The Mysteries of Harris Burdick: Difference between revisions
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'''''The Mysteries of Harris Burdick''''' is a 1984 picture book by the American author [[Chris Van Allsburg]] consisting of a series of unrelated, highly detailed images in |
'''''The Mysteries of Harris Burdick''''' is a 1984 picture book by the American author [[Chris Van Allsburg]] consisting of a series of seemingly unrelated, highly detailed images in Van Allsburg's distinctive style. Each image is accompanied by a title and a single line of text, which compel readers to create their own stories.<ref>{{cite news|last=Byrne|first=Terry|title=They are hoping for a storybook ending|url=http://www.boston.com/ae/theater_arts/articles/2008/06/21/they_are_hoping_for_a_storybook_ending/|accessdate=November 18, 2011|newspaper=The Boston Globe|date=June 22, 2008}}</ref> |
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A fictional editor's note tells of an encounter with an author and illustrator named Harris Burdick, who provided the images and captions as samples, each from a different picture book he had written. He left with a promise to deliver the complete manuscripts if the editor chose to buy the books. Burdick was never seen again, and the samples are all that remain of his supposed books. Readers are challenged to imagine their own stories based on the images in the book. |
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The image/title/caption pairings all suggest stories that are magical or fantastical and range from sinister to intriguing to whimsical. The book is sometimes used in schools as a springboard for creative writing exercises. |
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==Plot== |
==Plot== |
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The story starts in 1954, where a children's book editor named Peter Wenders is at his office, and a man wearing glasses and a fedora comes in. The man introduces himself as Harris Burdick and tells Wenders that he has 14 stories that he'd written and had brought one picture from each story with a caption. Wenders told him that he was fascinated by these drawings and he told him to bring the stories tomorrow. Burdick was glad to bring them, and he was delighted at the thought of them published. |
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The next day, Burdick didn't show up. Burdick never returned to Wenders' office. Over the years, Wenders tried to find out who Harris Burdick was, but he never found out. |
A fictional editor's note tells of an encounter between a children's book editor named Peter Wenders and an author and illustrator named Harris Burdick, who says he has 14 stories that he has written; he has brought one picture from each story with a caption. He leaves with a promise to deliver the complete manuscripts if the editor chooses to buy the books. The next day, Burdick didn't show up. Burdick never returned to Wenders' office. Over the years, Wenders tried to find out who Harris Burdick was, but he never found out. Burdick was never seen again, and the samples are all that remain of his supposed books. Readers are challenged to imagine their own stories based on the images in the book. |
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In 1984, Chris Van Allsburg visited Wenders' office, and Wenders showed him Burdick's drawings. Van Allsburg decided that maybe if he published the drawings, they may find out who Harris Burdick was. |
In 1984, Chris Van Allsburg visited Wenders' office, and Wenders showed him Burdick's drawings. Van Allsburg decided that maybe if he published the drawings, they may find out who Harris Burdick was. |
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Both Wenders and Van Allsburg were sure that someone would come with information about Burdick. Then, in 1993, |
Both Wenders and Van Allsburg were sure that someone would come with information about Burdick. Then, in 1993, a dealer in antique books, told them that he had purchased an entire library that had previously belonged to a recently deceased woman, including an antique mirror with portraits of characters from ''[[Through the Looking-Glass]]''. The mirror fell from the wall and cracked open. Neatly concealed between the wooden frame and the mirror was an image identical to Burdick's other works; its caption identified it being from the Burdick story "Missing in Venice." |
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The caption on the bottom identified it being from the Burdick story "Missing in Venice". Why the picture was in the mirror is unknown. But Hirsch still had one book from the library where he purchased the mirror. It was an old Italian copy of [[Pinocchio]]. It had a bookplate with the inscription "Hazel Bartlett: Her Book". Though the names Burdick and Bartlett are very similar to each other, all information to find a Hazel Bartlett of Bangor have remained fruitless. |
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As said on the Burdick website, Peter Wenders died in 2000 at the age of 91. |
As said on the Burdick website, Peter Wenders died in 2000 at the age of 91. |
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Revision as of 21:52, 4 March 2012
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| Author | Chris Van Allsburg |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Chris Van Allsburg |
| Genre | Children's, Fantasy novel |
Publication date | 1984 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
| Preceded by | The Wreck of the Zephyr |
| Followed by | The Polar Express |
The Mysteries of Harris Burdick is a 1984 picture book by the American author Chris Van Allsburg consisting of a series of seemingly unrelated, highly detailed images in Van Allsburg's distinctive style. Each image is accompanied by a title and a single line of text, which compel readers to create their own stories.[1]
The book is available in a Portfolio Edition which includes another image/caption pair from the story "Missing in Venice."
An additional drawing signed by Chris Van Allsburg and dated 1985 is currently on view at Books of Wonder children's bookstore in New York City. It is titled "What Happened to Harris Burdick?" and depicts how Harris Burdick may have disappeared.
Plot
A fictional editor's note tells of an encounter between a children's book editor named Peter Wenders and an author and illustrator named Harris Burdick, who says he has 14 stories that he has written; he has brought one picture from each story with a caption. He leaves with a promise to deliver the complete manuscripts if the editor chooses to buy the books. The next day, Burdick didn't show up. Burdick never returned to Wenders' office. Over the years, Wenders tried to find out who Harris Burdick was, but he never found out. Burdick was never seen again, and the samples are all that remain of his supposed books. Readers are challenged to imagine their own stories based on the images in the book.
In 1984, Chris Van Allsburg visited Wenders' office, and Wenders showed him Burdick's drawings. Van Allsburg decided that maybe if he published the drawings, they may find out who Harris Burdick was.
Both Wenders and Van Allsburg were sure that someone would come with information about Burdick. Then, in 1993, a dealer in antique books, told them that he had purchased an entire library that had previously belonged to a recently deceased woman, including an antique mirror with portraits of characters from Through the Looking-Glass. The mirror fell from the wall and cracked open. Neatly concealed between the wooden frame and the mirror was an image identical to Burdick's other works; its caption identified it being from the Burdick story "Missing in Venice."
As said on the Burdick website, Peter Wenders died in 2000 at the age of 91.
Pictures shown in the book
- Archie Smith, Boy Wonder
- Under the Rug
- Missing in Venice
- Oscar and Alphonse
- Mr. Linden's Library
- Uninvited Guests
- A Strange Day in July
- Another Place, Another Time
- The Harp
- The Seven Chairs
- The 3rd Floor Bedroom
- Just Desert
- Captain Tory
- The House on Maple Street
Influence
The short story "The House On Maple Street" which appears in Stephen King's Nightmares & Dreamscapes is inspired by the last image/caption in The Mysteries of Harris Burdick.
The cover illustration of The Mysteries of Harris Burdick—featured inside the book with the caption "Another Place, Another Time"—appears to have been inspired by, and based on an Erich Lessing photograph from the June, 1959 issue of National Geographic magazine. The photograph, which accompanies a feature article about post-war Germany, shows a group of children riding a sail-powered rail car on tracks linking the mainland with the Halligen, a group of islands in the North Sea.[2]
References
- ^ Byrne, Terry (June 22, 2008). "They are hoping for a storybook ending". The Boston Globe. Retrieved November 18, 2011.
- ^ Conly, Robert Leslie/Lessing, Eric "Modern Miracle, Made in Germany". National Geographic 1959 115(6): p.783.
External links
- The official site - Has a section where readers can write their own stories for the pictures. Winners get a copy of the Portfolio Edition of the book.