The Seriousness of Poetry

Setting: A poetry workshop at Calvin College's Festival of Faith and Writing. Fourteen attendees and one facilitator sit in plastic chairs arranged into a lopsided circle.

Attendees have just finished their first writing exercise.

Facilitator: We've all had sixty seconds. Shall we read what we've created? Let's hear three or so, then pause to consider what stands out most ...

Read More
Ophelia Gets More Lines!

Ophelia Speaks: Adolescent Girls Write About Their Search for Self edited by Sara Shandler. 1999. Inspired by Reviving Ophelia (which I read a few years back), this book tackles issues in young girls’ lives in their own words. It’s strength is it’s main liability. The vignettes are moving and vivid. Real stories from real girls. But often the telling is...

Read More
Not About Music

Dr. Rubin, an influential sociologist and psychotherapist, has collected stories of her experiences as a therapist and recorded them here. Both an instruction manual and a fascinating set of case studies, this book provides endless insight into the therapeutic process and human nature. Her storytelling is superb, her love...

Read More