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to-read (21)
currently-reading (1)
read (12)
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James’s Friends (2)

Bethany Stone

235 books | 45 friends

D. Long

21 books | 13 friends

James Allen

Goodreads Author

Born

in Hampton, IA., The United States

Website

https://jamesallenwrites.com/books

Genre

Poetry, Nonfiction, Fiction

Influences

Influenced by storytellers who understand that ordinary lives are neve ...more

Member Since

January 2026

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/197821524-james-allen

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James Allen writes reflective poetry and prose rooted in work, humor, memory, and the quiet wisdom of ordinary lives. His writing is shaped by craftsmanship, Midwestern sensibilities, and a lifelong habit of noticing what others pass by.

Under the name The Sawdust Sage™, he writes poetry that lingers on work and worth, love and loss, barrooms and backyards, and the human stories carried in ordinary things. Beyond poetry, James Allen’s voice also carries through essays, stories, and fiction, each marked by the same reflective eye and grounded sense of place.

When he isn’t writing, he is usually in the workshop, at a market booth, or at a table with coffee nearby—listening, observing, and turning lived moments into words.

3 posts
James Allen's Blog

Erratic Grace

Erratic Grace
Why Inspiration Rarely Arrives on Schedule
What I can say is that ideas move through me with the same erratic grace as a monarch crossing a field. They drift, hover, land for a moment, and then lift again before I’ve fully registered their weight. Every so often, one finds its milkweed—something sticky enough, nourishing enough, to stay. But most are only passing visitors, brushing the Read more of this blog post »

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Published on March 17, 2026 04:52 • Tags: author-inspiration, writing-inspiration, writing-process

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Combine Editions
James Allen’s books

Average rating: 4.92 · 12 ratings · 12 reviews · 13 distinct works

	Sawdust to Stardust it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 5 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A BAKER’S DOZEN AND OTHER KITCHEN MYTHS: Tales From a Hot Stove & Other Kitchen Wisdom it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 2 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Six-Pack Psalms: Beer, Bugs & Backyard Shenanigans it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Unrequested Advice about Love Relationships and Other Topics: An Observationalist’s Take it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	No Wind That Blows from the East: An Illustrated Chapbook of Whispers and Reckoning it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Definitely Something, You Decide: Because Common Sense Was Already Taken by James Allen (Goodreads Author), Lexie Allen it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Signal Between Notes really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 1 rating	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Etched in Time: Ghosts, Souls, and Spirits 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	More Than 9 to 5 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Coffee Fueled Sunday Mornings 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by James Allen…

James is Currently Reading

James Allen is currently reading

The Glass Castle

by Jeannette Walls (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading

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Jun 08, 2026 03:09PM

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James’s Recent Updates

James Allen is now friends with D. Long
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James Allen wants to read Writing Magic: Creating Stories that Fly by Gail Carson Levine (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 24, 2026 06:32PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Writing Magic by Gail Carson Levine. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Writing Magic by Gail Carson Levine <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
James Allen wants to read The Practice: Shipping Creative Work by Seth Godin	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 24, 2026 06:29PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Practice by Seth Godin. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Practice by Seth Godin <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
James Allen wants to read Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 22, 2026 05:36AM · like
James Allen wants to read Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 22, 2026 05:35AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
James Allen wants to read Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 22, 2026 05:34AM · like
James Allen wants to read Daily Rituals: Women at Work by Mason Currey (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 22, 2026 05:34AM · like
James Allen wants to read Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 22, 2026 05:33AM · like
James Allen wants to read And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 08, 2026 03:16PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
James Allen wants to read The Woman in Me by Britney Spears	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 08, 2026 03:14PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Woman in Me by Britney Spears. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Woman in Me by Britney Spears <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">