A New Name

I've just returned from a crazy week in New York, where I was able to complete some final research for my forthcoming biography of Nikola Tesla, and also meet some folks to get started on a new film project (which I can't talk about yet!). I'm so excited about all the different directions my creative work is going at the moment – some of it quite unexpected – and that's part of the reason why I've decided to change the name of my Substack newsletter from "Literary Nonfiction Live" to "StoryLines." "StoryLines," I think, more accurately reflects my interest in finding stories, telling stories, and looking at structure, style, and story development. Those stories may begin in the Narrative or Literary Nonfiction world but they go beyond into other genres or subgenres (particularly film, as it turns out). I'm also truly fascinated by some of the people I discover along the way -- including those who lived in the past -- and I'd love to share some of those stories with you and talk about how I develop those stories through research and narrative. So welcome to my new Substack, "StoryLines"!

I love theater in New York, and on this trip what I really wanted to see was the Henrik Ibsen play Enemy of the People. You may know the story: A small-town doctor in Norway, a man who is an upstanding member of his community and brother of the mayor, discovers the local baths – which provide the economic stability of the town – are poisoned by an upstream tannery and thus dangerous to the public health, including the health of tourists who visit the town for recreation. The townspeople are deeply concerned. The doctor recommends repairing the water pipe system, which is necessary but expensive. Primarily for economic reasons, the mayor rejects the doctor's findings and convinces the residents to change their minds and agree that the baths are safe. The doctor is forced to leave the village for trying to stand up to public opinion and tell the truth.

The leads were played by Jeremy Strong and Michael Imperioli, actors whom I have long admired in Succession and The Sopranos, among their many other acting credits. It was a powerful production (all the more delightful with Norwegian spirits served at the brief intermission). I loved it, and I was struck again by how closely the story reflects the story of the Rocky Flats Nuclear Weapons Plant, particularly the story of Dr. Carl Johnson, the Jefferson County Health Director who tried to point out the radioactive and toxic contamination discovered in and around the plant and was fired for doing so. Jeremy Strong powerfully played the doctor who holds to the truth, and Michael Imperioli did a great job with the role of the mayor of the town who convinces the town to cover their eyes. This play also, of course, reflects the problem of how we talk, or don't talk, about climate change.

I came home with a renewed sense of how important it is to tell the stories of individuals, famous and not-so-famous, who make a difference and have a lasting impact on the world.

I'm on spring break from my teaching job, so I was able to take a week and focus on research. But one of these days I'm going to write a post about balancing work, writing, family, and everything else that comes up in life. My two children are grown now, but I still struggle to balance it all and maintain my sanity! But it is a joy to do this work, and it gives purpose to my life. How do you find balance in your life between day-to-day responsibilities and the dreams of your creative life? Let me know!

Next time: a few stories and people I think you should know about! Thanks for reading.

Kristen

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