Ben East Books

Grid of posts 2×3

  • National School Walkout

    National School Walkout

    This requires very little comment on my part other than to say: The school system I fund through my taxes has expressed itself exactly as it should, and exactly as I would have done, if it were my call to make. This letter appears verbatim, bolded lines reflecting my emphasis. Well done, FCPS. FCPS does… Read more

  • Limits of Traction

    Limits of Traction

    No coffee this morning. This line instead kicked my day into gear at West Virginia’s Bill Scott Raceway: We’re gonna be at the limits of traction this morning… Limits of traction, and limits of digestion. Following the hard-braking exercises through the serpentine, I left the Crown Vic to hurl my breakfast at the woods. No… Read more

  • March

    March

    This month we march. This month, we show our strength by taking to the streets. This month we demand action—not thoughts, not prayers, not false heroes—we demand action to prevent another mass murder by gunfire. You will know the brave ones as we march unarmed. And you will know the cowards by their callous, pandering,… Read more

  • Gun Talk—COEXIST

    Gun Talk—COEXIST

    This morning I wrote my representatives in Congress*, remembering the words of a strident conservative who came to my book talk looking to bristle with me over guns. ‘Call them by their first name,’ he said. ‘Reminds ’em who they work for.’ He told me at the outset, ‘I’m a shade right of Scalia,’ and noted… Read more

  • 1989

    I always consider it my strange good fortune to have a past life that includes making music in Joe Frawley’s basement. New Joe Frawley music: https://t.co/CMZ0y4XmNr — Joe Frawley Music (@joefrawley) February 23, 2018 Yes, in high school I’d haul my black Pearl drum kit to his house and set it up with Dan Cote… Read more

  • This Is Why We Write

    Why We Write We write not to be read. We write not because we have something to say, but because something must be said and needs our attention. We write to put down the tracks of our thought and, through this process, clarify our intent, to give form and understanding to our own inscrutable intuition.… Read more