Pooh sketch makes $50,000

An oval pencil drawing of Winnie-the-Pooh, Tigger, and Piglet, by E. H. Shepard, is seen in this undated handout photograph, received in London, on 4 November 2008.

4 November 2008

LONDON– An original drawing of A.A. Milne's popular children's characters Winnie-the-Pooh, Tigger and Piglet fetched 31,200 pounds ($50,000) at auction on Tuesday.

The amount, which includes a 20 percent buyer's premium, comfortably beat pre-sale expectations of up to 20,000 pounds, not including the premium.

The oval pencil sketch by E.H. Shepard, one of children's literature's most famous illustrators, shows Pooh dipping his paw into a pot of honey while sitting at a table as Piglet and Tigger look on.

Auctioneer Bonhams said the successful telephone bidder was from Germany and bought the picture for his wife, a long-time Pooh fan.

On the same day, Sotheby's announced it was offering what it called the finest single collection of Shepard's original drawings for the Pooh books to be sold at auction.

The sale in London on December 17, which also includes a selection of rare Milne books, is expected to fetch 650-930,000 pounds.

The illustrations, from the collections of Stanley J. Seeger and Christopher Cone, are among the most recognizable, including "He went on tracking, and Piglet ... ran after him" depicting Pooh and Piglet turning to each other as they walk away.

It is expected to fetch 40-60,000 pounds.

Also on offer is "Bump, bump, bump - going up the stairs" featuring Christopher Robin dragging his bear by the leg up the stairs beside him. It is valued at 50-70,000 pounds.

Earlier in 2008, Sotheby's set a record for the work of an illustrator at auction when Beatrix Potter's watercolor illustration for the final scene of "The Rabbits' Christmas Party" sequence went under the hammer for 289,250 pounds.

The drawing on sale at Bonhams was a larger version of an illustration entitled "Tiggers don't like honey" which appeared in Milne's "The House at Pooh Corner," one of four books he wrote about the bear in the 1920s.

Other works by Shepard on sale at Bonhams included a first sketch for Kenneth Grahame's "Wind in the Willows," depicting Rat and Mole lounging with a picnic on the riverbank.

It appeared in the published book with the caption: "Now pitch in, old fellow! and the Mole was indeed very glad to obey" and fetched 7,440 pounds, including premium.

Commentary:
Even as old as I am, I am still an avid enjoyer of this silly old bear, known most famously as ‘Winnie the Pooh; because these stories always gave a sense of warm happiness and sometimes a little moral about life, dipped in honey here and there.

Nevertheless, items from this loveable bear being sold at auction for such a price, is actually not surprising. Stories like this about such a loveable old bear, still warms the heart; young or old.

I will even admit I have a copy of the original Pooh on my bedroom dresser, a little worn; but still wonderful. When Hurricane Katrina was coming, he was put in the car along with necessities. What he further reminded me of, is when I found him it was on a day I was going though a period of very great sadness; which every time I saw this Pooh bear I seemed to cheer-up, so one understands, this the time of my first husband's dying and becoming a Martyr.

Even to today, when I think or see that old Pooh bear on my bedroom dresser; I feel happiness, not sorrow. With a bit of an uplift, that gives a foreseeable smile of hope; that just happened to come at a very hard time for me and smiling thinking of honey, for my tea and bread.

If people wonder why I did not learn of Winnie the Pooh until I got older, was because I did not get to read the stories when I was younger like most children and had always wished too; which sometimes in my life, I have had to make-up for the wonderful thing’s people normally got to do, that I couldn’t.

Former Jewish Ambassador Presents Book “With Islam against Terror”

Former Jewish ambassador to Germany Avi Primor presents his book 'Mit dem Islam gegen den Terror' (With Islam against Terror), on 18 October 2008; at the Frankfurt Book Fair in Frankfurt/M., Western Germany.

The world's biggest book fair showcased Turkey this year and some 7,000 exhibitors from 101 countries were present from 15 to 19 October 2008.

Book: The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder

Book by Vincent Bugliosi

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About the book

Famed Charles Manson prosecutor and three time #1 New York Times bestselling author Vincent Bugliosi has written the most powerful, explosive, and thought-provoking book of his storied career.

In The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder, Bugliosi presents a tight, meticulously researched legal case that puts George W. Bush on trial in an American courtroom for the murder of nearly 4,000 American soldiers fighting the war in Iraq. Bugliosi sets forth the legal architecture and incontrovertible evidence that President Bush took this nation to war in Iraq under false pretenses—a war that has not only caused the deaths of American soldiers but also over 100,000 innocent Iraqi men, women, and children; cost the United States over one trillion dollars thus far with no end in sight; and alienated many American allies in the Western world.

As a prosecutor who is dedicated to seeking justice, Bugliosi, in his inimitable style, delivers a non-partisan argument, free from party lines and instead based upon hard facts and pure objectivity.

A searing indictment of the President and his administration, The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder also outlines a legally credible pathway to holding our highest government officials accountable for their actions, thereby creating a framework for future occupants of the oval office.

Vincent Bugliosi calls for the United States of America to return to the great nation it once was and can be again. He believes the first step to achieving this goal is to bring those responsible for the war in Iraq to justice.

________

Commentary

By HRM Deborah

I have followed Mr. Vincent Bugliosi career off and one since about 1969-1970, when he had to prosecute the case of Charles Manson and “The Family.” The reason being, this case was all over the media at the time, especially it is thought in Southern California where the gruesome murder’s took place; including the horrible death of a pregnant Sharon Tate with her friends, who where visiting in her home.

Also, when I was about eleven, before the news broke about Charles Manson, from a distance in the desert, I had seen these people drive by, once or twice. My family in those days use to visit the desert on different occasions and my sister with her family was living in Boron at the time, because her husband was working in the area. Which at that time, I did not know those people driving by in the distance, where very bad people; in my memories they did not make a good impression other then make the blood cold.

Nevertheless, from my understanding, Mr. Bugliosi is a much respected man especially in the field of law and as for the book, it is assured he did his homework and brought foreword most probably, very astounding information on this particular situation.

While I did not learn of his book until yesterday, I am always very interested in what Mr. Bugliosi has to say.

The Frog Who Taught a Man to Swim

by HRM Deborah

The once was a man that could not swim and actually was a bit afraid, even though he wanted to learn how too.

So one day, he found a frog and he very carefully put the frog into his pants pocket.

He then walked closer to the edge of the pond and jumped in, thinking the frog would keep him afloat. Like a stone he sank to the bottom and wished very hard what he should do.

In this time, the frog wiggled his way out of the man’s pocket and started paddling as hard as the frog could to the surface.

The man seeing the frog paddle, so he thought he would try to do the same, so he worked very hard to move his arms and legs and before he knew he popped to the top of the water and paddled to shore, meeting the frog on the bank.

Satisfied that the frog did indeed teach him how to swim, he was grateful to the frog and thanked him. The frog in turn said, "It would have been easier, if you had not hampered me in your pants pocket.”

Lord of the Flies

When a portion of humanity resort’s to barbarism, instead of the goodness of life; this is usually synonymous with those who walk with Satan.

Italian Writer Erri de Luca Attends Conference

Italian writer Erri de Luca attends on 12 May 2008 a conference at the Jerusalem Writer Festival.

De Luca, who is author of several novels and has translated several books of the Old Testament, is taking part in a literature event in Jerusalem that hosts a group of highly respected writers from around the globe.

The conference opened 11 May 2008, nevertheless, the other featured authors including South African Nobel Prize laureate Nadine Gordimer; U.S. Jewish writers Anita Diamant, Jonathan Safran Foer, Nicole Krauss and Nathan Englander; and writers from Portugal, the Netherlands and Albania - is taking place the same week that U.S. President George W. Bush is said to be visiting.

The Apple

The following is an ancient children’s story about charity:

Their once was a traveler who had came to a village after having crossed the desert.

He had not eaten in two days.

Of all thing’s he found and apple.

He began walking along thinking how good this food was going to taste and relished the juice, which would come down from his lips.

He happened to look up and on a corner of a street saw a young boy. The boy was ragged and his eyes where black and hollow.

The traveler went and set down by the boy, he looked to be about eight years or so.

The man took out his knife and cut the apple in half. Cleaning is knife he returned it to its place.

He handed half of the apple to the boy and began eating the other half himself.

He looked at the boy and smiled and the child returned the smile in gratitude.

So both where happy to have the apple.