A summary of the June posts from the MORE TO COME newsletter.
Summer solstice has come and gone. At the turning of the year, I find myself focused not only on the change of seasons but on changing perspectives. In the poem A Blessing for Presence, John O’Donohue writes about seeing things afresh:
May you receive great encouragement when new frontiers beckon.
May you respond to the call of your gift
And find the courage to follow its path.
Many of this month’s posts in MORE TO COME touched on this theme, including the top favorites of readers of the newsletter. I hope you’ll find something here to help you see things with new eyes.
TOP READER FAVORITES
Five posts topped all others in terms of reader views this month. Two were the newest additions to my series of author interviews while two others were new thoughts on passing milestones. The last one was an old favorite from two years ago. *
Let’s jump in and see what the readers found of interest.
- Michelangelo Sabatino and his co-authors have written a richly illustrated, deeply researched, and well-crafted source of unending pleasure for the eyes, mind, and soul in the new book The Edith Farnsworth House: Architecture, Preservation, Culture. In Undermining the conventional, Michelangelo answers my questions about this iconic house that changed the face of architecture.
- Author Leah Rampy writes from an “intersection of spirituality, ecology and story,” inviting us to think, contemplate, live, and act differently. We discuss this perspective in the interview Discerning a path in a future beyond our knowing.
- Willie Mays, R.I.P. is where I say goodbye to a childhood hero who changed the game of baseball. Don’t take my word for it; the actress Tallulah Bankhead said, “There have been only two geniuses in the world—Willie Mays and Willie Shakespeare.”
- Nevada was the last stop on my 50-state bucket list, a milestone I celebrate in Checking off the big 5-0 (state, that is). Travel will definitely change your perspective.
THE TIMES WE LIVE IN
A couple of June posts addressed the challenges of our political division. **
- In Draw from a well of common goodness, I wrestle with ways to respond to a politics of division.
- Using government to help ordinary people is where I examine the president’s work to reclaim our democracy.
BOOKS, MUSIC, AND OTHER OBSERVATIONS
In addition to the books above, I also read about communication (from two very different perspectives), and an unexpected take on a biography.
- How we communicate and connect examines an important and helpful new book from Charles Duhigg—Supercommunicators—for those seeking to make better connections in life.
- In The Overstory, Richard Powers has written a fictional work full of genuine truths, which I explore in Memory is life’s way of talking to the future.
- Late last year the Museum of American History released Biography of a Phantom: A Robert Johnson Blues Odyssey, a “new” biography fifty years in the making of the blues singer whose early death and limited musical output would seem to suggest obscurity rather than fame. Nonetheless, Johnson’s enigmatic life and powerful musical voice have captivated musicians, fans, writers, and musicologists for decades, as I discuss in Hellhounds and phantoms.
- Blackbird is a look at both the history behind, and the interpretations of, one of Paul McCartney’s most famous tunes.
- And we have the always popular From the bookshelf: May 2024
FEATURED COMMENTS
Here are two comments from readers this month, with encouragement to check out the stories that struck a chord with these MTC readers.
- Dr. Irena Edwards, longtime friend and Chair of the Czech National Trust commented via LinkedIn on the post about visiting my 50th state. Irena wrote: “I like the idea of a bucket list very much. I never had one. At least not one in writing where I could tick things off. Perhaps because where I came from, one had to dream in secret and keep one’s plans close to one’s chest. But thank you for reminding me of my long-standing wish to have one.”
- Friend, former colleague, and now the Elizabeth MacMillan Director at the Smithsonian’s Museum of American History Dr. Anthea Hartig dropped me a short note on LinkedIn in response to my post about the museum’s new biography of blues singer Robert Johnson. Anthea wrote, “I’m so proud of this work at your Smithsonian National Museum of American History—thank you so much, David!”
CONCLUSION
Thanks, as always, for reading. Your support and feedback mean more than I can ever express.
As you travel life’s highways be open to love, thirst for wonder, undertake some mindful walking every day, recognize the incredible privilege that most of us have, and think about how to put that privilege to use for good. Women, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, immigrants, and others can feel especially vulnerable . . . because they are. Work hard for justice and democracy as the fight never ends.
Bash into some joy along the way.
And finally, try to be nice. Always be kind.
More to come . . .
DJB
*Search engines can occasionally be your friend. If you don’t believe me, go to Google and type: “When the dog catches the car.”
**Please read my disclaimer for politics-related posts before firing off a nasty comment.
For the May 2024 summary, click here.
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Photo by Geetha Sravanthi E on Unsplash
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