Appel’s initial composition Phoning Home centers upon episodes during the writer’s seventh summer a time in which his family was beleaguered with the attentions of a crank call artist.

The touching chronicle, Two Cats, Fat and Thin, describing how the loss of two small, rubber cats, Fat and Thin given to the author by a much-loved aunt, grandaunt, affected not only his childhood, but served to shape a cynicism lingering well into adulthood. At times probing, unassuming, and even penetrating, Appel on occasion divulges some of the most reserved characteristics of his life. With issues centered on childhood anguish to introduction of his maternal grandfather, and a transitory happenstance with a man who was not his grandfather.

Appel tells us of the predicament experienced by much of his family in prewar and war time Europe when many of the family perished besides he tells us of his grandparents 65 year marriage.

We read of the abrupt, unpredicted expiration of another grandfather, plus Appel reveals that his grandaunt’s green Jell-O was a weapon of torture and he explains something of Alzheimer and what it meant in 1932 and why he decided to be tested for the inclination for the condition.

Essay titles range from Mr. Odd and Mr. Even , The Man Who Was Not my Grandfather, Caesura – Antwerp, 1938, Sudden Death – A Eulogy, An Absence of Jell-O, She Loves Me Not, Opting Out, Charming and Devoted, Livery, Our Incredible Shrinking Discourse, Divided Expectations. And there is more.

Appel shares that his essays collected for this publication have previously appeared in a number of periodicals. Subject matter for these often humorous, always provocative compositions show-case the writer’s New York City childhood, his at times whimsical family, his Jewish culture, life in general and more.

I found Phoning Home Essays to be a highly understandable publication filled with something for every reader.

The tales portray the writer’s inimitable voice, his is a merging of nostalgia and insights, mitigated through his education including degrees in ethics, law and medicine. Appel is a man who questions, learns and seeks more answers. His compassion rooted in his profession, physician, is tempered by his barrister ethicist's persistent searching for answers, reasons and solutions.

I enjoyed the read, Phoning Home Essays is a work for the home library, the English teacher or professor’s reading list, and for anyone who enjoys a collection of quick reads in an easy to tuck into brief case or carry bag for quick reading while waiting for the train to pass, the kid to be finished in the dentist’s chair or anytime a few minutes for reading appears.

Happy to recommend.

I was sent an ARC for review. New York City’s Jacob M. Appel whose work has been nominated for Best American Short Stories, Best American Non-required Reading, Best American Essays, the O. Henry Award, and the Pushcart Prize anthology on many occasions, is a physician, attorney, and bioethicist whose resume includes novels, short fiction collection and some 200+ published stories.

As a contributor to many publications Appel writes about the interconnection of law and medicine.

Product Details

Title: Phoning Home Essays

Author: Jacob M Appel

Hardcover: 136 pages

Publisher: University of South Carolina Press

Language: English

ISBN-10: 161117371X $18.60