The spoken word translates neatly into the written in this
posthumous collection of microessays from National Public Radio
commentator Stern (Making Shapely Fiction, not reviewed, etc.). Two
or three minutes of radio airtime equals about the same number of
written pages, which would normally seem too constricted for a
personal essay. It turns out to be just enough, however, for Stern
to create his artful prose miniatures: say, to cover a topic like
the social ritual of the dessert cart's temptations; to relate an
anecdote of brazen cafeteria line-jumping or a reminiscence of
school "hobby day"; or to play out the conceit of an existential
airline's announcement: "Remain comfortably seated, for this trip
may be your first or your last, or one of the many trips you will
take so . . ." These "radios" (as opposed to "papers") are rooted
in the everyday, with Stern favoring his memories of family
dynamics ("Reading the Refrigerator"), his experiences of teaching
and being taught ("Looking for Mr. Keats"), and the close scrutiny
of kitchen appliances, such as ice trays and rotisseries. Stern
conjures up arrestingly small details, such as the changing
fashions of Christmas tree lights or the brand of highlighter (the
"Personalizer") used to mark the targets for radiation therapy on
his body. Stern's ongoing mysterious illness punctuates this
miscellany like a mildly cliff-hanging radio serial while he
recounts testing, diagnosis, and treatment. Throughout, Stern keeps
his ear tuned for good dialogue, even one of his nurses discussing
the life expectancy of her kids' pet fish; and his mind is always
primed for an artful turn of phrase - undergoing chemotherapy, he
describes the radiation machine's sound as "the sizzling crackle of
a patio bug zapper." Pleasantly diverting observations on passing
life, ideal for short-attention-span meditations. (Kirkus Reviews)
Drawings by the author
Here is a gift for the thousands of devoted listeners who made Jerome Stern one of the best-loved commentators on National Public Radio. For over a decadefirst locally and then nationwide, Jerome Stern delighted audiences with the wry, astute mini-essays he called Radios. "You gave great pleasure to my ears," one fan wrote after tuning in en route to work. "More therapeutic than a round on the Stairmaster," another maintained.
Nothing was too large or too small to engage Jerome Stern's interest. Along with the mysteries of the universe, he wrote about kids vs. adults, the moods of teachers, and summer camp. He wrote about chocolate, the anxieties of plane travel, and the night fantasies of husbands. And in a suite called "Patient," broadcast for a week on "All Things Considered," he considered his own experience of illness. All in all, these pieces, whether cautioning or celebrating or simply turning over ideas (to see what makes them tick), add up to a freewheeling autobiography of a man who was curious about everything. Now, with this book, readers and listeners can recapture his words and the familiar musing voice.
Jerome Stern was director of the writing program at Florida State in Tallahassee. He was a, writer, scholar, editor, and teacher, and was the author of
Making Shapely Fiction (a book about writing) and the editor of
Micro Fiction: An Anthology of Really Short Stories, both published by Norton. Upon his death in March 1996, he was proclaimed "a national treasure."
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