English 中文网 漫画网 爱新闻iNews 翻译论坛
中国网站品牌栏目(频道)
当前位置: Language Tips > Special Speed News VOA慢速

Jean Craighead George spent her life in the wilderness or writing about it

[ 2012-05-29 16:04]     字号 [] [] []  
免费订阅30天China Daily双语新闻手机报:移动用户编辑短信CD至106580009009

JUNE SIMMS: Welcome to AMERICAN MOSAIC in VOA Special English.

(MUSIC)

I'm June Simms. This week on our program, we remember the much-loved children's writer Jean Craighead George...

We also tell about a popular horse race in Virginia...

And we play new music by Beach House...

(MUSIC)

Jean Craighead George

JUNE SIMMS: A well-loved children's book writer has died. Jean Craighead George wrote many books, including "Julie of the Wolves" and "My Side of the Mountain." Her stories often tell about the beauty and power of wilderness, and the young people trying to survive in it. Christopher Cruise has more.

CHRISTOPHER CRUISE: Jean Craighead George died on May 15th following a stroke. The writer had lived 92 years, much of that exploring the wilderness and its animals. She also spent a lot of time writing, producing more than 100 books.

Jean Craighead George spent her life in the wilderness or writing about it

Jean Craighead George was born in Washington, DC, in 1919. Her interest in nature and animals came early and maybe from her father. He worked for the National Forest Service. The family spent a lot of time in woods along the Potomac River. Jean and her twin brothers learned how to build shelters and find food in the woods.

Her brothers trained falcons, one of the most powerful birds in the DC area. Jean Craighead George said the twins were among the first falconers in the United States. She also said that they gave her a falcon to train when she was 13 years old. Later the main character in one of her books develops a close relationship with a falcon.

Jean Craighead George studied science and English at Pennsylvania State University. She worked as a reporter during the 1940s. She also married and had three children during this period.

She and her family started exploring wilderness areas all over the country. They also raised many animals, from huge tarantula spiders to owls and minks. And, of course, more traditional pets like dogs and cats.

The family had more than 170 animals, although not all at once. Jean Craighead George said the pets were always free to stay or go.

Her career in children's literature began in 1948 with the publication of her first book, "Vulpes the Red Fox." Eleven years later came "My Side of the Mountain," one of the best loved children's books ever.

It tells the story of Sam Gribley, a boy who escapes the busy life of New York City. He goes to live in the wilderness of the Catskill Mountains. His home is a hollowed out tree.

Sam makes friends with several animals, including a falcon he calls Frightful. He hunts and fishes and finds plants to eat. He also steals deer that have been killed by hunters.

Jean Craighead George said she wrote "My Side of the Mountain" to tell about all the wonderful adventures she experienced as a child in the woods. The American Library Association recognized the book with a Newberry Honor in 1960.

In 1973, Jean Craighead George won a Newberry Medal for "Julie of the Wolves." She had earlier travelled to Barrow, Alaska and met with scientists there. They taught her how to communicate with wolves. The author said she was finally successful with a beautiful female wolf. She knew then she wanted to write about a little Eskimo girl lost on the frozen land. Julie survives by learning how to talk to the wolves. They then help protect her.

Jean Craighead George's website includes a short video of the author talking to her dog. It is not a wolf like the one Julie ran with, but a close relative -- the Alaskan malamute.

(VIDEO)

Jean Craighead George hoped her work in fiction would help children enjoy the wilderness and also protect it. Her own children followed in her footsteps. Her daughter writes books about nature for children. One son is a whale researcher. The other studies birds.

Jean Craighead George died at a hospital in New York state, where she lived most of her adult life.

(MUSIC)

The Virginia Gold Cup

JUNE SIMMS: Horse racing is one of the oldest sporting events in the world. And it can be a major economic support in some places. But, horse racing requires a lot of space, for the activity itself and for the large crowds who like to watch. As development spreads further and further from cities, horse racing is threatened.

But in Virginia, one horse race is still going strong after nearly 90 years. About 50,000 people attend the Gold Cup each year in the rolling hills of The Plains, Virginia.

Many in the crowd wear fine clothes, including creative hats covered with flowers, feathers or other decorations. And those hats are judged. A hat competition is part of the Gold Cup tradition.

The event also always includes food and drink. Some people just bring containers of sandwiches and sodas. Others have full size tents with grills and professional cooks. Race visitor Thomas Eden grew up in the area.

THOMAS EDEN: "It's the one day in the year that everyone drops everything and decides to be nice for a day and dress up a bit. And I love dressing up...it's my thing."

The Gold Cup is a steeplechase event. The horses race across fields and jump over fences. George Webb has been attending the Gold Cup for 20 years.

GEORGE WEBB: "People love getting out in the country. It's such a beautiful area. It is a part of history. George Washington hunted fox in this very area out here. So this remains something very near and dear to folks out here."

The area used in a steeplechase is much larger than a traditional horse race track. Several steeplechase events have been forced to move in recent years, as more land is developed. The Gold Cup moved to its current space in 1985.

And, real estate developers continue to move toward the fields where the race takes place. But George Webb, a developer himself, is not worried. He says the organization that runs the Gold Cup is working hard, so that race fans can enjoy the event now and in the future.

(MUSIC)

Beach House "Bloom"

JUNE SIMMS: The two member group Beach House just released their fourth record album, eight years after the first. The Los Angeles Times newspaper says the new album, "Bloom," is a "lovely lullaby." American Songwriter calls "Bloom" either "beautifully sad or sadly beautiful." And Rolling Stone gave it 4.5 stars out of a possible five.

Faith Lapidus plays some of the new album.

(MUSIC)

FAITH LAPIDUS: That song was called "Myth." It is the first song on "Bloom." And it was one of only two singles released before the album.

Jean Craighead George spent her life in the wilderness or writing about it

Victoria LeGrand sings and writes Beach House songs. She told a reporter that she and Alex Scally thought "Myth" would be a great gateway into the album. The song starts with the words: Drifting in and out / See the road you're on / You came rolling down the cheek / You say just what you need.

"Troublemaker" has a similar simple poetry. Victoria LeGrand sings, like a hand you reached out to me / the thunder rolls in with the dark / tiny fingers on the edges / watch it unravel pulling everything apart.

(MUSIC)

Beach House travelled to a recording studio in Tornillo, Texas. The rural beauty of the southwestern town seems to have lent a quiet dreaminess to the album. Victoria LeGrand says the album itself is a journey. "A bloom is only temporary" she says, "a fleeting vision of life in all its intensity and color."

We leave you with Beach House performing "On the Sea" from the group's new album "Bloom."

(MUSIC)

JUNE SIMMS: I'm June Simms. This program was written and produced by Caty Weaver. Tala Hadavi provided additional reporting.

Join us again next week for music and more on AMERICAN MOSAIC in VOA Special English.

falcon: 猎鹰

tarantula: 狼蛛

malamute: 雪橇犬

Related stories:

Maurice Sendak, 1928-2012: his imagination redefined children's literature

Website links people across continents through books

Critics'picks for best books and movies of the year

Horse competition in Tibet

(来源:VOA 编辑:旭燕)

 
中国日报网英语点津版权说明:凡注明来源为“中国日报网英语点津:XXX(署名)”的原创作品,除与中国日报网签署英语点津内容授权协议的网站外,其他任何网站或单位未经允许不得非法盗链、转载和使用,违者必究。如需使用,请与010-84883631联系;凡本网注明“来源:XXX(非英语点津)”的作品,均转载自其它媒体,目的在于传播更多信息,其他媒体如需转载,请与稿件来源方联系,如产生任何问题与本网无关;本网所发布的歌曲、电影片段,版权归原作者所有,仅供学习与研究,如果侵权,请提供版权证明,以便尽快删除。
 

关注和订阅

人气排行

翻译服务

中国日报网翻译工作室

我们提供:媒体、文化、财经法律等专业领域的中英互译服务
电话:010-84883468
邮件:translate@chinadaily.com.cn