winners of our annual poetry contest - Rapid River Magazine

R A P I D R I V E R A R T S & C U L T U R E M A G A Z I N E
noteworthy
Wunschkind:
Child Without a Country
Written by Liesel Appel
Wunschkind is a book that will stay with you
for the rest of your life. Its images, although not
bruttle and graphic, are honest and true. What stays
with you is the story of a lonely girl who realizes she
doesn’t belong anywhere in the world. She carries
on her shoulders the guilt of a fallen nation, a nation
wrapped in unspeakable horror and evil.
There have been many books written
about countries, races, groups and individuals
who have done some of the worst deeds on
this planet. In a way it is a story of indirect child
abuse. No one should have to grow up with guilt
from the acts committed not by them but from
their own parents.
Wunschkind ,German for “coveted child” is
the poignant true story of a woman who discovers
her warm and loving parents were part of Hitler’s
plan to take over the world. Now, growing up after
the war she has to find her own way.
This book doesn’t try to lessen the fact of what happened
in the Holocaust, nor does it imply that the German children
were more hurt and devastated than the Jewish children who
lost everything. No, Appel simply tells of her own coming to
understand the dreadfulness that her country had put upon
Nouns: Children’s Book Artists Look at
People, Places and Things
T
he world is made up of people, places and things
and the best words are nouns and verbs - children’s
books don’t use many adjectives! The genre of
children’s books allows for a multiplicity of artistic
styles. The range of forms, colors, materials and
methodology becomes a type of “visual adjective,” a way for
the subject of the illustration to be described.
These visual descriptions hold the viewer’s interest, have
universal appeal and become embedded into each child’s
memory bank. Artists in this exhibition include Erin Bennett
Banks, Eric Carle, Remy Charlip, Leo Espinosa, Gail Haley,
Gordon C. James, Leo Monahan, Robert Quackenbush,
BOOK REVIEWS BY BETH GOSSETT
the world in those sinister days from 1933-’45.
This is a fantastic book for not only young
adults but people of all ages. Appel handles this
story without being melodramatic as it easily could
have been written, but with deep powerful prose.
She is a writer who captures the past in ways very
few writers have done. This is a book well worth
seeking out.
Little Boy Blues
A memoir by Malcolm Jones
Writer and newspaper reporter Malcolm Jones
has written a haunting yet fun-to-read memoir
about his youth growing up in North Carolina
during the 50’s and ‘60s, a time when the US too
was suffering a great deal of growing pains. Surrounded
by his grandparents, aunts, and uncles
Jones moves through life with a wonderful cast of
(almost fictional like characters since they are as
Steinbeck once wrote “too wacky and too good to really exist
but are real none-the-less).
I found myself engaged by Jones’s adventures and
observations during the crumbling of his idyllic world as it
falls around him and his family. Little Boy Blues is a fantastic
book and well worth getting to know.
William Stafford, the “Singing Security Guard,” performs Motown hits and blues classics
with his band Motownblue. Stafford will be joined by Allan Greene on bass, David Tarpley
on guitar and Roger Parkinson on drums. Feburary 5 from 5 to 8 p.m. First Friday concerts
feature music, food and drinks at the Grove Arcade, 1 Page Ave. in downtown Asheville.
BY KIM ZDANOWICZ
Faith Ringgold, Edel Rodriguez, Art Spiegelman, Vera Baker
Williams and others.
Nouns: Children’s Book Artists Look at People, Places
and Things examines original book illustrations from artists
who are committed to the genre of children’s books. The
exhibition includes working drawings, finished paintings,
collages, molded paper, woodcuts and digitally produced illustrations
from well-known as well as emerging artists.
IF YOU GO: The exhibit will be on display from Friday, February
12 to Sunday, July 11, 2010 in Gallery 6 at the Asheville
Art Museum. 2 South Pack Square. For more information
phone (828) 253-3227 or visit www.ashevilleart.org.
Joe Cruz in Concert February 21
BY KAY S. MILLER
The Haywood County Arts Council is pleased
to announce Joe Cruz in concert on Sunday,
February 21 at 3 p.m. at the Haywood County
library auditorium in Waynesville. The concert
is part of the Sunday Concert Series at the Library.
The concert is free and the public is cordially invited
to attend.
Joe Cruz grew up in New York City, singing in
church and performing since he was a child. Although
keyboards and vocals are considered
his forte, he is also an established
songwriter, producer and arranger.
His musical works have appeared in
television, movies and radio, and on
Dateline, New York, The Discovery
Channel, The Cartoon Network,
“Playing for Keeps” movie and
soundtrack, and keyboard/lead vocals
for Miramax Production.
Joe Cruz has performed in concert venues in
NYC and the TRI-State area nightclubs from 1970 to
1999. Mr. Cruz has performed as a headliner as well
as a warm up act for the following artists: Chicago,
Santana, Bonnie Raitt, Chicken Feat, Jean-Luc Ponty,
Stevie Ray Vaughn, Average White Band and others.
For more information about Joe Cruz, the Sunday
Concert Series at the Library, and other arts programming,
please visit the Haywood County Arts Council
website at www.haywoodarts.org or call the office at
(828) 452-0593.
IF
YOU
GO
Joe Cruz in concert Sunday, February
21 at 3 p.m. Haywood County Public
Library, Waynesville.
Poetry and Trivia at Malaprops, 55 Haywood St. in Asheville
Monday, February 15 at 7 p.m.
Traveling Bonfires
Valentine’s Poetry Reading
The Traveling Bonfires are back in
Asheville with a one-hour poetry
reading.
Tuesday, February 16 at 7 p.m.
Literary Trivia Night
Hosted by booksellers Lauren, Seth
and Stella Harr. Open to the public.
Test your word nerd knowledge and
win prizes!
Thursday, February 18 at 5:30 p.m.
Women on Words
A women’s poetry circle where the
members inspire and critique the
presented poems. New members are
always welcome.
Vol. 13, No. 6 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — February 2010 31