Margaret Talbot

This 78-page book first defines flushwork as a decorative method using knapped flint pieces inset into building walls, flush with the wall stones. It was prevalent in Church decoration in the flint-rich lands in southeast England from the 12th century to the dissolution of the monasteries in the mid-1500s.

The author discusses the sources of design, from the Church Year to the cult of saints, to medieval life such as heraldry, guild badges, merchant's marks, and tools of trades. She lists each Church covered by the book, with a map of their locations. She lists each saint represented by their symbols (such as St. Catherine's wheel, and St. Lawrence's gridiron) and how many churches reference each saint. There are a wealth of color photos, identified by meaning and location.

I found the concept of this art fascinating, and would love to have seen a bit more on methods of construction. However, the author was true to her stated purpose of introducing the reader to a wealth of religious symbology, heraldry, tools, and even the names of some of the wealthy donors.
It was a lovely book about a little-known regional artform and placed its designs in the context of medieval thought. I recommend it if you happen to stumble upon it.… (mehr)

In this incredibly well-written book, Margaret Talbot not only writes a biography of her father, actor Lyle Talbot, but also captures the zeitgeist of the first half of the twentieth century and the evolution of entertainment. Lyle was a Nebraska-born boy of Irish stock, raised by his grandmother in a boarding house. In his teens, he discovered his father--and the theater. He knew the life of an itinerant carnie/actor/magician through the twenties, and made his way to Hollywood soon after the advent of talkies. He acted in a wide variety of films, from great classics with Shirley Temple to classics-for-other-reasons like Plan 9 From Outer Space. In the end, he found a niche in character roles in the new medium of television.

Talbot is never worshipful as she describes her father's career and lover boy reputation; in fact, she's refreshingly blunt and analytical. She draws from numerous interviews and sources as she addresses many things her father never discussed with his children, such as his brief marriages with other women and even the claim of abuse by one ex-wife. She isn't defensive of her father, but gracefully explains the context of the times. This is a book that abounds in fascinating stories and trivia.

If you have any interest in early Hollywood or 20th century history, this enlightening book is well worth your time. I will certainly be keeping it on my research shelf.… (mehr)