Toni Morrison Speaks on Her New Novel and on President-Elect Barack Obama

Nobel Prize winning author and Pulitzer Prize recipient, Toni Morrison speaks on her new novel and on President-Elect Barack Obama.

$14 Million for the Brangelina Twins, Morgan Freeman Injured, Elizabeth Taylor Recovers and Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn Passes On

People magazine paid $14 million for the exclusive rights to publish the first photographs of the 3 weeks old twins of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie and the couple gave the magazine an intimate interview on the birth of their adorable twins, Knox Léon and Vivienne Marcheline.


I am sending get well wishes to Morgan Freeman who was badly injured in accident.


Elizabeth Taylor

Elizabeth Taylor was on life support, but she is now breathing well and reports say she is getting better.

The Nobel Laureate Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, the great soul of modern Russian literature has passed away at 89. I knew about the Russian novelist, dramatist and historian when he won the Nobel Prize in Literature 38 years ago.

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

May the great soul of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn rest in peace.

Nelson Mandela's Portrait, Painted by Artist Peter Engels, Put Up for "46664" Charity

PRNewswire, London, April 23. BRUSSELS - Breath-taking Nelson Mandela painting by artist Peter Engels put up for 46664 AIDS charity. Price $95,000, www.peterengels.eu. (PRNewsFoto/MarathonArtPR) BRUSSELS BELGIUM 04/18/2008
23 Apr 2008 08:12 Africa/Lagos


Mandela's Portrait, Painted by Artist Peter Engels, put up for "46664" Charity

BRUSSELS, April 23/PRNewswire/ --

Nelson Mandela will be 90 soon. "Time for the most impressive painted tribute", says artist Peter Engels. The result is a breath-taking canvas of 78.7 x 39.4 inch (=200 x 100 cm), painted with the pallet knife, which is Peter Engels' unique signature.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080423/301385 )
Mandela's birthday will be celebrated on Friday 27 June with a concert in London Hyde Park, hosted by Will Smith. Also present will be Stevie Wonder, Annie Lennox, Keane, U2, Eminem, the 2 of the remaining members of Queen and many other celebrities. Artist Peter Engels hopes to be able to hand over a cheque on probably the most exciting and talked about concert of 2008.
Half of the painting's selling price goes to the Mandela AIDS organisation "46664" (Mandela named his organisation after the number he had in prison on Robben Island). A pretty serious amount because the unique work of art will probably sell for no less than 60.000 euros. Peter Engels: "The buyer not only supports the AIDS fund, he will also acquire an exceptional piece of art: the largest portrait of Nelson Mandela ever painted with the pallet knife."

"In spite of his respectable age, Nelson Mandela has a vivid appearance," Peter Engels says. "Time and a turbulent life have indeed engraved his face, but he still has that friendly look. The stars in his eyes twinkle. His smile is warm and he has a glowing charisma. For me it is a real pleasure and an honour to paint his characteristic head. Putting this painting up for charity is my way of contributing to 46664."

Peter Engels and his Mandela portrait appear on the world's largest billboard of Times Square in New York. He is the first pallet knife painter featuring on these superscreens. View the painting and a picture of Times Square on http://www.peterengels.eu

Peter Engels creates his 'Vintage Portraits' in a unique style very much his own, using his sepia colourite to produce astonishing large scale close-ups of well-known characters. For the Mandela portrait he receives many congratulations from all over the world. They say that Peter Engels goes beyond merely painting Mandela's physical features; he captures the man's inner soul...
http://www.peterengels.eu

Contact:
Marathon ArtPR
Karin Schwithal
+32(0)3-653-33-77
+32(0)479-80-71-72
ArtPR@peterengels.eu
http://www.peterengels.eu
Artist; Peter Engels
+32(0)477-42-58-58
info@peterengels.eu
Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080423/301385

Source: Marathon ArtPR

Contact: Marathon ArtPR, Karin Schwithal, +32(0)3-653-33-77, +32(0)479-80-71-72, ArtPR@peterengels.eu, http://www.peterengels.eu; Artist; Peter Engels, +32(0)477-42-58-58, info@peterengels.eu


Le portrait de Mandela, peint par l'artiste Peter Engels, est offert à l'association caritative <<>>

El retrato de Mandela, pintado por el artista Peter Engels, para la organización benéfica "46664"

Künstler Peter Engels fertigt Mandela-Portrait für "46664"-Wohltätigkeitsorganisation an

Mandela's Portrait, Painted by Artist Peter Engels, put up for "46664" Charity

N.B: When I was about to blog the above report, my younger brother, the Big Boy Franklin UcheChukwu Eke called me to watch the interview with the Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka on Moments With Mo

Doris Lessing: What is a hero without love for mankind

I have compiled some of the most notable quotes of Doris Lessing the, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2007.

It would be best to read her classic romantic novels and short stories, such as "The Sweetest Dream".

A simple grateful thought turned heavenwards is the most perfect prayer.
~ Doris Lessing

And then, not expecting it, you become middle-aged and anonymous. No one notices you. You achieve a wonderful freedom.
~ Doris Lessing

Any human anywhere will blossom in a hundred unexpected talents and capacities simply by being given the opportunity to do so.
~ Doris Lessing

Borrowing is not much better than begging; just as lending with interest is not much better than stealing.
~ Doris Lessing

For the last third of life there remains only work. It alone is always stimulating, rejuvenating, exciting and satisfying.
~ Doris Lessing

I don't know much about creative writing programs. But they're not telling the truth if they don't teach, one, that writing is hard work, and, two, that you have to give up a great deal of life, your personal life, to be a writer.
~ Doris Lessing

If a fish is the movement of water embodied, given shape, then cat is a diagram and pattern of subtle air.
~ Doris Lessing

In the writing process, the more a story cooks, the better.
~ Doris Lessing

In university they don't tell you that the greater part of the law is learning to tolerate fools.
~ Doris Lessing

It is terrible to destroy a person's picture of himself in the interests of truth or some other abstraction.
~ Doris Lessing

It is the mark of great people to treat trifles as trifles and important matters as important.
~ Doris Lessing

Literature is analysis after the event.
~ Doris Lessing

Man, who is he? Too bad, to be the work of God: Too good for the work of chance!
~Doris Lessing

Pearls mean tears.
~ Doris Lessing

Pleasure resorts are like film stars and royalty... embarrassed by the figures they cut in the fantasies of people who have never met them.
~ Doris Lessing

Small things amuse small minds.
~ Doris Lessing

Some people obtain fame, others deserve it.
~ Doris Lessing

Space or science fiction has become a dialect for our time.
~ Doris Lessing

That is what learning is. You suddenly understand something you've understood all your life, but in a new way.
~ Doris Lessing

The great secret that all old people share is that you really haven't changed in seventy or eighty years. Your body changes, but you don't change at all. And that, of course, causes great confusion.
~ Doris Lessing


There are no laws for the novel. There never have been, nor can there ever be.
~ Doris Lessing

There is only one real sin and that is to persuade oneself that the second best is anything but second best.
~ Doris Lessing

Think wrongly, if you please, but in all cases think for yourself.
~ Doris Lessing

This world is run by people who know how to do things. They know how things work. They are equipped. Up there, there's a layer of people who run everything. But we - we're just peasants. We don't understand what's going on, and we can't do anything.
~ Doris Lessing

Trust no friend without faults, and love a woman, but no angel.
~ Doris Lessing

We use our parents like recurring dreams, to be entered into when needed.
~ Doris Lessing

What is a hero without love for mankind.
~ Doris Lessing

What's terrible is to pretend that second-rate is first-rate. To pretend that you don't need love when you do; or you like your work when you know quite well you're capable of better.
~ Doris Lessing

What's terrible is to pretend that the second-rate is first-rate, that you don't need love when you do or that you like your work when you know quite well you're capable of better.
~ Doris Lessing

With a library you are free, not confined by temporary political climates. It is the most democratic of institutions because no one - but no one at all - can tell you what to read and when and how.
~ Doris Lessing

You can't be a Red if you're married to a civil servant.
~ Doris Lessing





VIEW MORE OF DORIS LESSING'S BOOKS.

Doris Lessing, 87, Wins 2007 Nobel Prize for Literature

Doris Lessing

Doris Lessing, the Persian-born, Rhodesian-raised and London-residing novelist whose deeply autobiographical writing has swept across continents and reflects her deep feminist engagement with the major social and political issues, won the 2007 Nobel Prize for Literature today.Announcing the award in Stockholm, the Swedish Academy described her as “that epicist of the female experience, who with skepticism, fire and visionary power has subjected a divided civilization to scrutiny.” The award comes with a 10 million Swedish crown honorarium, about $1.6 million.

From the New York Times

Doris Lessing who will be 88 years old later this month, said she should have won the Nobel Prize for Literature years ago, because she has been mentioned on many occasions as being worthy of the highly esteemed literary honour since 40 years ago.Why did it take the Nobel Prize Committee decades to honour her for what they have called epicist of the female experience?

How can Lady Doris Lessing honour all the invitations to speak on her unique writings when she is already a weak old woman who would need more hands to attend to her daily needs at home and to escort her whenever she is going outdoors.

The Nobel Prize Committee has given the prize to writers who should not have won it before Doris Lessing. In fact, there are two previous winners who did not deserve the Nobel Prize for literature. And I have my doubts about the intellectual integrity of the Nobel Prize Committee responsible for awarding the most celebrated literary prize.

I thank God that Doris Lessing is still alive to receive this honour that she would have missed.

Recommended:

The Grandmothers: Four Short Novels (Paperback)

Shikasta: Re, Colonised Planet 5 (George Sherban Emissary) (Paperback)

Book Description:

A disturbing allegory, centered around a planet called Shikasta, which bears remarkable similarities to Earth. Through time, a higher planet, Canopus, has documented the progress of Shikasta and tried to distract its inhabitants from the evil influence of the planet Shammat, but the Shikastans continue to hurl themselves toward annihilation.

The next writer who deserves the Nobel Prize for Literature is Prof. Chinua Achebe, for his great contributions to the literary culture of Africa.

Other Books By Doris Lessing:

1. Canopus in Argos

Author: Doris Lessing;

2. The Golden Notebook

Author: Doris Lessing; Buy New: $10.85

3. The Grandmothers

Author: Doris Lessing; Buy New: $11.86

4. Shikasta

Author: Doris Lessing; Buy New: $19.00

5. Under My Skin

Author: Doris May Lessing;

6. Learning How to Learn

Author: Idries Shah, Doris Lessing; Buy New: $12.48

7. The Fifth Child

Author: Doris Lessing; Buy New: $10.16

8. The Sirian Experiments

Author: Doris Lessing;

9. The Diaries of Jane Somers

Author: Doris Lessing;