Among My Souvenirs

and a book giveaway

“The Grammar of Persistence,” Beth Kephart, Collage

The box arrived on Thanksgiving day. Inside: Christmas ornaments made by my beloved Uncle Danny, notes from an amateur genealogist, and a two-page letter written by my Aunt Miriam describing the few known facts of my mother’s mother, Margaret Finley D’Imperio, who died when I was nine.

For decades, the contents of the box had been tossed (behind books? behind bags? behind old suits?) in the back of strangers’ closets. And then: a miracle. What belonged to me finally made its way to me—my share of the ornaments as well as my copy of that long-lost letter. (For this I have a perfect stranger and my brother to thank.)

Fleisher’s Yarn, the letter said, referring to my grandmother’s place of employment. “Among My Souvenirs,” referring to her favorite song. Southwest Philadelphia. Stoop sitting on Guyer Avenue. Fire. The two-page letter yielded color, nouns, addresses, songs. It left me with the ache of all its otherwise emptiness. That ache became the book Tomorrow Will Bring Sunday’s News: A Philadelphia Story, which will be published (officially) on my birthday, April 1, by the Philadelphia press, Tursulowe.

Officially published on April 1st, and widely available on each day after. But my grandmother was Irish, and I wish to celebrate her early, on St. Patrick’s Day. And so: a book giveaway.

I’m inviting you to remember a bundle of letters or a postcard or a recipe or a photograph (or some other paper artifact) that enlivens your dreams or your prose and to write of that briefly in the comments section of this post. On March 17th, three winners will be randomly chosen by my son, who is good at such things. Each winner will receive a book and a handmade bookmark. Comments are welcome up through March 16th, end of day Philadelphia time.

(Side note: It has taken me more than an hour to write that one paragraph above. Maybe the person who thinks and writes with prose poetry is not the person who should be writing a note about a book giveaway. But here I am. Forgive me.)

The offer for a pre-official-release book is extended to continental US citizens. But because this Substack is graciously visited by some very special people who live in beautiful faraway places, one of you (again my son will help) will receive a something secret else. Please let me know if you are from just such a faraway place in your comments.

Those who have already pre-ordered (thank you!) will also be receiving their signed copies with handmade bookmarks prior to April 1. Rules are meant to be broken. And we must cherish our postal system while we can.