Heartstrings: Grief in the Temple
Listen to my Easter Sunday thoughts—including on Easter’s themes, such as fertility—and introduction to a new series for Autonomia’s paid subscriber.
In this episode, I discuss forthcoming reviews of various books—as well as the previously reviewed album by Taylor Swift [https://scottholleran.substack.com/p/music-review-taylor-swift] (read my 31-song review here [https://scottholleran.substack.com/p/music-review-the-tortured-poets-department]) on romantic grief and loss—focused on resilience from grief. I refer to my grief over America’s rejection of a boy who’d escaped dictatorship to live free (listen to my episode on the 25th anniversary of Elian being forced into slavery at U.S.-sponsored gunpoint [https://scottholleran.substack.com/p/america-versus-the-immigrant]).
I also discuss the image included herewith, courtesy of Kansas City, Missouri artist Jackie Grawe [http://www.jackiegrawe.com]. Jackie told me that her painting “is pastel on toned paper” adding that “the actor did a Facebook Live in 2020 after watching police brutality against a young black man.” Jackie tells me she took a screenshot before painting the portrait by hand.
Finally, Classic Chicago magazine published my new, in-depth profile of writer L Frank Baum as the lead story on this Easter Sunday. It’s a tale I titled: “From Failure to Fiction: L. Frank Baum in Chicago.” You can read the article (for free) here [https://classicchicagomagazine.com/from-failure-to-fiction-l-frank-baum-in-chicago/]. I discuss the article and its meaning and relevance to Easter in this episode.
This is part of my series, Industrial Revolutions [https://classicchicagomagazine.com/category/industrial-revolutions/], for the Chicago publication, which previously published my profiles of Walt Disney [https://classicchicagomagazine.com/walt-disney-in-chicago/], Charles Ingalls [https://classicchicagomagazine.com/charles-ingalls-in-chicagoland/] and the Standard Oil Building [https://classicchicagomagazine.com/chicagos-ivory-tower-the-standard-oil-building/]. The website recently started publishing short fiction, debuting with my winter-themed short stories [https://shortstoriesbyscottholleran.substack.com/p/winter-fiction-trilogy-in-chicago]. My newest short story, a mythical, science fiction tale about an old woman born in a log cabin, debuts next month.
The article about Mr. Baum has been among my writing projects for over a year. I’ve been interested in this author, and the role Chicago played in the development of his children’s stories, since I first read and reviewed his first book about Oz. Chicago deserves more credit than I’d realized. Born in New York, with adventures from east to American West as a printer, newspaper publisher, oil salesman, opera house manager, journalist, businessman, husband, father and, ultimately, curious Chicago capitalist who lived and died in Hollywood, I trace Baum’s amazing literary life. I hope you enjoy reading the article.
Related Episodes, Articles and Links
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit scottholleran.substack.com/subscribe [https://scottholleran.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]
