Wordy Birds

The Architecture of William Lawrence Bottomley

Original airdate: November 30, 2007

About the book: Refined country houses, gracious urban dwellings, posh Broadway cafés, exotic nightclubs, and a high-rise apartment building that, 80 years after its construction, is still considered the epitome of tony living in Manhattan these are among the many achievements of William Lawrence Bottomley, one of the best American architects of the first half of the 20th century. During his 40-year career, Bottomley designed and executed over 180 commissions for his clients. An uncompromising perfectionist with refined taste, he oversaw virtually every facet of his projects, from interior ornamentation and decoration to the surrounding landscape design.

THE ARCHITECTURE OF WILLIAM LAWRENCE BOTTOMLEY is the first comprehensive study of this master architect and designer. Richly illustrated with archival photographs and floor plans, the book examines 34 of the architect s structures nationwide and includes a catalogue of 185 commissions and a comprehensive bibliography.

Susan Hume Frazer, PhD, is an independent scholar, writer, and lecturer in American architecture and the decorative arts, and president of Hume-Frazer Associates, LLC, a firm devoted to architectural history research and consultation. She resides with her husband, Jack, and their Westie, Simon, in the Fan District of Richmond, Virginia, surrounded by buildings designed by William Lawrence Bottomley.

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The Star of the Magi

Original airdate: November 23, 2007

About the book: The Star of Bethlehem is still one of the most popular and puzzling mysteries of the Bible. Its inclusion, at the very beginning of the very first Gospel, raises so many awkward questions for orthodox Christianity that one has to wonder how it ever made the canonical cut in the first place.

So why would the authors (and editors) of the Christian Gospels choose Zoroastrian Magi and astrology to herald the coming of Jesus Christ? Did the Magi have some special significance then that we have since lost? After all, the New Testament narrative opens with them. So who were the Magi, and did their astrological beliefs really lead them to Jesus?

Now, for the first time, in The Star of the Magi, an author with a solid background in the history of astrology in ancient religion examines the Star. The result is a blend of history, religious studies, astronomy, and astrology that tells the whole story as it has never been told before.

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www.thestarofthemagi.com

Blackbeard

Original airdate: November 9, 2007

About the book: “For two years until his untimely death in 1718, the notorious pirate Blackbeard wreaked havoc on Atlantic coastal shipping. In her narrative based on a true story, Margaret Hoffman spins a tale of political intrigue, villainy and romance. Her infamous pirate emerges as a man of considerable charm and gallantry who not only becomes the confidant of the governor of North Carolina, but also wins the heart of a beautiful young heiress. Legends and myths about Blackbeard continue three centuries after his death, but the true story is the most incredible of all.”

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Sundays with Vlad

Original airdate: November 2, 2007

At eight years old, Paul Bibeau had the footie pj’s scared off of him when his sister sprang out of a crawlspace in the dark wearing plastic fangs. It was the start of a lifelong fascination with vampires. Now a “grownup” journalist, he embarks on a quest to discover the story of how a second-rate Wallachian Prince named Vlad, inaccurately recounted in an odd little 19th century book by some guy named Stoker, became such a pervasive cultural icon.

Bibeau’s search for answers takes us on a rollicking journey that begins in Romania, as — on his honeymoon, no less — we visit the rubble of Vlad’s real castle and examine the mystery of the Count’s missing body, learning why his head might lie at the bottom of a well, smelling vaguely of Honey Smacks.

But those are just the first steps on a ride that traces Drac’s diaspora through the centuries. Soon Bibeau finds himself visiting live-action role playing conventions, learning the virtues of tight leather pants and eye shadow, chatting with a man who ran for governor of Minnesota on an “impalement” platform, and marching in a parade dressed as a bulb of garlic. Along the way, we meet journalists, Dracula experts, Transylvanian hookers, Bela Lugosi’s son … and some folks who actually like to snack on fresh human blood.

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