The Michael Hogan Reader

by Michael Hogan

Discover the remarkable literary journey of Michael Hogan, an Irish American author whose prose and poetry have captivated readers for over four decades. Praised by literary luminaries such as W.S. Merwin, Seamus Heaney, Ray Bradbury, and Clive Cussler, Hogan's work has graced the pages of magazines, periodicals, and anthologies, earning him a place among the finest writers of our time.

The Michael Hogan Reader is a curated collection of some of Hogan's most celebrated pieces, showcasing the depth and breadth of his talent. This volume brings together award-winning poems, stories, and essays that have left an indelible mark on the literary landscape.

Highlights of this collection

"Spring": Recipient of the Pushcart Prize in 1975, featured in the 25th anniversary anthology Best of the Small Presses."The Soldiers of St. Patrick": First published in History Ireland (2010) and reprinted in Crisis Magazine (2011) and Mexican Mornings (2006)."The Colonel": Selected by editor Robert Diyaani for One Hundred Great Essays (Penguin, 2014)."Kissed by Allen Ginsberg": Winner of the New Millennium Writers Award for 2023.
Each piece in this collection is a testament to Hogan's ability to capture the human experience with eloquence and insight. Whether you are a long-time admirer or a new reader, The Michael Hogan Reader offers a rich and rewarding exploration of an extraordinary literary career.

165 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 29, 2024

Reviews

[Richelle Andalón · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a summer afternoon. You play your favorite album in the background, prepare a cup of tea, and begin to delve into The Michael Hogan Reader, a collection of short stories, poems, flash fictions, memoirs, and essays.

At first, you don’t know what to expect, but soon you realize the wealth of lessons the book has to offer. A metaphor of a piano representing everything material, spiritual, and ephemeral, which isn't always easy to leave behind when drastic changes, such as war, occur. There’s a story of an old man and a deaf cat that makes you reflect on how life can be full of sudden and unexpected activities that you have to tackle. An elevator scene that conveys suspense and eagerness, making you feel as if you were experiencing a fall into the void yourself. Plus, other stories that the author successfully fletched through multiple mediums for the public.

Personally, my favorite short story was "The Minarets of Buenos Aires," as it is one of the most, if not the most, interesting short stories I’ve ever read. It blends history, philosophy, emotion, suspense, and entertainment. It references Argentine history, the Muslim schism (Shi’a and Sunni), the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, Noam Chomsky and his anti-war activism, all with delightful character interactions. It kept me hooked the entire time.

Regarding poetry, "Inventory" was an amazing emotional journey that introduced me to what I consider now some of my favorite lines in poetry. For example, when it says, “Will you promise in your essential solitude, with no one left to impress, to say: ‘Thank you, Life,’ as it melts away,” it resonated with a thought and sensation that an inner voice of mine had long wanted to express but hadn’t found the words for until reading this book.

Continuing with flash fictions, there are many enjoyable narratives, but two especially caught my attention. One was "Great-Grandmother's Eyes," as I loved how it challenges our fixed notions and invites us to embrace the fluidity of existence. The second was "Golden." I had already had the opportunity to read this piece in "Imperfect Geographies", a collection of Hogan’s poems, but this time I confirmed that I would never get used to the emotions this story evokes, creating a macabre scenario from the children’s selfish innocence.

Later on, Hogan elevates memoirs and essays to a different level. He makes you feel as if you were there, one of the people in a football stadium in Pennsylvania listening to Allen Ginsberg singing a William Blake “Song,” in a car on a Sunday drive with your family to get ice cream, or about to witness one of the major eclipses of the twentieth century in Mexico. I also loved how he steps away from the conventional ways we usually learn to write essays in school, managing to tell a story while making a point, elegantly and sharply. The book includes essays that explore The Odyssey and its relationship with Octavio Paz in "Connections: Odysseus and The Gran Chingón," how creative imagination connects with understanding and contemplation of the world around us in "David," and the history that shaped us in "The Soldiers of St. Patrick," among many others.

In general, I dare say that I don’t have enough words to describe all the sensations and reflections the book caused me. With its diversity, clarity, and ease so that everybody can read it, it not only shows you how to improve as a writer but, overall, teaches you how to be a better human being.

[Emma Rodriguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Literature can be written in many forms and can be interpreted through various lenses. Many individuals find it challenging to craft literary works outside their realm of expertise. However, Michael Hogan is an exception. He writes accessible histories, as well as entertaining stories and essays, encompassing works that range from flash fiction to memoirs. His latest book, a compilation of selected writings, introduces readers to several genres.

Dr. Hogan has opened the door to the literary world for the reader, illustrating that history can be told in fascinating narratives, and literature can be entertaining, zany, and mysterious like flash fiction. The selections in the book which vary from poetry, short story, flash fiction, memoir and essay all appeared in quality magazines such as the Paris Review, Harvard Review and New Letters, and also in award-winning anthologies like the Pushcart Prize. Engaging with these works has transformed my perception of literature. They have inspired me to pursue my writing and provided a valuable tool to navigate the complexities of various genres, such as essays, poetry, and memoirs in my English class.

Literature often poses a challenge for younger generations, who struggle to appreciate and engage with it. Through this book, Hogan captures the interest of young readers as well as sophisticates. He offers valuable insights into various genres, providing an educational advantage for high school and college students, both enhancing their writing skills and increasing their appreciation of good literature.

[Mia · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Michael Hogan Reader" by Dr. Michael Hogan had an impact for me both as a reader and a young writer.This collection provides most of his finest works in different genres such as short stories, poems, flash fiction, memoir, and essays. Each genre highlights different aspects of his expertise, broadening my understanding of these subjects as well as writing techniques.

Dr. Hogan's unique writing style stands out. This enables him to express his ideas in emotions in a way in which the reader can not only understand but also empathize with. Similar to previous works of Dr. Hogan such as; Women of the Irish Rising: A People's History, Living Is No Laughing Matter: A Primer On Existential Optimism and Imperfect Geographies, he uses argumentation and rhetoric differently, though he still maintains their effectiveness.

For the AP curriculum especially, The Hogan Michael Reader is of great value. His insights into things students can learn from his works are so crucial for understanding about the broad literary styles a person will encounter throughout their life.

Overall, The Hogan Reader has enriched my understanding about literature. It has expanded my vision of topics to discuss and write about, and equipped me with new tools for writing and communication. I highly recommend this book to students, educators, and anyone interested in broadening their cultural and literary horizons.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a Delight!
I have “some” familiarity with Michael Hogan’s work: I’ve read some poems, some of the historical works about the Irish Rising and the Mexican American War. But I had no idea of the breadth of his vision and artistry, and this “reader” is a wonderful way to learn more about this talented author and his many-faceted career.
Another reviewer has compared this book to a feast, but I see it as a box of chocolates, each one different but all delicious and delectable. I haven’t read the entirety of it yet, but have sampled within each category: Short Stories, Poetry, Flash Fiction, Memoirs, and Essays. I intend to come back to it again and again, reading new material and savoring that which is already familiar.
Michael Hogan has something to say to all of us, something beautiful, something insightful, something informative. I look forward to enjoying this collection for a long time to come.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michael Hogan’s work is deeply human and wise. He has a way of tapping into the unexpressed truth in the human heart and bringing it to the surface with all the richness and intricacy of exceptional prose. In the Michael Hogan Reader, he offers a journey through different seasons of his life—from despair and loss to gifted and connected mentor and teacher. He offers this journey through various mediums, which showcase his broad and rich skill as a writer. The essay “David” stands out as a beautiful meditation into art and creativity and the drive to create something bigger than yourself, which Hogan has certainly done with his work.  

[Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michael Hogan — Modern Renaissance Man

This brilliant retrospective of Michael Hogan’s writing is hard to put down (I consumed it in 36 hours in fact — loving every word). Poet, novelist, historian, essayist, storyteller, teacher. It’s hard to pigeon hole Michael’s work. When I first heard a couple of days ago of this book, I was thinking of his eclectic style and how it would be difficult to adequately sample the depth of his writings in one volume. Yet the Michael Hogan reader does this exceedingly well.

Michael’s work has a profound reflective streak that connects each of the pieces within this volume. Each speak to a facet of his life. Family origins. Life lessons while growing up. Famous literary influences. Career. Nature’s beauty. Influence of the arts. Perspectives about one’s diverse and deeply impactful career, both as a writer and teacher. Growing older.

As I was inhaling each piece in this reader, I was thinking that Michael Hogan’s writing career is not unlike the Renaissance men Benjamin Franklin or Thomas Jefferson. These American forefathers famously had their respective primary careers but they excelled at so many aspects of science, the arts, and statesmanship.

While Michael Hogan is no scientist, his willingness to explore so many facets of self-reflective authorship and poetry, as well as being a humanitarian and ambassador of the arts, make him unique among practitioners of the craft. He is also a master teacher, with a career that spans decades and has been groundbreaking in so many ways.

This Reader helps us devour with hungry appreciation this selection of his life’s work. Michael Hogan — Modern Renaissance Man .

[Zoé Uribe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many students find reading essays a chore and often find them boring. Here is a book that will change their minds.
The Michael Hogan Reader is an anthology of 25 pieces, including short stories, poetry, flash fiction, memoirs, and essays covering a wide variety of topics. From a man who encounters a deaf cat in the rain, to an intimate portrait of Michelangelo crafting David,
The Michael Hogan Reader is a collection that illustrates intricate insights about art, creativity, transcendence, resistance, aging gracefully, and much more. But it also taught me something essential: how to become a better writer.
The shift from Dr. Hogan’s anecdotes to an intellectual leap happens repeatedly throughout the book. For example, in the essay “David,” Dr. Hogan fuses the narration of Michelangelo’s craft of carving the perfect figure out of a block of marble with his own personal anecdotes written in the first person. The result: an amusing essay about artists and the obdurate persistence required to visualize works of art hidden in the subconscious.
Reading, analyzing, and replicating the techniques in which Hogan is a master captivates a reader’s attention which will prove useful to writers crafting their own work.
This book will be enjoyable not only for those writers who want a refreshing approach to literature and culture but also for AP students and teachers.
No matter how long you've been writing, reading, or editing, The Michael Hogan Reader is replete with practical techniques to enhance your craft, and it is an invaluable resource.

[Mikel Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This great collection of writing from Michael Hogan is a literary smorgasbord of poetry, flash fiction, memoir, and essays. Each genre has some of his best writing over a half-century and gives readers a chance to sample his philosophical perspectives from a boy in his youth to a man in his 80s. I recommend it highly.

One of my favorite selections is his essay titled Fort Adams, which enthralled me with his skillful recounting of a youthful indiscretion that caused a severe injury and escalated tensions with his mother and father. Perhaps many of us have experienced that.

I bought the Kindle version and read it on my iPhone one piece at a time, savoring the experience. It was a little like enjoying the fabulous brunch smorgasbord at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, which my wife and I did during a vacation a few years ago. I read Fort Adams twice, more slowly the second time, like going back to the Bellagio smorgasbord for a second helping of the exquisite tiramisu dessert.

Get this book and savor it. You won't be disappointed.

[Luana C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poetry, Essays, and Memories: The Michael Hogan Reader

It’s a Sunday, as Hogan describes it, the “spiritual vacuum which we are now free to fill as we wish”. With will in hand, you pick up The Michael Hogan Reader by Michael Hogan and take place in your favorite spot to read as you begin your journey.

The Michael Hogan Reader is a collection of forty years’ worth of Hogan’s best short stories, poems, flash fiction, memoirs, and essays. This collection is rich in many aspects, which you see looking through the “ventanas” (windows) into Hogan’s soul, life lessons, self-retrospective reflections, and wisdom. Stories that make you think of your loved ones, the ones you met, and the ones you only know stories and small details about, like the mesmerizing color of their eyes. Pieces that make you put the book down and take a moment, not to look outside but rather inside.

There were multiple pieces I loved when reading The Michael Hogan Reader. All of them fall in the different genres, as each of them are the best example of its kind.

It is hard to choose a single favorite short story, as all of them have rich storytelling that not only invites you to keep reading, but to take a pause and re-read. Not because of a lack of understanding, but out of enjoyment and amazement.

There was no better way to begin the short stories segment than with “A Soft Rain was Falling”. We begin at a church, in the time of the rebellion of the Irish against the British. We see how the priests played an important role in the war, which is resented by the Irish people, such as Hogan’s grandfather. The story transitions into a rather comical, long-lasting resentment the grandfather has towards priests. As I read, the words engulfed me, and as I swallowed the sentences on the page, my chest adopted the feathery feeling only a reader will understand. I tasted for the first time the immaculate flavour of Hogan’s writing and storytelling.

My next favorite piece is “A Metaphorical Piano”, a deeper piece than the one mentioned before, but not less enjoyable. A piano which represents things beyond the material, it represents the spiritual, transient, and soul attached, which is not easily left behind when tragedies like war occur.

“The Deaf Cat and the Rain” was an unexpected favorite. A story that begins with an everyday task leads to intrapersonal reflection, all thanks to a curious cat and an ungrateful kid. Representing all those times a rather easy task turned into a “brazilian” of complicated tasks, as no task is ever a simple one. The elements in this story are intertwined with grace in a way that’s so smooth, you don’t even realize the turn of events until you reach the end and looking over the edge, a step away from empty space.

As for poetry, “Inventory” is a beautiful piece I’ll carry within me. It’s an interrogation of the reader, seemingly from their past self. It’s the younger version of one writing a time capsule letter to be opened in the last moments of one. Looking at a mirror, with all the years weighing down on you, and seeing the younger version of yourself, reciting this delightful piece to you.
The poem “Poem for my 70th Birthday" delivers one of the most beautiful verses I’ve ever read.

“Once I lived another life
and now there are fewer to remember.
Mother gone, father long before
although the rhythm of their language is inside me still:
scraps of songs and poems mother memorized”

Regarding Flash Fiction, my personal favorite was “Golden”. A story that evokes striking emotions, spinning a grim scenario out of the kids’ self-centered innocence. Another that caught my attention was “Great-Grandmother's Eyes”, as it invites us to an out-of-body experience while remaining in the moment. It incites us to flow and let go of the ordinary and conventional.

Hogan then shares memoirs and essays filled with imagery so vivid, we feel almost physically present in every memory and moment. He makes you feel in the crowd when singing along with Allen Ginsberg’s “Song” by William Blake, feeling the weight of Sundays (especially rainy Sundays), or driving to Bosque Colomos to experience one of the most remarkable eclipses witnessed in Mexico in the twentieth century. For his essays, Hogan has gone beyond the conventional-school-taught way to write them without they losing structure. They deliver a point in a storytelling manner that keeps you hooked as you read. My personal favorites are “Sunday Morning Coming Down” for the memoir section and for the essay section “Connections: Odysseus and the Gran Chingón”. I was surprised by the amount of information I was able to learn through “Connections: Odysseus and the Gran Chingón” without feeling overwhelmed; it’s all written in an organized yet entertaining manner.

Michael Hogan’s storytelling is both inspiring and deeply admirable. Few authors have the ability to truly grip a reader with the power of their words, but he is one of them. His prose paints vivid images: landscapes, scenes, people; you can see it all unfold. With crisp, diverse language, his writing remains accessible to both younger readers and more sophisticated ones alike. This wide reach speaks to his love of language and his skill in using it to connect with a varied audience. His work not only stimulates empathy but also leaves us with lasting lessons, encouraging us to become more thoughtful, compassionate human beings.

[Mark Sconce]

The Michael Hogan Reader
A Review by Mark Sconce
The Michael Hogan Reader arrived in the mail today, and, as I opened the package, I recalled that day a dozen years ago when I received by Mexican courier my copy of Abraham Lincoln and Mexico: The Untold Story by a professor unknown to me at the time but said to be Head of the English and Humanities Department at the American School of Guadalajara, author of 24 books, and historian extraordinaire. So extraordinaire that his history students proudly wear maroon hoodies that read: Hogan’s Heroes!
I was asked to write a review of Professor’s Hogan’s book for El Ojo del Lago magazine, still published in Ajijic, Mexico where my wife and I lived for seven years. His appreciation of the review earned me a hearty bear hug and an autographed copy. Thus began a collegial friendship and sincere regard for each other’s writing, although I know him to be the maestro, I, the scribbler; he the poet, I, the poetaster by honest compare.
Michael’s latest book is the fourth one I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing – “and that’s not hyperbole,” as Joe would say. His current volume contains several searing Short Stories, including one (Alone and Left Behind) that dog owners and dog lovers should read just to re-establish how lucky we are and remind ourselves of Pablo Neruda’s memorable lines: “I believe in a heaven for all dogdom/Where my dog waits for my arrival, waiving his fanlike tail in friendship.”
When I came to the Memoir section and read the piece about Allen Ginsberg, I suddenly realized that the cover photo of the wild wolf baying at the moon refers to Ginsberg’s famous savage poem, Howl, where modern society kills off its best minds just as it kills off endangered species – Hogan’s wolf howls in support of Save Endangered Species.

When I run into a writer who unerringly chooses the right word, I spark, I fizz, and I read on expectantly as though settling into a summer hammock of language. The elegant Essays section treats us to such artistry -- the writing of a skilled craftsman at the top of his game, a past master of story-telling, often within a historical context. The Soldiers of St. Patrick essay, for example, describes the Irish battalion fighting on behalf of Mexico during the U.S. - Mexican War of 1846-1848. This and other essays remind us that Hogan’s Catholicism is that of emerald green Ireland – Erin Go Bragh! That fact alone stands him in good stead in Catholic Mexico where the only things all Mexicans agree on are the proven friendship of the Irish and the miracle and mystery of the appearance of the Virgin of Guadalupe.

I will end in the Poetry section because Michael and I know that poetry is the highest branch of literature. Was it Stephen Hawking who wrote somewhere that midst all the human and cosmic discoveries we bring to light, we also discover that the poet got there first?
Both Michael and Michael’s poetry remind me of a distinguished Mexican poet with a Jesuit turn of mind -- Amado Nervo (1870-1919). Educator, scholar, writer, diplomat, ambassador whose poetry earned him the title Principe de los poetas continentals (Prince of the Continental Poets). Such is Michael Hogan!
Like any contemplative Catholic, he and Michael know of the struggle, the tension between a soul of faith and a mind of reason; one who is deeply religious yet conflicted because he also believes in scientific proofs and evidence.
Amado:

I am not too wise to deny you, Lord; / I find logical your divine existence;
I have enough by opening my eyes to find you; / The entire creation invites me to adore you,
And I adore you in the rose and I adore you in the thorn.

Tr. Unknown


Michael:
Did you try not to make sense of the senseless
in a world of reflections and glimmers and pettiness,
But to love it all anyway, maybe even concede the possibility
of deity
even though it was far from evident.
As evolutionary biologists and astrophysicists close in on life’s fundamentals, poets are already gathering to speak of the God particle and the stardust we all are, after all.
It is possible and imperative that we learn
a brave and startling truth.
Maya Angelou
***
“I stand at the seashore, alone, and start to think. There are the waves…mountains of molecules, each stupidly minding its own business…trillions apart…yet forming white surf in unison. Deep in the sea, out of the cradle onto the dry land, here it is standing…atoms with consciousness…matter with curiosity. Stands at the sea…wonders at wondering…I…a universe of atoms…an atom in the universe.”
Richard Feynman Winner of the 1965 Nobel Prize in physics.
If you’re looking for a book brimming with tales well-told and poetry that illuminates life’s enduring ways, The Michael Hogan Reader should be your next purchase…
***

[Carmen Amato · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michael Hogan is a man of many talents as an educator, historian, poet, and essayist. This volume brings together works in all those fields, linked together by his love for his Irish roots and ability to find compelling details that others overlook. The short stories, many semi-biographical, offer snapshots of growing up Irish as well as a vignette about treading delicately in a multi-cultural landscape. Hogan's poetry contains haunting phrasing and compelling imagery, from a trout "raging with life" to "Once I lived another life and now there are fewer to remember." In addition, Hogan offers flash fiction, memoir moments, and essays with a philosophical angle that may be some of his best work yet. Notably in the essay "David" Hogan shows how we have "the freedom to define our life, our story, our sculpture, and we need to recognize that this is a power that is not absolute or unconditional." The condition is to "Discover what has been given to us to find."

Hogan's ground-breaking historical work, The Irish Soldiers of Mexico, is a guest at the feast, being mentioned in several passages, a reminder to read the book (or see the movie) if you have not already done so. Years ago, I saw the plaque in Mexico City dedicated to Los Patricios and had little idea of the history. In both this volume and the work itself, Hogan not only tells of events past but makes them relevant to today. His work truly embodies the philosophy of discovering what has been given to us to find.

Bottom line: a moving collection of stories, essays, and poetry that you will read and re-read, each time extracting another thought-provoking and compelling nugget of wisdom wrapped in beautiful prose.

[Ken Youngblood · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been an aficionado of this writer since the ‘90’s. But packing his poetry, short stories and non-fiction, as well as memoirs, even flashfiction, between the covers of the Michael Hogan Reader deepened my appreciation for the breadth of his work.

My high regard for Michael’s poetry goes back to reading his first two volumes of poetry: Making All the Rules and Imperfect Geographies. Go to “Inventory” among other poems in the MHR and you will see how the alchemy of poetry can make words holy.

Turn to his flash fiction and you’ll see the same brevity and condensation of poetry empowering a lonely woman to fly into a child’s soul, all in a story half a page long. Even Hogan’s more traditional short stories move quickly, whether it is the struggle of a man attempting to save a dead cat on his roof or how a metaphysical piano can anchor us in a life full of entanglements.

After sampling Hogan’s poetry and fiction, we can turn a few more pages and get to know Hogan through his memoirs. As with the protagonists in his fiction, we see how struggle is a constant in Hogan’s life, whether with alcohol in his early life or allegiance to his Irish Catholic upbringing all his life. Pulling all these samples together we learn how life is full of incongruities, oppositions. barriers. And how the collisions in the external world impact one’s inner life, making encountering these obstacles a matter of survival. Hogan leaves us with a lot to think about. His work reminds me the task of a writer is not to solve the conflicts but to pose them correctly.

[Angelica J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ladders, staircases, and towers. Ladders that are a burden to a sixty-year-old man who has to sweep the water off the roof. Staircases on which an octogenarian knocks the lights out of a clueless priest. Prison towers from which a guard dreams of the wonders that could be hanging at the end of his rifle. The Michael Hogan Reader is full of such scenarios involving heights. Falling from the roof would mean injury or even death to the old man. But, at the same time, heights present to the reader the joy of the could be’s and the might be’s. What would it be like to fly? To escape one’s troubles? To pretend, just for a single moment?

I was amazed by the connection and the “flow” the stories and poems had to them. Not only does Hogan manage to write minor masterpieces, but he also puts them together like puzzle pieces to create a larger picture. In the contrast between open windows (ventanas abiertas) and closed windows (ventanas cerradas) in the poem “On Translating a Mexican Poet.” “Ventana: I am here / Window: I am watching.” We are all watching, waiting for wonder with open eyes. No matter how old we get, we will never be ghosts, never succumb to what weighs us down but welcome it to become a truer version of ourselves.

With all the cruelty and desolation we witness in our lives, we sometimes become afraid to dream like in “Alone and Left Behind.” Do not fear; it is all a combination of light and motion. All can change into something other than itself; this is the magic of Hogan’s prose.

[Jojo Harue · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have had the pleasure of reading Michael Hogan’s work for over 45 years, spanning both our lifetimes, having attended a poetry writing workshop he offered at a public library in 1978. Michael is an influential teacher, both in person and through his piercing and expansive written observations of the natural world and all life that permeates it. This collection of works contains some of his best poetry (The Condor) combined with brief but impactful short stories and works of flash fiction, essays, and memoirs. Through these pieces, Michael’s vast knowledge and lived experiences are carefully, sometimes humorously, and always profoundly explored and comingled with metaphor, history, science, art, and literature. His writing is deeply evocative of the tenderness, pain, irony, and wonder of life. Michael is a gifted writer who captures the essence, soulfulness of the moment thereby making it eternal. This book is perfect to read in short snippets and savor over time—a true gift to the reader.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fine companion piece.
My friend ( and companion ) borrowed it immediately.
It is nice to know Michael Hogan.
He is direct, sensitive and really smart.