Tag Archives: Writing

Book Review:  Writing Creativity and Soul by Sue Monk Kidd

I’ve never read any of Sue Monk Kidd’s books before this one, but then again, she probably hasn’t read any of mine either. Be that as it may, I was drawn to Writing Creativity and Soul because I hoped that … Continue reading

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Book Review:  Joyride: A Memoir by Susan Orlean

To many people, Susan Orlean is a character played by Meryl Streep in the film Adaptation, which is based on Orlean’s book The Orchid Thief. Others know her for her decades-long work as a staff writer for the New Yorker. … Continue reading

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Book Reviews as Autobiography

A recent comment on one of my past book reviews points out, somewhat critically, that in the review I talk about myself as much as I do the book. By way of explanation, I offer this essay, which appeared in … Continue reading

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Book Review:  The Book of Alchemy: A Creative Practice for an Inspired Life by Suleika Jaouad

In a literary marketplace that is surfeited with imitations and imitations of imitations, The Book of Alchemy is a startlingly original book. It concerns the value of journaling, both as a therapeutic device and as an art form. However, it … Continue reading

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Sword Circle Pen: An Announcement

I’d like to give a shout-out to my son: author, veteran, mathematician, and adventurer Nestor Walters, who has recently opened a new website called Sword Circle Pen. As his website’s “about” page says, he was born in Bangladesh, raised in … Continue reading

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The Perennial Nomad

Introducing The Perennial Nomad, a weekly Substack newsletter. I began writing with a focus on science fiction stories. Many of the books I read as a teen and young man were science fiction and fantasy, and it was a science … Continue reading

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Book Review:  No Ordinary Assignment: A Memoir by Jane Ferguson; Part Two

As I read of Jane Ferguson’s adventures in war-torn countries in the Middle East, I was reminded of my own travels in the area. During a narrow window of time in the 1960s and 1970s, it was possible to travel … Continue reading

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The Writer Considered as a Prospector in the Klondike Gold Rush

Not long ago I wrote an essay called “Panning for Gold in the Literary River.” It was about my ongoing struggle to monetize my words. I love writing. I do it whether I have hope of selling the results or … Continue reading

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Panning for Gold in the Literary River

I love to write. If it can be said that particular occupations or pursuits are destinies, then writing is mine. For me it is a vocation, a calling, a mission, a pleasure, a joy, a delight, a thrill, a task … Continue reading

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Resolute for the New Year

That title above is not a typo. I intended to write “resolute” instead of “resolutions.” At this time of year, a lot of people announce various ambitions or goals that they promulgate as resolutions, but many of these resolutions turn … Continue reading

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