Books

Miniature Dictionary: Tiny Book, Trove of Knowledge

Anonymous — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Miniature Dictionary: Tiny Book, Trove of Knowledge Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 07/16/2024 - 00:00

Christie Sounart

In 2003, nearly a decade after the death of Jacob Van Ek, former ��ƷSM��ӰƬ political science professor and College of Arts and Sciences dean, the CU Heritage Center received an anonymous donation of his desk items — including a miniature English-Dutch dictionary, which stands two inches high and less than 1.5 inches wide.

Mini books, according to auction service Britannic Auctions, were popular throughout history as they allowed the reader to conveniently and discreetly carry knowledge. Van Ek and his wife may have used the dictionary on their global travels, said Mona Lambrecht, Heritage Center interim director and curator of its history and collections.

After winning a year-long travel fellowship in 1928, Van Ek and his wife, Eve Drewelowe, traveled around the world to familiarize themselves with different peoples, countries and civilizations. During this time, they spent time in the Netherlands, where Van Ek’s parents were born.

The couple returned from their travels in 1929, and Van Ek assumed his role as Arts and Sciences dean, a position he held at ��ƷSM��ӰƬ for 30 years before teaching full time for several more years.

The experience left him with a broad worldview.

According to the Jacob Van Ek collection housed in the Norlin Library, “When the ‘Red Scare’ gripped college campuses in the late 1940s and the 1950s, Dr. Van Ek won the respect and gratitude of his faculty and student body when he acted as a steadfast defender of freedom of expression.”

Facts about the dictionary:

Title: English-Dutch 12000 Words Liliput Dictionary 77
Published by Schmidt & Günther
Printed by F. E. Haag in Leipzig, Germany
Published circa 1925
635 pages
Dimensions: 1⅜ inches wide by 2 inches high by 3/8 inches deep
Text 1/16 inches high
Red linen fabric cover
All the dictionaries published by Schmidt & Günther in this series have a number connected to them. The English-Dutch is number 77.

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Photos courtesy Mona Lambrecht, CU Heritage Center

Zoom in on a twentieth-century miniature English-Dutch dictionary in CU's Heritage Collection.

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Roaming Buff

Anonymous — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Roaming Buff Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 03/06/2023 - 00:00

Alexx McMillan

Educator and travel writer Sandra Bornstein (A&S ex’78; MEdu’05), published 100 Things to Do in Boulder Before You Die in September 2022. She also is author of the travel memoir May This Be the Best Year of Your Life. Sandra lives in Jefferson County, Colorado, with her husband, Ira Bornstein (Hist’75). Three of their four sons also graduated from CU.

Where is your favorite travel destination?

My husband and I have visited more than 50 countries. My love of history and culture, combined with my Jewish heritage, makes Israel my top destination. We have visited Israel four times and look forward to our next trip. However, the most engaging was our duo trip to the Galapagos Islands and Machu Picchu. The combination of wildlife, unique ecosystems and history was incredible.

Can you tell us about 100 Things to Do in Boulder Before You Die?

It was an incredible opportunity to write about a place I have loved since 1974. My goal was to create a guidebook that appeals to a large, diverse audience. The indexes offer itinerary suggestions for 10 categories, including one that highlights 12 day trips within a two-hour drive of Boulder.

What kept calling you and your husband, Ira, back to Boulder?

As a college freshman, I fell in love with both Boulder and Ira. Long-distance relationships were extremely difficult in the 1970s, so we opted to get married and relocated to Chicago where Ira was attending law school. Even though I was physically in Illinois, a small intangible part remained in Colorado. Perhaps, it was the unfulfilled dream of a CU degree or incredibly happy memories of our time together in Boulder. When our two oldest sons were attending college, we returned to Boulder County.

A page on your website is dedicated to Ira’s battle against brain cancer. Why is sharing this important?

My life was turned upside down when Ira was diagnosed with glioblastoma. Scrolling through online resources for terminal cancer patients, I saw far too many people succumbing to their prognosis. Few were embracing life. As I read about people who beat the odds, I became determined to work with Ira to figure out the best approach. We remain grateful for each day that Ira’s quality of life remains intact. I sincerely hope my “For Glio” webpage will encourage others facing a terminal diagnosis to not give up.

Of the 100 things to do in Boulder, which is your No. 1?

I can’t narrow down everything you can do in Boulder to one favorite thing. However, I can single out the place that brings back the most memories. Shortly after we met, Ira drove me to Boulder Falls. There is no doubt that we have visited far more impressive waterfalls in other destinations. However, for me, this modest waterfall with a minuscule trail will always elicit a smile and fond recollections.

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Photos courtesy Sandra Bornstein

Educator and travel writer Sandra Bornstein published 100 Things to Do in Boulder Before You Die in September 2022.

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Founder of Out West Talks LGBTQ History in the American West

Anonymous — Fri, 11 Mar 2022 07:00:00 +0000

Founder of Out West Talks LGBTQ History in the American West Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 03/11/2022 - 00:00

Claire Bettor

Gregory Hinton (Bus’77) is a California-based author, historian and founder of Out West, a national museum program series exploring the contributions of LGBTQ communities to Western American history. By discussing these cultural themes and how they connect to communities through his work, Hinton hopes to educate people about LGBTQ history and culture in the American West.

How has the LGBTQ landscape in the American West changed since you were a CU student?

Countless rural-born western gay men and women of my generation (myself included) intially evacuated to the urban coasts — Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland and Seattle — seeking community, companionship and safety. Fortunately, this evacuation has slowed over the years, and now, some are returning. Despite progress in areas like marriage equality, however, non-discrimination protections and hate crimes legislation still have not passed in many western states.

Tell us about the work you’ve done as an author and historian.

I attended CU on a creative writing scholarship, always hoping to have a literary career. Though I ultimately graduated with a business degree, I have since published three novels — Cathedral City, Desperate Hearts and The Way Things Ought to Be — along with several short stories, plays and film productions. In 2009, quite by chance, I created an educational program series called Out West. The Autry Museum of the American West in Los Angeles was the first museum to invite me to create programming — lectures, exhibitions and plays — dedicated to shining a light on LGBTQ history and culture in the American West. Since then, we’ve shared stories all over the country.

Tell us about the work of the Gay & Lesbian Rodeo Heritage Foundation (GLRHF), where you’re a founding director.

GLRHF was formed after the acquisition of the International Gay Rodeo archives by the Autry Museum of the American West in 2009, and it has been closely connected to my public programming for Out West. Its purpose is to support scholarship that illuminates gay rodeo visibility and to ensure gay rodeo receives recognition and its own place in rodeo history.

Which of your three books means the most to you and why?

It’s tough to choose just one — almost like admitting you have a favorite kid. But I would have to say that because it’s my own coming out story, The Way Things Ought to Be, set against the backdrop of 1970s Boulder.

If you could give one piece of advice to other LGBTQ folks who want to make an impact on the community, what would it be?

Don’t wait for permission. Act on your hunches. Don’t be afraid to write a letter or email or tweet to get what you need. Never deny who you are.

What is one of your favorite memories from CU?

I always loved to walk around campus, especially on winter days when the frozen Flatirons would actually sparkle in the sun. I also loved my Spanish teacher — her name was Maddie. I used to watch her from the second-floor window of Old Main coming to class in her long fur coat. She was so glamorous. I’d wave and she’d wave back. I think about her often.

What is your biggest takeaway from your Out West journey so far?

I am so happy to find that we don’t need to leave our small western communities behind if we don’t want to. I love telling our stories. And I love the solitary drives they afford me into the most beautiful country you can imagine — I feel most like myself on those drives. Out West was just a whim I had, a spark that got fanned by the flames of need. I remember watching a young waiter in Red Lodge, Montana, as he was serving a large table of cowboys. He was so professional, and they treated him courteously. I later ran into him in a bar and asked how things were for him in Red Lodge. “At least I know I am safe here,” he told me. “At least I know I am accepted.”

What do you hope people will take away from the Out West series?

I hope they will see the value in telling all the stories of the American West.

Interview condensed and edited.

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Photos courtesy Gregory Hinton

Author and historian Gregory Hinton discusses his work in educating people about LGBTQ history and culture in the American West.

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The Story of CU's First Library

Anonymous — Fri, 02 Jul 2021 06:00:00 +0000

The Story of CU's First Library Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 07/02/2021 - 00:00

Kelsey Yandura

As Leo Tolstoy prepared to publish Anna Karenina and Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women sequels circulated, a group of CU bookworms were dreaming up the university’s first library.

Within the first few months of class on CU’s campus in the fall of 1877 (when it was just a prep school), several students formed the University Literary Society. Members included the group’s president James McFarland (A&S1882), Emma Reed, Fred Smith and John Mellette (A&S1882).

Society meetings were marked by witty satire and consisted of debates, essays, orations and recitations. The group discussed everything from the virtues of selfishness to their berry-picking experiences in the mountains.

They also began making plans for a society library. Eager to raise funds, they put on a series of “entertainments” — lectures, a concert, a play titled Neighbor Jackwood (managed by Mary Rippon) and a debate concerning “Woman or Money: Which has the greater influence over man?” Tickets ranged between 50 cents and $2.

During this fundraising phase, local banker and bibliophile Charles Buckingham donated $2,000 for the purchase of books. President Sewall announced the name “Buckingham Library” at the concert on Dec. 7, 1877.

The library opened its doors in 1878, and students took advantage of the 1,500 tomes during the fall semester.

The furniture, drapery and decor were selected by society members. Natural light illuminated the books. Three walnut writing tables were offset by a comfortable easy chair.

In June 1878, the Boulder County News said, “There may be costlier libraries in the State, but none other with such an indispensable selection of new books, and a place so pleasant in its furnishings and surroundings.”

Over the next several years, the library traveled around Old Main. It expanded into multiple rooms on the second floor, then moved to the third floor. As the collection grew and the sheer amount of books became too heavy, it was moved to the ground level. Finally, on Jan. 4, 1904, the library moved to its own building (now the University Theatre) on the Norlin quadrangle. By this time, it boasted 30,000 volumes.

Now, over 100 years later, the five libraries across the ��ƷSM��ӰƬ campus represent the largest library collection in the Rocky Mountain region, exceeding 10 million books, periodicals, audiovisual materials, maps, microforms and more.

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Photo courtesy CU Heritage Center

A few ambitious students formed the university’s first library.

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Infinite: From self-published book to movie starring Mark Wahlberg and Chiwetel Ejiofor

Anonymous — Fri, 02 Jul 2021 06:00:00 +0000

Infinite: From self-published book to movie starring Mark Wahlberg and Chiwetel Ejiofor Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 07/02/2021 - 00:00

Helen Olsson

In 2010, Rafi Crohn picked up a paperback called The Reincarnationist Papers in a hostel in Nepal. On the first page, author D. Eric Maikranz (Russ’91) offered a cash reward to any reader who could help get the book made into a Hollywood movie.

As an assistant to a movie producer, Crohn was instantly intrigued by both the proposal and the book’s puzzle-box plot.

Part sci-fi thriller, part mystery and part historical fiction, the novel follows a shadowy society called the Cognomina made up of reincarnated individuals with total recall of their past lives.

“They’re very cosmopolitan and educated people who’ve led very enriched lives,” Maikranz said. “Some characters go back 10 or 20 lives.”

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WWEOCQGxSw]

How the self-published paperback found its way to Nepal remains a mystery. At the time, there were only a thousand copies in circulation.

“I had no idea if it would work,” said Maikranz. “It’s even more mind-blowing that Rafi found it halfway around the world.”

The idea sprung from Maikranz’s work as a programmer at Oracle, which often uses collaboration and customer input to improve its products. “Essentially, I crowdsourced my readers to become my agents,” he said.

And — it worked. Crohn and Maikranz paired up on a quest for a movie deal.

For the next nine years, Crohn championed the book in what would be a rollercoaster ride of emotions. They’d get a nibble from a production company one month, an option here, a producer interested there. Right when it seemed like a done deal, the project would get shelved. Finally, in 2017, it sold to Paramount. The film, titled Infinite, stars Mark Wahlberg and Chiwetel Ejiofor and was released on Paramount+ in June.

In 2019, Maikranz traveled to an abandoned Victorian mansion-turned-movie-set in England to see the filming of Infinite and to meet Wahlberg between takes.

“I was absolutely terrified. I speak in front of thousands of people for work; I don’t really rattle. But I couldn’t even hold a cup of tea,” said Maikranz. “Wahlberg said to me, ‘Eric, I hope to make you proud of my portrayal of your character.’ I was floating like a butterfly.”

Maikranz gained inspiration for this unique adventure through a combination of travel, historical study and personal experience.

After graduating from CU, Maikranz moved to Italy to serve as a foreign correspondent. On the side, he gave tours of the Coliseum and the Forum, bringing the past to life through historical characters.

“Every generation has its Kardashians and Clintons,” he said. “That was killer training for storytelling on the page.”

Maikranz also found inspiration for the novel through his own curiosity about reincarnation.

“I have three memories that don’t belong to me,” he said. “The oldest one is from around 1880. I’m a little boy holding a man’s hand as we watch huge black steam locomotives pull up to the tracks.”

Does he believe in reincarnation? “I don’t have a strong metaphysical stance on it. I don’t necessarily believe in it, but I don’t not believe in it.”

Maikranz also credits his time at the university.

“In a way, I’m equipped to write this novel because the 22-year-old version of me went to CU and studied the Russian giants.”

He is inspired by the idea that even in our current existence, we’re different people at different parts of our lives.

With the release of Infinite, Maikranz plans to take a six- to 12-month leave of absence from Oracle to focus on writing — and to take time for dropping in on Zoom book clubs. The second book in the series, The Cognomina Chronicles, is in the works.

“After 30 years, I’m finally getting to use my degree in literature to the fullest,” he said.

Connect with Maikranz on Facebook and Twitter.

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Photo courtesy Paramount+

D. Eric Maikranz propelled his book to the silver screen with guerilla marketing.

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10 Obscure Books Recommended by CU English Faculty

Anonymous — Thu, 04 Feb 2021 22:35:55 +0000

10 Obscure Books Recommended by CU English Faculty Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 02/04/2021 - 15:35

Grace Dearnley

A month into 2020, most people are still staying home. After they tear through everything on Netflix and Hulu, many are turning to the pages of books to occupy their minds. Grab a cup of tea and a fluffy blanket, then get cozy in your favorite reading nook to escape into one of these 10 little-known books recommended by CU English faculty.

1. A Time of Gifts by Patrick Leigh Fermor

Recommended by Professor John Stevenson.

A Time of Gifts follows the true story of an Englishman who walked across Europe in the early 1930's — from London to Constantinople. In this first book, Fermor documents his travels from London to Hungary, after which the sequel, Between the Woods and the Water, recounts the remainder of his adventure. Stevenson wrote that, “beautifully written, full of observations and ideas and adventures, it’s a book for the ages.”

2. Martin Luther King and the Montgomery Story by Alfred Hassler and Benton Resnik

Recommended by Professor William Kuskin.

Martin Luther King and the Montgomery Story, which came back into print nearly 60 years after its initial publication, is a 16-page graphic novel detailing the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott in which Dr. King, Rosa Parks and 50,000 others fought against the segregation of city buses. The comic book is credited for inspiring MARCH, the graphic novel autobiography trilogy by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell.

3. The Big Clock by Kenneth Fearing

Recommended by Associate Professor Cheryl Higashida.

Originally published in 1946, The Big Clock is an American noir novel that takes place in the publishing industry of New York City. The main character, George Stroud, gets tangled up in a murder mystery and must prove his own innocence. Higashida writes that it is a “super fun and thought-provoking novel” that “raises questions about time and identity in industrial capitalism.”

4. La portentosa vida de La Muerte (The Astounding Life of Death) by Fray Joaquín Bolaños

Written in Spanish and originally published in 1792, La portentosa vida de La Muerte was one of the first Mexican novels, written by a Franciscan priest. The book takes the reader through the journey of Death, Adam and Eve’s daughter, who falls in love with several people but whose husbands keep dying off before their wedding night.

5. Ice by Anna Kavan

Recommended by instructor Jason Gladstone.

Ice takes place in a frozen, apocalyptic landscape where walls of ice tower and governments vie for control. The narrator must take a glacial journey to find and save a glass girl with silver hair before the ice closes in on the world. This science fiction novel is called a warning against climate change and totalitarianism, a feminist exploration of violence and trauma, and an allegory for the author’s struggles with addiction.

6. Ancient Lights by Davis Grubb

Recommended by Professor Ruth Ellen Kocher.

In Ancient Lights, a modern epic novel, country bumpkin Sweeley Lynch of West Virginia is the only man who can save the world from the founders of an electronic conspiracy. Kocher called the book “bizarre in a very druggy, hallucinatory, Hunter S. Thompson kind of way.”

7. Maud Martha by Gwendolyn Brooks

Recommended by Assistant Professor Khadijah Queen.

Although Brooks is well-known for her poetry, this coming-of-age story, originally published in 1953, was her only work of fiction for adults. The novella is compiled of a series of 34 vignettes, set in the 1940s, that come together to create what Brooks called a “kind of portrait of a young Chicago woman’s life.”

8. The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper by Hallie Rubenhol

Recommended by PhD candidate Grace Rexroth.

The true-crime book The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper tells the stories of the women killed in 1888 by the unknown man who became the media sensation known as Jack the Ripper. Rexroth writes, “We seem to have this fascination with perpetrators of violence that often has gendered connotations (usually some version of: male killer becomes infamous while his female victims are elided). This book tackles that very problem. It … does the feminist work of making Jack the Ripper's victims visible and legible to a modern audience.”

9. The Story of Harold by Terry Andrews/George Selden

Recommended by Professor Elisabeth Ann Sheffield.

The Story of Harold follows a man named Terry’s journey through a life of tortured and unfulfilled relationships, first with a woman whom he cannot fully love, then with an unreciprocating father of six, and another with a young boy who is already doomed to a life of insecurity and failure. Terry strives to redeem the boy — even as he prepares his own suicide.

10. Rogue Male by Geoffrey Household

Recommended by Professor John Stevenson.

Set in the 1930s, Rogue Male is the story of a hunter passing through an unnamed central European country controlled by a vicious dictator. In his self-appointed mission to kill the ruler, security catches up with him just before he pulls the trigger. Stevenson called it the “unputdownable story of a man on the run … Clever escapes from certain capture follow one after another, right up to the potent conclusion. The best thriller I have ever read.”

Other great books submitted to the list:

All-Negro Comics #1 by Orrin Evans

Kari by Amruta Patil

Woman on the Edge of Time by Marge Piercy

Square Haunting: Five Writers in London Between the Wars by Francesca Wade

A Swim in the Pond in the Rain by George Saunders

The Talking Room by Marianne Hauser

Among Family by Marie NDiaye

The Word for Woman is Wilderness by Abi Andrews

The Monk by Matthew Lewis

Grab a cup of tea and a fluffy blanket, then get cozy in your favorite reading nook to escape into one of these 10 little-known books recommended by CU English Faculty.

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Embracing the Challenge

Anonymous — Wed, 16 Sep 2020 15:03:19 +0000

Embracing the Challenge Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 09/16/2020 - 09:03

Christie Sounart

Edna Ma (EPOBio’99; MD’03) has worked in the Los Angeles area as a private practice anesthesiologist since 2007. The mother of two children also is author of two bilingual children’s books, Travel, Learn and See, featuring English, Mandarin and pinyin and inspired by her son Dean and his best friend Ethan, who met in a Mandarin immersion school.

Have you always been a writer?

No! At CU, I basically lived in the EPO biology building in Dr. Anne Bekoff’s lab. But I like being creative. Writing became that creative outlet.

Are Ethan and Dean fluent in mandarin?

Yes — the real Ethan started learning Mandarin and Spanish when he was two years old. Dean’s first language is Mandarin, which he speaks with his immediate family. Both the boys are enrolled in Mandarin immersion programs in Los Angeles.

What was the moment of inspiration for you to write a bilingual children’s book?

I really wanted to read to my children in Chinese but couldn’t find any books I could read with my limited literacy in Mandarin. Most Chinese children's books are published in Taiwan or China but are entirely in Mandarin. There are very few books written in English, Chinese characters and pinyin. I also observed how easily the children clicked. They naturally gravitated to each other.

I saw writing my own book as a multifaceted solution to my problems. I could write the books parents were looking to buy. I could also improve my own Mandarin literacy and spotlight the beautiful friendships forming at the multilingual school my children attended.

Since you aren’t fluent in Mandarin, how were you able to ensure the Mandarin language was correct?

This has been a challenge! Actually, I took my first Mandarin class as a college freshman at CU. Since then, I make deliberate efforts and I’m not too embarrassed to speak, even in my terrible accent. Some of these efforts include volunteering at my children’s school and watching Netflix in Mandarin.

How did you decide on art for the books?

Growing up, I was drawn toward the watercolor style of the original Winnie the Pooh and Curious George. The illustrator I work with brings back that nostalgic feeling I am hoping to capture and bring to today’s children.

How do you find time to write?

Currently, I write this during the coronavirus pandemic and my children have been home from school for months. On days I am in the operating room, I leave for work at 6 a.m. But on days I’m not administering anesthesia, I wake at 5 a.m. to squeeze in an hour of work before I am on mom duty. The process is slow, but like the quote, “Dripping water hollows out stone, not through force but through persistence,” I’m slowly hollowing out that stone and making a figurative sculpture!

Do your ideas flow easily for you?

Sometimes. The challenging part is honing down the idea into a story. Children have short attention spans, so to tell a story in a compact fashion requires lots of editing and revisions.

Will you continue to write bilingual books?

As long as there is a market for them, I will write. So far the feedback has been great. Because of social media, I have discovered a community of Chinese American authors writing bilingual children’s books. This is reassuring that there is indeed an audience. I also hope my books are discovered by native Chinese speakers wishing to teach their children English.

What does your career as an anesthesiologist mean to you, especially during this pandemic?

Anesthesiologists are at one of the highest risks for contracting the coronavirus doing patient care. This is due to the degree of contact to the airway during patient care, operating the ventilators and ensuring the patients’ vital signs are stable. We are the critical care physicians of the operating room, and are the physicians that safely insert the breathing tube during the few precious minutes you’re not breathing.

Until recently, anesthesiologists were the proverbial wizards behind the curtain and the general public really had little understand of our roles in the operating rooms or ICUs.

You were on both Survivor and Shark Tank. What were your key takeaways from those experiences?

The experiences taught me that I had more courage and resilience to overcome things I feared. I wanted to quit Survivor; it was a physically and mentally tough game. Eventually, I was voted off the island. And on Shark Tank, I did not get a deal with the TV investors. I shared my “failures” with millions of people and I survived the process! New challenges no longer seem as intimidating.

What else do you like to do?

I would love to see my books become an animated series. Anyone who has learned a foreign language knows that language is learned by seeing, hearing and experiences. What better way than an animated series.

As for reality TV, I’m up for any challenge! Amazing Race? Do you know anyone I could pair with?

Condensed and edited.

Photos courtesy Edna Ma

Edna Ma has worked in the Los Angeles area as a private practice anesthesiologist since 2007. The mother of two children also is author of two bilingual children’s books featuring English, Mandarin and pinyin.

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60 Hikes Within 60 Miles of Denver and Boulder

Anonymous — Fri, 07 Aug 2020 17:44:45 +0000

60 Hikes Within 60 Miles of Denver and Boulder Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 08/07/2020 - 11:44

by Mindy Sink (Jour'92) and Kim Lipker
(Menasha Ridge Press, 288 pages; 2020)

Buy the Book

The best way to experience Denver and Boulder is by hiking. Get outdoors with local authors and hiking experts Mindy Sink and Kim Lipker with the full-color edition of 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Denver and Boulder. A perfect blend of popular trails and hidden gems, the selected trails transport you to scenic overlooks, wildlife hot spots and historical settings that renew your spirit and recharge your body.

Explore the highlights of some of Colorado’s newest trails ― such as a waterfall in Staunton State Park, Clear Creek as it tumbles alongside the Peaks to Plains Trail toward Golden, or a historical ranch at Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge. Or enjoy classic favorites along the Front Range, such as ascending Mount Bierstadt, one of Colorado's iconic 14ers; taking in the views of Horsetooth Reservoir just outside Fort Collins; and seeing Boulder’s flatirons up close from Chautauqua Park. With these Colorado authors as your guides, you’ll learn about the area and experience nature through 60 of the region’s best hikes!

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Every Thread a Story: Traditional Chinese Artisans of Guizhou Province

Anonymous — Wed, 26 Feb 2020 20:07:25 +0000

Every Thread a Story: Traditional Chinese Artisans of Guizhou Province Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 02/26/2020 - 13:07

by Karen Elting Brock (Engl'86), Linda Ligon, Jun Wang
(Thrumus Books, 2020; 160 pages)

Buy the Book

The book introduces more than a dozen contemporary artists from four ethnic groups working in the techniques of their ancestors, including indigo dyers, embroiderers of varying techniques, weavers, a metalsmith, and a paper maker whose family has been making paper from mulberry trees for a thousand years. Meet Yang Wen Xiu living high on a mountain pass, working in the centuries-old Miao technique of laran (batik) to create stunning depictions of spiritual beliefs on cloth. Learn how embroidery artist Tai Lao Xing splits her silk thread ten times to embroider folklore symbols in meticulous detail onto her festival jackets, and how Dong artist Shi Hong Yan folds hundreds of pleats into her indigo-dyed skirt. Every Thread a Story concludes with a wide-ranging look to the future through the lens of a curator, a collector, and an educator, who ponder the effects of tourism and modern development on the craft and culture of southeast Guizhou Province.

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Every Thread a Story: Traditional Chinese Artisans of Guizhou Province

Anonymous — Wed, 26 Feb 2020 20:07:22 +0000

Every Thread a Story: Traditional Chinese Artisans of Guizhou Province Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 02/26/2020 - 13:07

by Karen Elting Brock (Engl'86), Linda Ligon, Jun Wang
(Thrumus Books, 2020; 160 pages)

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