The common denominator for many of the books that I love right now is their combination of words and images. Sightings by Sam Keen is about “extraordinary encounters with ordinary birds.” It’s a tidy little book of the author’s reflections on his life through the lense of birdwatching. Mary Woodin’s colorful bird illustrations punctuate each chapter. 
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Three Questions is a beautiful picture book based on a short story by Leo Tolstoy. I just think it’s a great book to share with any person of any age who is questioning their place in the universe.
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Reading The Dot reminded me of the wonderful teachers that I have had throughout my life, and how with the simplest word or gesture of encouragement, you can change the life of a child.
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One of the themes I tend to explore in my writing is the influence of place/geography on who we are and what we do. I grew up in Virginia, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Just as Pearl S. Buck wrote of The Good Earth, there are times when I think I could write about The Red Earth because that was the color of the soil of my childhood. Red clay. Blue sky. Rolling green hills. It’s an idyllic description and it is real … as real as the less beatific images of the American South.
My Hometown of Lynchburg, Virginia
Having lived outside of the south for so long, one of the images that I admit as having taken on mythic qualities in my mind is that of the front porch. I have written a bit about my own experiences on the front porch in Virginia. The following essay was originally published in the Southern Arts Journal, and then revised for Terrain.org.
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On the one hand, Old Coyote by Nancy Wood and illustrated by Max Grafe is about growing old and reflecting on a life well spent before passing on. On the other hand, I choose to see it as a book about cycles and transformation from one existence to another. The story is both sad and uplifting, and the images in antique golds, browns and ashy greys perfectly suit the words.
Cover from Barnes and Noble website.
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A little girl is losing her sight. One day she steps out of her home to explore her world via the subway. Her journey, as expressed through the words and images of Jimmy Liao, are powerful and poetic, steeped in magic and imagination. It is a children’s picture book, but there are hopes and dreams in the words and art that seem to me especially meant for adults.
Book cover from Barnes and Noble website.
Here is one of my favorite passages: “Even when I’m tired of the jolting trains and the stairs up and down, one thought keeps me going – someone could be waiting for me at the other end. He’ll take my hand and hold the umbrella over me. He’ll tell me what the stars look like. He’ll walk by my side all night long.”
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The words and images found in Old Turtle and Old Turtle and the Broken Truth are simple, profound, stark and strikingly beautiful. Though there is a strong spiritual element, I think the stories in the two books transcend religious boundaries and boil down to being about people taking a moment to stop and think and to remember what it means to be human and what it means to be a part of something much larger than themselves.
Book cover from Barnes and Noble website.
Book cover from Barnes and Noble website.
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That’s one of my mottoes in life. I mean, really. Who expects to chance upon this bird splashing along the river bank, and then to have him stare you down as you stand there with your mouth open. I must say, that was a wonderful day.
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Words + Images 