A Stroll with Mr. Gaudi by Pau Estrada

 This biography brings a fascinating character namely Antoni Gaudi, one of the most renowned architects.

Antoni Gaudi i Cornet (1852-1926) was born in a coastal city south of Barcelona. He was a good student but he said that nature was his best teacher. At school, he quickly distinguished himself with his original designs. The dean of the faculty of architecture said: “I don’t know if we have before us a genius or a madman.”

Shortly after beginning his professional career, he received an offer to continue the work of a church – the Sagrada Familia. The project is still under construction many years after his death. He created many other structures as well as furniture and interiors.

He never married and had no interest in fame or fortune. His life was dedicated to his work. He was said to be stubborn but he was considerate to his collaborators and workers. He always encouraged them to do their best.

In 1878, Gaudi met Eusebi Guell, a young entrepreneur and the son of one of the richest families in Spain. Guell became Gaudi’s patron and friend.

The story of Gaudi illustrates a man who believed in his creations even when no one else did. People complained about curved walls and ceilings which were unpractical. They couldn’t furnish such place or hang a picture. Guell respected Gaudi’s architecture but he himself wasn’t sure if he liked this strange architecture. It seems as all others felt the same way, they respected Gaudi but didn’t truly like his creations during his lifetime. Now, his architecture is a major attraction of Barcelona.

Guell commissioned Gaudi to design Park Guell which was supposed to be a garden city. This residential estate to be was a failure. Later, the park was donated to the city, and became a big success.

Gaudi was unconventional with his projects which he didn’t sketch on paper. He related it with three dimensional structures. He would often change his project on the spur of the moment.

This story also portrays a man who didn’t care about his own exterior appearance but had deep appreciation for interior and exterior of buildings. When he strolled the streets of Barcelona, deep in his thought, some people moved away from him as they thought he might be a beggar.

He was careless with other things, too. When he rushed from one place to another while crossing the streets, he didn’t pay attention to his surroundings. He died after being run over by a tram.

This touching story demonstrates a man who was authentic and stood by what he believed in even when others didn’t. It’s puzzling and intriguing to think that he was careless with his own appearance but very detail-oriented when it came to his creations. Nevertheless, he is certainly someone to admire. He created one of the most amazing if not the most amazing architecture ever.

The audience for this book is 6 years old and up.

Published in 2013 by Editorial Juventud

 

TRENDING INSPIRATION: Let Nature Inspire You

 

Traits:

·         Nature was his greatest teacher

·         He was said to be stubborn but at the same time considerate with his collaborators which is possible

·         He encouraged others to do their best

·         His architecture was seen as strange during his lifetime; despite that he still believed in it and dedicated his life to his unique work

·         He continuously improved his designs even while they were built

 

 

“No wealth can ever make a bad man at peace with himself.” – Plato

“Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” – T.S. Eliot

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” – Winston Churchill

 

Who Was Mother Teresa? by Jim Gigliotti

 Who Was ...? biography series for middle grade brings incredible woman – Mother Teresa, a Roman Catholic religious sister who tended to the poor of India and became the beloved missionary by millions.

Agnes Bojaxhiu was born on August 26, 1910 in Skopje, now capital of Macedonia, north of Greece. The family was Albanian. She grew up in atmosphere where father told stories from his travels at a table where other people sat; people that Agnes didn’t know. Later, she discovered they were the poorest people in Skopje. Agnes learned early on to help the needy.

At Sacred Heart, Agnes helped the priests, and that’s where she learned about Catholic Missions. She loved the stories of people traveling to faraway places to help people in need.

At eighteen, she made up her mind to become a missionary nun. She received her mother’s support, but her brother Lazar, military officer, wasn’t as understanding. He claimed – how could she give up everything.

Agnes responded, “Lazar, you say that you are important because you are an officer serving the king of two million people. But I am serving the King of the whole world!”

Agnes was accepted to Loreto Order in Calcutta, India. When she took her first vows, she became Sister Teresa, known for simplicity and practicality.

For the next sixteen years, she taught the girls at St. Mary’s. Then, she took over the Mother Superior’s duties and became Mother Teresa.

She loved teaching but Loreto was a place of cloistered nuns, and she knew what was going on outside the convent walls. Then, she heard her next calling to live and work among the poor.

After receiving permission from the Catholic Church, in 1948, she walked out of Loreto Convent into the slums of Motijhil. Then, more nuns followed in her footsteps.

While helping the poor, she encountered many obstacles but she refused to take no for an answer. The word about her work spread outside India.

She received many awards, including the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. It was for her work “in bringing help to suffering humanity.”

She worked until her last days. She said, “She had all eternity to rest.” She died at the age of eighty-seven.

She was an ordinary woman who with her great love and compassion for another human being became an extraordinary saint.

This biography is a touching and tear-dropping story of an incredible woman who never sought fame. Instead, others started seeking her story due to her charitable work.

This illustrated biography series for young readers, ages 8-12, is presented in a relatable way, with simple sentences and enriched with insightful inserts.

Published in 2015 by Penguin Workshop

 

 

TRENDING INSPIRATION: Give a Helping Hand

 

Traits:

·         She followed her heart’s calling

·         She didn’t chase fame and status

·         She chased love and compassion for another human being

 

“Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.” – Mother Teresa

 

“If you judge people, you have no time to love them.” – Mother Teresa

 

“Peace begins with a smile.” – Mother Teresa

 

“We fear the future because we are wasting today.” – Mother Teresa

 

“Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.” – Mother Teresa

 

“Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.” – Mother Teresa

 

“It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.” – Mother Teresa

 

“A life not lived for others is not a life.” – Mother Teresa

 

“I prefer you to make mistakes in kindness than work miracles in unkindness.” – Mother Teresa

 

“If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.” – Mother Teresa

Chopin: Prince of the Romantics by Adam Zamoyski

 This biography of Fryderyk Chopin reveals a man of many layers who above all stayed authentic to his style and didn’t follow the crowd.

Chopin’s life (1810-1849) was shaped by wars, and with his native country being partitioned. In order not to lose the Polish identity, some people became very patriotic and that influenced Chopin and what he composed. His music reflected the love for his country, despite spending almost half of his life in France, his father’s country.

This biography reveals many interesting things about Chopin, some even surprising. Chopin was of weak health and delicate stature. Despite that whatever he did in his life he did it with gusto, full of energy. He wasn’t someone who wanted to lie in bed unless he wasn’t able to walk. Otherwise, he was a very social person, who enjoyed his evenings out. But those were meaningful evenings. They were filled with music and conversations on different topics involving literature, politics, philosophy, and more.

This most enjoyable biography is written with details, but not overwhelming the beautiful flow of Chopin’s story. This book is a very pleasant journey in which we get to know a man who was allowed to develop his own style in his early age, and followed his natural instinct. To the end, he stayed true to his own style. The style of delicate key touching, and not key pounding. Even when he tried to disguise himself with a different name, once he started playing, people knew right away what his real name was. It is a remarkable story of an extraordinary man who was forced into exile, but continued to introduce his genius to the world. Truly impressive and inspiring story.

Published in 2011 by HarperPress

TRENDING INSPIRATION: Be Inspired by Nature

Traits:

·         Be authentic

·         Create your own style

·         Create from the heart

·         Follow your instincts

·         Connect with nature which inspired many including Chopin. He was most creative in nature, then rushed home to write down the composition that came to him.

·         Whatever you do, do it with energy, passion, gusto

·         Socialize with meaningful purpose

"We become what we give our attention to." - Epictetus

Who Was Salvador Dali? by Paula K. Manzanero

 Who Was ...? biography series for middle grade brings the flamboyant figure of Salvador Dali who was an influential surrealist artist, a fashionable man known for his iconic mustache and unique sense of style.

Salvador Dali was born on May 11, 1904 in Figueres, Spain, close to French border. He didn’t have interest in school. Instead, he daydreamed of creating something artistic. He dressed in blue sailor suits to school. From young age, he liked being different and creating his own image.

When he was eight, his family moved to a big house where Salvador created his art studio in the attic. A family friend Ramon Pichot, an impressionist painter, became his mentor.

In 1922, he began Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Madrid. Salvador experimented with different styles. Yet, he had a great appreciation for the old masters. He spent a lot of time at Prado Museum, studying the paintings.

Steadily his work became recognized. After an exhibit in the US, he became very popular in New York.

Salvador continued to experiment with his art style, and never stopped learning the art history. In Italy, he studied the great masters of Renaissance.

At the age of thirty-four, he became one of the wealthiest painters in the world.

When WWII broke out, he moved to the US for eight years. After the war, he returned to Spain. By then, he already parted with surrealism. Then, his paintings became more spiritual and religious. He also became interested in science and history, and began painting large paintings of historical scenes.

In early 1960s, Salvador along with Pablo Picasso were the best known painters in the world. “His quest to be different allowed him to become one of the most recognizable people in the world – and one of the greatest artists of all time.”

This biography exemplifies a man who never stopped learning his own art, continuously experimented, and evolved as an artist with his unique style and personification.

This illustrated biography series for young readers, ages 8-12, is presented in a relatable way, with simple sentences and enriched with insightful inserts.

Published in 2023 by Penguin Workshop

TRENDING INSPIRATION: Be Creative and Never Stop Learning

Traits:

·         Be unique

·         Be creative

·         Search for mentors to help you better yourself

·         Despite his artistic talent and new approach, he studied old masters

·         Never stop learning

·         Continue to experiment in your creativity

"Logic will get you from A to Z. Imagination will get you anywhere." - Albert Einstein