The Years by Annie Ernaux: Memoir of a Generation

The Years is a recent memoir by a French writer, Annie Ernaux. The Years is also the title of Virginia Woolf’s 1937 novel. Doubly intrigued, I read Ernaux and marveled at the way she tells her story, never using the word “I,” so that it stands as a collective memoir of a generation, hers and mine. I also found a bridge between Ernaux and Woolf.

I’m grateful to the editors of Bloom, who gave me an enthusiastic go-ahead when I pitched this piece to them and now feature it online here.

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Y is for You

I’ve had the privilege of contributing to two of Spry Literary Magazine’s ABCs of Writing Series – the first on writing creative nonfiction (“M is for Mentors,” 2016) and now the ABCs of Flash Writing.

This time I chose the letter “Y” and discuss writing from a second person point of view. Read “Y is for You” here. And if you’re a writer interested in flash, try A through X and Z too.

Jesus Saves, I Don’t

or, “when in doubt, throw it out.”

Hoarders, unless they overdo it, are looked upon with compassion and empathy, but anti-hoarders, non-savers–there isn’t even an un-negative name for us–are eyed with suspicion. What are these hard-hearted Hannahs hiding?

I’m taking my chances on outing myself as a shredder. My essay in which I tell all (well, not all) has been published by Ascent, and you can read “Jesus Saves, I Don’t” here. 

 

On Driving

In a nutshell, I’d rather not. From the initial thrill of getting my driver’s license at 16 to wishing I could manage without it now, the story is here in the Spring issue of Rathalla Review. “On Driving” starts on page 11 of this e-journal–click here. 

 

Flȃneur with Baedeker, or, Student of the Map

My newest published essay is about maps – physical, paper fold-out maps – my fondness for them, their pending extinction from everyday life, maps and guidebooks in my travels and sighted in literature. “Flaneur with Baedeker, or, Student of the Map” appears in the newest issue of the excellent Superstition Review. Read it here.

Science for Dummies

My late-blooming fascination with science has provided a rich lode for exploration and unearthed a few long-buried memories.

It’s a continuing work in progress that has sparked a new personal essay. “Science for Dummies” is in the Spring issue of Waccamaw Review – read it here.

This is my brain on baseball

Baseball is a life-affirming pleasure for me, an unbeatable escape from the busyness and stresses of everyday life. The game is enjoyable in itself, but really it’s the whole experience, a mix of keen concentration and idle distraction, of stream-of-consciousness musings.

That’s what I’ve tried to capture in “This is my brain on baseball,” which has just been published in Hobart’s annual baseball issue and is linked here.