Life in Old Letters
Before the election this past November, I posted about my concerns about the way then-candidate Trump said that Hillary Clinton could actually be crazy. Within that same post I mentioned I had an essay coming out in an anthology called Family Stories from the Attic. My essay is about me and the grandmother I never knew, who had mental health issues at a time when treatment options were few, and treatment of women especially, was often reprehensible. Well, the anthology is out and I have been working my way through it, piece by entrancing piece.
First of all, in full disclosure, I know both the editors, Christi Craig and Lisa Rivero, and have long admired their writing, dedication and thoughtful editing. Knowing their integrity, I have no worries that my piece was selected because we are friends. And, reading the other chosen pieces, I am honored and privileged to be among them.
The essays, creative nonfiction and poetry in Family Stories from the Attic are all inspired by family letters, objects, and archives. From the back cover: “Nearly two dozen contributors from the United States and Australia tell stories of immigration and migration, loss, discovery, secrets, questions, love, and the search for meaning and identity.”
I also happen to adore the front cover:
As I am working my way through the anthology (and finishing The Nix, by Nathan Hill and beginning Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube by Blair Braverman), I thought I would share favorite sentences from each piece as they jumped out at me. In some cases that may mean a sentence from the piece which inspired the story. Consider these sentences a sip that I hope will encourage you to want to buy the book and drink it all in.
Favorite Sentences/Family Stories from the AtticFrom the moment I opened Wally’s steno notebook, in single sheet records I witnessed an America built with grit, self-reliance, and the will to work alongside nature and its inhabitants. Kristine D. Adams, “Wally’s World”
No longer am I a mistake. No longer an empty chair at family gatherings. Jo Anne Bennett, “When We Feel Invisible”
Doubts about leaving her friends in Norway, being in America, learning a new language faded as she felt Fredrik’s hand on her back, guiding her, cherishing his baby, speaking lovingly in Norwegian. Aleta Chossek, “A New Life: New York to Chicago”
Not the way she had imagined her golden years, but still in these difficult times, having everyone gathered under one roof was not a bad thing. Sally Cisna, “Come Home, Peter”
The story is she was hanging up clothes when the aches and pains crept into her body. Gloria T. DiFulvio, “If She Had Lived”
More to come, but in the meantime, if you’d like to get a copy of Family Stories from the Attic and you don’t live in Milwaukee (Book Launch is Saturday, May 13th at Boswells, 7 PM), it is available now to order from Boswells (or your independent book store), Amazon & Barnes & Noble.
And, please, please, please, if you order from Amazon, don’t forget to post a review there when you’re done! If you buy from Boswells or another seller, you can post a review on Goodreads. Many thanks.
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Thanks. :-)
Life in Old Letters was originally published in Pam Writes on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
