This summary of the October posts from the MORE TO COME newsletter begins with a reflection on memories. Of souls and saints we have known. Of passages through and out of this life.
A friend passed away yesterday morning. Jan’s was a full and extraordinary life, having lived in countries around the globe raising a family with her late husband Gene. She wrote a beautiful memoir so that her grandchildren could appreciate another time and place. Jan—a thoughtful reader and commentator—would share insights after reading about a book I’d reviewed on MTC or to encourage me to tackle a work she’d found meaningful.
Earlier this week, our nephew and his wife welcomed a new baby boy into the world. My sister texted that Peter Raouf Ghattas—named in part for his grandfather—arrived weighing in at 8 lbs 10 oz. “Mom and son are doing well. Dad is hanging in there too!”
Moving from October into November we are encouraged to remember the souls, saints, and, yes, even the scoundrels who have walked the earth. Passages into, through, and out of this life are all important. Candy, costumes, ghostly songs and—increasingly—extravagant lawn decorations are how most Americans approach Hallowe’en. Many see it as a harmless observance for children and young adults, to tie us over to Thanksgiving.
But the holiday, which originally came from pagan origins and traditions, was eventually transformed into a Christian observance, closely linked to All Hallows Day or All Saints Day on November 1st. “All-Hallows-Even (that is, evening) is the night before All Hallows Day.” A day to remember.
The traditional apostrophe in the earlier spelling of Hallowe’en denotes the missing “v” of “even.” Yes, I may be an old goat, but I love the traditional spelling to remind us of the holiday’s origins.
Remembrances of people who touched my life have been a part of MORE TO COME since I first put fingers to keyboard back in 2008. Some famous. Some friends. Some family. Earlier this month I scrolled through the Rest in Peace section of MTC and found memories flooding into my head. Into my heart.
Those who came before can provide guidance for navigation in troubled times. I am able to recall the life of a former colleague and dear family friend who lived full of gentleness, generosity, gratefulness, and grace and see possible paths forward. Humor, a self-deprecating style, and kindness can bring fame to a mediocre ballplayer who went on to become a beloved broadcaster and actor. But mostly those traits fostered deep affection. Heroes show us that in this time of anger and divisiveness, one can choose instead to bring a childhood joy and a sense of wonder to everything we do.
Other lives speak profoundly to the love that comes out of sacrifice and adherence to values that go beyond self-interest. In looking through posts of those who have passed on, I was reminded over and over again of how service, humbleness, fairness, and unconditional love are keys to a good life. A friend and former Congressman encouraged us, by taking the path less traveled, to have the courage to change our minds.
We all know people who shape us in ways we cannot even fathom. We do well to keep their memories alive. Sometimes the best remembrance is to pull out a guitar, play music, and tell stories.
At the end, what really matters is who you loved and who loved you.
In a month full of travel, spooks, unrest, change, birth, deaths, and anxiety—“when powerful forces are seeking to divide us one from another, when the legitimacy of our constitutional institutions is under attack, and when factually supported truth itself has come under relentless challenge”—we can use our memories and the examples from past lives to give us strength to navigate the uncertainty and chaos. We can begin each day with a commitment to “live with compassion, with grace, with insight, with integrity, with love.” We can connect to our best selves and, in doing so, connect to the world.
Let’s jump in and see what memories and connections piqued my interest on MORE TO COME as summer’s end led us to the inward focus of autumn. As the natural world “turns toward rest.”
READER FAVORITES
During two recent weeks of both personal time and travel with National Trust Tours in Milan and Lake Como we sampled a variety of delectable foods, visited a number of remarkable historic sites, walked the old streets of thriving communities, and engaged with the citizens of the world.
Sampling the inimitable cuisine and culture of Lombardy: Part 1, The Milan edition was the top post in terms of reader views in October.
ANNOY THE BOOK BANNERS AND READ
The other reader favorite was a highlight of Banned Books Week. Books are to be treasured, not banned is my reminder that America’s problem is not that we’re reading too many books. Free people read freely!
Each day that week I focused on a photo of banned books from a DC area bookstore. Monday’s photo from Solid State Books was embedded in the Books are to be treasured . . . post. Tuesday’s photo came from Old Town Books in Alexandria; Bards Alley in Vienna is the setting for our photo for Wednesday; on Thursday I visited People’s Book in Takoma Park; while East City Book Shop was the scene of Friday’s banned book photo. Check them all out and go read a banned book!
REACHING THE THREE-QUARTERS POLE IN THE INDEPENDENT BOOKSHOP TOUR
In October I wrote about visits to three regional independent bookstores: one in the District, a second in Maryland, and another in Virginia. Twenty-four reviews down, six to go! Here are the shops and books I highlighted in October:
- Installment #22: SCRAWL BOOKS, Reston
- A story as important as it is overlooked—Review: The Midnight Special: The Secret Prison History of American Music by Colin Asher
- Installment #23: KENSINGTON ROW BOOKSHOP, Kensington
- Connecting across rivers, roads, and time—Review: The Bridges of Washington, D.C.: A History & Guide by Bob Dover
- Installment #24: SECOND STORY BOOKS, Dupont Circle
- A thought-provoking novel with few easy answers—Review: The Girl of His Dreams by Donna Leon
A MONTH OF READING DANGEROUSLY
Books were very much on my mind this month. October, with Hallowe’en at the end of the month, is a wonderful time to read all types of detective fiction. In addition to Donna Leon’s The Girl of His Dreams noted above, here are four additional murder mysteries I read to put me in the proper frame of mind for the ghosts and goblins that will show up at our door tomorrow evening.
- Of manners and mystery—My review of the debut novel of Julia Seales entitled A Most Agreeable Murder, a recent parody of the classic English cozy mystery, was the first in this series.
- Reinvention . . . with the twist of a knife—Richard Osman’s third installment in the Thursday Murder Club series, The Bullet That Missed, is clever and charming.
- A “slow food” type of mystery—Bruno, Chief of Police is the first installment in Martin Walker’s successful series about life and crime in a small French village.
- A fatal greed—Georges Simenon’s The Shadow Puppet is the twelfth installment in the legendary Maigret series and it served as a perfect ending for my month of reading dangerously.
THE KITCHEN SINK: BASEBALL, BOOKS, AND BILL EVANS
I’ll add a few random thoughts to bring this summary to a close.
Every now and then I pick a winner. Bring on October baseball! was my non-analytical, highly personal take on who will win it all. Shockingly, I picked the Brew Crew! I’ll have more on the World Series Champions—and a review of a baseball novel that was just republished as a New York Review Book Classic—next week.
From the bookshelf: September 2026 highlights the books I read last month.
Finally, you may have noticed that we have an election coming up next week. I voted today to do my part to begin the dismantling of a political cult run by “the world’s most obnoxious person.” If you are feeling anxious, I might suggest some Bill Evans. Peace Piece is an unrehearsed modal composition that he recorded for his Everybody Digs Bill Evans LP in 1958. It is hailed as one of the most beautiful and evocative solo piano improvisations ever recorded.
DON’T POSTPONE JOY
Thanks, as always, for reading. Your friendship, 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, transformative 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, public servants, and others can feel especially vulnerable . . . because they are. Work hard for justice and democracy as the fight never ends.
But also keep some room in your heart for the unimaginable. Take time to dawdle and dream. Let yourself be bewildered!
Leave enough empty space to feel and experience life. Those gaps are where the magic begins. When times get rough, let your memories wander back to some wonderful place with remembrances of family and friends. But don’t be too hard on yourself if a few of the facts slip. Just get the poetry right.
Be comfortable in the mystery. Seek the uplifting spirit that leads to a life of grace and wonder.
Grace to help us remember that we can do hard things. “Grace to never sell yourself short; Grace to risk something big for something good; and Grace to remember the world is now too dangerous for anything but the truth and too small for anything but love . . .”
Wonder to help us remember that “we are here to keep watch, not to keep.” Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it. And bash into some joy along the way.
Life is finite . . . love is not.
Try to be nice. Always be kind.
More to come . . .
DJB
For the September 2026 summary, click here.
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Cemetery photo by Attila Lisinszky on Unsplash
