Dear Mother, You used to call me Sparrow. Why Sparrow? Well, because the woods are full of sparrows, and you loved everything outdoors. Songbirds, wildflowers, wind. You could read the weather like a poem. But why did I remind you of a sparrow and not another songbird? I never thought to ask. With their white cheeks and dingy underparts, plain brown sparrows are everywhere. They beg at outdoor tables and hop under city benches. They nest in chimneys and rafters and even tailpipes. Sparrows are not much to look at, but they’re smart. Canny. Tiny, feathered battle-axes. Sparrows are survivors. I like to think that’s what you meant… No woman is a star. No woman is a god or a tree or a magician. But for a while, in your arms, the universe was the right size, and I knew where I was…Mothers have a sixth sense. Their love is occult.
— Amity Gaige, Heartwood: A Novel (Simon & Schuster, April 1, 2025)
Notes:
- DK Photo of Sparrow. March 30, 2025
- NY Times Book Review: A Slow-Burn Thriller Set on the Appalachian Trail
- Washington Post Book Review: “In “Heartwood,’ a lost hiker fights for survival.”
Sweet.
Agree!
Personally, I think sparrows are fantastic! They brighten my day, every day, feeding from the various feeders I’ve positioned in my garden so I can watch them while I work in my study <3
I’m with you Ken. Agree!
<3 they always seem like happy birds
They do Beth!
“Tiny, feathered battle-axes.” Wow! Love that little phrase. 💪 Sounds like a wonderful book, pal.
So far, very good!
Agree Lori :-). A fabulous phrase, indeed! It jumped right off the page at me. I love it when that happens.
What a wonderful writing style! To me, that entire paragraph is poetry: “You could read the weather like a poem.” Love that sentence.
Putting this one on my “to do list”. Thanks, Dave. Happy weekend everyone!
PS: perfect photo to match! Nice work, Dave 🙂
Thanks Paul! I agree on her writing style…
I second my own statement about your photo! 😉
Ha!
Side comment: I SO wish we could arrange a “Live and Learn Fan Get Together” of some sort. A weekend in a central location that has things to do so we don’t bore each other to death LOL! I would love to meet so many of you… An incredibly high-quality group of people in my humble opinion. Probably won’t happen… I know that… But what fun we could have!
Blessings to you all from Vermont. – Paul.
This is such an awesome idea Paul…..
Well, I mentioned it a very long time ago… When I was far newer to this wonderful group of people…
You never know!
I support this idea. I’m central, Chicago. Let’s all meet here.
Vintage Sawsan. So you. Let the world come to you and revolve around you!
Paul said central. Isn’t Chicago physically center to all of you in the USA?
Come to think of it. Even when you look at planet Eart, my origin doesn’t get any more central than it is.
Central positions come with responsibilities not everyone can carry. I’m happy to host all.
Central to where everyone lives. If everyone but you lives in NE, central would not be Chicago. But what do I know, I’m not a Bio chemist.
Laughing…
Love you, dk
Considering most of the center is empty, Chicago is a safe bet. It’s kind of like the center of gravity of an object can sometimes be in the least likely place, even outside the object itself. B
It will be in Chicago, I’ll host. Dale will be the chef. I’ll be her sous chef because Dale is the only human I’ll sous for.
Oh, you’re paying for the whole thing.
You two made my day!
This is absolutely top quality banter!
PS: If it were within my power, I would travel ANYWHERE to spend time with this group of incredible people! ❤️
Beautiful !!!
Thank you!