Category: Arts & Culture
In the Mood for a Party
In one of my earliest attempts to build relationships with other single women after Lev died (and to deal with the sinkhole called Valentine Day), I invited several acquaintances—divorced and widowed—over for an “un-Valentine party,” with a light meal spread out on the big coffee table in my library. We…
A Memoir of Grief and Gratitude
The Light of the World, a memoir on love and death and grief by the prize-winning poet and Yale professor Elizabeth Alexander, was published April 21 and quickly made best-seller lists. I have been reading memoirs by widows lately, and I wanted to compare Alexander to two literary giants a generation older than she,…
Exploring Private Gardens: Serendipity!
Lev and Cheri interrupted my writing this morning to insist that I go with them on a walk up Cliff Road to see some spectacular private gardens that were open. My walks usually lead to the historic district, Main Street and the wharf, while they usually head past magnificent ocean-front…
Résumé Virtues vs. Eulogy Virtues
Brooks, David. The Road to Character. New York: Random House. 2015 New York Times columnist David Brooks wants to have an important national conversation about moral character in his recently published book. He begins, “Recently I’ve been thinking about the difference between the résumé virtues and the eulogy virtues. The résumé…