Bookworm Press

Here is a book I really enjoyed and wanted to share with you:

The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson

One of the funniest books I have read in a while. It’s a special kind of humor that not everybody may like. I found it hilarious and while you laugh you get a great overview of world history and a tongue-in-cheek vivid portrayal of some of the world’s most famous politicians and rulers. There is an underlying roguish criticism of the weaknesses of social and political systems and their perpetrators.

I read the German version: Der Hundertjährige, der aus dem Fenster stieg und verschwand.

Happy Reading, my Fellow Bookworms!

About thirty years ago, four of us poets and artists, Gwynne Garfinkle, Mary Striegel, Ann Braeff and I, founded a group called Los Angeles Poetry Ensemble. We read our poems at different venues in the Los Angeles area and some of us traveled out of state to participate at readings and performances. We created a chapbook of our poems and art work, titled Under the Surface of Childhood.

It was an exciting, creative, and fun time.

After years of collaboration, we all went our own ways but kept in touch. Ann Braeff wrote poetry and taught school. Mary Striegel moved to Louisiana where she worked in different functions in her community and kept on writing and painting. Gwynne Garfinkle wrote and published poems and short stories and this year published her debut novel, Can’t Find My Way Home, through Aqueduct Press. I, myself, published poems in poetry magazines as well as a collection of poems, Path of Fire, through Finishing Line Press and then tried my hand at novels and wrote and published two trilogies, Family Portrait and The Wine Lover’s Daughter as an independent author.

At the reunion after ten years, it was exciting and inspiring to realize that all of us kept our creative dreams alive and made them reality. Unfortunately, Ann Braeff couldn’t meet with us this time, but I hope she’ll be ready to join us at our next get-together–and, hopefully, we won’t have to wait another ten years!

And the brunch was delicious!

This past week, I was in San Leandro, in the Bay area of California, visiting my friend Susan and having a good old time visiting, chatting, eating and drinking and going for walks. And during our walks and drives, we stumbled upon art and literature at unexpected places.

It started at the De Young Museum of Art in San Francisco. By chance they showed an amazing exhibition of some of my favorite painters, Botticelli, for instance.

The De Young is not only a great art museum but situated within the beautiful Golden Gate Park, it is also a place to just hang out, have lunch, or a coffee.

Susan and I at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.

On the way to San Francisco and back, we passed the new Bay Bridge, which is impressive and a little scary (can’t help thinking about earthquakes). But I love the skyline of San Francisco and of course the city itself.

After all the excitement, we relaxed with a cup of coffee and a sweet. Food for the spirit and the body.

One of the next outings was to Berkeley and in particular to the Botanical Garden, a real treat! It’s an oasis of peace with a display of the most gorgeous plants and flowers.

But next to the Garden of Old Roses, there was a lovely surprise waiting for us. See further down.

Hidden underneath a canopy of leaves, a poem by Sylvia Plath carved into stone!

From the Botanical Garden, you have a great view of the Golden Gate Bridge!

Berkeley still has a selection of fine brick-and-motar bookstores. This one was another surprise: Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf!

A great bookstore that still invites you to browse and hang out.

On my way back to Los Angeles on 101, I drove through Salinas and stopped for a quick look at another literary great–you guessed it. John Steinbeck lived here many years and there is a museum and a restaurant in his honor.

“Meeting” all these fantastic artists and writers inspired me to get back to my own writing. I’m polishing my next novel, The Italian Sister, which takes place in California and on a vineyard in Tuscany, Italy. More about this later!

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