The Ardent Reader
One woman's quest to become a better person in all ways through reading.
Tuesday, December 20, 2022
Book 209: Catch Me If You Can by Frank W. Abagnale
Saturday, September 18, 2021
Book 208: You Perfect, Broken Thing by C.L. Clark (Levar Burton Reads Podcast Episode # 106 (August 3, 2021)
This short story knocked my socks off. Levar Burton chose "You Perfect, Broken Thing" for the 106th episode of his "Levar Burton Reads" podcast which I follow pretty closely. I had to include it.
C.L. Clark is a master at bringing the feelings of both despair and joy and showing that they truly can exist together. As far as I can tell, her story was published with Uncanny Magazine. You can read that version here: https://uncannymagazine.com/article/you-perfect-broken-thing/
The author paints a gorgeous story about an athlete who must push herself to the brink to save her family. Training and competing isn't about winning some trophy or a gold medal. In this world, training and competing translates to saving your family's lives.
I was stunned at how much depth a short story could hold. I've shared this story with at least two friends, and one was in tears, like I was. For me, Levar Burton's voice lent itself to the beauty of the story (he's been a favorite of mine since childhood) and brought the themes home for me. I was enraptured at the love portrayed in this story and the sacrifices made for that love. Without ruining the ending for you, I will only tell you that it was an enormous surprise.
I encourage you to check out the "Levar Burton Reads" podcast on whatever platform you use to subscribe to podcasts. And check out this particular episode, which aired August 3, 2021.
Much love, LB!!! :)
Friday, September 17, 2021
Book 207: The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
This book made me laugh out loud. At the present moment, books that make me laugh out loud are something I appreciate.
Don's life is compartmentalized, neat, and bland. He looks at life in such a utilitarian way that he's just moving through the motions from one day to the next. He embarks on a project he's convinced will help him find the love of his life (and, he thinks, a wife). Unfortunately, he's a little light on experience with women, and the whole thing goes sideways.
When Rosie enters Don's life, he begins to learn why his project is a lost cause. But through the process, Don learns what is really missing from his life. I won't ruin the ending for you, but I can tell you that you'll enjoy getting there.
On a deeper level, this book taught me something about "the best laid plans" that we all try so hard to put into place. As humans living in reality, we're actually totally and hilariously underprepared for this task, and Simsion puts all of our shortfalls on display in this lovely little book. Plan your heart out, he seems to be saying, But enjoying the ride is just as important as where you wind up.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I read it in two days (a feat for me at this time of my life) and I bought a copy for my permanent collection. I hope you love it as much as I did.
So, you write a book blog, but you haven't blogged about any books lately?
Yes. I'm sorry.
I have been reading a lot of very specific, emotionally charged books that have been pertinent to the current state of affairs within my life.
Sure, I see analytics with Blogger, but I never know who is going to be reading this blog or its posts.
So I'm careful about what I post, because I care about my privacy, and the privacy of my loved ones.
That being said, I have been dabbling more in the "non-emotional category" of late - fiction and nonfiction alike - and I kept notes.
I'm going to do my best here to post more often.
Rest assured, I am still The Ardent Reader, with piles of books all over my house, a library hold list a mile long, and an Amazon wish list that never seems to stop growing.
Thank you for reading.
Sunday, August 9, 2020
Book 206: The People of the Abyss by Jack London
Saturday, August 1, 2020
Book 205: Retrograde by Peter Cawdron
Well, Retrograde is the exception, perhaps because it is actually half sci-fi and half mystery. One chapter in, I was hooked. It was imaginative, other-worldly, and had a lot of solid research behind it. Mars is inhospitable for most creatures. However, it seems it is the perfect place for inorganic life forms to thrive.
At first, this book confused me. Then I realized the author was playing games with my head. He gave me tidbits of information at the same time the main character was getting them. While she was trying to make sense of her situation, I was along for the ride. I took every wrong turn with her, until she was able to determine the source of the problem. A male author, Cawdron wrote Retrograde in female-first-person-narrative, which is not something I've come across very often.
I'd die before giving you Peter Cawdron's secret, so you'll have to read this gem for yourself. If you're confused, it's because the author wants you to be confused. Hang on, push on through it, and you'll see that it's all worthwhile.
Wednesday, July 29, 2020
Book 204: The Likely Resolutions of Oliver Clock by Jane Riley
Oliver Clock is a sweet, gentle, middle-aged man with an overbearing mother and a family business to run. He is a funeral director, and a darn good one at that. Everything is going swimmingly, until it's not. Beyond his own grief, he finds a new direction for his business (among other things) and is no longer the same man we meet in the beginning of the book.
This is the first I've read of Jane Riley's books, and I hope it isn't the last. Her writing is excellent, and I especially appreciate her skill at forging descriptions of people and settings. I felt as if I could step right into Oliver Clock's funeral parlor. Even the smells were poignant - I don't think I've encountered a book that challenged my own olfactory memory in such a way.
I loved this book, and Jane Riley, you are a gem.
Saturday, July 25, 2020
Book 203: Permanent Record by Edward Snowden
On the flip side, the intelligence community gave this young man (he is now 37 years old) access to top secret systems while he was a contractor. He may have been brilliant, but he was wholly blinded to the ramifications of his actions, as many of us are when we are young. I'm not making excuses for his actions. I'm saying we've all been there. (Perhaps not at his level - Snowden is the Michael Jordan of Screwups.)
I had read about Snowden in the news but didn't understand the gravity of his sins against the government until I saw the movie Snowden with Joseph Gordon Levitt, which was released in 2016. And then, like you, I got chills up and down my spine, and wanted to delete my Facebook and Twitter accounts. Like, yesterday.
Whichever side of the issue you're on, this book will alter your perspective. I'll leave you to come to your own conclusions, but here are my thoughts. First of all, Snowden's wife (Lindsay) should be nominated for sainthood. Second, Snowden has been through a lot, but he still hasn't learned his lesson. I was left conflicted. It seemed he wanted forgiveness, but he did not want to apologize that by satisfying the needs of his own moral compass, he put former colleagues in harm's way.
I'm still very conflicted on Snowden's actions, but I think his book was important and well-written. Pick this up if you want to be as conflicted as I am!
Tuesday, July 21, 2020
Book 202: Five Days at Memorial: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital by Sheri Fink
Friday, July 17, 2020
Book 201: Less by Andrew Sean Greer
- I felt so close to the character in his bumbling yet determined exploration of the world to find himself.
- Nothing could have surprised me more than the twist at the end of the book. (For all of you "reverse readers" out there, do NOT read this book backwards. But DO read it twice.)
The story of Arthur Less and his extraordinarily bad search for meaning through world travel is one that will leave you teary-eyed. You might be crying because you're laughing so hard, but it could also be because he is so desperately naive and sweet that you want to reach out and hug him.
I'm not totally sure that Greer was doing this on purpose, but I felt that Less was written to show all of us that we are not in control of anything within our lives. Life is total chaos. Sometimes that chaos works out to our benefit, sometimes it embarrasses us so badly we want to crawl into a hole and die.
Whatever its intent, Less is a hell of a book, and one I would highly recommend.
Hiatus: OVER.
Monday, July 15, 2019
Book 200: A Beautiful Work in Progress by Mirna Valerio
For my 200th book, I'm featuring A Beautiful Work in Progress, a book about a woman that doesn't give a rat's ass that she is technically obese. She is a mother. She is a writer. She is a teacher. She is African American. And she is an accomplished marathoner.
Mirna Valerio does not play. She trains every day and has run everything from a plain old 5K to an ultramarathon (anything over 26.2 miles). She is known as "The Mirnavator" on the trails and among her social media followers.
Although there were many wonderful stories within this memoir, the chapter that is most memorable is the one in which she paid homage to her own body. Mirna talks about each feature of her body and how each contributes to her success on the trail. I think I was so taken with this chapter because most women just hate their bodies, even those who have perfect ones. After reading this chapter, I had a serious conversation with myself about how I feel about my body.
As women, we need to support one another and stop beating ourselves up. This book changed my life. I encourage you to pick up a copy, especially if you are a woman. The Mirnavator is inspiring. She is on Instagram and shares many aspects of her life as a marathon runner. Go to https://www.instagram.com/themirnavator/.
Monday, July 1, 2019
Book 199: Hiroshima by John Hersey
On August 6, 1945, the United States dropped the atomic bomb on both Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. These bombings, a few days apart, absolutely leveled both islands. This book features several true accounts of people who - against all odds - survived the Hiroshima bombing.
I still don't know how anyone could have survived such a disaster, but they did. One man happened to be caught under a mattress when the house around him was obliterated, collapsing on top of him. He and many of his neighbors wandered around, stunned, while trying to figure out what in the world happened. They tried to help other survivors, but some were too far gone. The author, John Hersey, described their catastrophic injuries in detail. Nothing can prepare you for these graphic details.
I have read quite a few books about the U.S. war with Japan, including accounts of American prisoners of war, who were held in deplorable conditions and tortured. After reading Hiroshima, I am more convinced than ever that war is horrible for all involved, and that people do awful things to each other for reasons I will never understand. War is tragedy. No one really wins.
This was a short book that I read in a weekend, and I'd recommend it, if you think you can handle the really gory parts. It's not a horror novel, it's real life, and it really happened.
Wednesday, December 26, 2018
Book 198: Born Survivors by Wendy Holden
Mauthausen was one of the many camps that were liberated by the Americans once Germany surrendered at the end of World War II. It was in Austria, near the Danube River, and housed many Polish and Czechoslovakian citizens, the majority of whom were Jewish. Among those imprisoned in Mauthausen were three pregnant women whose lives were shattered by the Nazi occupation of their home countries.
Born Survivors contains three miraculous stories - those of Rachel, Anka, and Priska - who somehow became pregnant (by their husbands, of course) and carried their babies to term while imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp. These three women knew nothing of each other but shared identical [unfathomably horrible] living situations on other sides of the camps. They gave birth within days of each other to the youngest living concentration camp survivors: Eva Clarke, Hana Berger Moran, and Mark Olsky, who reunited years later and told their stories to author Wendy Holden.
You know how movie critics give pat reviews for movies they feel good about? This is not one of those reviews. When I say this book was a TRIUMPH, I mean it. Wendy Holden somehow assembled the three mothers' stories, the stories of their children, and each family's histories and facts related to their incarceration, and their families' deaths. I was in awe of her ability to recant each woman's story individually and then tie them all together at the end. I was simultaneously in awe of the women's ability to survive such dire circumstances and the biological and spiritual resolve to carry their children to term, deliver them into the world, and see to it that they all survived despite the brutality of their Nazi captors. Further, I was in awe of how these babies became aware of each other through the common connection of the soldiers of the U.S. Army's 11th Armored Division, their liberators.
Here's an article that discusses the reunion of the three "babies" of Mauthausen and the fascinating instantaneous bond they all shared upon meeting each other.
I came away from this book with a deeper appreciation of the resilience of the human spirit and the interconnected and interdependent nature of life itself. I hope you will pick up Born Survivors - it will change you.
Wednesday, December 19, 2018
Book 197: Paper: Paging Through History by Mark Kurlansky (Audiobook read by Andrew Garman)
Despite the almost complete bore fest, there were a few tidbits hidden within the pages of this book that had to deal with watercolors, which is one of my interests. (Read this article on Medium.) Through Paper: Paging Through History, I learned that watercolors were used for a long time in other countries (Japan, China) and finally "adopted" by British artist Turner, who made watercolor a more widely accepted art form. (Professional grade watercolor paper is usually made made of cotton, not wood, because it absorbs the water and leaves the pigment behind.)
I also learned about xuan paper, which is made from the bark of blue sandalwood in China, and it takes two years to prepare the raw materials to make the paper. Part of the process is laying the materials out on a hillside for months at a time and turning them periodically. (Professional watercolorists use double xuan, which is more absorbent than the single ply version.) Of course, I immediately had to find a xuan paper maker that would ship to Delaware. For $55 a sheet, I could have my very own xuan paper. Ummmm....
One more fairly interesting thing was that paper was initially made from rags, like the kind you might have sitting in your basement waiting to be used for dirty work - ripped up tee shirts and the like. There were people who went around collecting rags for paper mills, which cooked down materials until they were basically sludge and then put them into trays to dry to make paper. The idea of using wood fibers to make paper wasn't introduced to the western world until the late 1800s. In the U.S., the first operating paper mill was in my hometown of Philadelphia, near where I grew up. And they routinely ran out of rags and had to reach out to housewives to get them to save their rags to make paper.
Not every learning experience is a pleasant one, I suppose. Kurlansky's book was like that for me.
Monday, November 12, 2018
Book 196: The Long Shadow by Celia Fremlin
Imogen, the main character of this story, has lost her husband. She's been trying to put the pieces of her life together ever since he died so that she could move on. She's been in sort of a funk, and some guy keeps accusing her of having something to do with her husband's death.
All of a sudden, her family - her husband's stepchildren, their families, and even one of her husband's ex-wives - descend upon Imogen's home to keep her company during the Christmas holiday. Just as suddenly, odd things begin to happen around the house that make her question her own sanity and analyze the relationship she had with her husband. Who was he, really? What did she really know about him? The truth eventually comes out.
This book is full of surprises. Just when I thought I understood what was happening, Fremlin would open another door with her writing that I didn't even know was there.
I'm not going to tell you the conclusion, but I will say that if you love a good mystery, this is a great book to dig into!
And thank you, Joanna Lee of Faber & Faber, for the opportunity to contribute to the blog tour!
Hugs,
Es
Saturday, October 6, 2018
Book 195: A Case of Need by Michael Crichton
The book was a quick read, but a good one. It is the story of a pathologist (someone who figures out what kind of illness or cancer or infection a patient has based on evidence) that finds out that a colleague has been arrested on charges of performing an illegal abortion... because the patient died of a hemorrhage. He knows his colleague is innocent of the charges and decides to stretch the boundaries of his job description a bit to solve a murder and clear his friend's name.
I am the Ardent Reader, and I am very fussy about the books I read. I start and put down more than I finish, just because I know life is short and my bookshelf is stuffed with books I must finish before I die. I tell you this because I don't often find books that are as intense and engaging as this one - and it hooked me from the very first page. I don't want to spoil the book for you, but I'll tell you one thing: it definitely had momentum... and a ton of twists. And, like most Michael Crichton books, A Case of Need was filled with all kinds of real science, so I learned a thing or two along the way.
There were some hints here and there that the story was not set in today's modern healthcare setting. For one, the doctors all smoked inside and stowed flasks in their desk drawers. Abortion was also illegal in this book, so I knew it had to be set sometime before Roe v. Wade. In fact, Crichton wrote this book in 1969, which I didn't find out until the end.
A Case of Need was available on Amazon Prime Reading, so I borrowed it for nothing! I hope you'll put it on your list of books to read. I found it fascinating.
Friday, September 28, 2018
Book 194: Fascism: A Warning by Madeline Albright (Audiobook read by author)
Friday, August 17, 2018
Book 193: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
I picked up this book from the Gutenberg Project, which allows you to download free e-books (here's the link for this one). I never knew the details of Douglass's early life. From birth, his entire life was impacted by slavery. I was disheartened to learn of his early separation from his mother which was orchestrated for one reason: to destroy the mother-child bond before it could begin.
The cruelty described within this short little book will surprise you. Though most of us are familiar with some of the horrors of slavery, Douglass describes some I've never heard before. I now understand the hardness and resolve in his eyes that is captured in not one but all of the photos I've ever seen of him.
I was quite surprised by the conclusion of this book, in which Douglass describes the profound cruelty of the "pious slave owner" who professes faith in Christ and then uses his religion to cover the most heinous crimes.
I think this book should be required reading for every American.
Monday, August 13, 2018
Book 192: Quackery: A Brief History of the Worst Ways to Cure Everything by Lydia Kang, MD, and Nate Pederson
Quackery is a list of certifiably ridiculous "solutions" that were concocted by their creators to heal people. In some cases, the quacks themselves believed in their cures, and in other cases, they knowingly defrauded their own patients.
The authors of this book are so, so snarky. I enjoyed the little remarks here and there that just brought the insanity of the "cures" home for the modern reader. I liked the photographs, too, although they probably would have shown up a lot better in the printed version of the book. (I had it on my Kindle Paperwhite.)
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I think you would, too.
Thursday, August 9, 2018
Book 191: The Shape of Water by Guillermo Del Toro and Daniel Kraus (Audio book)
This book is unique, because its author was also the director of the movie. Guillermo Del Toro - who made the most disturbing movie I've ever seen (Pan's Labrynth) - has created a book that is engaging on so many levels.
In the book, some of the characters are more well cultivated in the book than they were in the movie. Some characters are more interconnected than I originally thought, and at least two did not exist at all in the movie but appeared prominently and were in fact instrumental to the story in the book.
The story of the Gill God, Eliza, Giles, Zelda, and Strickland and his wife Elaine is an incredible one. It begins in the jungle and ends in Baltimore sometime in the 1960s. On their regular rounds as custodians for a scientific research facility, Eliza and Zelda encounter an amazing creature being held captive in a lab. When Eliza - who is mute - discovers that she can communicate with the creature, they become inseparable. The story that unfolds is one of courage, strength, and resilience in the face of overwhelming odds.
I hope you'll pick up this book because it was worth reading, even after seeing the movie and having a preconceived notion of what things looked, felt, and sounded like.
Monday, August 6, 2018
Book 190: The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen (Audiobook)
It started out a little bit slow... but in no time I was hooked on the story so cleverly assembled by the authors. Every time I had to get out of the car, I was upset that I didn't have more time to listen.
The Wife Between Us is the story of two women who fall in love with the same man. Their stories are interwoven in such a way that it's almost impossible to tell them apart. And when the surprises come, they aren't just surprises... they're thrills... the kind that give you goosebumps when you realize you've been wrong all along.
I can't tell you much more without blowing the big secrets in the book, but the themes are clear. Abuse comes in many forms. Perception is everything. And people who will lie about the little things will lie about big things.
Definitely, definitely, definitely pick this up and read it. And pay attention.
Saturday, July 21, 2018
Book 189: Origin by Dan Brown (Audiobook)
I really like Dan Brown for his original stories and the fascinating way he weaves together fact and fiction. Origin didn't disappoint at all in that aspect. In fact, I can't imagine how much research Brown had to conduct to create the story lines of Origin and his previous books.
Where I feel he falls short, though, is in the dialogue. The main character, Robert Langdon, is the same professor that unraveled the mysteries in the books cited above. In those books and in Origin, when Professor Langdon explains something to another character, it's almost like he's reading the information out of a textbook. For me, the dialogue makes the exchanges feel disingenuous.
Other than that one small thing, Origin was a fascinating read. I loved the characters and plot twists. Like The DaVinci Code, Origin makes you question what you thought you knew about the world around you. Brown uses his characters to hypothesize about Earth's beginnings and the future of humanity. I was absolutely fascinated.
Monday, June 4, 2018
Book 188: Eaters of the Dead by Michael Crichton (Audiobook)
Eaters of the Dead was my first introduction to - well - anything Norse. It's part fiction, part fable, and it's a pretty entertaining book. The audio version - read by one of my favorite narrators, Simon Vance, is awesome.
It's the story of Ibn Fadlan, who was a scholar and a traveler in the tenth century. He's one of the writers that captured the state of the Norsemen and their tribes in historical accounts. He was an outsider, which made his observations on their rituals and behavior all the more poignant.
Ibn Fadlan was sent by the caliph of Baghdad to deliver a message to king in a faraway land. During his travels he was united with the Vikings and kept a firsthand account of his interactions with them. He discussed the way they ate to the way they copulated and everything in between. Anyone who is fussy about their own cleanliness will enjoy this book, as Ibn Fadlan is truly disgusted many times over in this book. I laughed a few times at his reaction to certain standard Viking practices. He also emerges from the experience a different, more resilient person.
The Eaters of the Dead contains a theory that the "monsters" discussed in Ibn Fedlan's account could actually be the last remaining Neanderthals. I hadn't heard of this theory before. Since we don't know for sure, I sort of feel like, "Well, why not?"
I really liked this book and I'd listen to it again in an instant.
Saturday, June 2, 2018
Taking the Plunge from Being Employed to Starting Your Own Gig by Mohamed Adel (Guest Blogger)
Perhaps I should write about my fascination with world cultures and my passion for snail mail in this age of technology as a means to connect with people from different backgrounds living thousands of miles away? Should I write about connecting with people who might be different from our norms and our beliefs and convictions? Or should I write about understanding and accepting those who are different to us? Or conflict resolution in our communities and in the wider world?
Instead I decided to settle on writing about entrepreneurship, that glorified and feared word. I wanted to write not the regular everyday PR talk you find in magazines and on websites, but share honest straightforward advice from everyday entrepreneurs and business people who experienced both success and failure.
I came from a long family of employees. My mother was a teacher and father was a military officer.
After completing a degree in Pharmaceutical sciences, and contrary to their advice, I passed on taking a comfortable government job or choosing a career in academia.
I chose to work in retail, sales, and marketing to develop the most important skills to transition from being employed to hanging out my shingle. But taking the plunge isn’t everyone`s game and it isn’t for the faint-hearted.
Over the years I have probably talked to hundreds of entrepreneurs, friends, contacts, and acquaintances, and took paid and free consulting and freelance gigs to be close to founders and entrepreneurs to experience the action first hand and observe their attitude. I asked them questions, seeking advice, trying to analyze their actions and attitude. I loved to listen their insights on various matters from sales, managing human resources, life goals, success to macroeconomy.
I agreed and disagreed with their opinions, but learned some valuable lessons. I will try to summarize some of those lessons to you:
- It is true what they say, you can’t “over plan.” Economy changes, situations change, forecasts in many instances turn unrealistic. But planning makes you prepared. Ready for the unexpected. Like armies when conducting war games to maximize preparation. And don’t forget to write everything down
- It all starts with a dream, a decision, and setting your goals, then keeping an eye on the ball, and committing to those goals. The situation might change, and your plans and strategy need to change, but not the essence of your goals.
- Surround yourself with like-minded people - those who took the plunge before you. Learn from them, ask questions, listen to their chatter, discuss business with them, seek advice. This will help you to sleep, breath and live your dream.
- A good idea, a plan, experience, commitment and consistency and right attitude is the equation to building a successful business.
- Failure and committing mistakes is a part of the game. Even most seasoned business people fail sometimes. But their experience, knowledge and acumen developed over years of trying lead them to success. Don`t let your fear of failure and the uncertainty take control of your life.
- Don`t believe all what you read, hear. Analyze, examine, reflect, and filter all advice you get.
- All those business leaders we hear about in the TV and read about in business magazines aren’t flawless. They have biases, anxieties, and they commit mistakes on daily basis.
- Growing up in a rich family, or a family of business owners and entrepreneurs really helps, but it is not mandatory for success.
- You don’t learn starting successful businesses in classrooms, you learn it in the battlefield, in the market.
Mohamed Adel is a healthcare sales and marketing professional and pharmacist by education. In 2004, he moved from his home country, Egypt, to Dubai, UAE, where he currently lives and works. He is a snail mail enthusiast and is interested in travel, art, eastern European classical music, entrepreneurship, current affairs, and conflict resolution.
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This blog post was curated and/or edited by The Ardent Reader, Esther Hofknecht Curtis, BSOL, MSM-HCA. The views expressed in this blog post are those of the guest blogger. Visit Esther's page at www.parrotcontent.com for more information
Friday, June 1, 2018
Writing is Not a Career by Michael Dickel (Guest Blogger)
She said that choosing to write was “choosing to not have a career.” I recall her message being that writers did more than the word “career” entails, that being a writer was more than a job, perhaps more like choosing to have many careers.
You might say, it’s a calling.
She also gently critiqued my “poems.” I was a bit disappointed to find out that I hadn’t actually chosen my career yet, but more disappointed that my poems were not brilliant enough to send to The New Yorker immediately.
Yet, I persisted with my writing.
On paper, I could fool you into thinking I’ve had a career. However, the details reveal a wandering path of switchbacks, valleys, hills—of turns taken and ignored.
Here are some of the jobs I had from University undergraduate studies until returning to graduate school a decade later: warehouse order-packer, delivery person, retail home-improvement sales, overnight counselor, counselor, child-care worker, social worker case aid, and mental health worker…
All of that time, I wrote.
I wrote poetry. I wrote short stories. I attempted songs. I tried a novel. But no editor published any of it—until 1987, just before entering a creative writing program.
The truth is, I have always been a writer. The first poem that I remember is from 3rd or 4th grade. I also remember one from 6th grade. Third grade was about 55 years ago. And I revised a poem this morning.
So, I have been writing my whole life.
Occasionally, I have been paid to write or edit. While in graduate school and since, for (not much) money, I have: edited a book review section of the University student paper, written grants, written book reviews and interviews, and researched and written scripts for documentary films. I have even written website content and social media posts.
However, I also have: designed databases, provided technical assistance, and worked as a handyman.
I have not yet made a living by writing. Probably this is because I mostly write literary genres—poetry, flash fiction, short stories, occasional essays. No one has offered to give me a salary for any of it. Even my books provide negligible income.
Yet, I persist as a writer.
Most people who know me or look over my CV might think that I’ve had a career in academia. After all, I have worked in academia for over 30 years. It has not been a career, though—I did not write critical articles that an academic literature career requires, and I have never held a tenure-track job.
Mostly, I have had some form of renewable contract work that was not quite adjunct. A lot of it has been teaching composition, most of it administering writing centers. Directing writing centers is the closest to a “career” for me—I started in the 1990s, as a graduate student, and continued through 2006. I published articles related to writing centers and learning centers. I was active in professional organizations and helped organize conferences.
All of that, though, was for my job.
In 2007, I left the United States for Israel, where I now live. I have taught here most of the time since—as an adjunct, mostly teaching English as a foreign language. My writing has taken off in this time. Although The New Yorker still has not published any of my poems, every year or two I send them a few.
Still, most of my books were published since I moved.
I won some awards (with cash prizes), edited (without pay) some nice journals, and have immersed in the life of a writer. As I look to the possibility of signing up for Social Security and moving my job situation from employment toward semi-retirement, I realize that I have not had a writing career.
But, I have had a writing life.
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Michael Dickel’s writing and art appear in print and online. His poetry has won international awards and been translated into several languages. Breakfast at the End of Capitalism came out in 2017, The Palm Reading after The Toad’s Garden, in 2016. Previous books include: War Surrounds Us, Midwest / Mid-East, and The World Behind It, Chaos… He co-edited Voices Israel Volume 36, was managing editor for arc-23 and 24, and is a past-chair of the Israel Association of Writers in English. He is a contributing editor of The BeZine (TheBeZine.com). With Israeli producer/director David Fisher, he received a U.S.A. National Endowment of the Humanities documentary-film development grant through their Bridging Cultures program.
BLOGZINE: https://MichaelDickel.info
SOCIAL MEDIA:
Twitter @MYDekel469
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/michael.dekel
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeldickel/
Academia.edu: https://independentscholar.academia.edu/MichaelDickel
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mydekel/
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This blog post was curated and/or edited by The Ardent Reader, Esther Hofknecht Curtis, BSOL, MSM-HCA. The views expressed in this blog post are those of the guest blogger. Visit www.parrotcontent.com for more information.
Thursday, May 31, 2018
Past and Future by Carrie M. Goff (Guest Blogger)
That I retell stories of what was
You offer me a future
A golden brick path
Cool, deep rivers of safety
Wild stallion passion
And, I talk of the past
I speak of him too often
And relive what it was like
To dodge his words slung in anger
I question your motives
I distrust your offerings
I look for the hidden rust
Rot, lies, deceit
I am rendered speechless
When you are unselfish.
I cannot fully trust
Your promises made so casually
The memory of betrayal
As fresh as a slaughtered animal
The smell of blood still in my nose
How can you understand
What the light you offer me means
Without hearing about how dim it was?
How can I describe what color means:
Oxblood, Azure, Burnt Sienna, Saffron
Without making you understand
That all I had was ghost, bleached, white?
The burlap sacking that was my bed
Makes the satin sheets you offer
So soothing I could weep.
The bitter herbs that were my sustenance
Prepared my palate for the fare
You so tenderly create with your beautiful hands.
How can you understand if I don’t tell you?
The home I had on the hilltop
Willows, and oaks surrounded
Ponds and fountains.
Hidden, charming, unique
Wasn’t filled with love, but indifference
I roamed the empty rooms devoid of laughter
I’d rather live in a tent with your love.
My ears were covered with bloodied hands
To block out the hate
So, I could hear nothing but muffled echoes
How can you fathom what it was like
The first time you pried away my fingers
And held my face in your hands
And played me a symphony?
The bath you have drawn for me
Scalds every scratch, blister and wound
Invisible to the eye, they still make me wince.
I gingerly slip my bruised and bloodied feet
Into the satin slippers you provide
And accept the cashmere gown
Around my scarred shoulders.
You cannot understand
How the warmth of your body
Soaks into my frozen heart
And thaws hidden feelings
The tenderness of your touch
Fires neurons long since forgotten
I come alive under your heartbeat.
I fall into a weightless slumber
Wrapped in your iron arms
The nightmares no longer come
During the daylight or midnight
Sleep no longer holds horrors
I am not afraid to close my eyes
Do you know what you have done for me?
The past holds no bitterness
I don’t retell the stories to garner sympathy.
But, I am like a city child who
Sees a desert starry sky for the first time.
Someone who has only known walking
Riding the bullet train for the first time.
The utter awe; I must compare. I must tell.
It is said that time heals all wounds
The invisible scars that I can still see
Spiderwebs of blistering nerves
Deformed feet, twisted lips, bloodied eyelids
I walk with a limp, my voice is hoarse
But, when I hold your hand
I am whole.
Wednesday, May 30, 2018
When it’s Time to Change by Stephen Moegling (Guest Blogger)
- Feelings of peace, hope, equanimity
- Feelings of joy, gratitude, happiness
- Feelings of confidence, security, ambition
Use these feelings and states as guideposts for your decision-making and the process of working through your changes. Step 3. When you have a setback, have a meeting with yourself. I’ve made a lot of changes in my life and I have failed, failed, failed so many times. I used to beat myself up when I ordered the pizza instead of kale salad when I am working to change my scale weight. But beating ourselves up makes changing so much more difficult, if not impossible. Now when I fail, I call a meeting with myself. I invite my higher self (the wise, long-term thinker part of me) to have a meeting with the part of me that keeps getting in my own way. The meeting often goes like this: Higher Self Stephen: “Hey friend. You know that drinking a bottle of wine by yourself isn’t going to help you lose weight.” Lower Self Stephen: “Yeah, you’re right. But it was a Friday night. The weather was awesome. And I just kept pouring myself another glass of Cab until I realized I had drained the bottle.” Higher Self Stephen: “If you keep doing that, will you achieve your weight loss goals?” Lower Self Stephen: “No…” Higher Self Stephen: “So…” Lower Self Stephen: “Okay, wiser version of myself. No wine until I hit my weight loss goals.” Higher Self Stephen: “And…” Lower Self Stephen: “And after that, I’ll assign myself one drinking pass every month. That way I can enjoy my Cab without turning an occasional night of fun into a consistent pattern.” Higher Self Stephen: “Good strategy, dude.” Step 4. Learn and share with others. As much as I try to learn from my wiser, higher self, I know I’m toast if I only seek counsel from myself. For any meaningful change to stick, I have to seek the counsel of others who have faced similar challenges and succeeded. I also have to have a support system to share my feelings. As you change and transform yourself, you will someday be a support to others who seek change. Step 5. The final step is to take a step. Momentum is what powers our souls. Get early wins by taking small steps, one at a time. And the farther down the path we go, the clearer the path to transformation appears. “Before” and “After” photos are inspiring but deceiving. Between those photos is a whole lot of messy stuff. But in that messy stuff lies transformation.
Tuesday, May 29, 2018
The Politics of Color by Elizabeth Ruediger (Guest Blogger)
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This blog post was curated and/or edited by The Ardent Reader, Esther Hofknecht Curtis, BSOL, MSM-HCA. The views expressed in this blog post are those of the guest blogger. Visit Esther's page at www.parrotcontent.com for more information.
Monday, May 28, 2018
Letting Go by Daniel Marelli, MD (Guest Blogger)
The physical sensations remind me to stay in the moment and focus on my body. Some of the forms such as Pigeon, involve a slight discomfort. This enables courage and self-confidence while strengthening self-compassion. The discomfort is adjustable. It helps me build resilience in my everyday life.
As far as I can remember into my childhood, these words initiate the new spring season for my family. We tell the story of how our ancestors became free of servitude and gained their identity. We say that each generation must feel this transition. This has not changed for centuries.
One of the most difficult afflictions to let go of is the mindset of victimhood when a set of circumstances or a person has altered our journey or done us wrong. I became aware of this recently reading a book titled Advice not Given by Mark Epstein. A past trauma cannot always be erased. Rather than forcefully trying to delete a previous affliction, we could try to relate to it differently.
This recalled two personal events after which I had to find a way to let go.
The first occurred in my early teen years when my father died. I felt shame at school, always hoping to keep it a secret. Over the next decade I had dreams that he went off on a secret mission in the cold war and was returning. The dreams eventually formed an image in which he was out of place. The scar faded.
Today I speak freely of my father to my children. I try to inspire them with his love for all things art and architecture. We have some of his paintings on our walls. I have come to appreciate the personal and physical attributes he passed on to me. Most of all, I am grateful for the time I had with him.
The second event occurred more recently. I left my first professional job in Los Angeles in 2002. I knew it had been a bad situation for me, but I was stuck in the mindset of ‘quitters never win and winners never quit.’ I had an essential role within the team, and I was uniquely good at it. I was unable to let go because I had not yet defined the toxic environment. Was this essential? Not really, but for me it was. I felt like I had not done my best to make it work. Over the next couple of years, at every national meeting, my colleagues were all advising me that I belonged there.
Then in 2006 I went back to Los Angeles; to my old position. It was new management with the promise that all would be different. Of course, nothing had really changed, except me. Very quickly I resumed leadership of my former crew, but it was not the role I wanted. I realized that I had grown beyond the setting I was in. I started to understand that previously, my superiors had never been concerned with my development.
I now had a different perspective which unmasked all the imperfections that I had not seen in the past. I had never imagined this could be possible. After about six months I began to look for a new position. I became depressed. The traveling, explaining my difficulty at every interview, and my feeling of failure all weighed me down.
During an airport layover, I purchased a self-help book. I saved it for my office shelf. Thankfully, about a year later I relocated to Dover and resumed my journey.
I picked the book off my office shelf a few months ago. In it, I found the note pictured below …
To Daniel,
Fire back, one bad decision is less than 10% of all the good ones. The solution to pollution is dilution.
Daniel
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Daniel Marelli is a heart surgeon in Dover Delaware. Prior to settling in the mid Atlantic he lived in Morocco , in Canada as well as in California. He is fluent in English, French, and Hebrew. He has a lifelong appreciation for literature and art and enjoys skiing. More recently, he has taken up yoga practice.
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This blog post was curated and/or edited by The Ardent Reader, Esther Hofknecht Curtis, BSOL, MSM-HCA. The views expressed in this blog post are those of the guest blogger. Visit Esther's page at www.parrotcontent.com for more information.