Solace in So Many Words

by Ellen Wade Beals (Editor), Constance Vogel Adamkiewi (Contributor), Kathleen Aguero (Contributor)

How can you find consolation? What sets your mind at ease? What can you hold onto when the world around you crumbles? What is solace and how do you find it? This insightful anthology features essays, poetry, and fiction on these vital questions. By the very nature of its theme, this collection delves into global problems such as our endangered planet and the effects of war and hate as well as individual struggles like the death of a loved one and the consequences of aging and illness. Whether read cover-to-cover or savored one contribution at a time, "Solace in So Many Words" connects with readers through the heartfelt and compelling writing of more than 50 writers, including Antler, T. C. Boyle, Philip Levine, and Joe Meno, as well as newer literary discoveries who offer well-crafted words on what solace can mean to us today. A timely and timeless book to give as a gift to comfort a friend or to keep for yourself to gain a new perspective on coping with life's difficulties. "Each entry feels fresh, as it offers another angle on finding a way to remain intact through life's complexity." Thomas Moore, "Care of the Soul" "This collection offers an engaging account . . . of what it is to be human, vulnerable, and how to keep on loving in spite of it all." Doug Holder, Ibbetson Street Press "A trip around the world of experience and reflection." Sharon Fiffer, editor of " American Writers Remember Rooms of Their Own," " American Writers Remember Their Own," "Body" and author of the Jane Wheel mystery series. "The diverse bedfellows who appear here prove artful words can be a balm for pain, one's own or the wider world's." Susan K. Perry, Creativity Blogger of PsychologyToday.com and author of "Writing in Flow".

Genres: Poetry, Anthologies

228 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2011

About the author

Ellen Wade Beals started writing as soon as she could hold a pencil. Trained as a journalist, she now writes poetry and prose, and recently started her own publishing imprint, Weighed Words LLC; its first title is Solace in So Many Words .

Her poems “Between the sheets” appears in the textbook Everything’s a Text (Pearson) and “August 1999: Light is a measure of time” is in Kiss Me Goodnight (Syren). In 1999 she was cited by The Poetry Center as one of Chicago’s emerging poets. Also that year her first published short story “Picking” appeared as the 1999 Fiction Award winner in Willow Springs.

Her poetry and fiction have been published in journals from the U.S. (Willow Review, After Hours, Eclipse, Rambunctious Review, Falling Star), and from Ireland (The Stony Thursday Book, Ropes) as well as in anthologies (Take Two—They’re Small, Family Gatherings), and on the web (http:///www.chicagopoetry.com, http:///www.inkandashes.com). In 2002 she was a resident at the Tyrone Guthrie Centre in County Monaghan, Ireland, to work on a novel, which is still writing.

Reviews

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so grateful for having won this book...thank you Goodreads!

This book was incredible. It's an anthology like no other I've ever read. I laughed and cried..sometimes while reading the same piece!! The passages are exceptional, so moving... so not your typical "everything's going to be okay because I said so". It's more like "everything's going to be okay because it always is..even when it's not.. because we're still here and have the courage to share our stories with someone else". I hope that makes sense. I just finished the book about a minute ago so I'm still so filled with emotion and hope I'm not rambling. Thank you Ms. Beals for all of your hard work in putting this forth into the world and to all the authors who shared their words. I'm recommending this to everyone I know. This is a book I'd give as a gift to the people I care about in times of strife.

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solace in So Many Words is a collection of short stories, poems, and essays exploring the theme of solace. The word solace can mean different things to different people, and what this collection does is explore how solace can be found in life, death, childhood, gardens, and other tangible and intangible objects in our everyday lives. Some of my favorite pieces in the book include 'Details' by Joan Corwin, 'Coconut Milk' by Paula W Peterson, and 'Lead Us Not' by Kerry Langan. Overall, I found this collection to be well organized and contain some great work. I know that I'll be revisiting this book in the future.

*Reviewer received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads

[Laurie Summer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful read that explores many difficult aspects of the human journey and how we discover the solace we need.

[Jason Pettus · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Reprinted from the Chicago Center for Literature and Photography [cclapcenter.com]. I am the original author of this essay, as well as the owner of CCLaP; it is not being reprinted illegally.)

When it comes to literary anthologies, it can be nearly impossible sometimes to give an overall critical score to such a varying collection of stories, so today I'm not even going to try; instead, I wanted to at least call your attention to this remarkable new compilation, put together by Ellen Wade Beals and with her mounting essentially a one-woman war over the last year to try to get it out to a wider and wider audience. Inspired by the overwhelming sense of helplessness that Beals felt after the one-two punch of September 11th and Hurricane Katrina, this attempt to even define the word "solace" (which as Beals explains in her introduction is not quite "succor," not quite "comfort," not quite "love," but perhaps a complex combination of them all) boasts an impressive list of contributors, including such big names as TC Boyle and Joe Meno; and while by definition the pieces themselves vary in quality from great to only so-so, in general I found this to be a very worthwhile read, a rare statement for me when it comes to anthologies. A good example of comfort food for the literary soul, it comes heartily recommended.

Out of 10: N/A

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was fortunate enough to be selected to receive this book through Goodreads First Reads program!

Life is beautiful and inspiring, but at times it can be difficult, traumatic and painful. Eventually we all seek solace. Solace In So Many Words offers readers a glimpse of how others have found their solace. Death, aging, and tragedy are some of the central themes and I feared that reading this book would bring me down. However, the beauty of this small book is that it doesn't profess to be "self-help" in nature yet it manages to soothe the soul. I'm going through a rather difficult time myself and I found this book to be very reassuring. I particularly fell in love with the following poems:
- For All A Baby Knows Antler
- First Breath Last Breath Antler
- And What If I Spoke Of Despair Ellen Bass
- Don't Expect Applause Ellen Bass
- The Thing Is Ellen Bass
- Veritas Premitur Non Opprimitur Brent Calderwood
- Flowers Donna Hilbert

and the following short stories:
- Details Joan Corwin
- Stops and Starts Kathleen Donahoo
- Nagasaki Shadows D.J. Lachance
- Lead Us Not Kerry Langan
- Heartbeat J. Scott Smith

[Eli · Rating 2 out of 5]

Having received this book through this site's giveaway program, I saved it for a time in my life when I actually needed a little bit of solace myself. Bizarrely, though, most of the pieces aren't particularly consoling at all. Many of them are just stories of other people's suffering that end with no particularly uplifting resolution, which is a very hard kind of story to read when you yourself are looking for some way forward. Other stories are just plain whiny - TC Boyle's, for instance, is about a man who has back pain and who finds joy in life by rediscovering sex. And the poetry, predictably, is hit-or-miss.

In short, I kinda don't get it. For those who've been consoled by this book, more power to you. I bear no grudges. But I sure wouldn't give this to anybody I know who was in need of consolation.

[Eileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. It's so sweet and uplifting. I've been dealing with a person who is in long-term care and he's kinda grumpy and I was reading this book and found the perfect pick me up in a poem They Call Me Grumpy from SusanO'Donnell Mahan! Just the salve I was needing. So many gems in this book!

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solace in So Many Words was a joy and a comfort to read. I can't wait to pass this one on to my friends.

P.S. I won this book through a goodreads giveaway.

[Betsy]

I simplistically imagined the poems & short stories Solace contained would resonate within my heart and soul. That said, I failed to imagine how the diversity and intensity might impact my emotions. Ouch! I quit reading about halfway through the book. I did not find Solace.

[Erinn H · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book through the Goodreads Giveaway section.

I really enjoyed this collection. It's varied in the topics covered and the form of each selection. I was glad to see this compilation did not narrowly focus on any one topic, like grief following death, for instance. The broad topic range makes it easier to refer back to in a variety of situations where you may need comfort or companionship in words. Overall, I thought the poetry selections were the stars of the collection, but each of the selections was well written and thought provoking.

My favorites included:
-"Bleeding Heart" by Constance Vogel Adamkiewicz
-"Me & My Brother & The Skunk" by K. Biadaszkiewicz
-"Why You Knit" by Jan Bottiglieri
-"Alternative Eulogy" by Carol Kanter
-"Jardim Zoologico (Rio de Janeiro, 1999)" by Arthur Powers
-"Backyard Burial" by Noel Sloboda
-"April" by Laurence Snydal
-"Breathe" by Patti Wojcik Wahlberg
- "Comfort" by Patti Wojcik Wahlberg

I will definitely be keeping this around. 3.5/5

[Brent Calderwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a poem in this book, so it would be wrong wrong wrong to review it, but I will say that I'm thrilled to bits to share pages with writers I've loved for years. My favorite poems (there is also prose) are by Antler and Ellen Bass, both of whom have written eloquently about the passing of their mothers, among other topics. The best word I can come up with is heartache; but it's the heart aching from the palpable sense that it's growing.

[Carol Stephan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting anthology of poems, essays, and short stories on solace. As these poets and authors show through their works, solace can take on many forms. Not all may hit home for the reader but others I think any reader would find some true gems here.

This is the type of book I like to read in small doses; a break between other books and also to allow time to reflect on what was read.

I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Solace in so Many Words" is a book that is composed of poems and short stories. These poems and short stories were all inspired and based off of their view on what solace means to them. Many of these writings are beautiful and personal to the array of writers that composed them.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Solace in so Many Words" is a book that is composed of poems and short stories. These poems and short stories were all inspired and based off of their view on what solace means to them. Many of these writings are beautiful and personal to the array of writers that composed them.

[Lynette Thompson]

THIS IS A WONDERFUL BOOK, you will love it. Please read Ellen Beals has done a wonderful job.

Lynette Thompson

[Ben]

At times crippling and other times triumphant.