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Michael Sussman

Goodreads author profile

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male

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http://www.michaelsussmanbooks.com/

twitter username

MichaelBSussman

member since

December 2008

About this author

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I’m originally from Lexington, Massachusetts, the historic site of the shot heard ’round the world. The middle son of two microbiologists, I grew up in a wonderful community called Five Fields, my lost Eden. I loved reading, sports, music and photography, and tried my hand at writing poetry and song lyrics.

I attended Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio, but dropped out after catching mononucleosis. Over the next six years I lived in a commune in Paradise, Nova Scotia, joined a spiritual cult, traveled to Israel, Hawaii, and Mexico, checked into a psychiatric ward more than once, worked as a dishwasher, waiter, wallet salesman, greenhouse laborer, landscaper, day-care teacher, and street musician. Eventually I returned to school, majorin...more I’m originally from Lexington, Massachusetts, the historic site of the shot heard ’round the world. The middle son of two microbiologists, I grew up in a wonderful community called Five Fields, my lost Eden. I loved reading, sports, music and photography, and tried my hand at writing poetry and song lyrics.

I attended Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio, but dropped out after catching mononucleosis. Over the next six years I lived in a commune in Paradise, Nova Scotia, joined a spiritual cult, traveled to Israel, Hawaii, and Mexico, checked into a psychiatric ward more than once, worked as a dishwasher, waiter, wallet salesman, greenhouse laborer, landscaper, day-care teacher, and street musician. Eventually I returned to school, majoring in music performance and composition at Hampshire College in Amherst.

My B.A. in Music opened many doors. Unfortunately they were all doors to restaurants, where I returned to waiting tables. Meanwhile, I started a band with a friend named Steve O’Hearn. He went on to found Squonk Opera, a music and performance ensemble that has traveled the world and appeared on “America’s Got Talent.”

I might have become a Squonker myself, but instead went to grad school, earning my doctorate in clinical psychology. After spending a year as a postdoc at the Menninger Foundation, I proceeded to work in hospitals, counseling centers, private practice, and as a clinical instructor at Harvard University.

My first book—A Curious Calling: Unconscious Motivations for Practicing Psychotherapy—was a main selection for America’s largest psychotherapy-related book club. I edited and contributed to the follow-up volume, A Perilous Calling: The Hazards of Psychotherapy Practice. These two books have recently been translated into Chinese by the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences Press.

My life changed forever in October of 1998, with the birth of my son. Ollie is a remarkable fellow, and he single-handedly jump-started my creativity. When he was five, I started writing picture books, and in 2009 I published Otto Grows Down, illustrated by Scott Magoon.

As Ollie aged, I started writing for an older audience. The result—Crashing Eden—is my first novel, an urban fantasy for young adults and savvy not-so-young adults. Ollie was my muse, my collaborator, and my most astute critic. I’m forever grateful to my son. Now, if I could just get him to clear his dishes …(less)

17 posts
Michael Sussman's Blog

Visionary Fiction Challenges Our Species to Evolve

(The original post of this article can be found at: VisionaryFictionAlliance.wordpress.com )

Human nature is not fixed. It has evolved over the course of millennia and is capable of further change. Is it overly grandiose to suggest that visionary fiction could help play a role in such a transformation?

Most likely, but I shall nevertheless make the case.

Visionary fiction overlaps with sever...

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Published on August 31, 2012 11:50 • 42 views

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Michael Sussman's Books

Average rating: 3.78 · 123 ratings · 61 reviews · 4 distinct works · Similar authors

	Otto Grows Down by Michael Sussman (Goodreads Author), Scott Magoon (Goodreads Author) (Illustrator) 3.92 of 5 stars 3.92 avg rating — 59 ratings — published 2009	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Crashing Eden 3.63 of 5 stars 3.63 avg rating — 54 ratings — published 2012 — 2 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Curious Calling: Unconscious Motivations for Practicing Psychotherapy 3.8 of 5 stars 3.80 avg rating — 10 ratings — published 1992 — 2 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Perilous Calling: The Hazards of Psychotherapy Practice 4.0 of 5 stars 4.00 avg rating — 5 ratings — published 1995	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Michael's Recent Updates

Michael Sussman is now friends with Michael Thal
May 10, 2013 02:17pm
Michael Sussman rated a book 3 of 5 stars Why We Write: 20 Acclaimed Authors on How and Why They Do What They Do by Meredith Maran	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 20, 2013 08:53am
Michael Sussman made a comment on The Age of Miracles — What did you think of this book? "Leslie wrote: "Not one of my favorites. I thought it dragged. The story didn't have much meat to it. The whole book actually was kinda of depressing,...more "
Apr 19, 2013 08:18am
Michael Sussman made a comment on The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection: No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (13) — The first book was the worst book I've ever read "Just goes to show that this is all a matter of taste. Look up your all-time favorite novels on Goodreads or Amazon and you will be sure to find numerou...more "
Apr 17, 2013 01:31pm
Michael Sussman made a comment on The Road — omg I hated this book! "Jaime wrote: "I may have already said this but this was a boring book after about 15 pages." I think it's more accurate to say that YOU felt bored afte...more "
Apr 12, 2013 09:15pm
Michael Sussman rated a book 4 of 5 stars The End of Alice by A.M. Homes	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 12, 2013 04:01pm
Michael Sussman rated a book 5 of 5 stars Exclamation Mark by Amy Krouse Rosenthal (Goodreads Author)	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 03, 2013 10:41am
Michael Sussman rated a book 5 of 5 stars Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 03, 2013 10:40am
Michael Sussman made a comment on Lord of the Flies — Evolution seeping in? "Although I'm not holding my breath, I'd like her to read Last Ape Standing and then decide whether there are any "facts" supporting evolution. Anyone...more "
Mar 21, 2013 04:04pm
Michael Sussman rated a book 3 of 5 stars St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves by Karen Russell (Goodreads Author)	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Mar 20, 2013 06:37am

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Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
We ♥ YA Books! : ARR # 2 - CRASHING EDEN by Michael Sussman	45	170	May 22, 2012 03:34pm

Quotes Michael Likes

“Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.”
― Groucho Marx, The Essential Groucho: Writings For By And About Groucho Marx

tags: animals, books, dogs, friends, humor

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