Dictators, Tyrants and Other Harsh Rulers
Sing Along with Khrushchev Coloring Book
A few days ago, Paul posted about a Khrushchev coloring book authored by Jack Davis. Another Khrushchev coloring book was created in 1962 by the Hungarian cartoonist Victor Vashi with text by Ilona Fabian.I haven’t been able to find any photos or scans of it online. And according to Worldcat, it’s only held by two US libraries. So, it’s extremely obscure. However, its existence establishes Khrushchev coloring books as a tiny, but existing literary genre.
Knoxville News Sentinel - Jan 20, 1963
Some selections from the text ran in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Apr 18, 1963):
Posted By: Alex - Wed Feb 12, 2020 -
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Category: Art, Dictators, Tyrants and Other Harsh Rulers, Politics, Books, 1960s
Khrushchev’s Top Secret Coloring Book
Finally, some artwork that might amuse the Soviet dictator, from the great Jack Davis.Buy your copy through the link below.
Posted By: Paul - Thu Jan 30, 2020 -
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Category: Art, Dictators, Tyrants and Other Harsh Rulers, Books, 1960s
Gaddafi: A Living Myth
With Libya in the news, perhaps it's time to revisit Gaddafi: A Living Myth, the 2006 opera that was billed as an "all singing, all dancing, free-spirited version of the Dictator's life."
Here's a catalog of contemporary reactions.
Speaking before the September premiere of his new commission, Gaddafi: A Living Myth, English National Opera artistic director John Berry averred that it could "redefine opera".
The piece, written by members of Asian Dub Foundation, was billed in advance as a venture of extraordinary audacity, addressing contemporary politics in music that would set our old friend the Classical Music Establishment by its ears.
Some of us had doubts long before the premiere. In December 2005, writing in this paper about the state of affairs at English National Opera, I said: "A commissioned opera from Asian Dub Foundation has had to be put off - and it's not hard to guess why."
When it was finally unveiled, there was not much pleasure to be had from seeing this gloomy prognostication confirmed.
The critics did their worst: "Cliche and bombast ... "repetitive and incoherent ... laughably wooden" ... "as cynical as Simon Cowell" ... "embarrassingly redolent of sixth-form earnestness" ... "long stretches of jaw-dropping banality" ... "risible moments that look and sound like a Middle Eastern version of Springtime For Hitler". Worst of all, almost every review used the word "brave".
Alas, I cannot find a video of the actual production. Here are two of the creators discussing it.
Posted By: Paul - Thu Jan 23, 2020 -
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Category: Bombast, Bloviation and Pretentiousness, Crowds, Groups, Mobs and Other Mass Movements, Dictators, Tyrants and Other Harsh Rulers, Music, Avant Garde, Twentieth Century, Twenty-first Century, Cacophony, Dissonance, White Noise and Other Sonic Assaults
Follies of the Madmen #448
Kills germs with dictatorial efficiency!
Posted By: Paul - Wed Oct 16, 2019 -
Comments (2)
Category: Business, Advertising, Dictators, Tyrants and Other Harsh Rulers, Hygiene, Stereotypes and Cliches, 1960s
Bugsy Siegel and Atomite
One of the mobster's lesser-known rackets.Source of text.
Di Frasso and Siegel pictured below the text.
Posted By: Paul - Sat Dec 01, 2018 -
Comments (1)
Category: Crime, Dictators, Tyrants and Other Harsh Rulers, Frauds, Cons and Scams, 1930s, Europe, Weapons
Mongolian Box Prison
Source of photo.
Source of drawing.
Posted By: Paul - Thu Jan 04, 2018 -
Comments (7)
Category: Crime, Death, Dictators, Tyrants and Other Harsh Rulers, Prisons, 1910s, Asia
Queen Angelita
Modern dictators just don't have the style and panache of olden tyrants. At an international exposition in his country in 1956, Rafael Trujillo crowned his 16-year-old daughter as "Queen Angelita," and gave her a court of 150 ladies-in-waiting.
Posted By: Paul - Wed Dec 20, 2017 -
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Category: Ceremonies, Dictators, Tyrants and Other Harsh Rulers, Teenagers, 1950s, Caribbean
The Empire of the Sahara
In June 1903 a French sugar millionaire, one Jacques Lebaudy, a dapper little man with a sharp nose and a shrill high-pitched voice who was said to have a personal fortune of some pounds 3m, recruited a dozen Breton sailors and landed them on the coast of Spanish Morocco, commanding them to go forth and establish an empire. Lebaudy then informed the French authorities that he was henceforth to be addressed as Jacques I, Najin-al-Den, Emperor of the Sahara, Commander of the Faithful, King of Tarfaia, Duke of Arleuf and Prince of Chal-Huin.
Full account here, including his inglorious death.
Wikipedia entry here.
Posted By: Paul - Fri May 12, 2017 -
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Category: Bombast, Bloviation and Pretentiousness, Dictators, Tyrants and Other Harsh Rulers, Eccentrics, 1900s, Africa, Europe
Hitler the Snowman
Adolf Hitler snowman created by Tokyo children, January 1937.At the time, Nazi Germany and the Empire of Japan had recently become allies, with the signing of the Anti-Comintern Pact.
Source: Newsweek - Jan 23, 1937
Posted By: Alex - Mon Apr 04, 2016 -
Comments (7)
Category: Dictators, Tyrants and Other Harsh Rulers, Children, 1930s
Hitler Is Alive!
In its heyday, THE POLICE GAZETTE was a goldmine of weird news. It was recently revived by Steven Westlake, son of the famous crime novelist Donald Westlake, and he has now compiled a book of the best Hitler articles from the magazine. Looks like a winner!
Posted By: Paul - Mon Feb 22, 2016 -
Comments (3)
Category: Dictators, Tyrants and Other Harsh Rulers, Hoaxes and Imposters and Imitators, Magazines, Europe, Nineteenth Century, Twentieth Century
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| Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Contact Us |