Monday, Mar. 31, 2008

I Was Startled

Or, at the very least surprised.

It has been my goal to print out hard copies of all my journal and blog essays. Tonight I pulled two very large three-ring binders off my bookshelves and traced their contents back to the last time I printed out any of these entries. I stared at these large three-inch thick volumes. Slowly, but clearly the realization came to me, that I had unknowingly already done something that I have felt frustrated in not accomplishing. Reaching these golden years of life, there has been one thing I felt unfulfilled in not having experienced. I wanted to write a book. Assuming I had no credentials for such an undertaking, nor a subject or story that would be of much interest to anyone, I shruged this off every time I was stirred by these thoughts.

I stared at these binders in amazement. I had already written a book.

One of my �mentors,� Dennis Prager recently commented on radio that �essay style books do not sell well.� He has written at least three of these, which sell VERY well, but I am sure he spoke truth. They are not on top of the bestseller list.

In past years, journals or memoirs by authors such as May Sarton (Journal of a Solitude and many others) and diarist Gladys Tabor, were favorites of mine. They are not exactly familiar names today. Their journaling or essay writing was personal, folksy, and it described their everyday lives. My writing is seldom such. I tend to write somewhat passionately about a subject that stirs my philosophical nature. And I write on a variety of subjects.

Early on, when I first began to journal, I recall writing about going through a year when I thought I was allergic to something, which turned out to be untrue. I think I entitled the piece: �Life Without Peanut Butter.� (Who could forget that title! Anyone who would write on that subject, would write on just about anything.)

More to the point, I do not see myself as much of a writer, but as I was going over some of these archived essays, I thought, �Wow, who wrote this? This is pretty good stuff.�

I wondered if some of it was not worth reading a second time. So out of the last couple of years, I chose four entries to suggest to my readers.

A Sense of Place This is some serious philosophizing on my part.

Leaving Las Vegas This is a nostalgic �travelogue� written just before my daughter moved back to California.

Parts I & II Two satirical essays for the price of one.

The Tale of Two Cities; (not to be confused with Dickens�) Spiritual and historical insight.

If all this is too much to consume in one sitting, then take them in separate chunks. But I think that these are worth a second read. They are samples of the different styles of writing by this (ahem) excellent essayist.

Whoever that is��..

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