Monthly Archives: July 2018

Book Review: The Lieutenant of San Porfirio by Joel D. Hirst

Posted on July 30, 2018 by Joel D. Hirst

Originally posted on coffeeandreviews:
? Genre: Literature & fiction, war, political, military Length: 336 Pages Publishing Date: August 6, 2012 ? Buying Links for The Lieutenant Of San Porfirio Amazon iUniverse Google books ? Author Website: http://www.joelhirst.com Twitter: joelhirst ?…

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Our Tremendous Inequality

Posted on July 29, 2018 by Joel D. Hirst

Painters and poets and inventors, dreamers all – starving and blind. Paul Gauguin on a tropical island painting the interior walls of his desperate cabin before burning it to the ground in his madness (if we are to believe W. … Continue reading →

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The Ruin We Cradle – A Poem

Posted on July 22, 2018 by Joel D. Hirst

Each one of us has temptation; Tis something seeks us to bring down; A flesh-pull of being which echoes of meaning; And makes us lose sight for to drown. Some struggle to death for with hate; Sensations to them which … Continue reading →

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Venezuela’s New Poor

Posted on July 17, 2018 by Joel D. Hirst

“The poor you will always have with you,” a strange statement for he who came to give “life more abundant.” Is it possible that Jesus was not utopian. It’s an ironic and perhaps paradoxical statement since Jesus was the incarnation … Continue reading →

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Human Rights and the Discovery of Empathy

Posted on July 11, 2018 by Joel D. Hirst

In my first year of humanitarian work I was called on to help start up a program in Kosovo after the end of that bloody conflict. Ethnic cleansing they called it, genocide without the murder I suppose. I was 21 … Continue reading →

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What Dreams May Come? – A Poem

Posted on July 10, 2018 by Joel D. Hirst

To close our eyes, perchance to sleep; To glory rage, to laugh and weep; To build on high our castle walls; To raise a tow’r, never to fall; To find the vict’ry oer our foes; To triumph over all our … Continue reading →

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To Hate or to #WalkAway

Posted on July 8, 2018 by Joel D. Hirst

Our national discourse has become like that carnival which set up in an abandoned lot on California State Route 180 which we might have gone to as a child. Rising early, we are pushed into our clothes by our excited … Continue reading →

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How to Become a Successful (Recovering) Alcoholic – A Book Review

Posted on July 7, 2018 by Joel D. Hirst

When I read this book, “How To Become a Successful (Recovering) Alcoholic”, my mind wandered to a little hotel room in France, the unexpected last stop for Anthony Bourdain. Let me back up, I’m part of a little group on … Continue reading →

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On Literary Fiction and Empathy

Posted on July 6, 2018 by Joel D. Hirst

I recently received a review on my newest novel “I, Charles, From the Camps”. I mostly don’t pay much attention to reviews, but this one made me think. While laudatory regarding the plot and story line and beats and sense … Continue reading →

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“Stories From Outside the Safe Space” – An Act of Rebellion

Posted on July 1, 2018 by Joel D. Hirst

People who write do so for many reasons. Some people want to share experiences, something which moved their imaginations; others want to scratch that itch which tells them things are going wrong, and they have the answer; some want to … Continue reading →

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