Summertime: The Living is Easy—and Not

Sibling loss, Looking to nature to contend with loss, ‘Place’ in literature, plus book ban news

I, like everyone I know, think of summer as slow and relaxing. It’s a time of gathering and connections for me—and also the scurrying around to make ready for those gatherings. It’s beautiful and the living is episodically easy. In a few days, some of my oldest friends will come to stay with me and that will be relaxing. So I’m scurrying to write and record this post early since I’ll be busy all weekend. 

Sibling Loss

My family just had its most important gathering of this year, the celebration of my brother John's life. He was complicated, as people are. I recently wrote an essay about him for an anthology on sibling loss. When I’d’ finished, I wondered whether the essay would fit with the other work. Everyone else wrote about a sibling who died as a child (read: innocent) or the writer was a child when the older sibling passed away. 

John was 62 when he died of complications of kidney cancer. He’d been a drug and alcohol user from about age 10. But he pulled his life together, was kind and generous, a valued employee. Most importantly, he was much loved and now, much grieved. 

I told the editor of the sibling loss anthology that she could change her mind about including my piece because of its dark moments. But ultimately, it’s a story of my and my siblings’ love for John, so maybe it will fit.

John was 2 ½ when this photo was taken. He’s holding our puppy, Spooky, the smartest dog I’ve ever had. Spooky lived to be 17, which felt like a gift. John lived to be 62, which feels like a too early loss. 

John was a natural athlete. Here he is pitching for his high school team.

Looking to nature to content with loss

At the same time John was diagnosed with kidney cancer, his wife, Ellen, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. I wrote an essay about that time that was published in Newfound, which is a journal that centers place. The essay is titled “Silt” after the layers of earth around me as I dealt with layers of grief. It’s about looking to and immersing myself in nature to contend with my losses. 

Here’s the link to that essay. I’m going to read it, so if you’d like to listen to the audio this week, you’ll hear. Of course, I’m not a professional narrator, so feel free to click the link for your own quiet read. 

Another broken literary hero

Maybe life’s lesson is that we shouldn’t lionize anyone, but the news of Alice Munro’s behavior leaves me sad. Perhaps to be a truly great (famous) literary figure, you have to be the kind of narcissist that pushes everyone else to the curb. 

In an essay published in the Toronto Star last Sunday, Andrea Robin Skinner, daughter of Alice Munro, writes that her stepfather sexually abused her, and that Munro stayed with him after learning about it.

(P.S.—Prendergast writes wonderful YA books. If you’re looking for a sci-fi teen read, Zero Repeat Forever is a good choice. I interviewed Prendergast a while back.)

The article (Skinner’s essay) in the Toronto Star is paywalled, but I do have this one from the Washington. Post —I include a ‘gift link,’ so you should be able to read it in its entirety.

Daughter of writer Alice Munro reveals family secret of sexual abuse

I saw someone mention that it reminded them of Marion Zimmer Bradley. 

SFF community reeling after Marion Zimmer Bradley's daughter accuses her of abuse

(This article is more than 10 years old.)

Moira Greyland's claims that she was molested by the late fantasy author have horrified readers and writers who had been inspired by her work.

Library and book challenge/ban news

U.S. appeals court will review its prior order in a Texas county’s library book ban case

Professor Details Florida's State-Directed Changes in Science Textbooks

Miller, the co-author of several biology textbooks with Joseph Levine, told the Orlando Sentinel in article published Friday that his publisher received phone calls last month from state officials informing them of state-directed changes. These changes required the removal of some references to "climate change" and the term was removed from middle school science books.

A judge rejects shielding for Florida school officials in the fight over a banned book

A federal judge Wednesday rejected arguments that Escambia County School Board members and the superintendent of schools should be shielded from testifying about the removal of a school library book — but said the board can file a revised request. [Tango makes Three is the book.—vw] from WMNF Radio

New Alabama Bill to Criminalize Librarians Filed for 2025 Legislative Session from School Library Journal via the Alabama Political Reporter

A bill that could have led to the arrest of librarians narrowly missed becoming law in the last session, but sponsors have already filed a follow-up. The bill is similar to its predecessor but has been streamlined to better detail the procedure for charging librarians with a crime.

“Fifty Alabama lawmakers want to throw Alabama librarians in jail for daring to shelve books that challenge their worldviews,” said Read Freely Alabama leadership in a statement. “Ripped straight out of the Project 2025 playbook, HB4 will criminalize librarians for vaguely defined ‘obscene’ literature that targets LGBTQ and racial justice content."

Florida School Board Wants 7-Year-Old's Testimony in Book Ban Lawsuit

A school board in Florida has sparked controversy by attempting to take the deposition of a 7-year-old student as part of its defense strategy in a federal lawsuit over book bans.

The lawsuit, filed by a local teacher and PEN America, challenges the board's removal of certain books from school libraries, citing violations of free speech and educational rights, and the Escambia County School Board argues it has the right to question the students directly involved in the lawsuit.

I’m saving what I’m reading for next week. I think it might be my main topic.