Issue #0

Under the Big Top

Plot

Under The Big Top is a collection of stories and poems written by and about the lives of forty writers in their 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s from two communities in Northern California. These writings present the readers a view of life in America during the last one hundred years - frequently a life of struggle and strife but also of fun and laughter. These stories speak of the hardships of poverty and war and of the closeness of family. Yes, a time when life was simpler, closer, poorer, harsher, shorter and much more personal. Tom Brokaw's "Greatest Generation" speaks: Ordinary people, rich and poor, present the America they lived. They tell of a time when the pranks of children resulted in a "wippin'," when justice was swift and the pain short-lived. They knew no television, plastic, instant food, microwaves, airplane travel or space exploration. In that spirit, these stories and poems present: UNDER THE BIG TOP in the recognition that much of life may be likened to a "circus," where we appear as "clowns" or "elephants on parade". Occasionally, we fly the trapeze or walk the tightrope. These are fitting images for the people whose lives required juggling skills from time to time. Throughout, these selections are accentuated by the poignant pen-and-ink drawings of Alison Paolini. This collection offers a bit of Americana in story form that too few people hear about when grandparents live too far away or we have waited too long to ask them - so long, that we, ourselves, forget the questions. As our older folks cling to a future through this writing, they offer a history to our children. A MUST FOR ALL OF US WHO HAVE OLDER PEOPLE IN OUR LIVES.