Dedicated to the People of Darfur

by Reynolds, Luke

• ISBN13: 9780813546186
• ISBN10: 0813546184
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2009-10-20
• Publisher: Rutgers Univ Pr

Summary

Life’s changes. They happen every day. Some large, some small. A few are very personal. Others impact the world.Dedicated to the People of Darfur: Writings on Fear, Risk, and Hopeincludes original and inspiring essays that celebrate the glories gained from taking risks, breaking down barriers, and overcoming any obstacles.Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, a gallery of O.Henry award recipients, and many best-selling authors come together to share personal and compelling challenges and experiences. From contemplations on past drug use to reflections on gun control, social justice, passion and its sacrifices, and adventures such as skydiving, mountain climbing, and golfing, the topics vary greatly. This kaleidoscopic anthology is a commentary on the lives of prominent literary artists and ordinary citizens who have made simple, yet powerful choices that provoked change in one’s self and for humanity—much the same way that Luke and Jennifer Reynolds do by building this invaluable collection for readers and the world of human rights.Not too long ago, as struggling graduate students, Luke and Jennifer Reynolds conceived this uniquely themed volume as a way to raise funds to support ending the genocide in Darfur. Some people carry signs, others make speeches, many take action. What is most special about this book is that it extends beyond words and ideas, into a tangible effort to effect change. To this end, all royalties from the sales ofDedicated to the People of Darfur:Writings on Fear, Risk, and Hopewill benefit The Save Darfur Coalition, an organization that seeks to end the genocide in Darfur, Sudan.

Author Biography

Luke and Jennifer Reynolds are both passionate about human rights causes and literature. Currently they live in Marlborough, Massachusetts, with their son, Tyler. Luke is a teacher and writer and Jennifer is a freelance writer and full-time mother.

Table of Contents

Foreword	p. xi
Preface	p. xiii
Acknowledgments	p. xvii
The Fears Within
Weeping Unfamiliar Tears	p. 3
Scared Debra Spark	p. 6
The Risk of (Not) Communicating	p. 9
Real Risks	p. 12
Holding a Little Girl's Hand	p. 15
Safe Passage	p. 19
Rescuing Fire from the Flood	p. 24
Writing Risk
Life Drawings	p. 29
Writing Toward the Center	p. 36
Like a Syrupy Sweet	p. 39
An Apostate in Academe	p. 41
Risks in Writing the Novel, The Rape of Sita	p. 43
One Man's Risk	p. 49
Writing Sucks	p. 55
On the Line	p. 56
Politics and the Imagination: How to Get Away with Just about Anything (in Ten Not-So-Easy Lessons)	p. 60
Where I Come From
That Other World That Was the World	p. 73
Melodious Chimes	p. 86
Rescued by Junkies	p. 88
The Prozac Variations	p. 93
Our Side of the Tracks	p. 104
The House Fire	p. 106
The Risk of Deadness	p. 109
The Risk of Consciousness	p. 112
High Noon at Midnight	p. 116
Recipe	p. 119
Risk	p. 124
Creating Change
Taking Risks	p. 129
Spinning	p. 131
Girls and Guns	p. 132
From Individual Despair to Collective Risk Taking: Stopping the Corporate Bullies	p. 137
Angels or Apes? An Inquiry into the Nature of Modern Sadism and the Optional Extinction of Our Species	p. 140
Reclaiming the Self: Pain and Risk in the Pursuit of Our Best	p. 144
Skateboarding the Third Rail: The Risk of the Middle	p. 151
Choices on a Runaway Train	p. 156
A Kinder, Gentler Patriotism	p. 159
Leaving Safety
XYZ	p. 165
Sunday Morning in Oakland	p. 166
Island Journal: November with Hog's Blood	p. 171
Devil's Work	p. 179
Camping out of the Comfort Zone	p. 186
Males and Risk	p. 189
The Politics of Hope	p. 194
Everyday Courage and the "How" of Our Work	p. 199
Mutually Assured Destruction and Jumping Horses	p. 208
Jump	p. 211
The Only World I Heard Was "Abeeda." That Means Slave	p. 213
About the Editors and Contributors	p. 227
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