Forum Home Forum Home > Progressive Music Lounges > Prog Music Lounge
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - Children's book called Gentle Giant Octopus
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login

Children's book called Gentle Giant Octopus
 Post Reply Post Reply
Author
Message
  Topic Search Topic Search  Topic Options Topic Options
Progfan97402 View Drop Down
Forum Groupie
Forum Groupie
Avatar

Joined: March 12 2010
Location: Veneta, Oregon
Status: Offline
Points: 59 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Progfan97402 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Children's book called Gentle Giant Octopus
    Posted: October 12 2017 at 22:34
There's a Canadian author named Karen Wallace. She published a children's book amusingly named Gentle Giant Octopus. I kid you not! Either it's a gigantic coincidence, or she happened to be aware of, or even a fan of Gentle Giant! This book is simply a children's book, most copies being bought by parents who never heard of Gentle Giant. There are reviews over at Amazon on the book, but all but one are from people who are completely unaware of the band or album and simply bought it for their children, but one review was joking around about the prog rock band and album, which I found amusing. I'd find it hard to believe Mrs. Wallace didn't name this after the band and album. I wonder how many progheads bought this book simply because of the rather obvious title? But the story had everything to do with a gentle giant octopus and not to do with the Gentle Giant album Octopus. Here's the book:
Back to Top
Matti View Drop Down
Prog Reviewer
Prog Reviewer
Avatar

Joined: April 15 2005
Location: Finland
Status: Offline
Points: 1082 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Matti Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 13 2017 at 04:29
Interesting! My guess is that the author at least knew the album. 
Illustrated by Mike Bostock. Perhaps a son of one Gerald Bostock, remember him? LOL 
Back to Top
Manuel View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: March 09 2007
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 2459 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Manuel Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 13 2017 at 04:37
I will definitely buy this book.
Back to Top
Icarium View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar
VIP Member

Joined: March 21 2008
Location: Tigerstaden
Status: Offline
Points: 28920 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Icarium Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 13 2017 at 08:13
good it was this and not Aquired the Taste, could produce a wrong image.
Back to Top
Michael P. Dawson View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: April 22 2016
Location: California
Status: Offline
Points: 197 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Michael P. Dawson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 13 2017 at 10:47
But is Mike Bostock related to Gerald?
Buy this thing!
https://store.cdbaby.com/Artist/MichaelPDawson
Back to Top
Progfan97402 View Drop Down
Forum Groupie
Forum Groupie
Avatar

Joined: March 12 2010
Location: Veneta, Oregon
Status: Offline
Points: 59 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Progfan97402 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 13 2017 at 12:16
A couple of entries up, Matti did state he was perhaps Gerald's son.
Back to Top
Logan View Drop Down
Forum & Site Admin Group
Forum & Site Admin Group
Avatar
Forum Moderator

Joined: April 05 2006
Location: Utopia
Status: Offline
Points: 15242 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Logan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 13 2017 at 12:31
The son of the fictitious character invented by Ian Anderson for Thick as a Brick?



Hmm, the plot thickens (not that I expect much plot in that children's book).

Hmm, I sort of see the resemblance of Gerald to Mike Bostock:
"The very powerful and the very stupid have one thing in common. They don’t alter their views to fit the facts. They alter the facts to fit the views" (Doctor Who - The Face of Evil, Jan 22, 1977).
Back to Top
David64T View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: January 19 2013
Location: South Australia
Status: Offline
Points: 308 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote David64T Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 16 2017 at 04:16
Originally posted by Progfan97402 Progfan97402 wrote:

I wonder how many progheads bought this book simply because of the rather obvious title?

Well, this particular proghead did, after finding it in a secondhand bookshop in Auckland and being gobsmacked by the title, the artwork and the fact there was no apparent link to the band.

The book came back with me to Australia from NZ (where obviously in my opinion it had been under-appreciated)... LOL


Edited by David64T - October 16 2017 at 04:17
Seasons Of Change - weekly programme on community radio: http://seasonsofchangeradio.blogspot.com.au/
Back to Top
verslibre View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: July 01 2004
Location: CA
Status: Online
Points: 4463 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote verslibre Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 18 2017 at 10:55
Originally posted by Icarium Icarium wrote:

good it was this and not Aquired the Taste, could produce a wrong image.

LOL
http://www.ebay.com/sch/musicosm/m.html?_ipg=50&_sop=1&_rdc=1
Back to Top
Isa View Drop Down
Prog Reviewer
Prog Reviewer
Avatar

Joined: February 26 2009
Location: California
Status: Offline
Points: 152 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Isa Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 18 2017 at 15:48
My wife and I just found out we're expecting, this is definitely on my list now!

Hopefully the author comes out with more books... maybe with a giant trapped in a glass house, or about a crimson king
The human heart longs for that which is true, good, and beautiful. This is why timeless music is never without these qualities.
Back to Top
AFlowerKingCrimson View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: October 02 2016
Location: US
Status: Offline
Points: 1851 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AFlowerKingCrimson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 18 2017 at 16:51
It could be a coincidence because the Octopus's nickname is the gentle giant of the sea. I always suspected that could have partly inspired the album title(as well as the fact that the album has eight songs(as in octo meaning 8). 

As a sidenote(and an unrelated one at that)Ringo Starr wrote a children's book called "Octopus's garden" based on his song of course.

Anyway, it's funny that some of you are going to buy this book just because of the title. LOL I hope at least some of you buy the Ringo book too. Tongue
Back to Top
bucka001 View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: November 16 2005
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 717 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote bucka001 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 20 2017 at 11:11
Originally posted by AFlowerKingCrimson AFlowerKingCrimson wrote:

It could be a coincidence because the Octopus's nickname is the gentle giant of the sea. I always suspected that could have partly inspired the album title(as well as the fact that the album has eight songs(as in octo meaning 8). 

I was going to say that it was too much of a coincidence and had to be a sly wink wink from the author, but I also didn't know that the nickname for an octopus is the 'gentle giant' of the sea. In that light, it probably is just a coincidence and the author wouldn't know who Gentle Giant is any more than the kids the book is aimed after.

Speaking of childrens books / prog connections, for years my wife worked for the American Library Association editing children's / young adult books and reviews. At one point there was a conference for ALA employees in Seattle my wife attended where a noted visiting YA author named Mal Peet would be honored. I knew I'd heard that name before but couldn't put my finger on it (and I'm hardly an expert on youth literature). Then it hit me (nerd that I am). On the original issue of VdGG's second album, "The Least We Can Do Is Wave To Each Other," a psychedelic poster was included with a write-up on the album from -- you guessed it -- Mal Peet. That album write-up was from '69, this dinner was probably 2007, several decades later. I told my wife she had to go up and introduce herself and let Mal know that I (her boyfriend at the time) wrote a book on VdGG. She didn't (too shy), but I did have it confirmed that it was the same guy (he was lifelong friends with VdGG drummer Guy Evans and wrote for Time Out at the time of writing the notes for The Least...)
jc
Back to Top
AFlowerKingCrimson View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: October 02 2016
Location: US
Status: Offline
Points: 1851 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AFlowerKingCrimson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 20 2017 at 12:25
Because I'm tall and not an arrogant jerk some guy referred to me once as a "gentle giant." However, he had never even heard of the band when I mentioned it to him.

Edited by AFlowerKingCrimson - October 20 2017 at 12:26
Back to Top
Matti View Drop Down
Prog Reviewer
Prog Reviewer
Avatar

Joined: April 15 2005
Location: Finland
Status: Offline
Points: 1082 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Matti Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 21 2017 at 00:39

Since the question whether the author knew the album or not is so interesting for us, there's a simple way of finding it out. Someone, preferably her countryman from Canada, could contact her (if possible) and ask.

 
PS. I found out how to contact her; now waiting for her answer!  Embarrassed


Edited by Matti - October 21 2017 at 02:00
Back to Top
Matti View Drop Down
Prog Reviewer
Prog Reviewer
Avatar

Joined: April 15 2005
Location: Finland
Status: Offline
Points: 1082 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Matti Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 21 2017 at 07:38
The mystery solved. Karen Wallace replied to my e-mail. "No, I had no idea there was a prog band called GENTLE GIANT and they made an album called Octopus in 1972. One of those strange coincidences!
all best wishes, Karen"

Back to Top
AFlowerKingCrimson View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: October 02 2016
Location: US
Status: Offline
Points: 1851 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AFlowerKingCrimson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 21 2017 at 11:09
Wow. It's interesting that she heard the term prog before though(unless she was just using it because you did). 

Anyway, that's kind of what I suspected. I'm sure many people who read the snow goose had no idea there was a prog band called Camel who put out an album out with the same name either. 


Edited by AFlowerKingCrimson - October 21 2017 at 11:10
Back to Top
Progfan97402 View Drop Down
Forum Groupie
Forum Groupie
Avatar

Joined: March 12 2010
Location: Veneta, Oregon
Status: Offline
Points: 59 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Progfan97402 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 21 2017 at 20:59
Originally posted by AFlowerKingCrimson AFlowerKingCrimson wrote:

Wow. It's interesting that she heard the term prog before though(unless she was just using it because you did). 

Anyway, that's kind of what I suspected. I'm sure many people who read the snow goose had no idea there was a prog band called Camel who put out an album out with the same name either. 


Same for Lord of the Rings, be it the book trilogy or the film trilogy. Most of the people reading the books or watching the movies never heard of Bo Hansson who released an album inspired by the trilogy called Lord of the Rings (or Sagan om Ringen if you're in Sweden). Just as I suspected of Karen Wallace, naming her book Gentle Giant Octopus was simply a coincidence. Funny how the book cover looked similar to the Roger Dean UK cover (the US cover to Gentle Giant's Octopus on Columbia featured a totally different cover, an octopus in a jar with shaped cover).
Back to Top
Frankh View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: September 14 2017
Location: Schenectady NY
Status: Offline
Points: 133 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Frankh Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 21 2017 at 23:41
Originally posted by Matti Matti wrote:

The mystery solved. Karen Wallace replied to my e-mail. "No, I had no idea there was a prog band called GENTLE GIANT and they made an album called Octopus in 1972. One of those strange coincidences!
all best wishes, Karen"



Now you must try the illustrator, Mr. Bostock who could be a huge freakin' Giant freakazoid.
Perhaps finding the happy medium is harder than we know.
Back to Top
peregrino View Drop Down
Forum Newbie
Forum Newbie
Avatar

Joined: November 03 2017
Location: Chile
Status: Offline
Points: 19 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote peregrino Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 03 2017 at 17:15
Just write to this mr. Bostock asking, "hey dude, I heard you're as thick as a brick. Is that true?"
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply
  Share Topic   

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 11.01
Copyright ©2001-2014 Web Wiz Ltd.

This page was generated in 0.672 seconds.