Book Review: Lost Lore: A Celebration of Traditional Wisdom

Read Lost Lore: A Celebration of Traditional Wisdom

Just last night, my wife Carol and I discovered something nifty that we didn’t know we could do with our iPhones. That wasn’t the first time that’s happened — almost every week, we’re learning something new about our latest gadgets and toys. Er, I mean tools of our trade. That’s it.

But it seems like for everything that’s learned, something is lost. It makes me a little sad to think of the gems of knowledge, once deemed critical, that are now relegated to the dusty attics of our brains reserved for trivia until, at last, they vanish forever.

That’s why I was delighted to discover Lost Lore: A Celebration of Traditional Wisdom at my beloved Blue Elephant Book Shop in Decatur. Want to know how to send or read smoke signals? Looking for the Christmas traditions our ancestors enjoyed? Or maybe how to navigate with old-school maritime instruments? Well, likely not, I suppose. But anyway, you’ll find all that, and more, in this treasure chest assembled by authors Una McGovern and Paul Jenner. You’ll even find a section on letter writing, another gentle art vanishing in the age of instant communication. I found the letter writing section especially fascinating. I now want to go out and buy sealing wax with a custom seal, fine paper, and scented ink. If I can’t find the scented ink, no worries. Lost Lore tells me how to make it.

The book is divided into sections like Health and Wellbeing, where you will find everything from time-honored cures for drunkness (plunge the whole body into cold water, the excitement of a git of anger, terror, or even a “good whippping.” Frankly, I’d rather stay drunk.) or headaches to tips on natural first aid and long life (eat sage in May and have a gentle temper). Other sections include Household (for example: soap making, laying a fire, dyeing, living thriftly), Outdoor Life (Working With the Moon and Tides, Seafaring, Foraging for Wild Food), Education and Knowledge (Using an Abacus, Using a Slide Rule, Using Mnemonics), and Socializing and Celebration (Celebrating the Seasons, Wooing and Courting, Making and Taking Tea, Predicting the Sex of a Baby, and Writing by hand).

Granted, you’ll probably never need to know most—or, franky, any, of this stuff. But it’s a delight to know that you can. And besides, life is uncertain. You never know.

In any case, the text is an absolute joy to read. The entries are consise but wonderful, offering brief but absolutely fascinating peaks into the past—not at its great events, but at its minutiae, the tiny details that made life rich. More, the book is beautifully illustrated, designed, and bound. It’s as much a pleasure to hold as it is to browse.

There is a wealth of knowledge that my great-grandparents never passed down to me. There is little need now to properly stack wood in the fire chamber of my kitchen range, alas. What they knew is all but lost. Nonetheless, I find it oddly comforting to know that the subtle and delicious details of their everyday lives are preserved, especially in so handsome an edition. I’ll browse through it often, I’m sure, during the winter months when the holidays seem to turn one’s mind to the past.

Co-author Una McGovern has put together a companion volume as well: Lost Crafts. I look forward to picking up a copy soon. Another volume, Lost Wisdom, is forthcoming.

Web TV: My Bitchy Witchy Paris Vacation

Watch My Bitchy Witchy Paris Vacation

The talented, engaging cast begins their Bitchy Witchy Paris Vacation in a six-part Web series

New media has opened the doors for all sorts of content creators who might never have taken that band out of the garage, or that unpublished novel out of the drawer. The good news is, a tremendous number of truly amazing artists, like my pal Bill Shaouy, have found a way to connect with audiences even without the boost of the major labels, and my friend Jim Gillaspy has just gone the self-e-publishing route for his hard science fiction/coming of age novel, A Larger Universe.

Now, “do-it-yourselfers” are creating, shooting, and distributing their own films and television episodics. I don’t think the major publishers, networks, and film studios are losing any sleep just yet, but for audiences and artists alike, this is an exciting time. And for the media giants with open eyes, there’s a minor league system developing and polishing major league-ready talent. Sure, we don’t have the filters that the major company’s offer—a book you see on the shelf and your favorite local bookstore has at very least been vetted by an agent and an editor. The next time you complain about the crap that you find on the shelfs or all 2000 of your cable channels, think about the stuff you’re not seeing.

Esmée Buchet-Deak as Miranda

Even boutique publishers or niche cable channels have to appeal to at least somewhat broad audiences. That leaves all sorts of smaller demographics that are, at best, under-represented. All of them have stories with telling, and hearing, but anything that doesn’t fit neatly into a marketing box is all too likely to be ignored by even the most open-minded conglomerates. Meaning there is some terrific content out there that simply hasn’t found a home. At least not yet. Thankfully, we have the Internet. And while we might have to pan through a lot of sand to find it, there are some nuggets of absolute gold in them thar Webs.

Which brings me to My Bitchy Witchy Paris Vacation, a six-part Web series created by writer/filmmaker Alexis Niki. My Bitchy Witchy Paris Vacation follows a menopausal mother and her two daughters, one pregnant and one adolescent. It’s not really a drama, and it’s not really a comedy (although it has plenty of both to offer), which means it likely never would have found a home in the TV Guide grid. But the portraits it paints of three women at three very different and pivotal points in their lives, and their efforts to bond, are fascinating.

Kate Michaels as Diane

I have no idea what the budget is, but the look and feel is surprisingly professional. The cast is sharp and engaging, and seems to grow as an ensemble with each episode (only the first episode has been posted so far, but I was lucky enough to get a sneak preview). The beauty of the Paris setting doesn’t hurt, either. In fact, the setting is almost a fourth character: the wide and magnificent expanse of urban Paris coupled with the vaguely ironic smallness of their crucible of an apartment.

Not confined to a network, the characters are allowed to be real … they are not glamorized or over sexed. They complain. One has hot flashes, one has all the unpleasant issues of pregnancy, one has all utterly unromantic issues of budding adolescence. In short, they are, well, human. As a male, I felt vaguely voyeuristic—this is a world we men don’t often see. And I say that as a man with the life experiences of a wife, sister, mother, and two semesters at an all-women’s college. The pure, raw, and seemingly unfiltered look at the experiences as they alternately define, divide, and (I’m guessing, since I haven’t seen the enter series yet) ultimately bind the characters is compelling. And utterly unlike anything else you’ll see.

Pelham Spong as Ashley

The only real problem is the nature of the medium itself. Right now, Web viewing is a more comfortable experience when taken in smaller chunks. My Bitchy Witchy Paris Vacation is told in five-minute mini-episodes—the first of which does little more than introduce the characters and tease the journey that’s ahead of them. The second begins the storytelling in earnest, although it too leaves you wanting more. Still, “I want more” is never a bad feeling to have after a chapter or episode closes.

In a year or two, most of us will think nothing of streaming Web content to our gianormous flatscreens, or catching an episode on our iPads or Smartphones. When that happens, the lines between networks and emerging new platforms will blur. The process is already underway, even if its still in its infancy. In the meantime, the content is already here. I hope you’ll spare five minutes to give My Bitchy Witchy Paris Vacation a try; I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Alexis Niki and her team have voices that deserve to be heard.

Update: this blog post was picked up by Reelgrok. If you didn’t just come here from there, I hope you’ll give them a look. It’s a terrific resource.

6 Blogs For Writers And Those Who Lead The Creative Lifestyle

There’s something kind of meta about a blog that reviews blogs. But the title says “John reviews pretty much anything,” right? As I see it, my blog, my rules, yes? Uh, anyway.

There are dozens blogs out there that I’ve found enormously helpful, and dozens more that I find fascinating or even challenging, and still more that are just downright entertaining. I’m starting with a few favorites that deal with writing or creativity in general. Some are about writing, some are about living the creative lifestyle, and some are just about turning your passions into a career. In any case, they all deserve to be shared. Here are a few to start with:

1.) K. M. Weiland maintains a number of blogs, all with the mission of helping writers become authors. I read her WordPlay every time she posts, and I try to drop in on AuthorCulture at least once a week or so.

2.) Speaking of K. M. Weiland, she wrote a terrific guest post, 10 Essentials for an Inspired Author’s Life, on Margo Berendsen’s terrific Writing at High Altitude blog. It’s always worth a visit.

3.) The author Leona Wisoker turned me on to Fan to Pro: The Blog of Professional Geekery, a blog by the amazing Steve Savage on turning passions or hobbies (like, say, writing … or gaming, computers, costuming, art, etc.) into a productive career. It’s practical, entertaining, informative, and even inspiring.

4.) Cassandra Jade in the Realm is a blog that talks about all sorts of challenges facing writers—from topics like character motivation to the perils of writing high fantasy. Cassandra Jade often mentions a challenge, say, or a problem, or a thought, and then offers her explorations. What I like best, though, is the way she raises questions that leave me thinking about my own creative work from new perspectives.

5.) Inky Girl offers daily diversions for writers, librarians, editors, and readers. She’s witty, concise, insightful, timely, and always worth a look. She also has a couple of Twitter accounts, @Inkyelbows and @ipadgirl. Both are well worth following.

6.) Backstory is a site where authors share the moments or ideas that inspired their work. It’s a great place to visit and remind yourself that ideas can lurk anywhere. Anywhere. That’s not a bad thing to remember.

That’s a few to get you started. I know I am forgetting dozens … I’ll post more soon. Please let me know your favorites.

In the meantime, here are a few more Resources for Writers I’ve collected.

A Brace of Beer Reviews: Victory’s Moonglow and Old Chubb

Victory Moonglow

Saturday afternoon, the only thing that made the Braves heart-rending loss tolerable was darn good company (hey there, cousin Chip) and a truly excellent beverage: Victory Brewing Company’s Moonglow Weizenbock. It is without question one of the very best weizenbocks (a strong German style wheat beer—yeah, I had to look it up to be sure) I’ve ever tasted. Which is saying quite a lot, because honestly, I can’t think when I’ve ever had a bad one. Put simply, Moonglow belongs on the shelf close to my beloved Aventinus. It’s that good.

The color is on the darker side of amber, like caramelized honey, with a small, creamy head that settles to a small lacy rim that hugs the side of the glass. The scent is heady and wonderful: bready with subtle hints of apple, nutmeg, citrus, and clove.

As for the taste? Well, enough to say it lives up to the name. Victory Moonglow has the spice bread taste of any good wheat beer or ale, with the definite sweetness suggested by the nose, and a faintly bitter after taste—think dark malt rather than strong hops—that balances nicely. It’s wonderfully and surprisingly complex, but smooth and extraordinarily drinkable—which could be problematic given the higher than usual alcohol content.

This is a beer that will pair well with food—or make a meal on it’s own. Although it’s not nearly as heavy as you’d expect from a sweeter weizenbock. It’s perfect for a cool autumn evening or a long winter night by the fire.

Old Chubb

Sunday’s much happier Braves game was accompanied by a lovely Scotch-style ale, Old Chubb. At first glance, it looks rather like the Moonglow—a dark amber brown with a thin, lacy head. It’s one of the better Scotch Ales I’ve tried, one that stands up proudly to Claymore Scotch Ale and brings back happy memories of McEwan’s Scotch Ale, a dear old friend that’s far too hard to find these days.

Like all Scotch Ales, Old Chubb has the distinctive caramelized malt flavor that’s light on hops and carbonation—giving it a sweetness that balances a full grainy flavor nicely without being syrupy or overly heavy. The nose is all about the malt, with just a hint of smoke. The taste is distinctively Scottish: peaty, smokey, and nutty with wonderful notes of fruit (fig, maybe?), brown sugar, and cocoa. The feel is thick and creamy, certainly, but silky and with a pleasantly dry after taste.

Drink this slowly. The flavor changes slightly as it warms, making the experience much more interesting as the glass empties. It’s an ale to be savored. Even served cool, it warms the belly nicely, making it another delightful choice as the nights grow longer and colder.

It turned out to be a pretty darn good way to celebrate the Braves’ return to the post season, too.

Update: for those who asked, I found the Moonglow at the Decatur Taco Mac, although I’m sure it can be found elsewhere. Living in Pubtopia, I don’t hit Taco Mac very often—although it ties with the good old Brew House as the best place in the neighborhood to watch a game. Still, the original Taco Mac pretty much introduced the Buffalo chicken wing and the magnificent beer list to Atlanta way back in the olden days. Maybe those finer aspects of modern civilization would have made it here without Taco Mac, but how can we know for sure? So Taco Mac will always have a special place in my heart. The Decatur location doesn’t have quite the divey charm of the original Virginia Highlands location, but it has parking and more TVs. So really, you win either way. But seriously, try the Victory Moonglow.