Goodbye to an Old Dog

For as old as I am, I’ve suffered very few serious gut punches. I recall five: divorce from my first wife, my dad’s death, Manyu’s sadness at her dad’s death, Clare’s depression at having her study abroad program cut short due to COVID, and now the death of our dog....

A Recent Dream

Last night I had a dream about a new Disney park called Life. One of the attractions within the park only admitted the dads, and it was called Work. Once I went in, I couldn’t get out. Ordinarily I’d be bothered if I found myself dreaming in clichés, but this one got...

Who Are Your Waters?

Years ago I either read or was told that one of the first questions people ask each other when they meet for the first time varies with which part of the United States they are from. Some people ask, “What part town are you from?” Others ask, “Who is your family?”...

Outwitted

I recently read Ian McEwan’s new novel What We Can Know. A full week has passed since I finished the book, and I still don’t know what I think of it. At times during the reading, I was impressed with the quality of the prose and totally taken in by the storyline. At...
Steven Simpson