The Trail of Magic*

Books, Music, Movies and Other Things

Right after finishing the book about Margaret Fuller, I walked past this statue of Horace Greeley, who gave her the assignment to go overseas and funded her writing. I felt her gratitude and affection for him. But laughed at the pigeons shitting on his head.

In Love Nature Magic I wrote about the Trail of Books, which is this magical process that leads to just the right source exactly when you need it most. It’s been happening a lot lately, and I thought I’d share a peek into how I come to all the understandings (and joy) that I find in the universe. I’ve decided to rename it the Trail of Magic because it absolutely is. Here are just a few of my magical discoveries:

The Ghost of Tom Joad - This Bruce Springsteen song with Tom Morello on scorching guitar has always been a favorite (I saw it live in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia). A few years ago, I tried reading Grapes of Wrath, the John Steinbeck novel from which Tom Joad is the main character. It was hard and dark, and I put it down. Then, recently, a friend of mine said my writing reminded him a bit of Travels With Charlie, also by Steinbeck. So I read that and was honored by the comparison. But more importantly, it rekindled my interest in Steinbeck. And the fact that I had also, like Steinbeck, begun a new journey (to empty nesthood) through Sag Harbor to Shelter Island and then to New London confirmed I was on the right trail. So I decided to watch the original movie, Grapes of Wrath. Holy cow! In the present moment of industrial farming having ruined communities and lives, the demonization of immigration, and the human desire to find a decent living even if it means leaving the only home you’ve ever loved, the novel, from 1939 is shockingly relevant to these times. Now, I am finishing the original novel because I know the movie changed the ending and I’ve got to see how it goes. I also remembered that Steinbeck’s final novel was one of my favorite books as a teenager and the first book of his I ever read. This leads me to another trail…

Three Great Last Novels - I have a thing for great author’s last novels. Often, they are rawer and more authentic than when they are first starting out and trying to prove themselves. Instead, they are indulging in their true passions. The first one is The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights, by Steinbeck, which doesn’t even have a real ending. Except that, I can still picture exactly how he ends it (he died before it was finished). I was obsessed with King Arthur as a kid. But I was also obsessed with Lancelot and Guinevere. In my life, I have felt all three characters in my bones and lived their stories. The second book, The Garden of Eden, by Ernest Hemingway, is another brazen novel that reveals his gender dysmorphia, which was later explored in the documentary of his life on PBS, which is worth a watch just to hear his voice — which is in complete contrast to his author persona. The third and final one (for now) is Mark Twain’s book Joan of Arc. Jesus Mary and Joseph! If I would have had to read this in seventh grade instead of Tom Sawyer, my whole life would have changed. It got terrible reviews but it is simply glorious and disgustingly true.

Margaret Fuller, a New American Life - This book took me 10 years to read. I can’t even talk about Margaret Fuller without crying. She grew up in a small town in Massachusetts where I went to boarding school for two years (Lawrence Academy in Groton). Because I had read many of her books I knew her story and how it ended (tragically), which is part of what made it so hard to keep reading. I was afraid to read about it, but also horrified by her struggles and amazed by her constant insights and triumphs. Well, I finally finished it a few weeks ago. And the most important realization is that she was loved. She was loved!!! Her story is truly one of the first of women’s liberation that paved the way for all of us. Emerson, Thoreau, Hawthorn, and the Alcotts were her students and neighbors. She spoke many languages and one of her passions was translating Goethe, so right now I am finally reading Faust. (I never realized it was a poem.) She was hired by Horace Greeley to be the first woman foreign correspondent, which she needed to do to survive, but which also led her to her destiny. Along the way, she met George Sand and Frederick Chopin (two of my favorites. I recently told my youngest daughter about one of my all-time favorite movies about them, Impromptu, with a remarkable cast. Lucia is taking a course in college on the history of music and I was telling her how Franz Liszt and Johann Strauss were the ROCK STARS of their time.) Not sure where this trail is going to lead me yet…

I Forget, I Remember - This is a weird one. One dark night in early spring I was walking on a street in lower Manhattan to meet a friend for dinner. I passed a tiny basement bookstore that was glowing warmly. I vaguely recognized the author sitting at a table finishing up a book signing. I went down and bought his last copy of the book, New York Memories, a photo book with his writing in a style that every sentence started with “I forgot.” The author was Bob Colacello, and he remembered that we had met last summer in the Hamptons. I loved it so much because it captured an era in New York that I vividly remember from both experience and reading the original W magazine. But I also loved the style. Then, in a very “coincidental” manner, I was reading an old friend’s Instagram posts when he referenced the book I Remember by Joe Brainer, who was the originator of that writing style. It’s a fantastic little book that captures both a moment in time and what it means to be a writer without a filter (like me! LOL). In this same spirit of reminiscing and cultural history, I highly recommend watching Unfrosted, also on Netflix. It’s the first time since childhood I’ve seen those weird wooden rolling machines that my parents had in their bedroom, which were supposed to get rid of cellulite but only made your legs itch. I remembered so many things from my childhood in that movie.

Nobody Wants This - My eldest daughter Maya wanted to watch this show, which I had never heard of, so over the weekend, we watched it. It’s a rom-com about a young hot rabbi and two sisters who have a sex show podcast. Maya is a multi-book published romance author and historian, and I was an avid romance reader in the past. We were both surprised by the emotional maturity and courageous characters — whether it was the man being thoughtful, kind, and grounded in his spirituality and sexuality or the sisters openly discussing sex and being vulnerable and honest about their relationships. Plus, it’s funny! I did a quick search and found it has been criticized as being anti-Semitic. However, coming from a family where my grandmother was a “shiksa” and my grandfather a jew whose father wanted him to be a rabbi, I found the gentle introduction to Judaism lovely and helpful. Sure, there are some stereotypical negative characters, but isn’t that true of any movie or show? Unless it’s a documentary. The best one so far in recent memory is Will and Harper, the true road trip documentary of Will Farrell and his good friend, who recently transitioned from a man to a woman. For sixteen days they drive from New York to California and explore what it means to be trans, to be a good friend, and to ask all the questions we secretly want to ask of someone who decides to change their outward selves to reflect their inner truth. It’s beautiful, funny, and deeply revealing about humanity.

And that leads me to the overlook of this current Trail of Magic, where I can look out and see that all the books, movies, and music have given me a deeper understanding of the pain, suffering, and joys of life. I’ve seen that the more things change — and resisting change is fruitless — we constantly repeat the same patterns over and over. Each generation needs to learn the same lessons over and over again. But each generation also brings improvements and new innovations, thankfully. But the singular truth that never changes is our deeply inherent longing to be loved and seen for who we truly are, our own weird eccentricities, our differences, and our flaws. And then, hopefully, we can laugh about it and find peace with each other.

Lastly, what Hurricane Helene has shown us is that even mountains are not safe from disruption and collapse. Sometimes, the ground can disappear beneath our feet and we have to forge new trails. This is why it’s always best to be prepared, listen to our inner wisdom, and live our lives to the fullest and best we possibly can every day. When I went to Asheville earlier this year, one of my favorite finds was a little company called the Well Seasoned Table. Every day, I use their flavoring mixes on my food, whether it’s the Wild Ramp Sea Salt on my eggs, the Spiced Gingerbread Sugar Dust on a slice of toast as a treat or the Magical Forest Grinder on everything. Supporting small local businesses like these is what will help to rebuild and heal from a tragedy that still seems incomprehensible.

Books, music, and movies are the spice of life, and make this Trail of Magic the most fun, interesting, and satisfying journey we can take.

All you have to do is follow your curiosity and the clues, and the magic will unfold before you like a flower. Don’t forget to stop and smell it!

*Disclaimer: Just because I read, watched, and listened to these things doesn’t mean I think you should too. These are just examples of how it works for me. Follow your own trail! And if there is a clue here for you, be open to it. Don’t forget to have fun.