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Castle Haystack
As the sole survivor of a shipwreck centuries ago, Professor Eff Ceffsky awoke in a strange land. Taken in by the native people of the Northwest Pacific Coast, he learned about their culture and recorded his observations and insights in journals. When he was shown the boundary that the superstitious tribe would not cross, his curiosity was piqued, and he ventured into the unknown. Ceffsky discovered an enormous monolith and the remains of anadvanced ancient civilization. While exploring the structures, he documented his findings, along with detailed drawings. Lost for centuries, remains of those journals were found and meticulously restored. They are presented here in this study by historian Oscar Writenhous.
55 pages, Paperback
Published October 23, 2019
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
May 11, 2023
I was delighted to discover this gem of a picture book by local (to me) Oregon coast artist, the legendary William W. Steidel. My experience with 'lost document' type storybooks is that the text is often far inferior to the illustrations, but that's not the case here--the literary element of the tale far exceeds expectations!
The scholarly yet gripping prose contained in "Professor Ceffsky's" journals is pitch-perfect. It recounts the exciting story of his experiences as a shipwreck survivor making friends with the natives on the Oregon coast, (about two hundred years before Lewis and Clark's expedition). Following his recovery from injury and illness, and against the advice of his superstitious hosts, the professor becomes obsessed with exploring the ruins of a nearby lost, but advanced, civilization. The professor documents his discoveries in his detailed, but fragmentary, journal entries.
The book is very well-written, and Steidel masterfully conveys a strong sense of adventure. Furthermore, the professor's discovery, while exciting and containing some elements of mystery, is yet quite plausible and free of “woo-woo” tropes such as alien technology or powerful crystals.
It's a quick read that can likely be finished in one sitting by middle-schoolers and up, and it goes without saying (but I'll say it anyway) that the illustrations are exquisite! It certainly belongs in the library of anyone who appreciates tales of adventure and discovery. Happily recommended!
The scholarly yet gripping prose contained in "Professor Ceffsky's" journals is pitch-perfect. It recounts the exciting story of his experiences as a shipwreck survivor making friends with the natives on the Oregon coast, (about two hundred years before Lewis and Clark's expedition). Following his recovery from injury and illness, and against the advice of his superstitious hosts, the professor becomes obsessed with exploring the ruins of a nearby lost, but advanced, civilization. The professor documents his discoveries in his detailed, but fragmentary, journal entries.
The book is very well-written, and Steidel masterfully conveys a strong sense of adventure. Furthermore, the professor's discovery, while exciting and containing some elements of mystery, is yet quite plausible and free of “woo-woo” tropes such as alien technology or powerful crystals.
It's a quick read that can likely be finished in one sitting by middle-schoolers and up, and it goes without saying (but I'll say it anyway) that the illustrations are exquisite! It certainly belongs in the library of anyone who appreciates tales of adventure and discovery. Happily recommended!
Displaying 1 of 1 review