Ben Tanzer's Blog, page 66

A most(ly) annual grandpa Abraham Makofsky Memorial Day shout-out.

As we sit here on Memorial Day our thoughts are drifting to TBWCYL, Inc. spokesperson Ben Tanzer's grandfather Dr. Abraham Makofsky, who not only served in World War II, but led a long and varied life as an activist for peace, community organizer, volunteer for the American Friends Service Committee, academic and finally, near the end, short story writer. He was one of a kind. He is missed. And if you are so inclined please take a moment to read his obituary, because he should be remembered, he is here, and we appreciate the indulgence.

A most annual Dr. Abraham Makofsky Memorial Day shout-out.

As we sit here on Memorial Day our thoughts are drifting to TBWCYL, Inc. spokesperson Ben Tanzer's grandfather Dr. Abraham Makofsky, who not only served in World War II, but led a long and varied life as an activist for peace, community organizer, volunteer for the American Friends Service Committee, academic and finally, near the end, short story writer. He was one of a kind. He is missed. And if you are so inclined please take a moment to read his obituary, because he should be remembered, he is here, and we appreciate the indulgence.

"Hilarious and poignant." Four Fathers. Monlogging. Indeed.

And most appreciated. Excerpt? Word.

"Cobalt Press’ first book is beautifully designed, weaving an intricate collaboration between talented authors. Four Fathers is filled with hilarious and poignant moments. Told in episodic soul-searching movements, many unique voices emerge inaugurating experimentation in diverse literary forms. The stories contemplate genetic bonds, adult disguises, and parental identity crisis. Bookended by tales of sons becoming men, the collection invites readers to consider their own family dynamic, especially with regard to father-son relationships. It is a medley that will resonate."

Four Fathers is in the house, yo.

This Book Will Change Your Life - Gideon's Confession by the Joseph G. Peterson.

Travel. Read. Read. Travel. And on and on and Gideon's Confession by the Joseph G. Peterson. Peterson is one of Chicago's most lyrical voices and if his bete noire is the drunken, raconteur, street intellectual, lingering, if not languishing, in seedy bars, unable to form relationships that might improve this station, and who should be, could be better, if not for their stuckness, and inability to become unstuck, than few understand this archetype as well as the Peterson does. What Peterson also knows however, is that this stuckness is a product of fear and damage, lost opportunities, fucked-up families who offer too much or too little, but never balance or stability, and the ongoing belief that being fucked-up is easier than not being so, because to not be so is to be aware of just how unaware you are. And it is this latter quality that reflects Peterson at his most insightful. His characters are wander, and they know they are wander, and do everything in their power not to be better, because they have no idea what better could be. Peterson is also about love though, always, and as such, there is always a chance for love, to get lost in its beauty and magic, and in the case of Gideon, there is also the chance that love may free him, and elevate him beyond the stuck, and whatever might yet be possible for him. And in this way Gideon's Confession is Peterson's most hopeful book. It is about lives changed, and changing. It is about the possibility of transformation. And it is sure to change your life, as it has Gideon's and ours.

Shameless, albeit much appreciated, Brian Gresko Four Fathers Tweet hype. And big thanks to the Brian Gresko for that.

Congrats @keatingnation & @bentanzer on FOUR FATHERS. Literary dads unite! http://t.co/sCyQ4UlwpR
— Brian Gresko (@briangresko) May 21, 2014

Wherein we are Sixth Annual Bartleby Snopes Dialogue Only Writing Contest guest judge. And quite honored indeed.

So do hit it. Now. There you go. Thank you.

The sparse and beautiful Bones Buried in the Dirt by the David S. Atkinson is Eckleburg Book Club. So do hit it.

It just might change your life.

Wherein "You Throw Your Life In My Face" from Lost in Space is all Anthology of Chicago: The Collection and in quite fine company at that.

Truth. Appreciations. And more here.

This Book Will Change Your Life - Let's Be Awkward Together by the Elaine Short.

Fucking young adulthood man, released from the cocoon of family, mostly, and college, probably, and tumbling from date to date all single and finding your way in work and love and life, farting on your bed mates, trying to find the right words, and searching for your own place and voice and rhythm, making sense of it, any of it, and explicating the humor in all of it too, because it is funny, when you can look at yourself and realize how fucked-up and blessed you are all at once to be young and alive, and yet not knowing that when it's gone you will feel old, no matter how old you are, and you will look back on all that awkward shit in awe, of yourself, and your survival, because it is weirdness and awesomeness, and then it's over, mostly, probably. The thing is for most of us, this is memory, some photos, old letters, and friends, but for "funny girl" Elaine Short and her new comic anthology Let's Be Awkward Together, it is here and now, because she is committing it to paper, and not just her stories, but yours, thanks to your Kickstarter contributions, and it is so wonderful and moving, and yes, we feel so old having subsumed it, and sad that all that confusion is lost, but grateful too, that we made it through, lives having changed, mostly and now we can observe someone else's struggles, nodding our heads, and smiling to ourselves, mission accomplished, yo, we are now almost, sort of adults.