It should not be so hard to write both poetry and fiction. Both arts, after all, make use of the same materials, words and punctuation. Poems...
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After suffering a particularly bad, linear, literal autobiographical poem submitted by a member of my poetry writing group, I mused about how one can write effectively about one's reality. So I returned to Lowell's "Life Studies." As in the poems of his friend, Elizabeth Bishop, there is a fantastic ability to observe detail which the poets then render in amazingly complex syntax and varied and interesting verbiage. That's the secret. Every word must be active, functional, interesting. Sentencing is itself exciting and challenging. Nothing is accidental. Truth reigns over fact. These poems are more about poems than about self, yet they capture self in the process.
This was so popular among my college mates when it came out in 1957! I don't know what made me think of it again but recently, reading as part of my meditations, I cannot believe how timely it still is. The late Fifties were termed "The Age of Anxiety" and in The Courage to Be Tillich analyzes the types of anxiety from which we suffer and outlines the history of the ways philosophers and theologians have attempted to understand people's anxieties and attempts to understand and live with them. His perspective shows how we find the courage to face our anxieties and how this has changed in a modern world. This is a short book, very moving, humanistic, accessible.
This book contains invaluable information not only for the elderly, who must interact with a complicated medical system, but also for younger folks, who must enter the medical minefield on behalf of their parents. Mark Lachs, MD, is a geriatrician who not only addresses the ageism in the medical profession but also explains how medical systems work and how to get the best possible results from them. He discusses lifestyle issues and drug reactions, surgeries and alternative treatments. As a senior and a caretaker for a disabled senior I have learned first hand of unnecessary surgery, inappropriate medications, and specialists without a clue. This readable guide was a light at the end of my tunnel.
In The Swan Thieves Elizabeth Kostova weaves a compelling tale of two eras, multiple characters,and art world chicanery. Her complex but accessible story is unforgettable and unputdownable.
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Written in a beautiful and thoughtful literary style, John Bayley's account of love and devotion is not only a personal portrait of his wife--the famous writer, Iris Murdoch--but also a poignant meditation on marriage, the creative life, and ultimately aging and caretaking. This is not merely a book to read; it is a book to own, read, and re-read.
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Helen Johnson has commented on (5) products.
Life Studies by Robert Lowell
Helen Johnson, February 27, 2012
After suffering a particularly bad, linear, literal autobiographical poem submitted by a member of my poetry writing group, I mused about how one can write effectively about one's reality. So I returned to Lowell's "Life Studies." As in the poems of his friend, Elizabeth Bishop, there is a fantastic ability to observe detail which the poets then render in amazingly complex syntax and varied and interesting verbiage. That's the secret. Every word must be active, functional, interesting. Sentencing is itself exciting and challenging. Nothing is accidental. Truth reigns over fact. These poems are more about poems than about self, yet they capture self in the process.Courage to Be
Helen Johnson, February 22, 2012
This was so popular among my college mates when it came out in 1957! I don't know what made me think of it again but recently, reading as part of my meditations, I cannot believe how timely it still is. The late Fifties were termed "The Age of Anxiety" and in The Courage to Be Tillich analyzes the types of anxiety from which we suffer and outlines the history of the ways philosophers and theologians have attempted to understand people's anxieties and attempts to understand and live with them. His perspective shows how we find the courage to face our anxieties and how this has changed in a modern world. This is a short book, very moving, humanistic, accessible.Treat Me, Not My Age: A Doctor's Guide to Getting the Best Care as You or a Loved One Gets Older by Mark Lachs
Helen Johnson, September 13, 2011
This book contains invaluable information not only for the elderly, who must interact with a complicated medical system, but also for younger folks, who must enter the medical minefield on behalf of their parents. Mark Lachs, MD, is a geriatrician who not only addresses the ageism in the medical profession but also explains how medical systems work and how to get the best possible results from them. He discusses lifestyle issues and drug reactions, surgeries and alternative treatments. As a senior and a caretaker for a disabled senior I have learned first hand of unnecessary surgery, inappropriate medications, and specialists without a clue. This readable guide was a light at the end of my tunnel.The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova
Helen Johnson, January 1, 2011
In The Swan Thieves Elizabeth Kostova weaves a compelling tale of two eras, multiple characters,and art world chicanery. Her complex but accessible story is unforgettable and unputdownable.(0 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
Elegy for Iris by John Bayley
Helen Johnson, January 17, 2008
Written in a beautiful and thoughtful literary style, John Bayley's account of love and devotion is not only a personal portrait of his wife--the famous writer, Iris Murdoch--but also a poignant meditation on marriage, the creative life, and ultimately aging and caretaking. This is not merely a book to read; it is a book to own, read, and re-read.