Member: bhalpin

Just finished "dear catastrophe waitress" which I did not want to end! Your writing is so amazing, and, if you don't mind me saying, for a male you really get the female psyche!!! Please write more!!!!! (I also loved Donorboy). YOu have a fan in Ithaca,NY
-coolmama (library thing profile)

posted by coolmama at 8:43 pm (EST) on Sep 9, 2009

Somebody's Mother
- Mary Dow Brine (1816-1913)

The woman was old and ragged and gray
And bent with the chill of the Winter's day.

The street was wet with a recent snow
And the woman's feet were aged and slow.

She stood at the crossing and waited long,
Alone, uncared for, amid the throng

Of human beings who passed her by
Nor heeded the glance of her anxious eyes.

Down the street, with laughter and shout,
Glad in the freedom of "school let out,"

Came the boys like a flock of sheep,
Hailing the snow piled white and deep.

Past the woman so old and gray
Hastened the children on their way.

Nor offered a helping hand to her -
So meek, so timid, afraid to stir

Lest the carriage wheels or the horses' feet
Should crowd her down in the slippery street.

At last came one of the merry troop,
The gayest laddie of all the group;

He paused beside her and whispered low,
"I'll help you cross, if you wish to go."

Her aged hand on his strong young arm
She placed, and so, without hurt or harm,

He guided the trembling feet along,
Proud that his own were firm and strong.

Then back again to his friends he went,
His young heart happy and well content.

"She's somebody's mother, boys, you know,
For all she's aged and poor and slow,

"And I hope some fellow will lend a hand
To help my mother, you understand,

"If ever she's poor and old and gray,
When her own dear boy is far away."

And "somebody's mother" bowed low her head
In her home that night, and the prayer she said

Was "God be kind to the noble boy,
Who is somebody's son, and pride and joy!"

posted by theoldman at 12:22 pm (EST) on May 13, 2009

I read Donorboy a few years back. As much as I enjoyed the story, my favorite part was your delivery- using diary entries and IMs instead of narration was brilliant!

posted by garfieldgurl3 at 3:21 am (EST) on Mar 4, 2008

I bought your book back in 2003, when I was desperately looking for something from a male perspective on breast cancer for my husband. He still refuses to read it because he says he's "not ready to go down that emotional nightmare again" but I did read it and love it.

I still re-read it and it is the most wonderful, honest book I have found dealing with bc. It also helped me to understand some of what my husband had/has to go through and that really helps me. Please keep writing!

posted by PhantomMidge at 10:45 pm (EST) on Jan 6, 2008

I just saw that you left me a message - I guess I'm not too bright with this whole Library Thing thing, but thanks! I really did love the book, it was a lot of fun, and it's very cool to actually hear back from the author as well!!! :)

posted by superblondgirl at 10:46 pm (EST) on Aug 25, 2007

i started reading DCW at about 1am..i took my time.....i got to about page 250 when the sky turned kinda light....then i put it down, satisfied as heck.....how do i translate to you the goodness i felt reading this (i finished it when i woke up at noon)...there were so many truisms....so many parallels i felt..it made me feeeeel...more than anything else......and it makes me wonder how you got from A to B in life......

this is me assuming your writing is autobiographical because...how the FUCK does one write so TRUE about things that happen in everyday life...how do you (one) hit the emotional nail on the head when it comes to relationships, micromoments of life that play out photographically in your novel, and the internal...? how does he do it.....?

well regardless..you do it and you do it thoroughly.....i have not felt this attached to a book in a long while....

a thousand times thank you

posted by fairbrook at 8:14 am (EST) on Jul 7, 2007

well hello most wonderful you!..imagine this..an author whose writing makes me happy..on librarything....i want to thank you muchly for "it takes a worried man"...not only was i touched by it..it also got me into the music of the carter family...i enjoyed "losing my faculties" next..i am also a teacher and it was spot on!....and donorboy made me happy too..i just bought the catatstrophe waitress....and i wonder what it will have in common with the b&s album..i guess i will see...

just wanted to say thank you....

posted by fairbrook at 6:40 pm (EST) on Jul 4, 2007