I just read an article in the East Brunswick Sentinal that recounted an interview with Joseph Csatari.  Mr. Csatari worked with Normal Rockwell for nearly 20 years at the Boy Scouts of America.  When Norman Rockwell retired, Mr. Csatari took over as the official artist for the Boy Scouts of America.  The article was written to announce the release, this past October, of Norman Rockwell’s Boy Scouts of America book, which was created as part of the 2010 100th Anniversary celebration of the Boy Scouts of America.

The article explains that Mr. Csatari collaborated on the book with his son, Jeff.  The article goes on to recount a bit of the history of the making of the book as well as some history about Mr. Csatari’s work as the official artist with the Boy Scouts of America.  It’s a very interesting article and an indication that the book also will be a great acquisition.

I’ve always been a huge fan of Norman Rockwell and will be putting in my order for this book as soon as I finish publishing this post.  The book will be a win-win as I’m also a huge fan of the Boy Scouts of America, which I’ve been involved in for over 15 years, and where I am currently serving as Scoutmaster for Troop 708.  I’m truly looking forward to the 100th Anniversary of this great institution.  Did I also mention I’m a proud Eagle Scout?  If you are interested in more information about the Boy Scouts of America check out the National BSA website or the BSA Recruiting Zone website.

Yours in blogging and Scouting

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While I was looking up the poem that I know as “All Things Bright and Beautiful” but, in actuality, is titled “Maker of Heaven and Earth”, I found that there were more than just the four lines I know from my readings of the wonderful novels by James Herriot, whose real name is James Alfred Wight (1916-1995).  There actually are 24 additional lines to the poem, written by Cecil Frances Alexander (1818-1895).  The full poem, along with biographical and other information about Cecil Francis Alexander, can be found on poemhunter.com.

As for the four James Herriot novels I’m familiar with, each were named based upon the first four lines from the beginning of this poem.  If you have never read these books, you really must.  They are truly wonderful.  In fact, they were so popular that a BBC series was created based upon them.  The books follow the real life stories of James “Herriot”, a country veterinarian in England, as he began his practice, was interrupted by World War II, got married, had children….  They are full of humor and emotions and are captivating.  I read the books as a teenager and, more recently, I read a newer children’s book, James Herriot’s Treasury for Children, to my children.  The original novels are written chronologically through this vet’s life and don’t follow the poem’s order, so, here is the order in which to read them:

All Creatures Great and Small
All Things Bright and Beautiful
All Things Wise and Wonderful
The Lord God Made Them All