Alvah’s Books

Readers of this site know that I have a mild obsession concerning the Spanish Civil War. This month marks the 73rd anniversary of the start of the war. If you don’t know much about it (and confuse it with the Spanish-American War) and its importance in history, then come visit and read all the book reviews that will be posted for the next 31 days and beyond.

Once you start to read about the SCW–and there’s a lot of reading, more than 15,000 books have been written on the subject; a Google search will come up with 3.4 million entries—you’ll understand the fascination.

Why am I so passionate about it? My mother was from the Asturias–located in Northern Spain and known as “Zona Roja”—and I grew up listening to all the horrors of the war. Sadly, after several years of hearing the same old stories over and over, I tuned my mother out. However, my personal interest wasn’t sparked until a few years ago when I started writing my novel Julius. It started with one sentence, some research and then BANG! I was hooked.

Although there are thousands of books on the topic, if you visit your local bookstore (chain or independent) you’ll discover that many of these don’t carry any of the titles at all. I have recreated my mother’s collection (they were damaged in storage) via Amazon and combing through used bookstores.

If you want to familiarize yourself with the subject before you go and spend a small fortune,  below are some websites that hopefully will inspire you to learn more about the subject:

• Wikipedia.  This is a good start. There’s so much information and it can be overwhelming, but spend a few hours with it and you’ll have a decent introduction.
• Spartacus Educational. Another good source. The opening page is broken down by subtopics or chapters.
• About the Spanish Civil War. This site is compiled by Cary Nelson, a professor at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign.
• La Cucaracha. This site has a lot of fun stuff, music of the Spanish Civil War, links to just about anything related to the war.
• Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives. This is a great site for readers interested in the volunteers who went to Spain (including this site’s namesake and my hero, Alvah Bessie, but you all knew that, right?)

Not interested in reading and spending your entire day clicking links? This month, I have a special treat and I might do this more often if readers drop me a comment and tell me if they liked it or not.  Thanks to the folks at Viddler and embedding technology, I’ll be posting Granada’s The Spanish Civil War series. You’ll be able to watch all six parts.

Salut!

J. Kaye of  J.Kaye’s Book Blog  announced a new weekly event called, ” A Book Blogger’s New Discovery.” She writes in her post,

Highlighting new book blogs has always been important to me. It’s the reason I pass along blog awards to new bloggers or at the very least, new to me book blogs. Without an audience, especially at the beginning, the life of a blogger can be sort of dreary. It feels good when another book blogger promotes your blog. Besides, I like blabbing about other book blogs. If you’d like to join in, please feel free. This event will take place every Friday and I’ll be listing the new book blogs or websites I’ve discovered during the week. Some might even be a rediscovery.

I liked this idea so much that I’m following suit. Below are some of my discoveries, which will be added to the Blog Roll:

• Follow the Reader
• The Bookish Dilettante Blog
• Editorial Ass
• Alan Reads
• NPR Topics: Books

The first time I expressed interest in writing, my father presented me with his copy of Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style. I still have that original 1959 first edition and it’s in remarkably good shape considering it has traveled from Europe to New York, California, and back to New York.

This little book has been invaluable and I always keep it near me. When I don’t want a long-drawn out explantion about style or grammar, I refer to it often.

For a little history about the book, Sam Roberts wrote a nice article in the New York Times.  Below are the first three paragraphs:

Photo from the New York Times

The New York Times
‘The Elements of Style’ Turns 50
By Sam Roberts

How does a professional writer discuss “The Elements of Style” without nervously looking over his shoulder and seeing Will Strunk and E. B. White (or thousands of readers of their book) second-guessing him? (Is “second-guessing” hyphenated or not? Is posing a question the same as using the passive voice?)

William Strunk Jr. wrote and self-published the famous “Little Book” as a professor of English. White, his student at Cornell in 1919 and later an author and essayist, first revised the text four decades later after returning it to prominence with an essay in The New Yorker.

In 1959 a New York Times book reviewer pronounced it “a splendid trophy for all who are interested in reading and writing.”

To read the rest of the article click on headline.

April is National Poetry Month. Alas, I am no poet. And I’ll spare you any of the bawdy limericks that I used to recite in high school English just to annoy my teacher. 

In honor of poets past and present, I thought I would post a poem that my hero, novelist, screen writer, Spanish Civil War veteran, and Hollywood Ten member, Alvah Bessie, wrote when he was serving his 10 month sentence for Contempt of Congress at the Texarkana Federal Penitentiary: 

The highways that are open to my mind

are not confined to those on any chart;

they are not as various as any art

might compass, and the traveler will find

that some sun straight to where he wants to go, 

while others spiral, circle, wander wide; 

some imitate the motions of the tide

while others speed–or make the journey slow.

There is no road that I rather walk 

than that which leads from where I a confined

into those tilted uplands of the mind

that are not even known to those who talk

of freedom, and who always have been free.

Who knows not prison, knows not liberty.

–Alvah Bessie, Inquisition in Eden

Alvah’s son, Dan, and I are pen pals. I never asked him about this poem, but I like it. Feel free to leave your interpretations and comments