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Common Knowledge

Canonical name: Blanding, Don
Legal name: Blanding, Donald Benson
Birthdate: 1894-11-07
Date of death: 1957-06-09
Gender: male
Nationality: USA
Birthplace: Kingfisher, Oklahoma, USA
Place of death: Los Angeles, California, USA
Places of residence: Kingfisher, Oklahoma, USA
Lawton, Oklahoma, USA
Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
Los Angeles, California, USA
Education: The School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Occupations: artist
poet
Organizations: Canadian Army
United States Army

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Reviews

Today is here by Don Blanding

The poetry in the book alternates between goofy and overly serious, and often has the plodding earnestness of something you might find in Reader's Digest. That being said, this was popular stuff in the mid-1940s and while it might not be super literary, there is a definite appeal to Blanding's writing style. Today is Here shows how deeply WWII affected Blanding and many of the poems are reactions to the atmosphere of war. The drawings, on the other hand, are more consistently enjoyable than the poetry to a modern eye. Beautiful, crisp, black ink drawings -- some are of people but many (and the best) are nature scenes, some of which move into pleasing repeating patterns. The drawings really make the book something you want to own and return to.

[full review here: http://spacebeer.blogspot.com/2014/08/today-is-here-by-don-blanding-1946.html ]… (more)

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kristykay22 | Aug 4, 2014 |

Floridays by Don Blanding

An illustrated book of poetry about pre-WWII Florida. The drawings were sharp, striking, and two-toned orange and white. The poetry was often trite but there were some poems and phrases that struck a cord. Florida must have been an almost paradise for some back in the day before too many people and Disney.
Just re-read it and I have to agree w the above.

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JBreedlove | Jan 6, 2010 |

Hula moons by Don Blanding

One of the first books on travel to Hawaii. This book is unique in that it a glossary of Hawaiian terms [p.294-303], illustrations, Color Frontispiece andphotographs 1930's by photographer Max Long.

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smidler | Sep 21, 2009 |

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