Once I met Borges in a crowded room with his cane over his arm, led by a friend. He was looking up and a little to the left and seemed to be listening to words from above. One does not inherit courage, he had said in an essay on blindness. His courage had grown as his eyes failed him.
In this gritty memoir, Shelton recounts his experiences organizing creative writing workshops in prisons during the 1970s. He shares stories of connecting with marginalized individuals and highlights how creativity can thrive even in oppressive settings. Through these workshops, he illustrates the transformative power of self-expression and the resilience of the human spirit amidst confinement.
For anyone who loved William Fiennes' The Snow Geese, a beautiful, dazzlingly original memoir that combines autobiography with natural history.
Combining natural history with beguiling autobiographical and historical narrative, To Sea and Back is a dazzling portrait of a fish whose story is closely intertwined with our own.
The narrative follows seven young adults, each deeply affected by childhood violence within their families, as they navigate their lives at Georgetown University. Despite their diverse backgrounds and economic statuses, they form a bond rooted in shared trauma, seeking understanding and strength from one another. However, their journey is complicated by the presence of a killer among them. As they confront their painful pasts, they strive for closure, hope, and the possibility of love, exploring themes of resilience and the impact of trauma.