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So when we inherited Elisabeth's manuscripts after her death, I considered it an honour to select 80 of her poems, both unpublished and previously published work, and translate those into English: 'languageland'.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.