Writings
Ohio and Ohio Valley writers and writing, literary and cultural history with occasional ventures into the greater Midwest and Upper South.
Winter: Hail and Farewell
“Farewell to winter’s frozen water-weeds. Farewell to dark hills and clouds that foul the sky; Farewell to snowbirds eating ragweed seeds And winds that blow dead leaves across the rye. And shake old sparrow nests among the eaves; Farewell to daisies under pasture stumps; Farewell warm rabbit blood upon dead leaves And greenbriar thickets where…
CONTINUE READINGWorks by Ohio Valley writers adapted into Oscar-nominated films.
In honor of the Academy Awards this evening, I’ve got an overview here of some of the Academy Award-nominated movies based on books by Ohio valley authors. All of these writers will eventually be profiled here at Buckeyemuse. The man who dominates the list here with two film adaptations is Indiana novelist Booth Tarkington. What…
CONTINUE READINGIt’s Statehood Day in Ohio!
Today is the 211th anniversary of the date Ohio was formally admitted to the Union, making it the 17th state admitted to the young United States of America. Happy Birthday, Ohio! Patrick Kerin
CONTINUE READINGBorn March 1, 1837: William Dean Howells of Martin’s Ferry, Ohio.
Today is a big day here at Buckeyemuse. In addition to being the first day of the month when spring arrives in the Northern Hemisphere, it’s also William Dean Howells’ birthday. Howells is one of the most important of Ohio’s literary lights. Novelist, editor, poet, short story writer, dramatist, promoter of realism in literature, Howells…
CONTINUE READINGPerspective
“So many bad books get printed, why can’t my bad book get printed?” –Thomas Merton, Secular Journal.
CONTINUE READINGResources for Thomas Merton
There’a a wealth of material on Thomas Merton, so I’m going to list some of the better known biographies and critical works here for anyone who might be interested in learning more about Merton. Here are some important biographies: Living With Wisdom: A Life of Thomas Merton by Jim Forest (Orbis Books, 1991). Merton: A…
CONTINUE READINGRemembering Erma Bombeck: 1927-1996
Erma Bombeck was born on this date–February 21–in 1927 in Bellbrook, Ohio. She was a best-selling author, humorist, and newspaper columnist whose syndicated columns were popular throughout the United States. She wrote about the challenges of daily life, family, and motherhood with wit and compassion in a straightforward and low-key style that resonated with readers…
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The Long Journey of Thomas Merton
He was born in France and died in Thailand. But when he was laid to rest it was in the soil of the Abbey of Gethsemani near Bardstown, Kentucky where he had lived for 27 years as a monk of the Trappist order, officially known as the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance. Thomas…
CONTINUE READINGHappy 83rd Birthday to Toni Morrison!
Happy Birthday to Toni Morrison, born in Lorain, Ohio on February 18, 1931, and one of only six Americans to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. Toni Morrison will be profiled on the pages of this blog in the coming week along with Thomas Merton and Erma Bombeck. Please stay tuned!
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