Continuing the study of A. Max Wilson’s children, we now meet the second son, James Fannin Wilson. And confidentially, I’ve sat on the story of Fannin for several days because I wasn’t sure how to present it. In straight journalism, one presents the data, without editorializing or embroidering the piece further. […]
Yesterday, I celebrated my quinquennial colonoscopy. Said procedure took place at high noon, after not eating any solid foods for almost 40 hours. The hardest part was the first 12 hours, in my view. I also almost tore into my kids’ lunches as I was making them yesterday morning (that […]
As promised, an update: I reached out to Katie Wilson Meade’s granddaughter Tuesday morning. She responded within a few hours — positively — and is willing to share information and (get this): Photos! Of! Emmett! Wilson! Photos that (in all probability) are those I have not seen! Maybe he’s smiling […]
I am breathing a huge sigh of relief, as I have just submitted the final grades for my last class of 2015. Don’t get me wrong. I love being a teacher. I love the interaction with students; I enjoy helping them become better writers. But this turned out to be […]
I’ve been writing my arse off on Emmett’s second chapter all week. I have a goal to pull down one of the big writing charts that decorate the walls of the writing cave today (Or, tonight, more likely, as I have the usual distractions: Grading a few papers, teaching a […]
I know that Emmett’s family and friends tried at least two interventions with him to get him to stop drinking. Both took place when his health was seriously compromised, when he had full blown cirrhosis. The first took place a few months before he collapsed in December, 1914, and almost […]
I’ve been thinking about this article, The Science of Success, from The Atlantic. I came across it earlier this week, quite by accident, while looking for something else related to Emmett’s research. Funny how these things can sidetrack, and yet, offer intriguing new information that helps me understand this man […]
I found out a few days ago that someone I knew from my AA home group died of our common disease. We used to see him all the time at the club (what we call our regular meeting rooms at a local church) several times a week. He had many […]
They’ve been chatty this weekend, Emmett and his sister, Katie Wilson Meade. Two days in the writing cave, and 37 pages. It’s a very rough draft, but it means a few important scenes are roughed in. Editing will happen later. What I wanted to accomplish this weekend was to get […]
While looking around on Shorpy.com, I found an ad that was painted on the side of a building, one much like the one below, that made me wonder — was this one of Emmett’s preferred brands of whiskey? Personally, I can see Emmett sidling up to the bar at The […]
Tell my story. 