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Barbara Falconer Newhall

Veteran journalist Barbara Falconer Newhall riffs on life as she knows it.

  • A CASE OF THE HUMAN CONDITION
  • MY EVER-CHANGING FAMILY
  • WRITING & READING
  • MY ROCKY SPIRITUAL JOURNEY
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memoir

Books I Might Read If I Weren’t So Danged Busy Writing My Own

November 28, 2013 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

cover of don lattin's book "Distilled Spirits."

 

So many books. So little time. And a manuscript deadline — Dec. 1 — looming so near. Debbie Blue’s new book. Don Lattin’s latest. John Shelby Spong’s thoughts on the Gospel of John . . . and so many others. Read more.

Writing the Personal Essay — Forget the Good, Go for the Bad and the Ugly

March 1, 2013 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

A star magnolia blossom and a bud, Oakland, CA. Photo by BF Newhall

When I’m writing a personal essay or a blog post, I find that nice stories in which I behave well and come off looking good generally don’t work so well. I look for the bad story, the ugly story, the story that shows off my marvelous human shortcomings.

The Writing Room: My Book’s Almost Done, Sorta

April 9, 2011 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

[caption id="attachment_4618" align="aligncenter" width="450"]My computer monitor in action. Photo by Bf Newhall My computer monitor the day before my mother broke her hip and brought progress on my book to a halt for a year. Photo by Barbara Newhall[/caption]

My book is close to done. I’ve been working on it for nigh on to 13 years now. Can’t imagine what it will feel like to have it done-ish. Read more.

Why I Can’t Write My Memoir — Not the Part About My Mom Anyway

May 4, 2010 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

Leg cast for a woman, 92, with broken hip. Photo by BF Newhall

Driving home the other day from just one of countless visits to my mom at the hospital, I had to ask myself , why aren’t I writing about her? Read more.

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LET’S CONNECT

ON THE FUNNY SIDE

Oakland Tribune: The Trib Is Dead, Long Live the Tribbers

On April 4, 2016, former employees of the Oakland, California, Tribune, had a wake in honor of the paper's last day of publication. Photos by Barbara Newhall

The Oakland Tribune is dead. But dozens of Trib staffers live on. On the California paper’s last day, they gathered for a wake. Read more.

MORE "ON THE FUNNY SIDE"

CATEGORIES

  • A Case of the Human Condition
  • My Ever-Changing Family
  • On Writing & Reading
  • My Rocky Spiritual Journey

 
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TO MY READERS

Please feel free to share links to my posts with one and all and to quote briefly from them in your own writing, remembering, of course, to attribute the quote to me and to provide a link back to this site.

My Oakland Tribune columns, btw, are reprinted by permission of the Trib. With the exception of review copies of books, I do not accept ads or freebies of any kind. Click on the "Contact" button if you have questions. Enjoy!

 

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Author Barbara Falconer Newhall takes a photo of herself wearing dark, statement glasses before cataract surgery to see what she'll look like. Photo by Barbara Newhall

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Widowed: Some Thoughts Before Election Day — From Jon

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