Charles van Heck's Woodhull Journal

books

  • Reading and the Mastication of Words

    There are books that, like fast food, we gobble up to satisfy our appetite. Other books are snack food to be nibbled on to gratify a craving, And then, there are those books that are served like a three course… Continue reading

  • On Vulgarity and Profanity

    What does our use of profane and obscene language say about us as individual persons? What does their proliferation and acceptance say about our society? Does it, as some would argue, mean that we are being more honest? Or, as… Continue reading

  • Living in the Circuit

    There are all too frequent periods in our lives when our priorities cause us to lose sight of nature’s “staid current,” its circuit that we live within. We sense, but do not pause to see, to observe as we rush… Continue reading

  • The Origins of Memorial Day

    The men, women, and children who arrived at the race track came with shovels and picks. They came to pay tribute to the dead soldiers by giving them proper burials. The names of the dead were unknown to those who… Continue reading

  • Connection and Disconnection in Desert Places

    When consciously thought about, it is odd how easily the word connect is tossed around in advertisements. Connection, in the sense used by advertisers and social networks, concerns intimacy, shared aims, and relationships among people. The attempt to establish a… Continue reading

  • The Hat Trick and the Crisis We Still Face

    I was obligated to tell a broader story. I needed a cast of characters to tell Emma’s tale and to demonstrate the complexity of the historical period of national division mirrored in contemporary American society. Continue reading

  • Creativity and My Adventure with Sarah Edmonds

    But what exactly is boredom? Can it be productive?  Can it contribute to our creativity? Continue reading

  • 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