Dear Diana,



"Books and doors are the same thing. You open them, and you go through into another world."


– Jeanette Winterson

August 9th is National Book Lovers Day. I believe that it's a day for readers to honor books and literature. In reading about celebrating this day, I learned that it's also advised, for as much as possible, to stay away from technology and try to read a paper book.


These past few months I've been dealing with a number of health challenges, and reading has been easier for me than writing. For the first time in awhile I've turned to fiction as an escape. I've always loved reading memoirs, but I've been truly enjoying the liberation that fiction brings. Of course, I'm always reading poetry too—that's a given.


Perhaps this month you can discover a new genre to dive into. Please check out my two book recommendations by author Paul Auster, who passed away earlier this year.

AUGUST Writing Prompts
  • Make a list of your favorite books.
  • What books are on your reading list now?
  • Write about what books inspired you during childhood.
  • Write about your intentions for the month of August.
RECENTLY PUBLISHED WORKS

Shaped by Our Childhoods. (article) The Good Men Project. June 27, 2024.


Memory and Anticipation Can Sustain Us. (article) The Wise Owl. July 2024.


Magic Realistic Lunch. (poem) Elysium Review. July 7, 2024.


Need a Poem. (poem) Rainy Weather Days. July 31, 2024.


Lifelong Passions and Artificial Intelligence. (article) Medium. July 31, 2024.


UPCOMING APPEARANCES

August 31, 2024

10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

“Crafting Your Memoir”

Sacred Space

2594 Lillie Ave

Summerland, CA 93067

Register here


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September 22, 2024

3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

“Connecting with Your Ancestors: A Writing Workshop”

Mystic Journey Bookstore

2923 Main Street

Santa Monica, CA 90405

Details to follow


RECOMMENDED BOOKS

Baumgartner by Paul Auster (novel)



Paul Auster died earlier this year, so this summer I'm honoring him by reading a couple of his books. I've always enjoyed his writing style and character studies, and this one in particular moved me.


The book is full of love and compassion. Its main character Baumgartner, a recently retired professor, is grieving the sudden loss of his wife. On the importance of interconnectedness, he poignantly says, "A person has no life without being connected to others, and if you're lucky enough to be deeply connection to another person, so connected that the other person is as important to you as you are to yourself, then life becomes more possible."


He identifies the small but touching moments in life that resonate with those who study the human condition. He asks why we remember certain moments and forget others—a good question to ponder.


Auster's writing style is captivating and to the point. For those of us trying to live in the moment, Auster helps us do just that. For me, the writing is similar to the stream-of-consciousness style of Virginia Wolf or Honore de Balzac in its simplicity, depth, and wisdom.


I read this book in one sitting. Highly recommended by anyone interested in powerful prose.

Winter Journal by Paul Auster (memoir)


Auster wrote this book during his 63rd winter. It feels much like a meditation on life. He writes about the story of his life and how whenever there is a fork in the road, his body breaks down. He concludes that our bodies always know what our mind does not.


He writes about the end of his mother's life, all the uncertainties about her last wishes, being alone with her during her ultimate passing, and how afterwards he turned into a block of wood. Auster reminds us that every event we experience somehow connects us to a memory. For example, his mother's passing reminded him of losing his childhood friend at the age of 14.


"That is where the story begins, in your body, and everything will end in the body, as well," he concludes.


As a memoir writer, I was taken in by the calm and meditative voice used in this book. It brought me quite close to the protagonist.


Another interesting aspect of these two Auster books is how they're written in second person—a tense we don't often see. For me it's powerful in this context, allowing the reader to be one step removed from the narrator while going deeper into his psyche.


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