Author Archive
The Albedo Principle
Once upon a time, just like a starry-eyed kid in a 1950s musical, I came to New York to seek fame and fortune. My first job was as a book club correspondent. My name was “Thom... read more...
Johnny Come Lately
Employing my usual lopsided sense of urgency, I announce my transformation from weekly to monthly columnist with a timely (ha!) review of my favorite film. Unfortunately, you ... read more...
Sam’s story comes to an end
Samuel Reuben Highland Park, Ill. February 18,1978 My dear Shelly, Congratulations! On the marketing of a $200 item. Now, you are a writer, which no one can deny. ... read more...
The soundtrack of my childhood
The decal that Samuel Reuben designed is beautiful. An eagle’s golden wings are proudly spread over a large, white circle bordered by a heavy, gold-link chain. Two taloned cla... read more...
The Mouse and the Cake
August 30, 1976 Highland Park, Ill. Dear Shelly, Sorry I didn’t write to you earlier, but now is the time. You will remember Rosie my sister. Well, She is being operated... read more...
Stay away from scorpions
October 8, 1975 - Highland Park, Ill. My dear Shelly, I will write you a few lines that will bring you up-to-date. The weather has been very good. There are no floods in the... read more...
Gnaddie. Gnaddie. Gnaddie.
I remember in the sad and fragile period after Mikey died, when I was so certain that my father’s heart was irreversibly broken, with what surprise and relief I realized that ... read more...
Coconut hairs in my mouth
If my father saw a blind man stranded at the curb of a busy intersection, he would stop his car in the middle of traffic and, unconcerned by honking horns and screaming motori... read more...
You Make a Better Door than a Window
Samuel Reuben delighted in delighting his children. We knew how very much we were loved by him, and we had the good sense to appreciate what we had. From his deliberately obtu... read more...
Sleeping Sam Stories
Samuel Reuben had an incredible mind. It danced forward, backward, up and down on a tightrope of unpredictability, always surprising, delighting, never losing its sense of tim... read more...
You are my daughter
January 5, 1975 Dear Shelly, There is a blanket of snow over everything outside. It is great for making snowballs and temporary fortifications, also igloos… Chucky is going... read more...
Iconoclastic observations
General Headquarters Office of Samuel Reuben June 17, 1974 Dear Selma, Shelly, Linda & Chucky, I am writing this letter in quadruples to insure cooperational uniformity of... read more...
Do you know how Ollie is?
When I called Ollie during my rare trips home, he remembered me. Every time. But I never gave him the chance not to. I always told him that I was Mikey’s sister or Mr. Reuben’... read more...
My father and Ollie
Ever since I left home, I always asked about Ollie when I came back. It wasn’t that it was at the forefront of my mind, or that I had it on any obligatory list of things to do... read more...
The natural history of the soul
What follows is the first letter I received from my father after my brother, Michael, died. April 3, 1974 Dear Shelly, When nature has work to be done, she creat... read more...
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