Viva Ze Bool! Ferdinand Went to War for Australia

The flower-sniffing bull was the inspiration for a wartime surveillance group in the land down under.

by Rich Watson

The Story of Ferdinand was a 1936 book by Munro Leaf, with illustrations by Robert Lawson. Life magazine called it “the greatest juvenile classic since Winnie the Pooh.” At one point it outsold Gone With the Wind.

It came out during the Spanish Civil War and on the verge of World War 2. Some interpreted the children’s book within those contexts.

The book’s success, however, inspired Allied forces in Australia in the battle against fascism.

Illustrator Beatrix Potter Self-Published Her First Book, “Peter Rabbit”

After her budding future as a scientist was stifled, the Victorian-era illustrator turned to children’s books.

by Rich Watson

At the turn of the twentieth century, Beatrix Potter had a promising future as an amateur scientific illustrator, with an emphasis on the study of fungi. As a woman in Victorian England, however, she could only pursue her craft so far.

Her fortune took a turn when she launched a career in children’s literature, beginning with her first book, The Tale of Peter Rabbit.

The Theme to “Hill Street Blues” Was a Hit For Composer Mike Post

The theme to the eighties cop program continued the streak of hit TV songs for this composer/musician.

by Rich Watson 

Hill Street Blues was a popular cop show from the eighties. It lasted seven seasons and won 26 Emmys.

Its theme song was composed by someone who has enjoyed a prosperous career in music: Mike Post.