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Stuart
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Mark Johnson

Goodreads Author


Born
in St. Louis, Missouri, The United States
Website

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Member Since
May 2016


I was born in St. Louis, Missouri. Now, in my sixties, I live happily in Scottsdale, Arizona, among the saguaros and palm trees.

Since retiring in 2014 from corporate life, I've authored six books to pay tribute to vivid people and memories from my experiences in North Carolina, Missouri, Illinois and Arizona.

From Fertile Ground, my first book, is a three-generation memoir and writer's mosaic that explores the importance of family and desire we each have to create our own path.
My second book, Tales of a Rollercoaster Operator, features up-and-down stories from my Missouri childhood. The St. Louis History Museum selected both books (published in 2016 and 2017) for its collection devoted to LGBTQ history in the Midwest.

In 2018, I published A
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Mark Johnson First, it's so great to hear from you, Vicki. Writing was my salvation last year. Somehow I mustered the focus and energy to complete and publish my f…moreFirst, it's so great to hear from you, Vicki. Writing was my salvation last year. Somehow I mustered the focus and energy to complete and publish my fourth book, "I Think I'll Prune the Lemon Tree", which includes essays about Arizona and living in Coronaville ... that global place that became all-too familiar for everyone. I think you would enjoy reading it. Hope to see you at the next author event ... whenever that may be!(less)
Mark Johnson Writing brings me joy and comfort. It is my creative sanctuary. When I write, I am happiest exploring the beauty of nature and the most meaningful mom…moreWriting brings me joy and comfort. It is my creative sanctuary. When I write, I am happiest exploring the beauty of nature and the most meaningful moments and people in my life,(less)
Average rating: 4.23 · 82 ratings · 32 reviews · 6 distinct worksSimilar authors
An Unobstructed View: A Per...

4.24 avg rating — 21 ratings4 editions
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From Fertile Ground: The St...

4.44 avg rating — 18 ratings2 editions
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Tales of a Rollercoaster Op...

3.78 avg rating — 18 ratings3 editions
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I Think I'll Prune the Lemo...

4.47 avg rating — 15 ratings3 editions
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Sixty-Something Days: Essay...

4.13 avg rating — 8 ratings2 editions
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A Path I Might Have Missed

it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 2 ratings
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Sixty-Something Days

As Thanksgiving approaches and we prepare to spend time with beloved friends and family, I'm excited to tell you that my sixth book Sixty-Something Days: Essays, Poems, and Fiction is live in paperback and Kindle formats. This memoir tapestry, which I wrote from 2022 to 2025, is a call-to-action to learn, grow, and create during every stage of our lives, but especially in our post-65 years. To fin Read more of this blog post »
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Published on November 17, 2025 14:02 Tags: community, fiction, growing, learning, memoirs, new-books, poems, post-65, retirement, teaching, wisdom, writing
Prequel: An Ameri...
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by Rachel Maddow (Goodreads Author)
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The Goodbye Cat
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Marjorie Morningstar by Herman Wouk
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The Young Will Remember by Eve J. Chung
The Young Will Remember
by Eve J. Chung (Goodreads Author)
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The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
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Joyride by Susan Orlean
"Invaluable memoir for writers, for readers, for anyone who wants to create. Clearly written, humorous, and personal. I enjoyed reading it very much.

I would change two things: First, give titles to the 13 chapters, otherwise it is hard to go back and " Read more of this review »
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The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
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Joyride by Susan Orlean
Joyride: A Memoir
by Susan Orlean (Goodreads Author)
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Susan Orlean's latest is a fascinating memoir, laced with heaping teaspoons of writing wisdom. Her personal and literary tenacity, creativity, and compulsion to follow the story wherever it may lead give all us writers the motivation to keep writing ...more
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The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
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The Days of Anna Madrigal by Armistead Maupin
"It's comfort food, spending time with characters I've loved for decades. I cared less about the Burning Man passages, wishing there was some way Maupin could contrive to end this story back at Barbary Lane. Anyway, I loved a lot of this book, and hap" Read more of this review »
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Frog by Anne Fadiman
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Topics Mentioning This Author

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Reading with Style: This topic has been closed to new comments. SP 19 Awards by Country AbC Plans 17 36 Feb 23, 2019 01:59PM  
WACKY READING CHA...: MAR 2019 FEATURED AUTHOR - SHAYLA BLACK 48 43 May 15, 2019 09:06AM  
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Reading with Style: This topic has been closed to new comments. SP 19 Completed Tasks 859 73 May 31, 2019 09:01PM  
WACKY READING CHA...: MAY 2019 FEATURED AUTHOR - ANN B. ROSS 57 40 Jul 10, 2019 08:10AM  
Stress Free Readi...: Hidden Gems Challenge 65 226 Jul 14, 2019 10:17PM  
Brené Brown
“Because true belonging only happens when we present our authentic, imperfect selves to the world, our sense of belonging can never be greater than our level of self-acceptance.”
Brené Brown, Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead

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Everyone has a story to tell. This is a group to discuss the many types of biographies, autobiographies and memoirs. If it's a true life story, it bel ...more
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