Comments on: my year of excellent essayists http://patriciazaballos.com/2009/01/15/my-year-of-excellent-essayists/ where a mother tries to cultivate creativity and a sense of wonder in her kids—and does a whole lot of wondering herself in the process Tue, 15 May 2012 04:42:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: patricia http://patriciazaballos.com/2009/01/15/my-year-of-excellent-essayists/comment-page-1/#comment-282 patricia Sat, 17 Jan 2009 17:55:17 +0000 http://patriciazaballos.com/?p=716#comment-282 Thanks, Barbara! All of your recommendations sound intriguing. I already checked out A Room of One's Own from the library before I switched writers for the month, so maybe for February... I'd never heard of Ayun Halliday, but I just read some online reviews. Sounds good! Thanks, Barbara! All of your recommendations sound intriguing. I already checked out A Room of One’s Own from the library before I switched writers for the month, so maybe for February…

I’d never heard of Ayun Halliday, but I just read some online reviews. Sounds good!

]]> By: Barbara http://patriciazaballos.com/2009/01/15/my-year-of-excellent-essayists/comment-page-1/#comment-281 Barbara Sat, 17 Jan 2009 14:32:59 +0000 http://patriciazaballos.com/?p=716#comment-281 p.s. one of my all-time favorite essayists is Lewis Thomas. He writes so beautifully about science and life. (I was a bona-fide science geek in an earlier part of my life, so I love good science writing). My most favorite (though slightly dated) is "On Embryology" in The Medusa and the Snail. p.s. one of my all-time favorite essayists is Lewis Thomas. He writes so beautifully about science and life. (I was a bona-fide science geek in an earlier part of my life, so I love good science writing). My most favorite (though slightly dated) is “On Embryology” in The Medusa and the Snail.

]]> By: Barbara http://patriciazaballos.com/2009/01/15/my-year-of-excellent-essayists/comment-page-1/#comment-280 Barbara Sat, 17 Jan 2009 14:29:50 +0000 http://patriciazaballos.com/?p=716#comment-280 As for Woolf, you really can't go wrong with A Room of One's Own. I read it years ago, but I'm sure that so much of it would resonate with a mama writer. And though she isn't primarily an essayist, and this book is more of an autobiography, I just love One Writer's Beginnings by Eudora Welty. Such a beautiful book. A favorite mama essayist is Ayun Halliday. The Big Rumpus made me laugh out loud. And I saw Barbara Kingsolver already in your pile. I love her! Hmmm...I think I need to go find some of these books to read myself...see, it's catching! As for Woolf, you really can’t go wrong with A Room of One’s Own. I read it years ago, but I’m sure that so much of it would resonate with a mama writer.

And though she isn’t primarily an essayist, and this book is more of an autobiography, I just love One Writer’s Beginnings by Eudora Welty. Such a beautiful book.

A favorite mama essayist is Ayun Halliday. The Big Rumpus made me laugh out loud.

And I saw Barbara Kingsolver already in your pile. I love her!

Hmmm…I think I need to go find some of these books to read myself…see, it’s catching!

]]> By: patricia http://patriciazaballos.com/2009/01/15/my-year-of-excellent-essayists/comment-page-1/#comment-279 patricia Fri, 16 Jan 2009 17:16:06 +0000 http://patriciazaballos.com/?p=716#comment-279 Thanks so much Susan and Melissa, for responding to my post. I really was afraid that this project might be a little too "out there" for the rest of you to care about, but I appreciate you for indulging me! I love what the essayists you mention say about you--many of Susan's are writers steeped in science, and Melissa's, as you pointed out, are related to food and parenting. Just what you write about on your blogs. I haven't read most of your suggestions, so I'll keep them in mind as I choose a new writer each month. And I appreciate the supportive feedback you two unfailingly give. Thanks so much Susan and Melissa, for responding to my post. I really was afraid that this project might be a little too “out there” for the rest of you to care about, but I appreciate you for indulging me!

I love what the essayists you mention say about you–many of Susan’s are writers steeped in science, and Melissa’s, as you pointed out, are related to food and parenting. Just what you write about on your blogs.

I haven’t read most of your suggestions, so I’ll keep them in mind as I choose a new writer each month. And I appreciate the supportive feedback you two unfailingly give.

]]> By: melissa s. http://patriciazaballos.com/2009/01/15/my-year-of-excellent-essayists/comment-page-1/#comment-278 melissa s. Fri, 16 Jan 2009 16:08:44 +0000 http://patriciazaballos.com/?p=716#comment-278 The essayists that popped into my head are Anna Quindlen and Michael Pollan, because parenting and food are forefront in my life right now. I'm looking forward to your essayist journey and I'm pretty sure my knit socks will stay happily on my feet! The essayists that popped into my head are Anna Quindlen and Michael Pollan, because parenting and food are forefront in my life right now. I’m looking forward to your essayist journey and I’m pretty sure my knit socks will stay happily on my feet!

]]> By: susan http://patriciazaballos.com/2009/01/15/my-year-of-excellent-essayists/comment-page-1/#comment-277 susan Fri, 16 Jan 2009 15:46:04 +0000 http://patriciazaballos.com/?p=716#comment-277 I don't have any hand knit socks to lose--yet! Supposed to start my first hat any day now. I just took a look at The Writing Life--that is some good writing. I love David Quammen's writing. I suppose he is more a writer of non-fiction books than an essayist, though he did win the PEN/Spielvogel-Diamonstein Award for the Art of the Essay. (ooh!) His book Song of the Dodo is just fantastic. Others I have enjoyed and remember Susan Orlean, Malcolm Gladwell, Mark Twain, Tom Wolfe. I don’t have any hand knit socks to lose–yet! Supposed to start my first hat any day now. I just took a look at The Writing Life–that is some good writing. I love David Quammen’s writing. I suppose he is more a writer of non-fiction books than an essayist, though he did win the PEN/Spielvogel-Diamonstein Award for the Art of the Essay. (ooh!) His book Song of the Dodo is just fantastic. Others I have enjoyed and remember Susan Orlean, Malcolm Gladwell, Mark Twain, Tom Wolfe.

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