In 2008, Barbara Walters’ latest book came out titled Audition: A Memoir.  What a great title for a book about her life.  Most of us think of her as a broadcast journalist, which she is, but she also shares personal aspects of her life that I certainly did not know.

While reading her words, I could hear her voice and Boston accent.  The book definitely had the ring of truth, which is of utmost importance to any journalist.  It’s important to do research to be as accurate as you possibly can be and as objective as possible, even when reporting on the most difficult subject – yourself.

While growing up, her father had various Latin clubs over the years, which he owned and managed.  As a child, she learned that the people behind these entertainment acts were real people with real problems.

“This gave me an understanding of celebrities that I never would have had.  As a result, I was not in awe, years and years later, when I began doing interviews with big name stars.”

Barbara also wrote, “Those early years at the Latin Quarter also affected the way I later asked questions and listened to answers.  I knew that the childhood years of most celebrities were their most poignant and could often explain their future choices as, of course, it has mine.”

One of her favorite persons to interview was Anwar Sadat.  “When I arrived for the interview, I noticed a slight, bemused man sitting on one of the empty boxes our television equipment had come in, the crew setting up the cameras and microphones, monitors and lights.  There were no security guards, aides, or secretaries around him.  The president of Egypt was simply taking in the scene.”

In November 1977, Barbara was one of many international journalists covering Anwar Sadat’s historic trip to Jerusalem.  At the Tel Aviv Airport, “there were hundreds of people waving Israeli and Egyptian flags.  I wondered how the Israelis had managed to get so many Egyptian flags so quickly.  And how the Israeli army band had gotten the music and learned the Egyptian national anthem.  But most of all I remember all of Sadat’s former enemies lined up to greet him – Menachem Begin, Golda Meir, Moshe Dayan, Ariel Sharon, Yitzhak Rabin.  It was almost too much to comprehend.”

Over the years, broadcast journalism has changed, with less time spent on heads of state and more time spent on celebrities and their alcohol / drug problems or on notorious criminals.

As of 2007, “the most-watched news special in television history,” was the two-hour interview that Barbara had done which aired on 3 March 1999 with nearly 50 million people watching.  The interview was of Monica Lewinsky.  She was the intern at the White House during the Bill Clinton administration who had become involved in a notorious scandal.

In 1997, Barbara became instrumental in the creation of a daytime television program called The View.  The show combined women of different viewpoints, ages and personalities who could disagree in a friendly, entertaining way.  The show would include discussing hot topics plus include some guests.  The show has had ups and downs with its staffing but has returned to its original roots.

In 2004, Barbara announced that she would be retiring from ABC’s newsmagazine titled 20/20, where she had worked for the past 25 years.  She had worked hard in journalism, where often you are only as good as your last story.  The uncertainty of her life as a child, watching her father earn and lose fortunes, had shown how quickly a family’s lifestyle can change.  She often worried that her success would be taken from her and worked even harder as a result.

She decided to leave the 20/20 part of her television work while she was still excellent at it and when she decided it was not fun nor prestigious anymore.  “The hard-news stories we used to report on were few and far between except on CBS’s stalwart 60 Minutes.  But that newsmagazine catered to an older audience.  20/20 was after the young – the 18-to 49-year-olds.”  Barbara wrote, “And it seemed that every celebrity, every murderer, every frog had a lawyer or a press agent all interviewing the interviewer to determine where they could get the most airings for their clients, what kind of questions would be asked, and how much promotion and advertising would be guaranteed.  The interviewer had to audition to land the interview.”

Audition is a great title for the book.  And perhaps this entire life is an audition for the next one to come.

Reviewed by Susan Vollmer

Author of Legends, Leaders, Legacies

http://www.susanv.com

This book, written by Benjamin Graham, originally appeared in 1949, and Graham during his lifetime was known as one of the major teachers for Warren Buffett, regarding value investing.  The book, reissued in 2003, had commentary added after each chapter by Jason Zwieg.

The commentary providing modern-day examples is much appreciated.  While Graham’s concepts are excellent, the examples can sometimes be hard to follow.  In a future edition, the publisher might consider updating the charts beyond 1970 or leaving those out, which cannot be updated.

The concepts in the book are much appreciated, and here is a synopsis of the points I found most helpful.

Zwieg wrote, “Only by insisting on what Graham called the ‘margin of safety’ – never overpaying, no matter how exciting an investment seems to be – can you minimize your odds of error.”

The term intelligent investor does “not” refer to IQ or the SAT scores for entrance to college.  “The intelligent investor dreads a bull market, since it makes stocks more costly to buy. … You should welcome a bear market, since it puts stocks back on sale.”

Three practices recommended for investing include:

1. Purchase investment funds which are well established.
2. Utilize a common-trust fund.
3. Use dollar-cost averaging to invest in the same stocks per month or per quarter.

Graham did not consider real estate as a protection against inflation.  “Unfortunately, real-estate values are also subject to wide fluctuations, serious errors can be made in location, price paid, etc.”

In the commentary section, Zweig recommends using Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS).  When the value of a TIPS bond increases, the IRS considers it taxable income, even if only on paper.  This is best used in a tax-deferred environment, if possible.  TIPS can be purchased direct from the U.S. government at:

http://www.treasurydirect.gov/indiv/products/prod_tips_glance.htm

Or, if preferred, you can use a low-cost mutual fund for the proportion of your retirement funds that you would keep in cash.

The performance of stocks in the market depends on these factors:

• Growth of earnings and dividends
• Inflationary growth in the economy
• Speculative increase or decrease by the public in stocks

“Because so few investors have the guts to cling to stocks in a falling market, Graham insists that everyone should keep a minimum of 25% in bonds.”  That gives you the courage to stay in the market even when it’s performing poorly.

What are some of the guidelines offered, when selecting stocks?

• Adequate but not excessive diversification.
• Companies selected should be large
• Companies need a long record of continuous dividend payments.
• Set a limit on the price you will pay for a stock.  (For example, “Twenty-five times such average earnings and not more than 20 times those of the last 12-month period.”)

In regard to selection, Graham looked at large companies that were relatively unpopular and could be purchased at a good price.  He wrote, “Earnings multiplier is a synonym for P/E or price/earnings ratios, which measure how much investors are willing to pay for a stock compared to the profitability of the underlying business.”

The guidelines on the price/earnings ratios given included:

Below 10 = low P/E

10 to 20 = moderate P/E

> 20 = expensive P/E

To be considered a large company, the recommend stock value (market capitalization) for 2003 needs to be at least $10 billion.  A resource for checking this is:

http://screen.yahoo.com/stocks.html

To be prominent, a company should be in the top three or top four spots in its industry group.  Graham wrote that, “The key requirement here is that the enterprising investor concentrate on the larger companies that are going through a period of unpopularity.”  Larger companies have the advantages of resources in capital and brainpower to carry them through.

In Zweig’s commentary, he stated that, “Growth stocks are worth buying when their prices are reasonable, but when their price / earnings ratio go much above 25 or 30, the odds get ugly.”

To arrive at a book value per share, look at the balance sheet in a company’s annual report.  Take the shareholder’s equity and subtract from that the following. 

Shareholder’s equity minus

-         Goodwill

-         Trademarks

-         Other intangibles

(Then divide the fully diluted number of outstanding shares to determine the book value per share.)

To help maintain perspective as an investor, Graham suggests the following.  “Price fluctuations have only one significant meaning for the true investor.  They provide him with an opportunity to buy wisely when prices fall sharply and to sell wisely when they advance a great deal.  At other times, he will do better if he forgets about the stock market and pays attention to his dividend returns and to the operating results of his companies.”

Would you describe yourself as an investor or a speculator in stocks?  To help you decide, Graham offers these definitions.

“The most realistic distinction between the investor and the speculator is found in their attitude toward stock-market movements.  The speculator’s primary interest lies in anticipating and profiting from market fluctuations.  The investor’s primary interest lies in acquiring and holding suitable securities at suitable prices.”

Even if you can’t control the market, there are some factors within your control.  You can decide what is acceptable for:

• Brokerage costs
• Ownership costs
• Expectation of returns
• Risk tolerance
• Tax obligation (such as holding for a year before selling)
• Your own behavior

Graham identified the following factors as affecting the capitalization rate:

• General long-term prospects – can reflect the view of the price / earnings ratio.
• Management – this may be useful where new management has taken over
• Financial strength – company with a lot of surplus cash is preferred.
• Dividend record – has the company paid dividends regularly?  (If 20 years or more of continuous payment, that is a plus.)
• Current dividend rate

In regard to the long-term prospects, obtain and read at least five years worth of annual reports from the company or from (http://www.sec.gov).  See if you can answer these questions:

1. “What makes this company grow?”
2. “Where do (and where will) its profits come from?”

Possible signs of problems to watch for include a company with more than two acquisitions in a year might be in trouble.  Another possible problem are companies who take write-off / or accounting charges from past acquisitions.  In a company’s 10-K, you can check the “Management’s Discussion and Analysis” for any information on acquisitions. 

Be suspicious of anyone who seems addicted to “Other People’s Money.”  This can be labeled as “cash from financing activities” in an annual report.  When examining the “Statement of Cash Flows” in the financial statement, be suspicious of companies where the cash from “operating activities” is consistently negative.

Read the forecast from management in the annual report.  Check to see if previous forecasts in earlier annual reports were met.  If not, it’s better if the management accepts responsibility rather than blaming “the economy, uncertainty or weak demand.”

On the Form 4, available through the Edgar database, this shows up if a firm’s executives are buying or selling shares.  Be watchful if they are selling a lot of their own stock in the company.

Check to see if “Nonrecurring” charges keep happening often in a company.  Look for acronyms like EBITDA, which may cloak losses.

In the commentary, it was suggested to also watch for positive signs, which a company may demonstrate, including:

• Competitive advantage
• Economies of scale
• Customers who resist substitution (such as electricity)
• Revenues and net earning have increased over the past 10 years on the income statement.  (However, huge increases already achieved may not realistically continue.)
• Research and development – companies need to invest but not so much that they are at risk

In the commentary, it discusses the concept of owner earnings, which has been made popular by Warren Buffett.  This includes the following:

            Owner earnings calculation:

            Net income + amortization + depreciation

                        Subtract from that

-         Capital expenditures

-         Costs of granting stock options

-         Nonrecurring / extraordinary charges

-         Income from the company’s pension fund

There are also items to consider about the true earnings of a company, according to Graham.  In the price per share, it’s better if the company has already deducted any special charges from ordinary earnings.

In regard to calculating the growth rate, compare the average of the last three years with the same figures from 10 years before.  For example:

                                                                                    Stock

            Average earnings (2005-2007)                Price

            Average earnings (1995-1997)                Price

            Growth                                                          ____ %

            Annual rate                                                     ____ % (compounded)

(In the commentary, Zweig advises to ignore any pro forma earnings that a company might show as not being valid.)

Here are some tips for reading an annual report:

• Start at the back page work your way forward.  (Bad news will be buried.)
• Read all of the footnotes to the financial statements.  Compare the footnotes to a competitor in the same industry.

When comparing companies, Graham offers these suggestions to look for:

• Profitability – check the “net per share / book value.”
• Stability – compare the average earnings of the past three years with the preceding 10 years.  (No decline means the stock is stable.)
• Growth
• Financial position – does the company keep long-term debt low?  (For example $2 of current assets for each $1 of current liabilities?)
• Dividends – has the company paid one without interruption?
• Price history – divide the high price of a stock by the low price to create a ratio of:  (Example of 66 high divided by 1/8 low = 528 or a ratio of 528 to 1.)

Graham offered the following criteria to be used by the defensive investor in the selection of stocks:

1. Adequate size of the enterprise – exclude small companies.  At one time, this was defined as not less than $100 million is sales.  It has been updated to $2 billion in sales.
2. Strong financially  – long term debt cannot exceed working capital.
3. Earnings stability  – past 10 years earnings for the stock.
4. Dividend record – payments for the 20 consecutive years.
5. Earnings growth – increase of at least 1/3 in per-share earnings over past 10 years.
6. Moderate price / earnings ratio – the price of the stock is not “more than 15 times average earnings of the past three years.” 
7. Moderate ratio of price to assets – Multiply the price / earnings ratio by the price-to-book ratio to see if below 22.5.  “Current price should not be more than 1 ½ times the book value last reported.”

A simple way to invest is to buy every stock in the Dow Jones Industrial average; there are 30.  Or, use a low-cost index fund.

You can check to see who the big owners of a stock company are, such as Berkshire Hathaway.

To help identify stock which you might want to analyze and consider for purchase, check the Wall Street Journal for the “52-Week Lows” or the “Market Week” section of Barrons.

Before purchasing and after buying stock, Zweig encourages reading the proxy statement for the company.  Use common sense when reading it, to see if it seems logical.

Graham wrote, “We suggest that the margin-of-safety concept may be used to advantage as the touchstone to distinguish an investment operation from a speculative one.”

The legacy of Graham’s writing continues today beyond his lifetime.  His teaching have helped many become true investors rather than speculators, and his most well-known pupil remains Warren Buffet, the founder of the investment company, Berkshire Hathaway.

Now is your chance to share your writing skills and have a chance to win $25 for yourself and $25 for the library that you use.  In the spirit of my own book, “Legends, Leaders, Legacies,” now you have an opportunity to write about someone you admire.  It may be someone you know personally or it may be someone you have read about it.  Write a profile about the person and submit it.

There is no entry fee.  One contest will be for youths.  The other contest will be for adults.  The criteria for submission is the same.  You can do research, but all of the writing must be original and be your own work.  For all of the details, see the following link:

     http://www.susanv.com/contest.htm

Who is your favorite leader?

Author Craig Awmiller takes readers on a journey that begins on one continent and evolves onto another.  The blues began in Africa.  In West Africa, there were traveling musicians and storytellers who played an instrument similar to the banjo.  These entertainers were knows as “griots.”

Between 1505 and 1870, ships from Europe began arriving on the west coast of Africa, taking approximately 10 million Africans to the Americas in the largest forced migration.  As a way to cope, the griots invented new songs to describe their capture into slavery and the brutal oppression they faced.  The songs then evolved on the plantation as a way to retain something from the African culture.  The songs provided a creative outlet from the backbreaking work of the cotton fields.

After the end of the U.S. Civil War and of slavery, African American entertainers began performing for black audiences.  One of the earliest stars was ragtime pianist and composer Scott Joplin.  One of his most famous pieces was called “The Entertainer.”  Joplin and many others would become part of the developing musical scene, where it became possible for African Americans to make a living by performing music.  The guitar became an important instrument in the development of the blues – because it was portable and most musicians could afford one.

One of the earliest blues musicians was Charley Patton, born in 1891 in Bolton, Mississippi.  Music allowed him to escape a life of sharecropping, where one could never get ahead.  The author wrote, “When playing the blues, Patton found, you could say all the things you felt no matter what the rich and privileged landowner might think.  Through the blues, he found, he could be free.”

In the United States, the blues began and developed in the Mississippi Delta.  That is the flat land along the Mississippi River from the Bootheel of Missouri down to the Gulf of Mexico.  This is known as the delta or folk blues.  Meanwhile, the city blues developed in urban areas like Chicago.  In Chicago, Muddy Waters played electric guitars and used amplifiers in the 1950s and 1960s.  He performed music that would inspire blues and rock ‘n’ roll musicians, such as The Beatles, Eric Clapton and The Rolling Stones.

Before The Rolling Stones formed, the two main members had known each other as young students growing up, but they were from different backgrounds.  Mick Jagger from a middle-class family in London was a promising student at the London School of Economics.  Keith Richard came from a working class home and lived in a tough neighborhood.  He was expelled from a technical school for truancy.  His one solace in life was playing the guitar.  “This seemed, to all those around him, to be a waste of time since they thought he couldn’t get steady work just playing the guitar.”

However, he did find steady work playing the guitar.  And they would become the driving force of The Rolling Stones, offering a unique blend of blues and rock ‘n’ roll music.

In some cases, the blues have been described as a type of antidote for an upbeat, falsely cheery culture.  “Because of their great capacity for truth telling, the blues have long been a form used by artists to examine and critique the society in which they live.”

In the book, This House On Fire: The Story Of The Blues, the author takes a look at the work of these blues musicians:

• Charley Patton
• Blind Lemon Jefferson
• Robert Johnson
• Louis Armstrong
• Gertrude “Ma” Rainey
• Bessie Smith
• Huddie “Leadbelly” Ledbetter
• Billie Holiday
• McKinley “Muddy Waters” Morganfield
• The Rolling Stones
• Eric Clapton
• Sam “Lightnin” Hopkins and John Lee Hooker
• Riley “B.B.” King
• Etta James
• Buddy Guy
• Robert Cray

For B.B. King, he was born in 1925 and named his guitar Lucille after a fight broke out in a dance hall.  The other men were fighting over a woman named Lucille and knocked over a kerosene heater.  After leaving the building, he rushed back in to rescue his guitar, which he then named Lucille.

In 1988, B.B. King recorded a song with the rock band U2 on the compact disc titled “Rattle and Hum.”  He also runs a blues club and restaurant on the famous Beale Street in Memphis, long known for its blues music.

In regard to his research, writing and love of the blues, author and musician Craig Awmiller has created a historical legacy where the blues will never fade.  The blues have always been more than a musical style.  It’s a way to communicate, and it’s a way to transcend pain.  It’s a way to find a higher self.

* * *

Reviewed by Susan Vollmer

Author of Legends, Leaders, Legacies

http://www.susanv.com

Author Jack Canfield has spent his life learning about success, and now he shares his knowledge with all of us in a book titled: “The Success Principles.”  Jack writes, “You only have control over three things in your life – the thoughts you think, the images you visualize, and the actions you take (your behavior).  How you use these three things determines everything you experience.”  At 473 pages, the book is filled with 64 principles to help you achieve the life you envision.  Some of my favorites include: 

• “Take 100% Responsibility For Your Life” – We each have total accountability for our own lives, and it’s time to give up blaming and complaining.  When things don’t go the way you expect, ask yourself:  “What do I need to do differently next time to get the result I want?”
• “Unleash The Power Of Goal-Setting” – Everyday, it’s important to re-read your goals.  Write affirmations as if the goal has already been accomplished and visualize it.  Do this first thing in the morning, at lunch and immediately before going to bed, so it will permeate your subconscious mind.
• “Release The Brakes” – Successful people let go of their limiting beliefs and change their self-image.
• “Ask!  Ask!  Ask!” – It’s important to believe you can achieve what you want, and ask someone who can give it to you.  Be clear and specific, and ask repeatedly if you need to.  In a study of salespeople, the following results were identified:
  • 44% of salespeople quit after the first call
  • 24% of salespeople quit after the second call
  • 14% of salespeople quit after the third call
  • 12% of salespeople quit after the fourth call

However, more than half or 60 percent of all sales made happen after the fourth attempt.

• “Reject Rejection” – It does not hurt to ask.  Even if someone does not accept your offer, what is the worst thing that can happen?  Things just stay the same.
• “Acknowledge Your Positive Past” – One of the exercises is to list 100 of your previous accomplishments – no matter what age – even learning to ride a bike and passing each grade in school.  This is critical because it helps to develop self-esteem.  You become more confident about accepting new challenges.  The more often you risk, the more chances to win. 
• “Keep Your Eye On The Prize” – The last 45 minutes of the day is the most important for programming your brain because it replays during the night the last input.  Instead of falling asleep watching the news or a horror movie, read a motivational biography or message of inspiration.
• “Inquire Within” – “…Most of the super successful people I have met over the years are people who have developed their intuition and learned to trust their gut feelings and follow their inner guidance.  Many practice some form of daily meditation to access this voice within.”
• “Start Now!  . . .  Just Do It!” – Don’t wait until you feel that you can do something perfectly before you try.  “If you don’t do anything for fear of doing it wrong, poorly, or badly, you never get any feedback, and therefore you never get to improve.”

As one of the authors of the “Chicken Soup For The Soul” series, Jack Canfield has already created a tremendous legacy.  He continues it with “The Success Principles.”  He remains an avid reader – reading a book every two days.  And he encourages others to read at least one hour a day.

In “The Success Principles,” he begins every chapter with a quote.  The one I appreciated the most came from entertainer Dolly Parton:

“If your actions create a legacy that inspires others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, then you are an excellent leader.”

Jack Canfield’s leadership and legacy will stand the test of time.  He has a site for this book at:

http://www.thesuccessprinciples.com

– Reviewed by:

    Susan Vollmer

    Author of Legends, Leaders, Legacies

    http://www.susanv.com

In this memoir, Anita Bloom tells about the early years of her adult life.  In 1943, she eagerly volunteered to be part of the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps and hoped to fight the Nazis.  During her training, she developed an infection, which led to paralysis from the waist down.  When she learned about her prognosis, she thought, “No more legs for the tango, the rumba, the conga.  Dead weights.  I strangled my sobs.  I was beyond dancing.”

She is forthright in dealing with her own issues when paralyzed such as:

• How to navigate the bathroom
• How to drive and become independent again
• How to have an intimate relationship
• How to fight the U.S. Government for veteran benefits

As a Jewish woman, she faced prejudice on many sides — from potential employers when looking for a job and in reverse from her own family.  Her father sent her mom to tell Nita that if she continued dating the gentile boy that they would no longer see her.

Amid the seriousness of the topic, there are still light-hearted and happy occasions.  My favorite is when she and several friends left the VA hospital to go for a joy ride.  One person had to operate the gas and brake with his hands while she drove.

This book shows that life doesn’t always go as we plan.  But what is amazing is how many people will help you … if you ask.  And it shows the willpower of someone who has chosen to live her own life.

Anita Bloom Ornoff gives public presentations about overcoming adversity and about her memoir “Beyond Dancing.”

Her Web site can be seen at:

   http://beyonddancing.tripod.com

** Updated 17 February 2008 **

The daughter of Anita Bloom Ornoff, Naomi Willey, advised of the following:

“My Dad has asked me to inform you of my mom’s passing.  Anita died at home in peace on Wednesday, February 13, 2008 at 4:00 p.m. after suffering two heart attacks the week before. The funeral will be in Maryland at Judian Memorial Gardens on Monday, February 18, 2008.  She leaves behind my dad — Hal; two daughters — Ellen Treem and Naomi Willey; five grandchildren and one great-grandchild.  We all will miss her a great deal.”

Sincerely,
Naomi Willey  
 

      Used with permission –

Photo of Robert Capa, Copyright Cornell Capa / Magnum Photos

Several years after World War II ended, Robert Capa and a group of photographers including Henri Cartier-Bresson founded a photo agency in 1947.  It was an idea that Robert had considered since 1938.  Now, it was time to make it happen.

At a brainstorming meeting on establishing the agency, a magnum of champagne was popped open.  Someone yelled “Magnum,” and the name of the photo agency was chosen.  The name implies glamour but also a connotation for toughness due to a gun by the same name.  Plus, the Latin definition means greatness.

The idea was to bring photographers together, where they would be stronger as a group, rather than as individuals.  They advocated that photographers should own the copyright of the photos they take, much like book authors do with printed material. 

The agency opened offices in Paris and in New York.  In addition to the members, Robert created the idea of associates who were freelancers.  These photographers would not own shares but they could use the Magnum name in their photo credits. . . .

After Robert’s death in 1954, his brother Cornell Capa joined Magnum to help ensure its survival and the preservation of his brother’s legacy.  Like Robert, Cornell had also shot photographs for Life Magazine.

From 1947 to 2007, the Magnum photo agency (http://www.magnumphotos.com) remains a vibrant force.  The photographers still go to dangerous locations, placing their lives at risk to provide a service they feel passionately about.  They document moments of truth.  And they live in the moment because they do not know what tomorrow will bring.

Also in memory of Robert Capa and other photographers who suffered untimely deaths, Cornell established in 1974 the International Center of Photography in New York City – a school and museum dedicated to keeping humanitarian documentary photos alive and visible to the public.

Cornell Capa is now retired from Magnum photos and lives in New York City.  Here’s a toast to Magnum, and all of the great photographers and staff over the years who have kept alive the legacy of Robert Capa.

   * * * * * * * * * * * *

(Note from the blogger Susan V. – Robert Capa is one of the leaders featured in my book “Legends, Leaders, Legacies.”) 

   * * * * * * * * * * * *

If you are fortunate to live in or will be traveling to one of the cities where a Magnum photo exhibit is showing, here is a listing for your reference.

   * * * * * * * * * * * *

Magnum Cinema Exhibition

Acadiana Center For The Arts

Lafayette, LA, U.S.A.

11 August - 22 September 2007 

Documentary photographs and a behind-the-scenes look at cinema and movie stars – including Marilyn Monroe, Clark Gable and Alfred Hitchcock.

http://www.theadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070811/NEWS01/708110304/1002
 

* * * * * * * * * * *

New Blood.  Magnum Photos 60th Anniversary

Stills Gallery

36 Gosbell Street

Paddington (Sydney), AUSTRALIA

Now showing through 22 September 2007 

As the name implies, New Blood features the work of five new photographers at the Magnum agency, including the first Australian photographer invited to join – Trent Parke.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/arts/magnum-uncorks-champagne-moments/2007/08/20/1187462176523.html

Here are my top 10 favorite books for now — listed in alphabetical order. 

1. “Count Of Monte Cristo”
2. “Crystal Cave, The”
3. “Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire”
4. “Legends, Leaders, Legacies”
5. “Letters To A Dying Friend”
6. “Life After Death”
7. “Lost Hero: The Mystery of Raoul Wallenberg”
8. “Marjorie Morningstar”
9. “Power Of Positive Thinking”
10. “To Kill A Mockingbird”

What are your favorites?  If you have a hard time narrowing it down to 10, just list the first 10 books that you think of which you really liked.  It’s always fun to compare lists.

Susan V.

http://www.susanv.com

If you haven’t read “Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows” by J.K. Rowling, this review will “not” spoil it for you.  Those who are already fans of the series will appreciate this last book, which ties everything together.  The book references characters and events, which took place in the preceding books.  For the maximum enjoyment and understanding, I recommend reading the books in sequence. 

In talking with one of the librarians at the St. Louis County Library System, this was the first time we could recall a series of books where the characters aged with the books, unlike the Nancy Drew mystery series.  The first books that came out in the Harry Potter series were for young children — but near the end, the books were much longer and categorized as teen fiction.

The St. Louis County Library System ordered more about 300 copies and at one point had a waiting list of more than 1,100 hold requests.  One of the first things that I noticed about the hardcover is that there was no description of the book on the back cover.  It is a book that does not have to be “sold.”

Any book or series of books that bring children and adults to libraries and bookstores is a great thing.  Many of the characters from the series make a reappearance in this book suck as Viktor Krum.  Krum served as a competitor in the “Goblet Of Fire” book and reappears to attend a wedding.  Harry and his closest friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, have many challenges to solve or just struggle through as always.

When I read about the fictional magic that the teens perform, it’s easy to see how convenient it would be in real life if you could be “invisible” when needed or place an unlimited supply of things in a tiny beaded bag — such as a camping tent, books, weapons and medical supplies.

In the chapter titled “The Tale Of The Three Brothers,” you will find out what the deathly hallows are.  This is what the book is named after.  This chapter, like many others, has a good example of Ron’s wit.  While the trio is visiting the editor of The Quibbler (Xenophilius Lovegood), they are invited to stay for dinner.  The editor comments that everyone always asks for the recipe.  “Probably to show the Poisoning Department at St. Mungo’s,” Ron remarks, referring to the hospital for wizards.

The book will also have Harry taking another trip in the Pensieve, where he can view another person’s memories.  You will find out whose memories those are and what they mean near the end of the book. 

The book is a fitting end to a phenomenal story.

Reviewed by Susan Vollmer

Author of “Legends, Leaders, Legacies”

www.susanv.com