Kenneth B Lifshitz

Born in Brooklyn, Ken attended Cornell University during the late sixties,--transferred to Ithaca College to study double bass while supporting himself as a professional musician. He joined the Merchant Marine as an officer after college and spent two years at sea aboard various merchant ships before returning to New York to earn an MA in Music Education from NYU. After moving upstate in 1989 to the family property, he began planting wine grapes while working as a computer programmer. After fierce battles with the Town and opposition from neighbors, he opened Silver Stream Winery in 2008 .

His abiding interest in the evolution of science and technology in the U.S. has produced works of non-fiction and fiction that attempt to explore the relationship between government and what is today called; 'big science'. Rather than presenting a dry recitation of facts upon which are superimposed or plastered two-dimensional portraits of the participants, the focus remains on the individuals and their motives,--so what emerges is a textured and thoughtful portrait of events that provides a fully contextualized insight into the subjects and individuals and the era in which they live and function.

Musical activities:

As a double bass player in the 1980s he appeared in Rock and Roll revival shows featuring Fabian and the Platters, on Cornell Radio Station WVBR 'Bound for Glory', performed live on air with Huey Lewis' acoustic trio Raw Meat, recorded soundtracks for PBS Specials, was production assistant for the Kool Jazz Festival 1984-85, appeared with Robert Merrill with Ithaca College Orchestra on ABC TV. Has played with, All-City Orchestra, SUNY OCCC Orchestra, Ridgewood Symphony Orchestra, American University Orchestra, Hunterdon Arts Orchestra, Essex County Summer Players Orchestra, and the New Sussex Symphony Orchestra.

Literary:

Non-Fiction:

"Donderburg's Pumpkin Vine"; a look at the defenses put into the Hudson River during the Revwar by Captain Thomas Machin

"Makers of the Telegraph", The story of the government funded Test Telegraph that was placed into operation in 1844 between Washington D.C. and Baltimore MD. that led to the creation of a nationwide telegraphic network.

Magazine articles on history that have appeared in : Orange County Historical Society Journal, Piano Technicians Guild Magazine, Minerals Magazine, Orange County Mineral Society Journal.

Lectured and did book signings. throughout New York state on the historical subjects covered in his books.

Fiction:

Set in the West of the post gold rush era, 'monoville', starts with the apparent suicide of the captain of the USCS Ewing a ship in U.S. Coastal Survey as they map the coastline of the West Coast. We follow the career of the ship's steward as he serial kills his way to transforming himself into noted West Coast philanthropist and recluse, James Lick. The second work, "Moon Over Mono" focuses on NASA astrobiologist, Elizabeth Machin, and her somewhat eccentric inventor/polymorph husband, Cadmis Feuerstool as he deals with the effects of the Radio Shack remote control multiverse, pseudo-AIDS the Mars Rock and a variety of Divine and Secular puppets impinging on their joint lives..

Essay/Memoir/Fanstasy:

"Down by my Vineyard" an unconventional memoir of the sixties and eighties that blends personal vignette with more essays on such farflung topics as: Amusement Parks, the Tunguska Meteorite , Ho Chi Minh in Africa, Brigantes, and various other subjects including an extended "fantasie" on the collaboration of Walt Disney, Russian filmmaker Serge Eisenstein, and Tennessee William on the production set for "The Night of the Iguana".

Screenplay/Plays:

"Torrents of Spring" is a screen treatment of Hemingway's first novel by the same name. Live read through of his work at CSC Theater on E. 13th Street in Manhattan.

Misc"

Perceptual Measurement. An investigation of the conceptual underpinnings of measurement paradigms employed in physics.

Ken currently resides in the Catskill Region of New York State with his Chihuahua, Jimmi (who apparently despises him for various undisclosed reasons).