Exploring Life and Literature.
Beyond the Bookshelf is a community of readers interested in exploring how our reading experiences resonate with and impact our lives. We share a curiosity about where the written word can lead us, extending its influence long after we've closed the covers of a book.
This is a special place where you get the opportunity to examine how literature applies to your life. I am really glad you are here. Let’s explore beyond the bookshelf together!
Publication Schedule
Beyond the Bookshelf (every Tuesday morning at 0500 Central Time)
Week 1—An informational essay on our monthly theme which may sometimes include a book review or profile of an author.
Week 2—A more personal essay on our monthly theme and how it relates to my life—may also include random musings or walks with Lola (my dog).
Week 3—A guest post from someone in our community on the monthly theme and how it relates to their life. If you want to be a part of this, please reach out—you don’t need to be a professional writer.
Week 4—My monthly Commonplace collection, where I curate links, quotes, books, music, TV, movies, and random things that I think you might find interesting.
Week 5—If we are lucky enough to get five weeks in the month, then you will get a bonus essay of some random sort on week four.
Deep Reads Book Club (every Friday morning at 0500 Central Time)
Starting January 3rd, each week will bring a discussion on the current book club read. For 2025 we will be reading Homer and will start with The Iliad. A detailed reading schedule will be published so you can follow along if desired.
Supporting my work
I am tremendously grateful for my readers and the community we are building here. If you would like to support my work, please visit my support page to see the ways you can do that.
About Me
One of my earliest memories of reading is sitting on my dad's lap, feeling the warmth of his embrace. When I look at the couch, its retro floral patterns instantly take me back to the 1970s. A lamp adorned the small wooden end table. As my dad read from Charlotte's Web, his voice had a captivating resonance that both soothed and fascinated me. These compelling words changed my life by opening a doorway in my mind to imagination and wonder.
“These autumn days will shorten and grow cold. The leaves will shake loose from the trees and fall. Christmas will come, then the snows of winter. You will live to enjoy the beauty of the frozen world, for you mean a great deal to Zuckerman and he will not harm you, ever. Winter will pass, the days will lengthen, the ice will melt in the pasture pond. The song sparrow will return and sing, the frogs will awake, the warm wind will blow again. All these sights and sounds and smells will be yours to enjoy, Wilbur — this lovely world, these precious days…”
Books have played an important role throughout my life, as I often sought guidance from the written word when needing it. My military career took me around the world, providing exposure to many cultures and their influences on literature. No matter where life’s adventures took me, I maintained that love for the written word. Now, as a husband and father entering a new season of my life, I continue seeking lessons from influential books. I hope you will join me as we explore the many ways that literature can help us through the challenges we face on our transformative journey through life.
