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Points of Tangency: Essays
Within the pages of Points of Tangency, a sequence of brilliant personal essays, Scott Russell Morris, a closeted queer Mormon, tells the story of meeting and then marrying his now wife. His story, told with grace, compassion, and dexterity, forges the framework of a life lived, and lives living together, in our mysterious and dynamic present.
Reviews
"Part travel writing, part memoir, part experimental lyric, the writing captures exquisite details of a life rich with experience."
-Patricia Colleen Murphy, author of Bully Love
"Morris's essays move the way our innermost thoughts do, with a catchy sense of discovery, recovery, and delight."
-Eric Lemay, author of Remember Me
"Big hearted and quietly humorous. This book is a gift."
-Sarah Viren, author of To Name the Bigger Lie
"I worried the notion of worrying as I read this prose rosary, this secular chaplet, amazed by Morris's prowess to manipulate the multitude of points he held in his hand."
-Michael Martone, author of Plain Air: Sketches from Winesburg, Indiana
"A unique insight into what it means to be human. "
-Micah Muldowney, author of Q-Drive and Other Poems
"Fresh, surprising . . . wryly humorous."
-Sheryl St. Germain, author of 50 Miles
"Morris has the skill to take his readers . . . into the recesses of his heart and experiences."
-Elena Passarello, author of Animals Strike Curious Poses
Reviews
"Part travel writing, part memoir, part experimental lyric, the writing captures exquisite details of a life rich with experience."
-Patricia Colleen Murphy, author of Bully Love
"Morris's essays move the way our innermost thoughts do, with a catchy sense of discovery, recovery, and delight."
-Eric Lemay, author of Remember Me
"Big hearted and quietly humorous. This book is a gift."
-Sarah Viren, author of To Name the Bigger Lie
"I worried the notion of worrying as I read this prose rosary, this secular chaplet, amazed by Morris's prowess to manipulate the multitude of points he held in his hand."
-Michael Martone, author of Plain Air: Sketches from Winesburg, Indiana
"A unique insight into what it means to be human. "
-Micah Muldowney, author of Q-Drive and Other Poems
"Fresh, surprising . . . wryly humorous."
-Sheryl St. Germain, author of 50 Miles
"Morris has the skill to take his readers . . . into the recesses of his heart and experiences."
-Elena Passarello, author of Animals Strike Curious Poses
226 pages, Paperback
Published September 17, 2024
5 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
April 16, 2025
Points of Tangency by Scott Russell Morris is one of those rare books that truly fascinates me. This book is an essay collection covering 18 topics relating to the human experience. This has been done by many an author. What sets Points of Tangency apart is the sheer level of immersion it brings. While I generally have no issue getting lost in detailed worlds of fantasy, writings about the real world have always struggled to grab my attention. This book is the exception. With each word I am thrown into a life unlike my own. Each essay is superbly written and emotional investing. From short series of vignettes to longer stories about spelling and squirrels, each essay manages to invoke different feelings and experiences. These feelings are only amplified by one of the more incredible structural decisions I have ever seen: each essay’s structure is determined by its topic. There is an essay on tangents that constantly goes on tangents, an essay about a library that contains a multitude of literary references, and the essay about trains ebbs and flows with the sound of passing trains. It is a remarkable work that manages to maintain its sense of wonder throughout the whole book. Something that helps with keeping that feeling around is that, while the essay’s contents may differ dramatically, the core journey that the book takes you through is the same. This is an essay collection that asks you to read in order. And if you stick with it, you might just find a spark of that wonder left behind afterwards.
April 16, 2025
Reading Points of Tangency was a delightful experience. Scott Russel Morris’ mastery of the essay was obvious in some chapters, but subtle and beautiful in others: see “If we had been allowed to take pictures.” His fixation on squirrels is lost on me, but he makes a good enough defense of it early enough that I was mostly able to overcome the quirkiness of it. Let him keep his squirrels.
He approaches his writing with a tone of playfulness, a snarky, blasé attitude laced with dry humor that makes, even the parts that might be dull normally, easy and enjoyable to read. His voice is authentic; you feel like you are in the room with him. Some of his essays, like “Pie Month” and “On Whom Things are Lost,” play with the essay in form and content. In some cases, his essays start as one long play on words, but morphs into a sincere attempt at discovery and wrestle that keeps the work from feely kitschy.
I was impressed with his ability to take old essays, blow off the metaphorical dust, and turn them into one cohesive work. The efforts he takes to make those essays work together feel authentic because the reader can tell that this idea of “points of tangency” is not contrived. I can tell, and you will too, that this is an idea that has consumed him for some years. It is easy to read, easy to understand, but complex enough for an experienced essayist to enjoy.
He approaches his writing with a tone of playfulness, a snarky, blasé attitude laced with dry humor that makes, even the parts that might be dull normally, easy and enjoyable to read. His voice is authentic; you feel like you are in the room with him. Some of his essays, like “Pie Month” and “On Whom Things are Lost,” play with the essay in form and content. In some cases, his essays start as one long play on words, but morphs into a sincere attempt at discovery and wrestle that keeps the work from feely kitschy.
I was impressed with his ability to take old essays, blow off the metaphorical dust, and turn them into one cohesive work. The efforts he takes to make those essays work together feel authentic because the reader can tell that this idea of “points of tangency” is not contrived. I can tell, and you will too, that this is an idea that has consumed him for some years. It is easy to read, easy to understand, but complex enough for an experienced essayist to enjoy.
September 16, 2025
I loved this book!! I have a squirrel friend who lives outside my bedroom window. Love the raw humility and emotion in this.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews