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~ A site for my creative writing endeavors, writing prompt responses, and experimentation.

Hot White Snow

Monthly Archives: December 2014

Reading is Fundamental

30 Tuesday Dec 2014

Posted by davidjkentwriter in Memoir

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

books, memoir

Part of my Lincoln libraryBack when I was still a wee sprite struggling through the vagaries of junior high school, there was an organization called Reading is Fundamental, aka, RIF (not to be confused with Reduction in Force, another RIF program in which the government shed it “excess” workers). The continuing purpose of Reading is Fundamental is to improve literacy through education and, get this, give free books to kids in need. I likely got a few myself.

Now I’m a huge reader tallying at least 50 books a year; in 2014 I read 84 books. My tendency over the past decade was to read almost exclusively non-fiction, but a couple of years ago I read one novel. Last year it was around a half dozen, and this year I read 16 fiction books, almost a fifth of my total.

Some of this fiction was trying to catch up on “classics,” books that are routinely on “must read before you die” lists, and books that I’ve always wanted to read but somehow never did. Some of these were great (Fahrenheit 451, Lolita, The Alchemist) while others begged the question as to how they could possibly have become cult classics (Tropic of Cancer, Confederacy of Dunces, The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy).

Non-fiction books remained the focus of my reading, not the least of which was because of my continuing fascination with Abraham Lincoln. I finished 23 books about Lincoln, about 27% of my reading this year. To be honest, that’s even more impressive than it sounds because I took notes on every one of those 23 books as I continue researching my own forthcoming Lincoln book.

Non-Lincoln non-fiction books included more than a few deep, long, and psychologically grueling tomes. Wild Swans by Jung Chang and The Rape of Nanking by Iris Chang (no relation) offered incredible insights into China leading up to World War II and then into the cultural revolution. These books were beautifully written and engaging, though their topics brought great sadness along with their powerful insight. Donna Tartt’s The Goldfinch also was a mighty tome filled with angst and insight. All were well worth the lengthy reads.

I also read two fascinating books on art. Ross King’s Leonardo and the Last Supper and Jonathan Harr’s The Lost Painting (about a long-missing Caravaggio) fed my ever-growing appreciation of the art world. I’ve been lucky enough to see many of the most famous artwork in their home settings.

And then there is the writing. While I had written many scientific articles, reports, and analyses over my long scientific career, and while my non-technical writing also is generally well-received, I’m always looking to improve my creative skills. Fifteen of the 84 books (18%) were in one way or another related to the craft and business of writing.

So what about 2015? I’ll continue to read, of course, but my plan is to reduce my reading goal. In 2014 it was 75, which I surpassed, but in 2015 I’m setting my goal at 50 books. The downsizing is to allow me to focus on writing, in particular, my own book on Lincoln’s “science” interests. I’ll also finish writing a separate e-book linking my other favorite historical figure – Nikola Tesla – with Abraham Lincoln, but the Lincoln book gets precedence.

And yes, I expect to still read more than the 50 books.

Check out my author page on Goodreads for more on my reading challenge, and happy reading!

© David J. Kent 2014

David J. Kent is the author of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time.

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That we here highly resolve…

22 Monday Dec 2014

Posted by davidjkentwriter in Critical Thinking, Memoir

≈ 13 Comments

Tags

daily post, memoir, Resolution

Thinking

I gave up writing New Years’ resolutions many years ago. It seemed I put more effort into making them than keeping them. That’s not to say that I don’t resolve to accomplish great things during the year; I do. And 2014 was a good year in that respect.

Among others, I resolved to travel more, and I did. The big event was an 18 day adventure in Argentina that included many kilometers driven on gravel roads, hikes into remote mountain lakes, and “up close and personal” with one of the world’s most iconic glaciers. Other travel took me back to my homeland, into some National Parks, to a coastal Canadian hideaway, and the bloodiest three-day battlefield in our nation’s history.

I also resolved to write more, and I did. My Tesla book returned to stores and to sales that surpassed even its first year, while a second Tesla book hit the electronic airwaves. A magazine feature, two articles on the Smithsonian Civil War studies site, and an article on Lincoln’s math skills in The Lincolnian all joined dozens of short articles on three separate blogs.

And yet there were unresolved resolutions as well. While I did travel, I wanted to travel more exotically. While I did write, I wanted to finish the Lincoln book proposal and have it in the hands of a publisher. While I did spend time with old friends and met new ones, I wanted to do more of both.

Lincoln in his Gettysburg Address called on all of us to “here highly resolve” to accomplish “the unfinished work” that remained. While certainly I can’t equate resolving to achieve my own unfinished work with the higher cause Lincoln extolled, “in a larger sense,” I can strive for “a new birth of freedom” to travel, to write, and to ensure that “the people” who mean the most to me don’t perish from my Earth.

© David J. Kent 2014

David J. Kent is the author of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time.

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Dreaming of Sushi

20 Saturday Dec 2014

Posted by davidjkentwriter in Memoir, Travel

≈ 12 Comments

Tags

Japan, sushi

SushiWe just finished watching a documentary called “Jiro Dreams of Sushi.” It tells the story of Jiro Ono, an octogenarian sushi master who runs a restaurant in the Ginza of Tokyo called Sukiyabashi Jiro. The movie itself is entirely in Japanese, with English subtitles. Jiro and his two sons “star” as they discuss the business of making sushi in a restaurant with only 10 seats. Those ten seats must be reserved at least a month in advance, and it will cost you around $300 to start your meal. A meal that includes only sushi, as Jiro will not serve you anything else.

But the real star isn’t Jiro, it’s the sushi itself. I first discovered sushi about 25 years ago and have considered myself a sushi lover ever since. Just a few days ago I gorged on a sushi buffet that ended only when my system could fit no more. After seeing this film I now feel like I’ve completely missed out on a proper appreciation of such a glorious food.

An appreciate I must. Jiro’s passion for the craft elevates the making of sushi to an art form. It starts with the early morning examination of literally tons of tuna and shrimp and octopus and squid and every other fresh fish that will be used that day. It continues with the hours of careful preparation to smoke or salt or skin the fish that will end up on diner’s plates. Even down to choice to “massage” the live octopi (to bring out their flavor) for 50 minutes instead of the standard 30 helps set Jiro apart from the ordinary sushi restaurants in Tokyo and elsewhere. Finally, to the deft handling of the vinegared rice and tuna through hand motions on par with the greatest sleight-of-hand magicians, he fashions and presents each individual piece, one at a time, to one patron…to be eaten immediately while at the perfect temperature and consistency. Only after that piece is consumed will he start on the next.

My mouth watered as I watched this film, wishing I had known of Jiro when I had visited Tokyo a few years ago and was desperate to find a good sushi restaurant. If I get back there again, I’ll plan ahead to ensure I can experience sushi at its most pure. Meanwhile, my next sushi meal here in the states will undoubtedly find itself much better appreciated.

David J. Kent is a science traveler and the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America, in Barnes and Noble stores now. His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity (2013) and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World (2016) and two e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.

Check out my Goodreads author page. While you’re at it, “Like” my Facebook author page for more updates!

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A Twinkle in the Ice

12 Friday Dec 2014

Posted by davidjkentwriter in Creative

≈ 10 Comments

Tags

daily post, twinkle

The early morning light twinkles through the massive glacial hanging. Not a mere icicle; more of a solid waterfall, its foaming bubbles frozen in time. Deer tracks sprint across the thick ice-bound lake. The land, the water, the air, all seem chilled into seclusion.

Frozen in lightAnd yet, droplets form on the tentacular tips. The warmth of the sun braves the cold to melt our stiffness, free our flowing gracefulness. Soon we will be unbound from our frigid night, ready to explore the burgeoning day…bring new life to the old and crusty. Live again, freed from the bounds of icy existence.

To join our brethren in the lake again. Soon we’ll rise into the sky once more to start the cycle of fluidity that brings us back to earth, to ice, to water, to sky…and back around again.

[Note: The above was stimulated by a photo challenge in the Daily Post. The idea was to share a photo of twinkling light. As usual, my mind saw a slightly different view of the challenge.]

David J. Kent is a science traveler and the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America, in Barnes and Noble stores now. His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity (2013) and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World (2016) and two e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.

Check out my Goodreads author page. While you’re at it, “Like” my Facebook author page for more updates!

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Blogging the Day Away

01 Monday Dec 2014

Posted by davidjkentwriter in Critical Thinking, Memoir

≈ 15 Comments

Tags

daily post, memoir, WESat (Writing Essential

The Death of MaratThe blogosphere is a dangerous place for someone so easily distracted. Not only are there millions of gigabytes of reading material available, there are seemingly inexhaustible opportunities for writing. At first glance you might think this would be a treasure trove for a writer. You would be wrong.

With two books already in print, a third in preparation, and a dozen more ideas lined up to be lasered onto electronic memory, there are no shortage of words to organize into inspired sentences. But a book is a long-term project and blog articles are short and, hopefully, sweet. Therein lies the problem.

Besides my website blog, which I endear with the name Science Traveler, I contribute posts to a science policy blog, this creative writing blog, a Lincoln and Science blog that hasn’t yet gone live, Goodreads book reviews, and even Facebook. That’s a lot of writing and I’m not even counting the zombie writing sites that dwell in the shadows of the internet. Add in the more productive article writing for magazines, newsletters, Lincoln websites, and the occasional grant application and editing project, and well, there are a lot of distractions.

The good news is that I write every day. If I’m traveling without my computer I’m scribbling essays down on a pad of lined paper or thumb-typing into my notes app on the smart phone. The bad news is that the book writing has a lot of competition. Too often the competition wins.

Which reminds me…I’m off to write.

David J. Kent is the author of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity (2013) and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World (2016) (both Fall River Press). He has also written two e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate. His next book on Abraham Lincoln is due out in 2017

 

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In Stores Now! (Click to View)

Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America

Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America

In Stores Now! (Click to View)

Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World

Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World

In Stores Now! (Click to View)

Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity

Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity

Available for Immediate Download (Click to View)

Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time

Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time

AVAILABLE FOR IMMEDIATE DOWNLOAD (CLICK TO VIEW)

Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate

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