Books and Brews Podcast Episoce #22: Dr. Chris Powell
Episode description
Dr. Chris Powell is an author, poet, musician, engineering and management consultant and aspiring polymath with his fingers on everything from fretboards and ivories to the pulse of post-modernism, surrealism, and nihilism's impact on the destruction of morality and sanity. His work takes him from the Internet of Things to Cyberspace, and from Supercomputers to AI. More down to earth, he putters in his labs with birdhouses and cameras, servomotors and drones. At the range he's comfortable with AR's and lasers, in a kilt with trombones and guitars, on a kneeler with his Rosary, and in the kitchen making omelets and Long Island Iced Teas for his love.
Dr. Powell's book has been described by Kirkus Reviews as having certain similarities to Joan Didion’s 2005 book The Year of Magical Thinking, which investigated the nature of grief, but Dr. Powell’s book investigates the nature of illness itself. He meticulously details his late wife Bonnie’s every procedure and symptom, and every failure of modern medicine to provide her with relief. He also applies the same method to his own emotions and spirituality, presenting engaging, admirably honest deductions regarding sacrifice and dedication in this powerful, heartbreaking memoir.
chrisandlaurapowell.com
Chris's Readings:
- Caring for Bonnie – 12:09
- From Love to Shame – 25:07
- Psalm of Winged Transcendence – 41:51
Michael’s Beer Pairings:
- Manhattan Social Club, Boulevard Brewing Company (paired to Caring for Bonnie) – 9:13
- Belgian Iambic (paired to From Love to Shame) – 22:55
- Chardonnale, Brewery Ommegong (paired to Psalm of Winged Transcendence) – 38:13
Interview Highlights:
- Sacrifice and service--the hard parts of love – 17:10
- Writing for healing – 20:30
- Love that destroys – 30:02
- Narcissism – 32:39
- A poem as psalm – 45:24
- Powell as musician – 46:56
- The Hurdy-Gurdy – 54:48
COMING NEXT MONTH: Cynthia Kraak and Joseph Tochovsky, Forty Thieves on Saipan
UPCOMING EVENTS: Gabriel's Horn is accepting submissions for its anthology
Our theme music is from www.bensound.com.