Cheryl Strayed - Author talk on Tiny Beautiful Things

 The Dallas Museum of Art presented a virtual author talk with Cheryl Strayed. It was a good forty five minutes. I've liked her writings and have followed her since her breakout Wild.  Now she's discussing her book Tiny Beautiful Things.

She was the longtime secret columnist "Sugar" for Rumpus, and changed the advice concept into small literary essays. I am currently reading the book and her answers to people's questions are little works of art, all while truly caring and trying to give good life advice on so many serious matters. 

In general her overall writing life moves between memoir and fiction.  She tries to relax and be herself. "It's never easy and never will be," she said in regard to writing.  Strayed "loves art - takes the risk."

She does not map out or plan what she'll write or say. She goes with the flow.  "Arts are central to the world and does make a difference. "

Cheryl Strayed is a very cool person and author. I enjoyed this virtual talk and would love to see her in person some day. 

Friday Selected Shorts - Celebrate Toni Morrison

Got the brain in gear on Saturday night and bought a ticket to a virtual DMA Arts and Letters Live program.  Selected Shorts: A Celebration of Toni Morrison was a lovely event with some excellent readings and engaging excerpts.

The host Yaa Gyasi has won many awards and her latest book is Transcendent Kingdom.  

From Broadway and television - Anika Noni Rose read an excerpt from Jazz. Lovely read and she has such soulful eyes. 

Another theater and TV award winner - Brandon J. Dirden read from Sula -  quite touching and descriptive 

My favorite  of the evening was a stand alone piece called The Dancing Mind. Joe Morton (he was Rowan- Olivia Pope's Dad on Scandal) has a voice that could just read the phone book to me.  This Emmy award winner, Tony nominated actor is powerful. 

The finale was an except from Sweetness done by Charlayne Woodard - two time Obie winner and more. 

 Toni Morrison (1931-2019) was a Pulitzer Prize winning author (Beloved), and powerful writer through the years. Name any top writing honor and she earned it, including the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1994. Class act, commanding speaker, and activist. Her writing has made us all think through the years, as she strove to bring the black experience to the written page. 

I thank the DMA for this hour long program. It was well executed. Yes, it's more fun live with audience reaction, but virtual is better than nothing and worth the $20 ticket. 

Letters Aloud - All Our Best by the DMA

 The Dallas Museum of Arts is presenting virtual programs now and for $10 I watched a program called Letters Aloud. This was presented in conjunction with a Seattle group of actors. This program was about perseverance in times of struggle - pandemic (1918) and racism (then and now). It was well done, with a good flow, and very interesting choices. 

W.E.B Dubois wrote a letter to his daughter at a boarding school in England. He wrote of her challenges as a black girl. It was quite moving. 

Margaret Mitchell and her mother wrote. Alas, Margaret did not make it home in time - her mother passed from the Spanish Flu. 

5/13/1958 - Jackie Robinson wrote a letter to President Eisenhower. In regards to the president's comment to have racial "patience", Robinson wrote respectfully, "No."

Another letter had Frederick Douglass writing to Harriet Tubman about her devotion to the cause. 8/29/1868

E.B. White 3/30/1973 wrote  in regards to hope, "Get up Sunday morn and wind the clock, as a contribution to order and steadfastness."

Good advice in these troubled times.  Wind the Clock.  Let's keep going.