It is important not to miss good work because it might not yet be in the mainstream. On this blog I will highlight work worth noticing. It could be a CD, DVD, book or simply a person we need to know. I hope you sign up to hear more. There will always be a narrative slant to the work. As a Storyteller and Writer as well as Educator, I truly believe we can learn much from others. In this spirit, my first review is the work of Storyteller/Author Denis Gessing.
Stories told from a talented craftsman stand out. This is especially true in the capable hands of writer and professional storyteller Denis Gessing. His new work “Just Passing Through-how it all looked to a one day dreaming Boomerboy,” is a riveted chronicle of the era. Using the device of time travel to guide Gessing’s compelling narrative, we are transplanted to a time we remember or we wish to have been part of.
The 2 CD collection covers many events in history. From honoring those who fought in war to a time when people questioned the pelvic thrust of Elvis as unnatural, Gessing recounts with an artistic and writer’s flair, a descriptive tale about growing up. We stand on a roof while a young *lad dons a cape pretending to be Superman to gain the attention of his peers and avoid that of his mother; lost in the reverie of life before becoming a 1950’s housewife and mother of six.
The tales in this collection are about the Baby Boomer generation but like the boy on the roof, *not every story ends happily. However, each story fits in the fabric of the time. There are stories of loss, stories of gain, but most of are nostalgic reminders that this era was important and is vital to our tomorrow.
One of the things that makes this work inviting is the rich language of the time. Gessing cleverly *plays with the words and uses language that serve as time markers of the eara. They are a joy to hear how Gessing, like an architect, builds an awareness of the time through clearly directed word choice.
What am amazing historical travelogue! It is a time that needs to preserved. However, instead of a dry historical account, Gessing personalizes the history. We meet people along the way, a father who works to better his family, a boy torn between Dylan, the war, and his conservative raising, and most of all the story, regardless of the time period, is about choices, making and trying to understand the choices before him so that time does n
ot simply pass by, but one grows from the rich experiences.
I will listen to this time and time again. It is time well spent.
In my next post, we will hear about the work from the author/storyteller. A behind the scenes look at the work of the author/storyteller. If you would like to be reviewed for a future post, send me an email and I can put your on the reviewing schedule. (If it fits our mission.) Tell on my friend, Tell on!