Pentimento

The title of this book, ‘Pentimento’ is a word that has long fascinated me for it implies the depths of history below the surface of things. This Italian term is usually employed by art historians to describe that which lies unseen below the surface of a painting; all the mistakes, retakes, previous paintings, corrections, notes and sketches that lie hidden behind the final product. You might agree with me in analogy that a human life is much like that. I’ve often felt that way looking at someone. What are those experiences, what is the buildup and complexities of a human life?

When I first conceived of this work I intended to write sketches of some of the wonderful people I have met over the years, who have made profound impressions on me, both positive and negative. I combed and explored the cramped, overstuffed depths of my file cabinet gathering old folders, letters, blog posts, scraps of this and that, short stories, memoirs, poems and ephemera covering in the final analysis a life over seventy years in the making and it’s multi layers of diversity, adventure, characters, teachers, lovers, friends, family and finally the gathering of peace of mind at the nearing end of it.

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