as part of my determination to become more active socially, i've joined a reading group facilitated by one of the staff at my nearby barnes & noble. last night was the first meeting i attended. by coincidence, the group is reaching the end of its current focus, i.e. pulitzer prize-winning fiction. the book being discussed was The Surrounded, by d'arcy mcnickle. since i've been an avid reader of books by and/or about native americans for decades, the social issues presented weren't new to my awareness. i was struck, however, by the author's careful, graceful pacing of thoughts and events -- perhaps a reflection of the times (it was published in 1936).
just as relevant for me was being part of an intellectual discussion with thoughtful, intelligent people. as a single retired man, it can be too easy to isolate myself in the comforts of routine at home. good to be out, good to be interacting. it gives me hope for a next possible step: finding a writer's support group. until then, it's all good.
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