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Biography

A Collector’s Passion

September 24, 2020 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

A collector's passion can get out of control at times, but it's also a hobby that many people enjoy.

The hobby of collecting is defined as the “seeking, locating, acquiring, organizing, cataloging, displaying, storing, and maintaining whatever items are of interest to the individual collector”, and the range of collections is well,….. unlimited because there are no rules in collecting and collectors’ passions are as diverse and unique as each individual collector.

Collecting also has a long history that can be traced to book collecting in ancient Egypt, art patronage and collecting during the Italian Renaissance period (14th – 16th centuries), and the acquisition by affluent scholars of unusual items (called “cabinet of curiosities”) beginning in the 16th century.

There are many theories as to what compels so many of us to collect things.  Like rubber bands — oh yes,  @zeester must admit to a compulsion to collect rubber bands, sea shells, rocks and wine corks. The yen felt by collectors may be connected to the human ‘hunter – gatherer’ survival instinct, but could also be fulfilling some psychological need relating to aspects of memory, organization, or purpose.  Whatever the reason, hobby collectors find fun in collecting as well as profit, and their personal stories are as fascinating as the collections they’ve created.

Billy Wilder (1906-2002), a legendary filmmaker, was an avid art collector. He described his passion for collecting as a “sickness”, and said, “I don’t know how to stop myself…………Name an object and I collect it.” There is no denying, however, Wilder enjoyed his hobby, saying it was “more fun than making movies”, and he acquired one of the finest and most extensive art collections in Hollywood. In 1989, a large selection of paintings and sculptures from his collection sold at auction for $32.6 million.

Edward Wharton-Tigar (1913-95), a decorated WWII British spy and business executive with a passion for cricket and collecting, amassed the world’s largest collection of cigarette cards (over 2 million).  His entire collection which includes a rare T206 Honus Wagner card is held by the British Museum.  After more than 75 years of collecting, Wharton-Tigar considered his “collector’s mania” an inherited trait.  “My mother had it and so did my grandmother. If you have it, you have it. There is simply nothing you can do about it. You are driven by this desire to complete things.”

It’s a WOW — an old garage full of beautiful classic cars!  Lenny Shiller from Brooklyn NY talks about his motivation to collect classic cars and the enjoyment he has working on his eclectic collection in the video Lenny’s Garage from Bullrush Films.

 

Ξ More collectors tell their stories ⇒  WATCH:  Collector Confessions  

 

The awarding of medals can be traced back thousands of years, and they are specialized art form valued for their artistic beauty and history.In Heads and Tales: The Odyssey of a Medals Collector, art collector and historian, Stephen K. Scher, tells the story behind the building of his medals collection, including the motivation, temptations, mistakes, and successes. It’s a rare opportunity to learn from a collector’s personal experience.

 

It's easy and fun to join On2In2 social networkWe’d love to hear from you!  Collecting, as with many hobbies, can lead to social connections and new friendships. You can connect with people sharing similar interests by joining the On2In2™ social network via the “Engage” page.

 

 

 

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Information/References:
Wikipedia:  Collecting, T206 Honus Wagner
The Los Angeles Times, November 14, 1989 (Wilder Auction)
The New York Times, August 30, 1989 (Wilder Auction)
The Independent, September 3, 1994 (First Hand: I constantly dream about my card collection)

Feature photo of a troll doll collector is courtesy of Grastisographry CC0

Filed Under: Collections, Create, Video Tagged With: Biography, Documentary

Family Mystery

September 21, 2020 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

Learning about what really happened to my great-grandfather after he immigrated to America from Germany in the 19th century took a lot of genealogical research, and there's still more digging to do. But, I did find Peter, and discovered the cause of his death was not what had been speculated.

 

"Bergische Haus" in Lennep
“Bergische Haus” in Lennep photo by Doris Antony CC BY-SA 3.0

Peter Albert Reinshagen was born on April 23, 1853 in the industrial “cloth making” town of Lennep located within the Prussian Rhine Province. Although now a borough of Remscheid, Germany, the history of Lennep dates back to the Middle Ages, and its town center still remains with more than 100 examples of 18th century “Bergische Haus” architecture, distinguished by timber framed post construction, grey-black slate facades, white window frames with green shutters, and white door lintels.

Peter was the second child and oldest son of six children born to Peter and Julie Leverkus Reinshagen (a sister, Anna, born a year earlier, died four months after Peter’s birth, and Albert, the youngest child, died in 1865 at not quite 3 years old).  Peter grew up with a younger brother, Carl Hermann (Karl), and two sisters, Auguste and Anna (she was born 8 years after the death of her older sister, Anna). The Reinshagen and Leverkus families were prosperous in their manufacturing businesses;  however, family life changed when Peter was just 12 years old; his father passed away on March 13, 1864.

 

Das Land des Wieder Anfanges
-The Land of Another Beginning-

 

German Immigrants Boarding Steamer to New York
“From the Old to the New World” German immigrants boarding steamer to New York (Harper’s Weekly, Nov. 7, 1874) PD/Wikimedia

A massive wave of German migration to the United States began in the 1830s, with the number of arrivals spiking in the mid to late 1800’s.  In the 50 year span between 1820 – 1870, over 7.5 million German immigrants came to the US, more than doubling its population.  Although decisions to emigrate seem to have been primarily based on economic, religious and political issues, there does not seem to be a specific cause underlying the phenomenon.  In fact, there are probably as many different motivations behind the 19th century migration from Germany to America as there were immigrants being that it was an extraordinarily diverse group with differing religious and cultural values, dissimilar political views, and varying geographical, vocational and educational backgrounds.

The diversity of these German-speaking people was due to the fact that since the end of the Thirty Years’ War in 1648, Germany had been divided into a patchwork of independent, monarchical states with distinct histories and competing interests. While political unrest and economic turmoil existed throughout the German states during the 18th and 19th centuries, the circumstances were never as extreme as the famine and oppression suffered in Ireland during the same time period. Consequently, German immigrants were not always escaping a desperate situation, and many had professional skills as well as capital to start a new life in America.

A mass emigration effort to establish German settlements on Texas land was conducted in the 1840’s by “The Society for the Protection of German Immigration in Texas” (known as “Adelsverein”, the “Nobility Society”) for the purpose of creating new world markets for German industry and promoting German maritime commerce.  The endeavor resulted in successful colonies in central Texas that still exist today, but ended in 1853 because of Adelsverein leadership, financial and administrative shortcomings.

So, it seems, many Germans making the dangerous transatlantic voyage toward an uncertain future may have been lured by the promise of an expansive new world with greater opportunity and ideological freedom.

The Mosel passenger list 26 May, 1877
Mosel Passenger List, 26 May 1877

We don’t know his reasons, but do know Peter, at 24 years old, set off for America on May 26, 1877 from the port city of Bremerhaven on the SS Mosel.  We can, however, assume there were personal, complex motivations, rather than economic hardship, as he traveled alone on second class passage, leaving behind his mother and siblings, and never to see his homeland again.

Peter arrived in America shortly after the intensely disputed election of President Rutherford B. Hayes at the close of the Reconstruction Era, embarking on his odyssey during the outset of the Second Industrial Revolution (1870 – 1914), a period of rapid growth and great advancement in manufacturing and technology. At the same time, unresolved political, economic and social issues continued to afflict the country with conflict, suffering and violence. 

It was the beginning of the family mystery.

Mother never talked about father. — C.H. Reinshagen (1891-1980)

What happened to Peter after he arrived in America?  What sort of man was he, and how did he die? No one had answers, but there was plenty of speculation among his descendants.

Carl Peter Henry Reinshagen with his mother Emma Michel Reinshagen (about 1896)
Carl with his mother Emma (1896)

In 1891, less than 15 years following his immigration from Germany, Peter died a few days before his 38th birthday and a few months prior to the birth of his only child, Carl Peter Henry (Charles Henry). Carl was raised in Comal County, Texas by his mother, Emma, and from the age of 7 years, a stepfather in a large, blended family of step and half siblings. Unfortunately, he was not given much information about his father, except Carl was made aware of his uncles, aunts and cousins in Germany.  No one in the family had the most basic information as to Peter’s travels and work in America, the circumstances of his death, or the location of his grave.  As a result, family legend developed depicting Peter as somewhat of an outcast, a “ne’er-do-well”, and bar owner, inferring the entire story was likely much worse.  It seemed after so many years, the man, his son and family deserved better.  In late 2014, the search began.

 

Finding Peter

There are no photographs of Peter, no written communication.  Three treasured documents have survived— a family tree compiled in 1906, the May 26, 1877 Mosel passenger list, and Carl’s baptism certificate, dated November 15, 1891.  Therefore, the first logical step of this investigation involved taking the information from the documents and search the internet.  There was a feeling of determination and confidence at the start of this endeavor because there are so many online information resources, tools and data bases, including records of birth, death, marriage, US census, immigration/naturalization, military, and probate as well as genealogy websites and newspaper articles. But, after many long days and nights of intense googling, it became apparent the “Finding Peter Research Project” was not going to be quick and easy.  Peter was not showing up on anything.

Then…Success!  Found a record of Peter’s marriage to Emma Michel on February 20, 1887 in Comal County, Texas.  Also, discovered some of the limitations of an online genealogical search and reasons Peter is so hard to find.

The biggest factor is that searchable 19th century public records are limited, incomplete, and very often inaccurate or not available on the internet;  therefore, genealogical research takes a lot more digging. Case in point, an online search of the US census records was a total bust, maddening until learning most of the 1890 census records (the year before Peter’s death) were damaged by a fire at the Commerce Department Building in January of 1921.  It then became somewhat discouraging to realize the chance of discovering documentary evidence of Peter’s location and occupation in the US had been reduced to the statistical information of only one source—the 1880 census.  This led to the conclusion the library was the best next stop on this journey.

The staff is friendly and helpful at the Lorenzo de Zavala State Archives & Library in Austin, Texas, and it was fun exploring all the reference materials and collections.  A search via an ancestry informational website (for free!) identified a record of Peter’s birth and baptism in Lennep.  It wasn’t a lot, but a hopeful sign he was out there somewhere. Since his son Carl’s baptism took place at a church in San Antonio, Texas, it was likely Peter had died there.  The recommendation from a library staff member was to go directly to Bexar County records to check for a death certificate.

An online search of county and city records as well as published obituaries in the Bexar County, Texas area was not successful, and things really got frustrating after a telephone conversation with a county research clerk resulted in zero findings and a certain amount of hoplessness.  It became clear—the next place to try is the church.

Cornerstone of St. John's first church building (1860)
“To God Alone the Glory” St. John’s first church building cornerstone laid March 5, 1860

Founded by German immigrants in 1857, St. John’s Lutheran Church (Deutsche Evangelische St. Johannes Kirche) has substantial historical ties to San Antonio, and church volunteers have put in many hours preserving and making available its records which date as far back as its founding.  The information and documents available on St. John’s website are extraordinary, yet again, there were problems locating anything related to Peter in the online church archives, and this was particularly perplexing because Carl’s baptism certificate was issued by St. John’s in 1891.  Not ready to give up, made a call to the church office and left a message.

That call led to an email exchange with Maria, a volunteer genealogy researcher at St. John’s, and receipt of her email on December 12, 2014 was a memorable, emotional moment (more than a few tears!):

From city records: Peter died of consumption in the San Juan Mission settlement area on April 20, 1891.  His doctor was William Meier.  He had been a resident of Bexar County for 16 months, and was buried in Bexar County (“Lutheran”).

A few days later, Maria found Peter’s funeral listed in the church record books, and although a burial site was not identified and can’t be located in the church cemeteries, Peter Albert Reinshagen was added to the St. John’s cemetery “presumed burial” list because of the funeral record and the added note “Lutheran” in the city of San Antonio death record.  A gracious acknowledgement very much appreciated by the family.

Finding this long lost ancestor was both heartrending and joyous, and while more research is required to track Peter’s life in America from 1877 to 1891, the cause of death “consumption” is an important clue to the events leading to a tragedy.  Consumption (also known as the “White Plague” and the “romantic disease” in reference to the high mortality rate among young and middle age adults during that time period) is a medical term used in the 19th century for symptoms known today as tuberculosis, an infectious disease that commonly affects the lungs.  At the time of Peter’s death, tuberculosis was widespread in Europe and North America, highly contagious as the population density and poor sanitary conditions of cities created a high risk environment, and deadly because there were no adequate treatments.

“The life of the dead is placed in the memory of the living.” — Marcus Tullius Cicero

We are inherently compelled to search for long dead relatives.  Many thousands of years ago, when humans began living in large settlements, they searched for connections to a trusted tribal group through common ancestry, eventually the practice evolved into a means of establishing links to prominent or heroic figures in order to validate social status.  Today, a primary motivation is an instinctive desire to better understand who we are and how far we’ve come.

Finding Peter has answered some of those questions, but there are still missing pieces to the puzzle, and as so often happens, the answers have led to more questions.  The Finding Peter Research Project, therefore, remains ongoing.  Will update you with any new findings.

In the meantime, best of luck with your own family history research.  Listed below are online resources I found helpful in tracing Peter Reinshagen from Germany to the US.  If you have questions about the Finding Peter Research Project, would be happy to try to answer, and would enjoy learning about your family research projects as well.

German immigrants board SS Mosel for journey to America

 

Read about the German immigrant ship, SS Mosel, and Peter’s transatlantic voyage route → HERE.

 

 

 

Resources/References:

“German Immigration” US Immigration and Migration Library Reference, US History in Context

‘Big Wonderful Thing’ Excerpt: “Reason Had Left Its Throne” – excerpt from Stephen Harrigan’s book Big Wonderful Thing: A History of Texas*, Texas Monthly (October 2019) During the years before and after Texas independence from Mexico, a “steady surge” of German settlers arrived, and by 1850, they made up more than 5 percent of the population.

Wikipedia:  Remscheid, Berg House, German History, Prussia, Thirty Years’ War, German Americans, Adelsverein, Reconstruction Era, Rutherford B. Hayes, Second Industrial Revolution, History of Tuberculosis

Family Search website (free online search of a large collection of genealogical and historical records)

US census research information:  Genealogy FAQs

The National Archives and Records Administration “Resources for Genealogists”

Texas State Library & Archives Commission: Genealogy Resources & Online Public Access Catalog

St. John’s Lutheran Church website – History/”Church Archives” page

How To Make a Family Tree, the National Genealogical Society – References for Researching, a step-by-step tutorial

20 Reasons Why You Should Write Your Family History, by Carmen Nigro, New York Public Library (February 9, 2015) 

 

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*Zeester Media LLC may receive a small commission for a book purchase you make via the link within this page.  This in no way affects the price you pay for the purchase.

Feature photo is courtesy of Brian Mann/Unsplash CC0

Filed Under: Enlighten, History Tagged With: Biography, Genealogy

A Thousand Sparks

September 8, 2020 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

Robert Fullerton found inspiration to write poetry in the shipyards of Govan, Scotland.

“If you watch a thousand sparks cascading,
They’re all wee thoughts,
or possibilities,
or ideas;
And, if you could think like that……….”

                                                                               Robert Fullerton

At 13 years old, his formal education ended, and at 17, he started working at a shipyard in Govan, Scotland.  An early start to a life of grueling labor, but Robert Fullerton looked through the reflecting glass visor of his welding helmet and found inspiration in the spirit of the shipyard.

In the video documentary, “Mining Poems or Odes” from the Scottish Documentary Institute (produced by Jack Cocker, directed by Jack Cocker), Robert Fullerton reveals how he learned to write, his creative process, and ‘tools of the trade’.

 

 

Robert Fullerton’s story reminds us that sparks of inspiration are everywhere, and the real magic is in a book.  His passion for books and writing began when his workmate and mentor, Archie, gave him a copy of The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists* by Robert Tressell**, the pen name of author Robert Noonan (1870-1911), an Irish-born house painter.

The novel is set in the fictional town of Mugsborough, and based on Noonan’s personal experiences of poverty and exploitation and his views on the relationship between working-class people and their employers, the gross injustice and inequalities of society, and workers’ acceptance of the status quo. Out of work and ill, Noonan was in dire straits during the writing, and there are traces of the anger and bitterness he was feeling in the Ragged story, along with compassion and a sense of humor.

Widely regarded a classic of modern British literature and ranked as a ‘best loved’ novel in a 2003 BBC survey, the completed manuscript originally called, The Ragged Arsed Philanthropists, was rejected by three publishing houses before Noonan died in 1911 at age 40.  His daughter was able to sell the book rights to a publisher for £25, and an edited version (with most of the socialist ideology cut out) was published in 1914.  Forty years later, Robert Noonan’s original manuscript was found, and the unabridged edition was published in 1955.

*Editor’s Note:  The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists is available to read free in ebook form or online, and is also free to download and print, courtesy of Project Gutenberg.  The volunteer organization founded in 1971 by American Michael S. Hart (1947-2011), inventor of the ebook, has created a digital library offering over 53,000 ebooks of literary works in the public domain that can be accessed, read, downloaded and printed—all free of charge.

Information/Resources:
Wikipedia: Robert Tressell, The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, Govan, Project Gutenberg, Michael S. Hart
“Welder Turned Poet….”, The Daily Record (February 14, 2016)

 

Exploring the history of black arts and activism in AmericaThe historical works created during times of social unrest and cultural change continue to inspire today Activist Arts

 

 

 

Still shot of shadows intersecting with space and thought during art exhibition was taken from video documentary "Intersections" by Walley Films. Artist Anila Quayyum Agha discusses her creative process and exploration of all human experience.There’s more inspiration here→  Watch:  Creative Perspectives,
an On2In2™ collection of short videos

 

 

 

It's easy and fun to join On2In2 social networkWe’d love to hear from you! If you’d like to comment on this article, join the conversation, or share your inspiration, and you have not yet registered as an On2In2™ playmaker, please sign up via the ‘Engage page’.  Don’t worry, it’s pretty quick and easy (unless you’re a robot).

 

 

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Feature photo of welder is courtesy of Pixabay/Pexels, CC0

**Zeester Media LLC may receive a small commission for a book purchase you make via the link to this Robert Noonan biography “One of the Damned:  The Life & Times of Robert Tressell” by F.C. Ball.  This in no way affects the price you pay for the purchase.

Filed Under: Books, Creative Writing, FREEBIES, Insight, Video Tagged With: Biography, Documentary, FREEBIES, Poetry

Digital Art

February 28, 2020 By Zola Zeester 1 Comment

98 year old Pat Scott continues to create art digitally

“The advantage of digital is obvious:  You don’t have to clean anything up”— Pat Scott

 

Digital art is a new media art category of art works that have been created or presented by the artist using some form of digital technology – these are the electronic tools, systems, and devices that generate, store or process data, such as computer programs, mobile devices, online games and applications.

The early days of digital art, at times called ‘computer art’ and ‘multimedia art’, can be traced back to the late 1960’s when engineers Billy Klüver and Fred Waldhauer joined artists Robert Rauschenberg and Robert Whitman to form a group called Experiments in Art and Technology (EAT) with a mission to promote collaborations between artists and engineers.  The result was a series of innovative installations and performances using emerging technologies, and as technology evolved over the decades, so did the art.

Since those early EAT experimental days, digital technology has revolutionized the way art can be made, distributed, and viewed.  Instead of traditional art materials such as paint, brush and canvas, artists can now paint with light, sound and pixels on a screen or multimedia projection, and the resulting creative works of art are simply amazing.

You’ve got to meet Pat Scott.  She’s a talented, tech-savy digital artist, and BTW, Pat is 98 years old. All her life, she has created art, but after moving to an apartment in a retirement community, Pat became concerned her paints would make a mess. So, she decided to try something new–digital art. Now, Pat enjoys using Photoshop and apps to draw portraits and create greeting cards.

Watch as Pat tells her inspirational, joyful story of a life enriched with creativity and innovation in this short (3 minutes) documentary “Try Something New:  Digital Artist Pat Scott” from Julie Caskey.

 

CREATIVE INSPIRATION 

In Try Something New, Pat Scott mentions she was inspired after reading about David Hockney using digital technology to draw and paint, and looking at his iPhone Drawings, it’s clear the reason for that creative spark.

David Hockney's iPad art drawings of flowers

David Hockney iPad Art, ‘Fresh Flowers’ © David Hockney

David Hockney (born in 1937) was an important contributor to the 1960’s pop art movement, and today, he’s considered one of the most influential British artists of the 20th century.  He began sketching flowers on his iPhone in 2009, and later on an iPad, experimenting with the variety of brush techniques and colors of a painting app, Brushes*.  His ‘Fresh Flowers’ exhibit (2010-11) included 300 iPhone and iPad drawings viewed on mounted devices and projected screens.  Later, Hockney included iPad landscape drawings in both the 2012 “A Bigger Picture” and 2013-14 “David Hockney: A Bigger Exhibition” exhibits.  Learn more about the artist and 200+ works of art via the Tate website.  See a list of current and upcoming Hockney exhibits → here.

Continue the creative art inspiration by watching→   Art Works and Digital Arts video channels, On2In2™ collections of videos FREE 2 WATCH, On-Demand

*Editor’s notes:

It was fun experimenting with colors and brushes using digital art tool Brushes Redux app.
“My Yellow Boat” Zola’s first digital art sketch experiment

♦ The Brushes app (updated & renamed “Brushes Redux“) is designed specifically for iPhone and iPad, and can be downloaded free from the App Store.  Inspired by Pat Scott, I gave the app a try, and discovered it’s really a lot of fun, and only a little imagination, not art or tech expertise, is needed to create a work of art.  There are many other art drawing and painting apps available for Apple products via iTunes as well as android apps for smart phones and tablets via Google Play.  So cool.  Recommend you give one a try, too.  You’ll also want a digital art brush/stylus for drawing on the screen of your phone or tablet.  

 

 

 

Coloring books offer fun and creative expression for everybody at any age.Not ready to go digital?  Try coloring books!
We’ve got freebies for fun here→  Art Therapy

 

 

 

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The digital art feature photo is a still shot from the video “Try Something New:  Digital Artist Pat Scott”

Filed Under: Insight, Video, Visual Arts Tagged With: Apps, Art, Biography, Digital Art, Documentary, FREEBIES

Legendary Lovers

February 1, 2020 By Zola Zeester 1 Comment

An On2In2™ list of recommended books that tell the stories of legendary lovers.

“If two people love each other, there can be no happy end to it.”  — Ernest Hemingway

Love is an emotion…. a powerful emotion that creates in the human mind a longing and psychological dependence on a romantic partner.  And, great loves make great reading.  Here’s a list of Zola’s all-time favorites.  All non-fiction.

 

Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton lived very public, extravagant lives (Hollywood glitz, glamour and scandal), but Furious Love by Sam Kashner and Nancy Schoenberger, provides more to the story of these lustful lovers with an intimate look at the obsessions, conflict, and heartache in their tumultuous private lives and a view of the players and deals involved in the business of movie-making.  When I started reading, I couldn’t put the book down.

 

 

I first got interested in the DiMaggio – Monroe love story after reading Joe DiMaggio: The Hero’s Life by Richard Ben Cramer.  It was a ‘true love’ marriage of a sports icon and Hollywood super-star, but not so surprisingly, it was ill-fated. In fact, they were tragically mismatch, and the relationship became volatile and abusive.  Joe and Marilyn:  Legends in Love by C. David Heymann fills in the details.

 

 

The 40 year marriage of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt was controversial because it seemed so out of the norm at the time, leading to much speculation about their relationship with one another and others.  It was certainly complicated, and filled with tragedy, turmoil, and betrayal as well as devotion and commitment.  Doris Kearns Goodwin recounts the Roosevelt presidency during the war years (1940-45) through the telling of their intriguing personal story in No Ordinary Time (Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt: The Home Front in World War II).

 

 

King Henry VIII’s love letters to Anne Boleyn are a fascinating read.  Written in the years 1527-29, Henry professes his love and devotion to Anne beautifully, but the drama is in the knowing that by the year 1536, Henry had found a new mistress and Anne was beheaded.  You can read the letters (including historical notes) online, free → HERE

 

 

Twists, turns and intrigue of the scandalous love affair between King Edward and Wallis Simpson make for great reading.Much has been written about these scandalous lovers, and it’s never enough.  King Edward VIII’s love affair with the married American, Wallis Simpson, and his subsequent abdication in 1936 changed the course of history.  Start with The Windsor Story by Charles J.V. Murphy/J. Bryan III and Wallis and Edward: Letters (1931- 1937), then move on and find more to the story.  [A couple of these books were first published 25+ years ago, so you might have some luck finding them at your local, public library]

 

You’ve probably never heard of Sara and Gerald Murphy.  I hadn’t when I picked up Everybody Was So Young (Gerald and Sara Murphy, A Lost Generation Love Story) by Amanda Vaill, but was immediately fascinated with the story of their love and friendships with artists and writers (including Hemingway, Fitzgerald & Picasso) while living in Paris and the French Riviera during the 1920’s.  It seemed the party would never end, but it did, and the Murphy’s were forever changed after enduring the sufferings of great loss and facing financial trouble during the Depression.

 

 

It's easy and fun to join On2In2 social networkDo you have a book recommendation to share with us?  We’d love to hear from you!  First, join our community of playmakers by registering via the ‘Engage page’, and let us know what you’re reading.  Don’t worry, it’s FREE & and easy.  Unless you’re  a robot.

 

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Feature photo is edited image provided by Josh Felise/Unspash CC0

Filed Under: Books, History Tagged With: Biography

THROW

December 14, 2019 By Zola Zeester 2 Comments

A yo-yo changed a young man's life, and now he's a master of his art.

It’s written that Ancient Greek philosopher Plato said, “Life must be lived as play”.  A simple, but profound truth that goes back 2,400 years.  Today, Coffin Nachtmahr inspires us with his story of how a simple toy invented by the Ancient Greeks — a yo-yo changed his life.  Watch the video-doc Throw, and discover the amazing benefits of play.    

“Throw” is a video documentary from Early Light Media.  [Editor’s Note: As with all media content provided within On2In2™ website, this video is intended for adult audiences, not children. The dialogue in “Throw” contains some expletives.]

YO-YOING

First invented by the ancient greeks, the yo-yo went down & up, and that was it— until 1928.  That’s when Pedro Flores, founder/owner of the Yo-yo Manufacturing Company, introduced his ‘looped slip-string’ design modification.  A simple twist, but it changed the game by boosting variety in movement and spin, and started the yo-yo modern era.  New technology and designs in yo-yo body shape, type and mechanism have continued to transform the yo-yo over the last four decades, enabling throwers to create and perform more and more amazing tricks.  More tricks adds to the challenge and the fun, but a big-time throw is not all about the yo-yo, is it?

Mastery of the yo-yo takes some know-how and practice.  Best to start with the basics:  Click/Tap the link “How to use a Yo-Yo” for a 12-step instruction.  The Yomega Power Brain XP * yo-yo is designed for beginner & intermediate play, includes instructions, and priced at less than $15 (10/1/2016).

      ⇓  Yomega gift set* includes 3 classic yo-yo’s (beginner, expert & pro level) plus instructional DVD.

* If you purchase a yo-yo via a link within this page, Zeester Media LLC may receive a small commission. This in no way affects the price you pay for the purchase.

 

Cherished memory of the swing my grandfather made for meFind More Inspiration
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Happy and Proud
A Thousand Sparks

Life Inspired (an On2In2™ collection of videos)

 

 

It's easy and fun to join On2In2 social networkWe’d love to hear from you! If you’d like to comment on this article, join the conversation, or share your inspiration, and you have not yet registered as an On2In2™ playmaker, please sign up via the ‘Engage page’.  Don’t worry, it’s pretty quick and easy (unless you’re a robot).

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Feature photo is a screen shot of Throw video

Filed Under: Challenge, Insight, Performing Arts, Video Tagged With: Biography, Documentary

Lincoln @ Gettysburg

November 18, 2018 By Zola Zeester 3 Comments

An illustration by S.J Ferris that depicts Lincoln's Address at Gettysburg finds its way on the cover of a banquet menu in 1898.
Illustration by S.J. Ferris (1895), The Buttolph Collection of Menus, New York Public Library, PD

Lincoln @ Gettysburg is a recounting of how President Abraham Lincoln used new technology (the telegraph) as well as brilliant writing skills to lead the country during the American Civil War, and tells the back story of the Gettysburg Address.  It’s a must see for history buffs and/or lovers of Lincoln as well as an inspiring lesson in leadership.

The documentary was first aired by PBS in November 2013.  Watch it today via Amazon Prime via this link → HERE, or you may be able to watch it online via PBS ( membership is required to access streaming video in some PBS viewing areas).  Alternatively, Lincoln @ Gettysburg may be available to watch via the PBS program service provided on streaming TV & media players (e.g., Roku; AppleTV); search history categories or “American Experience” to locate.

 

The things I want to know are in books;  My best friend is the man who’ll give me a book I haven’t read—Abraham Lincoln

  

Abraham Lincoln had an extraordinary ability to understand people, their motives and desires, and he used that ability, as well as amazing fortitude, with great effectiveness.  Doris Kearns Goodwin’s book Team of Rivals:  The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln provides an enlightening portrayal of the man and historical account of his presidency (It’s a Zola favorite).  If you haven’t yet read the book, recommend you get a copy.  Check for it at your local library, or you can purchase via Amazon simply by tapping the image of the book.

 

Lincoln in Gettysburg CrowdThere is no known photo of Lincoln presenting his address at Gettysburg, and finding him in the few photographs in existence has been difficult for historians. However, a recent photographic analysis by the “Virtual Lincoln Project” successfully identified Lincoln and others in the crowd.  Find more about the discoveries and see an interactive display of the photos via Smithsonian Magazine article “Will the Real Abraham Lincoln Please Stand Up?” by Franz Lidz (October 2013).

 

 

 

 

Five generations of a family assembled the most historically significant 19th century American photographic collection

 

In 2015, the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library acquired the Meserve-Kunhardt Collection. It includes an extraordinary compilation of 19th century American photography and the largest collection of unique photographs of Abraham Lincoln.  “Living with Lincoln” is a film documentary that chronicles the devoted collecting, preserving and documenting by five generations of Meserve-Kunhardt family members through photos, home movies and personal stories.  You’ll find the Living with Lincoln video for rent or purchase here → via Amazon Instant Video.

Feature Photo: Abraham Lincoln in a crowd of soldiers, public officials and citizens at the dedication of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania on November 19, 1863. The photo, credited to American photographer, David Bachrach, is believed to have been taken just after Lincoln’s arrival, approximately 3 hours prior to his delivery of the now famous “Gettysburg Address”. The photo is currently located at the National Archives and Records Administration, College Park. [Sourced from Wikimedia, Public Domain]

Zeester Media LLC may receive a small commission for a purchase of video or book via a link within this page. This in no way affects the price you pay for the purchase.

 

It's easy and fun to join On2In2 social networkWe’d love to hear from you! If you’d like to comment on this article, join the conversation, or share your inspiration, and you have not yet registered as an On2In2™ playmaker, please sign up via the ‘Engage page’.  Don’t worry, it’s pretty quick and easy (unless you’re a robot).

 

 

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Filed Under: Books, Collections, Enlighten, History, Video Tagged With: Biography, Documentary, Photography

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