ESSAY: Furry Friends

ESSAY: Furry Friends

By Tom Robotham  When I was a child, I longed for an animal companion: a horse, a dog, or at least a cat.  A horse was unrealistic because our suburban yard was too small, and—let’s face it—they’re expensive to care for. Plenty of our neighbors had dogs, on the other...
ESSAY: Mind the Gap

ESSAY: Mind the Gap

Essayist Tom Robotham connects with Paris in an antique bookstore.  By Tom Robotham This year, I’ll turn 70. What the fuck?! It doesn’t seem that long ago that I was sitting in my pajamas on the floor of my family’s living room in Staten Island, watching The Donna...
ESSAY: Furry Friends

ESSAY: Reading As an Act of Love

By Tom Robotham When I was a young father, one of my greatest pleasures was reading aloud to my kids—often, from books I’d loved in my own early childhood: Blueberries for Sal, Curious George, Madeline, The Cat in the Hat, and many others. The riches of this ritual...
ESSAY: Furry Friends

A Walk in the Woods

By Tom Robotham In the woods…a man casts off his years, as the snake his slough, and at what period soever of life, is always a child. In the woods, is perpetual youth. – Ralph Waldo Emerson One of my great fortunes in life is that I grew up in the woods.  There’s a...
ESSAY: Furry Friends

ESSAY: Future Shock

By Tom Robotham Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about artificial intelligence and its potential impact on society. On one end of the spectrum is the grim scenario of robots taking over and either enslaving the human race or wiping us out altogether. This nightmare has...
ESSAY: Furry Friends

ESSAY: A Bridge Too Far

By Tom Robotham  Seven years ago, I wrote an essay reflecting on a sudden anxiety attack I’d had while driving over the Delaware Memorial Bridge. The attack was wholly unexpected. I’d driven over that bridge countless times, without a thought. This time, I felt as if...