I lost interest in Hallowe’en when filling a candy sack became a business

On By Malcolm R. CampbellIn spirit, writing

Back in the old days, kids walked from house to house when they went trick or treating. Parents often accompanied the younger kids and that was okay. The last neighborhood I lived in before moving to the country was a subdivision.  Kids–up to ages long past their treat-or-treating years came by car. The cars went from subdivision to subdivision. Naturally, that was a greedy expediency many of us didn’t like and accounted for the fact we didn’t know most of the people who rang the doorbell.

There’s nobody out here on my rural road to ring the doorbell on Hallowe’en, but I keep my porch light off to indicate we’re not playing the game.

In addition to the caravans of cars bringing kids from the far side of town, Hallowe’en lost its lustre when kids expected a handful of full-sized candy bars: like I can afford 4-5 bars per person for a hundred people. Greed took the fun out of it. And the tricks got worse, too–actual vandalism instead of the more lame TP in the trees and soaped windows.

Greenwich Village Parade

I still spell “Hallowe’en” with an apostrophe because, after all, the word is a contraction for Hallowed Evening. Most people don’t know that and more’s the pity. It’s okay, I think, to honor the dead, though I don’t believe in this nonsense that the so-called veil between worlds is thin on this holiday allowing more interaction between spirits and people. But, like the otherwise logical people who hang horseshoes over their doors “just in case,” you won’t find me anywhere near a cemetery on Hallowe’en. 

Meanwhile, if you happen to walk down my road Tuesday night on All Hallows Eve without waking up ten thousand snarling dogs, I won’t be leaving a porch light on for you.

–Malcolm

Malcolm R. Campbell is the author of the short story collection “Widely Scattered Ghosts.”

 

Addictive Reading: Reference Books

On By Malcolm R. CampbellIn books

Not long after we were married, my wife and I discovered that both of us love reading reference books, primarily dictionaries and enclopedias and–in my case–Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable.  Contrary to what our critics say, we don’t walk to the book shelf, pull out a reference book, and start reading. No, it starts innocently enough. We’re there to look something up but, en route, we see other interesting entries and find ourselves engrossed in them.

My family started out with Compon’s Encyclopedia when my brothers and I were in grade school and junior high, and then moved on to the Encyclopædia Britannica which thereafter became my favourite. It was published as a physical book from 1768 to 2010, and there after as an online publication. My wife’s family had World Book. My Scot’s ancesters would approve of the thistle.


My dictionary of choice is Webster’s New Collegiate Dicitionary which is listed with a publication date of 1977, though I think my copy came out before that. I use it now because the spellings in it are those I grew up with and  refuse to change. You’ll never find me using the words “donut” or “plow” because they look flat wrong. The versions of words I use are, in current dictionaries, listed as “British Spellings” even though I learnt them in the Florida school system.  If I can’t find a word here, it’s not a word. Needless to say, this view has caused problems with teachers and editors, but I always tell them to suck it up and let the old guy have his way.

My favourite reference book, which I see I mentioned on this blog about twenty years ago, is Brewer’s Dicitionary of Phrase and Fable. It’s very easy to get lost for hours in this one. Brewer’s, which has been around since 1870, is described by Wikipedia “is a  reference work containing definitions and explanations of many famous phrases, allusions, and figures, whether historical or mythical. The “New Edition revised, corrected, and enlarged” from 1895 is now in the public domain, and Web-based versions are available online. The most recent version is the 20th edition, published in November 2018 by Chambers Harrap Publishers.”

I think I last mentioned it on this blog about twenty years go. None the less, it sits close at hand on my bookshelf and has been responsible for many hours of reading what I really didn’t need to read. I have noticed, however, that when reading reference books, one comes across a lot of things he didn’t know but needed to know. Now that’s synchronicity.

–Malcolm

Malcolm R. Campbell is the author of contemporary fantasy, magical realism, and paranormal stories and novels.

I stand with Israel

On By Malcolm R. CampbellIn war

While I think the creation of Israel by the British was bound to create a focus for fighting that would (apparently) last for all time and while I think Israeli treatment of Palestinian interests has been far from perfect, I stand by the country’s right to defend itself and for Jewish people worldwide to have the right to live in harmony without being targeted by rising antisemitism.

It’s intolerable that Jews, according to the FBI, faced more hate crimes in 2022 than any other religious group. This makes no sense to me any more than progressive college students supporting Hamas makes any sense to me.

According to a PBS story, “The rise in Jew-hatred in the U.S. is not limited to white supremacists. It said that “the antisemitism of the far-right and far-left are pushing into the mainstream of American culture and politics from both sides.” The intolerance is so old that it’s difficult to sort it out other than to say it often leads to spurious beliefs held by the Nazis during WWII.

The Anti-Defamation League exists “To stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all.” I don’t think that’s too much to ask. According to the ADL website, “Our values guide our internal culture and shape the approach we take to our programs and initiatives externally. Confronting antisemitism, our founders established ADL based on their Jewish values. We build on their legacy as we speak out on behalf of all marginalized communities across the country and around the globe.”

The recent attacks against Israel some from a terrorist organization supported by rogue states. Why do so many Americans support this? Apparently, they have been brainwashed by old myths and old fears.  I have no tolerance for that any more than I have any tolerance for those who said the 9/11 attacks were justified and proclaimed their support for Bin Laden. They are like those who support the KKK.

I’m a pacifist and cannot support violence against individuals or legal states of any kind and so I fear that those who openly support Hamas are creating a larger problem that ensures the violence against Israel will continue. And it will probably never end.

—Malcolm

Story – the power of words

On By Malcolm R. CampbellIn storytelling2 Comments

“The only thing that changes people is storytelling. If you tell a story then it’s either going to change somebody not at all, fundamentally or more often than not just at the edges and imperceptibly and maybe even enough so people will take it.” – Ken Burns

From a different perspective, Neil Gaiman has a strong view of the power of words when they’re shaped into a story, saying (for example), “Stories may well be lies, but they are good lies that say true things, and which can sometimes pay the rent.”

Wikipedia writes that “Storytelling is the social and cultural activity of sharing stories, sometimes with improvisation, theatrics or embellishment. Every culture has its own stories or narratives, which are shared as a means of entertainment, education, cultural preservation or instilling moral values. Crucial elements of stories and storytelling include plot, characters and narrative point of view. The term “storytelling” can refer specifically to oral storytelling but also broadly to techniques used in other media to unfold or disclose the narrative of a story.”

One primary focus after a funeral is telling stories about the dearly departed. Through them, we not only share our memories, often with smiles and laughter. Doing this is universal and so patently human. Unless the deceased is famous, these stories represent the last time many of the tales will be told, and the memories are put on display for younger generations. It’s a sweet time.

We tend to share a lot of “remember when” yarns when we talk in bars, barbecues, reunions, and company picnics. Morals, history, events, and points of view are all part of the mix. If you look through the comments in an old high school or college yearbook, you’ll find a lot of history about the students and faculty.

Without all this sharing of events from our shared past, I think most of us would feel disconnected and alone. It’s as though stories flow through our veins. In many episodes of “Finding Your Roots” with Henry Louis Gates, a fair number of people appear on the show with no idea about their ancestries. Sometimes they never know their parents, much less their grandparents. Or, for a variety of reasons, their parents never shared any stories about grandparents and great-grandparents. So they were adrift in time and space.

I know who my grandparents were because I met them and heard stories about them and read their letters to my parents. What a pity that so many people have no stories to connect them to their familial past. So much of what should be close to us remains unknown due to the lack of stories.

Ken Burns’ story in last night’s episode about the slaughter of the buffalo in the years prior to the 1890s, wasn’t a story we wanted to hear. But we had to hear it. It’s our heritage, our past, and a defining period in our history. Once you hear this story you will be changed. That’s what stories do for better or worse.

—Malcolm

‘Oahspe’ by John Ballou Newbrough

On By Malcolm R. CampbellIn Spiritual

Oahspe: A New Bible is a book published in 1882, purporting to contain “new revelations” from “…the Embassadors of the angel hosts of heaven prepared and revealed unto man in the name of Jehovih…” It was produced by an American dentist, John Ballou Newbrough (1828–1891), who reported it to have been written by automatic writing, making it one of a number of 19th-century spiritualist works attributed to that practice. The text defines adherents of the disciplines expounded in Oahspe as “Faithists.” – Wikipedia

Like The Urantia Book, I stumbled across Oahspe forty years ago. It was interesting but did not change my belief system. I was drawn to it because I had been experimenting with automatic writing, writing that is done while a person is more or less in a trance in order to form a closer connection with–as we thought of them–higher spiritual powers. I could easily hypnotize myself or enter a deep alpha brain wave state, but whether I held a pen or sat with my fingers on a typewriter keyboard, the experiments went nowhere.

Now, when I looked up the book to see if it were still around, I found a whole new printing of it with a slick cover and updated language. In general, the book did not receive many positive words from the critics.

From the Publisher

“This modern language Oahspe replaces the archaic English language used in older editions. It comprises a 2 volume set of 39 interior books. Volume 1 contains the first 27 books and Volume 2 contains the remainder. Look for OAHSPE Modern Language Edition, Volume 2 of 2 on Amazon.com. A unique book with a message to all humanity, Oahspe reveals the spiritual realms of heaven and beyond. It includes a cosmology which proclaims a living creation maintained by an everpresent Creator whose person and form manifests as the Spiritual and Corporeal Universe.

“Besides revealing a spiritually-based explanation of physical science, Oahspe contains heavenly revelations in chronologically-ordered accounts that describe human origin and development from 72,000 years ago. Humanity’s progress is seen in the context of cyclical events associated with the orbital travels of the earth and solar system. Each traversed region imparts varying conditions of light to the Earth. And this, in turn, engenders spiritual and physical consequences for Earth and its inhabitants, a result of which is the rise and fall of civilizations. Oahspe tells of many long forgotten prehistoric civilizations, including the “pre-flood” inhabitants of a submerged continent. Oahspe also explains how such celestial conditions can be known beforehand using methods of prophecy including signs of the times, tables used since ancient times, and methods of developing prophetic senses.

“Oahspe also provides missing details of ancient historical records regarding the origins of Earth’s major religions. Among them are life stories and teachings of the great prophets and law-givers from the various divisions of the earth, such as Zarathustra of Persia, Brahma, Capilya and Sakaya of India, Abraham and Moses of Egypt, Joshu of Nazareth, Eawahtah of the Americas, and Po, Chine and Confucius of China. Their teachings and doctrines are presented with lessons for a contemporary perspective on a new age that lights the way to Peace and Harmony through spiritual progress. According to Oahspe, all humanity has the responsibility to assist in its own development; and to that end, Oahspe provides ample guidelines for ethical conduct in our day. The book also previews the future, with prophecies and guideposts for the eventual establishment of the Creator’s “kingdom on earth” for all humanity. Oahspe, first published in 1882, is heaven’s gift for our times, and is now available in paperback for the first time in modern language.”

I see no reason to read it again and find the book’s description spurious. And yet, I can’t totally dismiss it since it represents what appears to be an honest attempt to add to the world’s spiritual knowledge. You can read the book for free here.

—Malcolm

Potpourri for 10-15-23

On By Malcolm R. CampbellIn Potpourri, writing
  • “This film will be the biography of the continent’s most magnificent species, an improbable, shaggy beast that nonetheless has found itself at the center of many of our nation’s most thrilling, mythic, and sometimes heartbreaking tales. It is a quintessentially American story, filled with a diverse cast of fascinating characters. But it is also a morality tale encompassing two important and historically significant lessons that resonate today.” – Ken Burns Website.  I’m looking forward to this October 16 and 17.
  • It upsets me to read that “progressive” university students support the terrorist organization Hamas which is backed by Qatar and Iran under the pretense that it’s the real government of Palestine. The reports of Hamas’ attack against Israel read as war crimes, not legitimate protests against Palestinian problems. I stand by Israel against these barbaric terrorist organizations that won’t leave it alone.
  • I continue to enjoy the Kathy Reichs “Temperance Brennan” series of novels, having just ordered the 12th book in the series 206 Bones. I started reading these novels to learn more about the inspiration behind the “Bones” TV series and have not been disappointed. They read well, often put Temperance in danger when she goes into the field on her own recognizance, and have plenty of humor.
  • Temperatures are falling in the South and I very much approve of that since I don’t like the summer heat. As a Leo, I know I should like sunshine, but I much prefer falling leaves and snow storms. I must admit, though, that as I grow older, cold weather bothers me more.
  • As I fight against the stomach infection I got in June from unknown sources, I see that even after two rounds of antibiotics (along with green tea), the old medication Tagament that cured my stomach when this first happened years ago may prove to be the most effective. When I first had it, it was a prescription drug. Now it’s OTC. I’m feeling better.
  • It’s been interesting noting the difference between “Chicago Fire” and the older series “Emergency.” The fire trucks on “Emergency” hit the burning structure with water immediately while “Chicago Fire” sends firefighters into the burning building first to search for those trapped and/or injured without charging up a hose. The “Chicago Fire” approach makes for good drama but intuitively looks like a wrong-headed way to fight fires. My own experience comes from a hands-on Navy fire fighting school. And yes, we learned that water will put out an oil fire.
  • I’m happy to see that Hope Clark, a long-time force behind the site Funds for Writers, is maintaining a high-impact novelist career with her books, The Carolina Slade Mysteries,  The Edisto Island Mysteries, and The Craven County Mysteries. The books are compelling and well-written, If you haven’t found them yet, you have gems awaiting you. I enjoy these books that are set in the South where Hope lives with her husband who was in law enforcement. Each of the series has believable characters fighting against real problems.

–Malcolm

Fruit of the Vine

On By Malcolm R. CampbellIn Life, writing

A recent headline in Forbes said, “France Has So Much Extra Wine, It’s Paying Farmers $215 Million To Destroy It.” That’s just sad. Not because I drink French wine, but because wine is a magical drink that does wonderful things for the world.

France should sell all that wine to the countless Facebook users who claim to drink wine like there’s no tomorrow. There are countless memes, including, “I cook with wine. Sometimes I put it in the food.”

Facebook has 2.9 billion active users. France produces eight million bottles of wine a year. France’s wine surplus might, perhaps, be raken care of if Facebook bought France rather like Musk buying Twitter. However, there a culture clash here since French  wines are intended to be paired with food and Facebook consumption of wine is paired with everything else.

Biltmore Winery

When I visit the Biltmore estate in Asheville, NC, I do pair my wine with food inasmuch as their restaurants serve wine from the estate’s winnery. These are some of my favorite meals because the wine and the food are superior. Elsewhere, I usually drink the most inexpensive wine on restaurant menus (not founting the stuff sold in 55-gallon drums).

In “Fruit of the vine, our spiritual drink,” Stacy Woods writes that,  “Instead, let’s talk about wine in religious settings. For many Christians and Jews alike, the fruit of the vine is holier than any other and plays a significant role in the celebration of faith. A spiritual drink is used to sanctify daily prayers, on holy days, and at weddings, births and deaths. It can be red, white, pink, dry or sweet wine, or even simply grape juice.” This view is, I think, important to many people’s consumption of wine.

Unlike people who drink beer by the six-pack, wine drinkers don’t normally plan to get drunk. They intend to enlarge and, perhaps, santify, their experiences on the journey of life. Wine can be paired with anything meaningful.

I am thinking of wine today because I’m having my first glass in many weeks inasmuch as the antibiotic I was taking could not be paired with alcohol. I don’t know yet if the antibiotics did what they were suposed to do, but I do know that several glasses of Yellowtail Shiraz have paired wll with my mood.

—Malcolm

‘America’s Most Influential Journalist and Premier Political Cartoonist: The Life, Times and Legacy of Thomas Nast’ by John Adler

On By Malcolm R. CampbellIn history, writing

“America’s best-ever political cartoonist is renowned for creating the Republican Elephant and popularizing the Democratic Donkey. He also created the modern images of Santa Claus and Uncle Sam, influenced five victorious Presidential elections, and satirically commented on seven administrations.” – John Adler’s website (This website is a treasure trove of Nast’s political cartoons and other drawings, including the iconic image of Santa shown here.)

“Thomas Nast, September 26, 1840 – December 7, 1902) was a German-born American caricaturist and editorial cartoonist often considered to be the “Father of the American Cartoon.'” – Wikipedia.

From the Publisher

“Summary review by 19th Century cartoon historian and author Richard Samuel West:

“‘After more than 100 years of having to rely on Albert Bigelow Paine’s entertaining but hagiographic and error-filled Thomas Nast His Period and His Pictures (1904), we finally have a biography of America’s greatest political cartoonist worthy of replacing it. John Adler has created a meticulous, comprehensive, fair, and accurate biography of the father of American cartooning. With more than two decades devoted to studying Nast’s entire massive output behind him, Adler is the perfect guide for 21st century readers interested in understanding Nast’s cartoons, learning about the politics that prompted them, and discerning the impact they had. At the end of journeying through this massive tome, we are left with an appreciation of Nast and his extraordinary achievement like never before.'”

“The power and influence of Nast’s cartoons largely emanated from their repetition over weeks or months as his stories unfolded and he banged his points home in Harper’s Weekly, whose financial strength, reach and dominance made it the country’s leading illustrated newspaper. This 830-page biography contains 1,000 Nast cartoons, illustrations, sketches, and paintings — 800 from Harper’s Weekly and the balance from Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper (25), New-York Illustrated News (47) and other publications, plus 100 cartoons on Nast-related topics by 20 other artists like Joseph Keppler of Puck — each with its principal characters identified and its content and context explained. The manually-created Index, predicated solely on Nast’s work — provides a unique, encyclopedic reference resource. Visualize the downfall of corrupt Boss (William M.) Tweed and his Ring of Thieves, the Civil War, Reconstruction, six Presidential campaigns, and Nast’s legacy: the Republican Elephant, modern images of Santa Claus and Uncle Sam (all created by him) and the Democratic Donkey (popularized by him).”

We studied Nast’s work in journalism school as well as American history classes. I’m pleased to see this definitive biography published last year and hope that it brings is work to a wider adience.

–Malcolm

‘The Urantia Book’

On By Malcolm R. CampbellIn books, writing1 Comment

“The Urantia Book (sometimes called The Urantia Papers or The Fifth Epochal Revelation) is a spiritual, philosophical, and religious book that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States sometime between 1924 and 1955. The authorship remains a matter of debate. It has received various degrees of interest ranging from praise to criticism for its religious and science-related content, its unusual length, and the unusual names and origins of the authors named within the book.” Wikipedia

I read this 2000-page book thirty or forty years ago. For an individual reared in a Presbyterian household, I found it strange but fascinating, and when I reached the end I had no doubt that I would never subscribe to its point of view.

While the book is available from Amazon, it’s in the public domain, and with a little searching around, one can find free copies. If your curiosity exceeds the scope of the publisher’s description, you can find more information on the website of the Urantia Foundation. The Wikipedia article, quoted above, includes some of the book’s criticisms including the charge that some portions were taken without attribution from other works.

From the Publisher

“You have just discovered the literary masterpiece that answers your questions about God, life in the inhabited universe, the history and future of this world, and the life of Jesus. The Urantia Book harmonizes history, science, and religion into a philosophy of living that brings new meaning and hope into your life. If you are searching for answers, read The Urantia Book!

“The world needs new spiritual truth that provides modern men and women with an intellectual pathway into a personal relationship with God. Building on the world’s religious heritage, The Urantia Book describes an endless destiny for humankind, teaching that living faith is the key to personal spiritual progress and eternal survival. These teachings provide new truths powerful enough to uplift and advance human thinking and believing for the next 1000 years.

“A third of The Urantia Book is the inspiring story of Jesus’ entire life and a revelation of his original teachings. This panoramic narrative includes his birth, childhood, teenage years, adult travels and adventures, public ministry, crucifixion, and 19 resurrection appearances. This inspiring story recasts Jesus from the leading figure of Christianity into the guide for seekers of all faiths and all walks of life.”

–Malcolm

PEN AMERICA APPLAUDS NOBEL PEACE PRIZE FOR WRITER AND HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST NARGES MOHAMMADI

On By Malcolm R. CampbellIn authors, writing

Nobel Committee recognizes the immense courage and dedication of PEN America Honoree Narges Mohammadi and all the writers and cultural workers like her in Iran

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 6, 2023

(NEW YORK)— The Nobel Peace Prize awarded today to imprisoned Iranian writer, human rights activist, and 2023 PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award honoree Narges Mohammadi recognizes her singular courage in standing against government repression of women, writers, activists, intellectuals, and cultural figures who face unspeakable consequences for daring to speak out or write, PEN America said.

Narges Mohammadi

Commenting on the award, PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel said, “The awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Iranian writer and activist Narges Mohammadi is a tribute to her courage and that of countless women and girls who have poured out into the streets of Iran and faced down one of the world’s most brutal and stubborn regimes, risking their lives to demand their rights. For those of us at PEN America, Narges is an inspiration and also a personal friend, a woman whose story of unyielding defiance at crushing personal costs awakens the righteous indignation within each of us. We applaud the Nobel Committee for putting the weight of its Prize behind the struggle of Narges and all Iranian women for their freedom to dress, behave, think, and write as they wish.”

“Narges’ indefatigable will to be heard, even from the darkest, coldest, and most isolated corners of an Iranian prison, is astounding. She championed change in Iran from her jail cell with a passion and bravery that can truly be described as heroic. As a witness to decades of atrocities, she has used her voice as a catalyst to awaken a new generation to understand that their words are one of humanity’s greatest tools. PEN America enthusiastically congratulates Narges Mohammadi and calls for her immediate release.”

PEN America honored Narges Mohammadi with the 2023 PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award, which her husband, Taghi Rahmani, accepted on her behalf at the PEN America Literary Gala in New York City in May. Conferred annually, the PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award recognizes writers who have been jailed for their expression. PEN America galvanized celebrities including John Mullaney, Colin Jost, Candice Bergen, Diane Sawyer, Alec Baldwin, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and others to rally to Mohammadi’s cause, drawing international media coverage and global recognition of her plight. Of the 53 jailed writers who have been honored with the PEN America Freedom to Write Award since its establishment in 1987, 46 have been released from prison within an average of about 18 months due in part to the global attention and pressure generated by PEN America’s recognition. This is not the first time PEN America’s Award has led directly to the conferral of a Nobel Peace Prize. PEN’s 2009 Freedom to Write honoree Liu Xiaobo, the President of the Independent Chinese PEN Center, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010, the culmination of a campaign set in motion by PEN America.

Narges Mohammadi has been forced to make unimaginable sacrifices for her work, including currently serving multiple sentences totaling more than 10 years in Iran’s notorious Evin Prison, where she has been threatened, beaten, and kept in periods of solitary confinement, a practice she has termed ‘white torture’ in her books and writings. Additionally, it has been almost nine years since Mohammadi last saw her husband and two children, who are now in exile in France. And yet, despite these arduous circumstances, Mohammadi continues to defend human rights and speak out against authoritarianism from within prison, drawing attention both to ongoing political events and to abuses against her fellow prisoners. “They will put me in jail again,” she wrote in her book, White Torture. “But I will not stop campaigning until human rights and justice prevail in my country.”

Mohammadi’s case is among dozens of cases of writers and activists who have faced political repression in Iran in the last year alone. Starting in September 2022, the country was swept by a widespread protest movement in favor of democracy and women’s rights following the state’s killing of Mahsa (Jina) Amini. In response, the Iranian regime further cracked down on free speech and arrested thousands for their participation in, or support of, the demonstrations. Iran’s literary and creative communities continue to use writing, art, and music as vehicles to express political dissent, even in the face of the brutal government crackdown.