Fifty years ago (May 4, 1970) I was a sophomore in high school. Everyone was stunned, the atmosphere in the building hushed, uncomprehending. That day or the next, we had an assembly, about which I remember nothing except a girl singing, “Blowin’ In the Wind.” The song below still sends chills up my spine. Too… Continue reading How many more?
Category: War
A pandemic diary: Lessons from the last world war
March 25, 2020 I’ve hardly been out of the condo for three weeks. Except for my wife, my last offline human interaction was five days ago with a grocery clerk. Every time I wash my hands, which is often, I feel like Lady MacBeth: "Out, damned spot! Out, I say!" But I know I’m one… Continue reading A pandemic diary: Lessons from the last world war
A statesman speaks
When you're a reporter covering Congress, you listen to an awful lot of speeches. Many of these breathless bulletins concern vital issues like National Cub Scout Month and the renaming of post offices. Speeches can be pompous, sanctimonious, badly reasoned, highly partisan, dull, hypocritical, long-winded, or all of the above. They're sometimes thoughtful or heartfelt.… Continue reading A statesman speaks
This land is their land
The Saturday after the Paris attacks I watched football as usual, but also for a little normalcy, a break from apprehension and sorrow. The game I saw was ideal for that purpose: Michigan vs. Indiana, taking me back to my home turf and calling up memories of football Saturdays in Ann Arbor 40 years ago.… Continue reading This land is their land
New short fiction about a very long war
I've published another short story on Amazon, and not a humorous piece like "The Fourteenth Pelican" this time. “A New Grateful Nation” is about people coming back from our country's longest war, but for whom it's not over just yet. It's also about those who've been fighting equally important battles on the homefront all along.… Continue reading New short fiction about a very long war
