Well, it’s been a while since I’ve had something to say on here. When I started this project, I had a plan – a schedule and a list of topics and ideas and concepts. It turns out that actually, I started this blog because I enjoy writing. And consequently, my motivation to write comes in waves, generally inspired by something in my life.

As it happens, I had a baby one month ago today. That inspired me to write, certainly, but not here, for the world to see (isn’t it odd that the internet really works that way?). We’re all doing well, if a little short on sleep, and her presence has forced me to slow down a little. I’ve been standing at a distance from much of the news and commentary that’s circulating, intentionally creating some space to read, and to think.

I recently finished The Optimist’s Daughter, by Eudora Welty, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1972. It’s a tale of family and loss and reflection, and a quote from the final passage has stayed with me. “The past is… impervious, and can never be awakened. It is memory that is the somnambulist.” The loss, in this example, is viewed simply as an event that occurred. Any pain or regret that exists is tied to the memories of that loss, which we manage as best we can. This idea that the past happens and stays put, while our memories chase us, is intriguing, and perhaps empowering.

Though I hope to tackle another book soon, essays and articles are more my speed, these days. I’ve been making my way through recent editions of The New York Times Magazine, and I can confidently recommend the following selections.

Neanderthals Were People, Too New research shows they shared many behaviors that we long believed to be uniquely human. Why did science get them so wrong? (by Jon Mooallem, January 11, 2017)

‘We Are Orphans Here’ Life and death in East Jerusalem’s Palestinian refugee camp. (by Rachel Kushner, December 1, 2016)

How to Hide $400 Million When a wealthy businessman set out to divorce his wife, their fortune vanished. The quest to find it would reveal the depths of an offshore financial system bigger than the U.S. economy. (by Nicholas Confessore, November 30, 2016)

As an aside: in referencing the list of Fiction Pulitzer Prize winners for this post, it seems equally (or better!) aligned with my reading interests than does the Booker Prize list, which I wrote about previously. If you’re looking for a reading recommendation, that may be a good place to start!