A Distant Mirror Anthology

Growing up in the small town of Grand Island, Nebraska, left Michael Monk with no shortage of stories to tell-stories he was more than happy to share when a friend approached him about writing a column for his high school's alumni newsletter. Collected here in A Distant Mirror Anthology, Monk's essays encompass a lifetime of memories, observations, experiences, and wisdom gained. Through reminiscences about the first day of school, a teacher who kindled a lifelong love of reading, and classic childhood hijinks, Monk captures the nostalgia of growing up in the Midwest in the 1960s. His later endeavors through life as a lawyer in Los Angeles and as a husband, parent, and grandparent have left him with plenty of witty observations, humorous anecdotes, and touching memories to share-not to mention good books to recommend. (Other literary treasures include an homage to Shakespeare and a rhyming ode to the class of 1967 that names every graduate.) Originally published between 2015 and 2022, these thirty-eight essays preserve a slice of time for anyone from Grand Island and beyond who wishes to take a look into A Distant Mirror.