Maybe about a year back, I heard of a fellow English instructor’s plans to write a book during his sabbatical.  I was both impressed and sad.  I was happy for his opportunity, but when I thought about my own writing, I realized I had little to show for it.  I mean, who has the time?  I don’t have much of a life.  All I do, it seems, is work, read, and maybe ride my bike a bit.  For a long while, I felt so down, depressed, but, that’s when I came up with this idea – to write each week about working, reading, and riding my bike.  For now, I try  to keep things organized in  my own personal blog.  Sometimes, I feel confident enough to share with my students.   I encourage them to write of their own experiences in their class blogs.  “Do it now,” I say, “while you’re still young..”

Below I share my most recent blog post for the great Edward P. Jones.  I’ve read his contemporary short story collection Lost in the City. Now, I’m reading his Civil-War slavery novel The Known World. It’s not the most factual account you will ever read.  Edward P’s world is what he knows.  He says he wrote the story he himself wanted to read.  Very cool.