A is for Anna
February 9, 2010
Ooooh the pressure! What to write for the maiden voyage into Bedside Table blogging? Kinda like that first page in a fresh new journal or notebook, so pristine and full of possibilities it becomes terrifying. So Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway the book says. Have the book. Too afraid to read the book.
I’ve been rescued and inspired! My best ol’ pal (old as in length of time not length of tooth) sent me an e-mail yesterday with a moving essay by Anna Quindlen. That’s it! A is for Anna – one of my all time favourite writers and a perfect example of how a bedside table can also have space on it for magazines, poetry, novels, non-fiction, kids books and more. Anna does it all. She has written non-fiction and fiction, edited poetry, and is a popular essayist and columnist. Oh right, and she has a Pulitzer Prize in her pocket.
Find out more about Anna Quindlen here. Her speeches have also struck a chord with many and the Commencement Address at Mount Holyoke is a favourite. Read the introduction to her book Loud and Clear which includes the essay Good-bye Dr. Spock ( “All My Babies Are Gone Now…” ) This is the piece that was in my in-box. (Thanks Pal!)
Do you have an Anna Quindlen favourite? Another essayist or speech-giver you’ve found inspiring? What are you reading today? What’s your book club reading? Those who know me will attest to the fact that any conversation in which I’m involved allows plenty of room for digression … feel free to ramble in any direction you like!
