John Hinkle Jr., the great-uncle of Alyce Wilson
Everyone has a story to tell, and through listening to them, we can learn a lot about other people’s dreams, emotions and experiences. This week’s contributors share pieces related to biography and autobiography.
First, in her essay “Biography Year,” Margaret Montet takes an innovative look at what she learned from a year of reading biographies.
William Miller’s poem, “Lowell’s Briefcase,” illuminates the last moments in the life of American poet Robert Lowell.
“Talone’s Yard” by Amy Barone provides a vivid snapshot of childhood and adolescence.
Finally, the fiction piece “The Higher Learning” by Robert Lamon creates a detailed look at friendship and class dynamics in the 1950s that feels true to life.
Alyce Wilson is the editor of
Wild Violet and in her copious spare time writes humor, non-fiction, fiction and poetry and infrequently keeps
an online journal. Her first chapbook,
Picturebook of the Martyrs; her e-book/pamphlet,
Stay Out of the Bin! An Editor's Tips on Getting Published in Lit Mags ; her book of essays and columns,
The Art of Life; her humorous nonfiction ebook,
Dedicated Idiocy: How Monty Python Fandom Changed My Life, and her newest poetry collection,
Owning the Ghosts, can all be ordered from her Web site,
AlyceWilson.com. In late 2019, she published a volume of poetry by her third great-grandfather,
Reading's Physician Poet: Poems by Dr. James Meredith Mathews, which also contains genealogical information about the Mathews family. She lives with her husband and son in the Philadelphia area and takes far too many photos of her handsome, creative son, nicknamed Kung Fu Panda.
