Marbles

by Bob Biederman

Marbles, the singular memoir by Robert 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. A recovering alcoholic, enduring the memory of his own father’s suicide, comes home to the news of his own son’s death from self-inflicted gunshot wounds. Wounds that resulted from guns the father had hidden under his bed. What is a TIP Volunteer and how does he help the father survive those first 12 hours? The land of Israel as seen through the eyes of a sabra with memories of every war fought. It’s a vivid telling of her participation and her current life below the Golan amongst her Arab neighbors. The situation in the Middle East presents a paradox; the endless cycle of violence provides an opportunity. What do you feel when you kill another person? What do you do? What does the world really do? Crohn’s Disease tests a family’s cohesiveness and shapes a young woman's wry character. Teenage pregnancy leads to a journey through Open Adoption and its unintended unpredictable consequences. A brilliant neurologist transplanted to Australia from South Africa via Abbey Road is forced to face the broken promises of the Golden Years. He deals with the wonderful companionship of his adult children, the good fortunes of a life reborn in Sydney and the fleeing coherence of his wife of 50 years. Alone, surrounded by love and respect. Are the overt actions of the Dominant abusive parent the proper focus of rehabilitation? Are the roles of Dominant/Submissive isolated to the bedroom and Boardroom? Do they play out on the world stage, in your own personal toxic relationships? Infidelity as a practice bears a strange resemblance to the Geneva Conventions. The consequences run parallel. Expediency defines political correctness. Today’s smiling truth trumps tomorrow’s sometimes easily avoidable consequences. Are sexuality and intimacy one and the same? Two primal needs bring conflict and opportunity for resolution. What would you do in each of these situations? What do you expect of others? Do you bear the responsibility of the consequences of your actions? How often are those consequences escapable? Our lives are not solitary. Each of our experiences embrace another human being. We exist in pairs and small groups that define us and are called “family”. When the choices we make turn against us, family can deteriorate, pull together, or shatter into factions. Mending relationships, abandoning, or enduring them create the cast of characters that dictate future decisions and their consequences. What is truly right, truly moral, and what is just expedient? Do we race through life just a step ahead of the consequences or walk in comfortable cadence with those around us who share our values and forgive our lapses? Are those infrequent near-death experiences brief escape hatches from the actions we’ve taken, deeply regret, and live in fear of the pending consequences?

216 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 9, 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

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book from a Goodread's Giveaway.

It arrived today with a cute little note and a chocolate bar. I opened it and didn't close it until I was done reading. I knew it wouldn't be a cheery read, but I didn't think it was going to be such a downer! It's a series of short stories and most, but not all, involve death. I work with the elderly, so I could definitely relate to a lot of the emotions shared in the stories. My personal favorite is Dedicated to Emma, a story about open adoption. I don't have any children, but it struck a chord with me. I'm always amazed at how selfless some people can be. In this short story, it's the biological parents and the adoptive parents, all thinking of what's best for the child, not just what's best for themselves. If only more parents could be this way. Without this story, I'm not sure I would have made it through the entire book.

It's well written, easy to read, broken up into manageable sections, and has a simple, yet inspiring cover.

Oh, and the Godiva chocolate was very well received here. If anyone else reading this just happens to have some that they want to share, you know where to find me!

[Zane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bob...Bob...Bob..what can I say! Your book imitates life. Some ho-hum moments. Some deeply emotional moments. Some moments of despair. Some moments of terror. Some moments of indescribable beauty. Etc..Etc..Etc..Therefore your choice of MARBLES as the title is perfectly logical and the picture of colored marbles on the cover is perfect also.. I would not want all white marbles in my bag..then what would have life taught me. I would not want all black marbles in my bag..couldn't stand it. Give me a colorful life anytime! Like life, even your book isn't perfect..to wit..a few spelling mistakes... "there" for "their", for instance. I like that..no spell checkers in my life either.. made a few errors along the way. May you live long and enjoy the Godiva moments of life..Yes, the bar was delicious!! BTW, I absolutely recommend your book!! In compliance with FTC guidelines, I am disclosing that I received this book (and the Godiva chocolate bar) free through Goodreads First Reads!!

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't know what to expect when I started reading, but the first chapter captured my attention very quickly and I read the book in 2 days. It was easy to read and follow. And thank you Bob for the chocolate :)