Season 2 of Sky TV's "Living The Dream" has finally aired and you can catch the antics of Herman Bloch IF you have Brit Box or some other way to watch Sky TV. I couldn't divulge the reason I was in Spain for a couple of months last year until now, but it was a wonderful experience and the privilege of returning to recreate Herman was more than I could have hoped for.
Many thanks to James Dean, our wonderful producer and frequent golf buddy for making it all happen. The cast was so great to work with--Phil (also a golf buddy) and Leslie really are a class act! And a special shout-out to Jane MacNeil who played my wife and was a good friend throughout the long and sometimes lonely days far away from home.(pictured right)
We shall see how things go, but another season in Spain wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, now would it?
New Music!
I've written songs off and on for most of my life. Sometimes in fits and starts; sometimes in a wave of output. I've recently had a good run with some different ideas running around in my head. Technology makes it so much easier than my earliest efforts with a 4 track cassette recorder. Listen by clicking on the song titles~
I narrated a number of very interesting books about the First World War this past year to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the Armistice. But this particular book was my favorite. The unquenchable agony of the Middle East was forged in the events that lies within the pages of this extensively researched book. If you want to return to the genesis of so much of what troubles that region today, look no further than this wonderful book. And be prepared to facepalm at the insane hubris of the Western powers and the mendacity of so many, many others.
I was honored to narrate several of Leon Uris' books recently. While never a favorite of the literati, he was a best-selling chronicler of many historical events, and he did it with accuracy and dramatic flair. I loved his books as a teen. Mila 18 is the compelling story of the Jewish Ghetto in Warsaw during WWII. My only request is that you learn about this tragic time in history in some way -- digest it in a history or take the dramatic novel route that Mila 18 provides and you will be the better for it.
Topaz is a spy thriller set against the backdrop of the Cuban Missile Crisis. It's just a lot of fun and there is indeed much to be learned as well from this aging beach read. Russian intrigue, nefarious dealings in early 60s--and yet, so little has changed. N'est pas? If you like a spy novel, you'll like Topaz.
This beautiful collection of stories about life in the ER will tug at your heart in unimaginable ways. I had to repeatedly stop and compose myself as the situations overwhelmed me time and again. I felt honored to bring these words to life. Here's what author Phil Green had to say about this Tantor recording:
David, I finally made it through your reading of Trauma Room Two. I could only listen to one story a day as many were loosely based off of real experiences I’ve had and to be honest didn’t exactly want to remember. But your readings were incredible. You nailed the cadence, the pacing, and most importantly the emotion of the stories, of the characters, and of the situations. You brought them to life in a way that gave me chills and to be honest left me almost overwhelmed with all the emotion of the original cases. So thank you. You are a true Artist with a capital A and I feel blessed that you and I together created something beautiful out of some really terrible situations. Best of luck, and thank you. -Phil Green
Read by David de Vries
Podcasts
New Business Mindset
A New Business Mindset -
Listen to my podcast conversation with Gareth J. Young on a variety of topics under the headline, "Healing the World Through Stories." Gareth and I got to know each other through another conversation at Theatrical Outfit after a performance of "Storefront Church." I've appeared on his show before and we enjoyed it so much, we decided to have another go.
