Bennett Books

More than thirty years ago, lovable British playwright Alan Bennett encountered an eccentric and difficult old woman, Miss Shepherd, living contentedly, eccentrically, and not without troubles, in her van - in his London neighborhood. Bennett, intrigued by her and concerned for her safety (which was not always assured) subtly befriended her. Within a few months she had moved the van to a parking spot across from his house. She stayed for years and this slim book, first published in 1989 as a long piece in "The London Review of Books," is the story of their gently and sometimes humorously intersecting lives.

In subsequent years Miss S.'s highly individual sense of upward mobility would find expression, and there would be replacement vans. Miss S. was a Catholic who loved to paint her vans and favored yellow - asserting "it's the papal colour." She was sometimes demanding of Bennett's time, requesting favors and errands of him. She never said "Thanks." She revealed precious little about her past: only of her current opinions. She wrote and sold pamphlets on the street that she claimed were authored anonymously. She sold pencils on the street, claiming that her pencils were the best. She was given to fanatical religious and political pronouncements, and outrageous statements of prejudice and some silliness. Her right-wing politics clashed with Bennett's, and her comments on current events - reported deadpan, and verbatim - were often very funny. Old age and its freight of health and personal problems dogged her, and Bennett did what he could to help.

Alan Bennett is a great listener. In addition he can tell a story simply and clearly, with precision and understatement. He tells just enough. He encourages his characters to speak for themselves.

This is a great little nonfiction story that is tender but never mawkish - told with wit and elegance.

Famous for his hilariously ironic comic sketches in Beyond the Fringe and Talking Heads, and for his recent Tony Award-winning play The History Boys, among other productions, Alan Bennett here gives some insights into his own life and personality. In "The Lady in the Van," he details the twenty-year relationship he had with someone who, under any other circumstances, would be considered a homeless person. In this case, Mary Shepherd is not "homeless" because she lives, unkempt but unfettered, in a filthy van--which she ultimately parks in the garden of his house. The van and its occupant remain there for years.

Beginning in 1969, when Bennett tells of meeting her for the first time, after she has parked her van on a lot across the street from his house, and concluding in 1989, with her death at seventy-seven, Bennett gives a diary of Mary Shepherd's life--and, incidentally, his own life, not as her benefactor (which suggests conscious "do-gooding" on his part) but as a person who respects the independence of those around him, even those like Mary Shepherd who challenge his good nature every step of the way.

The founder of her own political party (membership: two, including a nun suffering from Alzheimer's), writer of political tracts (which she sells, along with pencils), devoutly religious dropout from a convent, and fiercely independent challenger of "the system," Miss Shepherd lives without sanitary facilities, in a series of vans (each of which she paints yellow, "the papal color"). As Bennett describes her colorful clothing and headgear (all of it foully odoriferous) and the unsanitary conditions under which she chooses to live, the listener can only listen in amazement at Bennett's tolerance and ability to continue letting Miss Shepherd live her own life on her own terms--and on his property.

The audiotape also includes "Uncle Clarence," the story of an uncle who died at age twenty during World War I. A detailed picture of his family--especially of his grandmother, aunts, and mother--Bennett describes the special place the deceased soldier forever occupies in their lives. His visit to Ypres, where his uncle is buried, becomes a meditation on the futility of war. These two astonishing character sketches reveal as much about the author as they do about the characters being described. Always respectful of his subjects, while selecting details which reveal their unique (and in the case of Miss Shepherd, impossibly difficult) qualities, Bennett shows himself to be genuinely caring and thoughtful--and perhaps the only person in England who could have tolerated the lifestyle Miss Shepherd brought to his yard. n Mary Whipple

Published by the vaunted Red Crane Books of Santa Fe, New Mexico, this three volume set on religious art and wooden artifacts of New Mexico is a rare, rich visual and intellectual repast. It would be a treasured gift, one to which collectors and aficionados will return time and again.

Larry Frank is remembered for "The New Kingdom of the Saints" (1997), while Skip Miller is curator and director, Taos Historic Museums.

With 842 stunning color photographs and 848 pages A Land so Remote surely holds the most comprehensive and accessible information on this subject. Many of the photos included are of rare objects gleaned from nine museums and a number of private collections. Carefully selected for the part each plays in this artistic corpus, photos are accompanied by concise essays that enhance knowledge while still piquing an interest to know more.

Volumes I and II beautifully present the growth of religious art during a period of over 125 years. It was a time when in order to undergird their faith Spanish settlers turned to santos, visual representations of saints. Thus was born an art form unique to America which once was of great import in churches, communities and homes.. Santos were, if you will, incarnations of the hopes and dreams of these immigrants.

"Rightly understood," author Frank remarks, "santos are a kind of `liberation theology' written in the language of wood, plaster, and paint, an understanding of Christianity that empowers the poor to free themselves from unjust socioeconomic and cultural structures in the larger world and within themselves.

Volume III centers on wooden objects, such as tools, furniture, toys, and domestic utensils. These objects testify to the influence of the Spanish on the traditions of the indigenous inhabitants of this region.

Photographer Michael O'Shaughnessy described his task as a "...wonderful, often awesome, experience of having such close contact with material that radiates the love and importance that their makers brought to their creation."

Such is the case with readers as they leaf through the pages of these landmark volumes.

- Gail Cooke

A LAND SO REMOTE

Prior to the holidays, I received a great gift, a copy of the beautifully produced three-volume study A Land So Remote, authored by Larry Frank and Skip Miller, and published by Marianne and Michael O'Shaughnessy of Red Crane Books, Publishers, Santa Fe.
Creation of a successful publication of this magnitude can only be accomplished by many who work in concert, in this case scholar, editor, publisher and, of course, those who are willing to share their treasures with anyone wishing to turn the pages in this landmark study. Frank and Miller have devoted a large percentage of their lives carefully studying and painstakingly handling objects-some of religious importance, powerful images that were the subject of daily devotion, while other objects that served a useful function in the lives of hundreds of thousands attempting to make their lives easier. To the Hispanic, Native American, and the Anglo, these objects were an integral part of daily life-whether as an expression of their spirituality, their intense religious devotion-- or to enable them to perform certain physical tasks-- cutting wood or baking bread.
The authors, in concert with photographer Michael O'Shaughnessy, have treated each object sympathetically, whether it be a santo or bulto, or packsaddle or carreta wheels, with the same level of care, even reverence. The real joy is in seeing so many diverse objects fashioned out of wood and other materials in significant numbers. How often have we had the opportunity of examining page after page of images beautifully organized and described. The authors, of course, treat us to a display of work by lesser known santeros, as well as the most celebrated, notably José Rafael Aragon. Volume two devotes pages 288 to 377 to some of the most powerful religious images by Aragon and his followers that the reader will ever experience.
Since 1974, I have been a frequent visitor to New Mexico and have written a few books on the Anglo painters. After reading Miller's and Frank's essays, I said to myself, "I wish I had written these words. Both scholars write with conviction and authority. They also write in a style I have labeled "an easy read." They have organized their material so that it makes sense. You understand why the objects were created, who created them and importantly, how they were created. Happily, these objects, some still in the churches in Ranchos de Taos, Chimayo, Taos, and chapels throughout the Southwest, others in museums and private collections, have been "gathered" and presented to the reader and viewer in a beautiful and effective manner (I was tempted to use the phrase elegant but refrained).
All reviews of the publication praise A Land So Remote for its visual appeal, handsome photographs," fascinating account of the history and culture of Hispanic New Mexico," scholarship, a major contribution to Hispanic studies. One critic even suggested that, before being placed in a glass case [with other rare books], it might serve as a coffee table book. Never! If anything, it will be a banquet table book, and will be the scene of great feasts-visual and literary. But their words, like mine, fail to express the impact this handsome three-volume study will have on you-the participant. This study will, like the objects that it treats, transcends time. Secure your copy. I can assure you that it will never gather dust (although it will go out-of-print).

Dean A. Porter, Ph. D.
Director Emeritus, The Snite Museum of Art
Professor of Art History
University of Notre Dame

This is a great book. Very powerfully written. A MUST READ!! It will leave you waiting for the sequel.

For a first time author, Mr. Bennett hit this one out of the park. Fans of intrigue and action books will love this read.

The title story of Alan Bennett's "The Laying on of Hands," a novella that takes up half the book of three stories, demonstrates the playwright's sparkling versatility as a writer.

Anyone who has seen or read Bennett's recent Tony-award-winning play, "The History Boys," will appreciate the more subtle humor of "The Laying on of Hands," the focus of which is a memorial service for a highly attractive, skillful, and young (dead at age 34) masseur conducted by a High Anglican priest who, like most of those attending the service, has enjoyed the virile masseur's services, albeit without the knowledge of the others.

Among the attendees is wide selection of mourners, including many of England's wealthy and famous, male and female, a "version of England," as it were. Add a self-righteous Archdeacon, there to report on the conduct of Father Geoffrey Jolliffe, who is conducting the service, and you have the ingredients for a smart, subversive dark comedy revolving around the question of "What did he die of?"

To supply the answer would spoil the story. Read it and enjoy it; then read and see the movie version, available on DVD, of "The History Boys" if you haven't already.

Wrestling With Angels: A Tale of Two Brothers Bare Roots Loud Whisper

Alan Bennett is the classiest act in literature. His personal style--wry, self-effacing--shades his writing, which manages to be delicate, ironic, and hysterically funny all at once. The title story is destined to be a classic, and if you loved "The Clothes They Stood Up In," it's sure to be something you read and reread. It's genuinely laugh-out-loud funny, and it's quite astonishing how a seemingly lightweight take about the death of an ambisexual masseur can hone in on people's hopes and fears without ever becoming less than a breathtaking feat. The second, also more a novella than a shirt story, is less impressive but still very funny, sexy, and also sweet. The last is the least compelling--the prat of a protagonist makes it rough going--but this is the shortest of the lot by far. And the first take alone is well worth the price.

I could not put this book down, this is book for people who are into the spiritual side of their existence and want to probe deeper. This book gives you a lot more detail into understanding a higher consciousness than say the popular film "What the Bleep Do We Know ?" in that it explains not only how to "see" the world but to understand your ultimate place in the grand scheme of things. It is not preachy or vague in any way, it is simply a guide. Well worth your time!

This newly revised third edition of a classic is a clear path to capacities some of us may not even know we have. Hal Bennett offers a lot of wisdom and a sure hand born of extensive personal inquiry and an education that includes both academic understanding and practical experience. He takes us with him on some of his own journeys which were so exciting, I could not put the book down! He also offers numerous practical exercises and grounds his material in an extensive understanding of the shamanic, Jungian theory and many other disciplines. I highly recommend it. Anne Hillman, Author and Adult Educator, "The Dancing Animal Woman - A Celebration of Life."

I really enjoyed this book since I grew up in Lexington, NC...a lot of history in Lexington I didn't know. I also gave copy to my best friend since we grew up together and were neighbors in Lexington.

I gave this book to my mother-in law who is from Lexington NC and she loved it! There are a lot of pictures to think of good old memories.
I think a book like this is very special.

Lions Aren't Scared of Shots is a picture book designed to help children understand that doctor visits don't have to be painful. My 10 year old loved the book and read it in 20 minutes. There are two sections. One is a beautifully illustrated story about visiting the doctor. The book was written by Howard Bennett, M.D., a pediatrician, and illustrated by M.S. Weber.

The second section was written by Jane Annunziata, Psy.D. for parents. She writes about child anxiety and child coping during doctors visits. It is filled with common sense methods of dealing with bringing a child to the doctor.

This book is great reading for children who have anxiety over doctor visits. I highly recommend it for parents with young children.

This is a terrific book that will help any child who is worried about seeing the doctor--especially if it involves getting a shot. And I love the illustrations. It also comes with helpful notes to parents. I have recommended the book to all of my friends who have children or grandchildren.

There are few books I've read over the past few years that have really stuck with me, and this is one of them. With the economy in a downturn, I find myself wondering what's happening to the families whose lives the authors tracked for a couple of years in the late 90s. The real-life families that are profiled here are truly memorable. Fans of "Nickel and Dimed" will like this book because it fills in a lot of the blanks about how poor families cope. The authors keep themselves out of their subjects' stories and basically let the families'words and actions demonstrate how difficult it is to live in poverty. I was inspired by the resourcefulness most of them bring to the challenge.

Review From Publisher's Weekly - Almost half of the nation's children live in officially defined poverty or near-poverty. Putting a human face on this and other statistics, the authors present a disturbing and provocative composite portrait of 10 families struggling to make ends meet--four white, two Hispanic, three black and one Hawaiian/Samoan. Bennett and Aber, both directors of Columbia University's National Center for Children in Poverty, and freelance journalist Shirk (a veteran St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporter), identify three factors--teen parenthood, low educational achievement and temporary or low-wage work--that they call "the `Bermuda Triangle' of family poverty." Add the associated risks of domestic violence, poor child care and damage to early brain development from malnutrition, preventable birth complications, environmental toxins, etc., and readers will begin to see why poverty cuts across urban, suburban and rural areas. A few of the parents profiled here battle drug addiction; one gambles; several suffer from disabling depression; one single mother bravely raises a severely disabled five-year-old son afflicted with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy and a 234-pound, 12-year-old daughter. In almost all the profiled families, one or both parents work, contradicting the widespread stereotype of the poor as lazy or irresponsible. In a succinct closing chapter, the authors call for a combination of public- and private-sector measures to help prevent or reduce child poverty. The issues they raise should fuel election-year debate. (Oct.) Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

Lee Bennett Hopkins asked me several years ago to write a poem about Helen Keller. The result is included in this volume of poems for children. I insisted that Anne Sullivan be included in the poem because if you read Keller's autobiography you will see the way she sees Sullivan is part of herself. It affected me very much and the result is "Till". The rest of this unusual volume (see review by a teacher in Customer Reviews) is unusual in two ways. First, there is real poetry here. Lines with emotion arranged in a beautiful way by the poet. Second, poems aboutfamous Americans are rare in children's literature. Hopkins is the authority on children's poetry after the late Myra Cohn Livingston.

Hopkins selected these poems, arranged them, and the result is a true book. Books these days tend to be thrown together and not very interesting. You'll love poems about Martin Luther King with the lines, "Now ten-ton bells together swing: Remember / Martin /Luther/ King. The simple beauty of the rhyme "swing" and "King" with its heaviness and that optimistic preacher's name.

Lee Bennett Hopkins, who loves Hughes' poetry became a scholar on Hughes (See his book of Hughes' poetry "The Dream Keeper" and "Don't You Turn Back" if you can find it). He wrote "Dreamer"--it begins, "He let us kiss the the April rain." Later this wonderful rhyme: "He syncopated beats/ of Harlem blues. / O! /The might/ of / Langston Hughes." There are poems on Whitman, Eleanor Roosevelt, Sacagawea, Rosa Parks and more.

Many of these Americans have never had a poem written of them. I looked at this book critically. After all, we are critics. It's worthwhile. As I see it, Lee Bennett Hopkins is an American treasure.

The librarians of this nation are his greatest fans. What better recommendation for any author. America, let's value what we should value--you can begin at these "Lives Poems About Famous Americans."

Never have I seen a poetry book like this one. This is a teacher's dream. Use this in the classroom to 'spark' an interest in Helen Keller, Buzz Aldrin, Langston Hughes, or Eleanor Roosevelt. Feed the fascination for John Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Langston Hughes or Babe Ruth. Powerful and poetic 'moments in time' of some of our greatest Americans. This book is for everyone.

This book is worth its weight in gold. The reason for life and how to obtain God-Realization is before your eyes.

Very simple reading and speak truth to all who read/hear.

This book is so much more than a manual on self-realization. It is a manual for living. In clear, concise language the Shivapuri Baba relates very practical advice for putting your day-to-day affairs in order, thereby creating the leisure to focus your energy on your spiritual endeavors with your free time. I highly recommend this book to everyone seeking to create a balanced structure for their daily life, a structure which will serve as a strong edifice upon which to build the temple of their spirituality.
One note to buyers: The book I purchased has 8 blank pages where there should be text. It looks like a publishing error. Before purchasing, I recommend contacting the seller to check if their copy has the same problem.