Publisher's Synopsis
In this second collection of autobiographical poetry and prose, Susan H. Brown renders a range of pivotal moments in her life as they intersect with history-war(s), political power, countries and borders. With the passage of time comes shifts in perspective as she crisscrosses continents. From Old World memories of emigrating, learning new languages and acquiring unfamiliar cultural practices in the New World, to decades later, when she revisits Austria and Hungary with her American family. More recent travels to China, Japan, India, and Russia, as well as Mongolia, North Africa, Cuba, and Hawaii provide fresh insights, but familiar emotions, layered with the past. Glimpses into her work as a speech therapist with special needs children, and her current endeavor translating Holocaust survivors' stories, reveal other aspects of her communication skills. And finally, inspired by art and profoundly affected by music, Susan creates Ekphrastic pieces to muse on the power of creativity to express sadness, loss, and some measure of acceptance. Poignant reflections on the ever-present effects of history, both personal and political, on the stories we preserve.
