PREV	Essay from April 2010 "Far Out Thoughts No. l - The Author" by Leon En Camino	Next

[Here is another selection from Harry's folder, "On Writing." The form of the document - typed with a typewriter, on onionskin no less - dates it to at least 25 years ago, shortly after Harry had given up his teaching job to write full time. The pseudonym he eventually settled on was Leon Wender. ZG] Why does a writer try so hard to communicate? I don't mean the writers who are famous and prosperous. I mean all those others who keep trying to get into touch, get into print, that is. Here I am, one of the ones I mean, writing this, wondering who will ever read it or if it will ever matter that I wrote it. Let me share a little of myself. I have been through two careers, clergyman and teacher, and am not now "gainfully employed," by my own choice. I'm not retirement age either. I have several "hobbies" which can keep me from starving. What I want to do is WRITE, and get into touch, get into print, that is. I have a head full of ideas which many would call "weird." I'd like to write a column called "Weird Ideas," "Far Out Ideas," or something like that. I am called a crank, a Scrooge, a communist, an idealist, a cynic, a do-gooder, a strict constitutionalist, a rationalist, an angry man not so young any more, a rebel with and/or without a cause, a dirty old man, a primitivist, an extremist, a man behind the times, and a man ahead of my time. I have been called bitter, loving, gentle, harsh, arrogant, self-effacing, too hopeful, and not hopeful enough. I don't see how one person could be all that, but I really have been called all that and more. Could this mixture of things which constitutes ME produce some ideas which would be of interest to anyone besides me? That's what I'd like to find out. [Well, what do you think? Harry produced a lot of ideas in the intervening years, and published many of them. Have you found them interesting? Send in your thoughts about Harry's thoughts and I will post them as an addendum to this essay. Send your e-mail to info@amadorbooks.com with Tribute to Harry Willson in the subject line. Read Tributes] * * *

Copyright © 2010 Harry Willson

			Harry's Rants

TRIBUTES FROM READERS To Leon EnCamino, Adela and the friends of Amador Publisher's and Harry,     When Duke City Tales was newly released, my Grandmother, who lived in New Mexico from the time I was a young teen, read it, loved it and contacted the publishing company to order a copy for me. Harry answered the phone and autographed the book that I still cherish today. She was so tickled to speak with him! He was just as accessible for me when I wrote (longhand, back then) to thank him for his themes and thoughts in that book. I continued to buy more books and we continued to correspond for a few years. He took me to places in his books that I had not been before and I realized that had my Grandmother read A World for the Meek first, I would never have known of him! That book really stretched my psyche in some ways that took some fortitude, but I was better for it. In December, 1998 I was in Albuquerque for a month to be with my Grandmother as she was passing and was able to purchase Christmas Blues the perfect accompaniment to the time spent there. My grandparents were the bright spot of unconditional love in my life in a family of dysfunctional individuals and the contrast gave me an odd sort of peace....     I have looked forward each month to reading Harry's Rant; his activism in thought, deed and in writing have continued to inspire me and I have my own little enclave of humanist thought here in my woods because of him. Through his recent Rants, I was aware of his changes and I appreciated so much that he still so thought-full and working on even his piano playing when thrust into a different world.     These are small words, not close to articulating the way this man impacted my life and thinking. They are no surprise to those of you who have lived with him and loved him and my thoughts are with you all. May his work move on always, Karen, Virgil, NY [Send your tribues to info@amadorbooks.com with Tribute to Harry Willson in the subject line. Read Tributes]