Invitation to our book launching

I wrote my memoirs after being pressured into it by friends and family. The deciding factor for me was that it might encourage some or other reader to try again if something has failed. 

Typical for us: years ago we had bought a waterfront section just past Titirangi in Auckland. We were ready to build our own house of three interconnected domes, and already had the support of the town planner, when I hurt my back. After six weeks in a full-body plastercast and subsequent operation, the surgeon told me I would never be able to build a house myself. So we built a 54 foot yacht instead. A fresh start, the common pattern of our lives. 'Like a Guardian' shows that pattern, over a 76 year period.

My wife Karen and I both survived the Holocaust although we both lost some family members. Karen's mother, Elisabeth Augustin, survived too, but Elisabeth's mother - Karen's grandmother - was 'exterminated' in Sobibor, and her grandfather in Auschwitz.

Elisabeth had been an established author before Hitler took power. She escaped to Holland and became a respected author and poet-in-exile. In 1940 the nazis overrun Holland and Elisabeth had to struggle for her survival again.

I have been a visual artist, musician and author my entire adult life. My first poems were published when I was 18. So when we inherited Elisabeth's manuscripts after her death, I considered it an honour to select 80 of her poems, both unpublished and previously published work, and translate those into English: 'languageland'.  A "tri-lingual biographically oriented compilation", showing my translations side by side with the German and Dutch originals.

I received very disturbing reports from other authors about the USA publisher who was keen to publish my work. 

So I turned them down and published it myself.

Three books: 'languageland', my memoirs 'LIKE A GUARDIAN' and a little volume, '1819 AD', with remedies and recipes of the past, translated from a 1819 Dutch original. These books are now available directly from me. (leo.cappel@xtra.co.nz) And if you live near our Whangarei home, you are invited to attend our book launching on: Saturday, 12 November, 2 pm and look at some of my visual artwork while you are there..

Where? 98 B Paramount Parade, Tikipunga, Whangarei  (The SUNNY SUNDAY STUDIO)

  

1819 AD is a paperback, glued and sewn by myself, 62 pages, NZ$ 20.-, incl. postage within New Zealand.

Like a Guardian is also a paperback, glued and sewn by myself, 297 pages, NZ$ 45.-, incl. postage within New Zealand.

languageland is perfect bound, paperback, 240 pages, NZ$ 45.-, incl. postage within New Zealand.

And more!

"language land" is only one of three new books. The other two are my memoirs, and a small booklet translated from an old original, first published in 1819. But I won't write more about those at this stage. Too busy preparing more for a book signing party.

The old blog.

I just had a look at my previous blog, Leo Cappelvisual artistauthor
( I think ) Maybe you should have a look at it too.

Lately I haven't had time to do any sculpting, been too busy with writing. One of my books has now been printed by a regular printer: my translation into English of a collection of poems by Elisabeth Augustin, "languageland" , now available from me at the pretty reasonable price of NZ $45, incl. postage within New Zealand. A "trilingual biographically oriented compilation".
Elisabeth was a Jewish holocaust survivor and writer-in-exile.

80 Poems, starting with one one written while Elisabeth was still a teenager, following her life through her first happy adult years, then exile, the war, learning to cope with the war traumas of having lost her mother to the extermination camp Sobibor and her grandfather in Auschwitz, and finally the more introspective poetry of her later years.

New start (the old blog is just TOO old.)

Let me introduce myself: Leo Cappèl. I am a sculptor/painter, a musician - lately mainly late Medieval and early Renaissance instrumental music - and finally I am an author. I have been writing most of my life, novels, non-fiction, translations, stage plays and short stories.

I won't always have time to update this blog, so please be patient. And also, please write to me. leo.cappel@xtra.co.nz will find me.

My earliest memory is of my grandmother teaching me how to say cigar in Dutch ('sigaar', I was born in Amsterdam). My grandmother also spoke Yiddish, but she thought Dutch was enough to start with. Words intrigued me then, and have done so ever since. Words, sounds and patterns - read: writing, music and sculpting.

            During the war I had to hide with a family in Friesland. The adults spoke Dutch as well, the few kids I met spoke Friesian. After the war the Red Cross sent me to Switzerland, to live with an elderly couple who spoke only Swiss-German. The Dutch word Papa became Tatte in Yiddish, Heit in Friesian, Vater in Switzerland. Later still, when I was an art student in Paris, it was Père and now it's Dad. How could I not be fascinated?

            I am a graduate of the Rietveld Art Academy, Amsterdam. I worked as an art teacher, as jeweller, visual artist and as scuba diving instructor before emigrating to New Zealand.

            I was offered a position at the Canterbury Museum, making small diorama displays, mainly for country schools, and some years later I found myself creating the very large dioramas in the Auckland Museum.

            We got restless, decided to build a 54 foot yacht, so my wife Karen and I could go back to sea. It took 7 years of weekends and holidays, financed by writing, performing on stage, playing music and building unusual musical instruments in what little spare time we could find.

            We lived on board, getting ready to travel overseas. Then a bombshell: the asbestos in my lungs - legacy of my Auckland Museum job! - started to play up, no more ocean sailing after all. My response was to write a cheerful novel: "SAIL THEATRE, SAIL", to be followed by another novel: "PIV", several stage plays, and three musicals. The musical I liked best was one I wrote for young people, and which was produced by the Northland Youth Theatre: "PAGAGENINA'S FLUTE".

            After 16 years aboard we moved to the top of a hill on tiny Kawau Island, where there are no shops, no roads, no rubbish removal or any other services apart from electricity and telephone, and where we got our mail delivered by the Royal Mail Run ferry twice a week.

            Finally, after 10 years on the Island, we became landlubbers in Whangarei.

Leo Cappèl