“Rabbit” feels like the most “personal” essay we have read in this collection. “Records” kept us at a distance. In other words, “Records” felt more constructed than “Rabbit.” This second to last essay came across as more deeply felt, and … Continue reading →

Sunshine State began with a personal account and it ends (well, almost ends) with another personal account. “Rabbit” tells the story of Gerard’s grandparents; there’s no embellishing, nothing fictional, just her own barebones experiences. Where the first essay seemed to … Continue reading →

  Detail from Francesco del Cossa‘s Mese di Marzo:

At first I found it strange, but a wonderful addition to the essay, that Ralph for having successfully mated a captive, brown pelican, was featured in the magazine Playboy. It was strange to me that such an organization, the Suncoast … Continue reading →

As I think we have all decided, Gerard’s strength lies in this style of essay, journalism hybrid. On too many occasions to count, and also evident in “The Mayor of Williams Park,” she lets those she interviews really tell the … Continue reading →

I’ve personally found “Sunshine State” to be the most interesting and engaging essay so far. Maybe that says more about me as a person than the essays themselves but I thought it was a great combination of information, drama, intrigue, … Continue reading →

“I Dream of Zenia with the Red Teeth” by Margaret Atwood followed along with the themes seen in previous stories. Mortality and the frailty of people is a common thread among all the stories. This story was about three older … Continue reading →

In the previous story “I Dream of Zenia with the Bright Red Teeth” I had difficulty determining who was at the center — who was the story really about. I had no such problem in “The Dead Hand Loves You.” … Continue reading →

This style of essay from Gerard, i.e., less internal, is where I find her most appealing attributes as a nonfiction writer. As in “Going Diamond,” Gerard is able to communicate bigger societal/political issues via a local story. She takes her … Continue reading →