Into Woods: Essays by Bill Roorbach (Hardcover)
The title essay, "Into Woods, " is a portrait of the writer as a young man; it is also a hymn to work and men. This evocative essay sets the theme for the rest of the collection. "Spirits, " "Shitdiggers, Mudflats, and the Worm Men of Maine, " "Duck Day Afternoon, " "Birthday, " and "Sky Pond" all pay homage to Bill's life in Maine. "You Have Given This Boy Life, " perhaps the most haunting essay in the collection, describes Bill's middle-aged preoccupation with death, leading to a strange catalogue of cadavers, but no deliverance from fear. "Vortex, " a lovely reprise of the subjects of Summers with Juliet, is all about fishing on Martha's Vineyard. "Scioto Blues" is the unforgettable tale of Bill's walks with his dogs along the trash-infested Scioto River, as it flows through Columbus, Ohio. With his characteristic wit, Bill narrates the funk and glory of a place that somehow manages tokeep its dignity despite all of the degradation. Finally, "My Life as a Move" discusses the pervasive American move-for- work phenomenon, cataloguing Bill's own numerous moves and his and Juliet's decision to move back to Maine, where they hope they belong.