Charles van Heck's Woodhull Journal

books

  • Random Thoughts on Writing

    March is a transformative month, though I doubt anyone can say with certainty what the month is transforming into. In the course of a few days, Winter and Spring have seemed to be like unsynchronized and unintentional ballroom dancers stepping… Continue reading

  • When Love Seeks Understanding and Forgiveness

    Who By Fire A novel by Mary L. Tabor Novels, particularly well written ones, create an atmosphere that readers can breathe as they walk through a landscape in which they encounter strangers. We question who the characters are as we… Continue reading

  • Portrait of an Author as a Victorian:  A Conversation with Anthony Trollope

    What does Trollope have to say to authors of the 21st century? One evening, years ago, I was with Bailey White, the author and NPR All Things Considered commentator. Among the topics discussed was what to read when writing a… Continue reading

  • Poetry and Standing at the Edge of the Raccoon World

    I had the opportunity to be an early reader of the galleys of Who By Fire by Mary L. Tabor. An excerpt from my review appears at the end of this essay. What do you take with your morning coffee? What… Continue reading

  • Grocery Shopping with Mister Lincoln’s Elephant Boys

    Grocery shopping in our home is usually done on Thursday or Friday. The upcoming week’s menu and the supermarket list are written concurrently. This saves time and money in the market. The problem with this is that we each prefer… Continue reading

  • The Environment of Dante’s Inferno

    The name David Suzuki is unknown to most people residing in the States. Canadians know him as the host and narrator of the CBC science program The Nature of Things from 1979 until his retirement in 2002. Suzuki taught genetics… Continue reading

  • Reconstructing the Past and Present

    History provides us with an understanding of our place in time. The words of authors glide into topics that pull us into paragraphs of digression. These allow us to consider the character and nature of those women, men, and events… Continue reading

  • Croissants, Bagels and Harvard’s Space Anomaly

    There is no time of day more underrated than the morning. A cup of coffee with a slice of toast. Personally, I would prefer either a fresh croissant or a fresh bagel. Finding a quality bagel or croissant is difficult.… Continue reading

  • A Hospital Morning With Poetry

    This morning was hospital day. This is when I make the mortgage and car payments for the doctors. A friend of mine always receives hugs when she meets with the nurses and doctors. I was greeted with a cheerful, “Good… Continue reading

  • THE RULE DIALOGUES

    THE RULE DIALOGUES She was a stranger I encountered in the Miners Bay Book shop on Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada. Over the next three months, she was my Saturday morning breakfast companion at the Sunny Mayne Bakery Café. Each… Continue reading