Shazamfest 2011: The Environmental Music, Sideshow and Everything Else Festival

Over the weekend of July 29th-31st I had the pleasure of attending the sixth annual Shazamfest, perhaps the most diverse and unheralded summer festival in Canada.   While the proprietor, Ziv Pryztyk refers to the event as an open-air music festival, it far exceeds the narrow confines of the term.  The bill includes acts guaranteed to draw out even the most suppressed inner freak.

Situated on the Pryztyk organic farm in Ayer’s Cliff, Quebec, the venue itself is a marvel of nature.  Nestled in a crook on the Niger River, the festival grounds sit at the bottom of a natural amphitheater.  The farm is currently home to three generations of the Pryztyk family, but its history goes much deeper than that.  Local legend has it that Abenaki First Nations peoples have been using the site as  summer gathering site for untold generations.  In keeping with the spiritual significance of the site, Shazamfest is guided by principles of respect for the earth and strives to draw together people of all backgrounds, languages and ages.

The Rasslin’:  I’ve been a professional wrestling addict since I was six years old and this is a big part of what drew me to the show. Donnie “The Boss” Myers has been promoting wrestling shows since the early 70s and his company, the Eastern Townships Wrestling Association (ETWA) has just hit its 20th year in business.  The ETWA is at a crossroad as Donnie “The Boss” attempts to stave off a hostile takeover by Wallstreet Ziv and his crew (Joe Eclypse, T Payne, Jobz, the Wrecker and Donnie’s turncoat son DJ “The Buzzard” Myers).  The Boss is slowly building a resistance movement with his other son D-Fresh Myers, Aaron Fire, and The Jaba King.  Did I mention the guys from the ETWA invited me to referee the entire card?  Many thanks for allowing  me become involved in such a great show.

In the cutthroat world of pro wrestling the ETWA is an anomaly in as much as it’s a non-profit organization.  ETWA workers put their bodies on the line for the love of the game and local communities of the Eastern Townships benefit from that.  Proceeds from many of their shows are put towards worthy causes such as local sports arenas and children’s hospital charities.  Just because they donate to sick kids doesn’t mean they’ve gone soft.  Inside the ring they’re 100% badass.

The Music: The musical choices were perfectly suited to an outdoor eco-conscious, family friendly show.  The mixture of reggae, folk, bluegrass, rockabilly and funky jazz set the proper mood for a carefree weekend.  Headlined by Montreal hip-hop/reggae/funk collective Nomadic Massive got the crowd dancing so fast I thought the grass was going to start on fire.  Mike Goudreau (who boasts a record eight appearances at the Montreal Jazz Festival), the dynamic duo of reggae Mello G and Jah Cutta, Gasoline, the LennoxVillains, Bloodshot Bill and Mononc’ Serge rounded out the bill.

Burlesque!: Not content with a mere single night of burlesque, Shazamfest features the talents of two separate troupes of dancers.  Four performers from Ottawa’s Rockalily Burlesque strutted their stuff Friday night during ETWA Wrestling.  They even escorted uber-heel Joe Eclypse to ringside, helping him obtain a somewhat tainted win over fan favourite Aaron Fire.  Saturday night belonged to the Capital Tease duo of Koston Kreme and Allura Hindsight.  I could go on for ages about the sheer entertainment value of their show.  Instead of listening to me drone on for the obligatory 1000 words, I’ve included pictures.  Check them out:

The Freakshow: There was so much funky weirdness going on it’s hard to know where to begin.  The evening’s entertainment was provided by the lovely freaks of The Blue Mushroom Sirkus Psyshow.  The show opened with strongman Reverend Carl Nickerson bending, ripping and generally smashing his way through a stack of solid re-bar and phone books.  From there on in it was a non-stop carousel of sword swallowing, broken glass walking, nail bed sitting, cinder block smashing chaos.  An act lovingly referred to as the “Human Dartboard” was enough to make most in the audience squirm and cringe.  I’m reasonably certain at least one person vomited when Rev. Carl drove a four-inch spike into his nasal cavity with a ball peen hammer.  MC/dancer Bonbon Bombay provided the showstopper by showering the crowd with draught beer issued forth from two strategically placed taps in her bustier.

The SK8ing:  Saturday afternoon featured a skate competition on one of Quebec’s largest outdoor ramps.  Made famous by their exploits at Montreal’s Jarry Park, the Valoiz Boyz skate crew tore up the ramp and put on a clinic for the youngsters.  Held together by the love of the sport, the Boyz have been together since 1986.  Now in their mid-30′s the Boyz are a Sunday afternoon fixture at the concrete jungle of Jarry Park and have shared their skills with countless admirers.

The Workshops:  The weekend was about more than just having a good time.  Organizers set up a separate kid’s area, complete with play structures and on-site babysitters.  Unlike many other festivals, Shazamfest can lay genuine claim to being kid and family friendly.  There was plenty to keep the youngins’ busy, with workshops featuring juggling, unicycling, diabolos, devil sticks, African percussion and metal forging.

If you haven’t had the pleasure of attending a Shazamfest do yourself a favour and keep an eye out for next summer’s festivities.  Shazamfest Wow!  You’ll be saying wow every time.

*Shazamfest logo courtesy of Shamzamfest

*All photos courtesy of David Strange of  http://www.davidstrangephotography.webs.com/ and Stephanie Postigo.

The Church of Scientology and Library Challenges

The Church of Scientology (CoS) was conceived by science fiction author L. Ron Hubbard (1911-1986). It’s fundamental tenets are based on Hubbard’s “Dianetics” system, a self-help program and body of spiritual practices (Lewis, 2009). The group was first incorporated as a religion in 1953 in Camden, New Jersey and has been embroiled in controversy ever since.  Many of the controversies involving the CoS centre around attempts to challenge or remove material from public libraries.

Several countries have followed the United States’ lead and officially recognized the CoS as a bona fide religion, complete with the usual perks and tax exempt status. Countries such as Australia and Canada also endorse the CoS’ claim to authenticity (Lewis, 2009).  Countries such as France, Germany and Italy do not. This is an extremely important legal distinction, especially in regards to launching religious defamation actions.  Official religious status has allowed the CoS to challenge several books and have them removed from library collections.  Even though they enjoy religious status in many countries, the CoS is well aware that many do not view them as a “real” church. The CoS has cannily avoided this point of contention and often frame their challenges around civil and not religious objections.

In spite of the deluge of promotional materials about the church, their true beliefs and inner workings are shrouded in secrecy and misinformation (Lewis, 2009). The CoS can be extremely protective in regards to their institutional knowledge and internal functions. This behaviour has contributed to an unfortunate trend of anti-Scientology suspicion, paranoia and ridicule.

The beliefs of Scientologists are not at issue here (although their practices may be). Members of the group are free to believe whatever they wish. They may not, however, *do* what they wish and their actions often bring them in conflict with libraries. Libraries have an obligation to create collections that reflect the values of their communities (American Library Association, 1989). If members of the CoS are members of a library’s community, it follows that CoS related material be included in the collection. The inclusion of such material will not only reflect the views of CoS members but provide valuable information for curious readers and researchers seeking to examine the group with a critical eye.

This principles of representativeness and inclusion are not the sole right of Scientologists. Users who hold views critical of the CoS deserve to have their perspectives included as well. Unfortunately, the CoS does not always adhere to a live and let live philosophy. The group has often been criticized for its harsh treatment of former members and critics. Their tactics include, but are not limited to, lawsuits, personal harassment, media campaigns and even allegations of blackmail (Lewis, 2009). While some of these allegations may be nothing more than anti-Scientology paranoia, many have been proven in courts of law. Many of their actions have had direct impacts on the intellectual freedom rights of the public and on libraries themselves.

In June of 1974 the CoS launched an unusual sort of challenge on materials held in several major Canadian public libraries (Library Journal, 1974). CoS founder L. Ron Hubbard’s legal action campaign had recently resulted in several out of court settlements against the publishers of four Scientology exposé books. Dell Publishers and Tower Publication settled for USD$7500 and USD$500, respectively. The majority of library challenges take place via an official complaints process, such as the complaints ladder outlined by the ALA (American Library Association, 1989). The CoS sidestepped the accepted library practice and directly target publishers.

Emboldened by the capitulation of these publishers the CoS declared their intention to take legal action against any Canadian library or bookstore that refused to remove material they felt was objectionable. They went so far as to issue writs threatening legal action (Library Journal, 1974). Several libraries, including Sir George Williams University and St. Mary’s University conceded to the requests and removed the offending items. This end-run around established practice has several serious consequences to intellectual freedom and public good. The decision of remove the titles was based on the threat of reprisal and not on any objective examination of materials selection policy.  Freedom of speech cannot truly be exercised when speakers are under such threat (Alexander, 2005). This tactic also created a environment of pluralistic ignorance, where the opinion of a small minority becomes so loud as to overrule the opinions of a silent majority (Sunstein, 2003). The legal threats excluded the involvement of other religious or community groups and prevented members of the public from engaging in the decision making process.

The challenged books include Cyril Vosper‘s The Mind Benders (1971), George Malko’s Scientology: The Now Religion (1970), Robert Kaufman’s Inside Scientology (1972) and The Scandal of Scientology (1971) by Paulette Cooper. The Vosper book contended with a unique challenge as Vosper outlined in an updated edition of his 1971 text. The CoS claimed that Vosper (a former high-ranking CoS member) had divulged institutional secrets and was in breach of a confidentiality agreement (Vosper, 1974). The CoS was careful never to claim religious defamation, instead choosing to frame the issue around the less politicized realm of contract law.

Although the publishers removed Malko’s book from print, it is now available for free on the Internet. Access to the item can be problematic, as host sites routinely appear and disappear. The CoS challenge of Malko`s title contends he was in breach of copyright laws. By printing content created by CoS members, Malko was said to have broken one of the principles libraries hold most dear. A savvy tactic, considering many library staff are highly sensitive to copyright and are loathe to breach such laws.

Paulette Cooper suffered a worse fate than her colleagues. Evidence obtained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) shows that Cooper was the focus of a concentrated CoS harassment campaign (Marshall, 1980). The FBI contends that Scientologists framed Cooper for staging bomb threats, blackmailed friends into counselling her to commit suicide and had agents dressed as Cooper make embarrassing public statements. Perhaps the CoS underestimated Cooper`s resolve (she is a survivor of the Auschwitz Concentration Camp) as she continues to write to this day.

Both Hamilton and Etobicoke Public Libraries refused to remove these titles from their stacks (Library Journal, 1974). The Canadian Library Association (CLA)  set up a defense fund and rallied support from authors, publishers, booksellers and other libraries (Library Journal, 1974). While brave, the stand was largely symbolic. The titles were out of print and no longer available for purchase. Some copies were obtained from used book stores, but this source eventually dried up. Several libraries reported that existing copies had all been stolen or destroyed by vandals (Library Journal, 1974). A recent search of the Hamilton and Etobicoke (now Toronto) Public Library catalogues indicates most of these titles are now held in closed stacks and are not available for general circulation.

The threat of legal action is not the only tool in the CoS arsenal. The “Infuse the Planet with Source” library donation campaign takes direct aim at influencing the selections policy and collections of public libraries. Run by the Planetary Dissemination International Council of the CoS, the campaign seeks to place Scientology recruitment material in every single library in the entire world (Planetary Dissemination, 2008). This is no small feat.  Information on this campaign is scarce. The majority of the written word regarding the campaign was sourced from CoS pamphlets or other recruitment material.

The tactics of the campaign are fairly simple. Group members are encouraged to donate funds to the church, which are used to purchase pro-Scientology books. Unbeknownst to many of the purchasers is the fact that these items are not purchased from retail outlets such as Barnes & Noble or Amazon. The material is purchased from Bridge Publications, the CoS’ in-house publishing arm (Lewis, 2009).

Sets of books, DVDs and other materials are boxed and donated (unsolicited) to libraries around the world. In many cases these items bypass accepted selections criteria and are added to library collections without being critically examined. This tactic employs what some have referred to as a wedge or Trojan Horse strategy (Shermer, 1997). By accepting these seemingly innocuous materials, libraries open a thin gap in which the special interest groups can place a wedge.  These groups can force this wedge open and donate increasing levels of their materials. The danger is that such material is not evaluated by impartial professionals and circumvents policies designed to ensure representativeness of the community (LaRue, 2007). Library staff are not given the opportunity to balance their collections with alternate and opposing viewpoints. The shape of a library’s collection is not being formed by library staff or even the community at large, but by outside agencies with only their own interests at heart.

It’s unclear if this tactic has met with widespread success in North America (CoS literature claims the U.S. is “100% done!”), but the campaign has met with success in the Middle East and Africa (Planetary Dissemination, 2008).

While the threat of lawsuits and the foisting of recruitment material are the tactics that have most directly affected libraries, the CoS has a wide range of other strategies as well. The following examples have not been attempted in the library world but have been used to successfully challenge material in other spheres. Any librarian with an interest in preparing for religious defamation challenges would do well to make themselves familiar with these tactics.

Many libraries offer public Internet access as a service to their users. Any intellectual freedom issue that affects the Internet will at least indirectly affect the users of library institutions. In 2002, the Internet search engine Google was accused of removing the anti-Scientology website Operation Clambake (Loney & Hanson, 2002). Given the near ubiquitous nature of Google, the removal of the site from its index was tantamount to erasing it from existence. In this case, the CoS challenge was based on the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). The CoS claimed that Clambake’s liberal use of Scientology quotes infringed on its copyright and demanded the site be delisted. Fred von Lohman, of the Electronic Frontier Foundation says the danger of such a tactic is that political opponents can now be silenced under the guise of copyright (Loney & Hanson, 2002). Such laws were designed to protect the authors of original works and were never intended to be used as political weapons. As repositories of information, libraries are particularity susceptible to this sort of backdoor challenge.

One of the primary goals of any library is to create a collection that reflects the borrowing and literacy needs of the community it represents.  If part of this community includes members who view Scientology in a positive light, then by all means, libraries should offer pro-Scientology material.  This principle works both ways.  If this material is to be included in the collection, library selectors also have the responsibility to balance the discourse by offering opposing, and sometimes even objectionable material from alternate points of view.

References and Further Reading

The writing of this article coincides with the soon to be released Inside Scientology: The Story of America’s Most Secretive Religion by Janet Reitman.  The latest in the long history of CoS exposés is sure to reignite Scientology controversy in the popular press.  Check out this review from the Village Voice: Inside Scientology Promises a Lot, and Delivers by Tony Ortega.

• American Library Association. (n.d.). Banned & challenged books. Retrieved February 28, 2010, from http://www.ala.org/ ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/index.cfm.
• American Library Association. (1989). Intellectual freedom manual (3^rd Ed.). Chicago and London: American Library Association.
• American Library Association. (2000). Dealing with concerns about library resources. Retrieved March 27, 2010, from http://ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/ challengeslibrarymaterials/essentialpreparation/dealingconcerns/index.cfm
• American Library Association. (2009). Challenged materials: An interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights. Retrieved March 27, 2010, from http://ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/intfreedom/librarybill/interpretations/challengedmaterials.cfm
• Book and Periodical Council. (February 2009). Challenged books and magazines list.Retrieved February 28, 2010, from Freedom to Read web site: http://www.freedomtoread.ca/censorship_in_canada/challenged_books.asp.
• Loney, M & Hanson, E. (2002). Google pulls anti-Scientology links. Retrieved from CNET News, March 8, 2010: http://news.cnet.com/2100-1023-865936.html
• Lewis, J.R. (2009). Scientology. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press.
• LaRue, J. (2007). The New inquisition: understanding and managing intellectualfreedom challenges. Westport, Connecticut: Libraries Unlimited.
• Library Journal. (1974). Anti-Scientology books: targets of lawsuits. Library Journal,November 1, 1974.
• Marshall, J. Hubbard still gave orders, records show. Toronto Globe and Mail, January 24^th, 1980.
• Vosper, C. (1974). The Mind-benders: the book they tried to ban. London, UK: Neville Spearman Limited.

Librarians Without Borders at the Canadian Library Association

Over the past few days I’ve had the opportunity to enrich my professional career by attending the 66th annual Canadian Library Association conference in Halifax, Nova Scotia.  The city is vibrant (if a bit foggy) and the conference lineup is stacked with appealing speakers and great info sessions.

With so many concurrent sessions it can be difficult to hit everything, but if I were only able to attend one session this would be it:

“Service Learning: Bringing the World into LIS Education

Friday, May 27

10:30-12

Room 312/305

What does every manager want from LIS graduates? Librarians who are able to tackle real library problems. How do we help students develop these skills? By giving them experiences to apply and test themselves. Come to this session to discover how service learning benefits LIS students and to hear about recent service projects led by Librarians Without Borders’ students in Costa Rica and Guatemala.

Speakers: Carolyn Doi, Liaison Librarian, McGill University
Melanie Sellar, Education Services Librarian, Marymount College 
Erin Walker, Children’s Services Librarian, Bradford West Gwillimbury Public Library“

Considering I was one of the twenty-seven librarians who was lucky enough to participate in our April 2011 service trip to Guatemala, I may be biased in my choice. Regardless, I urge anyone with an interest in non-traditional librarianship or advocacy for under-serviced populations to stop by and learn about our efforts and successes in Central America.

*CLA logo and italicized text courtesy of the Canadian Library Association

International Children’s Book Day: Help a Worthy Cause

I’ll admit this one almost passed me by, but today is International Children’s Book Day.  Since 1967, the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), has been holding a yearly event to improve literacy and foster the love of reading in young people worldwide.  This year Scholastic Canada has come on board with a unique way to help a worthy cause – Toronto’s Children’s Book Bank.

Today only, Scholastic Canada will donate five children’s books to Toronto’s Children’s Book Bank for every “Like” they get on their Facebook page.  The offer stands until midnight, April 2nd so head over to the link below as Like it!

Scholastic’s Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/ScholasticCanada

You can also add Scholastic Canada on Twitter:

http://twitter.com/scholasticcda

Located in Toronto’s lower income Parkdale neighbourhood, the Book Bank accepts donations of new and gently used children’s reading material.  The staff offer a safe, clean environment for kids to visit and obtain valauble services such as literacy help, or just relax and enjoy reading.  Perhaps most importantly, the Book Bank fosters a pride of ownership in children – kids who might not otherwise have books in their home are provided with free books to take home.

Further References:

Children’s Book Bank: Founded in 2007, the Book Bank serves the literacy needs of underprivileged children, from infants to 12 years old.

International Board on Books for Young People: Check out IBBY’s page for the full history and mission of Children’s Book Day.

Scholastic Canada: Scholastic is one of the world’s largest publishers and distributers of children’s books and literacy material.  They’re widely known for the generous donations to underfunded libraries, schools and youth-related children’s charities.

*Image courtesy of Scholastic Canada.

Shazamfest Cabin Fever: Burlesque, Rasslin’ & Rockabilly

Last Friday, March 25th I had the pleasure of witnessing one of the most unique, thrilling and entertaining spectacles ever put on.  In my life, I’ve attended plenty of rockabilly/punk concerts, more than my fair share of professional wrestling events and even a burlesque show or two.  I can convincingly say this is the first time I’ve attended all three at the same time.

Did I mention I reffed the first three matches?  Thanks to Wallstreet Ziv and the head booker Derek for giving me my big break in the pro wrestling world.

Cabin Fever, held at Montreal’s Theatre Plaza, is the brainchild of Wallstreet Ziv, proprietor of Quebec’s rapidly growing ShazamFest summer carnival.  Although the burlesque/rasslin’/rockabilly combo may seem like a lot to process at first, it proved to be a marriage made in the hippest and coolest neighbourhood in Heaven.  The show attracted a crowd of over 200 people, far more than I typically see at independent wrestling shows.  Everyone in the place was hyped and the wrestlers, musicians and dancers put on a five-hour extravaganza I won’t soon forget.  Let’s break down the show act by act:

Theatre Plaza: The venue could not have been more perfect.  The Theatre Plaza boasts a great balcony, plenty of floor space and an absolutely stunning vintage decor.  While most indie wrestling shows end up in the traditional Legion Hall or high school gymnasium, promoters opted for a proper show bar.  In operation since 1922, the Plaza comes complete with chandeliers and carved wooden mouldings.

DURT Loader: Opening up the show was DURT Loader, a really heavy sounding surf/rockabilly band that’s rapidly gaining popularity on the Montreal scene.  A great fit for Montreal’s sophisticated urbanite looking for a grungy good time.

Eastern Township Wrestling Association: These guys put on one H-E-Double-Hell of a show.  The ETWA has been in business for over 20 years, and it’s easy to see why.  All of the talent punched, kicked, brawled and bled – to the uproarious delight of the crowd.  The promoters were kind enough to let me referee the opener (D-Fresh vs. JOBS), plus matches between Joe Eclypse vs. Jaba King and T-Pain vs. Aaron Fire.  The battle royale that closed the show was a true barn burner and featured an orgy of blood.  The wrestlers engaged in a wild brawl surrounded by a bevy of costumed burlesque dancers.  If that wasn’t enough, DURT Loader offered up a breakneck soundtrack and rocked Surfin’ Bird until the matches climactic finale.  I felt almost like I was witnessing the final fight scene in a Robert Rodriguez flick.  If you like your wrestling a little more rasslin’ and a little less sports entertainment, ETWA is for you.

Bloodshot Bill: I’ve been waiting years to see this guy and he certainly lived up to the hype.  Bill, a one-man band (in the rockabilly tradition of Link Wray and Hasil Adkins) yelped, hiccupped and growled his way through an impressive set of original tunes and familiar honky-tonk standards.   Bill hosts a fair number of MP3s on his site, but see him live for full effect.  The outfits and hair-flipping antics alone are worth the cover charge.

Capital Tease Burlesque and Rockalily Burlesque:  As much fun as the rock ‘n’ wrestling was, the icing on the cake was definitely the amazing talents of the Capital Tease  and Rockalily crews.   Because one group wasn’t enough, Wallstreet Ziv brought in girls from two Ottawa area troupes. After a night punctuated with vaudeville-era outfits, fire-breathing and hula hopping I really couldn’t have asked for anything more.

Further References:

ShazamFest: Anyone within driving or carpooling distance of Quebec’s Eastern Township’s should do themselves the favour of checking out this year’s ShazamFest.  Held between July 29th-31st, the festival features dancers, extreme sports, skateboarders, pro wrestling, dancers, workshops on circus arts, crafts and a fair sized dose of rock and/or roll.  Keep tabs on their website for future events and festival details.

Dufresne Photo: All photos in this post courtesy of Claude Dufresne.  Claude’s website boasts an impressive collection of pics from a wide array of live shows and events.

Librarians Without Borders: International Service Learning in Guatemala

Event in Ottawa – Librarians Without Borders: International Service Learning in Guatemala

Thursday, March 24, 2011, 5:30 pm

Ottawa Public Library

Rideau Branch, 377 Rideau

In a few short months, myself, along with 25 other progressively minded librarians will be travelling to the Miguel Angel Asturias Academy in Xela, Guatemala.  The group is primarily made up of library students from McGill University, University of Toronto, University of Western Ontario and Dalhousie University, but several member of the Librarians Without Borders Executive Committee will be tagging along.

The Asturias Academy is a one-of-a-kind institution, catering to the literacy and educational needs of rural Guatemalans that may not otherwise have access to such services.  Their teaching philosophy is based on the writings of Paulo Friere, primarily his somewhat revolutionary text Pedagogy of the Oppressed.  Instead of being treated as vessels to be filled with knowledge, students are seen as co-creators of knowledge.

If anyone happens to be in the Ottawa area March 24th, I urge you to drop by and hear a pair of wonderful speakers espouse the merits of international service learning and regale you with their experiences of previous trips to the Academy.  The text below comes courtesy of the Canadian Association of Special Libraries and Services website:

“Librarians Without Borders (LWB) is a non-profit organization that strives to improve access to information resources by forming partnerships with community organizations in developing regions. In this talk, Carolyn Doi and Robyn Maler will speak about the student-led collaboration between Librarians Without Borders and the Asturias Academy Library, a private, non-profit, K – 12 school in Guatemala that aims to create informed, critically-thinking, and socially conscious citizens through a unique model of education.

Speakers:

Carolyn Doi received her MLIS from McGill University in 2010 and is a Music Liaison Librarian at the same institution. She has been active in Librarians Without Borders (LWB) since 2008, and helped to co-organize a service learning trip for eleven LWB student members in 2010 to Guatemala to do fieldwork with the Asturias Academy Library. She is currently Asturias Library Project Manager.

Robyn Maler is the Chair of Librarians Without Borders McGill student committee and is currently finishing the MLIS program at McGill University. A participant in the April 2010 trip to Asturias, Robyn is excited to continue LWB’s hard work as this year’s Project Lead.”

Please register using the link below:

http://clagov.wordpress.com/2011/03/07/lwb-in-guatemala/

Forgotten Author Profile: Sarban

In some divergent reality, the name Sarban could have been spoken of in the same breath as John Wyndham or Philip K. Dick. In an alternative universe, he could have become one of the giants of post World War II science fiction. But like many of his fictional characters, Sarban was a person out of time and out of place – a stranger in a world not yet ready to understand him.

Sarban was an anomaly, even in the quirky world of science fiction authors. Those who knew him (there were very few who did) recall his hatred of writing. Almost nothing was known about him during his lifetime (Russell: 2001). The curiously named author guarded his identity with Thomas Pynchon-esque zeal. It seems his distaste for writing was eclipsed only by his disdain for the fame that came along with it.

His career spanned a mere three years and produced only three titles (Russell: 2001). Sarban’s debut work Ringstones and Other Curious Tales was published in 1951. By 1953 he had simply disappeared, his true identity unknown. Disappeared that is, until his death in 1989 revealed the secrets he had spent a lifetime keeping.

Born John William Wall (1910-1989), Sarban grew up in the small middle class town of South Yorkshire, England (Russell: 2001). There was nothing particularly remarkable about his childhood. He had a disappointingly average British upbringing, went to a thoroughly typical school and lived on a dull, respectable street. Like his peers, he filled his leisure hours with pastimes such as cricket and became an expert small game hunter (Russell: 2001). He was destined for bigger things than could be offered by a small town in the English countryside. In 1928 he won a full scholarship to Jesus College, Cambridge where he studied English. It was at Jesus College he discovered what would become his lifelong love – the study of Arabic. Immediately upon graduation he took the Consular Service Exam. In 1933 the British Foreign Office awarded him his first post as Probationer Vice-Consul to Lebanon.

Sarban/Wall spent his career as a reliable, if unremarkable, diplomat. He plied his trade in exotic locales such as Morocco, Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan (Russell: 2001). Although he eventually rose to Consular General to Egypt he could never fully shake his middle class upbringing. Friends recall the contempt he showed for his upper class peers. In particular he loathed the privileged loafers he felt populated the diplomatic world (Russell: 2001). His love for all things Arabic and his distaste for high society would figure prominently in his writings.

On the face of things it would appear that Sarban/Wall led the uneventful, grey life of a government bureaucrat. Perhaps this life of mediocrity was too much for him to handle. For a few brief years he became Sarban, the writer of some of the most disturbing supernatural tales ever told. He settled on a single pseudonym, the genesis of which is unclear (Joshi: 2005). The name sounds vaguely Arabic and would certainly have seemed exotic to a British readership. He may simply have been too embarrassed to have his unsuccessful writing career associated with his more serious work as a diplomat.

Most scholars mark the end of the Golden Age of science fiction to coincide with the end of World War II (Joshi: 2005). A new wave of science fiction authors speculated on a utopian world where technology would bring about an era of peace and prosperity (Joshi: 2005). With memories of the war still fresh in the British psyche, readers were more than happy to escape into these optimistic fantasies.

Sarban’s milestone novel, The Sound of His Horn (1952) must have seemed like a slap in the face to those wishing to forget the horrors of Nazi Germany. Sound was one of the first novels to speculate on the consequences of a Nazi victory and world domination by the Third Reich (Joshi: 2005). British soldier Alan Querildion escapes from a WWII Nazi prison camp and inexplicably finds himself transported 100 years into the future. He arrives in a world where the Third Reich rules the globe. Nazi aristocracy has taken Adolf Hitler’s beliefs on Master Race superiority to brutal extremes. Genetically modified “under-races” (non-Aryan humans) are used as slave labour and are hunted for sport in specially built amusement parks. Sarban/Wall adeptly prophesied human cloning and genetic manipulation. Borrowing heavily from Richard Connell’s The Most Dangerous Game (1924) the novel centres on a human version of the British fox hunt. While the Connell novel was a straight-up thriller, Sarban/Wall throws in a less than subtle helping of social commentary.

Sound clearly thumbs its nose at comforting symbols of British colonialism (Joshi: 2005). The hero is set free in the forest to be tracked and hunted by his Nazi captors. The reader sees the hunt from the prey’s point of view. They experience the terror and isolation that only the hunted can feel. The similarities to the popular British pastime of fox hunting are too obvious to be ignored. The trappings of high society barely mask the savagery that lie beneath. Sound strips away fox hunting’s veil of make believe courtesy and exposes the underlying brutality of the sport.

The fox hunt analogy is also used to skewer the upper crust socialites that Sarban/Wall so greatly despised. The substitution of fictional Nazi bureaucrats for the real life British hunters was a blatant insult (Joshi: 2005). The hero (playing the part of the fox) uses cunning and wit to escape his increasingly savage captors. As they see their prey slipping away, the Nazi hunting party degenerates into savagery, frustration and anger. Feral instincts overpower their civility and the hunters allow their primitive urges to engulf them.

In spite of glowing reviews and kudos from the literary world, the novel sold poorly (Russell: 2001). The reading public wasn’t ready to be reminded how close England came to destruction at the hands of Hitler’s Germany. The clear indictment of the fox hunt cannot have made Sarban/Wall many friends in 1950’s England. Years later other authors would make alternate histories a bona fide sub-genre of science fiction (Rosenfeld: 2005). Sarban themes appear in such works as Philip K. Dick’s The Man in the High Castle (1962), Ira Levin’s The Boys from Brazil (1976) and Robert Harris’ Fatherland (1992). All used the spectre of a surviving Nazi regime to unnerve audiences.

Despite being spurned by readers, Sarban/Wall produced two collections of short stories. Ringstones and Other Curious Tales (1951) and The Doll Maker and Other Tales of the Uncanny (1953) met with much the same fate as his novel. The collections were skillful mixtures of supernatural fiction, ghost stories, mystery and science fiction tales. Both centred on female protagonists performing work typically reserved for male heroes.

Ringstones concerns Daphne Hazel, a young governess charged with the upkeep of an isolated English country manor. She discovers a stone circle and unearths a collection of dangerous and powerful relics. The remnants seem like mere curiosities until Daphne realizes she’s awoken an unearthly and primitive force. Again we see the theme of base instincts overpowering the thin sheen of civilization.

Doll Maker told the story of Clare Lydgate, a young woman who runs away from her stuffy boarding school. She meets Niall Sterne, a doll maker, and slowly slips into a world of madness populated by his doll creations. As in many of Sarban/Wall’s works, British convention is attacked. Living in the honey trap of the doll-world is preferable to Clare than the stodgy, confining halls of the institution. Methodical pacing slowly draws readers in and slowly seduces them. By the time they realize the doll-world is a trap, it’s far too late.

Sarban/Wall’s talent for genre blending may be appreciated in the modern day, but at the time readers were simply confused (Joshi: 2005). He did not fit neatly into either the science fiction, mystery or horror genres that were popular at the time. Perhaps ghost stories no longer had the power to frighten a public who could still recall the real life terror of German air raids. Sound had been praised as a forward thinking and chillingly real portrait of a future gone wrong. In comparison, Sarban/Wall’s other two titles were panned for being hokey and old-fashioned (Joshi: 2005). Again Sarban/Wall’s works were just out of step with the times. Readers may have missed the eerie subtlety that was the trademark of a Sarban/Wall yarn.

No one knows for sure why Sarban/Wall abandoned the quill after such a brief career. Even his closest friends can only speculate on the motives of this intensely private man (Russell: 2001). His career as a diplomat involved constant travel and frequent job changes. His duties cannot have left much time for the pen. Public indifference to his writing would not have served to inspire him. Since no one really knew who Sarban was it’s doubtful he felt anyone would miss him. In 1953, the Sarban half of his identity quietly faded away, and Wall went on his merry way.

For over forty years Sarban/Wall’s body of work sat largely dormant. There were occasional limited run reprints. His short stories would pop up in anthologies from time to time. It wasn’t until just prior to his death in 1989 that Wall publicly acknowledged his alter ego (Joshi: 2005). Memories of Sarban/Wall’s books had long since faded and this revelation made few headlines. It did capture the eye of Kingsley Amis, the prolific British novelist, poet and literary critic. Amis is perhaps best known as the author of several post-Ian Fleming James Bond spy novels. He contributed a forward to a small run reprint of Sound, but he was playing to an empty house.

The announcement raised eyebrows at Tartarus Press, an independent publisher specializing in resurrecting classic works of the macabre (Russell: 2001).  Sarban/Wall’s 1953 retirement wasn’t the end of his career, it merely marked the last time he was published. His estate contained stacks of undiscovered works. Tartarus published Sarban/Wall’s manuscripts as The Sacrifice and Other Stories (2002).

Although he was misunderstood in his day, Sacrifice proved the timeless quality of Sarban/Wall’s work. This led to a mini-resurgence of his classic tales, even if it was only amongst hardcore collectors and aficionados. Although largely ignored in his day, Sarban/Wall foreshadowed many of the trends that have now become science fiction conventions. His themes consistently pop up in other author’s works. Perhaps now, sixty years after his retirement and twenty years after his death, we are finally ready to embrace his ideas.

Although not currently in print, all three of Sarban’s classic titles can be downloaded for free at www.Munseys.com. A posthumous collection of Sarban’s lost works is available from www.TartarusPress.com. The Merril Collection of Science Fiction at the Toronto Public Library also boasts a non-lending set of Sarban titles.

References:

Clute, J. (1995). Science fiction: The illustrated encyclopedia. Toronto: MacMillan.

Joshi, S.T. (2005). Supernatural literature of the world: An encyclopedia. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.

Rosenfeld, G. (2005). The world Hitler never made: Alternate history and the memory of Nazism. England: Cambridge University Press.

Russell, R.B. (2001). Sarban. The lost club journal: A journal of literary archeology, 3. Retrieved May 21^st, 2009, from http://www.tartaruspress.com/wall.html