5 questions with Shai Biderman, author of The Philosophy Of David Lynch

 

What inspired you to put this book together?  

The unique cinematic style and the rich philosophical context of David Lynch’s cinematic works. Lynch is known as a cutting-edge director, whose films are enriched by profound philosophical insights and an intriguing picture of human nature and of the world we live in.

Which section of the book did you find easiest and most natural to write?  

As editors, our main task was to make Lynch’s philosophical depth plausible and comprehensive. The most natural aspect our work was therefore to ensure a broad philosophical spectrum, which captures the full range of Lynch’s cinematic ingenuity. 

Did the final product come out as you envisioned it when you first started? 

 Even better. The collection of scholarly chapters we came up with truly encapsulates the richness of Lynch’s thought. The collection covers a great variety of issues and philosophical agendas, from metaphysics to ethics and epistemology, from existentialism to phenomenology, in both the eastern and western philosophical traditions.

What is the best compliment you have received on the book?  

One reviewer wrote: “There can be no doubt that David Lynch has produced a body of work widely recognized for its excellence and depth—and its opacity. Hence, a volume treating Lynch’s work from an explicitly philosophical perspective should be welcomed by both fans and scholars of Lynch’s work ... The editors have assembled a volume that covers many important philosophical issues from a variety of perspectives, including Asian ones. The essays show careful attention both to philosophical rigor and to the nuances of a complicated filmmaker ... All seem of high quality, mostly jargon-free, and accessible to the educated reader ... I think this book will be significant for Lynch fans and scholars for years to come.”

What are some new and upcoming things we can expect from you?  

A thorough investigation of the intriguing relationship between film, the most popular communicative medium in our times, and philosophy, the most thoughtful and methodical of our mental capacities.

5 Questions with Kent Crowley, author of Surf Beat

 

Q. How did this book come about?
   
I actually felt obligated to write this book because I was fortunate enough to grow up right in the center of the whole surf music revolution and I’d never seen the story reported the way that I witnessed it firsthand. I grew up in Newport Beach just a short walk from the Rendezvous Ballroom and took my first guitar lessons from Norman Sanders of The Tornadoes (the first band to chart a surf - themed instrumental) in early 1963. I worked and played in bands in Laguna Beach at the time ‘Five Summer Stories’ was released and I was playing Gazzarri’s on the Strip in Hollywood when an audience member said during a break “did you know REAL surf music is coming back? There’s this band called Jon & The Nightriders…’.”
     It struck me because differentiating between instrumental surf music and the vocal schools was something one didn’t hear too far beyond the beach – and especially not in Hollywood. When I first heard Jon & The Nightriders, the first thing I noticed was how it resonated both with my younger friends – most of whom were shortboarders and punk, metal or ska fans - as well as the older musicians and surfers who’d grown up with the original sounds of Dick Dale, The Tornadoes, The Belairs and the others.
     My recollection of surf music is that the amps got progressively bigger and louder and the guitar players got progressively more skilled. Yet, to most of the world, surf music was The Beach Boys and Jan & Dean records. Yet these two very different schools of music all originally sprang from the same soil and drew from the same well. Over the years, the two viewpoints had fragmented into opposing camps and I was just hoping to reconcile them. The whole point of surf music was that this was music designed to make people dance and have a good time with as little interference from parents and other authorities as possible.
     Oh, and I do want to mention that I DID surf, but badly. My older brother, who was a very accomplished surfer, once told me I would always be safe from shark attacks because sharks can’t eat and laugh at the same time.

Q. Which aspect of the book was most interesting to write? 
 
Two aspects of the book particularly stood out: the first was getting an education in the nuts and bolts of the recording and musical instrument manufacturing processes from people like Dave Gold and Stan Ross from Hollywood’s Gold Star Recording Studios. By the time I ever set foot in a recording studio, the standard was 24 tracks and music was a billion - dollar industry, whereas in the early 1960s artists like The Beach Boys, Dick Dale, The Tornadoes and The Surfaris were just making records for their fans and in the hopes that they could quit their day jobs or buy some new instruments.
     The other aspect that impressed me was the degree to which jazz was a huge influence on West Coast rock & roll. The cream of the recording session musicians like Hal Blaine, Rene Hall, Earl Palmer, Carol Kaye and others were all accomplished jazz musicians in their own right. Then, add that to the fact that many of the artists who emerged from the whole surf music revolution were hugely influenced by jazz artists and composers. While Dick Dale personally interacted with some of the finest country western and rockabilly guitarists in the business, he based his guitar attack in Gene Krupa’s drum style. Brian Wilson’s biggest influences were George Gershwin and The Four Freshmen and Frank Zappa was a jazz major at Chaffey College. When they went into the studios, they found themselves working with accomplished jazz musicians who were open to these new styles of music and I think that’s why you have the L.A. rock scene becoming an electronic musical style more than any other music capital because they needed the Wrecking Crew. The sophistication level of the music of artists like Zappa and Wilson rose with each new composition because they were finally working with musicians in the studio who could realize their wildest flights of musical adventure.

What did you learn from writing this book? 

When I first met Dave Gold and Stan Ross, they told me that during Gold Star’s heyday they were like the happy hookers - they could have made more money but they were having too much fun recording all of that great music. What impressed me about this story was the degree to which the engineers, technology designers, surfboard builders and even amplifier and instrument builders viewed their crafts as artistic pursuits. They weren’t looking for financial gain so much as they relished conquering challenges and finding new opportunities in technology at a time when the technology was growing at the most rapid rate in entertainment history. Remember, in the five - year period between ’Surfin’ ’ and ‘Smile‘, recording technology grew from two - tracks to eight tracks while guitar amplifiers grew from primarily single enclosures with ten - inch speakers and wattage in double - digits to massive amp stacks with multiple 12 or 15 inch speakers and triple - digit wattage. Most of this came about because the ‘adults’ like Leo Fender, Paul Buff, Dave Gold and Stan Ross were listening to what the kids wanted and trying to accommodate them. They regarded themselves as being part of a great musical adventure rather than just technicians or businessmen hoping to make a buck.

What's the future of surf music? 
 
I make a comment in the book that surf music is less like a fashion statement that wanders in and out of style and more like a superhero, called upon when needed and vanishes when the deed it done. The biggest attraction of surf music is the fact that it is a relatively easy style of music to play, learn, stage and perform in virtually any environment. As The Surfaris’ Jim Pash used to say, ’Wipe Out’ probably kicked off more bands than any other single song in history.
     More importantly, surf music never saturated any generation’s ears to the point where people hear it and dismiss it as some other generation‘s music. It’s still new to the ears and still offers enough subtext of rebellion and subversion for any generation to discover it and enjoy it without apologies or excuses. Today, a beginning guitarist can put together a serviceable surf rig for a couple of hundred dollars and it requires only one guitar, one effects pedal and one amp (and LOTS of picks, of course - but they‘re cheap). For an experienced guitarist, today surf music offers a huge canon of work and nearly everything an experienced guitarist needs to reproduce this music with some level of authenticity is available through neighborhood or online music retailers. For purists and novices alike, there is a thriving surf music scene all over the world and all it takes is a search engine to find the bands, the shows, and hundreds of musicians who are willing to counsel and answer questions.
      Another aspect of surf music for younger musicians is that it’s a perfect style for starting a band. Every musician knows there are few things more fun than getting together with a room full of other musicians and flailing away at some poor 12 bar blues until our wives and kids call in missing persons reports on us. However, after a point, we’re playing for each other. Surf music is a great place to start because it’s a very focused style of music - it’s music for dancing. In fact, it got the name surf music because it was surfers who first embraced it. For musicians at every level of skill, it’s a great place to start because it’s more than a musical style - it’s both a folk music and a performance art.

What's next for you?  
 
It was really difficult to compress this story and all of the characters into 90,000 words. So many of them deserve full-length biographies  - particularly Paul Buff, Dave Gold, Stan Ross, Dick Dale, Carl Wilson, Paul Johnson, John Blair…so many of the artists and the bands are lacking the recognition that far less deserving artists routinely get. Right now, my first objective is to get some historical recognition for both Pal Recording Studios/Studio Z and Gold Star Recording Studios. While I was honored to be part of Rancho Cucamonga’s honoring of Paul Buff up at Chaffey College in 2005 and The Grammy Museum’s special honors for Dave Gold and Stan Ross, those events never reached anywhere near the people who need to know about them…there is just so much more to do.

5 Questions with Kalena Cook, author of Birth a Better Way: 12 Secrets for Natural Childbirth

 

 

 

What was the most interesting part of about putting together this book?

Interviewing the moms, doctors and midwives. Hearing their intimate stories of challenges, like their friend's and family's views of natural birth, how they overcame their fears, what birth was like for them, their triumph and feeling empowered for motherhood. I found that women opened up and felt they were wanting to share and be as helpful and encouraging to other pregnant women reading this book. Working with Margaret Christensen, M.D. was an honor as well. Her resources and perspective raised the book to a higher level.

Which section of the book was most enjoyable to write?

I appreciated and enjoyed interviewing the physicians, mostly Ob/Gyns, who chose to birth their own children in a birth center or at home and not in the hospital. Their stories are particularly interesting with their training and background as to why they made that decision. 

What was the most challenging part about creating this book?

Shaping the stories to include the conflict and resolution made the book stronger. 

However, getting published was challenging in terms of writing and selling the book proposal. Thinking that publishers were not interested in natural childbirth (although many inspired me that the timing was right) I resolved to self-publish and had an imprint name with ISBN numbers ready to go. By synchronicity and faith, I entered the manuscript in the Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference competition and it won a publishing contract!

What has been the feedback thus far on the book?

Women are encouraged to give birth by reading the stories. The information goes beyond birth stories to include nutrition, information on ultrasound, c-sections, and even the epidural ingredients. 

More testimonials are on the website www.BirthingaBetterWay.com

 

, feel to look at the excerpts there. Thanks!

5 Questions with Robert Jeffrey, author of GLASGOW'S GODFATHER

 

 

What was the most interesting part of about putting together this book?

 

Researching with Walter on a weekly basis in his home for six

Months, to hear his tales of a spectacular life of crime and gain

insight into his family life past and present – in particular his

relationship with his mistress Jean, who was so supportive down the the

years. Fascinating too, to relate the theories of nature v nurture with  

this intriguing criminal mind. The stories that came out of his long

years of incarceration were riveting and a real insight into the

effect of prison life.

Which section of the book was most enjoyable to write?

 

I enjoyed writing about the planning that went into the robberies and

hearing his theories of leadership in a criminal concept. A highly

intelligent man, he would have made a good general – something that is

often said about Godfathers.

What was the most challenging part about creating this book?

 

Attempting to balance the man, contrasting the crimes and the other

side of his nature, which was a certain likableness, and his easy going

attitude - except when, as he put it, "the red mist came down". I enjoyed

walking his patch with him - bookies and pubs - and seeing at first

hand the delivery of what he called "respect". Walter would have been  

fascinating subject for serious analysis for any shrink.

What has been the feedback thus far on the book?

 

Very good, in particular it got a rave review in True Crime from Kim

Cantrell, who called it "one of the best books of its type to come out

of the UK this year". It was also favourably reviewed and part

serialised in the Scottish press. It also featured in radio. One

criticism was that perhaps the fact that he was not a drug dealer led

to playing down his bloody violence, a criticism I and others reject.

What new projects do you have on the horizon?

 

At the moment I am publicising new editions of my books Gentle Johnny Ramensky and The Barlinnie Story while making a return to a previous strand in my writing, Scottish social history, with a book called

Scotland's Year - events ancient and modern. This deals with ancient traditional events like Whippety Scourie (a ball game) and festivals like Up Helly Aw, T in the Park and the Edinburgh Festival.

Interview with Arthur Plotnik, author of "Better Than Great: A Plenitudinous Compendium of Wallopingly Fresh Superlatives"

 

What was the most interesting part about putting together this book?

Early in the book's genesis, I felt there had to be better means of acclaiming the special things in our lives than the worn-out terms everyone seemed stuck with: awesome, amazing, incredible, and a few more of their ilk. As my list grew, my interest turned to just how many terms existed or could be created thanks to the flexibility of English. I had to stop at 5,700 for the book, but I could have done 10,000. 
    As I divided the terms into such categories as "Beauty," "Joy-Giving," "Sublime," and "Exceptional," something else seized my interest; namely, how many things in our lives are worthy of praise and acclaim, yet lost in the crushing negativity of our everyday valuations. An expanded, nuanced vocabulary of acclaim helps reveal the vast spectrum of joy, one that begins at relief from suffering and progresses to physical delight and intellectual and spiritual exaltation.


Which section of the book was most enjoyable to write?

Probably the category "Delicious," with its 363 terms to acclaim food and drink. How many words do people ordinarily use beyond delicious, scrumptious, and tasty? My salivary glands pulsed as I savored such terms as nectareous, eupeptic (good for digestion), honeysome, slurpworthy, and sapid. I also got to tweak—in my introduction to the category—a popular TV program featuring "ordinary" diners who critique the restaurants they've visited. To my increasing annoyance, the diners fell back on awesome, amazing, and incredible for virtually every eye-mistingly exquisite, cordon bleu dish they'd consumed.  So in dinging the show a bit, I enjoyed some saporific satisfaction.    


What was the most challenging part about creating this book?

First, the labor of going word-by-word through standard and slang lexicons--some approaching a thousand pages--to find existing terms of acclaim that have not been overused, as with, say, magisterial and  numinous; and second, the intellectual work of identifying rich words and phrases that could be converted into terms of acclaim; for example, tarantella (a whirling, upbeat dance) became a tarantella on the tongue in the "Delicious" category. 
    Such tedious work, however, was leavened by joys of discovery---often of terms from non-U.S. countries and cultures. Canadian sources, for example, turned up such gems as milks a good cow (is in the money), skookum (strong), and kippy (attractive).

What has been the feedback thus far on the book?

Well, God liked it—or at least one of His servants did: An Episcopalian priest kindly wrote (on Amazon.com) that he keeps Better Than Great right next to his Book of Common Prayer, using it not only for sermons, but in thanking volunteers and charitable donors.
    Among mortals, I've had exuberant feedback from haters of awesome in particular and from lovers of language in general. A grandmother wrote, "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! My granddaughter knows the word awesome is banned in my presence unless we are in church or in front of the Grand Canyon."
    Media producers have been intrigued, resulting so far in eight radio interviews and a segment on Chicago's midday TV news. I've gathered some of the reviewers' raves on the book's website, if anyone wants to be overwhelmed by the love.  If you look hard through the 38 or so Amazon.com customer reviews, you'll find a few less friendly responses---but even the compiler of 5,700 pleasure-oriented superlatives can't please everyone, right? 

What’s next for you?

I'm still gathering fresh superlatives and plan to produce a supplement in some form, offering a few samples on my website along the way. They're too good not to share. Here's a quick three from the category "Joy-Giving":

skylarkish (frolicsome)

vellicating (causing laughter as if by a tickle; also, causing sensation of being pinched, plucked at, caused to twitch)

Falstaffian (ref., the comic character John Falstaff of Shakespeare's Henry IV plays)

    After that, maybe a collection of metaphors from contemporary writing. I've got a good start. But you know, picking the right project for a three-year effort reminds me of a Benjamin Kunkel metaphor in his novel Indecision: I'm "like a dog testing a vegetable dropped on the floor, to see if he will eat it.”

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You can pick up "Better than Great" here.

Q&A with Phil Vickery, author of Gluten Free Baking

 

What was the most interesting part of about putting together this book?

The research and development of all the ideas and recipes. Also looking for new ingredients to add to our repertoire, we never stand still is this department.

Which section of the book was most enjoyable to write?

Don’t really have one, all were challenging in allsorts of ways. I like it when after cooking upwards of say 10 times, they finally work.

What was the most challenging part about creating this book?

Getting ideas and the framework in place. Then working on all the ingredients, mixing and testing, its takes many weeks or even months.

What has been the feedback thus far on the book?

Very good indeed, I think it’s now in 8 or 9 countries, and selling really well.

What’s next for you?

Ah ha, I’m writing a family friendly Coeliac book to published later in the year, spanning baby and toddler food family food and even when the kids leave home for the first time, probably be 100 or so recipes, so its keeping me busy.

5 Questions with Jason Draper, author of "Prince"

What was the most fascinating thing about you learned about Prince from creating this book?
The thing that most surprised me was actually during a crisis for Prince. He and his first wife, Mayte, had a baby who was tragically born with Pfieffer syndrome. They had to take the terrible to decision to remove the baby from life support very soon after he was born. Following this, two nannies that Prince had hired to help Mayte through the pregnancy got a local Minneapolis reporter involved in the story and began to claim that the whole thing was Prince’s fault – that he didn’t look after Mayte enough during the pregnancy, didn’t let he eat properly, etc. Of course, the whole thing’s preposterous, and it was just a cruel twist of nature. But after the reporter got involved, the police were called and, most shocking to me was that these two people once in Prince’s employ could actually have gone and tried to turn something so private and tragic into a very public homicide case. Of course, the whole thing was shut down almost as quickly as it started, but still – it never should have gone that far.

What was the most challenging part of writing this book? 
I wanted this book to move away from all the gossip and the jokes and the ridicule. Prince has done some odd things throughout his career, but he’s also done many more amazing things. Around the name of the name-change, it was easy to make a joke out of him. But beneath that, there was a deeper argument going on about artists’ rights and, now that the dust has settled, it’s easier to appreciate that. So I want this book to really bring to light and chart his successes – not just as a musician, but as an industry revolutionary. Lost in the commotion have been facts such as Prince being the first artist to sell an entire album online, direct to his fans, through his own website – and 10 years before Radiohead did it with In Rainbows. So the main challenge was to steer clear of the nonsense and really get down to what really matters – and what should be celebrated. It amazes me that there are so many “serious” rock bios about other artists in the canon, but that Prince really isn’t treated the same way.

What’s a big misconception about Prince?
That he’s humourless, maybe? The guy can be very funny. Also that he’s a recluse. Currently, he’s been on his Welcome 2 America tour since the end of last year – which is quite a long time for someone who’s not meant to make public appearances. And, in recent years, he’s conducted some major, high-profile interviews. Yet people still think that he doesn’t talk. What he does do is play the game brilliantly, masterminding things in such a way so that, whenever Prince makes an appearance, it’s an event; you want to be there. It’s brilliantly stage-managed.

What’s the best compliment you have received on this work? 
I had an interview earlier today with a group of hardcore fans for the Peach & Black podcast, and they were so positive about the book it was wonderful. One of them said he learned at least one new thing in each chapter, which was great. If you can appeal to – and engage with – the people who already know everything, then that’s just fantastic. But the response in general has been great, with people saying it’s the best researched Prince book out there. What a compliment!

How do you think Prince will be remembered decades from now?
Probably as the eccentric he’s seen as now, but hopefully also as a true revolutionary. He’s equally as important as Bowie, James Brown, Dylan, Sly Stone – you name it. Musically, he dominated the 80s, while the repercussions of his business decisions in the 90s are only really just being understood. I hope this book can start to make these things a little more explicit, and that Prince can start getting his due outside of – to many – just being the guy who wrote Purple Rain or When Doves cry, etc…