Writers
Library Way: Always a Surprise
While taking a break from my research at the Wertheim Study at the New York Public Library on a recent chilly Saturday afternoon, I strolled along Library Way, a public art collection celebrating world literature.
We Need Some Milk
2019 is starting right! We Need Some Milk, a podcast jointly based in Boston and Jersey City and focusing on urban issues and politics, invited me to appear on its first 2019 episode. A real honor.
Re-Encountering Ebenezer: A Holiday Read
This time of year, I always try to read a work by Charles Dickens. I associate his Victorian novels with chilly days and early nights. Recently, I reread A Christmas Carol, one of the more beloved and adapted pieces of English literature.
A Diet of Books & Art
For the next several months, I’ll be spending a large amount of my leisure time at the New York Public Library. Why? I’m diving deep into a topic which I hope to shape into my next book.
Washington Irving & The Legend of Jersey City
On October 25, 2018, I participated in a Halloween event at the Apple Tree House in Jersey City, New Jersey. The program was entitled “Washington Irving & The Legend of Jersey City.” The Jersey City Office of Cultural Affairs and the Jersey City Landmarks Conservancy served as hosts, and the New Jersey Council for the…
Autumn Intermission
Due to looming deadlines and two public events scheduled for next week, I’ll be taking a short sabbatical from my blog. I aim to return before October’s end.
Christopher Columbus & Washington Irving
The current historic interpretation and understanding of Christopher Columbus stands as complicated. To put it mildly. Controversy aside, Christopher Columbus figured prominently in the formation of a uniquely American cultural identity. This seems to be forgotten today amid our debates over identity politics and historical grievances. Proof: Washington Irving, the writer with whom I’ve been…
Tales of Our Cities: Jersey City’s Book Festival
Every September, the Jersey City Free Public Library organizes an annual book festival in downtown Jersey City. The event showcases local authors and promises something for readers of all ages. This past Sunday marked the 10th Annual Tales of Our Cities. While researching my book, I relied heavily on the treasures in the New Jersey…
Washington Irving: An Autumn Rendezvous
During the past several weeks, I have been spending an usual amount of time researching and contemplating the first American writer to stand on the international stage–Washington Irving, who penned such beloved classics as “Rip Van Winkle” and “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.”