Ida Wood: A Woman Cloaked in Mystery

Ida Mayfield Wood (1838–1932) was a famous American recluse and the third wife of politician and newspaper publisher and editor Benjamin Wood who was 18 years her senior and married to his second wife. When she died he married Ida who had been his mistress for quite some time. Actually they had a daughter before marriage, Emma Wood.
Benjamin Wood was the publisher of the New York Daily News, and he had been a member of Congress three times and also the New York State Senate so as his wife she gained access to many rich and famous people, like e.g. Abraham Lincoln. However, when her husband died in 1900 she became a recluse, living with her sister, Mary E. Mayfield, and her daughter, Emma Wood, in some hotel rooms.They had almost no contact with anyone, not even the hotel employees, until Mary got very ill and died. (Emma had died in hospital prior to this). 
Now people became aware of her life in squalor although she was extremely rich. This may have been seen as a proof that she was incompetent and some of her relatives claimed control over her wealth. They had her moved to some other rooms in the hotel in which were considered easier to keep an eye on her. When she died in 1932 it was found out that she was not out of the noble family she had always said. Actually she was the daughter of a poor Irishman, and her "daughter", Emma, was in reality her sister.

History in Photos: Ben Shahn - Kids

History in Photos: Ben Shahn - Kids: Ben Shahn was a Lithuanian-born photographer (also a painter) who worked for the FSA during the Great Depression. Here are some of his pic...

Incest and the Tudors

When the second wife of King Henry VIII of England, Anne Boleyn, was beheaded in 1536 she had been accused of "adultery, incest and plotting to kill the king". Modern historians find the accusations very unconvincing, but they cost her - and her brother - their lives.

Strangely enough some years prior to this tragedy King Henry had had no qualms of considering the possibilty of marrying off his young daughter by Catherine of Aragonia, Mary, to his own illegitimate son, Henry FitzRoy, even though that would have been a clear incident of incest.

Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Richmond and Somerset (1519–1536), was the son of the king by his mistress, Elizabeth Blount. He was the only illegitimate offspring whom Henry VIII acknowledged and he obviously loved him dearly. However, the Tudors lacked legitimacy as they, after all, only had a feeble claim to the throne. That's why it was so important to the king to have male offspring.
The suggestion to marry off Princess Mary to her own half-brother, Henry FitzRoy, came when their father, Henry VIII, began the process of having his marriage to Catherine of Aragon annulled. Those who were for this marriage thought that it would prevent the annulment and also strengthen FitzRoy's claim to the throne. It seems that they were anxious to prevent the annulment and Henry's eventual break with the Roman Catholic Church, so the Pope was even prepared to grant a special dispensation for their marriage.
To me even to consider such a "solution" is proof of a kind of double-standard that goes far beyond the modern use of that word: FitzRoy and Mary would commit the incest that cost Anne Boleyn her life the same year that the young son of Henry died ....

Ebooks and (the Lack of) Success

I love my books, both paper backs and ebooks, some more than others, but I do have feelings for all of them. However, I may feel the most for my ebooks as they were written and designed without the interference of editors or publishers. To write and create them gave me a feeling of freedom and creativity that was quite seductive.

Because I liked the process so much I kind of "forgot" that the mechanics of the book market do not favor books that haven't been through the ordinary marketing processes. My books never had the chance of becoming well known because I never had the reviews that creates fame. However, some of my readers have published favorable reviews of some of the books, which of course made me proud like a mother of her kids who are doing well in school

OK, fame begets fame, sale begets sale, etc., etc. and I couldn't afford a literary agent or had social connections to the press. That's the weak spot in this kind of publishing: The book may be all right - or even more - but it's "invisible" which means that one only sells a few and that it's forgotten before it's time - so to speak .... Still, I love my books and feel that they are worthy of being published. However, that's how all authors feel and it isn't in itself a proof that one is right. If I read them some years from now I may find that I hate them. I don't think so, but it may happen ....

Sex and the Flintstones

Wilma and Fred Flintstone sexy? Naaaah, more like cute, and I suppose that's why it was allowed to show them in bed.

 Now, after watching some programmes on MTV for a while, I'm flabbergasted at what is shown on TV, but even more about what is implied. The main thread is sex and being sexy. Actually, I think that being sexy is considered more important than sex itself. I suppose that the reason for this is that sex in a teenage universe means being grown-up, to be in command of oneself and of one's world. Or put another way: Sex is a proof of success ....

As to Fred and Wilma they soon get two children which of course prove that they do have sex, but do we see them either kiss or fondle each other? No, I don't think so because they do not imply sex even though they were - or may have been? - the first couple to be shown in bed together.

Old ladies for Fun

One thing is the often bothersome old age alle of us experience if we live long enough. Another thing is the difference between being old and being one's age. As long as one doesn't be one's age, life is still an adventure and worth living.

No, old age is not the same as not being able to appreciate male beauty. Why would it be? After all many old men still notice (beautiful) women.

When she was young she may have been sedate and a "good girl", but now she set her true personality free and has fun. Maybe her kids and grandchildren are shocked, but obviously she doesn't bother about that.

Forlaget mellemgaard

Jeg har udgivet tre bøger på forlaget Mellemgaard, og det er - set fra mit synspunkt - tre for mange. Der kan godt være de forfattere, der finder det helt OK at bare få deres bøger ud, og som blæser på alt det, andre forlag står for, nemlig PR, indtægter, bibliotekspenge, etc., etc., for det får man ikke her. 

Til gengæld vil jeg indrømme, at bøgerne er nydelige, men det er de jo også på det, jeg vil kalde et "normalt forlag", hvor man ikke betaler for at se sin bog udgivet. Jeg betalte ikke noget, for jeg fik fondsmidler, men hvis jeg havde skullet punge ud til disse udgivelser, så ville de ikke være kommet.

Før i tiden var bogudgivelser en begivenhed i bogverdenen, men som det er nu, kommer der et hav af bøger, hvoraf mange er selvudgivne ebøger, og interessen for en bog holder sig som regel ikke mere end et par måneder. Dvs. at man udgiver til glemsel, og det er en trist oplevelse for en forfatter.
Det er selvudgiver-formen, jeg har været glad for, men den er næppe bæredygtig i længden, for bøgerne regnes ikke for værd at anmelde, og de holdes ude fra bibliotekerne. Trist og ofte dybt uretfærdigt, for man kan altså ikke sætte lighedstegn mellem forlags-udgivelser og kvalitet. Det kan lige så godt være selvudgivelserne, der har det, der gør dem gode.

Mine Mellemgaard-bøger føles som et spild, men jeg har kun mig selv at "takke" for oplevelsen, for jeg havde ikke sat mig tilstrækkeligt ind i forlagets status i bogverdenen. Det var dumt og uansvarligt af mig, og jeg ærgrer mig den dag i dag ....