregation, some of these families are beginning to use DNA tests to learn about and acknowledge European ancestors. Some identify as multiracial as a result. There were 263,265 households, out of which 30.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.10% were married couples living together, 17.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.20% were non-families. Nearly 28.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45, and the average family size was 3.04. In the county, 24.80% of the population was under the age of 18, 9.60% from 18 to 24, 29.70% from 25 to 44, 22.30% from 45 to 64, and 13.60% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.50 males. In 2007 Jefferson County had the highest rate of syphilis cases per 100,000 in the US, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.[37] The median income for a household in the county was $36,868, and the median income for a family was $45,951. Males had a median income of $35,954 versus $26,631 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,892. About 11.60% of families and 14.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.20% of those under age 18 and 12.70% of those age 65 or over. Jefferson County is one of the eight counties in Alabama with a limited-form of home rule government. A 1973 Commission had recommended that all counties be granted home rule under the state constitution, but the state legislature has refused to give up its control over local affairs. In the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the county was underrepresented politically for decades into the 1960s because the rural-dominated state legislature refused to redistrict as population increased in urban counties. Changes to county representation in the state legislature did not take place until the state was required to incorporate the principle of one man, one vote from the US Supreme Court decision of Baker v. Carr (1964). It ruled that bicameral legislatures had to have both houses based on population districts, rather than geographic ones. The complexity of Birmingham and Jefferson County urban conditions required more local management, as it was a major industrial center. The county gained some home rule functions by 1944. It allows the county to be set up a zoning system for land use, maintain the sanitary sewer, sewerage systems and highways, provide for garbage and trash disposal, and to enforce taxation (except for property taxes). Today the county has a type of council-manager form of government. It is governed by a five-member commission that combines the legislative and executive duties for the county. The Commissioners are elected from single-member districts. Each county commissioner represents one of the five districts in the county, apportioned roughly equally by population. By votes in the commission, the commissioners are given executive responsibilities for the various county departments, which fall under the categories of "Roads and Transportation", "Community Development", "Environmental Services", "Health and Human Services", "Technology and Land Development", and "Finance and General Services". The County Commission elects a President from among its members, who serves as the chairperson of all County Commission meetings, and who has additional executive duties. The Commission hires a county manager, who oversees and directs daily operations of county departments. Taxation edit Sales tax on many items within the county can be as high as 12%. The County Commission approved an educational sales tax by a 3–2 vote in October 2004. This was implemented In January 2005, as a 1% sales tax to support funding for construction of needed education facilities. This additional 1% has resulted in some county municipalities, such as Fairfield, to have sales tax rates as high as 10%, while other municipalities and incorporated communities had an increase in their total sales tax rate from 8% to 9%. The state of Alabama sales tax was 4% at the time and Jefferson County's was 2% in total. Some municipal sales taxes reach 4%.[citation needed] On March 16, 2011, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that Jefferson County's 2009 occupational tax law was passed unconstitutionally. This decision dealt a devastating financial blow to a county considering bankruptcy.[38][39] Law edit Jefferson County is served by the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department. The County Sheriff is chosen by the eligible voters in an at large election. The Sheriff's Department fields about 175 deputy sheriffs who patrol the unincorporated areas of the county, and also all municipalities that do not have their own police departments. The Sheriff's Department has two county jails, one in Birmingham and one in Bessemer, which are used to detain suspects awaiting trial (who cannot afford to post bail), and convicted criminals serving sentences less than one year in length. Two judicial courthouses are located in Jefferson County, a situation dating to when the state legislature was preparing to split off a portion of Jefferson County to create a new county, centered around Bessemer. The city is located about 16 miles to the southwest by car. The split did not take place because the area of the proposed county would have been smaller than the minimum of 500 square miles set forth in the state constitution. The additional county courthouse and some parallel functions remain in service. The main courthouse is in Birmingham and the second one is located in Bessemer. Certain elected county officials maintain offices in the Bessemer annex, such as the Assistant Tax Collector, the Assistant Tax Assessor, and the Assistant District Attorney. Prisons edit The local jails have a long history of abuse of prisoners. One former jailer, who started work for the Jefferson County Convict Department in 1919, described beatings, the administration of laxatives, and confinement in a tiny two-by-three-foot cell, as well as beatings with rubber hoses. He said, "You can work a man pretty good with a piece of pipe and never mark him."[40] Well into the 1950s, prisoners were regularly beaten and tortured by police to extract coerced "confessions" to crimes.[5] In mid-2015, the Department of Justice announced an investigation of the conditions imposed on juveniles in the county jail. It said that young people with mental illnesses were locked in solitary confinement for months at a time. Others were housed with adult prisoners who raped them.[41] The Alabama Department of Corrections operates the William E. Donaldson Correctional Facility, a prison for men, in unincorporated Jefferson County near Bessemer. The prison includes one of the two Alabama death rows for men.[42]
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Historic sites across the state tell intriguing stories of New Jersey’s diverse, inventive, creative and revolutionary people.	en	https://www.journeythrou…617ba4a8a934.png		https://www.journeythroughjersey.com/sites/reeve-history-cultural-center/	The Reeve History & Cultural Resource Center serves as home to the Westfield Historical Society. Built in 1870, the Italianate style structure houses a museum and is the future site of the Society's archives. The property has a rich history – it’s owners Edgar and Ralph Tichenor Reeve donated the house to the Town of Westfield in 1985 in memory of their father, William Edgar Reeve. William lived in the house from 1906 to 1963 and contributed to the development of Westfield. The site is also located on Mountain Avenue where it played an important role in the American Revolution as a spring located on the rear of the property that was used by both American and British troops. The home hosts events and programs on the 1.62-acre site, as well as permanent and rotating exhibits throughout the year. The Reeve History & Cultural Resource Center is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. WHAT TO SEE AND DO Schedule a house tour to learn about the Reeve family and their contributions to the development of Westfield Explore the Westfield Historical Society’s archives Discover local history through a permanent or rotating exhibit Journey through Jersey strives to have the most up-to-date information, but always check with the site itself before planning a visit.
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to Wikimedia projects" ]	2002-09-28T22:17:48+00:00		en	/static/apple-touch/wikipedia.png		https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_City,_London	District in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, England For other uses, see White City (disambiguation). Human settlement in England White City is a district of London, England, in the northern part of Shepherd's Bush in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, 5 miles (8 km) west-northwest of Charing Cross. White City is home to Television Centre, White City Place, Westfield London and Loftus Road, the home stadium of Queens Park Rangers F.C. The district got its name from the white marble cladding used on buildings during several exhibitions when the area was first developed, between 1908 and 1914. History [edit] The area now called White City was level arable farmland until 1908, when it was used as the site of the Franco-British Exhibition and the 1908 Summer Olympics. In 1909 the exhibition site hosted the Imperial International Exhibition and in 1910, the Japan–British Exhibition. The final two exhibitions to be held there were the Latin-British Exhibition (1912) and the Anglo-American Exposition (1914), which was brought to a premature end by the outbreak of the First World War. During this period it was known as the Great White City due to the white marble cladding used on the exhibition pavilions, and hence gave its name to this part of Shepherd's Bush.[2][3] Apartments blocks for lower income residents were constructed in the 1930s.[4] White City Stadium, BBC White City, and White City Place [edit] White City Stadium, in the northern section of the district, also known as the Great Stadium and seating 66,000, was officially opened by King Edward VII on 27 April 1908 for the 1908 Summer Olympics. The starting point of the marathon race at the 1908 Summer Olympics was at Windsor Castle creating a distance of 42.195 km (26.219 mi) or 26 miles 385 yards to the finishing line at White City stadium. In 1921, this was adopted as the standard distance for marathon races; previously the distance varied slightly. After the Olympics, the stadium continued to be used for athletics until 1914, and, in 1927, it was turned into a greyhound racing track, although it was also used for short periods by Queens Park Rangers football club, and for other sports.[5] In 1931, a 440-yard running track was installed for the Amateur Athletic Association Championships, held there from 1932 to 1970. It also hosted the match between Uruguay and France during the 1966 FIFA World Cup. In 1934, American rodeo promoter Tex Austin staged the World's Championship Rodeo at White City Stadium. Champion cowboys and cowgirls from Canada and the United States participated including Pete Knight, Weldon Bascom, Clark Lund, Ted Elder, and Vera McGinnis. The world's most famous rodeo bucking horse, Midnight, was brought out of retirement for one last rodeo.[6] The month-long rodeo was held from 9 June to 6 July with ten shows per week. Pathé News filmed some of the events.[7] The Stadium was home to the White City Rebels motorcycle speedway team, part of the inaugural British League in 1929 and from 1976 to 1978. Speedway was run first in 1928 and occasional meetings were run from 1953 to 1958, 1961 and 1979 to 1983. The stadium was demolished starting in late 1984 to make way for the BBC White City building.[5] The athletes of the 1908 Summer Olympics are commemorated with a list inscribed on the side of the BBC Broadcast Centre Building, and the athletics finish line is marked in the paving outside the building. In 1960, BBC Television Centre was built at the former site of the White City Stadium. It was damaged by the Real IRA in the 2001 BBC bombing. The bomb went off on Wood Lane, in front of the Television Centre news building.[8] In October 2007, BBC announced plans to sell Television Centre as part of a cost-cutting programme.[9] In June 2008, English Heritage announced its recommendation to list parts of Television Centre as a grade II listed building.[10] In July 2012, BBC sold Television Centre to a partnership consisting of Stanhope plc, Mitsui Fudosan and AIMCo for £200 million.[11] It was redeveloped but original features of the buildings including the "doughnut", atomic dot wall and Helios statue were retained.[12] The redeveloped Television Centre was opened to the public and will offer entertainment and leisure facilities, including a new branch of members' club Soho House, offices aimed at the creative sector and approximately 1,000 new homes, together with pedestrian access through the site providing connectivity with the local area, including Hammersmith Park.[13] BBC Studioworks (formerly BBC S&PP) moved back to Television Centre in 2017 to operate Studios 1, 2 and 3. BBC Worldwide moved into office space in the Stage 6 building following extensive refurbishment in 2015.[14] Landowners in the area, including White City Living by St James, Westfield London, Stanhope and Imperial College London are in the process of redeveloping the site into White City Place, which will provide 5,000+ new homes, 2 million square feet of commercial office space, 30 acres of public space, and 19,000 jobs.[15][16] White City Estate [edit] To house the growing population of Shepherd's Bush, a five-storey housing estate was built in the late 1930s and after World War II, which also took the name of the White City. Streets were named after countries that had featured in the exhibitions. The estate is served by an Anglican church, St Michael and St George (1955) on Commonwealth Avenue. Westfield London [edit] On 30 October 2008, Westfield London opened.[17] In July 2015, terrorists tried to blow up the Westfield London but they were stopped by police. They wanted the bombing to be around the same day as the 10th anniversary of the 7 July 2005 London bombings.[18] Transport [edit] Two stations were built to serve the centre close to the sites of closed former London Underground stations: Wood Lane on the Circle line and the Hammersmith & City line, located to provide a walking distance connection with the Central line station at White City. Shepherd's Bush on the West London line, to the east of the site adjacent to the Holland Park roundabout and served by London Overground trains. It is also a short walking distance from Shepherd's Bush tube station served by the Central line. Education [edit] Imperial College London purchased the BBC Woodlands site for 28 million pounds in 2009 and demolished it the following year. Sections of this second major campus started opening in most notably an "innovation hub" for the college, including research facilities and commercialisation space, as well as postgraduate accommodation.[19] The chemistry department moved much of its research to the new Molecular Sciences Research Hub on the campus in 2018,[20] with further departments and industry partners moving to the campus and surrounding area over the coming years.[21] The campus is also home to the Invention Rooms, a college hackerspace and community outreach centre.[22] Schools in the area include Ark Burlington Danes Academy and Phoenix Academy Nearest places [edit] Wormwood Scrubs Notting Hill Kensal Green Bayswater Harlesden North Kensington Acton West Kensington Shepherd's Bush Nearest tube stations [edit] East Acton Goldhawk Road Latimer Road Shepherd's Bush Market Shepherd's Bush White City Wood Lane Nearest railway stations [edit] Shepherd's Bush People [edit] Daisy Waugh[23] In art and literature [edit] Pete Townshend, a former resident of Shepherd's Bush, released a solo album entitled White City: A Novel in November 1985 on Atco. The title refers to a story which accompanies the album and which takes place in the London area of White City. A related film was also produced.[24] North of the Westfield shopping centre itself, the grade II listed Dimco Buildings (1898), now refurbished as a bus depot[25][26] were used as the location for the 'Acme Factory' in the 1988 film Who Framed Roger Rabbit.[27] The Bill Slider Novels of Cynthia Harrod-Eagles are set in Shepherd's Bush and the first title, Orchestrated Death, begins with a body found in a White City flat. See also [edit] History of Shepherd's Bush Gallery [edit] BBC Television Centre The BBC Media Village, on the site of the Olympic Stadium BBC TV centre, seen from Shepherd's Bush Market tube station White City tube station The White City Stadium in 1908 Imperial College London campus References [edit]
659	dbpedia	0	8	https://www.in.gov/history/state-historical-markers/find-a-marker/rhodes-family-incident/	en	Rhodes Family Incident			[ "https://www.in.gov/history/images/logo_IHB.png", "https://www.in.gov/history/images/Rhodes_F.jpg", "https://www.in.gov/history/images/Rhodes_B.jpg", "https://www.in.gov/history/markers/images/mic%20for%20THH.png", "https://www.in.gov/history/images/logo_IHB.png", "https://www.in.gov/global/images/logo_in-seal.png" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	2020-12-04T13:42:58-05:00		en	/global/images/favicon.ico	IHB	https://www.in.gov/history/state-historical-markers/find-a-marker/rhodes-family-incident/	Asa Bales Park, Hoover and SR 31, Westfield (Hamilton County, IN) Installed 2008 Indiana Historical Bureau, Division of Historic Preservation and Archeology, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, and the Town of Westfield ID#: 29.2008.1 Listen to the Talking Hoosier History podcast to learn more about the Rhodes family incident. Text Side one: In 1837, an enslaved family of three escaped from Missouri; settled six miles north of here 1839 with name Rhodes. In 1844, Singleton Vaughn arrived at their home to claim them; family resisted until neighbors arrived. Vaughn agreed to take family to Noblesville for trial. In route, a crowd stopped Vaughn, demanding the family be taken to Westfield. (351 Characters and Spaces) Side two: Urged on by the crowd, driver of wagon carrying family sped to Westfield; family escaped before wagon reached town. Vaughn sued some in crowd, for interfering with his right to reclaim slaves. In Vaughn v. Williams, 1845, jury found defendants not guilty, finding Rhodes family had been freed when a previous owner moved them to Illinois, a free state. (352 Characters and Spaces) Annotated Text Side One In 1837, an enslaved family of three escaped from Missouri;(1) settled six miles north of here 1839 with name Rhodes.(2) In 1844, Singleton Vaughn arrived at their home to claim them;(3) family resisted until neighbors arrived.(4) Vaughn agreed to take family to Noblesville for trial.(5)I n route, a crowd stopped Vaughn, demanding the family be taken to Westfield.(6) (351 characters/spaces) Side Two Urged on by the crowd, driver of wagon carrying family sped to Westfield;(7) family escaped before wagon reached town.(8) Vaughn sued some in crowd, for interfering with his right to reclaim slaves.(9) In Vaughn v. Williams, 1845, jury found defendants not guilty, finding Rhodes family had been freed when a previous owner moved them to Illinois, a free state.(10) (352 characters/spaces) Notes (1) Sam, Maria, and Amy escaped from their owner, Singleton Vaughn in April 1837. Vaughn v. Williams, United States Circuit Court, Indiana District, May Term 1845, reported in Vol. 28 Federal Cases, 1116 (B060453); Indiana State Journal (B060523); and three separate articles Free Labor and Anti-Slavery Chronicle, May 17, 1844 (B060456), July 5, 1844 (B060457), and no date, (B060469). (2) Sam, Maria, and Amy took the family name "Rhodes" after their escape. Sam became John, Maria became Louann, and Amy became Lydia. This name change is evident in court records for Vaughn v. Williams. The defense in the court case indicated that Sam, Maria, and Amy were the same as the Rhodes family. Vaughn v. Williams, 1115-1118 (B060453). The family settled near the Roberts Settlement, an area founded by free black families from North Carolina. Emma Lou Thornbrough, The Negro in Indiana: A Study of a Minority (Indianapolis, 1957), 50 (B060421). Rhodes purchased Section 1, Township 19, Range 3 in the Southeast corner of the Northwest quarter of the lot. Index of Deeds for Hamilton County (B060522). (3) Vaughn v. Williams, 1117 (B060453). The following information comes from an undocumented secondary source. The court case and the newspaper coverage do not explain how Vaughn learned the location of his former slaves. The only explanation of how Vaughn found out about his escaped slaves is located in a secondary source without any documentation. The lack of primary sources makes it difficult to fully trust the claims made by the account. Augustus Shirts claimed in his history of Hamilton County that Abel Gibson, a man who resided in Adams Township, learned of the Rhodes' history and on a visit to Morgan County, Indiana related the story to a man named Merritt. Merritt later moved to Missouri and by chance, located near the Vaughn plantation and became a neighbor of Mr. Vaughn. Vaughn related his story of the loss of his former slaves to Mr. Merritt, and Merritt revealed the whereabouts of that unfortunate family. Augustus Finch Shirts, A History of the Formation, Settlement, and Development of Hamilton County, Indiana, From the Year 1818 to the Close of the Civil War (1901), 256 (B060418). (4) Free Labor Advocate and Anti-Slavery Chronicle, May 17, 1844 (B060456) and Indiana State Journal, May 28, 1845 (B060523). (5) Indiana State Journal, May 28, 1845 (B060523). (6) Ibid. (B060523). (7) Vaughn v. Williams, 1117 (B060453). The following information comes from undocumented secondary sources. A reminiscence by Mary J. Frost in 1909 claimed it was her husband, William Frost, and his brother-in-law Daniel Jones who drove the wagon to Westfield. Hamilton County Enterprise, April 6, 1909 (B060415). Shirts claimed in his history of Hamilton County that it was only Daniel Jones who drove the wagon to Westfield. Shirts, History of Hamilton County (1901) (B060418). The two main primary sources for these events, Vaughn v. Williams and the Indiana State Journal's coverage of the case, do not provide the name of the person(s) who drove the wagon to Westfield. (8)Vaughn v. Williams, 1117 (B060453). The following information comes from an undocumented secondary source. Shirts claims that the Rhodes family escaped during the ride to Westfield into the Dismal Swamp, then to Aaron Lindley's property, and then in a haystack on the Tomlinson farm. Shirts did not provide any primary evidence for these claims. Shirts, History of Hamilton County (1901) (B060418). (9) Indiana State Journal, May 28, 1845 (B060523). Vaughn v. Williams and the newspaper account do not give a confirmed date for the filing of suit by Vaughn. Suit was probably filed between April 29 and May 6 because Asa Bales did not mention the suit in his April 29 letter to the Free Labor Advocate and then on May 6, 1844 an association was established to contribute funds to defend those sued by Vaughn. Free Labor Advocate and Anti Slavery Chronicle, n.d. (B060469).
659	dbpedia	2	82	http://westfieldheritagevillage.blogspot.com/p/weddings-rentals.html	en	Westfield Heritage Village: Weddings & Rentals	https://blogger.googleus…rah%2526rob3.jpg	https://blogger.googleus…rah%2526rob3.jpg	[ "http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--nVeb80eFjQ/VbfaDBHdQ5I/AAAAAAAAAu4/SYQa-1z2vSo/s980/Westfield%2Blogo%2B%2528300px%2529.jpg", "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXGsxZYCkMIev-qEnpIhEdgVuRokeKW_S4Vc4V1vYXf8KV7OVNKof3hoSlvLEuK2bbc3aMCYspDCI9EPq4XnYWwgj5CRXvtBSO0tFkUwo3020uZV8FGhEumWPPRRm5X77hs3qbja21Qgvm/s400/sarah%2526rob3.jpg", "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZonAtc3FX34WOilFHV-DWFrpuqKc_8g5ZrdjPWjeyzhH-6EOXZwTO_nTbIfIzHYihmidQIp6sg0lnvvZEvwa3ybrZVDYGwfWwU_R_Kd_Cy4otDQ3Ka4tIxutZPMysAuXan71WY6y9uvcY/s400/weddingjune13b.jpg", "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiHu4BRe__4BDQ8uQai7NRsKNhJIF4YEugYzeyUXInna_ho9xyGNeQCMBbxwoD8vGGsiJMhWIoacHi40ZrTvYXlL49gVEvmeA2g_B9R7kjJJgi1EdwQ5BrwvhRaK-EnC3BSkrit_C8YNFo/s400/DSC00415_edit.jpg", "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfpoMprSwBgspFhpa-qkf9LWiRWObYfhPLoyHy7g-R6Gd_-AdjyZNQKI2mnDAwNZRRjI5c0NFM_Ne9YokpGOKIBx4oonFpX-b0zrdgQwXpB68Pz_90ZYGrwsLgDxnviLP0DQLmL7WB9hLG/s400/MelissaFletcher-9.jpg", "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1bJrNFbByFF2j_6TUt8xxbuXA8R2jbHaCXpQPQi5A4PDAb1Ym3KMEi4itr_iBbtYFOctwLnMKnAYLZfOeS3gX_DK-KO7a_VdjaM83ePx84FN3Q71qL5VAIvFV4pFCK0BJJxXS_tl2ECLa/s400/DSC02560_edit.jpg", "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr9cn7MA4wAWAa63E09SylwUsk2Yswd0b86spiSNAuqu7p8s2Z5bnx-3TzosnqteODV3uHDdXRMStvIwjFqNs1R-hjDr5Bcdst6NItY3ZPuUpZZW_ca_n-I4qkXbuDkGnCp1DBia6J2zks/s200/DSC03673.JPG", "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv1dIzD_lHfN-rK_5W6asScbvjkbk8l8YYb0I4x3xAr3ovU_VXe4YltksGe-nfTqyLstUfIrrUM8X2OEeBudKGno31e3Oir-pgu-83S19DrJANQYGzY_wZ2PZplFeNBs1KWWF9rstGtyHB/s200/DSC03354.jpg", "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXD3EdUst6u9c7ho42q_6rpEuCE-5QXRu54EsYZla-_oxsWGm3SrKbxPZ-rmon35p0ukp-1T5mo9Oj1y92PJ2zj-ev5J7bdy7Za1-zHcxXYIZlC-vhxFaZWemsvXBbE3hjI1jOeAmXaeHk/s400/MelissaFletcher-7.jpg", "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvwyux6ersWFM8e_OKtlGsw73qrbuRDmfE-lHRFCZyRqqwgmIY_qn99rvrLYT6I_ZvBgZTBIxmFiYC1CmD6YIaOfo3PXKn0qPdHl-tC-8N_JuKSFe0ZlNnkxrBI5uRi2NZiUu1KsN0iWEk/s400/MelissaFletcher-15.jpg", "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRdJ3jqK1fsvCNuUGEtuqtk50nrY576vX_uTnkZ9WiRC31pPGPoR99flP9HF0Z2P5ZG0hyQvJnRKLHFO43mC4JUmEkuk6gGRO697DZdbbIgM33xiQj51kw2_zSbn3PC5OJKri_kRl49aZN/s200/DSC03367.jpg", "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirMmz4hbXqR_z-rpzgpMl7WR4wM4Q7AP9kKOw0hESex-YSKrN1-vE1dwfmRkMlEkEnynnWmvjSJBXy6h6TbCDvDEv60S6wQIZA8dZ6TyUIM6TJr8Ikt361lcrzLIz7oQffkxJfTSBiRELB/s200/Mountsberg+Church-101.jpg", "https://resources.blogblog.com/img/icon18_edit_allbkg.gif", "http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k_jRZMjw5EM/Tzl2JH_9uWI/AAAAAAAAAAc/FrrE2YSy6fk/s760/Arial%2BWestfield.bmp" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[ "View my complete profile" ]	null	Information on Weddings and Rentals at Westfield Heritage Village.	en	http://westfieldheritagevillage.blogspot.com/favicon.ico		http://westfieldheritagevillage.blogspot.com/p/weddings-rentals.html	Weddings & Rentals Westfield Heritage Village is truly an ideal setting for weddings offering couples one convenient location for the ceremony, reception, and photographs. Featuring beautiful period churches and a banquet hall perfect for a reception for up to 110 people, having your wedding at Westfield Heritage Village will ensure that you remember it for a lifetime. Ceremonies may be held in one of two 19th century churches or outside at the Victorian Gazebo with receptions in the Ironwood Hall. The Westfield Package includes rental of the Victorian Church or Gazebo, a rehearsal time, and use of the Ironwood Hall which features a large kitchen, an outdoor deck, air conditioning and is wheelchair accessible. Westfield can also connect you with caterers, horse and carriage providers, and photographers.
659	dbpedia	2	16	https://toronto.kidsoutandabout.com/content/westfield-heritage-village	en	Westfield Heritage Village	https://toronto.kidsouta…0011609275_n.jpg	https://toronto.kidsouta…0011609275_n.jpg	[ "https://toronto.kidsoutandabout.com/sites/all/themes/koaa_responsive/img/ec-logo-purple.png", "https://toronto.kidsoutandabout.com/sites/all/themes/koaa_responsive/logo.png", "https://toronto.kidsoutandabout.com/sites/all/themes/koaa_responsive/img/ec-logo.png", "https://toronto.kidsoutandabout.com/sites/all/themes/koaa_responsive/img/koaa-grayscale.png", "https://toronto.kidsoutandabout.com/sites/all/themes/koaa_responsive/img/btn-grayscale.png", "https://toronto.kidsoutandabout.com/sites/all/themes/koaa_responsive/logo.png" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	null	Westfield Heritage Village has a stunning collection of over 30 historical buildings, and is one of the most interesting historical locations in Ontario. Buildings have been carefully restored and are staffed with costumed interpreters.	en	https://toronto.kidsouta…aa_favicon_1.png	Kids Out and About Toronto	https://toronto.kidsoutandabout.com/content/westfield-heritage-village	Westfield Heritage Village has a stunning collection of over 30 historical buildings, and is one of the most interesting historical locations in Ontario. Buildings have been carefully restored and are staffed with costumed interpreters. -
659	dbpedia	2	41	https://themomandcaregiver.com/westfield-heritage-village-picnic-in-the-past/	en	Westfield Heritage Village: Picnic in the Past	https://themomandcaregiv…ld-3-300x238.jpg	https://themomandcaregiv…ld-3-300x238.jpg	[ "https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=1295667390587791&ev=PageView&noscript=1", "https://themomandcaregiver.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/About-Us-Growing_728x90.jpg", "https://themomandcaregiver.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/12405-Providence-Pub-MomandCaregiver-JUILLET-ET-AOUT-2024-WEB.jpg", "https://themomandcaregiver.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/MC_collage728x90-e1675138191892.jpg", "https://themomandcaregiver.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/MAC_Ad-With-Us_Banner-1.jpg", "https://themomandcaregiver.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/MAC-Logo_anniversary.png", "https://themomandcaregiver.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/westfield-3-1280x720.jpg", "https://themomandcaregiver.com/wp-content/plugins/simple-share-buttons-adder/buttons/somacro/facebook.png", "https://themomandcaregiver.com/wp-content/plugins/simple-share-buttons-adder/buttons/somacro/twitter.png", "https://themomandcaregiver.com/wp-content/plugins/simple-share-buttons-adder/buttons/somacro/linkedin.png", "https://themomandcaregiver.com/wp-content/plugins/simple-share-buttons-adder/buttons/somacro/pinterest.png", "https://themomandcaregiver.com/wp-content/plugins/simple-share-buttons-adder/buttons/somacro/email.png", "https://themomandcaregiver.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/About-Us-Growing_728x90.jpg", "https://themomandcaregiver.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/MC_collage728x90-e1675138191892.jpg", "https://themomandcaregiver.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/12405-Providence-Pub-MomandCaregiver-JUILLET-ET-AOUT-2024-WEB.jpg", "https://themomandcaregiver.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/MAC_Ad-With-Us_Banner-1.jpg", "https://themomandcaregiver.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/MAC_coverAUG_2024-750x974-362x470.jpg", "https://themomandcaregiver.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/MAC_Ad-300x250.jpg", "https://themomandcaregiver.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/TimbuktuWEBad_300x250.png", "https://themomandcaregiver.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/MC-ad-2021-300X250px-1-1-1.png", "https://themomandcaregiver.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/MAC-Logo_anniversary.png" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	null		en	https://themomandcaregiv…8/06/favicon.png	The Mom & Caregiver	https://themomandcaregiver.com/westfield-heritage-village-picnic-in-the-past/	Jack-o-lanterns lining trails winding through the woods along the Westfield Heritage Village perimeter are both charming and a little creepy. But that’s Halloween and these pumpkins along with some scarecrows mark not just the walking path, but the fall season. Westfield Heritage Village, open April to October, celebrates summer with events throughout the season such as a civic holiday weekend ice cream social and Textile Day in August. But Sundays in October are reserved for winding down until the site closes for another year, and goblins merely accent what’s important: history. This 130-hectare Hamilton Conservation Authority site in Rock- ton, Ontario is about bringing early Canadian culture alive. The living museum, opened in 1964, is a collection of 35 historical buildings restored to specific decades ranging from 1775 to 1925 and staffed with costumed interpreters. Centuries resided side-by-side. A colour-coded map directs visitors from the living conditions in the late 18th century to the early 20th. For instance, the Queen’s Rangers’ Cabin, built in 1792, was originally located in Dundas and is one of the oldest cabins in Ontario. Many of the buildings have been moved to the site for preservation. Others, like the Victorian-style Hardware Store, are replicas. Popular is the 1896 Jerseyville Railway Station that once saw trains travelling between Hamilton and Brantford pass by its doors. Today, it’s known as the station featured in the Anne of Green Gables movie and television series.
659	dbpedia	2	57	https://www.zillow.com/community/stoney-point/2076867148_zpid/	en	Westfield - Heritage Plan, Stoney Point, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404	https://photos.zillowsta…4-cc_ft_1536.jpg	https://photos.zillowsta…4-cc_ft_1536.jpg	[ "https://s.zillowstatic.com/pfs/static/z-logo-default.svg", "https://photos.zillowstatic.com/fp/00107f6e5c17bb86ba74cbf893c7b114-cc_ft_960.jpg", "https://www.zillowstatic.com/static/images/nophoto_l_c.png", "https://s.zillow.net/pfs/static/app-store-badge.svg", "https://s.zillow.net/pfs/static/google-play-badge.svg", "https://s.zillow.net/pfs/static/z-logo-default.svg", "https://s.zillow.net/pfs/static/footer-art.svg" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	null	Zillow has 24 photos of this $340,000 3 beds, 2 baths, 1,471 Square Feet single family home located at Westfield - Heritage Plan, Stoney Point, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404 built in 2024.	en	/apple-touch-icon.png	Zillow	https://www.zillow.com/community/stoney-point/2076867148_zpid/	Zillow Group is committed to ensuring digital accessibility for individuals with disabilities. We are continuously working to improve the accessibility of our web experience for everyone, and we welcome feedback and accommodation requests. If you wish to report an issue or seek an accommodation, please let us know. For listings in Canada, the trademarks REALTOR®, REALTORS®, and the REALTOR® logo are controlled by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and identify real estate professionals who are members of CREA. The trademarks MLS®, Multiple Listing Service® and the associated logos are owned by CREA and identify the quality of services provided by real estate professionals who are members of CREA. Used under license.
659	dbpedia	1	1	https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westfield_War_Memorial_Village	en	Westfield War Memorial Village	https://upload.wikimedia….uk_-_645364.jpg	https://upload.wikimedia….uk_-_645364.jpg	[ "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/icons/wikipedia.png", "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-wordmark-en.svg", "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-tagline-en.svg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a4/Text_document_with_red_question_mark.svg/40px-Text_document_with_red_question_mark.svg.png", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/be/Bowling_Green%2C_Westfield_Memorial_Village%2C_Lancaster_-_geograph.org.uk_-_645364.jpg/220px-Bowling_Green%2C_Westfield_Memorial_Village%2C_Lancaster_-_geograph.org.uk_-_645364.jpg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9d/War_Memorial%2C_Westfield_Memorial_Village%2C_Lancaster_-_geograph.org.uk_-_645352.jpg/220px-War_Memorial%2C_Westfield_Memorial_Village%2C_Lancaster_-_geograph.org.uk_-_645352.jpg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png", "https://login.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?type=1x1", "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/footer/wikimedia-button.svg", "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/footer/poweredby_mediawiki.svg" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[ "Contributors to Wikimedia projects" ]	2008-11-26T16:34:10+00:00		en	/static/apple-touch/wikipedia.png		https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westfield_War_Memorial_Village	Westfield War Memorial Village (established 1924) is a residence in the City of Lancaster, England. Initially created for ex-service men, women and families after World War I, it continues to provide accommodation for 189 residents. After the Great War, a national debate was ignited concerning how disabled servicemen from the Great War would support themselves and their families if they could not return to their former trade because of their disabilities. Local newspapers also promoted the idea that 'the nation owes a debt it should be eager to discharge as far as that is possible'. It was from a strong backing of public support, including financial help and assistance in erecting the Westfield village, that a Committee for the promotion of a memorial village upon the Westfield site was appointed at Lancaster Town Hall in 1918, using the ideas of Thomas Mawson. In 1919 the Westfield Committee obtained charity status for the project, and published a brochure advertising their intentions, appealing for funds and organising an inaugural ceremony. The brochure explained the benefits and aims of the Westfield scheme, which were to erect a memorial, build cottages for the married disabled ex-servicemen, found a hostel for the unmarried men, and provide workshops and social amenities. It also claimed the village would not just meet difficulties of 'social reconstruction – the problem of the hour' but also provide a model of town planning on a small scale for the imitation of other towns. The local connection of the village is reflected in the proposed allocation system – Disabled veterans of the Kings Own Royal Regiment would have first refusal, followed by those of Lancaster District, with all overtones of charity to be strictly avoided. Herbert Storey believed that this memorial village should stand as a tribute to the gallantry and devotion of the men of this regiment and of Lancaster men and women of other branches and services. Within three weeks of the Armistice, 11 November 1918, Ashton Hall hosted a crowded meeting to decide how Lancaster should commemorate those who served in the Great War. Its concluding resolutions were that a permanent memorial should be established in Lancaster to those who had fallen. The Westfield War memorial village grand opening was 27 November 1924, with the war memorial statue being unveiled two years later; 4 August 1926. It commemorated all those who gave their lives or limbs for their country in the Great War, in particular the men of Lancaster, who served in the King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster). Thomas Mawson, a renowned Landscape Architect born in Scorton, near Lancaster, derived the idea of memorial villages to commemorate the fallen in war from an article he read by William Hill, and expanded on this basic principle to include not just housing for the disabled ex-servicemen returning from the war, but also to give them employment in specially built workshops. This was a key addition, due to it being likely in a number of cases that the injuries sustained from war would hinder the ex-servicemen returning to their old occupations, and in some cases make it impossible. Two key criticisms had arisen from the idea of a village for returning servicemen. The first was that 'inevitably a time would come when there would be no disabled people to live in the village, which may then become derelict'. The other was that the disabled ex-servicemen would not want to be segregated, nor wish to be placed in surroundings which would remind them daily of the Great War. This criticism in particular was taken up by the Ministry of Pensions, who had been unenthusiastic about Mawson's idea from its beginning. However, after overwhelming support and offers of assistance, the Westfield Committee was set up, and it soon became clear these two criticisms were not going to stand in the way of the erection of the village. This committee was made up of members such as the Mayor and Mayoress, councillors, Lords and Ladies, prominent local businessmen, members of the armed forces, reverends and doctors. This strong committee guaranteed the success of the scheme in Lancaster because they were able and willing to give financial support to the scheme. The Westfield Committee was also able to gain the support of such women as Mrs Lyell who had the time to dedicate to fundraising for the village. Mrs Lyell organised fundraising events such as what became known as 'The Lyell Golden Ballot', that raised over £20,000 for the village, which funded the erection of 31 cottages, including Lyell Terrace. The bodies that did prove hindrances to the Westfield Committee were the government, the Ministry of Labour and Trade Unions. The government's refusal of finance for the erection of the village, which was one of Thomas Mawson's 'must haves' was the main issue for the Westfield memorial village to go ahead. However, funding by donation proved to be enough to combat this problem. The Ministry of Labour began in the mid-1920s to restrict the output of the workshops to the promotion of building related skills, as opposed to making such things as watches, pipes and umbrellas which had been progressing steadily. Then, when hostility from local businesses and Trade Unions hit the workshops, they eventually had to be closed down. Local newspapers were constantly in support of the Westfield village; regularly publishing articles promoting the idea, such as one in the Lancashire Daily Post in November 1918 entitled "The Nation owes a debt it should be eager to discharge as far as that is possible". The Second World War had an effect on the Westfield Village, as interest was once again renewed in it, and also a few extra tenants were placed on waiting list from that war. The statue memorial in the centre of the village illustrates one soldier giving water to a wounded comrade, illustrating Lancaster's recognition of the efforts and sacrifices made by the men of Lancaster serving in the King's Own Royal Regiment. The sculpture is by the local artist and teacher Jennie Delahunt and was unveiled in 1926.[1][2] The Westfield war memorial village still exists today, with a waiting list of people wishing to move into the houses in the village; the war memorial statue still stands prominently in the centre of the village. Funding for the erection and maintenance of the village stems completely from donations made by the public. The village was leased in 1987 to a housing association for finance to modernise the houses. Priority is still given to those families of war victims. Each house in the village has today a plaque outside the front door with information regarding a particular battle or an individual who fought in the war, or a group of fundraisers who paid for the house to be built; in particular the first house built bears the name of Herbert Storey, who gave the Westfield land so that the project could go ahead. The greenery that is present all throughout the village, including the trees which line the streets, each of the gardens owned by their respective houses, and the bowling green signifies healing and rehabilitation, to which it was hoped would aid the recovery of the ex-servicemen living there, as planned by Thomas Mawson. Finally, facilities such as the bowling green and the social club were established as a sign of the effort made to help reconstruct the lives of the ex-servicemen, and also as a gesture of thanks from the people of Lancaster. Mawson, Thomas Hayton, An Imperial Obligation: Industrial Villages for Partially Disabled Soldiers & Sailors (London, Grant Richards Ltd, 1917) Mawson, Thomas Hayton, The Life and Work of a Landscape Architect – An Autobiography of T.H. Mawson (London, The Richards Press, 1927) List of tenants, former unit, date of entry, rent paid & number of children. (Westfield War Memorial Village, Lancaster, 2 August 1930) "The War Memorial Village, Westfield Lancaster", Lancashire Daily Post, 14 November 1919 "At the going down of the sun...", Lancashire Life, October 1958, pp. 52–71 "Memorial Village offered new start for war injured", Lancaster Guardian, 15 November 2002, p. 3 The War Memorial Village Lancaster: To the Officers: Non-commissioned Officers & Men of the Kings Own (Royal Lancaster) Regiment and to all those men and women of Lancaster and District who gave their lives in the Service of King and Country during the Great War 1914-1918 (Lancaster, The War Memorial Village Committee, 1918) Lancaster VE 2005: "A Community Remembers" (Lancaster, 2005) The War Memorial Village, Lancaster, (Lancaster, 1943) Stretch, M, "The War Memorial Village Lancaster", 2001.
659	dbpedia	2	77	https://www.zillow.com/community/bowman-meadows/2056914548_zpid/	en	Westfield - Heritage Plan, Bowman Meadows, Cedar Rapids, IA 52402	https://photos.zillowsta…4-cc_ft_1536.jpg	https://photos.zillowsta…4-cc_ft_1536.jpg	[ "https://s.zillowstatic.com/pfs/static/z-logo-default.svg", "https://photos.zillowstatic.com/fp/00107f6e5c17bb86ba74cbf893c7b114-cc_ft_960.jpg", "https://photos.zillowstatic.com/fp/00107f6e5c17bb86ba74cbf893c7b114-cc_ft_960.jpg", "https://www.zillowstatic.com/static/images/nophoto_l_c.png", "https://www.zillowstatic.com/static/images/nophoto_l_c.png" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	null	Zillow has 24 photos of this $347,500 3 beds, 2 baths, 1,470 Square Feet single family home located at Westfield - Heritage Plan, Bowman Meadows, Cedar Rapids, IA 52402 built in 2024.	en	/apple-touch-icon.png	Zillow	https://www.zillow.com/community/bowman-meadows/2056914548_zpid/	Started a loan application? Pick up where you left off on your Zillow Home Loans dashboard. Home Loans dashboard Buildable plan This is a floor plan you could choose to build within this community. You’ll work with the builder to select from the plan options and find the right lot to construct your dream home.
659	dbpedia	2	61	https://www.westfield.com/united-kingdom/london/retailers-detail/heritage-london/60372	en	Heritage London Store	https://res.cloudinary.c…42igse1rh16c.jpg	https://res.cloudinary.c…42igse1rh16c.jpg	[ "https://res.cloudinary.com/westfielddg/image/fetch/c_thumb,g_face,w_200/https://res.cloudinary.com/westfielddg/image/upload/westfield-media/uk/centre/logo/bh2xaltjfiwrs2gako6a.png", "https://res.cloudinary.com/westfielddg/image/fetch/c_thumb,g_face,w_200/https://res.cloudinary.com/westfielddg/image/upload/westfield-media/uk/centre/logo/bh2xaltjfiwrs2gako6a.png", "https://cdn.urw.com/united-kingdom/london/-/media/Unibail/Global/LoyaltyProgram/LoyaltyHeader/w-club-simple.svg?revision=6af32b6d-134b-4c6d-b8ef-2ffbbc0c4d67", "https://cdn.urw.com/united-kingdom/london/-/media/Unibail/Global/LoyaltyProgram/LoyaltyHeader/w-club-simple.svg?revision=6af32b6d-134b-4c6d-b8ef-2ffbbc0c4d67", "https://res.cloudinary.com/westfielddg/image/fetch/c_fill,f_auto,h_190/https://res.cloudinary.com/westfielddg/image/upload/westfield-media/uk/retailer/logos/uy3cbr3j42igse1rh16c.jpg", "https://res.cloudinary.com/westfielddg/image/fetch/c_fill,f_auto,h_190/https://res.cloudinary.com/westfielddg/image/upload/westfield-media/uk/retailer/logos/uy3cbr3j42igse1rh16c.jpg", "https://cdn.urw.com/dist/newunibailreactapp/img/default.png", "https://cdn.urw.com/dist/newunibailreactapp/img/default.png", "https://cdn.urw.com/dist/newunibailreactapp/img/default.png", "https://cdn.urw.com/dist/newunibailreactapp/img/default.png", "https://cdn.urw.com/dist/newunibailreactapp/img/default.png", "https://cdn.urw.com/dist/newunibailreactapp/img/default.png", "https://cdn.urw.com/united-kingdom/london/-/media/Unibail/Global/Device.png?mh=445&mw=441&revision=80f50547-9090-473d-bf19-3fc85838fbf4&hash=7E99E7CA021767CB98CC4E91ED179518", "https://res.cloudinary.com/westfielddg/image/fetch/c_thumb,g_face,w_200/https://res.cloudinary.com/westfielddg/image/upload/westfield-media/uk/centre/logo/bh2xaltjfiwrs2gako6a.png" ]	[]	[]	[ "Heritage London Store \| Westfield London" ]	null	[]	null	Discover the Heritage London store at Westfield London Shopping Center	en	https://cdn.urw.com/-/me…44DCA5EECFD5C81C		https://www.westfield.com/united-kingdom/london/retailers-detail	Opening Hours Monday 10:00 AM to 09:00 PM Tuesday 10:00 AM to 09:00 PM Wednesday 10:00 AM to 09:00 PM Thursday 10:00 AM to 09:00 PM Friday 10:00 AM to 09:00 PM Saturday 10:00 AM to 09:00 PM Sunday 12:00 PM to 06:00 PM
659	dbpedia	0	4	https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shops_at_Palm_Desert	en	The Shops at Palm Desert	https://upload.wikimedia…_Desert_2010.JPG	https://upload.wikimedia…_Desert_2010.JPG	[ "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/icons/wikipedia.png", "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-wordmark-en.svg", "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-tagline-en.svg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1e/Westfield_Palm_Desert_2010.JPG/250px-Westfield_Palm_Desert_2010.JPG", "https://maps.wikimedia.org/img/osm-intl,10,33.7235,-116.395,250x200.png?lang=en&domain=en.wikipedia.org&title=The_Shops_at_Palm_Desert&revid=1237220158&groups=_1355cb9917b3a622b48bf1ab219cdcb543fecc30", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fd/The_Westfield_Group_logo.svg/150px-The_Westfield_Group_logo.svg.png", "https://login.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?type=1x1", "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/footer/wikimedia-button.svg", "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/footer/poweredby_mediawiki.svg" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[ "Contributors to Wikimedia projects" ]	2015-10-10T23:46:49+00:00		en	/static/apple-touch/wikipedia.png		https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shops_at_Palm_Desert	Shopping mall in Palm Desert, California The Shops at Palm Desert (previously Westfield Palm Desert) is a shopping mall located in Palm Desert, California which serves the Coachella Valley. The mall features the traditional retailers Macy's, JCPenney, Dick's Sporting Goods, and Barnes & Noble, with 122 inline stores. In addition, the mall includes a food court and Tristone Palm Desert 10 Cinemas. The cinema has closed as of February 5, 2023. Numerous theater chains have been in discussion.[1] History [edit] The shopping center was developed by Ernest W. Hahn in 1982 and opened as Palm Desert Town Center.[2][3][4][5] The $75 million project spanned 62 acres (25 ha) and included four major department stores, 130 inline shops, an eight-screen theater, a food court and an indoor ice skating rink. Other stores included "What's Up" and The Balboa Beach Company. A small arcade called The Yellow Brick Road was on the second level above the skating rink, next to the food court. Original anchor stores were May Company,[6] Bonwit Teller,[7] JCPenney,[8] and Bullock's.[9][10] In 1987, Bonwit Teller decided to close all of its Californian stores[11] and its spot at the mall was taken by Bullocks Wilshire.[12] This was the first time that a Bullocks Wilshire store was located in the same mall with a Bullock's store. A fifth anchor, J.W. Robinson's, opened a few months later in 1987.[13][14][15] After developing and managing the property for a number of years, Hahn was able to purchase the property from its owner, Palm Desert Town Center Associates, in 1989.[16] In February 1993, both J.W. Robinson's and May Company stores rebranded as Robinsons-May. In April 1996, Bullock's rebranded as Macy's. In August 1999, Westfield America, Inc., announced it had acquired Palm Desert Town Center from TrizecHahn Corporation, the successor to Hahn, for $82 million.[17][18] Following the acquisition, the name became Westfield Shoppingtown Palm Desert. However, in 2005 the company migrated away from this branding strategy and dropped 'Shoppingtown' from most of its U.S. properties.[19] The mall became Westfield Palm Desert. Over the years the mall has gone through many changes resulting from various mergers and acquisitions in the retail industry.[20] This resulted in the consolidation of regional department stores and ultimately led to vacant anchor spaces at the mall, like the consolidation of the two Robinsons-May stores in 2002, leaving the other one (former J.W. Robinson's) to Sears, which opened in November 2004. Barnes & Noble moved into the mall in 2003.[21] In 2006, Macy's moved to the newly expanded Robinsons-May store, closing the original Bullock's/Macy's store. In 2013, a renovation plan began which involved converting a two-level vacant anchor space on the north side to Dick's Sporting Goods (upper level) and World Gym on the first level of the space.[22] In addition, a partially vacant two-level anchor on the south side was converted into a Grand Entrance with frontage on California State Route 111, a busy thoroughfare running through the city. The demolition involved the preservation of the subterranean level of the space previously occupied by Bullock's. Macy's incorporated this space into its existing furniture store which is situated below Barnes & Noble. The Grand Entrance includes new sit-down restaurants and retail space and is accented with decorative water fountains. An expansion plan announced in 2006 included the addition of a full line Nordstrom department store on the north and a significant remodel and expansion of the existing theater.[23] The plan never came to fruition given the economic downturn.[24] As of December 2014, Westfield Palm Desert featured 151 specialty stores and was 95.1% leased. The 980,041 square feet (91,049 m2) mall offers 495,538 square feet (46,037 m2) of specialty store space and has significant potential for future expansion.[25] In 2015, Sears Holdings spun off 235 of its properties, including the Sears at Westfield Palm Desert, into Seritage Growth Properties.[26] On November 7, 2019, it was announced that Sears would be closing this location a part of a plan to close 96 stores nationwide. The store closed in February 2020.[27] In 2015, Westfield sold a 47.4 percent interest in the mall to O'Connor Capital Partners while Westfield retained majority interest.[28] Two years later, Westfield was acquired by Unibail-Rodamco to form Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield.[29] In 2021, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield announced plans to sell the mall[30] and renamed the mall "The Shops at Palm Desert" in preparation of the eventual sale.[31] Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield has also turnover the management of the mall to JLL until the sale is completed.[30] In late November 2023, the mall was acquired from JLL to Pacific Retail Capital Partners. The price for the acquisition was undisclosed.[32] References [edit]
659	dbpedia	3	56	https://oceanparkinn.net/f/step-back-in-time-at-the-heritage-museum	en	Step Back in Time at the Heritage Museum	https://img1.wsimg.com/i…itage-Museum.jpg	https://img1.wsimg.com/i…itage-Museum.jpg	[ "https://img1.wsimg.com/isteam/ip/86d5826b-08da-4f90-be9e-976146398946/OCEAN-PARK-INN-logo-5.png/:/rs=h:200,cg:true,m/qt=q:95", "https://img1.wsimg.com/isteam/ip/86d5826b-08da-4f90-be9e-976146398946/OCEAN-PARK-INN-logo-5.png/:/rs=h:200,cg:true,m/qt=q:95", "https://img1.wsimg.com/isteam/ip/86d5826b-08da-4f90-be9e-976146398946/OPI-43_2-24d5592.jpg/:/cr=t:0%25,l:5.63%25,w:88.74%25,h:100%25/rs=w:600,h:451.12781954887214,cg:true", "https://img1.wsimg.com/isteam/ip/86d5826b-08da-4f90-be9e-976146398946/RM20.13.jpg/:/rs=w:600,h:600,cg:true,m/cr=w:600,h:600", "https://img1.wsimg.com/isteam/ip/86d5826b-08da-4f90-be9e-976146398946/iStock-579240946.jpg/:/cr=t:0%25,l:16.67%25,w:66.67%25,h:100%25/rs=w:600,h:600,cg:true" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[ "OCEAN PARK INN" ]	null	Ocean Park Inn is an affordable hotel in Santa Monica, conveniently located near key attractions including Santa Monica Pier and Venice Beach.	en	//img1.wsimg.com/isteam/ip/86d5826b-08da-4f90-be9e-976146398946/favicon/1a3a8ae2-dc3a-457a-a725-2c04a9de6f87.png/:/rs=w:16,h:16,m	OCEAN PARK INN	https://oceanparkinn.net/f/step-back-in-time-at-the-heritage-museum	Ocean Park Inn is conveniently located in proximity of key area attractions including The World Famous Santa Monica Pier and Venice Beach Boardwalk. Other attractions include numerous art galleries, boutiques, and memorable dining including rooftop bars overlooking the Pacific Ocean! We are just steps away from the west end of the Historic U.S. Route 66! At Ocean Park Inn, we DO NOT believe in ANY hidden hotel fees. That means no destination fees, no facility fees, no amenity fees. The price you see is the price you pay. Our hotel features properly fitted rooms with free high-speed internet, cable television, refrigerator, and a small safe. Hotel's multi-lingual staff is ready to ensure your pleasant and memorable stay. Enjoy your vacation with our affordable prices. ALL GUEST ROOMS HAVE BEEN MAJORLY UPGRADED & RENOVATED AS OF SPRING 2024! We offer a variety of amenities to make your stay with us as comfortable as possible. Maid service is available daily at your convenience. Coffee & Tea is served all day in the lobby. Our freshly landscaped courtyard is equipped with ample seating. FREE PARKING AVAILABLE (First come first served) Be sure to explore our listing on Santa Monica's official website! https://www.santamonica.com/hotels/ocean-park-inn/
659	dbpedia	2	6	https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/conservation-areas/westfield-heritage-village/	en	Westfield Heritage Village	https://ontarioconservat…llage-scaled.jpg	https://ontarioconservat…llage-scaled.jpg	[ "https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=1894945650707606&ev=PageView&noscript=1", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/themes/ontarioconservationareas/assets/img/logo.svg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/themes/ontarioconservationareas/assets/img/logo.svg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Westfield-Heritage-Village-scaled.jpg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/snowshoeing.svg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/admission-paid.svg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/open-year-round.svg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/parking-paid.svg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/rental-facilities.svg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Chippewa-Trail-1024x576.jpg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Christie-Lake.jpg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Confederation-Beach-Park-1024x771.jpg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Crooks_-Hollow-1024x768.jpg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Devil_s-Punchbowl-1024x768.jpg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Dofasco-Trail.jpg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Dundas-Valley-1024x683.jpg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Eramosa-Karst-1024x768.jpg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Fifty-Point-1024x683.jpg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Fletcher-Creek-1024x683.jpg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Hamilton-to-Brantford-Rail-Trail-1024x684.jpg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Lafarge-Trail-1024x683.jpg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Mount-Albion.jpg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Saltfleet-1024x683.jpg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Spencer-Gorge-1-1024x683.jpg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Tiffany-Falls-1024x768.jpg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Valens-Lake-1024x683.jpg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Wild-Waterworks-1024x683.jpg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/themes/ontarioconservationareas/assets/img/logo.svg" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	2022-04-08T09:27:09+00:00	Westfield Heritage Village Conservation Area is both a living history museum and a conservation area. It...	en	https://ontarioconservat…d-icon-32x32.png	Ontario’s Conservation Areas	https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/conservation-areas/westfield-heritage-village/	About This Area Westfield Heritage Village Conservation Area is both a living history museum and a conservation area. It boasts a stunning collection of over 35 historical buildings that have been restored to capture the true charm and spirit of early Canadian culture. The buildings are nestled against the backdrop of 204 hectares of conservation land that features woodlands, meadows and nearly 8 kilometres of walking trails. Westfield offers various events and education programs throughout the year, and is the ideal setting for weddings.
659	dbpedia	3	40	https://houstonmaritime.org/uss-westfield-2/	en	USS Westfield Project	https://i0.wp.com/housto…560%2C2051&ssl=1	https://i0.wp.com/housto…560%2C2051&ssl=1	[ "https://i0.wp.com/houstonmaritime.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/HMC-Primary-Logo.png?fit=2560%2C1298&ssl=1", "https://i0.wp.com/houstonmaritime.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/HMC-Primary-Logo-Blue-Site.png?fit=1500%2C553&ssl=1", "https://i0.wp.com/houstonmaritime.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/cropped-Site-ID-e1695314856193.png?fit=512%2C512&ssl=1", "https://i0.wp.com/houstonmaritime.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/HMC-Primary-Logo-Blue-Site.png?fit=1500%2C553&ssl=1", "https://i0.wp.com/houstonmaritime.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Parkoff-Justin.jpg?resize=261%2C300&ssl=1", "https://houstonmaritime.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/HMC-Primary-Logo-White-Site-1024x378.png", "https://houstonmaritime.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/NARM-Logo-White_vv.png", "https://houstonmaritime.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Blue-Star-Museum-Logo.png" ]	[ "https://www.youtube.com/embed/rOkvglj4isA?feature=oembed" ]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[ "Houston Maritime" ]	2017-08-19T00:00:41+00:00	USS Westfield belonged to an unusual class of civilian vessels that the Navy converted during the American Civil War to serve in the Union's blockade of Confederate southern ports. Originally built and operated as a double-ended ferryboat, the vessel was purchased by the Navy from the New York Staten Island ferry service. Westfield served as the flagship for the West Gulf Blockading Squadron's operations along the Texas Gulf Coast.	en	https://i0.wp.com/housto…it=32%2C32&ssl=1	Houston Maritime Center & Museum	https://houstonmaritime.org/uss-westfield-2/	Watch the Replay USS Westfield belonged to an unusual class of civilian vessels that the Navy converted during the American Civil War to serve in the Union’s blockade of Confederate southern ports. Originally built and operated as a double-ended ferryboat, the vessel was purchased by the Navy from the New York Staten Island ferry service. Westfield served as the flagship for the West Gulf Blockading Squadron’s operations along the Texas Gulf Coast. The vessel last saw action in 1863 at the Battle of Galveston where it ran aground and was blown up by its crew to keep the vessel out of Confederate hands. In 2009, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) orchestrated Westfield’s recovery in advance of their operations to deepen the Texas City Channel. Archaeologists recovered approximately 8,000 artifacts during the salvage operation including a 9″ smoothbore Dahlgren cannon. The USACE sent these artifacts to the Conservation Research Laboratory at Texas A&M University where the artifacts underwent conservation and study. In May, 2014, the Houston Maritime Museum hosted a presentation on the Westfield during the conservation phase of the project. Now complete, this follow up presentation will describe the seven year project and how numerous components of the vessel were physically reconstructed and placed on permanent display at the Texas City Museum. Dr. Justin Parkoff Justin Parkoff is a Ph.D. graduate from Texas A&M University. He is trained as a historical maritime archaeologist and specializes in steamboat technology, archaeological conservation, and historical restoration. At the center for Maritime Archaeology and conservation, Dr. Parkoff manages historic preservation projects and cultural heritage sites along the Texas Gulf Coast.
659	dbpedia	1	6	https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westfield_Chatswood	en	Westfield Chatswood	https://upload.wikimedia…hatswood-999.jpg	https://upload.wikimedia…hatswood-999.jpg	[ "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/icons/wikipedia.png", "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-wordmark-en.svg", "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-tagline-en.svg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e1/%281%29Westfield_Chatswood-999.jpg/250px-%281%29Westfield_Chatswood-999.jpg", "https://maps.wikimedia.org/img/osm-intl,10,-33.796893,151.184111,250x200.png?lang=en&domain=en.wikipedia.org&title=Westfield_Chatswood&revid=1222953670&groups=_3a382a0ee52025079107f1907113aa428878e60f", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b2/%281%29Westfield_Chatswood-1.jpg/220px-%281%29Westfield_Chatswood-1.jpg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a9/%281%29Westfield_Chatswood-3.jpg/220px-%281%29Westfield_Chatswood-3.jpg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png", "https://login.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?type=1x1", "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/footer/wikimedia-button.svg", "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/footer/poweredby_mediawiki.svg" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[ "Contributors to Wikimedia projects" ]	2006-06-19T10:10:25+00:00		en	/static/apple-touch/wikipedia.png		https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westfield_Chatswood	Shopping mall in New South Wales, Australia Westfield Chatswood is a large indoor shopping centre in the suburb of Chatswood in the Lower North Shore of Sydney.[1] Transport [edit] The Metro North West and North Shore railway lines offer frequent services to Chatswood station which is a short walk from the centre. Westfield Chatswood has bus connections operated by Busways, CDC NSW and Keolis Downer Northern Beaches services to the Sydney CBD, North Shore and Northern Sydney, as well as surrounding suburbs with bus stops on Victoria Avenue. Westfield Chatswood also has a multi level car park with 2,831 spaces. History [edit] Westfield Chatswood opened on 30 January 1986 and is the second major shopping centre to be built in Chatswood with the first being Chatswood Chase in 1983 and Wallace Way and Lemon Grove in the 1980s.[2] The centre was located next to the free standing Grace Bros store that opened in 1961 and featured Target (which was originally located at Wallace Way until 1986), Coles New World and Franklins (closed 2001 and renamed Food For Less). In 1999 it was redeveloped to incorporate a previously free standing Grace Bros store (later renamed Myer in 2004) and Toys "R" Us was added.[3] In 2008 Aldi opened its store on the space vacated by Food For Less. Spanish clothing retailer Zara opened its store on 13 February 2014.[4] In July 2014, as part of a restructure of the Westfield Group, it came under the control of the Scentre Group.[5] Recent development [edit] In 2015 a $110 million upgrade to Westfield Chatswood commenced, with the centre increased from 77,000sqm to 80,000sqm of gross lettable area. The redevelopment was completed in November 2015 with H&M (opened on the space vacated by Toys "R" Us), Uniqlo, Mecca Maxima and a new relocated Rebel Sport all opened on 18 February 2016.[6][7][8] This development consists of: Forty new stores Four new international fashion stores, as well as some local fashion stores (including Sydney's third H&M, Uniqlo, Topshop and Topman) Two-level entrance on Victoria Avenue reconfigured into a five-level mall which included a two-level flagship Topshop and Topman (as of September 2017 the store is now closed) Hawker Lane Asian dining restaurants precinct A reduced regular food court Tenants [edit] Westfield Chatswood has 81,093 m2 of floor space. The major retailers include Myer, Target, Aldi, Coles, Uniqlo, Zara, JB Hi-Fi, Rebel, Timezone and Hoyts Cinema. Incidents and accidents [edit] 24 September 2005, a 32-year-old woman fell from the sixth floor and straight onto a 42-year-old woman on the ground floor in an attempted suicide. Both women were taken to Royal North Shore Hospital and police are investigating.[9] 12 January 2016, A man fell from the fifth level and died. About 3:45 pm police were called to the centre following reports a man was standing on the wrong side of a railing. Police believe it was suicide.[10] References [edit]
659	dbpedia	2	11	https://cityseeker.com/hamilton-on/825794-westfield-heritage-centre	en	Westfield Heritage Centre, Hamilton	https://d2dzi65yjecjnt.c…net/825794-1.jpg	https://d2dzi65yjecjnt.c…net/825794-1.jpg	[ "https://cityseeker.com/assets/images/generic_user.png", "https://d2dzi65yjecjnt.cloudfront.net/825794-1.jpg", "https://cityseeker.com/assets/images/Camera-36.png", "https://cityseeker.com/assets/images/hotelplanner/hotelplanner_PB.png", "https://cityseeker.com/assets/images/location_A.png", "https://cityseeker.com/assets/images/location_B.png" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	null	The Westfield Heritage Centre contains the Westfield Heritage Village and is spread across an area of 130 hectares (321.23 acres). With home to 30 historic buildings, the village is certainly one of the most amazing historic destinations in Ontario. Interpreters in costumes will guide you through this maze of history and acquaint you with the rich Canadian culture. Live history demonstrations along with the beautiful county side backdrop will surely take you to the olden days. Educational programs, group tours and guided tours of the site are available. Events and activities at this site keep the visitors entertained.	en	https://cityseeker.com/a…ges/fav_icon.png	cityseeker	https://cityseeker.com/hamilton-on/825794-westfield-heritage-centre	Sunday 12:30 PM to 04:00 PM
659	dbpedia	0	73	https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_Cars	en	Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia	https://upload.wikimedia…Spy_%2821%29.jpg	https://upload.wikimedia…Spy_%2821%29.jpg	[ "https://simple.wikipedia.org/static/images/icons/wikipedia.png", "https://simple.wikipedia.org/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-wordmark-en.svg", "https://simple.wikipedia.org/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-tagline-simple.svg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b4/Ambox_important.svg/40px-Ambox_important.svg.png", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9d/Lotus_Elise_111R_-_Flickr_-_The_Car_Spy_%2821%29.jpg/220px-Lotus_Elise_111R_-_Flickr_-_The_Car_Spy_%2821%29.jpg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b1/Lotus_Headquarters.jpg/220px-Lotus_Headquarters.jpg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ed/Decrease2.svg/11px-Decrease2.svg.png", 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"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/12/Lotus_Evija_front.jpg/220px-Lotus_Evija_front.jpg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/24/Lotus_Esprit_%28The_Spy_Who_Loved_Me%29_left-front_National_Motor_Museum%2C_Beaulieu.jpg/220px-Lotus_Esprit_%28The_Spy_Who_Loved_Me%29_left-front_National_Motor_Museum%2C_Beaulieu.jpg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png", "https://login.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?type=1x1", "https://simple.wikipedia.org/static/images/footer/wikimedia-button.svg", "https://simple.wikipedia.org/static/images/footer/poweredby_mediawiki.svg" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[ "Contributors to Wikimedia projects" ]	2011-02-01T17:25:04+00:00		en	/static/apple-touch/wikipedia.png		https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_Cars	Lotus Cars is a British builder of sports and racing cars. It is based at the old site of RAF Hethel, a World War II airfield in Norfolk. The company designs and builds race and production cars. The cars are built to have a low weight. The cars handle well (they can turn, start and stop quickly.) Lotus Cars was founded and owned for many years by Colin Chapman. After his death and a period of financial instability, it was bought by General Motors, then by businessman Romano Artioli and DRB-HICOM through its subsidiary Proton. It is currently owned by Chinese multinational Geely. The company was started as Lotus Engineering Ltd. by engineer Colin Chapman in 1952[3] but had roots in 1948 when Chapman first started building racing cars in a garage.[4] The first factory was in old stables in Hornsey, North London. Team Lotus was started in 1954. It was split off from the Lotus Engineering company. Team Lotus was active and competitive in Formula One racing from 1958 to 1994. The Lotus Group of Companies was formed in 1959. One company was Lotus Cars Limited which made road cars. The other company was Lotus Components Limited which worked on customer race cars. Lotus Components Limited became Lotus Racing Limited in 1971 but stopped building cars in the same year.[5] In 1959, the company moved to Cheshunt, Hertfordshire into a factory built to make cars.[6] Since 1966 the company has been in a modern factory and road test facility at Hethel, near Wymondham. This site is the former RAF Hethel base. The test track uses parts of the old runway. In its early days, Lotus sold cars aimed at privateer racers and trialists. Its early road cars could be bought as kits, in order to save on purchase tax. The kit car era ended in the late 1960s and early 1970s, with the introduction of the Elan. In early 1982, Chapman came to an agreement with Toyota to exchange intellectual property and applied expertise. This resulted in Lotus collaborating in the design and development of Toyota sports cars and Toyota supplying parts to Lotus, making development and production of their new models, such as the Excel, cost effective.[7] Chapman died of a heart attack in 1982 at the age of 54. The car maker built tens of thousands of successful racing and road cars. They won the Formula One World Championship seven times. At the time of his death he was linked with the DeLorean scandal over the use of government subsidies for the production of DeLorean DMC-12 for which Lotus had designed the chassis.[8] In 1986, the company was bought by General Motors. On 27 August 1993, GM sold the company to Bugatti Automobili SpA owned by businessman Romano Artioli.[9] In 1996, a majority share in Lotus was sold to Proton, a Malaysian car company.[10] On 24 May 2017, Chinese multinational Geely announced that was taking a 51% controlling stake in Lotus.[11][12] The remaining 49% was acquired by Etika Automotive.[13] The company is organized as Group Lotus. Group Lotus is divided into Lotus Cars and Lotus Engineering. Lotus Engineering builds suspension for other car builders.[14] They also worked with General Motors to develop the 4-cylinder Ecotec engine.[15] The four letters in the middle of the logo stand for the initials of Anthony Colin Bruce Chapman. Formula One [change \| change source] Main articles: Team Lotus and Lotus Racing The Lotus Cars helped its customers to race its cars. They entered Formula One through its sister company Team Lotus in 1958. In 1960, Lotus got its first win in F1. A Lotus 18 driven by Stirling Moss won at Monaco. The car was entered by privateer Rob Walker. They had big success in 1963 with the Lotus 25. With Jim Clark driving, Lotus its first F1 World Constructors Championship. Clark was killed in a crash in a Formula Two Lotus 48 in April 1968. It was a severe blow to the team and to Formula One. Clark was the dominant driver with the best car at the time. He is an important part of Lotus' early years. The 1963 championship was won by Clark's teammate, Graham Hill. Team Lotus made the mid-engine layout popular for IndyCars. They developed the first monocoque Formula One chassis. They also made the engine and transaxle a part of the chassis. A transaxle is a combination of the transmission and rear axle. Lotus was also among the first in Formula One to add wings and shaping the bottom of the car. This created aerodynamic downforce. They were the first to move radiators to the sides of the car. This improved the aerodynamic performance of the car. Team Lotus is also considered as the pioneer of the active suspension. After Chapman's death, until the late 1980s, Lotus was still to be a major player in Formula One. Ayrton Senna drove for the team from 1985 to 1987. Senna won twice in each year and earned 17 pole positions. By the company's last Formula One race in 1994, the cars were not competitive. At the end of the 1994 season, Lotus left Formula One racing. Team Lotus won a total of 79 Grand Prix races. Team Lotus was the first team to achieve 50 Grand Prix victories. Formula One Constructors' Championships (Drivers' Championship winner for Lotus) 1963 (Jim Clark) 1965 (Jim Clark) 1968 (Graham Hill) 1970 (Jochen Rindt) 1972 (Emerson Fittipaldi) 1973[16] 1978 (Mario Andretti) In 1992, Team Lotus started Classic Team Lotus for the Works historic motorsport activity. Classic Team Lotus repairs and keeps Lotus F1 cars in running condition. They race them in the FIA Historic Formula One Championship. It keeps the Team Lotus archive and the Works Collection of cars. It is managed by Clive Chapman, son of company founder Colin Chapman. The Lotus name returned to Formula One for the 2010 season. A new team in Malaysia was started called Lotus Racing. They used the Lotus name with license from Group Lotus. The new team was unrelated to the old Team Lotus. The new team was funded by a Malaysian Consortium (group of companies) including Proton, the former owner of Lotus. After the 2010 season, Proton ended the license for Lotus Racing to use the Lotus name. Proton believed the team broke the license rules. Lotus Racing then bought Team Lotus Ventures Ltd. This company owned the rights to use the name Team Lotus. The Lotus Racing team announced they would be known as Team Lotus starting in 2011. In December 2010 Group Lotus (Proton) purchased part of the Renault F1 team. They announced the team would be now be known as Lotus Renault GP. Lotus Renault GP will compete in Formula One starting in 2011. Lotus also unsuccessfully participated in the 24 Hours of LeMans and in the Indianapolis 500 in 2011 and 2012. Lotus car models [change \| change source] Concept cars [change \| change source] At the 2010 Paris Motorshow, Lotus announced five new models. These were to be introduced over the next five years.[17] New Lotus Esprit. Due to be released in 2013. The Esprit was to be powered by a 5.0 litre Lexus V8 pressure charged engine rated at up to 620 PS (456 kW; 612 hp), capable of 0 to 100 kilometres per hour (62 mph) in about 3.4 seconds. New Lotus Elan. Due to be introduced during the second half of 2013. The Elan was to be powered by a 4.0 litre V6 pressure charged engine rated at up to 450 PS (331 kW; 444 hp) with a weight of 1,295 kg (2,855 lb). New Lotus Elite. A 2+2 GT. It was to be offered with a front-mid positioned 5.0 litre V8 engine producing up to 620 PS (456 kW; 612 hp), capable of 0 to 100 kilometres per hour (62 mph) in about 3.7 seconds. Due for release in spring 2014. New Lotus Elise. The replacement for the Lotus Elise S2. It was to be due in 2015. It will have a 2.0 litre inline 4 pressure charged engine producing up to 320 PS (235 kW; 316 hp), the Elise 2015 is stated to be capable of 0 to 100 kilometres per hour (62 mph) in less than 4.5 seconds. New Lotus Eterne. A four-door, four seater sports GT. It was to be powered by a 5.0 litre pressure charged V8. It was designed to compete with the Porsche Panamera and the Aston Martin Rapide. Out of the five models introduced, only the Elise reached the production stage with Lotus cancelling the rest of the models to focus on making lightweight sports cars. Current car models [change \| change source] Current Lotus models include: Lotus Evija: The Lotus Evija is a limited production electric sports car, it is the first electric vehicle to be introduced and manufactured by the company. Codenamed "Type 130", production of the Evija will be limited to 130 units. Production is set to begin early-mid 2021 with delivery in early 2023. The Evija is powered by a 70 kWh battery pack developed in conjunction with Williams Advanced Engineering, with electric motors supplied by Integral Powertrain. The four individual motors are placed at the wheels and each is rated at 375 kW (510 PS; 503 hp), for a combined total output of 1,500 kW (2,039 PS; 2,011 hp) and 1,704 N⋅m (1,257 lb⋅ft) of torque. Lotus claims that the Evija will be able to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in under 3 seconds, from 0 to 300 km/h (186 mph) in 9.1 seconds, and achieve a limited top speed of 350 km/h (217 mph).[18] Lotus Emira: Unveiled July 2021, production began March 2022 - this will be the firm's final vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine.[19] Lotus Eletre: The first high-performance electric SUV from Lotus. Lotus Mark I (1948): Austin 7 based car Lotus Mark II (1949–1950): Ford-powered trials car Lotus Mark III (1951): 750 cc formula car Lotus Mark IV (1952): Trials car Lotus Mark V (1952 2): 750 cc formula car, never built Lotus Mark VI (1953–1955): The first "production" race, about 100 built Lotus Seven (1957–1970): Classic open sports car, without any unnecessary equipment. Designed to handle a racing circuit and nothing else. The rights to the Seven were sold in 1973 to Caterham Cars, who continue to produce it today. Updated versions of this 1957 design are also produced by other firms, including Westfield Sportscars and Donkervoort. Lotus Mark VIII (1954): Sports racer Lotus Mark IX (1955): Sports racer, based on the Mark VIII Lotus Mark X (1955): Sports racer, a more powerful Mark VIII Lotus Eleven (1956–1957): Sports racer Lotus 12 (1956–1957): Formula Two and Formula One race car Lotus 13: Never used Lotus Elite (Lotus 14) (1957–1963): First production street car, the Elite Lotus 15 (1958): Sports racer—successor to the Eleven Lotus 16 (1958–1959): Formula One/Formula Two car based on the 12 Lotus 17 (1959): Sports racer update of the 15, was not successful Lotus 18 (1960–1961): First mid-engined Lotus single seater, Formula Junior/Formula Two/Formula One Lotus 19 (1960–1962): Mid-engine sports racer, known as the "Monte Carlo" Lotus 20 (1961): Formula Junior Lotus 21 (1961): Formula One Lotus 22 (1962–1965): Formula Junior/Formula Three Lotus 23 (1962–1966): Small displacement mid-engined sports racer Lotus 24 (1962): Formula One Lotus 25 (1962–1964): Formula One World Champion Lotus 26 (1962–1971): Production street sports car, the original Elan. Lotus 27 (1963): Formula Junior Lotus Cortina (Lotus 28) (1963–1966): Lotus version of the Ford Cortina street car/race car Lotus 29 (1963): Indy car Ford stock block Lotus 30 (1964): Large displacement sports racer (Ford V8) Lotus 31 (1964–1966): Formula Three space frame racer Lotus 32 (1964–1965): Monocoque F2 and Tasman Cup racer Lotus 33 (1964–1965): Formula One World Champion Lotus 34 (1964): Indy car, DOHC Ford Lotus 35 (1965): Formula Three, Formula Two, Formula B Lotus Elan (Lotus 36) (1965–1968): Fixed Head Coupe version of the original Elan, different from the Type 26 Elan which could be fitted with a removable hard top Lotus 38 (1965): Indy winning mid-engine car Lotus 39 (1965–1966): Tasman Cup formula car Lotus 40 (1965): Version of the 30 Lotus 41 (1965–1968): Formula Three, Formula Two, Formula B Lotus 42 (1967): Indy car—raced with Ford V8 Lotus 43 (1966): Formula One Lotus 44 (1967): Formula Two Lotus Elan (Lotus 45) (1966–1974): Convertible (Drop Head Coupe), a version of the original Elan with a revised body style. This version had permanent side window frames. Lotus 46 (1966–1968): Original Renault-engined Europa Lotus Europa (Lotus 47) (1966–1970): Racing version of Europa Lotus 48 (1967): Formula Two Lotus 49 (1967–1969): Formula One World Champion Lotus Elan (Lotus 50) (1967–1974): Four-seat "Elan +2" production car Lotus 51 (1967–1969): Formula Ford Lotus 52 (1968): Prototype "Europa" twincam Lotus 53 (1968): Small displacement sports racer, never built Lotus Europa (Lotus 54) (1968–1970): Series 2 "Europa" production car. Lotus 55 (1968): Formula Three Lotus 56 (1968–1971): Indy turbine wedge/Formula One turbine (56B) Lotus 57 (1968): Formula Two design study Lotus 58 (1968): Formula One design study Lotus 59 (1969–1970): Formula Three/Formula Two/Formula Ford Lotus Seven (Lotus 60) (1970–1973): Greatly modified version of the Seven—AKA Seven S4 Lotus 61 (1969): Formula Ford wedge Lotus 62 (1969): Prototype Europa racer Lotus 63 (1969): 4-wheel drive Formula One Lotus 64 (1969): 4-wheel drive Indy cars, did not compete Lotus 65 (1969–1971): "Federalized" Europa S2 Lotus 66: Never used Lotus 67 (1970): Proposed Tasman Cup car, never built Lotus 68 (1969): F5000 prototype Lotus 69 (1970): Formula Three/Formula Two/Formula Ford Lotus 70 (1970): F5000/Formula A Lotus 71: Undisclosed design study Lotus 72 (1970–1972): Formula One World Champion Lotus 73 (1972–1973): Formula Three Lotus Europa (Lotus 74) (1971–1975): Europa Twin Cam production cars Lotus Elite (Lotus 75) (1974–1982): Luxury 4 seat GT, "Elite II" Lotus 76 (1975–1982): Fastback version of Elite II, "Éclat S1"—also 1974 F1 Lotus 77 (1976): Formula One Lotus 78 (1977–1978): Formula One ground effects car Lotus 79 (1978–1979): Formula One World Champion, also used for a street GT "Esprit" (1975–1980) Lotus 80 (1979): Formula One Lotus 81 (1980–1981): Formula One, also used for a Sunbeam Talbot rally car Lotus Esprit (Lotus 82) (1982–1987): Turbo Esprit street GT car Lotus Elite (Lotus 83) (1980): Elite series 2 Lotus Eclat (Lotus 84) (1980–1982): Éclat series 2 Lotus Esprit (Lotus 85) (1980–1987): Esprit series 3 Lotus 86 (1980–1983): Formula One dual chassis, never raced Lotus 87 (1980–1982): Formula One Lotus 88 (1981): Formula One dual chassis car, banned Lotus Excel (Lotus 89) (1982–1992): Lotus Excel Grand Tourer, basically a re-engineered Éclat Lotus 90: Unrealised project in collaboration with Toyota Lotus 91 (1982): Formula One Lotus 92 (1983): Formula One Lotus 93T (1983): Formula One Turbo Lotus 94T (1983): Formula One Turbo Lotus 95T (1984): Formula One Turbo Lotus 96T (1984): Indy car project, abandoned Lotus 97T (1985–1986): Formula One Turbo Lotus 98T (1986–1987): Formula One Turbo Lotus 99T (1987): Formula One Turbo, last Lotus F1 winner Lotus 100T (1988): Formula One Turbo Lotus Elan M100 (Lotus Elan (Type M100)) (1989–1995): Front-drive convertible Elan. Lotus 101 (1989): Formula One Lotus 102 (1990–1991): Formula One Lotus 103 (1990): Formula One, not produced Lotus Carlton (Lotus 104) (1990–1992): Lotus Carlton: Tuned version of the Vauxhall Carlton. Lotus 105 (1990): Racing X180R IMSA Supercars Drivers Champ Doc Bundy Lotus 106 (1991): Esprit X180R roadgoing homologation special Lotus 107 (1992–1994): Formula One Lotus 108 (1992): A bicycle ridden by Chris Boardman to win a gold medal at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, also known as the "LotusSport Pursuit Bicycle". Lotus 109 (1994): Formula One, Last Lotus F1 car. Lotus 110: Production version of type 108 bicycle Lotus 111: The Lotus Elise Lotus 112: Final partial Formula One design Lotus 113: Never used Lotus 114 (1996): Lotus Esprit GT1 Lotus Elise GT1 (Lotus 115) (1997–1998): Lotus GT Race Car, also known as the Lotus Elise GT1 Vauxhall VX220 (Lotus 116): The Elise S2 based Vauxhall VX220/Opel Speedster, built in collaboration with GM Lotus Elise (Lotus 117): Lotus Elise S2 Lotus 118: Lotus M250. Two-seater concept car. Unveiled in Autumn of 1999 as a mid-range sports car. The project was canceled in 2001. Lotus 119: Soapbox derby car Light vehicle made of carbon and aluminum. It had disc brakes, and no engine. It was built for a race at the Goodwood Festival of Speed Lotus Elise (Lotus 120) (1998): Elise V6 code named M120, never produced Lotus Europa S (Lotus 121) (2006): Europa S Lotus 122: Lotus Evora Lotus 123: Lotus 2-Eleven Lotus 124: Evora Race Car Lotus 125: Exos—Ultimate track Car [20] Lotus Excel (1985–1992): Updated Eclat with Toyota running gear. 2,159 Excels were made. Lotus Eclat (1975–1982): Fastback version of the Elite. The rear roof line of the Elite was sloped down into a sporty fastback. Lotus Elite: Describes two cars, one an ultra-light two-seater coupé produced from 1957 to 1962, one an angular 3-door hatch with a back bone chassis produced from 1974 to 1982. Lotus Europa (1966–1975): Mid-engine sports car. Lotus Esprit: A mid-engine sports car, launched in the early 1970s. It was styled by Italian designer Giorgetto Giugiaro. The Esprit started with a light, 4-cylinder design. It had several version with turbo-charging and electronic upgrades. Final version had an advanced V8. The last Lotus Esprit rolled off the production line on 20 February 2004, after 28 years in production. A total of 10,675 Esprits were built since production began in 1976. Lotus M250 (2000): Concept car, never reached production Lotus Europa S: A 2-seater grand tourer. Based on the same chassis as the Elise and Exige. Powered by a Lotus-tuned variant of the turbocharged four-cylinder engine which powers the VX220. Lotus engines [change \| change source] Lotus-Ford Twin Cam Lotus 900 series Lotus 907 Lotus 910 Lotus 911 Lotus 912 Lotus 918 V8 Range Extender Engine, an all aluminum, 1.2 litre, four-stroke, engine. It is designed to only turn an alternator. The alternator is connected directly to the crankshaft. This will generate electricity for series-hybrid cars.[21][22] Lotus Engineering [change \| change source] Lotus Engineering Limited, is an offshoot of Lotus Cars. They consult with other companies that build cars and car equipment.[23] In addition to the United Kingdom, Lotus Engineering has offices in China, Malaysia and United States. APX and VVA [change \| change source] The APX (also known as the "Aluminum Performance Crossover") is a concept car made from aluminum presented at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show. It is built on Lotus Engineering's Versatile Vehicle Architecture (VVA). The VVA design was to be used on a mid-engine sports car. The APX is a high performance 7 seat Multi Purpose Vehicle. It is four-wheel drive and has a front mounted V6 engine. Cars produced using VVA: Lotus APX Projects worked on by Lotus Engineering [change \| change source] Examples of work done by Lotus Engineering include: Lotus Talbot Sunbeam – Talbot's hot-hatch rally car of the early '80s. DeLorean DMC-12 – Redesigned the original concept car. Used many of the material and manufacturing techniques used by Lotus in the Lotus Esprit. Vauxhall Lotus Carlton (also Opel Lotus Omega) – At the time (early 1990s) this was the fastest saloon car available. Top speed was over 170 mph (274 km/h). The 1991 Dodge Spirit R/T – Used an engine with a 16-valve double overhead camshaft head designed by Lotus. Its engine was rated at over 220 hp (160 kW). Vauxhall VX220 (also Opel Speedster) – Built by Lotus and based upon the aluminum chassis design of the Lotus Elise. Lotus styled and assisted with the engineering of the Tesla Roadster, an electric sports car based on the Elise, as well as licensing some technologies to Tesla Motors and constructing the Roadster at their plant in Hethel.[24] Lotus was responsible for most of the design, development, and testing, of the LT5 DOHC V8 powerplant for the 1990 Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1. Lotus designed, developed and tested the GM Ecotec engine and its variants. Lotus was responsible for various aspects of the Sinclair C5 electric tricycle. Lotus was responsible for the suspension calibration of the Toyota MR2 Mk. I, the Toyota Supra Mk. II and Mk. III, the Isuzu Piazza, the Isuzu Impulse as well as newer Proton models. Lotus was responsible for the development of the Campro engine together with Proton,[25] as well as its variable valve timing system, the Cam Profile Switching (CPS). Currently available in the 1.6-litre and 1.3-litre variants, the Campro engine now powers most of Proton's newer models. Lotus has worked on the suspension of the Mahindra Scorpio to make it more stable at high speeds. Lotus produced the revised Chassis of the Isuzu Piazza The Dodge EV concept electric vehicle from Chrysler is based on a Lotus Europa S. Lotus has worked on the suspension and handling of the Nissan GT-R 2009: Range Extender engine. This all aluminium, monoblock, 1,200cc, four-stroke engine is specifically designed to turn an alternator for series-hybrid cars. The engine is small and light having three cylinders and no detachable cylinder head.[26] 2010: Limo-Green project with Jaguar Cars. Lotus provided the Range Extender engine for a prototype XJ series-hybrid car. The car returned 58 mpg (imperial) running off the range extender alone.[27] The Aston Martin DB9's chassis was developed with the help of Lotus Engineering. The 2006 Volkswagen GX3 features a chassis developed by Lotus. The Rinspeed sQuba amphibious roadster is based on an Elise. Lotus partnered with Jaguar for developing chassis system and engine management of the Jaguar C-X75. The engine is a supercharged 1.6 turbo petrol engine rated at 507 PS (500 hp; 373 kW) coupled with a 177 PS (175 hp; 130 kW) The 2015 Spyker B6 Venator is powered by a Lotus-built engine originating from a Toyota-sourced block. Electric vehicles [change \| change source] Lotus Engineering has established a group dedicated to hybrid and electric vehicles.[28] Lotus joined Jaguar Cars, MIRA Ltd and Caparo on a luxury hybrid executive sedan project called "Limo-Green"—funded by the UK Government Technology Strategy Board. The vehicle was a series plug-in hybrid.[29][30] Lotus unveiled their first series production electric sports car called the Evija in July 2019. The car is undergoing development under the codename Type 130. Production would be limited to 130 units and is scheduled to begin in Summer 2020. The Evija makes use of a 70 kWh battery pack developed in conjunction with Williams Advanced Engineering. There are 4 electric motors placed on each wheel supported by an Integral powertrain. The powertrain is rated at a total output of 2,000 PS (1,471 kW; 1,973 hp) and 1,700 N⋅m (1,254 lb⋅ft) of torque. The Evija has a range of 400 km (249 mi).[31][32][33][34] Queen's Award for Enterprise [change \| change source] Lotus Cars were awarded the Queen's Award for Enterprise for contribution to International Trade, one of 85 companies receiving the recognition in that category in 2002. Lotus cars wore the badge of the award for a number of years.[35] In popular culture [change \| change source] Lotus cars have appeared in several movies and TV shows. The most popular appearance of Lotus cars was in two James Bond movies namely The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) and For Your Eyes Only (1981). The amphibious Lotus Esprit appearing in the 1977 movie was more popular of the two appearances. Further reading [change \| change source] Gérard ('Jabby') Crombac, Colin Chapman: The Man and His Cars (Patrick Stephens, Wellingborough, 1986) Mike Lawrence, Colin Chapman: The Wayward Genius (Breedon Books, Derby, 2002) Ian H. Smith, The Story of Lotus: 1947-1960 Birth of a Legend (republished Motor Racing Publications, Chiswick, 1972) Doug Nye, The Story of Lotus: 1961-1971 Growth of a Legend (Motor Racing Publications, Chiswick, 1972) Robin Read, Colin Chapman's Lotus: The early years, the Elite and the origins of the Elan (Haynes, Sparkford, 1989) Anthony Pritchard, Lotus: All The Cars (Aston Publications, Bourne End, 1990) Doug Nye, Theme Lotus: 1956-1986 (Motor Racing Publications, Croydon, 1986) William Taylor The Lotus Book (Coterie Press, Luton, 1998, 1999, 2005) William Taylor The Lotus Book Collectibles (Coterie Press, Luton, 2000) Peter Ross, Lotus - The Early Years 1951-54 (Coterie Press, Luton, 2004) Rémy Solnon, Lotus Esprit - le grand tourisme à l'anglaise (Editions Les Presses Littéraires, 2007) Andrew Ferguson, Team Lotus: The Indianapolis Years (Haynes Publishing 1996) no longer available Other websites [change \| change source]
659	dbpedia	0	24	https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicinity_Centres	en	Vicinity Centres	https://upload.wikimedia…Centres_logo.png	https://upload.wikimedia…Centres_logo.png	[ "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/icons/wikipedia.png", "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-wordmark-en.svg", "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-tagline-en.svg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b4/Ambox_important.svg/40px-Ambox_important.svg.png", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b4/Ambox_important.svg/40px-Ambox_important.svg.png", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/f2/Edit-clear.svg/40px-Edit-clear.svg.png", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/92/Vicinity_Centres_logo.png/135px-Vicinity_Centres_logo.png", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fe/Unbalanced_scales.svg/45px-Unbalanced_scales.svg.png", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f4/Galleria_Shopping_centre.jpg/220px-Galleria_Shopping_centre.jpg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ed/Wodonga_Plaza.jpg/220px-Wodonga_Plaza.jpg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/69/Toormina_Gardens_signage_%282%29.jpeg/220px-Toormina_Gardens_signage_%282%29.jpeg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6d/Mildura_Central.JPG/220px-Mildura_Central.JPG", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9a/Mandurah_Forum.jpg/220px-Mandurah_Forum.jpg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/07/Roselands_Facade.jpg/220px-Roselands_Facade.jpg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bd/Ambox_current_red_Asia_Australia.svg/42px-Ambox_current_red_Asia_Australia.svg.png", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b9/Flag_of_Australia.svg/25px-Flag_of_Australia.svg.png", "https://login.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?type=1x1", "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/footer/wikimedia-button.svg", "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/footer/poweredby_mediawiki.svg" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[ "Contributors to Wikimedia projects" ]	2006-03-13T03:36:47+00:00		en	/static/apple-touch/wikipedia.png		https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicinity_Centres	REIT company Vicinity Centres ASX: VCX, previously known as Federation Centres and Centro Properties Group, is an Australian Real Estate Investment Trust specialising in the ownership and management of Australian shopping centres. As at December 2021, it had stakes in 60 shopping centres. It is headquartered at Chadstone Shopping Centre in Melbourne. History [edit] Vicinity Limited was established by diversified property construction Jennings Industries on 18 February 1985 as Jennings Properties, and listed on the Australian Securities Exchange.[1][2] In January 1991, it was renamed Centro Properties.[3] In September 1997, Centro was restructured to become a stapled security structure named Centro Properties Group. Centro was a stapled security comprising one unit in Centro Property Trust (CPT) stapled to one share in Centro Properties Limited (CPL). CPT is the owner of Centro's interests in the properties and CPL, along with its subsidiaries, provides management services to CPT.[citation needed] In September 1999, Centro acquired the management rights for Prime Retail Property Trust (PRX), and in October 2004, it merged with Prime Retail Group under a court-approved scheme with a ratio of 5 Prime securities per 1 Centro security. Throughout the 2000s, Centro acquired numerous assets: CT Retail Investment Trust (July 2001) MCS Syndication Business (July 2003) 14 international assets located in California (August 2003) Centro launched its first international syndicate, MCS 32 (November 2003) Kramont Realty Trust (a listed US REIT) (August 2005) – USD $1.6 billion Centro Retail Trust was spun off from the main fund (August 2005) Seven United States shopping centres from Westfield Group (May 2006) Heritage Property Investment Trust (a listed US REIT) (July 2006) New Plan Excel Realty Trust (a listed US REIT) (February 2007) Galileo Funds Management (May 2007) Centro Watt Joint Venture (May 2007) After entering the United States market in late 2003, Centro acquired, redeveloped and renovated a number of mall properties. On 9 May 2006, Westfield announced the sale of seven United States shopping centres which it deemed to fit outside its strategic plan, which Centro subsequently acquired.[4] Centro was the fifth-largest retail property owner/manager in the United States with 682 properties. The Oakleigh store was one of the largest available. It had over US$10 billion worth of property under management. Its USA corporate operations were primarily in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Los Angeles. Centro in the USA is now independently known as Brixmor. Centro has no affiliation with Brixmor. Centro Retail Trust sold its entire USA assets and platform to BRE Retail Holdings an affiliate of Blackstone Real Estate Partners VI, L.P. in 2011.[5] Between 2003 and 2007, Centro and its managed funds acquired MCS's property syndicate business and substantial portfolios of US convenience shopping centres and operating businesses. On 17 December 2007, Centro announced it was continuing to negotiate the refinancing of A$1.3 billion in maturing facilities, and had obtained an interim extension until 15 February 2008 of all facilities maturing prior to that date. In addition, US joint venture facilities were also similarly extended. It was speculated[who?] that the American-based subprime mortgage meltdown was the cause of a decline in lending and credit market problems.[6] While Centro also announced they would be solvent until at least February 2008, shares in the group underwent a dramatic decline.[7] Applications and withdrawals were suspended from Centro's Direct Property Fund (DPF) and the Centro Direct Property Fund International (DPFI). The company's difficulties were worsened by the 2008 global credit crunch and by two shareholders' class actions claiming up to $1 billion, while the company was required to refinance loans of $4.5 billion in December 2008.[8] On 16 January 2009, Centro announced completion with its financiers for a long term refinancing and debt stabilisation agreement. The key features of refinancing and debt stabilisation included:[9] A three-year extension on A$3.9 billion of the senior syndicated debt facility. A $1.05 billion Hybrid Security. Extension of the debt facilities within Super LLC (Centro's US joint venture investment with Centro Retail Trust (CER) and CMCS 40). Agreement for the extension of debt facilities for many of Centro's managed funds Reduced pressure to sell property assets within Centro and its managed funds. On 4 November 2010, a process designed to allow CNP (Centro Properties Group) and its managed funds to jointly evaluate these expressions of interest through a formal competitive market process commenced.[10] On 1 March 2011, CNP and its managed funds announced its proposed restructure including:[11] US Assets Sale – Centro and its managed funds entered into a binding stock purchase agreement with BRE Retail Holdings, Inc, an affiliate of Blackstone Real Estate Partners VI, L.P. ("Blackstone") to sell all of their US assets and platform for an enterprise value of approximately US$9.4 billion; Headstock Debt Restructure – Centro has agreed with holders of approximately 73% of Centro's senior debt ("Senior Lender Group") to progress a creditors scheme of arrangement to effect the cancellation of all Centro's senior debt in consideration for substantially all Centro's Australian assets. The Senior Lender Group has agreed that $100 million would be made available for ordinary security holders and other stakeholders, junior to the senior lenders; and Discussions of Australian Funds Amalgamation – Centro has entered into discussions with its senior lenders, Centro Retail Trust (CER), and other Australian managed funds with a view to aggregating their respective portfolios to create a listed fund ("Amalgamated Fund") owning a retail property portfolio of high quality Australian regional and sub-regional shopping centres. Centro's share of the Amalgamated Fund would be distributed to its senior lenders as part of the scheme of arrangement described above. On 29 June 2011, the sale of the US portfolio was completed.[12][13] In June 2011, the Federal Court of Australia found that eight executives and directors of Centro breached the Corporations Act by signing off on financial reports that failed to disclose billions of dollars of short-term debt. The legal action was commenced by the Australian Securities & Investments Commission, who sued Andrew Scott (ex-CEO), Brian Healey (former chairman), Paul Cooper (current chairman), Romano Nenna (ex-CFO), former non-executive directors Peter Wilkinson, Sam Kavourakis and Peter Goldie, and Jim Hall, who remains on the board.[14] A class action from investors seeking A$200 million in damages due to alleged deceptive conduct and breaches of continuous disclosure obligations has commenced in the Federal Court against Centro Properties Group, Centro Retail Group, and their auditors, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and relate to conduct from August 2007 to February 2008.[15] On 22 November 2011, CNP securityholders, Convertible Bondholders, Hybrid Lenders and Senior Lenders, as well as Centro Retail Trust (CER) security holders, voted in favour of the restructure of Centro and its managed funds.[16] The Supreme Court of New South Wales approved the Senior Lenders' and Hybrid Lenders' schemes of arrangement necessary to effect the restructure. CNP's $2.7 billion Senior Debt, which matured on 15 December 2011, was cancelled in return for transferring all CNP's Australian assets and interests. CNP Security holders, Convertible Bondholders and Hybrid Lenders received their relevant proceeds, allocated as follows: 5.03 cents per CNP security or $48,925,082 in total to CNP security holders; 5 cents in the dollar or $21,074,918 in total to Convertible Bondholders in exchange for redemption of their convertible bonds; and $20,000,000 in total to secured Hybrid Lenders in return for the cancellation of their debt. Centro Properties Group has changed its name to CNPR. CNP managed funds including CRT, CAWF and DHT aggregated their respective portfolios to create the listed Australian retail property trust, CRF. CRF was formed by the stapling of CRL, CRT, CAWF and DHT through schemes of arrangement that were approved by the Supreme Court of New South Wales on 1 December 2011 (the Aggregation). The Aggregation happened on 14 December 2011. CNP contributed its Australian assets (including its funds and services business) to CRF, in exchange for scrip in CRF. That scrip, in addition to the CRF scrip which CNP held as a result of its investments in the aggregated funds resulted in CNP's ownership of the A-REIT being approximately 72% on implementation of aggregation. On implementation of the Senior Lenders' schemes of arrangement, CNP's scrip in CRF was distributed to the Senior Lenders on a pro-rata basis to their senior debt holdings. CNP securityholders did not receive any securities in CRF. On 22 June 2013, Centro Retail became Federation Centres, after shareholders voted for a name change.[17] In June 2015, Federation merged with Novion with the merged entity rebranded as Vicinity Centres.[18][19] The firm underwent a leadership transition when Grant Kelley, who served as the CEO of Vicinity Centres from 2018 to 2022, announced his retirement on 31 October 2022. Following this, Peter Huddles assumed the position of interim CEO and was officially appointed as the CEO on 31 January 2023.[20][21] Since 2009, the group has gradually narrowed its portfolio from convinence retail to regional shopping, partly using the funds generated to fund redevopments of its core assets. Properties [edit] As of December 2021, Vicinity owned, managed or has shareholdings in 60 shopping centres.[22][23] Each retail property typically has its own name, such as "The Glen" or "Colonnades",[24] which reflects the way that the local communities refer to the shopping centre and a logo that contains the Vicinity's ribbon swirl.[25] Vicinity is the second largest shopping centre investment and management company by GLA (gross lettable area) in Australia,[26] and provides retail space to Coles and Woolworths.[27] It has over 1200 staff in Australia.[28] New South Wales [edit] See also [edit] Centro Shopping America Trust, an investment product part of Centro Properties Group that acquires shopping centres around the United States References [edit]
659	dbpedia	3	4	https://conservationhamilton.ca/welcome-to-westfield-heritage-village/	en	Welcome to Westfield Heritage Village	https://conservationhami…/fav-100x100.png	https://conservationhami…/fav-100x100.png	[ "https://conservationhamilton.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/hca-logo-2020-250px.png", "https://conservationhamilton.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Membership-Ad.jpg", "https://conservationhamilton.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/new-logo-wht-retina.png", "https://conservationhamilton.ca/wp-content/plugins/hca-waterlevel/_inc/img/BLKnonormal.jpg", "https://conservationhamilton.ca/wp-content/plugins/hca-waterlevel/_inc/img/BLKnonormal.jpg", "https://conservationhamilton.ca/wp-content/plugins/hca-waterlevel/_inc/img/BLKnonormal.jpg", "https://conservationhamilton.ca/images/stories/low_water_level/BLKnonormal.jpg", "https://conservationhamilton.ca/images/stories/low_water_level/blklevel1.jpg", "https://conservationhamilton.ca/images/stories/low_water_level/blklevel2.jpg", "https://conservationhamilton.ca/images/stories/low_water_level/blklevel3.jpg", "https://conservationhamilton.ca/images/stories/flood_status/BLKnonormal.jpg", "https://conservationhamilton.ca/images/stories/flood_status/watersafetystatement.jpg", "https://conservationhamilton.ca/images/stories/flood_status/floodoutlookstatement.jpg", "https://conservationhamilton.ca/images/stories/flood_status/floodwatch.jpg", "https://conservationhamilton.ca/images/stories/flood_status/blklevel4.jpg" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	2015-03-27T19:35:22+00:00	About Westfield Visit Westfield Heritage Village’s Website Westfield is a stunning collection of over 30 historical buildings which has made Westfield one of the most interesting historical destinations in Ontario. […]	en	https://conservationhami…/fav-100x100.png	Hamilton Conservation Authority	https://conservationhamilton.ca/welcome-to-westfield-heritage-village/	About Westfield Visit Westfield Heritage Village’s Website Westfield is a stunning collection of over 30 historical buildings which has made Westfield one of the most interesting historical destinations in Ontario. Carefully restored and staffed with costumed interpreters, the buildings capture the true charm and spirit of early Canadian culture Visitors may witness living history demonstrations and take part in guided tours of the 130-hectare site which is bordered by beautiful woodlands, meadows and trails. Westfield also offers a variety of education programs. Groups can choose from several options, available on weekends and weekdays, that are curriculum-driven and come complete with teacher’s kits.
659	dbpedia	0	65	https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ice_hockey_teams_in_the_United_States_and_Canada	en	List of professional sports teams in the United States and Canada	https://en.m.wikipedia.org/static/favicon/wikipedia.ico	https://en.m.wikipedia.org/static/favicon/wikipedia.ico	[ "https://en.m.wikipedia.org/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-wordmark-en.svg", "https://login.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?type=1x1&mobile=1", "https://en.m.wikipedia.org/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-wordmark-en.svg" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[ "Contributors to Wikimedia projects" ]	2007-12-02T02:23:03+00:00		en	/static/apple-touch/wikipedia.png		https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_professional_sports_teams_in_the_United_States_and_Canada#Ice_hockey	Major League Soccer edit Major League Soccer is in the first tier of the United States men's soccer league system. It currently consists 29 teams: nine in the Southern United States, seven in the Western United States, six in the midwestern United States, four in the northeastern United States, two in Eastern Canada, and one in Western Canada. As of its 2024 season, the minimum salary is $89,716 for a regular player and $150,000 for a player subject to target allocation money.[2] A maximum salary of $1,683,750 is enforced, though up to three "designated players" on each team can be paid salaries in excess of the maximum.[3][4] Conference Team Location Venue Eastern Atlanta United FC Atlanta, Georgia Mercedes-Benz Stadium Charlotte FC Charlotte, North Carolina Bank of America Stadium Chicago Fire FC Chicago, Illinois Soldier Field FC Cincinnati Cincinnati, Ohio TQL Stadium Columbus Crew Columbus, Ohio Lower.com Field D.C. United Washington, D.C. Audi Field Inter Miami CF Fort Lauderdale, Florida Chase Stadium[a] CF Montréal Montreal, Quebec Saputo Stadium Nashville SC Nashville, Tennessee Geodis Park New England Revolution Foxborough, Massachusetts Gillette Stadium New York City FC New York City, New York (Bronx) Yankee Stadium New York Red Bulls Harrison, New Jersey Red Bull Arena Orlando City SC Orlando, Florida Inter&Co Stadium Philadelphia Union Chester, Pennsylvania Subaru Park Toronto FC Toronto, Ontario BMO Field Western Austin FC Austin, Texas Q2 Stadium Colorado Rapids Commerce City, Colorado Dick's Sporting Goods Park FC Dallas Frisco, Texas Toyota Stadium Houston Dynamo FC Houston, Texas Shell Energy Stadium LA Galaxy Carson, California Dignity Health Sports Park Los Angeles FC Los Angeles, California BMO Stadium Minnesota United FC Saint Paul, Minnesota Allianz Field Portland Timbers Portland, Oregon Providence Park Real Salt Lake Sandy, Utah America First Field San Jose Earthquakes San Jose, California PayPal Park Seattle Sounders FC Seattle, Washington Lumen Field Sporting Kansas City Kansas City, Kansas Children's Mercy Park St. Louis City SC St. Louis, Missouri CityPark Vancouver Whitecaps FC Vancouver, British Columbia BC Place Canadian Premier League edit The Canadian Premier League is the sole professional league atop the Canadian men's soccer league system. It currently consists of eight teams: four in Eastern and Western Canada each. As of its 2023 season, the minimum salary for a player was CA$30,000, and the maximum was ~CA$75,000.[5][6] Team Location Venue Atlético Ottawa Ottawa, Ontario TD Place Stadium Cavalry FC Calgary, Alberta ATCO Field Forge FC Hamilton, Ontario Tim Hortons Field HFX Wanderers FC Halifax, Nova Scotia Wanderers Grounds Pacific FC Langford, British Columbia Starlight Stadium Valour FC Winnipeg, Manitoba IG Field Vancouver FC Langley, British Columbia Willoughby Community Park York United FC Toronto, Ontario York Lions Stadium National Women's Soccer League edit The National Women's Soccer League is in the first tier of the United States women's soccer league system. It currently consists fourteen teams: six in the west, five in the south, two in the midwest, and one in the northeast. As of its 2023 season, the minimum salary for a player was $36,400,[7][8] while the maximum salary was $200,000, though allocation money can be used to pay player salaries in excess of the maximum.[8][9] Team Location Venue Angel City FC Los Angeles, California BMO Stadium Bay FC San Jose, California PayPal Park Chicago Red Stars Bridgeview, Illinois SeatGeek Stadium Houston Dash Houston, Texas Shell Energy Stadium Kansas City Current Kansas City, Missouri CPKC Stadium NJ/NY Gotham FC Harrison, New Jersey Red Bull Arena North Carolina Courage Cary, North Carolina WakeMed Soccer Park Orlando Pride Orlando, Florida Inter&Co Stadium Portland Thorns FC Portland, Oregon Providence Park Racing Louisville FC Louisville, Kentucky Lynn Family Stadium San Diego Wave FC San Diego, California Snapdragon Stadium Seattle Reign FC Seattle, Washington Lumen Field Utah Royals Sandy, Utah America First Field Washington Spirit Washington, D.C. Audi Field Future teams NWSL Boston (2026) Boston, Massachusetts White Stadium USL Super League edit The USL Super League is in the first tier of the United States women's soccer league system. It currently consists eight teams: six in the south and one in the west and northeast each. As of its 2024–25 season, salaries for players are to be "competitive" with those of the National Women's Soccer League, and no maximum salary will be enforced.[10][11] Team Location Venue Brooklyn FC Brooklyn, New York Maimonides Park Carolina Ascent FC Charlotte, North Carolina American Legion Memorial Stadium Dallas Trinity FC Dallas, Texas Cotton Bowl DC Power FC Washington, D.C. Audi Field Fort Lauderdale United FC Davie, Florida Training Facility at NSU Lexington SC Lexington, Kentucky Lexington SC Stadium Spokane Zephyr FC Spokane, Washington One Spokane Stadium Tampa Bay Sun FC Tampa, Florida Howard W. Blake High School Future teams Oakland Soul (2025) Oakland, California Oakland Coliseum Sporting Club Jacksonville (2025) Jacksonville, Florida TBD Super League Madison (2025) Madison, Wisconsin Breese Stevens Field Super League Indianapolis (2026) Indianapolis, Indiana Eleven Park USL Arkansas (2026) Rogers, Arkansas TBD Buffalo Pro Soccer (TBD) Buffalo, New York TBD Super League Chattanooga (TBD) East Ridge, Tennessee CHI Memorial Stadium Super League Palm Beach (TBD) Palm Beach, Florida TBD Super League Phoenix (TBD) Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix Rising Soccer Stadium Super League Tucson (TBD) Tucson, Arizona TBD USL New Orleans (TBD) New Orleans, Louisiana TBD Northern Super League edit The Northern Super League is the sole professional league atop the Canadian women's soccer league system. It currently consists six teams: four in the east and two in the west. As of its 2025 season, the minimum salary for a player will be CA$50,000, with each team allowed one "marquee player" whose salary of which only CA$75,000 counts towards a team's total salary cap of CA$1.5 million.[12][13] Team Location Venue AFC Toronto Toronto, Ontario TBD Calgary Wild FC Calgary, Alberta McMahon Stadium Halifax Tides FC Halifax, Nova Scotia Wanderers Grounds Montreal Montreal, Quebec TBD Ottawa Ottawa, Ontario TBD Vancouver Vancouver, British Columbia TBD USL Championship edit The USL Championship is in the second tier of the United States men's soccer league system. It currently consists 24 teams: eleven in the south, eight in the west, three in the northeast, and two in the midwest. As of its 2024 season, the minimum salary for players is $2,900 per month, though teams can pay up to six players a "flex contract" with a lower minimum salary of $2,400 per month.[14][15] The minimum length of a player's contract with a USL Championship team is ten months.[14][15] Conference Team Location Venue Eastern Birmingham Legion FC Birmingham, Alabama Protective Stadium Charleston Battery North Charleston, South Carolina Patriots Point Soccer Complex Detroit City FC Hamtramck, Michigan Keyworth Stadium Hartford Athletic Hartford, Connecticut Trinity Health Stadium Indy Eleven Indianapolis, Indiana IU Michael A. Carroll Track & Soccer Stadium Loudoun United FC Leesburg, Virginia Segra Field Louisville City FC Louisville, Kentucky Lynn Family Stadium Miami FC Miami, Florida Riccardo Silva Stadium North Carolina FC Cary, North Carolina WakeMed Soccer Park Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Highmark Stadium Rhode Island FC Smithfield, Rhode Island Beirne Stadium Tampa Bay Rowdies St. Petersburg, Florida Al Lang Stadium Western Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC Colorado Springs, Colorado Weidner Field El Paso Locomotive FC El Paso, Texas Southwest University Park Las Vegas Lights FC Las Vegas, Nevada Cashman Field Memphis 901 FC Memphis, Tennessee AutoZone Park Monterey Bay FC Seaside, California Cardinale Stadium New Mexico United Albuquerque, New Mexico Isotopes Park Oakland Roots SC Oakland, California Pioneer Stadium Orange County SC Irvine, California Championship Soccer Stadium Phoenix Rising FC Chandler, Arizona Phoenix Rising Soccer Stadium Sacramento Republic FC Sacramento, California Heart Health Park San Antonio FC San Antonio, Texas Toyota Field FC Tulsa Tulsa, Oklahoma ONEOK Field On hiatus OKC Energy FC (2027) Oklahoma City, Oklahoma TBD Future teams Brooklyn FC (2025) Brooklyn, New York Maimonides Park Sporting Club Jacksonville (2025) Jacksonville, Florida TBD USL New Orleans (2025) New Orleans, Louisiana TBD Buffalo Pro Soccer (2026) Buffalo, New York TBD Milwaukee Pro Soccer (2026) Milwaukee, Wisconsin Iron District Stadium USL Arkansas (2026) Rogers, Arkansas USL Arkansas Stadium USL Palm Beach (TBD) Palm Beach County, Florida TBD USL Pro Iowa (TBD) Des Moines, Iowa Pro Iowa Stadium MLS Next Pro edit MLS Next Pro is in the third tier of the United States men's soccer league system. It currently consists 29 teams: ten in the Southern United States, seven in the Western United States, six in the Midwestern United States, four in the Northeastern United States, and one each in Eastern and Western Canada. As of its 2024 season, the minimum salary for a player is $71,401.[2] Conference Division Team Location Venue Eastern Northeast Chicago Fire FC II Bridgeview, Illinois SeatGeek Stadium Columbus Crew 2 Columbus, Ohio Historic Crew Stadium FC Cincinnati 2 Highland Heights, Kentucky NKU Soccer Stadium New England Revolution II Foxborough, Massachusetts Gillette Stadium Mark A. Ouellette Stadium New York City FC II Queens, New York Belson Stadium New York Red Bulls II Montclair, New Jersey MSU Soccer Park at Pittser Field Philadelphia Union II Chester, Pennsylvania Subaru Park Toronto FC II Toronto, Ontario York Lions Stadium Southeast Atlanta United 2 Kennesaw, Georgia Fifth Third Bank Stadium Carolina Core FC High Point, North Carolina Truist Point Chattanooga FC Chattanooga, Tennessee Finley Stadium Crown Legacy FC Matthews, North Carolina Sportsplex at Matthews Huntsville City FC Huntsville, Alabama Joe W. Davis Stadium Inter Miami CF II Fort Lauderdale, Florida Chase Stadium Orlando City B Kissimmee, Florida Osceola County Stadium Western Frontier Austin FC II Austin, Texas Parmer Field Colorado Rapids 2 Commerce City, Colorado Dick's Sporting Goods Park Denver, Colorado Denver Soccer Stadium Houston Dynamo 2 Houston, Texas SaberCats Stadium Minnesota United FC 2 Blaine, Minnesota National Sports Center Saint Paul, Minnesota Allianz Field North Texas SC Arlington, Texas Choctaw Stadium Sporting Kansas City II Kansas City, Missouri Swope Soccer Village Lawrence, Kansas Rock Chalk Park St. Louis City SC 2 St. Louis, Missouri CityPark Pacific Los Angeles FC 2 Fullerton, California Titan Stadium Portland Timbers2 Portland, Oregon Providence Park Real Monarchs Herriman, Utah Zions Bank Stadium Tacoma Defiance Tukwila, Washington Starfire Sports Complex The Town FC Moraga, California Saint Mary's Stadium Ventura County FC Carson, California Dignity Health Track Stadium Thousand Oaks, California William Rolland Stadium Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 Burnaby, British Columbia Swangard Stadium Future teams Connecticut United FC (2025) Bridgeport, Connecticut New Waterfront Stadium Jacksonville Armada FC (2025) Jacksonville, Florida New Eastside Stadium Cleveland (2026) Cleveland, Ohio TBD USL League One edit USL League One is in the third tier of the United States men's soccer league system. It currently consists twelve teams: seven in the south, three in the west, and two in the midwest. As of its 2024 season, the minimum salary for a player is $2,100 per month, with no flex contracts à la the USL Championship being offered.[16][17] Team Location Venue Central Valley Fuego FC Fresno, California Fresno State Soccer Stadium Charlotte Independence Charlotte, North Carolina American Legion Memorial Stadium Chattanooga Red Wolves SC Chattanooga, Tennessee CHI Memorial Stadium Forward Madison FC Madison, Wisconsin Breese Stevens Field Greenville Triumph SC Greenville, South Carolina Paladin Stadium Lexington SC Georgetown, Kentucky Toyota Stadium Lexington, Kentucky Lexington SC Stadium[a] Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC Windsor, Colorado Future Legends Complex One Knoxville SC Knoxville, Tennessee Regal Stadium Richmond Kickers Richmond, Virginia City Stadium South Georgia Tormenta FC Statesboro, Georgia Tormenta Stadium Spokane Velocity Spokane, Washington One Spokane Stadium Union Omaha Papillion, Nebraska Werner Park Future teams AV Alta FC (2025) Lancaster, California The Hangar Portland Hearts of Pine (2025) Portland, Maine Fitzpatrick Stadium FC Naples (2025) Naples, Florida Paradise Coast Sports Complex Stadium Santa Barbara Sky FC (2025) Isla Vista, California Harder Stadium Texoma FC (2025) Sherman, Texas Historic Bearcat Stadium USL Eugene (2025) Eugene, Oregon Civic Stadium Westchester SC (2025) Mount Vernon, New York Memorial Stadium WPSL Pro edit Team Location Venue Austin Rise FC Austin, Texas House Park AC Houston Sur Houston, Texas TBD Georgia Impact Canton, Georgia Tommy Baker Field Oklahoma City FC Mustang, Oklahoma Mustang Soccer Stadium Sioux Falls City FC Sioux Falls, South Dakota Bob Young Field SouthStar FC Denton, Texas Mean Green Soccer Stadium The Town FC Moraga, California Saint Mary's Stadium WPSL Pro NE Ohio Cleveland, Ohio TBD Future teams Dakota Fusion FC (2026) Moorhead, Minnesota Jim Gotta Stadium Major Arena Soccer League edit The Major Arena Soccer League is a men's indoor soccer league with thirteen teams: three in the Midwestern, Southern, and Western United States each, and two in Mexico and the Northeastern United States each. As of its 2021–22 season, the average salary of a player was $1,500–$3,500 per month.[18]
659	dbpedia	3	30	http://www.westfieldnj.com/history/society.htm	en	Westfield, NJ * Westfield Historical Society * Information			[ "http://www.westfieldnj.com/history/whslogo5.gif", "http://www.westfieldnj.com/history/left5.gif" ]	[]	[]	[ "westfield nj westfield new jersey history historical society westfield nj westfield new jersey history historical society westfield nj westfield new jersey history historical society westfield nj westfield new jersey history historical society westfield nj westfield new jersey history historical society westfield nj westfield new jersey history historical society westfield nj westfield new jersey history historical society westfield nj westfield new jersey history historical society" ]	null	[]	null	WESTFIELD HISTORICAL SOCIETY has pledged itself to preserving, interpreting and encouraging interest in Westfield's history.				null	The Westfield Historical Society The Museum and Archives are currently located on the second floor of the Town Hall in the center of Westfield. Here we have established the Town's main repository of Westfield lore. One of the most exciting possibilities for us to contemplate is that at some future date the Reeve House at 314 Mountain Avenue will become the permanent home of the Historical Society. When that happens our ability to serve the Town of Westfield will dramatically increase. The Westfield Historical Society archives house thousands of artifacts and memorabilia, including books, documents, letters, photographs and slides, maps, and newspapers, postcards, scrapbooks, architectural drawings, posters, flags, historic uniforms and attire, and tools. Exhibits are of special interest to all visitors. Recent presentations included well designed retrospectives of the schools in Westfield through the years, Westfield's participation in the World Wars, and "Lost Westfield," which depicts buildings and landmarks that no longer exist. Instilling a sense of local heritage and roots to Westfield residents and school children is a major focus of our education initiative. We have assisted the schools in preparing a prospectus and textbook on local history for third graders. We also provide speakers to school classes and other organizations. The Society conducts historic tours, hosts visits to the museum and archives, and produces programs for the public to highlight local history in an accurate, yet entertaining manner. The Westfield Historical Society Supports Important Historic Activities One of the earliest accomplishments of the Society was to assist the Miller-Cory Volunteers with their purchase of the historic Miller-Cory House at 641 Mountain Avenue. The Circa 1740 house is operated as a living museum. The Society has also made contributions to the rehabilitation of the Revolutionary Cemetery, the restoration of the Town Clock in the First United Methodist Church, the structural restoration of the Presbyterian Church steeple, the creation of a memorial plaque for those from Westfield who lost their lives fighting in World War II, and the replacement of the Boulevard historic mosaic street signs. We also oversee the storage, maintenance, and exhibition of the recently restored Town Bell which was cast in 1869. Now resting on a special trailer, the bell, weighing almost a half ton, is displayed at important Town functions and parades. The Society played a key role in the Town's gala Bicentennial Celebration throughout 1994 . The Society also sponsors or co-sponsors: Six evening speaker programs on an annual basis Monthly lunch time speaker programs on historical and other topics of general interest Inexpensive field trips in the spring and fall to a wide variety of interesting historical sites Hours The Museum and Archives are open to the public on Tuesdays from 10am-12pm. For other than these times, call 908-654-1796 for an appointment to have the archives available for your visit. Leave your name and a telephone number where we can reach you. (This information has been compiled and edited by John R. Panosh from original documents supplied by Ralph H. Jones, Curator, Westfield Historical Society Museum and Archives.)
659	dbpedia	2	1	https://westfieldheritage.ca/	en	Westfield Heritage Village – Experience the Charm and Spirit of Early Canada	https://westfieldheritag…ed-fav-32x32.png	https://westfieldheritag…ed-fav-32x32.png	[ "https://westfieldheritage.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2024-WHV-logo-1.png", "https://westfieldheritage.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2024-WHV-logo-1.png", "https://westfieldheritage.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/wedding-thumb.jpg", "https://westfieldheritage.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/education-thumb.jpg", "https://westfieldheritage.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/conservation-thumb.jpg", "https://westfieldheritage.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/250px-Cottingley_Fairies_1.jpg", "https://westfieldheritage.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/rug4-scaled.jpg", "https://westfieldheritage.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2024-WHV-Fairies-banners-scaled.jpg", "https://westfieldheritage.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/SteamTraction.jpg", "https://westfieldheritage.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/2024-WHV-logo-wht.png" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	null		en	https://westfieldheritag…ed-fav-32x32.png		https://westfieldheritage.ca/	Westfield Heritage Village Conservation Area is a living history museum and conservation area. As one of Ontario’s most interesting historical destinations, it boasts a stunning collection of over 35 restored historical buildings, nestled within 204 hectares of conservation land featuring woodlands, meadows, and trails. Historical buildings are not open on a daily basis, but visitors may walk through the Village, and enjoy hikes seven days a week. On special and event days, a selection of buildings will be open along with costumed interpreters providing demonstrations and guided tours.
659	dbpedia	3	47	https://museums.ca/site/aboutthecma/services/new_directory%3Fpage%3D268	en	Canadian Museums Association	https://museums.ca/uploa…avicon-32x32.png	https://museums.ca/uploa…avicon-32x32.png	[ "https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=677986813548625&ev=PageView&noscript=1", "https://museums.ca/uploaded/web/admin/theme/img/CMAlogo_EN.png" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	null		en	/uploaded/web/admin/theme/favicon/apple-touch-icon.png		null
659	dbpedia	3	10	https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/conservation-areas/westfield-heritage-village/	en	Westfield Heritage Village	https://ontarioconservat…llage-scaled.jpg	https://ontarioconservat…llage-scaled.jpg	[ "https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=1894945650707606&ev=PageView&noscript=1", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/themes/ontarioconservationareas/assets/img/logo.svg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/themes/ontarioconservationareas/assets/img/logo.svg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Westfield-Heritage-Village-scaled.jpg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/snowshoeing.svg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/admission-paid.svg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/open-year-round.svg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/parking-paid.svg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/rental-facilities.svg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Chippewa-Trail-1024x576.jpg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Christie-Lake.jpg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Confederation-Beach-Park-1024x771.jpg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Crooks_-Hollow-1024x768.jpg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Devil_s-Punchbowl-1024x768.jpg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Dofasco-Trail.jpg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Dundas-Valley-1024x683.jpg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Eramosa-Karst-1024x768.jpg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Fifty-Point-1024x683.jpg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Fletcher-Creek-1024x683.jpg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Hamilton-to-Brantford-Rail-Trail-1024x684.jpg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Lafarge-Trail-1024x683.jpg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Mount-Albion.jpg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Saltfleet-1024x683.jpg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Spencer-Gorge-1-1024x683.jpg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Tiffany-Falls-1024x768.jpg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Valens-Lake-1024x683.jpg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Wild-Waterworks-1024x683.jpg", "https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/wp-content/themes/ontarioconservationareas/assets/img/logo.svg" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	2022-04-08T09:27:09+00:00	Westfield Heritage Village Conservation Area is both a living history museum and a conservation area. It...	en	https://ontarioconservat…d-icon-32x32.png	Ontario’s Conservation Areas	https://ontarioconservationareas.ca/conservation-areas/westfield-heritage-village/	About This Area Westfield Heritage Village Conservation Area is both a living history museum and a conservation area. It boasts a stunning collection of over 35 historical buildings that have been restored to capture the true charm and spirit of early Canadian culture. The buildings are nestled against the backdrop of 204 hectares of conservation land that features woodlands, meadows and nearly 8 kilometres of walking trails. Westfield offers various events and education programs throughout the year, and is the ideal setting for weddings.
659	dbpedia	3	51	https://www.tiktok.com/discover/westfield-heritage-village%3Flang%3Den	en	Make Your Day			[]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	null		en			null
659	dbpedia	0	3	https://www.bing.com/travel/place-information%3Fq%3DCambridge%26SID%3D7764fed5-e418-982c-85cd-03665bf6e1c8%26scenario%3DSeeAndDo%26itemId%3DYN1226x15214718581527012672%26form%3DMSTA01%26ocid%3Du206dhp	en	Microsoft Bing Travel			[]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	null		de			null
659	dbpedia	2	89	https://www.smokstak.com/forum/threads/westfield-pioneer-village.106141/	en	Westfield Pioneer Village			[ "https://www.smokstak.com/images/logo.png", "https://www.smokstak.com/images/logo.png", "https://www.smokstak.com/forum/data/avatars/m/1/1486.jpg?1575825241", "https://www.smokstak.com/forum/data/attachments/125/125758-cb1b258cc77ee2b22bbf96dbdbd61c60.jpg", "https://www.smokstak.com/forum/data/attachments/125/125759-0c3b1267c28d6e88cc712692fa048fc8.jpg", "https://www.smokstak.com/forum/data/avatars/m/4/4952.jpg?1722722330", "https://www.smokstak.com/forum/image/smilies/wave.gif", "https://www.smokstak.com/forum/data/avatars/s/1/1486.jpg?1575825241", "https://www.smokstak.com/forum/data/avatars/s/4/4952.jpg?1722722330", "https://www.smokstak.com/forum/data/avatars/s/4/4952.jpg?1722722330", "https://www.smokstak.com/forum/data/avatars/s/4/4952.jpg?1722722330", "https://www.smokstak.com/forum/data/avatars/s/1/1486.jpg?1575825241", "https://www.smokstak.com/forum/data/avatars/s/1/1486.jpg?1575825241", "https://www.smokstak.com/forum/data/avatars/s/1/1486.jpg?1575825241", "https://www.smokstak.com/forum/data/avatars/s/1/1486.jpg?1575825241", "https://www.smokstak.com/forum/data/avatars/s/4/4952.jpg?1722722330", "https://www.smokstak.com/forum/data/avatars/s/4/4952.jpg?1722722330" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	2012-06-22T19:20:33-04:00	Fathers Day show at Westfield (Rockton Ontario) Was a good day and the weather held off just until it was time to hop in the truck and go home again More...	en		Smokstak® Antique Engine Community	https://www.smokstak.com/forum/threads/westfield-pioneer-village.106141/	Cerwin Registered Last Subscription Date 01/26/2013 Jun 17, 2012 #1 Fathers Day show at Westfield (Rockton Ontario) Was a good day and the weather held off just until it was time to hop in the truck and go home again More pictures at http://s1.zetaboards.com/SGECS/topic/4834169/1/#new Attachments 100_6283 (Small).JPG 100_6299 (Small).JPG casertractor Registered Age 40 Last Subscription Date 04/24/2018 Jun 22, 2012 #2 thanks for the pictures Clint.John Last edited: Jun 22, 2012
659	dbpedia	2	31	https://hometownhub.ca/listing-item/westfield-heritage-village/	en	Westfield Heritage Village	https://hometownhub.ca/w…3/heritage-3.jpg	https://hometownhub.ca/w…3/heritage-3.jpg	[ "https://hometownhub.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/hh-full-blk.png", "https://hometownhub.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/hh-full-blk.png", "https://hometownhub.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/hh-full-white.png", "https://hometownhub.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/hh-full-blk.png", "https://hometownhub.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/heritage-3.jpg", "https://hometownhub.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/heritage-2.jpg", "https://hometownhub.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/westfield-heritage-1.jpg", "https://hometownhub.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/HH-logo-blk-150x150.png", "https://hometownhub.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/plugins/accesspress-instagram-feed-pro/images/loading.gif", "https://hometownhub.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/plugins/accesspress-instagram-feed-pro/images/round-prof.png", "https://hometownhub.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/plugins/accesspress-instagram-feed-pro/images/loading.gif" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	2021-03-20T17:00:09+00:00	Visit Westfield Heritage Village for a unique historical experience and setting!	en	https://hometownhub.wpen…go-blk-32x32.png	Hometown Hub	https://hometownhub.ca/listing-item/westfield-heritage-village/	“Westfield Heritage Village has a stunning collection of over 30 historical buildings, and is one of the most interesting historical locations in Ontario. Buildings have been carefully restored and are staffed with costumed interpreters.” — Westfield Heritage Village! Follow Westfield Heritage Village on social media for the latest news! Visit the website for events and more information! Shop online for gift store products!
659	dbpedia	0	69	https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pocket_Superboy	en	Wikipedia	https://upload.wikimedia…perboy_v2_61.jpg	https://upload.wikimedia…perboy_v2_61.jpg	[ "https://en.m.wikipedia.org/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-wordmark-en.svg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/3d/Superboy_v2_61.jpg/220px-Superboy_v2_61.jpg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/75/More_Fun_Comics_101_Superboy.jpg/220px-More_Fun_Comics_101_Superboy.jpg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/cb/Superboy_pocket_universe.jpg/220px-Superboy_pocket_universe.jpg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/bb/Superboy_%28Kon-El%29_2.png/220px-Superboy_%28Kon-El%29_2.png", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/78/JonLaneKentSuperboy.jpg/220px-JonLaneKentSuperboy.jpg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/8e/Super_Sons_Jon_Damian.jpg/220px-Super_Sons_Jon_Damian.jpg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/cb/DC_Comics_Presents_87.jpg/220px-DC_Comics_Presents_87.jpg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/8a/OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg/10px-OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg.png", "https://login.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?type=1x1&mobile=1", "https://en.m.wikipedia.org/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-wordmark-en.svg" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[ "Contributors to Wikimedia projects" ]	2003-08-22T03:10:23+00:00		en	/static/apple-touch/wikipedia.png		https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superboy#The_Legion's_Superboy	Creation (1938–1944) edit In November 1938, Jerry Siegel proposed to Detective Comics, Inc. (the forerunner of DC Comics) that he do stories of Superman's childhood adventures, with the character calling himself "Superboy". Detective rejected Siegel's pitch.[3] In December 1940, Siegel pitched the idea again with a complete script for the first story, but Detective did not respond within the contractual six weeks.[3][4] An ashcan comic was produced in 1942 in order to secure the Superboy trademark.[5] In 1944, while Siegel was serving in the US Army in Hawaii, Detective Comics published a Superboy story in More Fun Comics #101 (cover dated January–February 1945), in an effort to expand the Superman franchise by presenting a version of the character to whom younger readers could easily relate.[6] The story was partially based on the script Siegel had submitted in 1940, and was illustrated by Superman co-creator Joe Shuster.[7] Detective had done this without informing Siegel; he learned about it in a letter from Shuster. More Fun Comics (1944–1945) edit The first Superboy stories were published as bi-monthly features in More Fun Comics issues #101–107 (cover dated January–February 1945 – January–February 1946). Except for the origin story by Siegel, the issues were written by Don Cameron. Art was provided primarily by Joe Shuster and inked by Ira Yarbrough, Martin Stein, and John Sikela.[8] Adventure Comics (1946–1969) edit Further information: Adventure Comics In early 1946, Superboy moved to Adventure Comics, where he debuted in issue #103 (April 1946) as the lead feature for the anthology comic, and he remained the headlining feature for over 200 issues. Notable stories appearing in Adventure Comics included the introduction of Krypto the Super-Dog;[9] the story of how his friend, the teenage scientist Lex Luthor, became his most bitter foe;[10] and the debut of the 30th-century superhero team the Legion of Super-Heroes, initially founded as a Superboy fan club.[11] The popular Legion spun off from Superboy into its own feature, which debuted in Adventure Comics #300 (Sept. 1962). The feature soon dominated the comic, with the last standalone Superboy story appearing in #315 (Dec. 1963). Superboy continued to appear in reprinted stories and as a member of the Legion until the Legion's final issue, Adventure Comics #380 (May 1969). Throughout the 1960s, issues of Adventure Comics sold over 400,000 copies each, with a peak of over 480,000 in 1966.[12] Legion of Super-Heroes (Volume 1) edit In 1973, DC Comics published Legion of Super-Heroes, a series that reprinted earlier Superboy and Legion stories from Adventure Comics. The series was published from February–August of that year, and ended after four issues. Superboy (1949–1976) edit Four years after his debut, Superboy became only the sixth DC superhero to receive his own comic book when Superboy #1 (March–April 1949) was published. The series became the first new DC superhero title to succeed since World War II. Superboy saw the debuts of the first Superbaby story,[13] (about Clark's adventures as a super-powered toddler), and of Clark's two closest friends: Lana Lang,[14] who also serves as a romantic interest for Superboy; and Pete Ross,[15] who later discovers and helps protect Clark's secret identity.[16] Other notable stories to appear in Superboy include the story of the first Bizarro[17] and the first appearances of Legion of Super-Heroes members Mon-El[18] and Ultra Boy. Beginning with issue #197, magazine covers carried the subtitle "Starring the Legion of Super-Heroes." Beginning with issue #222, the indicia changed to Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes, with the change becoming the official title in issue #231. Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes (1976–1979) edit The series was renamed and ran as a Superboy and Legion team-up title until issue #258. In issue #259, a villain named Psycho-Warrior revealed details to Clark Kent about his parents' deaths when he caused him to crash into the Metropolis Superman Museum. (In previous stories, Superboy had avoided the museum in order to avoid learning too much about his own future.) With Saturn Girl's prompting, Clark decided not to return to the 30th century again until adulthood. Beginning with issue #259, whose cover showed a tearful Superboy leaving the rest of the Legion, the series was retitled Legion of Super-Heroes (vol. 2) and remained a Legion comic until its final issue, #354. Secrets of the Legion of Super-Heroes edit In 1981, DC Comics published a three-part miniseries retelling the early origins of the Legion of Super-Heroes and its benefactor R.J. Brande. The limited series was written by E. Nelson Bridwell and Paul Kupperberg. The New Adventures of Superboy (1980–1984) edit In 1980, DC Comics published Superboy Spectacular, a one-shot that was the first comic to be distributed only to comic book stores through the direct market. The issue contained reprints and one new story by E. Nelson Bridwell and Curt Swan. Also in 1980, DC began publication of The New Adventures of Superboy. It ran for 54 issues. Superman: The Secret Years (1985) edit Written by Bob Rozakis with art by Curt Swan, Kurt Schaeffenberger, and cover art by Frank Miller, the four-issue miniseries explored Clark Kent's transition from Superboy to Superman during his college years at Metropolis University. Rozakis had begun a backup feature called "The Inbetween Years" in Superman #359, but the feature was cancelled after six installments following issue #374. Originally pitched as a 12-issue series that was cut short by the publication of Crisis on Infinite Earths, the series retold the story of the day that Clark Kent left Smallville, his first meeting with Lori Lemaris, and introduced Clark's college roommates "Ducky" and Billy, who ultimately met with tragedy. Legion of Super-Heroes Volume 3 (1986–1987) edit Following the erasure of Superboy's history in Crisis on Infinite Earths, another version of Clark Kent was created in order to salvage the Legion's timeline. This version was created by the villain Time Trapper in a "pocket universe" that contained only a version of the planets Earth and Krypton. Whenever the Legionnaires traveled back in time, they were re-routed and traveled to the 20th century of the pocket universe; from birth until Crisis on Infinite Earths, Superboy's life was similar to the life of the original Clark Kent. When the universe-destroying Crisis struck, Superboy lacked the power to save his Earth, but the Time Trapper agreed to do so, provided that Kal-El helped him capture the Legion, and Superboy reluctantly agreed. After a battle with the New Earth Superman, Superboy realized he could not turn on his friends and instead helped the Legionnaires defeat the Trapper. Ultimately Superboy saved his Earth, but only at the cost of his own life. His dying act was to return the Legion to their century (and Earth), where he was later buried. This Superboy first appeared in issue #23 and died in issue #38. After his death, his grieving parents revealed to the world that their son had been Superboy. Superboy Volume 2 (1988–1992) edit Further information: Superboy (TV series) Conceived as additional episodes of the Superboy TV series that began in 1988, the series followed the college adventures of Clark Kent and ran for 22 issues in 1990–1991. Originally entitled Superboy (volume 2) (as shown in the indicia), the cover logo read Superboy: The Comic Book from #1–10. After issue #10, the series was retitled The Adventures of Superboy until its cancellation. A follow-up story titled "The Last Superboy" was published in the one-shot Adventures of Superboy Special in 1992, with art by Curt Swan. The stories in Superboy Vol. 2 were later stated to have occurred on Earth-988, in Crisis on Infinite Earths: The Compendium (2005). Reign of the Supermen (1993) edit Further information: The Death of Superman A new Superboy, a teenage clone of Superman created by the genetic engineering corporation Project Cadmus, was introduced during the Death of Superman storyline in the 1990s. While he possessed many of Superman's abilities, Superboy was initially brash and impulsive. Superboy Volume 4 (1994–2002) edit Further information: Superboy (Kon-El) This series featured the clone of Superman and his adventures as part of Project Cadmus. In Superboy (vol. 4) #1 (February 1994), the new Superboy settled in Hawaii with his supporting cast, becoming Hawaii's resident superhero for the next four years until Superboy (vol. 4) #48 (February 1998). Starting in Superboy (vol. 4) #56 (November 1998), Superboy returned "home" when he began working for Project Cadmus. In Superboy (vol. 4) #59 (February 1999), Superman gave him the Kryptonian name Kon-El and his secret identity of Josh Leslie Kent, in effect making him part of the El family. After leaving Project Cadmus and living on his own for a brief time in Metropolis, at Superman's suggestion Kon-El went to live with Martha and Jonathan Kent in Smallville, where he adopted a secret identity as their nephew (and Clark's cousin) Conner Kent. (Superboy (vol. 4) #100 (July 2002)) Superboy and the Ravers edit Superboy and the Ravers was an American comic book series that ran for 19 issues, from September 1996 to March 1998. The comic book chronicled the adventures of Superboy and a group of superhumans called the Ravers.[19] Kal-El edit Main article: Superboy (Kal-El) Clark Kent becomes Superboy edit On his eighth birthday,[20] Clark dons an indestructible costume woven by Martha from the Kryptonian blankets that accompanied him on his journey to Earth.[21] He becomes the costumed hero Superboy, the first superhero of Earth-One.[22] Around the same time as his public debut, Superboy learns of his Kryptonian origin,[23] and several weeks later, he gives reporter Perry White the exclusive story about his alien background.[24] Though most of Superboy's early adventures occur in the vicinity of Smallville, he becomes famous for his superheroics around the globe. Superboy's status as both Smallville's hometown hero and as a national/global hero are reflected in the emergency-signal system that he establishes with Chief Parker of the Smallville Police and the President of the United States.[25] As Superboy repeatedly ventures into interstellar space, his super-heroics also bring him fame on other worlds. In Smallville, Superboy uses tunnels from the basement of the Kents' house and general store to make quick, concealed exits when Superboy is needed. Superboy also maintains a secret lab in the basement of the Kent house, where he builds Superboy and Clark Kent robots to cover for him when he is busy elsewhere or otherwise unavailable. Clark's mild-mannered character gives him few friends as a boy, and makes him the target of bullies like Bash Bashford. For years, Clark's closest friend is his beautiful red-headed neighbor, Lana Lang. Despite their friendship, Lana is also a major nuisance in Clark's life because of her recurring suspicion that Clark is secretly Superboy. Through clever use of his super-powers and robot duplicates of himself (in both identities), Clark is always able to avoid the traps Lana sets for him in order to determine the truth. For all that Lana's antics annoy Clark, as a teenager, Lana becomes Superboy's main romantic interest, and remains so through his years in high school. As Superboy, Kal-El is the first of Earth's superheroes. Despite the occasional appearance of heroes like Aquaboy and the Japanese hero Sunburst,[26] Superboy is the only superhero who has a well-known public profile until after he becomes Superman. Superboy's solitary status is reduced somewhat when he is reunited with Krypto, infant Kal-El's pet dog on Krypton.[27] Krypto joins Superboy in many of his subsequent adventures as his canine partner, and also has many adventures of his own. Through his discovery of the Phantom Zone,[28] Superboy later finds out he is not the lone humanoid survivor of Krypton. Superboy joins the Legion edit Though Superboy encounters few super-powered peers on Earth, he occasionally befriends teens living on other worlds that have superpowers. Not until Cosmic Boy, Saturn Girl, and Lightning Lad come into the past to recruit him for the thirtieth-century Legion of Super-Heroes[29] does Superboy find a group of super-powered friends with whom he regularly interacts. Superboy's career in fact is the inspiration for the formation of the Legion. Throughout his teenage years, Superboy travels to the future under his own power to join the Legion in fighting threats to Earth and the United Planets, to which Earth belongs. Superboy becomes a core member of the Legion during two extended, full membership stints in the Legion, including two terms as Deputy Leader. Through the Legion, Superboy also regularly meets with his cousin Kara, Supergirl, but because of telepathic hypnotism employed by Saturn Girl, Superboy never remembers Kara, or any other information relating to his future career as Superman or the future of his family and friends, when he returns to his normal, 20th-century era. One of the youths who becomes a member of the Legion is Lar Gand, a teenager whom Superboy first knows as Mon-El when he crash-lands on Earth in Superboy's era. The teenager, who has powers identical to Superboy, initially has amnesia, and because he carries a message from Jor-El, Superboy believes him to be his big brother and dubs him Mon-El. When Mon-El is exposed to lead, his memory returns. He reveals that he is actually a Daxamite named Lar Gand, and for Daxamites, lead is more deadly than Kryptonite. To save his life, Superboy projects Mon-El into the Phantom Zone,[30] where Mon-El would linger for a millennium before being freed by the Legion.[31] In the Legion, the two teens remain close friends. The alternate Superboy from the Pocket Universe would die in Mon-El's arms.[32] Superboy meets Lex Luthor edit Not long after he joins the Legion, Superboy's life is threatened when a Green Kryptonite meteor falls to Earth, but his life is saved by a Smallville farm boy named Lex Luthor, who also happens to be a science prodigy. The two boys become fast friends, and Superboy builds Lex a fully stocked laboratory to allow him to conduct his experiments. Lex uses the lab to search for a cure for Superboy's weakness to Kryptonite. Just after Lex discovers the cure, a fire breaks out in his lab. When Superboy puts out the fire, the antidote is destroyed, along with a protoplasmic life form that Lex created, and Lex also loses all his hair. Lex blames Superboy for destroying his experiment and his hair loss, accusing the Boy of Steel of jealousy over his brilliance. Lex swears that he will prove to the world that he is superior to Superboy. Lex does this by trying to implement a series of scientific quality-of-life improvements for Smallville's residents; however, each invention of Lex's winds up backfiring, requiring Superboy to intervene. This series of setbacks results in Lex dedicating his life to destroying Superboy.[33] In the years that follow, Lex becomes Superboy's (and then Superman's) archfoe. Superboy soon acquires a small rogues gallery of recurring villains, including Lex. Around the time Mon-El arrives on Earth, a boy named Pete Ross moves to Smallville.[34] He quickly befriends Clark Kent, and the two boys are soon best friends. One night on a camping trip, Pete accidentally spies Clark changing into his Superboy outfit.[35] Vowing to keep his knowledge a secret, Pete uses his knowledge to aid Superboy and on several occasions, save his life. Not until years after they have both grown up does Pete reveal his knowledge to Clark.[36] Through the rest of his years in high school, Pete and Lana remain Clark's closest friends, and also share numerous adventures with Superboy both in the twentieth century and with the Legion in the thirtieth. Superboy becomes Superman edit Shortly after his graduation from high school, Superboy takes his adoptive parents on a holiday in the Caribbean where they contract a rare tropical disease. Though Superboy tries valiantly to save Martha and Jonathan, nothing cures their illness. With Clark by her side, Martha passes away. Just before he dies, Jonathan makes Clark promise to use his powers only for good. In mourning, Clark buries his parents.[37] Shortly thereafter, Superboy leaves Smallville, though not before throwing the townsfolk a giant farewell party that he tops off with a giant cake. Separately, Clark departs for Metropolis to attend Metropolis University.[38] In Metropolis, Clark readily befriends the students who share his dorm suite, Tommy Lee, Dave Hammond and the alcoholic Ducky Ginsberg. Superboy soon reveals himself as the new guardian of Metropolis, ending a national guessing game about which city Superboy would call his new home.[39] For Clark's first two years at Metropolis University, Lana is also a classmate, before she transfers to Hudson University. In his junior year, Superboy again feels helpless when he is not present to stop an automobile accident involving Ducky, caused by his own drunk driving.[40] Ducky is paralyzed for life and thereafter uses a wheelchair. Ducky's place in the dorm is taken by Billy Kramer, a Smallville boy whom Clark befriends and decides to trust with his secret. Much as Superman would later do for Jimmy Olsen, Superboy gives Billy a supersonic whistle that he can use to call Superboy for help when needed. While he is befriending Billy, Clark becomes romantically involved with a wheelchair-using student named Lori Lemaris. He eventually proposes to her, but Lori reveals she already learned his identity telepathically. She rejects his proposal because she is a mermaid from Atlantis.[41][42][43] Trapped in a burning building while attempting to save a life, Billy uses his supersonic whistle to call Superboy, but Superboy, preoccupied with saving a thousand people on a Pacific island from a tsunami, is unable to reach him in time.[43] Upset by his inability to save his parents and friends, Superboy exiles himself until, three months later, Perry White, using Billy's whistle, calls him back into action to battle Lex Luthor. After defeating Luthor, Clark makes peace with his limitations and returns to Metropolis for his final year of college. Now 21, Kal-El starts calling himself Superman, 13 years after his debut as Superboy.[44] Post-Infinite Crisis edit Following Infinite Crisis, Superman did not begin his public superhero career until adulthood. However, as a teenager he joined the Legion of Super-Heroes,[45] and used the name "Superboy" while visiting the 31st century.[46] Thus, most of Kal-El's pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths stories with the Legion were once again considered canonical. In addition, Clark wore his Superboy outfit when he works as a clandestine superhero in and around Smallville. At the conclusion of the Doomsday Clock series, it was revealed that the original Superboy's adventures and history were still intact, because the DC Comics' original Earth-1 had been preserved as "Earth-1985." Clark's history as Superboy was also restored in the main DC Comics universe via the intervention of Doctor Manhattan, saving the Legion of Superheroes' timeline.[47] Kon-El edit Main article: Superboy (Kon-El) In 1993, during DC Comics's Death of Superman story, a new Superboy was introduced.[48] Unlike previous characters bearing the name, this Superboy is a clone created to replace the seemingly dead Superman, rather than simply being an adolescent Clark Kent. His initial abilities are based on a form of telekinesis (known as "tactile telekinesis") by which he could fly and simulate Superman's strength and invulnerability. Nicknamed "the Kid", Superboy is distinguished from other "Supermen" who appear after the death of Superman by his youth and brash character. Though he prefers to be called Superman during the Reign of the Supermen, after Superman returns from the dead the Kid accepts the name Superboy for himself[49] and begins his own superhero career. He also learns that he is not a clone of Superman, but rather genetically engineered to be as Kryptonian as possible, although his genes originate from the human DNA of Paul Westfield, director of the government sector known as Project Cadmus that had created the Kid.[49] Teen Titans edit In the course of his career, Kon-El becomes involved with several teen superhero groups, notably the Ravers, Young Justice, the Teen Titans, and the Legion of Super-Heroes, and he was featured in comic series devoted to these groups. Through his association with them in both Young Justice and the Teen Titans, Kon-El becomes the best friend of Robin the Boy Wonder, a close friend of Impulse (later Kid Flash), and becomes romantically involved with Wonder Girl. Sometime before he joins the Teen Titans, Superboy learns that he had been actually created from the DNA of both Superman and a human. Though he had believed that human to be Paul Westfield, after he joins the Teen Titans he learns that the human is actually Superman's archnemesis Lex Luthor.[50] Moreover, as the clone Superboy was developing, he was brainwashed so that Luthor could have a sleeper agent among the superhero community. When Luthor unleashes Kon-El, Superboy comes close to destroying the Teen Titans, but he manages to free himself from Luthor's control before any tragedy occurs.[51] Shortly thereafter, Kon-El sacrifices his life to save Earth in a battle with Superboy-Prime during the Infinite Crisis.[52] After his death, statues are erected in his honor in Metropolis and Titans Tower. Though he coerced Superboy into serving his own purposes, Luthor continues to claim that he views Kon-El as his son. In a story published after Kon-El's death, the alternate future Titans known as the Titans Tomorrow, including an older Conner who was cloned from the original, come back in time to the present day.[53] Kon-El returns in the 2019 relaunch of Young Justice. Adventure Comics (volume 2), Superboy (volume 4) and (volume 5) edit During the "Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds" storyline, Brainiac 5 resurrects Conner in the 31st century after arranging for him to spend 1,000 years in the Kryptonian regeneration chamber that revived Superman after his battle with Doomsday and introducing into it a hair from Lex Luthor.[54] In the aftermath of Legion of 3 Worlds, Conner is back in the present, living with Martha Kent and Krypto in Smallville.[55] Superboy starred in his own feature in the revival of Adventure Comics, which began publication in August 2009 (see Superboy of Steel/Adventure Comics #1–3 & #5–8). He then moved to his own comic again, with the new series starting up in late 2010 before being canceled in August 2011 at issue #11 and relaunched from issue #1 in September as part of DC Comics' relaunch of its main DC Universe properties. Jon Lane Kent edit DC Comics relaunched Superboy with issue #1 in September 2011 as part of The New 52.[56] The series involved major changes to the character, which includes a new origin in which he is cloned from Superman, Lois Lane, and their son Jon Lane Kent from an alternate New 52 timeline. Similar to Kon-El, who possessed "tactile telekinesis", Jon is a powerful telekinetic. His telekinesis allows him to levitate and manipulate items around him, and even to analyze anything he touches. This allows him to mimic some of the powers of Superman, such as flight, superhuman strength, and superhuman speed. He can also absorb information about things in his vicinity, cloak himself from sight by bending light around himself, generate force fields, propel nearby objects as a projectile attack, and interfere with nearby machines, among other things. He is also shown to be able to absorb energy from metahumans he kills. Jon's psi powers also extend, to a limited degree, to low-level telepathy as well— sufficient to read unprotected minds, which assists him with pretending to be Kon-El even in the presence of Kon-El's closest friends. His human-alien hybrid physiology is also a weakness; it causes him constant pain and agony. Superboy (volume 6) edit In an alternate New 52 future, Superman married Lois Lane and had a son, whom they named Jon Lane Kent. Jon's hybrid Kryptonian/human physiology proved to be unstable, causing him to fall ill and die shortly before his fourth birthday. In grief, Superman and Lois retreated to the Fortress of Solitude and were never heard from again. However, this death was not the end for Jon. A time traveler from the 30th century, the man who would later be known as Harvest, arrived and retrieved Jon's body, recognizing his condition to be a kind of torpor rather than true death. Using future technology and chronal energy he had infused his own body with, Harvest revived Jon and took him as his own son, intending to use him as a weapon against metahumans. He trained Jon to hate all metahumans, despite being one himself, and the two lead a genocidal campaign against metahumans. In time, Jon again succumbed to the same condition that nearly took his life before, and Harvest swore to find a way to save him. He took Jon back in time, to five years before the present day, where he retrieved genetic samples from Superman and Lois. He went on to found the organization N.O.W.H.E.R.E., and by combining the genetic samples from Superman, Lois, and Jon, created a clone, who would come to be known as Superboy and "Kon-El", who he hoped to use to find a way to treat Jon's condition. Forever Evil edit During the 2013–2014 "Forever Evil" storyline, the Teen Titans, after a battle with the Crime Syndicate's Johnny Quick and Atomica, are sent traveling through time,[57] arriving in the alternate future where Jon and Harvest wage war against metahumans. Here Jon encounters his clone, Kon-El, and the two battle. Kon-El defeats his vicious progenitor, but before he can finish him off, is summoned through time by the Oracle, leading to the "Krypton Returns" story arc. Jon is then recovered and treated by the future versions of Beast Boy and Ravager, who present him to the Titans as Kon-El. The Titans take Jon with them as they continued time travelling.[58] With Kon-El apparently having been killed off in the "Krypton Returns" crossover storyline, Jon takes over as the lead character of the Superboy comic book with issue #26. Awakening in the year 2933, Jon meets Wonder Girl and quickly realizes the Titans (except for Raven) believe him to be Kon-El. He decided to maintain the masquerade and pose as Kon-El while secretly pursuing his anti-metahuman agenda.[59] Jon soon encountered a telepathic girl calling herself "Schiz", who claims to be one of a group of normal humans given powers artificially. She claims they were based on Jon and created to fight the metahumans, only to be put into stasis when the humans came to fear them as well. Jon and Schiz make plans to assemble these artificial metas into an army to serve Jon's plans to wage a genocidal war against metahumans in the present day.[60] Eventually, Jon encounters his future self (the genetic template for Kon-El) in the present—in stasis, dying from illness— and touching it, creates a temporal paradox which, through a lingering psychic connection to Kon-El who remains alive in the distant future, pulls them as well as Superboy Jons and Kons from across the Multiverse as well as other timelines to a pocket universe. The younger Jon teams up with Kon to fight against his older, psychotic self with help from Rose Wilson and Guardian, but find they are massively outmatched by him. The older Jon is even able to use his psionic powers to take control of the minds of the other Superboys, numbering in their hundreds, and siphon the power of a Green Lantern from one of the alternate worlds. The younger Jon heroically sacrifices himself to destroy the elder Jon, obliterating them both through his TK, sending all the other Jons and Kons back to their respective timelines, dimensions and universes. Jon isn't erased from history, and his actions outside of the pocket universe are well remembered, but he is truly gone, leaving Kon-El once again as Superboy.[61] Jonathan Kent edit Main article: Jon Kent (DC Comics) In 2016, Jonathan Kent became the new Superboy in DC Comics. He was introduced as the son of Post-Crisis Superman/Clark Kent and Lois Lane, who were reintroduced in DC continuity in the 2015 Convergence event. Jonathan "Jon" Kent was born in Convergence: Superman #2 (July 2015). After Convergence, he and his parents relocated to the New 52 universe, where the Kent family lived in secrecy for many years. He was officially introduced as Superboy in Superman (vol. 4) #6 (November 2016). Jon co-stars with Damian Wayne in the DC Rebirth comic book series Super Sons as Superboy and Robin.[62][63] The series began publication in February 2017 and ended its 16-issue run in May 2018. A 12-issue limited series, Adventures of the Super Sons, which debuted in August 2018, told more of the boys' adventures together. Jon frequently appears in Superman and Action Comics with his parents. He is also a member of the current version of the Legion of Super-Heroes. The Superboy character has been the subject of a legal battle between Warner Bros. Discovery, the owner of DC Comics, and the estates of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. While he was stationed overseas, Detective Comics (the forerunner of DC) directed Shuster to draw a Superboy comic strip for publication in More Fun Comics. No notice was given to Siegel, and no consent from him was granted.[78] Siegel sued for copyright infringement, and won. A court-appointed special referee declared the character of Superboy unique, and not derivative from the character of Superman. But appeals by both Siegel and National Comics Publication (the new name of Detective Comics) led to a consent decree in which the parties agreed that Superboy was the sole property of National Comics.[80] In 1969, Siegel and Shuster sought to recover their copyright to Superman, as the original 28-year copyright for the character had expired. In Siegel v. National Periodical Publications, Inc., 364 F. Supp. 1032 (S.D.N.Y. 1973), aff'd, 508 F.2d 909 (2nd Cir. 1974), the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York held that the 1948 agreement assigned not only the original 28-year copyright term but also the 28-year copyright renewal term as well to National Periodical Publications (Detective Comics' successor).[81] In 1976, Congress enacted a new Copyright Act. This law extended existing copyrights for 19 years, but it also gave creators of works the right to seek to recover their copyright when the extension was up. The Siegel claims edit In 1997, Joanne Siegel (Siegel's surviving wife) and Laura Siegel Larson (Siegel's daughter) filed a notice exercising their rights to terminate DC Comics' copyright on the Superman character. The date of termination was 1999, but DC Comics provided Joanne Siegel with certain benefits that induced the parties to keep negotiating. A tolling agreement was signed to allow negotiations to keep moving.[a] The Siegels, Shusters, and DC Comics began drafting an agreement, and this agreement now referenced the Superboy character and some indicia as well. On October 19, 2001, Larson's attorney issued a letter in which he claimed that the heirs "accepted D.C. Comics offer of October 16, 2001, in respect of the 'Superman' and 'Spectre' properties."[84] Further negotiations broke down in 2002, and the Siegel heirs filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California claiming their half of the Superboy copyright. On March 23, 2006, Judge Ronald S.W. Lew of the District Court for the Central District of California issued a summary judgment ruling that Siegel's heirs had successfully reclaimed the copyright to the Superboy character and related indicia as of November 17, 2004.[86] Judge Lew's decision left the parties in the unenviable situation of the Siegels owning the copyright to Superboy, but Time Warner owning the trademark—leaving neither party fully able to take advantage of their respective properties alone. At a subsequent trial in October 2006, Time Warner (now the parent company of DC Comics) defended itself against a copyright infringement suit by the Siegels by arguing that Judge Lew's summary judgment was incorrect. In Siegel v. Time Warner, 496 F. Supp. 2d 1111 (C.D.Cal. 2007), Judge Stephen G. Larson vacated Judge Lew's summary judgment and ordered a new trial on the issues.[b] Larson's ruling did not determine whether Superboy was such a unique character that the character enjoyed its own copyright protection. He said it was up to future litigation to determine whether the differences between Superman and Superboy were trivial and did not create a copyrightable character. Attorney Jesse J. Kruger, however, noted that character reboots and retcons could create enough differences so that any future version of Superboy might avoid a claim by the Siegels. The legal dispute affected DC Comics' treatment of the various incarnations of Superboy. In the Secret Origin of the Teen Titans back-up story (March 28, 2007) in the weekly 52 limited series, an illustration of Superboy was changed into Wonder Girl.[89] In the Sinestro Corps War storyline in the Green Lantern titles and in the Countdown to Final Crisis limited series, the Superboy-Prime character was referred to as Superman-Prime, a development that came about in part because of the legal dispute.[90] On March 26, 2008, in Siegel v. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc., 542 F. Supp. 2d 1098, 1145 (C.D. Cal. 2008), Judge Larson ruled again that the Superboy character was not a work for hire. Larson also held that the 2001 settlement documents did not constitute a contract terminating the Siegel heirs' claim to the Superman and Superboy works.[c] The Siegels regained the copyright to the Superman character, story, and indicia as they appeared in Action Comics #1 (but not prior to or after that). Judge Larson later expanded his ruling to allow the Siegel heirs to claim additional plots, Superman characters, costuming, and indicia.[96] This included the story of Superman's origin as a Kryptonian rocketed to Earth from a dying planet in a spaceship created by his father. DC Comics celebrated the decisions, as they restored certain retconned versions of the Superboy character to the company's use. On June 28, 2008, DC Comics Vice President and Executive Editor Dan DiDio said in reference to the Legion of Three Worlds comic at the Wizard World Chicago convention, "We've got Geoff (Johns) (writer), we've got George (Pérez) (artist), we've got SuperBOY Prime (yes, we can say that again)."[98] In January 2013, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals returned all rights over the Superboy character and other indicia to DC Comics. The appellate court held in Larson v. Warner Bros. Entertainment, No. 11-56034, D.C. No. 2:04-cv-08400-ODW-RZ (9 Cir. January 10, 2013), that the District Court for the Central District of California erred when it said in 2008 that DC and the Siegel heirs had not reached an agreement in 2001 resolving the dispute over the copyright. The court of appeals remanded the case back to the district court with an order to find that a contract existed. Copyright attorney Dallas Kratzer said that the Ninth Circuit's ruling "rendered moot all of the other questions in this lawsuit." The Hollywood Reporter said the ruling likely precludes any further attempt by the Siegel heirs to terminate DC Comics' copyright ownership of the character, although an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court is not barred. The Ninth Circuit also ruled[101] that DC Comics could move ahead with a tortious interference lawsuit against Siegel attorney Marc Toberoff, whom DC accuses of interfering with the 2001 settlement.[102] On remand, the District Court for the Central District of California found that the 2001 agreement had terminated the Siegel heirs' rights to Superboy. The Siegel heirs appealed, arguing that the 2001 agreement did not cover the Superboy copyrights because the rights (at that time) were not the Siegels' to grant.[103][104] They also argued that the agreement alienated their copyrights contrary to law.[104][d] Finally, the heirs argued that Joanne Siegel had rescinded the 2001 agreement in 2002, an action in which DC Comics had agreed.[103][104] The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected all these arguments.[103] The Shuster claims edit Joe Shuster died in 1992. After his death, DC Comics and his sister, Jean Shuster Peavy, entered into an agreement in which the company paid Shuster's debts, made "survivor payments" to Shuster's brother (Frank), and paid Jean $25,000 a year for the rest of her life. Jean Shuster Peavy and Frank Shuster agreed to turn over all copyright interest in Shuster's Detective Comics characters to DC Comics. The agreement also barred the Shuster family from asserting these rights in the future. The agreement did not, however, specifically mention Superman or Superboy. In 2003, the Joe Shuster estate filed suit to recover Shuster's copyright interest in Superman, Superboy, and other characters. DC Comics counter-sued, arguing the 1992 agreement barred any such claim. In 2012, the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California held in DC Comics v. Pacific Pictures Corp., No. CV 10-3633 ODW (RZx), 2012 WL 4936588 (C.D. Cal. Oct. 17, 2012), that the 1992 agreement's broad, all-inclusive language was more than adequate to cover the Superman and Superboy copyrights in which Shuster had an interest. Thus, the estate was barred from seeking their termination under the Copyright Act. Whatever interest Shuster had in Superboy stayed with DC Comics. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the Shuster family's appeal in October 2014, leaving the district court's ruling intact.[107]
659	dbpedia	2	71	https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16227040-hamilton-canada	en	Hamilton, Canada: Including its History, the Westfield Heritage Centre, the Cathedral Christ King, the African Lion Safari, and More	https://images-na.ssl-im…85i/16227040.jpg	https://images-na.ssl-im…85i/16227040.jpg	[ "https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/siteheaderbannerimages/1722896866i/429.jpg", "https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1355908485i/16227040.jpg", "https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1355908485i/16227040.jpg", "https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/nophoto/user/u_700x933.png", "https://dryofg8nmyqjw.cloudfront.net/images/badge-apple_app_store@2x.png", "https://dryofg8nmyqjw.cloudfront.net/images/badge-google_play_store@2x.png" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[ "Dave Knight" ]	null	Read reviews from the world’s largest community for readers. Discover Hamilton, Canada like you have never seen it before. Whether you are a first time tra…	en	/favicon.ico	Goodreads	https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16227040-hamilton-canada	Discover Hamilton, Canada like you have never seen it before. Whether you are a first time traveler or avid visitor of this region of the world, this book is the perfect guide for you. Read about all the amazing surprises you could find while strolling in the city and all the must see places. Included in this book are the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, the Art Gallery of Hamilton, the Dundurn Castle, the Royal Botanical Gardens, and everything in between. With content from a huge community of contributors, you get the convenience and security of a real print travel guide, but with fresh data and content. Earth Eyes Destinations represents a new publishing paradigm, allowing disparate content sources to be curated into cohesive, relevant, and informative books. To date, this content has been curated from Wikipedia articles and images under Creative Commons licensing, although as we increase in scope and dimension, more licensed and public domain content is being added. We believe books such as this represent a new and exciting lexicon in the sharing of human knowledge.
659	dbpedia	0	68	https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_Australia/Article_alerts/Archive_4	en	Wikipedia:WikiProject Australia/Article alerts/Archive 4	https://en.m.wikipedia.org/static/favicon/wikipedia.ico	https://en.m.wikipedia.org/static/favicon/wikipedia.ico	[ "https://en.m.wikipedia.org/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-wordmark-en.svg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/87/Gtk-go-back-ltr.svg/20px-Gtk-go-back-ltr.svg.png", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/2a/Replacement_filing_cabinet.svg/50px-Replacement_filing_cabinet.svg.png", "https://login.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?type=1x1&mobile=1", "https://en.m.wikipedia.org/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-wordmark-en.svg" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	null		en	/static/apple-touch/wikipedia.png		https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_Australia/Article_alerts/Archive_4	This is an archive of previous Article Alert reports. This page is automatically updated by AAlertBot. Entries and content can be added/removed/changed manually, as long as {{anchor\|archivebottom}} and the workflow anchors {{anchor\|AfD}}/{{anchor\|AfDbottom}}, {{anchor\|GAN}}/{{anchor\|GANbottom}}, etc. aren't removed.
659	dbpedia	2	26	https://www.trip.com/travel-guide/attraction/hamilton/westfield-heritage-village-23513941/	en	Westfield Heritage Village - Opening Hours, Reviews & Photos [2024]	https://ak-d.tripcdn.com…oc=source%2ftrip	https://ak-d.tripcdn.com…oc=source%2ftrip	[ "https://ak-d.tripcdn.com/images/0ww6i12000ckxlz8i129A_C_900_600_Q70.webp?proc=source%2ftrip&proc=source%2ftrip", "https://ak-d.tripcdn.com/images/1wx3w12000chsa3s14958.png", "https://webresource.tripcdn.com/ares/ibu/onlinecommon/*/default/assets/loading_big.gif" ]	[]	[]	[ "Latest travel itineraries for Westfield Heritage Village in August (updated in 2024)", "book Westfield Heritage Village tickets now", "Westfield Heritage Village", "Westfield Heritage Village travel itineraries", "recommended activities in Westfield Heritage Village", "how to get to Westfield Heritage Village", "Westfield Heritage Village tickets", "Westfield Heritage Village address", "Westfield Heritage Village opening hours", "attractions near Westfield Heritage Village", "hotels near Westfield Heritage Village", "restaurants near Westfield Heritage Village" ]	null	[]	null	Discover Westfield Heritage Village in Hamilton! See updated opening hours and read the latest reviews. Discover nearby hotels and dining for a perfect trip. Plan your visit to Westfield Heritage Village on Trip.com.	en	/trip.ico	TRIP.COM	https://www.trip.com/travel-guide/attraction/hamilton/westfield-heritage-village-23513941/	Copyright © 2024 Trip.com Travel Singapore Pte. Ltd. All rights reserved Site Operator: Trip.com Travel Singapore Pte. Ltd.
659	dbpedia	3	9	https://historicplacesdays.ca/places/westfield-heritage-village/	en	Westfield Heritage Village	https://historicplacesda…cene3-scaled.jpg	https://historicplacesda…cene3-scaled.jpg	[ "https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=2365687000404385&ev=PageView&noscript=1", "https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=730543484169145&ev=PageView&noscript=1", "https://historicplacesdays.ca/wp-content/themes/historicplacesday/assets/images/HPD-Logo.svg", "https://historicplacesdays.ca/wp-content/themes/historicplacesday/assets/images/HPD-Logo.svg", "https://historicplacesdays.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/kid-friendly-icon.svg", "https://historicplacesdays.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/guided-tour-icon.svg", "https://historicplacesdays.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/parking-icon.svg", "https://historicplacesdays.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/park-land-icon.svg", "https://historicplacesdays.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/pet.svg", "https://historicplacesdays.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/washrooms-icon.svg", "https://historicplacesdays.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Visit-Icon.svg", "https://historicplacesdays.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Register-Icon-1.svg", "https://historicplacesdays.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Subscribe-Icon.svg", "https://historicplacesdays.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/HPD-Logo-Pink2021.svg", "https://historicplacesdays.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/CanadianGeographic-Grey-2.svg", "https://historicplacesdays.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Canadas-History-logo.svg", "https://historicplacesdays.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/CMA_Logo_Reverse_Hrzntl_Bilingualv2-grey.svg", "https://historicplacesdays.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Canoo_LogoLine_RGB_WhiteGray-1.png", "https://historicplacesdays.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/NS-Trust-logo.png", "https://historicplacesdays.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/AQIP-1.png", "https://historicplacesdays.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Equitable-Logo.png", "https://historicplacesdays.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/collaboration_en_rgb-wht_v01-cropped.svg", "https://historicplacesdays.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/NTC_Logo_EN_White.svg" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	2021-07-09T18:47:53+00:00	Living History Museum with over 30 historic structures and Conservation Area.	en	/favicon.ico	Historic Places Days	https://historicplacesdays.ca/places/westfield-heritage-village/	Westfield Heritage Village first opened to the public in 1964. Westfield is a collection of over 30 historical buildings that have been relocated to Westfield from throughout southern Ontario. Two teachers from Brantford, Glenn Kilmer and Goldie MacDonell, had a vision to recreate a Village setting that included a number of shops, homes and businesses bringing to life the historical past. The backdrop to this Village includes over 204 hectares (503 acres) of land that features natural woodlands, plantation forests and provincially significant wetlands. Hidden in among the trees are two ruin sites of the old farms that once were in operation more than 100 years ago. Westfield is a community project with over 250 active volunteers and numerous community groups helping to provide tours, events and educational programs. Volunteers are involved in every aspect of running the site including costumed interpreters, gardeners, maintenance workers, collection assistants, and costume committee members.
659	dbpedia	2	67	https://historicplacesdays.ca/fr/lieux/westfield-heritage-village/	en	Westfield Heritage Village	https://historicplacesda…cene3-scaled.jpg	https://historicplacesda…cene3-scaled.jpg	[ "https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=2365687000404385&ev=PageView&noscript=1", "https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=730543484169145&ev=PageView&noscript=1", "https://historicplacesdays.ca/wp-content/themes/historicplacesday/assets/images/HPD-Logo-FR.svg", "https://historicplacesdays.ca/wp-content/themes/historicplacesday/assets/images/HPD-Logo.svg", "https://historicplacesdays.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/pet.svg", "https://historicplacesdays.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/kid-friendly-icon.svg", "https://historicplacesdays.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/park-land-icon.svg", "https://historicplacesdays.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/parking-icon.svg", "https://historicplacesdays.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/washrooms-icon.svg", "https://historicplacesdays.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/guided-tour-icon.svg", "https://historicplacesdays.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Visit-Icon.svg", "https://historicplacesdays.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Register-Icon-1.svg", "https://historicplacesdays.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Subscribe-Icon.svg", "https://historicplacesdays.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/HPD-Logo-Pink2021-FR.svg", "https://historicplacesdays.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/viarail-logo.svg", "https://historicplacesdays.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/National-Geographic-Monochrome.svg", "https://historicplacesdays.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/CanadianGeographic-Grey-2.svg", "https://historicplacesdays.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Canadas-History-logo.svg", "https://historicplacesdays.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/CMA_Logo_Reverse_Hrzntl_Bilingualv2-grey.svg", "https://historicplacesdays.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Canoo_LogoLine_RGB_WhiteGray-1.png", "https://historicplacesdays.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/NS-Trust-logo.png", "https://historicplacesdays.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/AQIP-1.png", "https://historicplacesdays.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Equitable-Logo.png", "https://historicplacesdays.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/collaboration_fr_rgb-wht_v01-cropped.svg", "https://historicplacesdays.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/NTC_Logo_FR_White.svg" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[ "Conception par baytek" ]	2021-06-04T20:31:14+00:00	Living History Museum with over 30 historic structures and Conservation Area.	fr	/favicon.ico	Historic Places Days	https://historicplacesdays.ca/fr/lieux/westfield-heritage-village/	Westfield Heritage Village first opened to the public in 1964. Westfield is a collection of over 30 historical buildings that have been relocated to Westfield from throughout southern Ontario. Two teachers from Brantford, Glenn Kilmer and Goldie MacDonell, had a vision to recreate a Village setting that included a number of shops, homes and businesses bringing to life the historical past. The backdrop to this Village includes over 204 hectares (503 acres) of land that features natural woodlands, plantation forests and provincially significant wetlands. Hidden in among the trees are two ruin sites of the old farms that once were in operation more than 100 years ago. Westfield is a community project with over 250 active volunteers and numerous community groups helping to provide tours, events and educational programs. Volunteers are involved in every aspect of running the site including costumed interpreters, gardeners, maintenance workers, collection assistants, and costume committee members.
659	dbpedia	0	2	https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emporium_Centre_San_Francisco	en	Emporium Centre San Francisco	https://en.wikipedia.org/static/favicon/wikipedia.ico	https://en.wikipedia.org/static/favicon/wikipedia.ico	[ "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/icons/wikipedia.png", "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-wordmark-en.svg", "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-tagline-en.svg", "https://maps.wikimedia.org/img/osm-intl,10,37.783888888889,-122.40722222222,250x200.png?lang=en&domain=en.wikipedia.org&title=Emporium_Centre_San_Francisco&revid=1237258728&groups=_6d203f108860b56681ebc75bd001b47fcbb83492", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d3/BSicon_LOGO_SFmuni.svg/19px-BSicon_LOGO_SFmuni.svg.png", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/26/Bart-logo.svg/18px-Bart-logo.svg.png", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a6/Westfield_San_Francisco_Centre_845_Market_Street.jpg/257px-Westfield_San_Francisco_Centre_845_Market_Street.jpg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/77/Westfield_SF_Centre_Market_St._entrance_1.JPG/157px-Westfield_SF_Centre_Market_St._entrance_1.JPG", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/47/Westfield_SF_Centre_Market_St._entrance_2.JPG/157px-Westfield_SF_Centre_Market_St._entrance_2.JPG", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5d/Westfield_San_Francisco_Centre_865_Market_Street.jpg/334px-Westfield_San_Francisco_Centre_865_Market_Street.jpg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9c/Westfield_San_Francisco_Centre_interior_view.jpg/280px-Westfield_San_Francisco_Centre_interior_view.jpg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1e/Westfield_Mall_Dome%2C_San_Francisco.jpg/269px-Westfield_Mall_Dome%2C_San_Francisco.jpg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/05/Westfield_San_Francisco_%286423025351%29.jpg/140px-Westfield_San_Francisco_%286423025351%29.jpg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/da/SF_From_Marin_Highlands3.jpg/32px-SF_From_Marin_Highlands3.jpg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fd/The_Westfield_Group_logo.svg/150px-The_Westfield_Group_logo.svg.png", "https://login.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?type=1x1", "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/footer/wikimedia-button.svg", "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/footer/poweredby_mediawiki.svg" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[ "Contributors to Wikimedia projects" ]	2006-03-12T10:47:42+00:00		en	/static/apple-touch/wikipedia.png		https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emporium_Centre_San_Francisco	Shopping mall Emporium Centre San Francisco is a shopping mall located in San Francisco, California, United States. It is anchored by Bloomingdale's. It connects directly to the Powell Street station via an underground entrance on the concourse floor. History [edit] Early years [edit] Originally developed by Sheldon Gordon (co-developer of The Forum Shops at Caesars and Beverly Center), the nine-story mall opened in October 1988 as San Francisco Shopping Centre with approximately 500,000 square feet (46,000 m2) of space, the then-largest Nordstrom store (350,000 square feet (33,000 m2)) on the top several floors, the first spiral escalator in the United States, and a connector to the adjoining Emporium-Capwell flagship store.[3] After a slow start, it soon became one of the top-performing shopping centers in the country. In 1996, the adjoining Emporium (it had dropped the Capwell name by then) was shuttered in the wake of Federated Department Stores' buyout of its parent, Broadway Stores. The vacated store was temporarily used as a Macy's furniture store while it renovated its Union Square flagship in 1997. In May 1997, Urban Shopping Centers, Inc., a real estate investment trust, acquired a half-interest and management of the center. This was followed by Urban's own buyout by Rodamco North America N.V. (a European property firm primarily invested in the United States) in October 2000 and Rodamco's subsequent sale to a consortium including the Westfield Group in January 2002. Westfield acquired its initial 50% stake in the center at this time and soon bought the rest. Expansion [edit] In February 2003, Forest City, which had acquired redevelopment rights to the long-vacant Emporium store from Federated, reached an agreement with Westfield to jointly redevelop the two properties.[4] The newly expanded mixed-use Westfield San Francisco Centre opened on September 28, 2006.[5] Designed by the Kohn Pedersen Fox architectural firm, with Kevin Kennon as the Design Principal, the mall included Bloomingdale's West Coast flagship store, a nine-screen Century Theatres multiplex theater featuring 2 XD screens, a 30,000 square feet (2,800 m2) Bristol Farms gourmet supermarket, and the Downtown Campus for San Francisco State University in its 1.5 million+ ft² of space. The redevelopment cost $440 million. Only the front façade and landmark dome of the original structure were preserved; the rest of the structure was completely gutted and replaced.[6] Upon completion of the project, Forest City became an equity partner and along with Westfield assumed responsibility for day-to-day management.[7] In March 2009, it was announced that Westfield San Francisco Centre shopping center was named as one of nine finalists vying for the title of “World’s Best Shopping Center” as part of the International Council of Shopping Centers Inc.’s inaugural “Best-of-the-Best” awards. Westfield San Francisco Centre ended up winning the "Best-of-the-Best" award for design and development; it was one of only four shopping centers in the world to win.[8] In 2011, the San Francisco Police Department considered putting a substation in the mall to prevent rampant shoplifting.[9] The Bristol Farms store closed on January 27, 2017.[10] In the summer of 2021, a Shake Shack opened in the former Bristol Farms space.[11][12] Decline [edit] In June 2023, Westfield and Brookfield announced that, due to plunging post-pandemic sales, occupancy and foot traffic at the mall, they would stop making loan payments and cede the property to their lenders.[13][14] The Century Theatres multiplex closed on June 15, 2023.[15] In July 2023, the Westfield branding was removed from the mall, which was renamed San Francisco Centre.[16] Nordstrom closed on August 27, 2023,[17] leaving Bloomingdale's as the only anchor store, at which point the mall's occupancy level had fallen to 55%.[18][19] Mayor London Breed suggested that the mall could be redeveloped for another use, such as a soccer stadium,[20] while others suggested it be used as food halls, pickleball courts, and animal shelters.[21] In September 2023, the owners of the American Eagle store filed a lawsuit claiming mall management had failed to "maintain the Common Areas at the mall which has poisoned public opinion" about safety.[22] In October 2023, Gregg Williams, the principal receiver of Trident Pacific[23] (a receivership firm), was appointed by a judge to take possession, custody, and control of the mall.[24] On November 30, 2023, the LEGO Store closed permanently.[25] The 2-story Adidas store closed permanently on January 13, 2024.[26] The Hollister store closed permanently on January 8, 2024.[27] Aldo closed permanently on January 21, 2024.[28] Madewell and sister chain J. Crew both closed permanently on January 22, 2024.[29] The mall's Lucky Brand store closed on January 29, 2024. By that point, the mall's occupancy level was only 25%,[30] and its valuation had plunged 75% from its 2016 level of $1.2 billion to only $290 million.[31] On February 29, 2024, San Francisco Centre was renamed Emporium Centre San Francisco.[32] In March 2024, it was announced that L'Occitane had closed and that Sephora would close too, as a result of decline.[33] In May 2024, American Eagle[34] and Ted Baker[35] announced that they would also be closing their stores.[36] Layout [edit] The shopping center is nine stories tall and is integrated into nearby buildings anchored by Bloomingdale's, with one vacant anchor previously occupied by Nordstrom, which closed in late August 2023.[37] The basement level is directly connected to two entrances for Powell Street station, which is served by Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) and Muni Metro trains. The mall's owners paid $750,000 annually to BART to maintain access to the station.[38] Anchors and major tenants [edit] Bloomingdale's (338,000 ft²; opened 2006) Former anchors and major tenants [edit] San Francisco State University Downtown Campus[39] (107,000 ft²; opened 2006, closed 2021)[40] Nordstrom (350,000 ft²; opened 1988, closed August 27, 2023) Century Theatres & XD 9-screen multiplex (53,000 ft², closed June 15, 2023) Gallery [edit] 845 Market Street, anchored by Bloomingdale's The entrance to 845 Market Street The entrance to 865 Market Street 865 Market Street, anchored by the former Nordstrom Mall interior three weeks after redevelopment and reopening, 2006 The dome within the shopping center Interior atrium of Nordstrom store with curved escalators, 2011 See also [edit] San Francisco Bay Area portal References [edit] Notes Sources Westfield San Francisco Centre Opening Fact Sheet Westfield San Francisco Centre Press Release International Council of Shopping Centers
659	dbpedia	3	50	https://www.firehallmuseum.ca/links.html	en	Fire Hall Museum	http://firehallmuseum.ca/uploads/3/4/3/5/34354849/895582.jpg?416	http://firehallmuseum.ca/uploads/3/4/3/5/34354849/895582.jpg?416	[ "https://www.firehallmuseum.ca/uploads/3/4/3/5/34354849/895582.jpg?416", "https://www.firehallmuseum.ca/uploads/3/4/3/5/34354849/5353278.jpg?416", "https://www.firehallmuseum.ca/uploads/3/4/3/5/34354849/download.png" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	null	Fire Hall Museum	en	//www.weebly.com/uploads/reseller/assets/1001-favicon.ico	Fire Hall Museum	http://firehallmuseum.ca/links.html	Donations from the general public City of Cambridge Cambridge Fire Department The museum is a member of the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Cambridge Business Improvement Area, and the Waterloo-Wellington Museums and Galleries Network. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada. Reopening Fund for Heritage Organizations, Museums Assistance Program (2022). Nous reconnaissons l'appui financier du gouvernement du Canada. Fonds pour la réouverture des organismes du patrimoine – Programme d’aide aux musées (2022).
659	dbpedia	3	11	https://m.facebook.com/groups/1866558430227870/posts/3728616454022049/	en	Facebook			[]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	null		de	https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/rsrc.php/yT/r/aGT3gskzWBf.ico		null
659	dbpedia	0	13	https://www.tukwilawa.gov/visitors/about-tukwila/tukwila-history/	en	Tukwila History			[]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	2016-02-03T18:53:16+00:00	Tukwila’s earliest residents were members of the Duwamish Tribe who made their homes along the Black and Duwamish Rivers. They named the area Tukwila for the lush forests of […]	en	https://www.tukwilawa.gov/wp-content/themes/city-of-tukwila/img/favicon.ico	City of Tukwila	https://www.tukwilawa.gov/visitors/about-tukwila/tukwila-history/	Tukwila’s earliest residents were members of the Duwamish Tribe who made their homes along the Black and Duwamish Rivers. They named the area Tukwila for the lush forests of hazelnut trees which grew throughout the area. The Duwamish lived in cedar longhouses, hunted and fished, picked wild berries, and navigated the rivers for trading with neighboring people. Traveling by native canoes, pioneer settlers arrived in 1851 to farm the rich soil of the Duwamish River Valley. First among them were Luther and Diana Collins with their children Lucinda and Stephen, Jacob Maple with his son Samuel, and Henry Van Asselt. They were joined by Joseph and Stephen Foster in 1852. Local schools and streets are named in honor of these pioneers. Joseph Foster was a very prominent pioneer who served as an early Washington Territorial legislator, the first superintendent of schools, and a well-respected local leader. His homestead was located at the present-day site of the Foster Links Golf Course. A plaque commemorating Foster’s homestead is located on Tukwila’s oldest maple tree at the north end of the golf course. Nearby is a monument memorializing Foster’s Landing, where the riverboats stopped to load and unload goods and passengers. Tukwila’s location at the crossroads of rivers, trails, highways and railroads helped determine its destiny as a center of commerce. In the late 1860s, shipping was done by approximately 65 flat-bottomed riverboats that traveled the Duwamish, Green and Black Rivers, from Seattle to Auburn and back. These boats carried coal from local mines, as well as produce and livestock from valley farms and people. Early electric rail trains traveled along Interurban Avenue in Tukwila, making connections to Renton and a line to Tacoma. The Interurban Railroad operated a commuter line from 1902 to 1928, making it possible to travel from Seattle to Tacoma in less than an hour. The first Macadam-paved road in Washington State was in Tukwila and bears the name of this new method of street paving. One of the earliest paved military roads is located in Tukwila. Tukwila was incorporated as a city in 1908. Since that time, the city has continued to grow and flourish as a center of commerce for South King County. As the crossroad of two interstate highways – I-5 and I-405 – and within five minutes of an international airport, Tukwila is a local leader in retail/commercial sales, warehousing, and distribution of goods and manufacturing. More than 19,000 people reside in Tukwila. Nestled in the hills surrounding the major commerce corridors are quiet residential neighborhoods. Police, fire, schools, libraries and other vital services engage with residents to provide for a desirable quality of life. Residents of the City enjoy small-town warmth, involvement and caring, while having the benefits of quality services and goods associated with larger cities. In 2010 and again in 2016, the Tukwila City Council approved lease agreements with the Tukwila Historical Society. The Society occupies the former Tukwila City Hall – a nationally registered historic place and one of the City’s oldest structures – allowing city history to be put on display and shared with the public.
659	dbpedia	2	0	https://westfieldheritage.ca/location-and-directions/	en	Location and Directions – Westfield Heritage Village	https://westfieldheritag…ed-fav-32x32.png	https://westfieldheritag…ed-fav-32x32.png	[ "https://westfieldheritage.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2024-WHV-logo-1.png", "https://westfieldheritage.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2024-WHV-logo-1.png", "https://westfieldheritage.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/250px-Cottingley_Fairies_1.jpg", "https://westfieldheritage.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/rug4-300x225.jpg", "https://westfieldheritage.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2024-WHV-Fairies-banners-300x157.jpg", "https://westfieldheritage.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/SteamTraction-300x200.jpg", "https://westfieldheritage.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/1964SitePhoto-300x214.jpg", "https://westfieldheritage.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/2024-WHV-logo-wht.png" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	2024-10-26T00:00:00		en	https://westfieldheritag…ed-fav-32x32.png		https://westfieldheritage.ca/location-and-directions/	Follow Hwy. #8 north-west through Dundas, cross Hwy. #5 and continue to Kirkwall Road (also referred to Regional Road 552), just past Rockton. Turn right and follow 1.5 kilometres. Take QEW west to Hwy. 403. Turn north on Hwy. #6 to Hwy. #5. Turn left on Hwy. #5 and then right on Hwy. #8 to (Kirkwall Road (also referred to as Regional Road 552) just past Rockton. Turn right and follow 1.5 kilometres. Follow Hwy. #8 south-east to Kirkwall Road (also known as Regional Road 552). Turn left and follow 1.5 kilometres. Follow Hwy. #24 north to Hwy. #5 east (turn right). Travel through the Village of St. George. Several minutes along Hwy. #5, turn north (left) on Woodhill Road (just past McCoy Foundry). Cross over Hwy.#8 on to Kirkwall Road (also known as Regional Road 552) for 1.5 km to Westfield.
659	dbpedia	3	31	https://www.instagram.com/westfieldheritage/%3Fhl%3Den	en	Instagram	https://static.cdninstag…/VsNE-OHk_8a.png	https://static.cdninstag…/VsNE-OHk_8a.png	[]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	null		en	https://static.cdninstag…/VsNE-OHk_8a.png		null
659	dbpedia	0	64	https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_TypoScan/Manual/030	en	Wikipedia:WikiProject TypoScan/Manual/030	https://en.m.wikipedia.org/static/favicon/wikipedia.ico	https://en.m.wikipedia.org/static/favicon/wikipedia.ico	[ "https://en.m.wikipedia.org/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-wordmark-en.svg", "https://login.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?type=1x1&mobile=1", "https://en.m.wikipedia.org/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-wordmark-en.svg" ]	[]	[]	[ "" ]	null	[]	null		en	/static/apple-touch/wikipedia.png		https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_TypoScan/Manual/030