Collected Miscellany

I just learned of a Chicago Tribune editorial on poor biblical literacy in America. The paper argues, “Trying to understand American literature and history without some knowledge of the Bible is like trying to make sense of the ocean despite a complete ignorance of fish.”

I doubt regular readers for Collected Misc. are deficent in biblical knowledge, but who knows who drops by here to read something; so I wrote this quiz on basic ideas and stories from the Bible. I tried to use one of the online test/quiz makers to make this a bit interactive, but the three I tried weren’t working for me. Sorry, but here it is in simple, unadorned text.

If you’re interested in this sort of thing, let me know and whether you would like to see a few more of them.

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As I might have mentioned once or twice, a few weeks ago I had the privilege of sitting down with Michelle Herman to talk about her work (including two recently released books). Michelle Herman teaches in the MFA program in creative writing at The Ohio State University and was the recipient of the University Alumni Distinguished Teaching Award, which is the university’s highest teaching honor. She is the author of Missing, A New and Glorious Life, and most recently Dog and The Middle of Everything). Having stumbled upon her work in the bookstore and realizing that she lived in the same city, and aspiring to the level of Robert Birnbaum, I asked if she would be willing to do an interview. She graciously agreed to do so.

So on a particularly lovely day for Columbus we met at a cafe. We talked about writing, living in the Midwest, dogs, inner dialog, the value of MFA’s, and more. Given its length, I decided to break the interview into two parts. Below is part one (I will post Part two tomorrow). Enjoy.

KH: What drew you to a career in writing? What were your inspirations growing up?

To tell you the truth I almost don’t remember a time when I didn’t think of myself as a writer. But probably the real answer to that is reading. I read and read and read. My guess is that I was already writing – I know I was already writing before I thought, “Oh, I could become an author.” Because I know for sure exactly when I began to see myself as a writer. I was seven and my second grade teacher had praised me for a assignment I had written about the Verrazano Bridge that had just been put up – we all had to write something about this Verrazano Bridge – but she carried on so much about it . . . And I think that is how it works for most people who end up pursuing something in art. You do something naturally that’s comfortable and that you loving doing but that’s not enough, someone has to say: “you’re good at that, I want to see more of that.” I know as early as my sixth grade autograph book for “career” I was writing, “author.” I was sure.

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David has tagged me with the meme that Phil started, fair enough. Answers below.

Three screen names that you have had: All boring I am afraid: kjh, kevinh, and the ubiquitous kholtsberry.

Three things you like about yourself: laid back, occasionaly funny, generous.

Three things you don’t like about yourself: lazy, easily distracted, unambitous.

Three parts of your heritage: Native American, English, German.

Three things that scare you: daytime TV, spiders, Ted Kennedy.

Three of your everyday essentials: hot shower, high speed internet access, books.

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In case you haven’t noticed, we have had a bit of a focus on Michelle Herman around here lately. Last week we reviewed her first novel and her collection of novellas. Yesterday we tackled one of two works released this year, a short novel called Dog.

Today we move on to the second work she has had released this year a non-fiction work composed of four personal essays under the title The Middle of Everything.

The Middle of Everything is subtitled Memoirs of Motherhood and for the most part that is exactly what it is. Herman explores her real life in much the same way she explore the characters in her fiction. She attempts to get inside their head and unpack their emotions and ideas; the mental actions and reactions that track or diverge from their physical life. Obviously in this case she is already inside her own head. But as anyone who had ever tried to make sense of their own feelings and ideas can tell you, this is not always so straight forward.

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Okay, Phil tagged me, so I’m tagging Kevin Holtsberry to keep this all in the family.

Three screen names that you have had: Rhino. DiPino. These are characters’ names from assorted manuscripts.

Three things you like about yourself: I’m still alive. Sense of humor is warped but functional. Trying to chase the dream of writing.

Three things you don’t like about yourself: Being impulsive, combative or negative.

Three parts of your heritage: Anglo, Irish, Norman French. Some of the ancestors invaded England in 1066. Sorry about all the pillaging.

Three things that scare you: Reality television. The publishing industry; the fact that health care is now in the hands of claims adjustors.

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This one’s for you, Mr. Thayer. I got it from Jared this weekend.

Three screen names that you have had: Raindream, Blackberry, JDennum (I’ve heard some talk about anonymity in online discussions and how it can shield people from responsible dialogue. Someone can use a screen name to hide behind and type whatever nasty or hateful things they want. That makes sense to me, but a person could do the same under a normal, but false, name. I could comment under the name Larry just as responsibly as I could my own name, and what would you know? What do any of us really know about each other, save what we choose to reveal? So, screen name or real name, we should blog and discuss things with respect for each other.)

Three things you like about yourself: sense of humor, imagination, and place of birth

Three things you don’t like about yourself: lack of discipline, fear, and anger

Three parts of your heritage: born and raised in Chattanooga, Tenn; a few generations removed from Irish and Scottish immigrants; I just received an antique dinner bell used by my great grandmother at every meal–it hangs on the wall and needs a leather strap to ring the bell.

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