What is the life story of Bard of Avon?



Can you imagine what it would be like if the mighty Iron Man starts spewing Shakespeare's sonnets? Or if Hulk and Captain America face each other in a Shakespearean duel with swords? Well, you won't have to wait too long to find out.



The superhero films are all set to be presented in a new avatar with a classical twist. Marvel Studios along with Quirk Books will be releasing The Avengers", "Avengers: Age of Ultron", "Avengers: Infinity War, and "Avengers: Endgame" in the form of Shakespearean plays. Titled "William Shakespeare's Avengers: The Complete Works, the plays will be released on September 28.



Immersing Marvel's favourite team of superheroes into a Shakespearean world isn't as far-fetched as it may sound. In fact, viewers got a taste of it in the very first "Avenger" film in 2012 when Tony Stark aka Iron Man encounters the God of Thunder for the first time. Looking at Thor's medieval clothes, Stark jests about indulging in some Shakespeare in the park. "Doth Mother know you weareath her drapes?" Stark famously asks Thor.



And it was actually this scene that inspired Marvel to come up with the unconventional collaboration. The studio wondered what would have happened if the most epic cinematic franchise of all time had been penned by the greatest playwright of all time?



What's in store



According to the Marvel website, "William Shakespeare's Avengers: The Complete Works" reimagines all four films as plays by the Bard of Avon, complete with authentic metre and verse, stage directions, and entertaining Easter eggs. Fans will also experience their favourite scenes, characters, and lines in a new way, through monologues and dialogue by everyone from Captain America to Groot (Tis !!).



Written by lan Doescher, the author of "William Shakespeare's Star Wars", the book will feature a two column layout and dozens of full-colour illustrations capturing the iconic moments of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.



Who was William Shakespeare?



Born on April 23, 1564 Shakespeare was the son of a glove maker in Stratford upon-Avon. A small-town boy with only secondary school education, he grew up to become the greatest English-language playwright in the world. Love him or hate him, you just cannot ignore Shakespeare. His works have been admired by the world for hundreds of years and are part of the school curriculum.



And even though, the young minds might struggle to comprehend his Victorian English, Shakespeare's stories continue to move us and remain relevant even today.



His life and achievements



Shakespeare had a successful career in London as an actor. writer. He was also part-owner of a playing company called the Lord Chamberlain's Men, later known as the King's Men.



Shakespeare produced most of his known works between 1589 and 1613. His early plays were primarily comedies and histories. He devoted the latter half of his career to writing tragedies. Some of his notable works are "Hamlet" "Romeo and Juliet "Othello", "King Lear and "Macbeth". In the last phase of his life, he wrote tragicomedies.



A man of mystery



For a man who was so prolific with his pen.



Shakespeare did not leave much evidence of his life. No one knows for sure whether Shakespeare is one person or a group of writers using the name collectively. Nobody even knows if that's how Shakespeare spelled his name: the only surviving examples of his handwriting are six signatures spelled in different ways. He is believed to have died at the age of 52 on April 23 1616.



OH REALLY?




  • Shakespeare wrote around 37 plays for the theatre and over 150 poems! But the exact number is unknown.

  • In the latter part of the 16th Century, Shakespeare disappeared from records for a few years! Historians often refer to this part of the writers life as the lost years.

  • Plays in Shakespeare's time were different from the ones we have today. There were no female actors. If the audiences didn't like the performance, they would boo and even throw food at the actors.



 



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What is the life story of Charles Addams?



Who was Charles Addams?



Growing up in the shadow of World War I. Addams found humour in the darkest of places-death. Born in New Jersey on January 7, 1917, his parents encouraged him to channel his creativity into doodles. One of his first jobs involved retouching photos of corpses that appeared in a detective magazine. It helped him come to terms with death and inspired, his macabre cartoons, which were later published in The New Yorker magazine under the pseudonym Chas Addams.



In over a five-decade-long career, Addams contributed over 1,300 cartoons, with at least 80 of them featuring reccurring gothic mysterious and spooky characters, Gomez Morticia, Wednesday, Pugsley, and Fester, who came to be known as "The Addams Family".



Getting started



At the age of 12, Addams faced his first rejection. He was told that he was not talented by a New York Herald newspaper cartoonist. Instead of feeling disappointed, Addams spurred into action and enrolled at a prestigious art school. In just one year, Addams sold his first drawing, a sketch of a window washer, to The New Yorker. It was published on February 6, 1932. Within a few years, he became a regular contributor to the magazine. And from 1938 till his death on September 29, 1988, the magazine published 'The Addams Family" series regularly.



The franchise and adaptations



What began as a humble monochromatic cartoon strip in The New Yorker turned into a giant franchise after the series was adapted for television by producer David Levy. However, Addams kept his distance from "The Addams Family" television series. He only decided on the characters' names and descriptions. The series ran on ABC for two seasons, from 1964 to 1966, and gained global attention.



Intrigued by the popularity of the series, William Hanna and Joseph Barbera introduced an animated version of the Addams Family characters as guests in an episode of the "Scooby Doo" series. The episode titled, "Scooby-Doo Meets the Addams Family", first aired on television on September 23, 1972. The characters were drawn to the exact specifications of the original Addams cartoons. And the fans loved them so much that Hanna-Barbera created their own animated show featuring the beloved characters.



Considering the enduring appeal of the Addams Family, Netflix has announced a live-action TV series adaptation to be based around the character of Wednesday Addams. With the legendary director Tim Burton at its helm, the series will follow Wednesday as she solves mysteries using her psychic ability.



DID YOU KNOW?




  • In 1961, Charles Addams received a Special Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America.

  • Addams loved collecting armour and arms, as well as tinkering with cars.

  • Keeping with his dark sense of humour, Addams married his third and final wife, Marilyn Matthews Miller in a pet cemetery. And their home in Sagaponack, New York was called "The Swamp".



OH REALLY?




  • Addams was friends with author Ray Bradbury. In fact, the duo were planning to collaborate on a project. But Addams died before it could materialize.

  • Filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock too was a friend of Addams, and owned two pieces of original Addams art.

  • The University of Pennsylvania has a Charles Addams Fine Arts Hall on its campus at 36th and Walnut Streets in Philadelphia. There is a small sculpture of the Addams Family in front of the building.



 



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What is the life story of Beverly Cleary?



Have you met the residents of the Klickitat Street? Henry Huggins and his neighbours Ellen Tebbits, Otis Spofford, Beatrice "Beezus" Quimby and her younger sister. Ramona made their way into the hearts of children across the world through the writings of the beloved children's author Beverly Cleary. But did you know that there is a real Klickitat Street in Portland, Oregon, in the U.S.? Or that Cleary spent most of her childhood there? Read on to find out...



Who was Beverly Cleary?



Born in 1916 on a farm in Yamhill, Cleary moved to Portland as a child. She lived on the 37th Street, also known as the Klickitat Street. Both the street and the people in her neighbourhood left a strong impression on Cleary's mind. A school assignment in Class VII kindled her love for writing.



Unlike most women then, Cleary was determined to attend college and stand on her feet. She even moved to South California with her aunt and uncle because California's colleges were free to its residents. Cleary earned a degree in English from the prestigious UC Berkeley and librarianship from the University of Washington.



Half a century of children's books



Working as a librarian, Cleary started writing in her 30s. Her first, "Henry Huggins" was published in 1950. Cleary received $500 for the book and there was no looking back after that. In a career spanning over 50 years, Cleary came up with many children's classics including the “The Mouse and the Motorcycle" trilogy, which is centred around rodents and motorbikes. Among the "Henry" titles were "Henry and Ribs," "Henry and the Paper Route" and "Henry and Beezus." Her last book, "Ramona's World", released in 1999.



Beverly and Ramona



Of all her creations, Ramona is perhaps the best-known. Ramona made her debut in "Henry Huggins", but became so popular that she inspired her own spin-offs. In all there were eight Ramona books, including "Beezus and Ramona", "Ramona the Pest and "Ramona and Her Father." In 1981, "Ramona and Her Mother” won the National Book Award.



Twilight years



Although Cleary took a break from writing towards the end of her career, three of her books were re-released on popular demand. And to make them even more special, they contain forewords by three of her famous fans-Judy Blume, Kate DiCamillo and actress Amy Poehler.



Cleary breathed her last on March 25, 2021, at the age of 104.



OH REALLY?




  • The Beverly Cleary Sculpture Garden in her hometown is dedicated to the beloved children's author. Artist Lee Hunt has created sculpted figures of some of Cleary's characters, while quotes from her famous books are engraved on the granite slabs in the garden.

  • Out of all the magical books she wrote, only her "Ralph Mouse" series has been adapted to the silver screen.

  • Cleary has written two memoirs "A Girl From Yamhill" and "My Own Two Feet” in which she discusses her life candidly.



 



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What is the life story of William Steig?



One of the highest grossing animated film franchises of all time, the "Shrek" films are popular with one and all. The adventures of the green ogre, Shrek and his faithful companion, Donkey, voiced by comedians Mike Myers and Eddie Murphy, will leave you chuckling with delight.



With the film franchise completing 20 years in April, the first film 'Shrek", which released in 2001, is set to return to the big screen on April 24, 25 and 26. But did you know that the films are based on a children's picture book? William Steig's "Shrek!” released in 1996, is the source material for the films.



Who was William Steig?



Growing up in New York, William Steig was interested in swimming and playing touch football more than books. He didn't complete his college education even though he attended three colleges. He studied at the City College of New York for two years, then the National Academy of Design and spent just five days at the Yale School of Art.



A gifted illustrator, Steig started working with the prestigious magazine The New Yorker in 1930. He produced 117 covers for the magazine. One of his cartoon characters, Poor Pitiful Pearl, inspired a popular line of dolls, starting in 1956.



From Pitiful Pearl to Doctor De Soto



Steig forayed into writing for children at the age of 61. it was his cartoonist friend Robert Kraus who persuaded him to wield the pen. Steig's first children's book was released in 1968. He excelled in writing as well, and his third book, "Sylvester and the Magic Pebble" (1969), won the Caldecott Medal. He went on to pen more than 30 children's books, including the "Doctor De Soto" series, and he continued to write well into his nineties. On the basis of his entire body of work, Steig was selected as the 1982 U.S. candidate for the Hans Christian Andersen Medal for illustration and subsequently in 1988 for writing.



Steig's unique characters



What sets Steig's books apart is that it can appeal to children and adults alike. Moving beyond rainbows and unicorns, his books explore complex topics and give a realistic view of life. They are unafraid of touching upon topics that adults usually hesitate to talk to kids about. In "Brave Irene", a dressmaker falls ill as she completes a gown for a duchess; her daughter, Irene, volunteers to deliver it, but is caught in a snowstorm. A lesson on survival, the story follows Irene's ordeal as she braves the snowstorm. In "Doctor De Soto", a mouse dentist finds ways to outwit a fox in the guise of a patient who wants to eat him.



Beauty of the beast



Steig's picture book “Shrek!” (1990) formed the basis for the DreamWorks Animation's film "Shrek" (2001).



Shrek! is one of the unique characters in children's literature. A monster, Shrek is depicted as not only ugly but also cruel. He's so hideous that people faint at the sight of him. However, Shrek doesn't scare the readers. And, the story doesn't end with Shrek finding his inner beauty, but by accepting himself for who he is. A valuable lesson in today's world!



After the release of "Shrek 2" in 2004, Steig became the first sole creator of an animated movie franchise that went on to generate over $1 billion after only one sequel. The character also received a star at the Hollywood Walk of Fame.



Legacy



Steig passed away in Boston, Massachusetts on October 3, 2003 at the age of 95, but left behind a legacy of thought provoking cartoons that teaches all about life.



OH REALLY?




  • Steig had a gift for puns and sarcasm, which is obvious in his works. "Spinky Sulks" is a hilarious tale of a family whose youngest son holds a grudge for an impressively long time.

  • In 1930, Steig sold his first comic to The New Yorker. It depicted one prison inmate telling a fellow inmate about his incorrigible son. Initially, editor Harold Ross wanted another artist to redraw it, but Steig refused permission. The cartoon went on to become extremely popular.

  • In 1984, Steig's film adaptation of "Doctor De Soto", directed by Michael Sporn, was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film.

  • For a time, Steig lived at 75 1/2 Bedford Street, which is considered to be one of the narrowest houses in Manhattan.



 



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What is the life story of author Jessica Townsend?



Jessica Townsend published her first book at the age of 32- the same age as her idol J.K. Rowling was when she wrote the bestselling "Harry Potter series.



Growing up on the Sunshine Coast in Australia, Townsend's sister Sally persuaded her to write a book. She came up with "The Three Koalas" and she enjoyed it so much that she made a wish: someday she wanted to become a famous writer



Her wish came true when she turned 18. One day, while attending a music conference, Townsend found the keynote speaker to be so boring that she began scribbling on the paper lying in front of her. She wrote down a story about a little girl who went to live with her aunt Morrigan, a slightly eccentric, but magical woman.



As she started writing the story, she realised that the aunt was actually much more interesting than the niece. So Townsend began writing her backstory, chalking out what the characters childhood would have been like and how she grew up and what turned her into this interesting person. And that's how Morrigan Crow was born.



The next “Harry Potter”?



The first book in the "Nevermoor" series, "Nevermoor Trials of Morrigan Crow", tells the story of Morrigan Crow, a girl who is born on the unluckiest day of the year. Everyone believes her to be cursed, which means she is blamed for everything that goes wrong, like local misfortunes and, hailstorms. To make matters worse, she is destined to die on her eleventh birthday. The only thing that can save her is a membership to the Wundrous Society. But that's not as easy as it sounds. Little Morrigan must pass through four difficult trials to emerge victorious. Each participant possesses a special talent that helps them sail through the trials. Will Morrigan be able to identify her special power?



"Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow was released in 2017. It bagged two major book awards - 'Book of the Year at the Indie Book Awards and the Gold Australian Book Industry award. So far, three sequels "Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow" and "Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow have been released. And, Townsend has already plotted out seven more books in her head.



DID YOU KNOW?



On the wildside



Before she became a writer, Townsend was working at the Australia Zoo run by Terri Irwin and her late husband Steve Irwin. Her job was to sell souvenirs and goodies to curious tourists at the gift shop. Irwin recognised her talent and promoted her to write for the in-house wildlife magazine "Crikey". Soon, Townsend became its editor.



The bidding war



It took nearly a decade for Townsend to finish writing the first book "Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow". Eight major publishing houses entered into a bidding war to acquire the rights for the book. Finally, Hachette Book Group managed to sign a three-book deal for the U.S., Britain and Australia for a six-figure sum. Simultaneously, the film rights were sold to 20th Century Fox.



 



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What is the life story of George Orwell?



Born Eric Arthur Blair on June 25, 1903 in Bihar, Orwell spent a part of his childhood in India. Later, he moved to England for schooling but he hated school. He was often pulled up for playing pranks. He was expelled from grammar school for sending a birthday message attached to a dead rat to the town surveyor, according to Sir Bemars Crick's "George Orwell: A Life. And while studying at Eton College Orwell made up a song about John Crace, his school's housemaster, in which he made fun of Crace's appearance and his liking for Italian art



Orwell or P.S. Burton?



Orwell was disillusioned with the British Raj, He realised that the British government was oppressing people in the colonies and also in England. So he began exploring the backward areas of London on foot sometimes even dressing up like a beggar and adopting the name P.S. Burton to hide his identity. He recorded his experience as a low-life in his book "Down and Out in Paris and London" published in 1933.



A teacher and a journalist



Orwell moved to Paris to focus on writing. He became a successful journalist writing for Le Monde, a political and literary journal. Later he worked as a teacher, His stint As a teacher didn't stop him from pursuing more adventures. On one occasion, as part of research for a novel, he tried to get arrested so as to be able to interact with the prisoners But he could not succeed in his attempt as he was released 48 hours after being taken into custody. A few years later, he gave up teaching to become a full-time writer.



IN ORWELL'S WORDS




  • Doublespeak: It is a language that deliberately distorts facts and confuses the readers. The term "doublespeak" derives from two concepts in Orwell's novel "Nineteen Eighty-Four, "doublethink" and "Newspeak", though the term does not figure in the book. Doublespeak is often used in politics, media and advertising to misrepresent the truth. The word downsizing (used instead of "lay-offs") is an example of doublespeak. Doublespeak is so commonly used by politicians and the media that the National Council of Teachers of English in the U.S. in 1971 founded the Doublespeak Award as an "ironic tribute to public speakers who have perpetuated language that is grossly deceptive, evasive, euphemistic, confusing, or self centered." Its recipients are usually politicians, government officials, or departments.



 




  • Cold War. Orwell used the term 'Cold War in his 1945 essay, "You and the Atom Bomb", written two months after atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. While the term 'cold war referred to some of Hitler's policies, Orwell was the first to apply the word to conditions that arose in the aftermath of World War II. With much of Orwell's speculation about the geopolitical effects of a nuclear bomb coming true, the term Cold War began be used to describe the prolonged state of hostility between the U.S. and the Soviet.



DID YOU KNOW?




  • Orwell's book "Animal Farm" was the underlying source of inspiration for Pink Floyd's 1977 album "Animals Roger Waters used Orwell's animal imagery to criticise capitalism through his songs.

  • Orwell considered using his old pseudonym. P.S. Burton to write novels, but decided against it and settled on George Orwell instead He chose the name as he thought it would make people take him seriously.



Orange marmalade



The British Council rejected his food essay, which contained a recipe for orange marmalade. In 1946, Blair was commissioned to write an essay on British cuisine. Days after submitting the essay, he received a letter stating that his recipe for the marmalade was bad. "Too much sugar and water" it read. More than 70 years after the incident, the Council in February, 2019 sent a letter to the author apologising for rejecting the essay, but not the recipe.



Soldier, spy!



In 1949, he compiled a list of artists he suspected to be communists and passed it on to the government. This list included names of Charlie Chaplin, Katherine Hepburn, John Steinbeck and Orson Welles.



 



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