Essays to My Daughter (Excerpt #1)

Currently I am traveling without electronic devices, so I won’t be able to write my weekly blog.  However, the manuscript for my next book is in the hands of Purdue University Press undergoing final revisions, so while I am away, I will print short excerpts from the...

Catch-22

Some people derive nearly as much pleasure in preparing for a trip as they do going on the trip. Travelers to Europe hover over Lonely Planet guide books and plan itineraries. Fishermen and fisherwomen go through their tackle boxes and get their gear in perfect order....

A Slower Pace

For a few days now I have put away my bicycle and instead have been taking long walks through the La Crosse River Marsh. The reason is that Manyu and I plan on taking a five-day trek along the French section of the Camino de Santiago in two weeks, so we want to get...

Recital

This weekend I attended a violin recital of a teenager soon to graduate from high school. Like Clare, Matthew took lessons with Busya, and like Clare, Busya made him perform an hour-long concert as the culminating event of his six years of private instruction. Busya...
Steven Simpson