Marbles: Frontiers of Mor(t)ality

by Bob Biederman

The Boston Globe's Alex Beam says: "I read most of this book in one sitting, and loved it!"

Marbles, the singular memoir by Bob Biederman, sub- titled Frontiers of Mortality is a collection of 21 unforgettable and extravagantly diverse personal experiences. Biederman examines life at inception, at death, and the many moral choices in between. His bag of Marbles focus on family relationships, their evolution and devolution as well as a few comic moments that reflect some of the absurdity in our judgment. What results is an uncompromising look at life’s hardest moments, narrated with warmth and humility.

216 pages, Paperback

First published December 10, 2013

About the author

Bob Biederman is a publisher/editor/writer looking back over the poignant life and death moments that have defined his life and those close to him. A 1968 graduate of UMass Amherst and a 1969 graduate of the US Army Combat Medical Training facility at Fort Sam Houston, he looks back over his life in publishing and family to identify the behavior that defines morality. Bob is a new Medicare member born and raised in Boston. In 1973 he began his publishing career founding “Papers, Inc." with the pleasure of publishing the first poetry of Ursula K. LeGuin, the early work of Mark Helprin and other soon-to-be well-known writers. After inevitable financial failure, he progressed into trade publishing focused on the newly emerging community association industry in New England, California and Florida. For the next 35 years he wrote regular columns for a half dozen newspapers and magazines focusing on the human behavioral struggles involved in community living.

Along the way he’s been involved in Open Adoption, Trauma Intervention programs, compulsive motorcycling as well as raising a family. Transplanted to Southern California at the turn of the 21st century brought good weather, but not much else except time to reflect on the many life and death experiences that shaped his life and the lives of his children; why he did what he did, what else could be done, really?

Reviews

[Brittany Perry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I RECIEVED THIS BOOK FREE FROM GOODREADS FIRST READS!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay so I received this book this afternoon it is now midnight and I am finished with it. I read it cover to cover. I found it to be a thought provoking truthful account of life. We all get things thrown our way and we deal with them. The author has lived an amazing life and shares it honestly. It deals with teens choosing adoption over abortion, spouse relationships, time and how it changes things, and suicide. Suicide is something that I think needs more coverage, especially with all the bullying taking place.
Anyway, I got a bit off topic there. What I am saying is this is a good book for anyone because this is about life. For me it couldn't have come at a better time. I have lately just been so stressed by small things that in the grand scheme of things don't really matter. This book helped put things in prospective for me. And at certain parts made me chuckle a bit.
Inside and out it was just a raw bold book. It was beautifully written and flowed well. There was no funky break in thoughts and no weird setup to the paragraphs. I loved the cover. It took me back to when I was a kid shooting marbles with my grandfather. We had collected quite an oddball collection of glass marbles and life is like that. Sometimes you lose your marbles, sometimes you get a big marble, and other times a disgusting crusted marble that is gorgeous underneath. I guess the real point is life is messy but worth the time of cleaning it up and learning how to keep it tidy with time.

[Iggylizard · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first thing I read when I pick up a new book is anything the author has to say about his or her own book because it gives you a sense of the author. This book begins with a letter to the editor. I didn't make it past the letter to the editor without cracking a smile. I knew that this was a book I was going to enjoy reading and I began with great anticipation. I won't say that there aren't parts of this book that make you think and that bring out the deeper thought provoking subjects that mortality is apt to do. I'll also be honest and say that I skimmed parts of the book that give the background of different jobs (as I already had a good sense of what they did).

But, when you get down to the heart of the book, it really makes you question what you are doing with your own life and how you handle mortality. Are you the type of person to reach out and help another when dealing with the death of a loved one? Do you brush it under a rug and keep going? How do you cope?

I'm won't claim that this book is 100% serious either. It has moments that make you smile, but also moments that make you feel that tug on the heartstrings when you can relate to someone else's loss. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for something that has a deeper meaning than just another novel. If you want more than the next science fiction, romance, or drama novel; then this is the book for you.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/1/14
Was this book purposed for entertainment or enlightenment? I can’t tell because it provided both for me. I couldn't put this book down. Surely a great read. Don’t let the “Letter to an Editor” catch you off guard in the beginning. Enjoy the shock it gives and keep reading. Bob does start off explaining his personal title of “Marbles” before addressing the editor. If he hasn't hooked you in by then his writing soon will.
I love the prose and how different sections of the stories interlaced with each other. The theme of the book was strongly expressed. The description on the back cover of life’s hardest moments is accurate. Any reader would have come to the same conclusion after finishing the book.
Reading Harold Browns story was like learning of an unknown hero. Seriously-Can I meet this guy?! On page 97 a process called “tranche” is described. I was fascinated. In my fantasy world I would apply this process to my student loan payments. I would find Harold Brown simply to convince him to negotiate such a deal for me.
The most touching sentence in the book was one that was part of a narrative. Ron Joffe actually admired Americans saying in America “Even the poor give to the poorer.” And you know what?! He is right. Ron admired an aspect of our society I have never considered. This single mom is going to keep giving back.
I recommend reading at least Harold Browns story and Woolloomooloo Lunch in this book. Either way you will probably read the whole thing and truly enjoy it.

[Joyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had a collection of stories. Some I liked and some I did"t. The first story called TIP time I enjoyed. I found it interesting and helpful. It talked about the people who help people and their family when a trauma such as suicide happens. If the whole book was about this subject I would have enjoyed it more. Other people may enjoy the rest of the collection of stories-each one was different. The author sent me a chocolate bar with the book which I really enjoyed. Good luck with your book Bob Biederman.

[Chris Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The metaphor of marbles captures the 'flavor' of the book with its roots in the author's family name to the apparently related--and unrelated---anecdotes in Bob Biederman's life. Like a game of marbles, life events and experiences bounce off each other to unanticipated places and consequences. Bob Biederman's marbleized life events provide a genuine picture of a man: his personal growth, values and 'takes' on life and society in general ...and especially his love of family and heritage. MARBLES is an enjoyable read.

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was filled with interesting characters and tails. I loved how it was put together and I found the majority of the stories very interesting. It was very readable, and I found myself flying through the whole thing.

I received this book for free through the Goodreads First Reads program.

[Lisa Maddock · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is something for everyone in this book!

[Lee Ann Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful and valuable memoir. I'm hand you, Mr. Biederman, for including information on where we can go to act on the issues you present.

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

I won this book through a Goodreads First-Reads giveaway.

At the end of this book I ended up being confused about why it was written. There did not seem to be any unifying idea or theme to tie all the pieces together. I thought it was going to be about morality and mortality and frontiers but I didn't find those to be concepts that all the chapters revolved around. MARBLES seemed to be a collection of unconnected articles. I found some of the information useful or entertaining but overall the book did not work for me.

[Quentin Montemayor · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book. The author has some very funny, witty quips. The presentation, however, was very disjointed. The author also uses some literary devices that distracted from the stories. Some of the stories were definitely worthwhile, but most were dry. Ultimately, this book was just not for me.