Henrietta Ward

Henrietta Mary Ada Ward (1 June 1832, London – 12 July 1924, Slough) was an English historical and genre painter of the Victorian era and the early twentieth century.
Life and work.
Ward belonged to a family that produced professional artists over several generations. Her paternal grandfather was the prominent animal painter James Ward, who was related by marriage to fellow artists John Jackson and George Morland. Her parents were also artists: George Raphael Ward was best known for his printmaking, Mary Webb Ward for her miniatures. (One of her mother's pictures was "Portrait of Henrietta Ward and her Favorite Guinea Pig", 1843.) An only child, the young Henrietta grew up surrounded by and familiar with her parents' artist acquaintances, including Sir Edwin Landseer, C. R. Leslie, and the brothers John James and Alfred Edward Chalon. She studied her craft at the Bloomsbury Art School and the academy started by Henry Sass.
In 1843, when she was 11 years old, Henrietta fell in love with the 27-year-old historical painter Edward Matthew Ward (no relation); they married secretly in May 1848, aided by the groom's friend Wilkie Collins — so that her maiden and married names were the same. (Traditional sources occasionally refer to her as "Henrietta Mary Ada Ward Ward.") Henrietta's mother never forgave the elopement, and disinherited her.
E. M. and Henrietta Ward had eight children, one of whom would be Leslie Ward, the caricaturist and cartoonist known as "Spy." While raising her brood, Henrietta pursued her own artistic career; she worked in various genres, though she, like her husband, was noted for her historical pictures, on subjects like Thomas Chatterton and Elizabeth Fry. She was also noted for her pictures of children; she used her own children as models for her paintings.
One of her most famous paintings was "Palissy the Potter", displayed at the Royal Academy in 1866; it illustrates the incident in which Bernard Palissy accidentally blew up his house while experimenting on ceramic techniques. This and similar works (like "Queen Mary quitting Stirling Castle"; RA 1863 and "Scene from the childhood of Joan of Arc"; RA 1867) made her perhaps the most prominent female history painter of her generation. She gave art lessons to several of the royal children of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.
Both Henrietta Ward and her husband were supporters of the cause of women's suffrage. The Wards traveled in an artistic circle that included figures like Charles Dickens and George Cruikshank. In one account, Dickens and Cruikshank nearly brawled when the teetotaler Cruikshank prevented Henrietta Ward from drinking a glass of sherry at a Dickens party.
She outlived her husband by forty-five years. After his 1879 death, the widow started her own art school to help support her family; like her contemporary Louise Jopling, Henrietta Ward specialized in training young women artists. She also received a pension of £100 for her previous service as a royal teacher. Ward exhibited her work at the Palace of Fine Arts at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, Illinois.
Ward published two autobiographical memoirs, "Mrs. E. M. Ward’s Reminiscences" in 1911 and "Memories of Ninety Years", in the year of her death. Her first book has been called "one of the best accounts of the life of a Victorian lady artist." She left a picture of a near-ideal marriage with a husband who encouraged her work, and who was "always the kindest teacher, the most unfailing friend I have ever known."


Spartaco Fontano

Spartaco Fontanot (born 17 January 1922 at Monfalcone, Italy, and died 21 February 1944, at Fort Mont-Valérien, France) was one of the members of the French resistance shot at Mont Valérien as a member of the Manouchian group. He was an Italian volunteer soldier in the French liberation army FTP-MOI. His name is one of the ten featured on the "affiche rouge", the propaganda poster displayed by the Germans during the trial of the 23 members of the Manouchian group. His photograph is also on the poster, with the caption "Fontanot, Italian communist, 12 attacks".
Early years.
Spartaco Fontanot was born on 17 January in Monfalcone, in the province of Gorizia in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy. He arrived in France at the age of two, his antifascist parents having been obliged to leave Italy when Benito Mussolini came to power.
After elementary school, he took classes at the technical college of Puteaux, which he left with a "certificate of professional aptitude" as a fitter, turner, and draftsman. His wish was to become an engineer, but his parents were not able to help him pursue his studies, and he started at a small factory as a turner. He still harbored the ambition to become an engineer by taking night classes at the "École des Arts et Métiers" in Paris.
Second world war.
At the time of the German occupation in 1941, Fontano quickly devoted himself to the armed struggle, and, in 1942, he volunteered for the FTP's immigrant section in the Paris region, a part of the French forces of the interior (FFI). Unable to divide his efforts, he stopped taking night courses.
In March 1943, the police came to arrest his father and sister. A wanted man, he was forced to quit his parental home.
He took part in numerous attacks and sabotages against the occupying forces and against German officers, notably at Rueil, Place de la Concorde, and even bus stations. Of note are the assassination operations he undertook against , and against General von Schaumburg, the commandant of greater Paris. He also sabotaged many electricity pylons and was rated as an excellent shot. Because of his command experience as the head of an operational detachment under the command of Missak Manouchian, he was appointed lieutenant in the French Forces of the Interior, the FFI (Forces Françaises de l'Intérieur).
Arrested in Paris by the police on 13 November 1943, Fontano did not give them any information. He was transferred to Fresnes prison and sentenced by the military court; his execution took place on 21 February 1944 at Mont Valérien along with 21 of his comrades.
Spartaco Fontanot was one of three heroes in his family; Jacques Fontanot (18 years old) and Nérone Fontanot also gave their lives for the liberation of France.


Katy! the Musical

Katy! the Musical is a Filipino–language biographical musical based on the life of Katy de la Cruz, considered the "Queen of Philippine vaudeville and jazz" with music by Ryan Cayabyab and story and libretto by Jose Javier Reyes.
Synopsis.
Act 1.
Scene 1
Back at their residence, Tatay is confronted by Katy's teacher regarding her attitude at school. It turns out that young Katy is not focused in her studies; rather, she is prone to playing around with her schoolmates. After the teacher finishes her speech, Tatay tells her that he will discipline his daughter regarding the issue, only to end up in shock when he finds out that his daughter has been kicked out of school. When Tatay angrily calls for young Katy, she is found to be hiding in the chest again. Tatay scolds Katy for being hard-headed and tells her that nothing will happen for her if she continues to act this way. Young Katy tells her dad that she will sing instead, since she is good at it and that she makes a lot of money. As they continue their bantering, an "Empresario" (Spanish for Entrepreneur) enters the scene and asks Tatay if he could hire the young Katy to be a singer.
Scene 2
The scene quickly changes to a cockfighting arena, where the young Katy performs for the people ("Tupada"). As the song ends and she starts to collect the loose change they throw at her, a rich man gives her a 20 peso bill for her performance. Shocked, she tries to return the money to the man, but he insists that the money is for her. Young Katy then screams and proceeds to run home to her father, telling him that they will be rich.
Scene 3
At the cinema, Tatay is standing behind the curtain, still trying to convince the now 15-year-old Katy to pursue something else other than performing. Teen Katy tells her father that she is making more money now and that she can afford to buy her parents anything they want. Tatay explains to Katy the difficulties in the theater life, especially for women. Katy then tells her dad to not worry, and that the both of them can take on any challenges that lie ahead. They are interrupted by a voice telling Katy that it's her turn to sing again. After her performance, she goes back to where Tatay is standing. Tatay then tells her that an American came by to ask him if Katy could perform in "Teatro Lux". When Katy starts to get excited again, Tatay tells her that she needs to learn the songs and their lyrics.
Scene 4
At "Teatro Lux", Katy, now a woman, is being watched by the amused cast and crew of the theater while singing ("St. Louie Blues")


Critical Situation

Critical Situation (also known as Situation Critical in the UK) was an American documentary television series. Produced in conjunction with the National Geographic Channel, the series examined various disasters or violent incidents. The main tagline of the show reads, "This is "Situation Critical"," or some variation thereof. As of November 2007, 13 episodes have been aired.


Sindanminsa

Sindanminsa (), literally "History of the Divine Tangun's People", is a history of Korea. It covers the period from the founding of the Gojoseon through the Joseon Dynasty, and was written by Kim Gyoheon in 1904.
The treatise divides Korean history into ten chronological segments: Shinshi, Gojoseon, Buyeo, Several States, North South States Period, Goryeo and Liao Dynasty, Goryeo and Jin dynasty, Goryeo, Joseon, and Korea Empire.


The Gates of Hell (Livingston novel)

The Gates of Hell is a 2016 historical fantasy novel by Michael Livingston. The sequel to "The Shards of Heaven", it explores the aftermath of the fall of Alexandria to Octavian, and the continued struggles of Juba and Cleopatra Selene.
Plot.
Alexandria has fallen to Octavian, now known as Augustus, and both Mark Antony and Cleopatra are dead. A conquered Cleopatra Selene and her husband Juba are compelled to serve Augustus while secretly seeking their vengeance against the Roman Empire using the powerful artifacts known as the Shards of Heaven. While Caesarion has spirited the Ark of the Covenant out of Alexandria for its protection, and Octavian possesses the Trident of Poseidon that only Juba can control, Juba has also acquired the Aegis of Zeus from the Alexandrian tomb of Alexander the Great, and Selene steals the Palladium of Troy from the Temple of the Vestals in Rome. Octavian and Juba are soon alerted to the existence of a fifth Shard, the Lance of Olyndicus, wielded by the Cantabrian bandit Corocotta.
Writing and publication.
Livingston, a historian and professor of medieval literature, said in 2015 about his choice of setting:
Noting that the trilogy "is intended to fall in the gray area between legend and history", Livingston said that while researching it he read "a great many articles and studies that might bring most folk to tears: from scholarly arguments about the construction of Roman triremes to countless ancient descriptions of places like the Great Lighthouse or the Tomb of Alexander the Great."
In a November 2015 interview, Livingston noted that the sequel to "The Shards of Heaven" would be called "The Temples of the Ark". As of January 2016, the author's web site referred to the second installment as "The Gates of Hell".
Livingston previewed the cover of "The Gates of Hell" on his website in March 2016. He said that the image, created by Larry Ronstant, has the same "feel" as the cover of "The Shards of Heaven" and features a dark-skinned Juba wearing a bloody "toga praetexta".


The Nameless Knight

The Nameless Knight (; ) is a 1970 Turkish historical fantasy film directed by Halit Refiğ and starring Cüneyt Arkın, Nebahat Çehre, Pouri Banayi, Birsen Ayda, and Altan Günbay.
Plot.
A young hero, popularly known as "The Nameless Knight", struggles against the tyrannical ruler of Bukhara. The ruler learns that he will be given divine punishment for his wicked deeds and will be killed by his own son. He orders a female to drown his baby son in the river soon after birth but he is left in a basket to float and survives. When the son grows up, he is compelled to kill his father.


The Alice Network

The Alice Network is a 2017 historical fiction novel by American author Kate Quinn. It was a "New York Times" and "USA Today" bestseller.
Plot.
The plot follows pregnant American college student Charlie St. Clair in the aftermath of World War II, as she travels around France looking for her missing cousin, Rose. Her story intersects with that of World War I spy, Eve Gardiner, who joins the fight against the Germans in 1915, with the help of Louise de Bettignies.
Background.
The novel is inspired by the story of the Alice Network, a covert group of women spies who worked during World War I in the area of Lille, France gaining German information and sending it to England
Reception.
"The Alice Network" was a "New York Times" and "USA Today" bestseller. It was named one of NPR's Best Books of the Year.


Il crociato in Egitto

Il crociato in Egitto ("The Crusader in Egypt") is an opera in two acts by Giacomo Meyerbeer, with a libretto by Gaetano Rossi. It was first performed at La Fenice theatre, Venice on 7 March 1824. The part of Armando was sung by the famous castrato, Giovanni Battista Velluti; the opera was probably the last written to feature a castrato. It is the last of Meyerbeer's series of operas in Italian, and became the foundation of the composer's international success.
Performance history.
After its successful Venetian premiere, "Il Crociato" was staged at the Teatro della Pergola in Florence (7 May 1824), Trieste (winter 1824–1825), Padua (summer 1825), and at His Majesty's Theatre in London (3 June 1825, the first of Meyerbeer's operas to be performed in England, also with Velluti in the cast). This encouraged Rossini, who was then managing the Théâtre-Italien, to arrange for its performance in Paris (25 September 1825), where the role of Armando was taken by the mezzo-soprano Giuditta Pasta and Aladino by Nicolas Levasseur. For each of these productions Meyerbeer revised the work and composed new music for parts of it. Over the next twenty to thirty years the opera was performed in almost every major opera house in Europe, and even in Mexico City, Havana and Constantinople.
The opera formed the basis for the composer's future great success. As remarked by the critic of the London magazine, "The Harmonicon", in a review of the 1825 production in Trieste:
Of all living composers, Meyerbeer is the one who most happily combines the easy, flowing and expressive melodies of Italy with the severer beauties, the grander accomplishments, of the German school.
This formula of combining the strengths of both operatic schools, as well as of dramatic stage spectacle and flexible and imaginative use of the orchestra, whilst fully displayed in "Il crociato in Egitto", was to produce maximum effect with Meyerbeer's series of Grand Operas, commencing with "Robert le diable" in 1831.
While it has not been staged complete in the 20th century there have been concert performances in both London and New York City which were recorded on LP. A staged revival was held in Venice in 2007 featuring a natural male soprano Michael Maniaci.
Significant innovations.
After Rossini left for Paris, composers then active in Italy began to take important steps away from Rossini's style in a series of operas which bridged the gap between Rossini and the later "bel canto" style, which was marked by less florid singing and more emphasis on the dramatic side. One of the earliest of these operas is Meyerbeer's "Il crociato in Egitto". It has much in common with Rossini, but, on closer examination, some significant innovations become apparent. One is the even greater complexity of the finale to the first act, especially the use of two contrasting stage bands, which is a precursor of the three bands in "L'étoile du nord". This was a direction opposite to that eventually taken by Bellini and Donizetti, who concentrated more on the lyrical lines of singers than on orchestral handling and larger-scale dramatic form; it marks the experience of Meyerbeer's German training and his association with early German romantic opera, including the work of Carl Maria von Weber. In Adriano's "Suono funereo" there is what may well be one of the earliest cases of that strain of lyrical pathos which was to be such a dominant factor in later bel canto works. Another example is Palmide's big aria in Act 2: "D'una madre sventurata" in which the desperation of the young mother comes through in the music.
Synopsis.
Before the opera begins, Armando, missing presumed dead in fighting, has become confidante to the Sultan Aladino, under an assumed name. He has fallen in love with Aladino's daughter, who has borne him a son, and has secretly converted her to Christianity.
Adriano arrives at the Sultan's palace to negotiate a truce. There he recognises Armando, as does Felicia, who has disguised herself as a knight to find her betrothed. Armando and the other Christian prisoners are thereupon sentenced to imprisonment and death. The ambitious Osmino arms the prisoners under Armando with the intention of killing the Sultan, but Armando exposes his treachery to the Sultan and instead kills Osmino. The Sultan relents, peace is agreed with the Knights and Armando and Palmide are reunited.
References.
Notes
Sources


Richard Westall

Richard Westall (2 January 1765 – 4 December 1836) was an English painter and illustrator of portraits, historical and literary events, best known for his portraits of Byron. He was also Queen Victoria's drawing master.
Biography.
Westall was the more successful of two half-brothers (both sons of a Benjamin Westall, from Norwich) who both became painters. His younger half-brother was William Westall (1781–1850), a much-travelled landscape painter.
Born on 2 January 1765 in Reepham near Norwich (where he was baptised at All Saints on 13 January in the same year), Richard Westall moved to London after the death of his mother and the bankruptcy of his father in 1772. Westall was apprenticed to a heraldic silver engraver in 1779, where he was encouraged to become a painter by John Alefounder; he then began studying at the Royal Academy School of Arts from 10 December 1785. He exhibited at the Academy regularly between 1784 and 1836, became an Associate in November 1792 and was elected an Academician on 10 February 1794. From 1790 to 1795 he shared a house with Thomas Lawrence (later Sir), the future Royal Academy president, at 57 Greek Street, on the corner of Soho Square, each of the artists placing their name on one of the entrances.
Works.
His works – many in watercolour – caused great interest in the late years of the 18th century when he was considered by his chief patron Richard Payne Knight to be an outstanding artist of the picturesque. He painted works in a neoclassical style for John Boydell's Shakespeare Gallery and for Henry Fuseli's Milton Gallery. His painting of John Milton and his daughters hangs in Sir John Soane's Museum in London. A number of scenes in which Westall depicts events in the life of Horatio Nelson are at the National Maritime Museum.
Westall was a prolific book illustrator of both fiction and poetry, including the works of Sir Walter Scott, Oliver Goldsmith, William Cowper and Thomas Gray. Byron, who greatly admired his work, stated that "the brush has beat the poetry". Westall was commissioned to provide illustrations to John Boydell's editions of Shakespeare and John Milton. He also illustrated editions of the Bible, including one with John Martin. His oil painting "Christ Crowned with Thorns" is the altarpiece at All Souls Church, Langham Place, London.
His portraiture, in a style similar to Lawrence's, included Princess Victoria (later Queen Victoria, for whom he was art teacher for eight years before his death on 4 December 1836), and Richard Ayton, a writer who collaborated with landscape artist William Daniell (Westall's brother-in-law).
Richard Westall is perhaps best known for several portraits of Lord Byron. One of these hangs in the National Portrait Gallery in London, another at Hughenden Manor, and a third in the House of Lords.).


Medina (board game)

Medina is a board game designed by Stefan Dorra and published by Hans im Glück and Rio Grande Games in 2001. In the game, three or four players compete to be the most influential developer of Medina, a desert city near the Atlas Mountains in 1822. Variations of the game allow 2 or 5 players. The game was nominated for the 2001 Deutscher Spiele Preis and the 2003 Jeu de l'année, but won neither prize.
Game play.
The gameboard is a 16 by 11 grid of squares representing the city. Each edge is lined by rectangles where the wall of the city is to be built and each corner is labelled with one of the numbers one through four. In a four-player game, each player receives 5 building pieces in each of four colors, 3 stable pieces, 6 inhabitant pieces, 8 wall pieces, and 4 dome pieces. Only the dome pieces correspond to the proprietary color of the player. At each turn, players place two pieces on the board; the game ends when no player can make a legal play, at which time the player with the most points is declared the winner.
Building places may be placed on any open space on the board. However, if a building already exists on the board, other pieces of that color must be attached, unless a player has claimed that building as their own by topping it with their dome. Distinct buildings cannot be built such that they touch each other in any way. Each player scores one point for each building piece in each of their buildings and a bonus of one to four points for having the largest building in any given color. Players can have only one building in each color.
Stables may be added to any building on the board including a building already topped by dome. Stables count for scoring as if they were a building section in all ways, including determining the largest building in a color.
The first inhabitant may be placed anywhere on the board. Thereafter, inhabitants must be built in a continuous line with no branches or loops. A player scores one point for each inhabitant bordering a building they have claimed.
The wall sections may be placed in wall spaces in a straight, uninterrupted line originating from any corner. Each wall section touching a building earns the owner of that building one point. Furthermore, the last player to touch a sequence of wall pieces with one of their buildings earns a number of points equal to the value of the corner that the wall originates.
Players may only pass if they have no legal moves, meaning that moves benefiting other players must be made if no other legal moves exist. The score is tallied at the end, meaning that intermediate ownership of wall bonuses or building size bonuses have no bearing on the final score.


Bad North

Bad North is a real-time strategy video game developed by Plausible Concept (a game studio in Malmö, Sweden, founded by Oskar Stålberg and Richard Meredith) and published by Raw Fury. The game was released on August 20, 2018, for the Nintendo Switch, then for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on August 28. A Microsoft Windows version was released on October 16, 2018. Versions for the mobile platforms Android and iOS followed on October 16, 2019.
Gameplay.
"Bad North" focuses on real-time tactics gameplay, having two game modes: normal and hard mode. The main goal is to defend the kingdom from the attacking Viking invaders who killed the king, and to guide the island's people to evacuate. Islands have different layouts so each poses a different challenge. They are divided into multiple tiles and have houses, with Vikings attacking from any corner, so the player's strategy must be well planned to get the opportunity to save the people from the enemy by protecting the houses. The Viking invaders will chuck torches into the houses, and if they burn completely the player will not earn coins for those houses. Gold is needed to get upgrades for units and level up commanders' defenses. The player can also pick up items (represented as question marks in the map) and add new commanders to the Army.
Expansions.
On July 24, 2019 a free expansion for Bad North called "Jotunn Edition" was released.
Reception.
The game was nominated for Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year at the D.I.C.E. Awards.


Lost Lives

Lost Lives: The Stories of the Men, Women and Children who Died as a Result of the Northern Ireland Troubles is a book that details the lives of people that died as a result of The Troubles in Northern Ireland. It was written by Brian Feeney, Seamus Kelters, David McKittrick, David McVea and Chris Thornton and published 1999. The book was adapted into a film of the same name in 2019.
The book was written by the journalists Seamus Kelters of the BBC, David McKittrick of "The Independent", and the Belfast journalists Brian Feeney and Chris Thornton.
Book.
The authors researched the book for 7 years prior to its publication in 1999. The first edition of the book details the lives of 3,636 people who died as a result of The Troubles from 1966 to 1999. The information detailed includes the "name, date of death, location, profession, religion, age and marital status, together with a brief summary of the circumstances of the particular death".
The book was published by the Scottish publishers Mainstream Publishing of Edinburgh. It was reprinted in 2008. The book was out of print by December 2020, and Chris Thornton said that he and the surviving authors did not wish the book to be reprinted. Thornton said that much more material had become available since the book was published and he and the other authors had hoped to update it but no publishers were interested. Thornton said that he and the other authors were opposed to any potential governmental involvement in the reprinting of the book as it would "leave it open to political influence". The death of co-author Seamus Kelters also affected them emotionally. Thornton said that "It's wonderful that the book is still being recognised as important...But it's in the past".
It was announced in January 2021 that the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland had received an archive relating to the book consisting of "265 folders of mainly newspaper cuttings relating to most of those individuals who died as a result of the conflict".
The word 'murder' is not used in the book, even though it features in quotes and legal charges bought against individuals involved in the deaths that the book chronicles. Co-author David McKittrick said that the book was intended to be as "unemotional and flat as possible".
Film.
A film based on the book premiered at the 2019 London Film Festival and was broadcast on BBC One in February 2020. The film features voiceovers from the actors Kenneth Branagh, Roma Downey, Adrian Dunbar, Brendan Gleeson, Ciarán Hinds, Sean McGinley, Liam Neeson, James Nesbitt, Stephen Rea, and Bronagh Waugh. It is 90 minutes in duration. The film features graphic contemporary footage of the Troubles that is juxtaposed against imagery of the natural landscape of Northern Ireland including rivers, waterfalls, and a swan. The lives of 18 people from the book are detailed by voice overs in the film. The deaths chosen for inclusion in the film are broadly representative of the ratio of deaths of Irish republicans, Loyalist paramilitaries and forces of the British state.
The emotive style of the film contrasts with the "deliberately dispassionate" form of the book. The authors approved of the contrasting styles. Co-author David McKittrick described the film as "full of emotion and raw grief. It is very powerful and it came as a shock to me. But it's a decision we wholly approve of. There is no objection whatsoever from us. They have decided to go for the horror and I believe in some of the first screenings of the film, there were actual gasps in the audience".
The film was directed by Michael Hewitt and Dermot Lavery. Hewitt said he felt the actors were not just "lending their voices but giving their voice in support of what the film represents for us" which was "A reminder of the terrible loss, in the hope that we do not repeat the mistakes of our past". Lavery said that the book was "...a riposte, a challenge to all of us, for allowing this terrible loss of life, all this grief and heartache in the place where we lived" and that "You just need to hold the book in your hand and feel the weight of that loss".
The book and the film do not mention peace talks and negotiations that sought to bring a cessation of the conflict.
Robert McCrum in his 2000 review of the book for "The Guardian" wrote that "It is not fiction, though it is full of heartrending stories, any one of which might provide a gifted writer with the bare bones of a shattering novel. It is not biography, though it is full of ordinary people's lives. It is not really journalism, though it has been compiled by four journalists who may, collectively, have just written the book of their career" and that "There is not space to do justice to the scholarly comprehensiveness, the magisterial evenhandedness or the moral integrity of this astonishing book. Now that the Troubles seem to be over, the publication of Lost Lives is perhaps the great monument for which the bloody history of Northern Ireland has been waiting".
Reception.
Mike McCahill in "The Guardian" wrote that "The variation of voices staves off any monotony inherent in the list format, and each story opens up some revealing front. Collectively, they provide a renewed sense of just how widespread and all-consuming the Troubles were, how they caught up combatants and civilians, young and old alike" and that "there are images here that couldn't have been shown on the nightly news, interrupting the detachment instilled in the original prose". The "jolting contrast" of the dialogue and imagery is noted with the "enduring beauty of the Irish landscape" set against "todays gleamingly secure pleasure palaces, built after civil war was replaced by something like peace".


Nicolette (novel)

Orczy's Nicolette is a re-telling of the medieval French story "Aucassin and Nicolette".


Szlama Grzywacz

Szlama Grzywacz (1909-1944) was one of the members of the French resistance executed at the fort of Mont Valérien as a member of the Manouchian group, a volunteer of the French liberation army FTP-MOI. His name is one of the ten which featured on the "Affiche Rouge" displayed by the Germans during the trial of the 23 captured members of the Manouchian group. His photograph is displayed with the caption "Grzywacz juif polonais 2 attentats" (Grzywacz, Polish Jew, 2 attacks).
Biography.
Early years.
Szlama Grzywacz was born in Wołomin, Poland in 1909, to a working-class family. He was obliged to work from a young age.
At 16 years old, he joined the youth wing of the Communist Party of Poland (KPP), where he became an active militant. In 1931, he was arrested by the regime of Józef Piłsudski and condemned to five years in prison. Invigorated by his incarceration, he resumed his activism on release. His friends advised him to leave Poland to escape persecution by the police.
Grzywacz arrived in Paris in 1936 but soon left for Spain, where he fought in the International Brigades against General Francisco Franco's revolt and the worldwide threat of fascism. After the defeat of the republican army, he spent time in the concentration camps of Gurs and et Argelès-sur-Mer, but managed to get away.
Second world war.
In the German occupation of France during World War II, Grzywacz became active in the underground trade unionism movement. He organized Jewish workers in the fur industry. However, he regarded this work to be too sedate for him, and joined the FTP-MOI where he fought against the Germans. He slipped between the fingers of the "Gestapo" during their massive arrest operation against foreign fighters.
Grzywacz' experience as a fighter for republican Spain and the Francs-Tireurs prepared him for the suffering he was to endure when he was brought before a German military tribunal, sentenced to death, and executed on the 21 February 1944 at Mont Valérien.


Francisco Pradilla Ortiz

Francisco Pradilla Ortiz (24 July 1848 – 1 November 1921) was a prolific Spanish painter famous for creating historical scenes.
Biography.
He was born in Villanueva de Gállego, in Zaragoza Province and began his studies in Zaragoza. He then transferred to the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando and, later, the "Academia de Acuarelistas" (Academy of Watercolorists) in Madrid.
In 1873, he became one of the first students chosen to study at the new . From there he had opportunities to travel to France and Venice and studied the old masters.
In 1878 he submitted his painting "Doña Joanna the Mad" or (Juana la Loca) to the National Exhibition of Fine Arts (Spain) and was awarded the Medal of Honor. In 1879, the Spanish Senate then commissioned him to create "La Rendición de Granada" (The Surrender of Granada), which took him three years to complete.
In 1881 he became the Director of the , but resigned from this post after two years. He traveled, mostly in Italy, portraying local themes and people. In 1897 he returned to Madrid as the director of the Museo del Prado. He held this position only briefly and then focused again on painting.
His total output is well over 1,000 paintings showing his interest in a variety of subjects and styles, often without regard of the current fashion. He is primarily recognized for his historical paintings; the last one completed in 1910 carries one of the longer titles of a major painting, "Cortejo del bautizo del Príncipe Don Juan, hijo de los Reyes Católicos, por las calles de Sevilla" (Retinue of the Baptism of Don Juan, son of the Catholic Monarchs, Along the Streets of Seville).
Much more common, however, are costumbristas—often romanticized studies that show local customs or manners—and landscapes that are often sketchy, with impressionistic influences. Financial duress after the bankruptcy of his bank may have imposed a special need to be productive.


Comic Book Superheroes Unmasked

Comic Book Superheroes Unmasked is a television documentary that aired on The History Channel in 2003. The film is about the history of the American comic book industry from its origins in the 1930s to the present day, and how comic books have mirrored and affected the society around them. It featured traditional historians, people from inside the industry such as Stan Lee, and people who grew up reading comic books.
People featured in the documentary included Frank Miller, Denny O'Neil, Jim Steranko, Michael Chabon, Will Eisner, Kevin Smith, Neil Gaiman, Avi Arad, Joe Quesada, Paul Levitz, Mike Richardson, Stan and Joan Lee, and Bradford Wright. Keith David also appears as the narrator.


War Paint (musical)

War Paint is a musical with book by Doug Wright, music by Scott Frankel, and lyrics by Michael Korie, based both on Lindy Woodhead's 2004 book "War Paint" and on the 2007 documentary film "The Powder & the Glory" by Ann Carol Grossman and Arnie Reisman. The musical focuses on the lives of and rivalry between 20th-century female entrepreneurs Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein.
Overview.
The musical relates the rivalry between two important women of the cosmetics industry, Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein, from the 1930s to the 1960s. Elizabeth Arden was the daughter of a Canadian farmer and presented her products as emblems of an upper-class life of comfort. Helena Rubinstein, from Poland, "emphasized science", promising an "exotic look." That was "code for Jewish" according to Scott Frankel.
Doug Wright noted: “Together, they not only forged an industry, but a way of life...They absolutely shattered glass ceilings as women in industry." Frankel, explaining the musical style, said: "I’m a huge fan of music from the 1930s, ‘40s, ‘50s and ’60s and, without making it a pastiche, I soaked my brain in the fluids of those periods to see what absorbed naturally."
Productions.
On November 12, 2015 the Goodman Theatre in Chicago announced its hosting of the world premiere of "War Paint" which under the direction of Michael Greif previewed from June 28, 2016 prior to its official July 18-August 21, 2016 run. The production starred Patti LuPone as Rubinstein and Christine Ebersole as Arden, with John Dossett as Tommy Lewis, Arden's husband, Douglas Sills, as Harry Fleming, Rubinstein's confidante, and Erik Liberman as Revlon founder Charles Revson. The musical featured scenic design by David Korins, costume design by Catherine Zuber, lighting design by Kenneth Posner, sound design by Brian Ronan, orchestrations by Bruce Coughlin, and choreography by Christopher Gattelli.
On October 13, 2016 it was announced that "War Paint" would be produced on Broadway playing at the Nederlander Theatre in previews from March 7, 2017 and officially opening April 6. Additional featured cast includes Dossett, Sills, and Liberman reprising their roles from the Chicago production. After strong box office returns in the first weeks of its run "War Paint" failed to remain an audience draw into the summer and in mid-September a December 30, 2017 closing date was posted: the musical's closing would in fact be moved up to November 5, 2017, to accommodate LuPone's need for have hip replacement surgery. Including previews, "War Paint" played on Broadway for 269 performances.
The Broadway production received 4 Tony Award nominations. Both Christine Ebersole and Patti LuPone were nominated for Best Actress in a Musical, David Korins for Best Scenic Design of a Musical and Catherine Zuber for Best Costume Design of a Musical.
Plot.
Act I.
In 1935 Manhattan, several society women fret over the beauty ideals imposed on them by an unforgiving culture ("Best Face Forward"). A red door beckons them inside Elizabeth Arden's salon, where they are greeted by the Arden Girls and then by Elizabeth Arden herself ("Behind the Red Door"). Elizabeth's husband Tommy informs her that Helena Rubinstein plans to relaunch her company in America. Meanwhile, Helena arrives in Manhattan with her marketing director Harry Fleming and tells him that, while she's never met Elizabeth in person, she still plans to undo her ("Back on Top").
When Helena extols her latest face cream, an unfazed Elizabeth reassures Tommy that her iconic pink packaging will always trump pseudo-science. Harry urges Helena to market her cream as two separate products: one for the daytime and one for the nighttime. Helena consents, causing her sales to surpass Elizabeth's. Tommy urges Elizabeth to give him a promotion, but she is reluctant to do so because she believes it will make her look weak ("My Secret Weapon").
One night, while having dinner at the St. Regis Hotel, Elizabeth overhears Helena and Harry talking in an adjoining banquette. She learns that Helena longs for inclusion and that Harry feels undervalued ("My American Moment"). When Harry storms off after Helena mentions her knowing about his late-night trysts, Elizabeth gives him her card and invites him to a job interview.
Sometime later, Harry meets with Elizabeth and insists on working as her Vice President of Sales. Despite her initial reluctance, Elizabeth agrees to Harry's demands after Tommy walks in on them. Harry tells Helena about his new job and hits the town with an errant sailor while Tommy enjoys a night out with several of the Arden Girls. When Elizabeth catches him in the steam room with one of the girls, she promptly fires him and demands a divorce ("Step on Out"). Both women wonder what their lives would be had they been born male ("If I'd Been a Man").
While receiving a visit from nail polish salesman Charles Revson and his hand model Dorian Leigh, Elizabeth becomes intrigued with Dorian as she sees vestiges of her former self in the up-and-comer ("Better Yourself"). Meanwhile, after being approached by Tommy about a job, Helena suggests they work together to destroy Elizabeth's reputation by telling the FDA her skin cream doubles as horse salve ("Oh, That's Rich").
In 1939 Washington, D.C., Elizabeth appears at a Senate Committee hearing and offers a spirited defense to committee chairman Senator Royal Copeland. Fully aware that Tommy deliberately sold her out, Elizabeth reports Helena and forces her to testify before the committee. Following Helena's testimony, however, Copeland chides both women and claims their efforts to undermine one another only resulted in them incriminating themselves. Alone and bereft, the two wonder what it would be like if they actually met ("Face to Face").
Act II.
As dismayed society ladies across Manhattan read the obligatory labels on Arden and Rubinstein products ("Inside of the Jar"), both women discover that war has broken out in Europe. Helena decides to buoy the spirits of women dedicated to the war effort with a brand new line while Elizabeth learns that the War Office is rationing silk and nylon and vows to do her part by inventing products without them ("Necessity Is the Mother of Invention").
In the post-war years, both women thrive financially and open salons in fashionable neighborhoods across America ("Best Face Forward [Reprise]"). One day, Helena is dining at the St. Regis when she learns she lost the bid on a Park Avenue penthouse because its Board of Directors finds her too Jewish. She overhears Elizabeth being rejected by the elite Mayfair Club because they find her too nouveau riche and gloats over her rival getting a much-needed taste of her own prejudice ("Now You Know").
In the 1950s, Tommy and Harry urge their respective employers to update their ad campaigns. When CBS President Bill Paley offers them sponsorship of the new game show "The $64,000 Question," both women refuse ("No Thank You"). During the show's premiere, they are shocked to learn that the sponsor is Charles Revson's newly formed company Revlon, which features Dorian Leigh in an ad campaign that celebrates sex appeal ("Fire and Ice").
Following the premiere, Helena fires Tommy for failing to alert her to the danger Revlon now poses while Elizabeth fires Harry when he dares to say "I told you so." Both men commiserate at a bar, fully aware that their former employers are digging their own graves by failing to keep up with the times ("Dinosaurs").
Several years later, Elizabeth's Board of Directors pressures her to name a successor, prompting her to opine about how her entire résumé has been pared down to her patented color ("Pink"). Helena, meanwhile, is pressured by her attorneys to save on taxes by donating her large portrait collection. She refuses, insisting that, unlike the creams she spent her entire life championing, the paintings are what preserve her immortality ("Forever Beautiful").
At a gala organized by the American Women's Association in 1964, both women find themselves face to face after being accidentally invited to deliver the keynote address. The two argue until Helena notices that Elizabeth is wearing a shade of her lipstick. The two eventually realize that they had a shared goal that surpassed their bitter rivalry ("Beauty in the World"). As they are ushered to the stage, their handler Tulip thanks the former cosmetics moguls for "all you've done to – I mean "for" – women." Upon hearing this, both women pause and wonder who will defend beauty in an ever-coarsening world ("Finale").
Cast.
Source: Internet Broadway Database
Critical response.
In his review of the Chicago production, Peter Marks in "The Washington Post" praised LuPone and Ebersole and the score: "LuPone and Ebersole wrap their prodigious voices around a score by Scott Frankel and Michael Korie that rings with the kind of exhilaratingly brassy notes that match the chutzpah of their characters’ ambitions... In the twilight is where both LuPone's and Ebersole's performances gain their essential poignancy..." and the story line: ""War Paint" conveys with tremendous authority what it must have been like for both women to have assumed the traditionally masculine role of running a major company..."
The Broadway production of "War Paint" typically received what were deemed mixed reviews with critics seemingly unanimous in praise for stars LuPone and Ebersole but generally less enthused about the overall production, as posited by "HuffPost" critic Christian Lewis: ""War Paint" certainly is not a revolutionary (or even a very well-written or conceived) musical"... "[but while] the show itself and the cast as a whole may be lackluster and flawed [its two] leading ladies are certainly deserving of praise[:] Lupone [is] hilariously campy and intense[;] Ebersole...serious and passionate"..."In reality "War Paint" is a glorified concert for Ebersole and LuPone"..."[whose] magnificent performances...are an absolute must-see"..."[although] these vocal powerhouses cannot...fully [redeem] this flawed musical with its bad lyrics, lazy staging, and entirely bland supporting cast."
Subsequent productions.
In April 2019 "War Paint" made its regional theatre debut with nine performances produced by Community Theatre of Little Rock. A production by the Kalamazoo Civic Players is scheduled for May 3–19, 2019.


An Ocean Apart

An Ocean Apart is a 1988 BBC television documentary series on British-American relations in the 20th century presented by David Dimbleby. The series explores the relationship between the United Kingdom and the United States from World War I to the 1980s, and examines the people, ideas, and events that have shaped the mutual history of the two nations. The series is produced by Adam Curtis.
Background.
The series took three years to make, and overran its budget. David Dimbleby convinced the BBC management to air the series on BBC One, where it could garner a larger audience, rather than on the more highbrow BBC Two. Dimbleby also wrote a book to accompany the series.
Episodes.
Part 1. 'Hats Off to Mr Wilson'.
This episode tells how the Americans were dragged reluctantly into the First World War, of their journey across the Atlantic, their welcome in Liverpool, and their disillusion when the war was over. For President Woodrow Wilson, victory had turned sour, but America had started its journey towards world leadership.
Part 2. 'Home in Pasadena'.
This episode examines the economic relations between England and the United States during the 1920s and discusses how free trade and mass production techniques after World War I changed British and U.S. manufacturing and created economic rivalry between the two countries.
Part 3. 'Here Come The British! Bang! Bang!'.
This episode about the 1930s discusses how America is reluctant to enter World War II on Britain's side. Charles Lindbergh encourages U.S. neutrality in the war but Roosevelt decides to aid Britain.
Part 4. 'Trust Me To The Bitter End'.
America and Britain ally in World War II to defeat Nazi Germany. Clear U.S. dominance develops with the creation of the atom bomb.
Part 5. 'If You Don't Like Our Peaches, Quit Shaking Our Tree'.
In a reversal of roles, Britain becomes isolationist and the United States a superpower. Britain's dependence on the US becomes clear after the Suez crisis.
Part 6. 'Under The Eagle's Wing'.
Britain cooperates with the United States during the Cuban Missile Crisis but avoids involvement in Vietnam.
Part 7. 'Turning Up The Volume'.
During the 1980s, the United States and Britain form an alliance against the Soviet Union.


Lawman (TV series)

Lawman is an American Western television series originally telecast on ABC from 1958 to 1962, starring John Russell as Marshal Dan Troop and Peter Brown as Deputy Marshal Johnny McKay. The series was set in Laramie, Wyoming, during 1879 and the 1880s. Warner Bros. already had several Western series on the air at the time.
Prior to the beginning of production, Russell, Brown, and producer Jules Schermer made a pact to maintain the quality of the series so that it would not be seen as "just another Western". At the start of season two, Russell and Brown were joined by Peggie Castle as Lily Merrill, the owner of the Birdcage Saloon, and a love interest for Dan.
The main sponsor of the series was the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company through their Camel cigarettes brand. The alternate sponsor was General Mills. The two main stars did spots endorsing Camel cigarettes and Cheerios breakfast cereal.
Premise.
Dan Troop leaves Abilene, Kansas, for the town of Laramie, Wyoming. He is offered the town marshal's job after the previous marshal, David Lemp, is murdered. On the way into town, he meets Johnny McKay, who is placing a tombstone on Lemp's grave. Johnny mistakes Dan for a crook, but they meet up later again at the cafe owned by Lemp's widow Dru, played by Bek Nelson, where Johnny works as a dishwasher. Dan puts a sign in the window of the marshal's office that reads, "Deputy Wanted". Johnny applies for the job, but Dan turns him down, because he believes that, at the age of 19, Johnny is too young. Dan later comes across Lacey Hawks, played by Edd Byrnes, in the Bluebonnet Saloon. Lacey tries to coax Dan into a gunfight, but Dan arrests him, instead. Lacey promises Dan that his two brothers Flynn, played by Jack Elam, and Walt, played by Lee Van Cleef, will come after him. Johnny tells Dan that Flynn is the one who killed Marshal Lemp, and that the whole town saw him do it, but were too afraid to stand up to him. He again volunteers to help Dan take them down, but Troop refuses. Johnny tells him that he cannot take both remaining Hawks brothers alone. Dan goes out to face them, anyway. Dan shoots Flynn, but then hears another shot from behind him. Dan sees Walt fall dead, and then turns around to see Johnny standing there with a rifle in his hand. Dan motions for Johnny to follow him back into the office, and then takes down the "Deputy Wanted" sign.
During the course of season one, Troop teaches Johnny the fundamentals of law enforcement. Frequently, while Troop is pursuing outlaws, Johnny remains behind to guard the town. In seasons two through four, though, Johnny becomes more involved in the action and carries some entire episodes by himself (such as in the season-three episode "Chantey" and season-four episode2 "The Youngest"). During season one, the episodes maintain a serious tone, but when Lily arrives at the start of season two, the scripts begin incorporating some comedic elements that lighten the tone, as well as some elements of romance, as Dan Troop and Lily Merrill's friendship grows. Johnny always addressed Marshal Dan Troop as "Mr. Troop" or "Sir" throughout the series run. Throughout season one, Troop usually called Johnny "Boy" with a tone indicating that it was aimed at Johnny's age; as the series progressed, Troop called Johnny by name more often than not, and only occasionally called him "Boy", though now with a tone indicating it was a term of friendship.
Main characters.
Dan Troop, played by John Russell, is the town marshal of Laramie. Russell based the character on an officer that he knew in the United States Marine Corps. Dan is a hardnosed, by-the-book, seasoned lawman, who is quick with a gun, and also good with his fists. Russell, who was 37 years old when he got the part, theorized that Dan would have to be older to have this much experience as a lawman. After the third episode, Russell had white streaks added to his hair to make him appear older. In addition to being marshal, Dan was both a mentor and friend to his deputy, Johnny McKay. According to Peter Brown on his website, Dan and Johnny's relationship mirrored the relationship that he had with Russell. While Dan was teaching Johnny how to be a lawman, Russell was teaching Brown how to be an actor. Dan also had a romantic relationship with saloon owner Lily Merrill. Dan cared for Lily very deeply, but his job often thwarted their happiness. He had one brother, Clay Troop, played by James Drury, four years before the premiere of "The Virginian". Clay Troop was killed in the season one episode, "The Gang". It was revealed that the woman Dan loved and wanted to marry, before her death, had instead wed Clay, a gunfighter and an outlaw. Clay said that his wife "couldn't resist trying to reform" him though she had loved Dan a little more. There were times when the townspeople would second guess Troop, but he always stuck to his guns and was determined to do the right thing.
Johnny McKay, played by Peter Brown, is the deputy marshal of Laramie. Dan had been hesitant to hire Johnny as his deputy, because of his young age, but he later proved his worth. Johnny was orphaned at age ten in Kansas. His father was killed by raiders, and his mother died on a wagon train. The season one episode, "The Joker," dealt with Johnny's origin when an outlaw named Barney Tremain, played by Jeff York in the first of two appearances on the series, rides into Laramie and claims to be Johnny's real father. It was never revealed whether or not he was telling the truth. Johnny was more easy going, but he was also brave, extremely fast with a gun, and loyal to Dan, whom he always referred to as "Mr. Troop." He was like a younger brother to Lily. In the first season, Dan many times left Johnny behind while he left Laramie to pursue criminals. In the later years, Johnny got more involved in the action as Dan began to see him as a partner in the fight against crime than as his humble apprentice. Johnny actually quit three times. Once because if Tremain was his father, he thought that meant he had outlaw blood in him. The second time, he thought Dan was taking credit for a kill he made, but he later found out Dan was trying to protect him. The third time, Johnny had to shoot a friend of his, and lost his nerve to be a lawman. Somehow though, he would eventually come back.
In an attempt to attract female viewers, the producers tried to find the right love interest for Dan. They started off with Dru Lemp, widow of the previous town marshal. Dan admitted in the first episode he had a previous relationship with a woman who was killed by a stray bullet. Midway through the first season, the character was dropped due to Russell and Nelson having a lack of chemistry.
Later in the first season, Barbara Lang was brought in as Julie Tate, the daughter of Harry Tate, played by Jon Lormer, who was the editor of the town newspaper. She and Dan did not hit it off right away, because she felt he was not doing enough to find her father's killer. After four episodes, she was never seen again.
Lily Merrill (Peggie Castle) then came to town as the owner of the Birdcage Saloon. Lily had been run out of Billings, Montana, by a crooked sheriff. At first she and Dan thought each other were crooked. After finding out that they were both wrong, Dan and Lily became very close during the remainder of the run of the series. As their relationship grew, Lily often dropped hints about wanting to marry Dan, and he would pretend that he did not hear. Lily was formerly married to outlaw Frank Quinlaven, played by Mike Road in the season two episode, "The Exchange." They had a son named Tommy, played by Bryan Russell, who lived with her sister. Frank tried to use Tommy as a bargaining chip to get Lily to help him rob the Laramie bank, but Dan stopped him at the last minute. Dan and Johnny often used Lily as a sounding board whenever they had a problem. Lily is beautiful, feisty, courageous, extremely loyal, and occasionally even uses a gun herself to help Dan and Johnny when no one else will. In addition to running her saloon, Lily was also elected the town fire chief, and briefly filled in as schoolmarm.
Recurring characters.
In the next-to-the last episode entitled "The Unmasked" (June 17, 1962), "Lawman" presents an entirely fictitious portrayal of Boston Corbett, the man who shot and mortally wounded John Wilkes Booth after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Played by character actor Dabbs Greer, Corbett is given the name "Joe Brockway" and depicted as a hotel owner in Laramie. In the story line, two former Confederates from Georgia, played by Barry Atwater and Charles Maxwell, arrive in Laramie in search of Brockway, the key, they claim, to the settlement of an estate to which they are all a party. Jack Albertson is cast in the episode as a somewhat comical traveling elixir salesman named "Doc" Peters.
Guest stars.
Other guest stars:
Production notes.
Being part of the Warner Bros. array of westerns, "Lawman" participated in two crossovers. Russell and Brown appeared in the "Hadley's Hunters" episode of "Maverick" with Jack Kelly as Bart Maverick. Peter Brown and Adam West also appeared as Johnny McKay and Doc Holliday, respectively, in the "Sugarfoot" episode "The Trial of the Canary Kid", which was a sequel to the "Lawman" episode, "The Wayfarer." The premise was that the Canary Kid, Sugarfoot's twin cousin, was in the Laramie jail at the same time as Holliday, and McKay and Holliday were called in to testify accordingly.
The studio routinely recycled scripts through their various series to save money on writers, frequently crediting the results to "W. Hermanos" (Spanish for W. Brothers). Two "Lawman" scripts, "The Payment" and "The Judge" were renamed from episodes of "Cheyenne" and reduced from sixty to thirty minutes.
Merchandise.
"Lawman" also spawned a variety of merchandise during the run of the series, including lunchboxes, puzzles, boots, arcade cards, sheet music, action figures, toy rifles, and cap pistols. There was also a "Lawman" comic, drawn by Dan Spiegle, which ran for eleven issues (1958–1962).
Home media.
Warner Archive has released all four seasons on DVD in Region 1. These are manufacture-on-demand (MOD) releases, available through Warner's online store and Amazon.com.
Syndication.
"Lawman" can currently be seen in re-runs Monday through Friday at 6:20 p.m. ET on the Encore Westerns Channel. The 156th and final episode of the series aired on June 18, 2013. Encore also rebroadcasts "Laredo", which aired on NBC from 1965 to 1967 which also co-starred Peter Brown.


March of Public Peace Preservation

"March of Public Peace Preservation" (; ), usually known as the "Thai Police's Honour Song" (; ) from its first verse, and also called the "March of the Royal Thai Police" (; ) or merely "Police March" (; ), is a well-known Thai patriotic song and march of the Royal Thai Police. The music was composed by Nat Thawarabut (นารถ ถาวรบุตร) and the lyrics, by Kaeo Atchariyakun (แก้ว อัจฉริยกุล), both from the government musical band Suntharaphon (สุนทราภรณ์)
Musician Charin Nanthanakhon (ชรินทร์ นันทนาคร) wrote in the column "Sixth Crossroad of Entertainment" (หกแยกบันเทิง), published in Siam Rath newspaper in 1996, that the march was composed around 1957 upon order of Police General Phao Siyanon (เผ่า ศรียานนท์), Director General of the Police Department at the time being and infamous dictator. Siyanon requested that the song must prevail over the "March of the Royal Thai Army" (มาร์ชกองทัพบก). In the said article, Nanthanakhon also noted that Thawarakun told him playfully: "I didn't want to compose this song at all, Charin. I don't really like police. They always come to arrest me while I'm playing cards."
In spite of Thawarabut's personal feeling towards the Royal Thai Police, he and Atchariyakun completed the work quickly. Siyanon was very impressed by it, especially by the verse "Unavoidable is death, but unceasable is our bravery" ("เกิดมาแล้วต้องตาย ชาติชายเอาไว้ลายตำรวจไทย"), to the extent that he awarded bundles of monies to them together with complimentary letters and his namecards on which he signed and wrote "For you. When you are caught playing cards, show this to the police."


Henry V (play)

Henry V is a history play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written near 1599. It tells the story of King Henry V of England, focusing on events immediately before and after the Battle of Agincourt (1415) during the Hundred Years' War. In the First Quarto text, it was titled "The Cronicle History of Henry the fift", and "The Life of Henry the Fifth" in the First Folio text.
The play is the final part of a tetralogy, preceded by "Richard II", "Henry IV, Part 1", and "Henry IV, Part 2". The original audiences would thus have already been familiar with the title character, who was depicted in the "Henry IV" plays as a wild, undisciplined young man. In "Henry V", the young prince has matured. He embarks on an expedition to France and, his army badly outnumbered, defeats the French at Agincourt.
Characters.
The English
"The traitors"
The French
Synopsis.
The Elizabethan stage lacked scenery. It begins with a Prologue, in which the Chorus (a lone speaker addressing the audience) apologizes for the limitations of the theatre, wishing for "a Muse of fire", with real princes and a kingdom for a stage, to do justice to King Henry's story. Then, says the Chorus, King Henry would "[a]ssume the port [bearing] of Mars". The Chorus encourages the audience to use their "imaginary forces" to overcome the limitations of the stage: "Piece out our imperfections with your thoughts ... turning the accomplishment of many years / Into an hour-glass".
Shakespeare's plays are in five acts. In "Henry V", the first act deals largely with the king and his decision to invade France, persuaded that through ancestry, he is the rightful heir to the French throne. The French Dauphin, son of King Charles VI, answers Henry's claims with a condescending and insulting gift of tennis balls, "as matching to his youth and vanity."
The Chorus reappears at the beginning of each act to advance the story. At the beginning of Act II, he describes the country's dedication to the war effort: "Now all the youth of England are on fire... They sell the pasture now to buy the horse, / Following the mirror of all Christian kings ..." Act II includes a plot by the Earl of Cambridge and two comrades to assassinate Henry at Southampton. Henry's clever uncovering of the plot and his ruthless treatment of the conspirators show that he has changed from the earlier plays in which he appeared.
In Act III Henry and his troops siege the French port of Harfleur after crossing the English Channel. The Chorus appears again: "Grapple your minds to sternage of this navy/And leave your England, as dead midnight still". The French king, says the Chorus, "doth offer him / Catharine his daughter, and with her, to dowry, / Some petty and unprofitable dukedoms." Henry is not satisfied.
At the siege of Harfleur, the English are beaten back at first, but Henry urges them on with one of Shakespeare's best-known speeches. "Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more; / Or close the wall up with our English dead..." After a bloody siege, the English take Harfleur, but Henry's forces are so depleted that he decides not to go on to Paris. Instead, he decides to move up the coast to Calais. The French assemble a powerful army and pursue him.
They surround him near the small town of Agincourt, and in Act IV, the night before the battle, knowing he is outnumbered, Henry wanders around the English camp in disguise, trying to comfort his soldiers and determine what they really think of him. He agonizes about the moral burden of being king, asking God to "steel my soldiers' hearts". Daylight comes, and Henry rallies his nobles with the famous St Crispin's Day Speech (Act IV Scene iii 18–67): "We few, we happy few, we band of brothers". The French herald Montjoy returns to ask if Henry will surrender and avoid certain defeat, and ransom his men's survival; Henry bids him "bear my former answer back," saying the French will get no ransom from him "but these my joints."
Shakespeare does not describe the battle in the play. Though the French in one scene complain that 'Tout est perdu', the outcome is not clear to Henry, until the French Herald Montjoy tells him the 'day is yours'. The battle turns out to be a lop-sided victory: the French suffered 10,000 casualties; the English, fewer than 30. "O God, thy arm was here," says Henry.
Act V comes several years later, as the English and French negotiate the Treaty of Troyes, and Henry tries to woo the French princess, Catherine of Valois. Neither speaks the other's language well, but the humour of their mistakes actually helps achieve his aim. The scene ends with the French king adopting Henry as heir to the French throne, and the prayer of the French queen "that English may as French, French Englishmen, receive each other, God speak this Amen."
The play concludes with a final appearance of the Chorus who foreshadows the tumultuous reign of Henry's son Henry VI of England, "whose state so many had the managing, that they lost France, and made his England bleed, which oft our stage hath shown". Shakespeare had previously brought this tale to the stage in a trilogy of plays: "Henry VI Part 1", "Henry VI Part 2", and "Henry VI Part 3".
As in many of Shakespeare's history and tragedy plays, a number of minor comic characters appear, contrasting with and sometimes commenting on the main plot. In this case, they are mostly common soldiers in Henry's army, and they include Pistol, Nym, and Bardolph from the "Henry IV" plays. The army also includes a Scot, an Irishman, and an Englishman, and Fluellen, a comically stereotyped Welsh soldier. The play also deals briefly with the death of Sir John Falstaff, Henry's estranged friend from the "Henry IV" plays, whom Henry had rejected at the end of "Henry IV, Part 2".
Sources.
Shakespeare's primary source for "Henry V", as for most of his chronicle histories, was Raphael Holinshed's "Chronicles"; the publication of the second edition in 1587 provides a "terminus post quem" for the play. Edward Hall's "The Union of the Two Illustrious Families of Lancaster and York" appears also to have been consulted, and scholars have supposed that Shakespeare was familiar with Samuel Daniel's poem on the civil wars. An earlier play, the "Famous Victories of Henry V" is also generally believed to have been a model for the work.
Date and text.
On the basis of an apparent allusion to Essex's mission to quell Tyrone's Rebellion, the play is thought to date from early 1599. "The Chronicle History of Henry the fifth" was entered into the Register of the Stationers Company on 14 August 1600 by the bookseller Thomas Pavier; the first quarto was published before the end of the year—though by Thomas Millington and John Busby rather than Pavier. Thomas Creede did the printing.
Q1 of "Henry V" is a "bad quarto", a shortened version of the play that might be an infringing copy or reported text. A second quarto, a reprint of Q1, was published in 1602 by Pavier; another reprint was issued as Q3 in 1619, with a false date of 1608—part of William Jaggard's False Folio. The superior text was first printed in the First Folio in 1623.
Criticism and analysis.
Views on warfare.
Readers and audiences have interpreted the play's attitude to warfare in several different ways. On the one hand, it seems to celebrate Henry's invasion of France and military prowess. Alternatively, it can be read as a commentary on the moral and personal cost of war. Shakespeare presents it in all its complexity.
The American critic Norman Rabkin described the play as a picture with two simultaneous meanings. Rabkin argues that the play never settles on one viewpoint towards warfare, Henry himself switching his style of speech constantly, talking of "rape and pillage" during Harfleur, but of patriotic glory in his St Crispin's Day Speech.
Some scholars have connected the nationalistic glorification of warfare with contemporary military ventures in Spain and Ireland. The Chorus directly refers to the looked-for military triumphs of the Earl of Essex, in the fifth act. Henry V himself is sometimes seen as an ambivalent representation of the stage machiavel, combining apparent sincerity with a willingness to use deceit and force to attain his ends.
Other commentators see the play as looking critically at the reason for Henry's violent cause. The noble words of the Chorus and Henry are consistently undermined by the actions of Pistol, Bardolph, and Nym. Pistol talks in a bombastic blank verse that seems to parody Henry's own style of speech. Pistol and his friends, thus, show up the actions of their rulers. Indeed, the presence of the Eastcheap characters from "Henry IV" has been said to emphasise the element of adventurer in Henry's character as monarch.
The play's ambiguity has led to diverse interpretations in performance. Laurence Olivier's 1944 film, made during the Second World War, emphasises the patriotic side, ignoring the fact that the enemy of the play, the French, were in fact allies in that conflict, while Kenneth Branagh's 1989 film stresses the horrors of war. A 2003 Royal National Theatre production featured Henry as a modern war general, ridiculing the Iraq invasion.
In recent years, there has been scholarly debate about whether or not Henry V can be labeled a war criminal. Some denounce the question as anachronistic, arguing that contemporary legal terminology cannot be applied to historical events or figures like those depicted in the play. However, other scholars have supported the proposed viewpoint. For instance, Christopher N. Warren looks to Alberico Gentili's "De armis Romanis", along with "Henry V" itself, to show how early modern thinkers (including Shakespeare) were themselves using juridical approaches to engage with the past. As a result, Warren argues, the question of whether Henry V was a war criminal is not only legitimate, but also "historically appropriate".
In a rhetorical display intended to intimidate the Governor of Harfleur into surrendering the city to the English, Henry denies personal responsibility for his soldiers' actions if battle is resumed — "What rein can hold licentious wickedness / When down the hill he holds his fierce career?" — and describes in graphic detail the violence they will do to the townsfolk if his demands are not met:
The gates of mercy shall be all shut up,
And the flesh’d soldier, rough and hard of heart,
In liberty of bloody hand shall range
With conscience wide as hell, mowing like grass
Your fresh, fair virgins and your flowering infants.
—Act III, Scene iii.
On the other hand, Henry is portrayed as a great leader, as he keeps his temper when insulted: "we are glad the Dauphin is so pleasant with us". He also admits to his past mistakes: "did give ourselves to barbarous licence" and is shown to have great confidence: "I will rise there with so full a glory that I will dazzle all the eyes of France".
A mock trial of for the crimes associated with the legality of the invasion and the slaughter of prisoners was held in Washington, DC in March 2010, drawing from both historical record and Shakespeare's play. Titled "The Supreme Court of the Amalgamated Kingdom of England and France", participating judges were Justices Samuel Alito and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The outcome was originally to be determined by an audience vote, but due to a draw, it came down to a judges' decision. The court was divided on Henry's justification for war, but unanimously found him guilty on the killing of the prisoners after applying "the evolving standards of the maturing society". Previously, the fictional "Global War Crimes Tribunal" ruled that Henry's war was legal, no noncombatant was killed unlawfully, and Henry bore no criminal responsibility for the death of the POWs. The fictional "French Civil Liberties Union", who had instigated the tribunal, then attempted to sue in civil court. The judge concluded that he was bound by the GWCT's conclusions of law and also ruled in favour of the English. The Court of Appeals affirmed without opinion, thus leaving the matter for the Supreme Court's determination.
Performance history.
The Chorus refers to Essex's 1599 campaign in Ireland without any sense that it would end in disaster. The campaign began in late March and was scuttled by late June, strongly suggesting that the play was first performed during that three-month period.
A tradition, impossible to verify, holds that "Henry V" was the first play performed at the new Globe Theatre in the spring of 1599—the Globe would have been the "wooden O" mentioned in the Prologue—but Shapiro argues that the Chamberlain's Men were still at The Curtain when the work was first performed, and that Shakespeare himself probably acted the Chorus. In 1600, the first printed text states that the play had been played "sundry times". The earliest performance for which an exact date is known, however, occurred on 7 January 1605, at Court at Whitehall Palace.
Samuel Pepys saw a "Henry V" in 1664, but it was written by Roger Boyle, 1st Earl of Orrery, not by Shakespeare. Shakespeare's play returned to the stage in 1723, in an adaptation by Aaron Hill.
The longest-running production of the play in Broadway history was the staging starring Richard Mansfield in 1900 which ran for 54 performances. Other notable stage performances of "Henry V" include Charles Kean (1859), Charles Alexander Calvert (1872), and Walter Hampden (1928).
Major revivals in London during the 20th and 21st centuries include:
In the Shakespeare's Globe's 2012 Globe to Globe festival, "Henry V" was the UK entry, one of 37 and the only one performed in spoken English. Jamie Parker performed the role of Henry.
On British television, the play has been performed as:
In 2017, the Pop-up Globe, the world's first temporary replica of the second Globe Theatre, based in Auckland, New Zealand, performed 34 "Henry V" shows. London-trained Australian actor Chris Huntly-Turner took on the role of Henry, Irish actor Michael Mahony as Chorus, and UK–New Zealand actor Edward Newborn as Pistol/King of France.
Adaptations.
Film.
Three major film adaptations have been made. The first, "Henry V" (1944), directed by and starring Laurence Olivier, is a colourful and highly stylised version which begins in the Globe Theatre and then gradually shifts to a realistic evocation of the Battle of Agincourt. Olivier's film was made during the Second World War and was intended as a patriotic rallying cry at the time of the invasion of Normandy.
The second major film, "Henry V" (1989), directed by and starring Kenneth Branagh, attempts to give a more realistic evocation of the period, and lays more emphasis on the horrors of war. It features a mud-spattered and gruesome Battle of Agincourt.
The third major film, "The King" (2019), starring Timothée Chalamet as Henry V, was adapted from Shakespeare's plays "Henry IV Part I", "Henry IV Part II", and "Henry V".
Dance.
In 2004, post-modern choreographer David Gordon created a dance-theatre version of the play called "Dancing Henry Five", which mixed William Walton's music written for the Olivier film, recorded speeches from the film itself and by Christopher Plummer, and commentary written by Gordon. The piece premiered at Danspace Project in New York, where it was compared favorably to a production of "Henry IV" (parts 1 and 2) at Lincoln Center. It has been revived three times—in 2005, 2007, and 2011—playing cities across the United States, and received a National Endowment for the Arts American Masterpieces in Dance Award.
Music.
"Suite from Henry V" is a 1963 orchestral arrangement of music that composer William Walton wrote for the 1944 Olivier film. The arrangement is by Muir Mathieson, and is in five movements.
"Henry V – A Shakespeare Scenario" is a 50-minute work for narrator, SATB chorus, boys' choir (optional), and full orchestra. The musical content is taken from Walton's score for the Olivier film, edited by David Lloyd-Jones and arranged by Christopher Palmer. It was first performed at the Royal Festival Hall in London, in May 1990. Performers for this premiere were Christopher Plummer (narrator), the Academy Chorus, Choristers of Westminster Cathedral, and Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields. The conductor was Sir Neville Marriner. A CD of the work with these performers was released by Chandos in 1990.
"O For a Muse of Fire" is a symphonic overture for full orchestra and vocal soloist, written by Darryl Kubian. The work is 12 minutes long, and was premiered by the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra in March 2015. The work is scored for full orchestra, with vocal soloist. The vocal part incorporates selected lines from the text, and the vocal range is adaptable to different voice types. The soloist for the premiere performances with the New Jersey Symphony was former October Project lead singer (and former Sony Classical artist) Mary Fahl.


Lapse of Time

Lapse of Time is a 1982 Chinese novella by Wang Anyi. The novella follows Ouyang Duanli, a strong-minded Shanghai woman who worked hard to support her and her husband's large family during the Cultural Revolution when they were attacked as "former bourgeois".
It was translated by Howard Goldblatt and published in the 1988 anthology of the same name.
Reception.
"Kirkus Reviews" praised the novella as having "the feel of a small epic yet never lapses into sentimentality or melodrama". Noting the author's social background before the Cultural Revolution, Rosemary Haddon felt Ouyang Duanli was Wang's persona and wrote that "driven by the proletarian standard, Wang Anyi has won a small victory in China's class struggle". Michael S. Duke, however, was highly critical of the novella for containing "all the major faults of Wang's writing: excessive wordiness, repetitiveness, unrealistic or stereotypical characterizations, overly abrupt changes in moral character, didacticism, and shallow moralizing". Aamer Hussein also noted the "insipid" approach but called Wang's examination of relationships "moving and perceptive" and the novellas an "honest account of a woman's search".


Self-Portrait in a Black Eyepatch

Self-Portrait in a Black Eyepatch is an oil on canvas painting by the Belgian artist Rik Wouters, probably painted in 1915. It is now in the Royal Museum of Fine Arts, Antwerp.


Friedrich Rehberg

Friedrich Rehberg (22 October 1758 – 20 August 1835) was a German portrait and historical painter.
Life and work.
Rehberg was born into a middle-class protestant family in Hanover in 1758, the son of a secretary for the estates of Calenberg (one of the duchies of Hannover). His elder brother, August Wilhelm Rehberg (1757–1836), became a notable politician, philosopher and writer. Friedrich, himself, studied first with Oeser in Leipzig, then with Giovanni Battista Casanova and Johann Eleazar Zeissig, in Dresden. In 1777, he went to Rome, where he studied the Old Masters, such as Caracci, Domenichino and Michelangelo, under Anton Raphael Mengs. Here he became a close friend of fellow-painter David.
In 1783 he returned to Hanover, where his reputation was now well-established, and received many commissions to paint portraits, including those of the Duke Wilhelm and the Bishop of Osnabrück. In 1784 he became drawing master at the Philanthropinum, a progressive school in Dessau where he taught art to the crown prince, Frederick. In 1786, he was made a fellow at the Prussian Academy of Arts in Berlin, becoming professor in 1787. He then returned to Rome to manage the satellite Prussian art academy which was to be built there. For political reasons, this project never materialised but Rehberg remained in the city. There he painted "Belisarius", "Oedipus and Antigone", "The Death of Abel", "Bacchus", "Orpheus and Eurydice" and "Jupiter and Venus".
In 1791 he went to Naples and made a series of drawings of Lady Hamilton posing as classical statuary, which were published in book form in 1794. In 1813 he went to London, and, in 1814, painted an allegory of Napoleon's fall. In the same year he returned for a time to Rome, but eventually settled at Munich, where he published, in 1824, "Raffael Sanzio von Urbino": the Elements of Lithographic Drawing"" ("Anfangs gründe des Steinzeichners'), with thirteen of his own lithographs.
Rehberg died in Munich on 20 August 1835.


Automaniac

Automaniac was a TV show hosted by former professional wrestler Bill Goldberg. In each episode, Goldberg told the story of a particular type of vehicle: its origins, its designers, etc. The show aired on Wednesdays at 11 PM EST/10 PM CST on The History Channel and was canceled in August 2005.


Leander Russ

Leander Russ (25 November 1809, Vienna - 8 March 1864, Vienna) was an Austrian painter.
Biography.
His father was the painter, Karl Russ. His sister, Clementine (1804–1869), also became an artist. After receiving his first art lessons at home, he attended the Academy of Fine Arts, Vienna, from 1823 to 1828, where he studied with and .
In 1828, he was awarded the Academy's Gundel-Prize for excellence and began participating in its exhibitions. In 1833, following study trips to Munich and Rome, he accompanied the diplomat, Anton von Prokesch-Osten, on a trip to the Middle East, which had a profound influence on his work. After 1841, he created numerous kaleidoscope images for Emperor Ferdinand I. He became a member of the Academy in 1848.
His final years were marred by illness and frequent stays at a sanatorium. He was interred in the . In 1927, a street in Vienna's Hietzing district was named after him and his father.
Portraits, historical scenes and genre works constitute the majority of his oeuvre. Watercolors were his favorite medium. His kaleidoscopic pictures gained wide popularity. Many of his works are of an Orientalist nature.


Copa Santa

La Coupo Santo (The Holy Cup), in full La Cansoun de la Coupo (The song of the Cup) in original modern (or Mistralian) norm Provençal (in classical norm, La Copa Santa in full Lo Cant de la Copa Santa (The song of the Holy Cup) or La Cançon de la Copa (The Song of the Cup)) is the anthem of Provence. It is sung in Provençal, one of six Occitan dialects.
It refers to a silver chalice the Catalan félibres offered their Provençal counterparts on July 30, 1867 during a Banquet held in Avignon to thank them for hiding Victor Balaguer, a poet from Barcelona who'd sought political asylum out of Spain. The cup was made by Guillaume Fulconis and the silversmith Jarry.
The cup is traditionally entrusted to the capolièr, who presides over the Félibrige. It is showcased every year at the society's annual congress, called "la Santa Estèla". The banquet is officially closed when the "Copa Santa" gets sung. It was initially written by Frédéric Mistral to commemorate the fraternal bond that unites the Occitan and Catalan nations, and the music was taken from a Christmas carol from Friar Serapion: "Guilhaume, Tòni, Pèire". It stands among the best-known anthems of Occitania alongside "Se Canta" and "De cap tà l'immortèla". The audience is supposed to stand up for the last verse.
Description.
Frédéric Mistral described the cup with these words in "L'Armana prouvençau":
It is a cup of antique shape, supported by a palm tree. Against the palm tree, standing up and facing each other, two gentle figurines that depict Catalonia and Provence as sisters.
Provence wraps its right arm around her friend's neck, as a token of amity; Catalonia holds her right hand on her heart and seems to be thanking her.
At the bottom of each figurine, dressed in the Latin manner and with their breasts naked, lie their respective coat of arms in an escutcheon.
Around the cup and outside it, written on a braid intertwined with laurels, the following words can be read (in Catalan):
"Souvenir offered by the Catalan Patricians to the Provençal Félibres for the hospitality given to the Catalan poet Victor Balaguer, 1867."
And on the pedestal these other finely engraved inscriptions can be found:
"They say it is dead,
But to me, it's still alive.
V. Balaguer
Ah! if only they could hear me!
Ah! if only they would follow me!
F. Mistral"
Lyrics.
Notice: "For both norms of Provençal orthography, pronunciation is almost the same."


Self-Portrait (Artemisia Gentileschi)

The Self Portrait of Italian baroque artist Artemisia Gentileschi was painted in the early 1630s. It currently hangs in the Palazzo Barberini, Rome. It is one of many paintings where Gentileschi depicts herself. Beyond self-portraits, her allegorical and religious paintings often featured herself in different guises.
Attribution.
The painting is generally accepted as being by Gentileschi but there have been some doubts cast. It was included in the "catalogue raisonné" by R. Ward Bissell, but the 2001 exhibition catalogue on the Artemisia and her father Orazio considers it to be done by the workshop of Simon Vouet. Later investigations have fallen firmly on the side of the painting being by Artemisia Gentileschi. In particular, Jesse M. Locker points to the similar clothing used, as well as the treatment of lace, used in other Artemisia paintings to make this decision.
Quality.
The painting is in a poor condition. Locker notes that it "is poorly preserved, leaving the flesh tones, particularly in the face abraded and badly deteriorated."
History.
There is very little detail on the provenance of the painting. The earliest is can be traced with any certainty is to 1935, when the collection of Palazzo Barberini entered the governmental Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica.
Content.
It is assumed that the sitter in the painting is the patron that commissioned it, but there is no evidence to support any clear identification. Artemisia's pose has led art historians to see the painting as a direct challenge to a viewer. Mary Garrard has interpreted this in the context of Artemisia's gender, i.e. a challenge to male artists of the time. This contention is made based on the shape of the painting hand, as this gesture in the 17th century represented a "challenge advanced by those confident in the strength of their abilities." Locker continues the idea of the painting as a challenge, but situates it in the context of the literary and poetic culture of the times, where Gentileschi is challenging poets, "whose spoken paintings ... cannot rival her painted poems."


Unconquerable Nation

 Unconquerable Nation: Knowing Our Enemy, Strengthening Ourselves () is a book written by Brian Michael Jenkins, one of the world's foremost authorities on terrorism. In it the author asserts that some of America's recent approaches to counterterrorism have been counterproductive.
The book is based in part on objective research, particularly as it applies to knowing the enemy, and it also includes the personal reflections of Brian Michael Jenkins, who draws on 40 years of terrorism research. Jenkins currently serves as Senior Advisor to the President of the RAND Corporation. The title Unconquerable Nation derives from a quote by the ancient Chinese strategist Sun Tzu, who 25 centuries ago wrote, "Being unconquerable lies with yourself."
"Unconquerable Nation" was published on August 22, 2006, by the RAND Corporation.
The jihadist enterprise.
Jenkins describes Islamism in terms of a worldwide "jihadist enterprise" directly at odds with the underpinnings of Western civilization. His book describes several strategic principles to guide the response of the West and particularly America:


Under Heaven (novel)

Under Heaven is a fantasy novel by Canadian author Guy Gavriel Kay. It is his eleventh novel and was published in April 2010 by Viking Canada. Set in a fantasied Tang China, it is Kay's first work set outside of a fantasied European or Mediterranean setting. The novel is based on a fictionalized version of the An Shi Rebellion. "Under Heaven" takes place in a completely new world, as seen by it having only one moon as opposed to the two moons normally present in Guy Gavriel Kay's works. In 2013 he published a second novel, "River of Stars", set approximately 400 years later in the same world.
Overview.
Shen Tai, the second son of a renowned general of Kitai, is given a lavish gift of 250 prized Sardian horses from the Kitan Empress of the neighbouring Taguran Empire to honour his work burying the dead of both sides at a battleground in the far west of Kitai still haunted by the ghosts of the slain soldiers. This extraordinary gift threatens to engulf Shen Tai in the political and dynastic struggles that surround the throne of the Kitan Emperor, but also permits Shen Tai to form friendships and gain access to the most powerful figures in Kitai. Narrowly escaping an assassination attempt with the assistance of the ghosts of the unburied, Shen Tai leaves the battleground on the western frontier to journey toward the capital, Xinan, protected by Wei Song, a female Kanlin warrior. Another line of narrative follows Shen Tai's sister Li-Mei who is sent north to be married off to a leader of the northern Bogü for the purposes of advancing the career interests of Shen Liu, their older brother. Shen Tai must determine a way forward for himself, which involves making choices between personal, family and imperial needs, choices which become all the more perilous when Kitai is convulsed by a military rebellion that threatens the ruling dynasty. The story weaves themes of loss, chance, honour and friendship in a world still haunted by magic.
Detailed summary.
The story takes place in a fictionalized China that corresponds approximately to the Tang era. The Empire of Kitai (China) has enjoyed a period of prosperity and peace under its now aging emperor Taizu in his capital at Xinan. Peace has been made with the Taguran Empire (Tibet) to the west, and with the Bogü (Turkic or Mongolian) peoples of the northwest. At the opening of "Under Heaven" Shen Tai, second of four children from a well-known family in central Kitai, has gone to the battle site of Kuala Nor near the western frontier of Kitai following his father's death to commence the task of burying the bones of the dead Kitan and Taguran soldiers killed twenty years earlier. At Kuala Nor Shen Tai is haunted by the ghosts of the dead whose cries can be heard at night. Word of his efforts spreads east to Xinan and west into the Taguran Empire, whose empress, a former Kitan princess, prevails upon the Taguran emperor to make Tai a gift of 250 prized Sardian horses (Ferghana horse). Shortly after receiving word of this gift, a friend, Chou Yan, arrives with news of Tai's sister, but the Kanlin warrior accompanying Yan is actually an assassin. She kills Yan before he can tell Tai his news, but Tai is saved by the ghosts and by the return of the Tagurans.
Knowing that he has already been the target of assassination, and fearing that word of the extraordinary gift of the Sardian horses will only make his death more attractive, Shen devises a strategy designed to keep himself alive in order to deliver the valuable Sardian horses to the Empire with the assistance of Bytsan sri Nespo, a Taguran officer with whom Shen develops a lifelong friendship. Returning to the Kitai with a single Sardian horse, he finds a Kanlin warrior, Wei Song, in pursuit of the first, false Kanlin. She has been sent by Shen's former lover Spring Rain, a courtesan who has now become the favoured concubine of Wen Zhou, the new prime minister of Kitai, and is able to save his life against further assassination attempts.
Xu Bihai, the military governor in the western city of Chenyao, who covets the Sardian horses, unsuccessfully attempts to gain control of Shen through his attractive daughter. At Chenyao Shen is befriended by Sima Zian, a famous poet some twenty years Shen's senior, who accompanies Shen to Xinan and emerges as one of the few people that Shen can trust unreservedly. He also informs Shen that his sister, Li-Mei, has been named a princess sent north to the Bogü as a bride for the son of the Bogü leader. Before reaching the capital, Shen is approached by the most powerful figures in Kitai, each trying to assess their prospects for acquiring control of the famed Sardian horses. These include Wen Jian, the Precious Consort, a dazzling young woman of good family with whom the elderly Emperor Taizu has become infatuated, and An Li, known as 'Roshan', the military governor of barbarian origins who has become an increasingly powerful figure, commanding the forces of three military districts in the northeast. Shen Tai continues toward Xinan, and as he approaches the great metropolis he is swept into palace intrigue. At Xinan there is a brief reunion with Spring Rain.
A parallel plotline to the story of Shen Tai follows his sister Shen Li-Mei's forced exile beyond the Long Wall to serve the empire by becoming the bride of the khagan or leader of the Bogü ruling clan. This idea was supported by the eldest Shen brother, Shen Liu, chief advisor to Prime Minister Wen Zhou, as a way of advancing his own interests at the court. In his early military career, before the novel's opening, when Shen Tai had been on a previous military expedition beyond the Long Wall that protects the northern borders of Kitai, he had interrupted a magic rite being performed on Meshag, a kinsman of the Bogü ruler, that would have transformed him into a wolf spirit, but that had progressed far enough to create a link between Meshag and a wolf. Grateful to Shen Tai for having interrupted the shamanistic ritual, Meshag intervenes to separate Shen Li-Mei from her escort and with the assistance of a number of wolves, including the wolf with which Meshag has been linked. Meshag then undertakes an epic journey across the northern steppes to return Shen Li-Mei to Kitai. Li-Mei, who has known only a sheltered life of privilege, is forced to endure hardships and to learn to trust Meshag who is not only a barbarian, but who has intimidating links with the wolves that accompany them.
Shortly after Shen Tai's arrival in Xinan the powerful An Li ('Roshan') rebels against Taizu's imperial authority. The arrogant Wen Zhou orders the execution of An Li's son, and then gives an order to the military commander Xu Bihai that results in a disastrous defeat for Kitai's forces, the forced abandonment of Xinan and the slaughter of thousands of its inhabitants, including many members of the imperial family. The upheavals set in motion by An Li's rebellion are reported to result in the deaths of up to forty million Kitans from war, disease and famine. Shen Tai manages to warn Spring Rain of the coming disaster in time to permit her to flee Xinan before it is taken by An Li, a bitter enemy of Wen Zhou, but Shen Tai and Spring Rain are not destined to meet again.
News of Xu Bihai's defeat sparks a rebellion at an outpost where Emperor Taizu, his heir Shinzu, Wen Zhou the prime minister and Wen Jian the Precious Consort have stopped for the night. This revolt, by a mere handful of men, results in the violent deaths of Wen Zhou, Wen Jian, and Shen Liu, and the abdication of Taizu in favor of Shinzu. Shen Tai travels southwest to claim the Sardian horses, but elects to return to his home rather than to take the horses himself to the embattled Emperor Shinzu, after acknowledging his feelings for and commencing a relationship with Wei Song. Reaching his home, Shen Tai is reunited with his family, including Shen Li-Mei who has made her way home, and arrangements are made for the marriage of Shen Tai and Wei Song.
Reception.
"Under Heaven" was well received by Toronto's "The Globe and Mail", with reviewer Robert Wiersema describing it as: "a sumptuous feast of storytelling, a beautifully written tale with a beating, breaking heart at its core that will have readers in tears by its final pages". Michael Dirda, in his review for The Washington Post, "Beware Gift Horses", noted that Kay has leavened the story with "appealing minor characters" that enhance the richness of the plot.