The Wild Trees by Richard Preston Essay Example for Free

The Wild Trees by Richard Preston Essay For a passionate, daring and courageous writer any theme becomes a great theme. Just as a brave soldier converts defeats into victories, a genius writer weaves an extraordinary story from the ordinary stuff. To an average reader, at the cursory glance of the book, the subject matter of â€Å"The Wild Trees† may look uninteresting and he wonders whether it is a book on botany. When you begin to read the book, Richard Preston will disappoint you on this account.   He has other interesting plans for you, which he reveals through his explorations through the wild growth of redwood. â€Å"The host of golden daffodils† was always there, â€Å"beside the lake and beneath the trees,† but it needed a Wordsworth to create an immortal poem on sighting them. When something penetrates the heart of an author deeply, touches his inner chords and appeals to his emotions irresistibly, a scintillating story, a literary masterpiece is born. The thick cluster of ancient California redwood was always there and many a thousands observed them daily as they drove through the highway. But Richard Preston saw something special and fascinating in them.   He saw the giant whales in them. A mesmerized Preston writes, â€Å"in order to see a giant tree you need a magnifying glass.† The biosphere of the redwood kingdom was a wonderland for him. The latent ambition of every literary genius is to ‘cross the moon and beat the stars’ as for the imagination. Mr. Preston is candid about his literary saga. He says, â€Å"My goal is to reveal people and realms that nobody had ever imagined.† The giant, ancient California redwood creates a rainbow in his heart. From the production point of the book, the illustrations of plain line drawings of redwood structure by Andrew Joslin are equally fascinating.   The artist’s brush and the writer’s pen have delivered amazing products and results to the reader. As for this book, Richard Preston is an author-turned botanist -turned philosopher -turned spiritualist! That has been the progress of his secular adventure and journey through the inner realms, in relation to redwood trees. The roots of his physical adventure are definitely supported by the spiritual roots. Preston entered the enchanting land of redwood in Northern California in 2003 to meet a tree explorer, Steve Sillette, who figures prominently in Preston’s story. For, Sillette was no ordinary tree explorer. He was a legendary figure, and deserved to be the central character in any related novel. Sillette was married to Marie Antoine, another staunch devotee of redwood trees. In their home, any visitor would be engulfed in endless conversation about trees, trees and trees again. That was the level of her passion for the redwood trees, Preston observes that she created clothing, Gore-Tex, the raw material used was the derivatives of the redwood tree. Preston is quite philosophical when he says that the redwood trees grow so slow, that their development is hard to measure during the course of a scientist’s lifetime. In the book you will find the beauty of the author and the authority of the scientist. The book contains amazing details based on the gigantic trees. You feel as if you read a mystery. The size and growth of the redwood trees is unbelievable. The names given to some of the trees have been detailed in the book. Some of the strange names are: Bamboozle, Bushy Toe, Pig Snout, Trifecta, Screaming Titans etc. A unique event is described in the book. The climbers are on the treetop hammock of a giant among he giant trees, Telpirion, and then a squall hits. It is the strong belief of the ensconced climbers that the tree has survived for eons and the countless storms have no effect on her. The climbers in the meantime escape and then the squall brings down Telperion, in the process creating a 60 feet high splash! Preston turns spiritual when he says, â€Å"May be these trees teach us something about ourselves.† What a great silent history is ingrained in the unending stretch of redwood trees! But when it is revealed to us in the book that ninety-six percent of the ancient redwood forests have been destroyed by logging, we feel sorry. We feel as if something very dear tour hearts has been taken away from us. Preston’s book creates such a deep love for the redwood trees. We feel like clinging to the remaining 4 percent; and curse the destroyers of this forest beauty! Preston’s account of this redwood tree adventure is amazing and truthful, because he decided to experience that adventure, before giving the final touches to his book. Therefore, he is able to write a terrifying, moving and a fascinating account. His narrative thrills you. He actually climbed those most dangerous trees to give you the perfect story. Therefore he is able to write a splendid book about the most splendid redwood forest!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     References Cited: Author: Richard Preston Title: The Wild Trees. Publication Date: April 2007 Publisher: Simon Schuster ISBN-10: 0743561228 ISBN-13: 9780743561228

Edward Kennedy Ellington :: essays research papers

The man was born Edward Kennedy Ellington; but he exists in the eyes of American culture as the Duke. He received the nickname from a childhood friend who recognized his style and debonair. That style would carry him around the country and eventually the world as one of the music world’s most prolific composers. His life began in Washington DC on April 29, 1899. Duke did not start up as a child prodigy; while he took piano lessons, he leaned more to sports in his formative years. His parents were strong role models who supported his interests and taught him how to be successful in life. As he grew up and made his way through high school, he developed artistic talent which would lead him to seek higher education in that field. He turned down and prestigious scholarship to Pratt Institute of Fine Art and stayed in Washington to attend Armstrong Manual Training School instead. It was during college that his interest in music took off. He was intrigued by Ragtime style pianists in Washington and would seek out Jazz piano players wherever he went. His earliest personal influence was a piano player named Harvey Brooks. Combined with his early teachers, Oliver â€Å"Doc† Perry and Louis Brown, Duke Ellington found the encouragement and skills necessary for him to go out and become successful . He left school to pursue music as a career and found some work in Washington with his first band – The Duke’s Serenaders. They played in Washington for six years before making an important move to New York in 1923 at the advice of Jazz great Fats Waller. In that year Ellington recorded his first record and changed the band’s name to The Washingtonians. Radio was the big key to the foundation of Ellington’s success in New York. It was radio which had prepared New Yorkers for his sound and once his band made connections with the major New York clubs, it was radio which made their sound a national phenomenon. The most important of the clubs which Duke Ellington played for was the Cotton Club. The combination of the national radio broadcasts that aired from the Cotton Club and the addition of Irving Mills as the bands manager launched Ellington from running a great band to being a star. His fame gave him the ability to develop his band and add in the best musicians from around the country.

A Biography of Shirley Temple Essay

Shirley Temple OCCUPATION: Film Actress (1932-1950); TV actress/entertainer (1958–1965); Public servant and Diplomat (1969–1992); BIRTH DATE: April 23, 1928 (Age: 85) PLACE OF BIRTH: Santa Monica, California EDUCATION: Tutors; Westlake School for Girls ResidenceWoodside, California AKA: Shirley Jane Temple; Shirley Temple Black Nickname: Little Miss Miracle ZODIAC SIGN: Taurus Party Affiliation: Republican Nationality: United States of America Details SHIRLEY TEMPLE Shirley Jane Temple was born on April 23, 1928, in Santa Monica, California. She is the daughter of Gertrude Amelia Temple (nee Krieger), a homemaker and George Francis Temple, a bank employee. The family was of English, German and Dutch ancestry. She had two brothers, George Francis, Jr. and John Stanley. Mrs. Temple once had show business aspirations and frequently played the phonograph and attended dance recitals while she was pregnant. Eight months after she was born, young Shirley was regularly swaying to music in her crib and Mrs. Temple encouraged her infant daughter’s singing, dancing and acting talents. In September 1931 she enrolled her in Meglin’s Dance School in Los Angeles, California. She was discovered a few months later, when executives from a low-budget film company came by the dance studio. When Shirley was 3 years old, her father signed a contract on her behalf with Educational Pictures. Shirley began appearing in Baby Burlesques, short films which spoofed popular movies by remaking them with children. In her earliest films, Shirley performed remarkable impressions of such stars as Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich. While the cameras rolled, Shirley Temple’s mother would be on the sidelines, encouraging her to â€Å"Sparkle! To underwrite production costs at Educational Pictures, Shirley and her child co-stars modeled for breakfast cereals and other products. She was lent to Tower Productions for a small role in her first feature film Red-Haired Alibi in 1932 and in 1933, to Universal, Paramount and Warner Brothers for various bit parts. Her family was protective and her father became her agent and financial adviser. The exposure from Baby Burlesques l ed her to a contract with the Fox Film Corporation. At age 5, in April 1934, she attained fame with a featured role in Stand Up and Cheer, starring Warner Baxter. This became Shirley’s breakthrough film. Her charm was evident to Fox heads and she was promoted well before the film’s release. Within months, she became the symbol of wholesome American family entertainment. Her salary was raised to $1,250 a week, and her mother’s to $150 as coach and hairdresser. Shirley starred in several more films the same year, including Little Miss Marker and Baby Take A Bow. On December 28, 1934, Bright Eyes was released. It was the first feature film crafted specifically for Shirley’s talents and the first in which her name appeared above the title. Her signature song â€Å"On the Good Ship Lollipop† was introduced in the film and sold 500,000 sheet music copies. The film demonstrated Shirley’s ability to portray a multi-dimensional character and established a formula for her future roles as a lovable, parentless waif whose charm and sweetness mellow gruff older men. The next year, she broke racial barriers (at the time) by tap-dancing with the original Mr. Bojangles, Bill Robinson, in The Little Colonel. The young actress, singer and dancer with the 56 bouncing golden corkscrew curls and infectious optimism proved an overnight sensation and a top earner for the studio. In February 1935, Shirley Temple became the first child star to be honored with a special Academy Award and miniature Juvenile Oscar for â€Å"Outstanding Personality of 1934† She added her foot and hand prints to the forecourt at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in February that year. Shirley Temple was the most famous child actor in history. From 1936-38, Shirley earned more than any other Hollywood star, starring in films that offered an hour and a half of optimism at the height of the Depression. To make her seem even more precocious, her mother subtracted a year from Shirley’s age and until she was 13 Shirley thought she had been born in 1929. By 1940, Shirley Temple had 43 films under her belt. United States President at the time Franklin Delano Roosevelt called Shirley Temple â€Å"Little Miss Miracle† for raising the public’s morale during times of economic hardship and was noted for saying that, â€Å"as long as our country has Shirley Temple, we will be all right. † When off the set, Shirley had private tutors and also attended the Westlake School for Girls from 1940-45. When Shirley began to mature, her popularity with audiences waned. As an adolescent, she appeared in The Blue Bird (1940) which performed poorly at the box office. At 19, she co-starred in The Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer. Although the film received critical praise, audiences struggled to accept that their â€Å"Little Miss Miracle† was growing up. In 1943, 15-year-old Shirley met John George Agar, an Army Air Corps sergeant. On September 19, 1945, when Shirley was 17 years old, they were married before 500 guests at Wilshire Methodist Church. On January 30, 1948, Shirley gave birth to their daughter, Linda Susan. Agar became a professional actor and the couple made two films together: Fort Apache (1948) and Adventure in Baltimore (1949). Following her 1948 and 1949 films, Shirley found it increasingly difficult to land major acting roles. During the 1950s and early 1960s, she made scattered appearances on the small screen but her career as a popular film star had ended at an earlier age than most entertainers’ had begun. Shirley’s marriage became troubled and she divorced Agar on December 5, 1949. She received custody of their daughter and the restoration of her maiden name. The divorce was finalized on December 5, 1950. In January 1950, Shirley had met Charles Alden Black, a World War 2 United States Navy intelligence officer who was awarded the Silver Star and reputedly one of the richest young men in California. Temple and Black were married on December 16, 1950. The family relocated to Washington, D. C. when Black was recalled to the Navy at the outbreak of the Korean War. Shirley gave birth to their son, Charles Alden Black, Jr. , in Washington, D. C. on April 28, 1952. Following the war’s end and Black’s discharge from the Navy, the family returned to California in May 1953. Black managed television station KABC-TV in Los Angeles, and Shirley became a homemaker. Their daughter Lori was born on April 9, 1954. In September 1954, Black became director of business operations for the Stanford Research Institute and the family moved to Atherton, California. The couple remained married for 54 years until his death on August 4, 2005. In her film career spanning 1931-1961 she starred in 14 short films, 43 feature films and over 25 storybook movies. As Shirley Temple Black’s entertainment work petered out, she refocused her efforts on a career in public service. She briefly returned to acting in 1958, as host and sometimes performer of Shirley Temple’s Storybook, an anthology series that ran on NBC and ABC from 1959-62. She began her second career in public life at about the same time, becoming involved in the fight against multiple sclerosis after the disease ravaged her brother George, Jr. She co-founded the International Federation of Multiple Sclerosis Societies. In 1967 at the age of 39 she ran for United States Congress but lost. From 1969 to 1970 she served as U. S. ambassador to the United Nations. Shirley Temple Black was appointed ambassador to Ghana in 1974. Two years later, she became the chief of protocol of the United States, retaining the position until 1977. In 1988 Shirley Temple Black became the only person thus far to achieve the rank of honorary Foreign Service officer of the United States. From 1989 to 1992 under US President George H. W. Bush she served yet another public service role, as ambassador to Czechoslovakia. In December of 1998, Shirley Temple Black’s lifetime accomplishments were celebrated in the Kennedy Center Honors at Washington, D. C. s Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. In 2005 she received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Screen Actors Guild. Today, Shirley Temple continues to reside in California. Shirley Temple’s Accomplishments: FILMOGRAPHY AS ACTOR A Kiss for Corliss (1949) The Story of Seabiscuit (11-Nov-1949) Adventure in Baltimore (19-Apr-1949) Mr. Belvedere Goes to College (1949) Fort Apache (9-Mar-1948) That Hagen Girl (24-Oct-1947) The Bachelor and Bobby-Soxer (1947) Honeymoon (17-May-1947) Kiss and Tell (4-Oct-1945) I’ll Be Seeing You (5-Jan-1945) Since You Went Away (20-Jul-1944) Miss Annie Rooney (29-May-1942) Kathleen (18-Dec-1941) Young People (30-Aug-1940) The Blue Bird (19-Jan-1940) Susannah of the Mounties (13-Jun-1939) The Little Princess (10-Mar-1939) Just Around the Corner (11-Nov-1938) Little Miss Broadway (16-Sep-1938) Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (1938) Heidi (15-Oct-1937) Wee Willie Winkie (30-Jul-1937) Stowaway (25-Dec-1936) Dimples (9-Oct-1936) Captain January (11-Sep-1936) Poor Little Rich Girl (24-Jul-1936) The Littlest Rebel (22-Nov-1935) Curly Top (2-Aug-1935) Our Little Girl (7-Jun-1935) The Little Colonel (22-Feb-1935) Bright Eyes (11-Dec-1934) Now and Forever (31-Aug-1934) Baby, Take a Bow (30-Jun-1934) Now I’ll Tell (8-Jun-1934) Little Miss Marker (18-May-1934) Change of Heart (10-May-1934) Stand Up and Cheer! (19-Apr-1934) PUBLIC SERVICE US Ambassador to Czechoslovakia (1989-92) US Chief of Protocol (1976-77) US Ambassador to Ghana (1974-76) American Academy of Diplomacy Charter Member Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training Board of Directors Association for Intelligence Officers Honorary Board of Directors Council of American Ambassadors Council on Foreign Relations George W. Bush for President Pacific Council on International Policy Grand Marshal of the Tournament of Roses 1939 Grand Marshal of the Tournament of Roses 1989 Grand Marshal of the Tournament of Roses 1999 (shared) Kennedy Center Honor 1998 Hollywood Walk of Fame 1500 Vine St. Visited Disneyland (Oct-1970) BIBLIOGRAPHY World Book Encyclopedia http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Shirley_Temple http://www. nndb. com/people/089/000023020/ http://www. biography. com/people/shirley-temple-9503798? page=2 http://www. shirleytemple. com/bio. html http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=bb8FmimEqPE http://eltonzeng. blog. hexun. com/80714265_d. html

French and Indian War Battle of Quebec (1759)

The Battle of Quebec was fought September 13, 1759, during the French Indian War (1754-1763). Arriving at Quebec in June 1759, British forces under Major General James Wolfe commenced a campaign to to capture the city. These operations culminated with the British crossing the St. Lawrence River at Anse-au-Foulon on the night of September 12/13 and establishing a position on the Plains of Abraham. Moving to expel the British, French forces were beaten the next day and the city ultimately fell. The triumph at Quebec was a pivotal victory that gave the British supremacy in North America. The Battle of Quebec became part of Britains Annus Mirabilis (Year of Wonders) that saw it win victories against the French in all theaters of the war. Background Following the successful capture of Louisbourg in 1758, British leaders began planning for a strike against Quebec the next year. After assembling a force at Louisbourg under Major General James Wolfe and Admiral Sir Charles Saunders, the expedition arrived off Quebec in early June 1759. The direction of the attack caught the French commander, the Marquis de Montcalm, by surprise as he had anticipated a British thrust from the west or south. Assembling his forces, Montcalm began building a system of fortifications along the north shore of the St. Lawrence and placed bulk of his army east of the city at Beauport. Establishing his army on the Ile dOrlà ©ans and the south shore at Point Levis, Wolfe began a bombardment of the city and ran ships past its batteries to reconnoiter for landing places upstream. Louis-Joseph de Montcalm. Photograph Source: Public Domain First Actions On July 31, Wolfe attacked Montcalm at Beauport but was repulsed with heavy losses. Stymied, Wolfe began to focus on landing to west of the city. While British ships raided upstream and threatened Montcalms supply lines to Montreal, the French leader was forced to disperse his army along the north shore to prevent Wolfe from crossing. Battle of Quebec (1759) Conflict: French Indian War (1754-1763)Date: September 13, 1759Armies CommandersBritishMajor General James Wolfe4,400 men engaged, 8,000 around QuebecFrenchMarquis de Montcalm4,500 engaged, 3,500 in QuebecCasualties:British: 58 killed, 596 wounded, and 3 missingFrench: around 200 killed and 1,200 wounded A New Plan The largest detachment, 3,000 men under Colonel Louis-Antoine de Bougainville, was sent upstream to Cap Rouge with orders to watch the river east back towards the city. Not believing that another assault at Beauport would be successful, Wolfe began planning a landing just beyond Pointe-aux-Trembles. This was cancelled due to poor weather and on September 10 he informed his commanders that he intended to cross at Anse-au-Foulon. A small cove southwest of the city, the landing beach at Anse-au-Foulon required British troops to come ashore and ascend a slope and small road to reach the Plains of Abraham above. The approach at Anse-au-Foulon was guarded by a militia detachment led Captain Louis Du Pont Duchambon de Vergor and numbered between 40-100 men. Though the Governor of Quebec, the Marquis de Vaudreuil-Cavagnal, was concerned about a landing in the area, Montcalm dismissed these fears believing that due to the severity of the slope a small detachment would be able to hold until help arrived. On the night of September 12, British warships moved to positions opposite Cap Rouge and Beauport to give the impression that Wolfe would be landing at two places. The British Landing Around midnight, Wolfes men embarked for Anse-au-Foulon. Their approach was aided by the fact that the French were expecting boats bringing provisions from Trois-Rivià ¨res. Nearing the landing beach, the British were challenged by a French sentry. A French-speaking Highland officer replied in flawless French and the alarm was not raised. Going ashore with forty men, Brigadier General James Murray signaled to Wolfe that it was clear to land the army. A detachment under Colonel William Howe (of future American Revolution fame) moved up the slope and captured Vergors camp. General Sir William Howe. Public Domain As the British were landing, a runner from Vergors camp reached Montcalm. Distracted by Saunders diversion off Beauport, Montcalm ignored this initial report. Finally coming to grips with the situation, Montcalm gathered his available forces and began moving west. While a more prudent course may have been to wait for Bougainvilles men to rejoin the army or least be in position to attack simultaneously, Montcalm wished to engage the British immediately before they could fortify and become established above Anse-au-Foulon. Plains of Abraham Forming in an open area known as the Plains of Abraham, Wolfes men turned towards the city with their right anchored on the river and their left on a wooded bluff overlooking the St. Charles River. Due to the length of his line, Wolfe was forced to deploy in two-deep ranks rather than the traditional three. Holding their position, units under Brigadier General George Townshend engaged in skirmishing with French militia and captured a gristmill. Under sporadic fire from the French, Wolfe ordered his men to lay down for protection. As Montcalms men formed for the attack, his three guns and Wolfes lone gun exchanged shots. Advancing to attack in columns, Montcalms lines became somewhat disorganized as they crossed the uneven terrain of the plain. Under strict orders to hold their fire until the French were within 30-35 yards, the British had double-charged their muskets with two balls. After absorbing two volleys from the French, the front rank opened fire in a volley that was compared to a cannon shot. Advancing a few paces, the second British line unleashed a similar volley shattering the French lines. Early in the battle, Wolfe was struck in the wrist. Bandaging the injury he continued, but was soon hit in the stomach and chest. Issuing his final orders, he died on the field. With the army retreating towards the city and the St. Charles River, the French militia continued to fire from the woods with the support of floating battery near the St. Charles River bridge. During the retreat, Montcalm was hit in the lower abdomen and thigh. Taken into the city, he died the next day. With the battle won, Townshend took command and gathered sufficient forces to block Bougainvilles approach from the west. Rather than attack with his fresh troops, the French colonel elected to retreat from the area. Aftermath The Battle of Quebec cost the British one of their best leaders as well as 58 killed, 596 wounded, and three missing. For the French, the losses included their leader and were around 200 killed and 1,200 wounded. With the battle won, the British quickly moved to lay siege to Quebec. On September 18 the commander of the Quebec garrison, Jean-Baptiste-Nicolas-Roch de Ramezay, surrendered the city to Townshend and Saunders. The following April, the Chevalier de Là ©vis, Montcalms replacement, defeated Murray outside the city at the Battle of Sainte-Foy. Lacking siege guns, the French were unable to retake the city. A hollow victory, the fate of New France had been sealed the previous November when a British fleet crushed the French at the Battle of Quiberon Bay. With the Royal Navy controlling the sea lanes, the French were unable to reinforce and re-supply their forces in North America. Cut off and facing growing numbers, Là ©vis was forced to surrender in September 1760, ceding Canada to Britain.