Brilliant Animation Brings 1931 Back to Life

I'm hoping to convince this genius, who's doing WONDERFUL things with his computer in Russia, to do a book trailer for me.  (I think he's actually famous and in demand so don't hold your breath).  In the meantime, you can marvel with me at what he has already accomplished.

Click and enjoy. Be sure to switch to full screen.

Alexey Zakharov animation - YouTube

Remembering the Somme - 100 Years Since...

The precipitating event, or one of them in Up, Back, and Away was the Battle of the Somme. I studied it for quite awhile before writing the Somme scenes. Just reading about WW 1, especially the personal stories of the soldiers (I recommend Robert Graves' memoir Good-bye to All That and Siegfied Sasoon's fictionalized life story, Memoirs of a Fox-Hunting Man ) was very moving, but this commemoration is the most brilliant memorial I've seen - making the loss tangible and for reminding the rest of us of what their sacrifice (among so many others) made possible.  

Something to keep in mind over here during our Independence Day celebrations this weekend.