A Legacy of Stories

Weekly tales from a 99-year journey

When my father passed away recently at the age of 99, he left behind not only a remarkable life but also a treasure trove of stories. His life spanned the Great Depression, World War II, the Space Race, the Civil Rights Movement, Vietnam, and countless other cultural, political, and social milestones. He lived through—and often reflected on—nearly a century of change.

This past spring, when I published my novel “The Skin Doctor”, he told me how much he enjoyed it, but also how he wished I’d write a book about our family—the stories he’d told me over the years. What I didn’t realize until recently was that he had already written dozens of these stories himself.

In 1999 and 2000, while taking a creative writing class at California State University Long Beach, my dad turned in vivid, heartfelt stories about his family, friends, and experiences. Some were assignments; many he wrote simply because he loved storytelling. His writing ranged from personal family histories to an almost-finished western novel of more than 60,000 words.

As I read through his work, often for the first time, I’ve discovered details about him and our family that even our many conversations never revealed. These are small treasures—moments, people, and places—that would have been lost forever if he hadn’t put them down on paper.

Starting tomorrow and over the next several months, I’ll be sharing his stories here on this Substack. They are sometimes funny, sometimes poignant, and always rich with the perspective of a man who lived fully and observed keenly. I hope you enjoy them as much as I.