Portfolio 1 Column

Dracula author Bram Stoker was born on November 8, 1847 in Dublin. Stoker was bedridden with an unknown illness until he started school at the age of seven when he made a complete recovery. Of this time, Stoker wrote, “I was naturally thoughtful, and the leisure of long illness gave opportunity for many thoughts which were fruitful according to their kind in later years.” He was educated in a private school run by the Reverend William Woods. Stoker visited the English coastal town of Whitby in 1890, and that visit was said to be part of the inspiration for Dracula. He began writing novels while working as the manager for London’s Lyceum Theatre, beginning with The Snake’s Pass in 1890 and Dracula in 1897. Stoker was part of the literary staff of The Daily Telegraph in London, and he wrote other fiction, including the horror novels The Lady of the Shroud (1909) and The Lair of the White Worm (1911). Dracula is an epistolary novel, written as a collection of realistic but completely fictional diary entries, telegrams, letters, ship’s logs, and newspaper clippings, all of which added a level of detailed realism to the story, a skill which Stoker had developed as a newspaper writer. At the time of its publication, Dracula was considered a “straightforward horror novel” based on imaginary creations of supernatural life. “It gave form to a universal fantasy and became a part of popular culture.” Here then is the dark Lord Dracula!

Who was the real John Lennon? We all know the music and the basic story, but this wildly passive aggressive kid from suburban Liverpool with a huge chip on his shoulder was an unlikely model for the international pop icon to come. He first started bashing out banjo chords on an old guitar, without even the requisite number of strings as a teen. Young John was very close to his mother and auntie, loved cats, attended church services, did his schoolwork, excelled at poetry and drawing, but he had something else too – a wild uninhibited love of American rock ‘n’ roll. In this one-of-a-kind audio treasure by the world’s acknowledged foremost prolific Beatles biographer Geoffrey Giuliano, the real John Lennon is laid bare and a deeper understanding of his magnetic personality and timeless music emerges. Here is the perfect audio treasure for every committed Lennon fan, pop historian, casual listener, student of 1960s art and culture, curious commuter, as well as all school and university systems. Ladies and gentleman meet the real John Lennon!

Noted internationally known Self-help advocate and teacher of devotional yoga Prana Govinda Das was born in Liverpool, England in 1968 admittedly a pretty good year for all things bright and beautiful. He says, “From as early as I can remember I had a unquenchable thirst for knowledge, and a desire to understand the true nature of man and this world we live in. I was also always seeking out people who could answer all the questions I had about life, the universe and everything.” After studying film production in the early nineties Prana was able to fulfill his lifelong desire to travel to India. admittedly his first trip changed his life completely and forever. “At that point,” He recalls, “my thirst for material knowledge turned to desire to understand the spiritual side of life. For the next six years I returned frequently to, where I studied many different paths of Hinduism, Buddhism and other forms of yoga and meditation. However, even after learning and experiencing so much I was still left incomplete.” in 2001 during the young man’s sixth trip to India, he travelled to Vrindavan, a holy town associated with Lord Krishna south of Delhi. It was there he met his spiritual guide, and mentor Srila Bhaktivedanta Naryana Goswami. Some twenty years on, Prana has been resident in his teacher’s temples all over the world, particularly India, Australia, America, and Europe. Welcome then to the inspirational, engrossing, all-inclusive teachings of Prana Govinda Das.

Noted internationally known Self-help advocate and teacher of devotional yoga Prana Govinda Das was born in Liverpool, England in 1968 admittedly a pretty good year for all things bright and beautiful. He says, “From as early as I can remember I had a unquenchable thirst for knowledge, and a desire to understand the true nature of man and this world we live in. I was also always seeking out people who could answer all the questions I had about life, the universe and everything.” After studying film production in the early nineties Prana was able to fulfill his lifelong desire to travel to India. admittedly his first trip changed his life completely and forever. “At that point,” He recalls, “my thirst for material knowledge turned to desire to understand the spiritual side of life. For the next six years I returned frequently to, where I studied many different paths of Hinduism, Buddhism and other forms of yoga and meditation. However, even after learning and experiencing so much I was still left incomplete.” in 2001 during the young man’s sixth trip to India, he travelled to Vrindavan, a holy town associated with Lord Krishna south of Delhi. It was there he met his spiritual guide, and mentor Srila Bhaktivedanta Naryana Goswami. Some twenty years on, Prana has been resident in his teacher’s temples all over the world, particularly India, Australia, America, and Europe. Welcome then to the inspirational, engrossing, all-inclusive teachings of Prana Govinda Das.