Last Friday, when I learned of the renewed investigation of Hillary Clinton’s emails, I knew I’d be spending Saturday knocking on doors. I wanted to do my part, and was eager to know if the latest news had changed anyone’s mind. When I learned the location I was to...
Some years ago I heard the author Russell Banks speak at Cincinnati’s Mercantile Library. He said something to the effect that 19thcentury Americans who could read and write deeply valued their ability to do so. They believed they had something to say – that...
Here is how Month Away starts: I finished Cutting for Stone last night. One of the best novels I’ve ever read. My husband and son, now headed back to Cincinnati, are taking it back to the library. [Tonight. Right?]This is my first hour of a month in Michigan.We’ve...
I went to hear a classical pianist last week – my first live classical music in many, many years. The concert reminded me that music, like words, can create meaning that goes far beyond what the writer intended.I grew up in a home where classical music played every...
Sometimes, the most important question is the one you don’t ask.Last winter, my veterinarian called to say that my dog had an elevated liver enzyme. He recommended an expensive and invasive round of tests to confirm his suspicion: a potentially fatal condition...
