EPISODE INTRO:

Who is your favorite president? One of mine is the legendary Theodore Roosevelt. TR was the 26th president of the United States. He was the inspiration for the teddy bear, a cowboy, a police commissioner, a soldier, and an explorer. But most of all, he was an all-around rebel renegade, and sparkplug. Sponsored by my favorite tea, Oliver Pluff & Company. https://www.oliverpluff.com/

THE MAN IN THE ARENA BY THEODORE ROOSEVELT: 

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."

RESEARCH: 

Theodore Roosevelt - His Life And Work Written by Frederick Drinker and Jay Mowbray, 1919.

American Boys' Life Of Theodore Roosevelt - Written by Edward Stratemeyer, 1904

HOST CONTACT:

Don Mast - [email protected] 

Link Tree To All My Sites: https://linktr.ee/aguywithbooks

EPISODE NOTES:

For this episode I mix my love for film🎬 and poetry… Dead Poets Society and Whitman.  Walt Whitman is America’s world poet—a latter-day successor to Homer, Virgil, Dante, and Shakespeare. In Leaves of Grass, he celebrated democracy, nature, love, and friendship. This monumental work chanted praises to the body as well as to the soul, and found beauty and reassurance even in death. Along with Emily Dickinson, Whitman is regarded as one of America’s most significant 19th-century poets and would influence later many poets, including Ezra Pound, William Carlos Williams, Allen Ginsberg, Simon Ortiz, C.K. Williams, and Martín Espada. Here is the archive that I mentioned during the podcast: https://whitmanarchive.org/ . Sponsored by my favorite tea, Oliver Pluff & Company. https://www.oliverpluff.com/

HOST CONTACT:

Don Mast - [email protected] 

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FULL POEM:

O Captain! My Captain! - By Walt Whitman

O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done,

The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won,

The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,

While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring;

But O heart! heart! heart!

O the bleeding drops of red,

Where on the deck my Captain lies,

Fallen cold and dead.

O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells;

Rise up—for you the flag is flung—for you the bugle trills,

For you bouquets and ribbon’d wreaths—for you the shores a-crowding,

For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;

Here Captain! dear father!

This arm beneath your head!

It is some dream that on the deck,

You’ve fallen cold and dead.

My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still,

My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will,

The ship is anchor’d safe and sound, its voyage closed and done,

From fearful trip the victor ship comes in with object won;

Exult O shores, and ring O bells!

But I with mournful tread,

Walk the deck my Captain lies,

Fallen cold and dead.

I shared this poem from my personal book collection, Leaves of Grass (1891).

EPISODE NOTES:

🎉HAPPY BIRTHDAY LORD BYRON! The "mad, bad, and dangerous to know" Poet Lord Byron. Learn about the most flamboyant and notorious of the major English 💕Romantic poets, George Gordon, Lord Byron, was likewise the most fashionable poet of the early 1800s. Sponsored by my favorite tea, Oliver Pluff & Company. https://www.oliverpluff.com/

HOST CONTACT:

Don Mast - [email protected] 

Instagram Store - https://www.instagram.com/booksintime/ 

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/donald.mast.10 

Twitter - https://twitter.com/LeaderAtWork 

FULL POEM:

She Walks in Beauty BY LORD BYRON (GEORGE GORDON) 

She walks in beauty, like the night

Of cloudless climes and starry skies;

And all that’s best of dark and bright

Meet in her aspect and her eyes;

Thus mellowed to that tender light

Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,

Had half impaired the nameless grace

Which waves in every raven tress,

Or softly lightens o’er her face;

Where thoughts serenely sweet express,

How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.

And on that cheek, and o’er that brow,

So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,

The smiles that win, the tints that glow,

But tell of days in goodness spent,

A mind at peace with all below,

A heart whose love is innocent!

Shared from: Poetical Works of Byron Illustrated, The Landscape Series of Poets…  Gall & Ingles (London-Edinboro) publishers, Early 1800’s.

EPISODE NOTES:

As I look outside, I’m reminded of the fact that it’s still winter❄️. We had a nice snow last night and this morning, its cold 🧊and brisk with a wind blowing the snow.  I’m going to share one of my favorite winter poems.  

HOST CONTACT:

Don Mast - [email protected] 

Instagram Store - https://www.instagram.com/booksintime/ 

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/donald.mast.10 

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FULL POEM:

Winter's Beauty by W H Davies

Is it not fine to walk in spring,

When leaves are born, and hear birds sing?

And when they lose their singing powers,

In summer, watch the bees at flowers?

Is it not fine, when summer's past,

To have the leaves, no longer fast,

Biting my heel where'er I go,

Or dancing lightly on my toe?

Now winter's here and rivers freeze;

As I walk out I see the trees,

Wherein the pretty squirrels sleep,

All standing in the snow so deep:

And every twig, however small,

Is blossomed white and beautiful.

Then welcome, winter, with thy power

To make this tree a big white flower;

To make this tree a lovely sight,

With fifty brown arms draped in white,

While thousands of small fingers show

In soft white gloves of purest snow.

Shared from: In Winter (Fytton Armstrong, 1931; limited edition of 290, illustrated by Edward Carrick; special limited edition of 15 on handmade paper also hand-coloured).

EPISODE NOTES:

I share a beautiful story about a famous writer ✍🏻who meets a young girl👧🏻 in the park. Who is the writer? He's Pretty Famous... Franz Kafka.

BOOK QUESTION HELP:

Uncle Charlie's Poems by Charles Noel Douglas. Copyright 1906, by J.S. Ogilvie Publishing. Signed by the author. 

HOST CONTACT:

Don Mast - [email protected] 

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EPISODE NOTES: 

I talk a bit about Coach Andrew Wuellner. He is a Life Coach, Business Coach, Certified Strength & Conditioning Coach, Husband, and Father. He owns Wuellner Fitness LLC, a coaching & fitness company with the mission of empowering people with life-altering ideas and information. The belief is if strong people do strong things, they set strong examples. People will notice, people will follow and that is how you change a culture, and this is how you change a society. What we have seen recently has been an erosion of American culture and America needs a new identity. So, the writer is sharing a culture of ruggedness, stoicism, grit, strength, and most importantly, THINKING for yourself.  If you want to grow stronger and you have a good heart, welcome to the family.

HOST CONTACT:

Don Mast - [email protected] 

Instagram Store - https://www.instagram.com/booksintime/ 

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/donald.mast.10 

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Andrew Wuellner can be found on TicTok (@andrewwuellner on TicTok) / Instagram  (@Coachandrewwuellner on Instagram) and via Youtube, search for Andrew Wuellner.

EPISODE NOTES:

I talk a bit about Hemingway. Particularly his book A Moveable Feast. Published in 1964.  The closest Ernest Hemingway ever came to writing a memoir was, A Moveable Feast, where he reflected on his time living in Paris🗼 as a struggling writer✍🏻 with his first wife Hadley Richardson and their son, Jack (or ‘Bumby’). I’ve explored many of Hemingway’s works and I simply love this particular book for both his deep exploration of writing and his writing about beloved Hadley –– which he believed to be the one true love of his life. 15 quotes from A Moveable Feast.

HOST CONTACT:

Don Mast - [email protected] 

Instagram Store - https://www.instagram.com/booksintime/ 

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I shared these 15 Hemingway quotes from a book in my private collection titled, A Moveable Feast, Scribners and Sons publishers, 1964.

EPISODE NOTES:

Having a cup of Irish Tea this morning while looking out my window and thinking back on the many great hikes and adventures my son and I shared throughout the summer in our wood that surround our town. When I think of nature, I think of one of my favorite poets. I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud (Daffodils💐)  — William Wordsworth.

HOST CONTACT:

Don Mast - [email protected] 

Instagram Store - https://www.instagram.com/booksintime/ 

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/donald.mast.10 

Twitter - https://twitter.com/LeaderAtWork 

FULL POEM: 

I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o'er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine

And twinkle on the milky way,

They stretched in never-ending line

Along the margin of a bay:

Ten thousand saw I at a glance,

Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they

Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:

A poet could not but be gay,

In such a company:

I gazed—and gazed—but little thought

What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie

In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye

Which is the bliss of solitude;

And then my heart with pleasure fills,

And dances with the daffodils.

I shared this poem from a book in my private collection titled The poetical works of William Wordsworth, William Collins and Sons, London/Glasgow, Published in the early 1800’s.

EPISODE NOTES: 

While enjoying English Breakfast Tea and a Cherry Pipe, I reflect on youthful memories gone by and the winter season. I share one of my favorite poems. Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening— By Robert Frost. 

HOST CONTACT: 

Don Mast - [email protected] 

Instagram Store - https://www.instagram.com/booksintime/ 

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/donald.mast.10 

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FULL POEM:  

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.  

Whose woods these are I think I know.    

His house is in the village though;    

He will not see me stopping here    

To watch his woods fill up with snow.    

My little horse must think it queer    

To stop without a farmhouse near    

Between the woods and frozen lake    

The darkest evening of the year.    

He gives his harness bells a shake    

To ask if there is some mistake.    

The only other sound’s the sweep    

Of easy wind and downy flake.    

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,    

But I have promises to keep,    

And miles to go before I sleep,    

And miles to go before I sleep. 

I shared this poem from a book in my private collection titled Complete Poems of Robert Frost, Holt Rinehart, Winston, Published June 1949.

EPISODE NOTES:

Today I share one of my favorite poems. Don't Quit— By John Greenleaf Whittier, Fireside Poet.

HOST CONTACT:

Don Mast - [email protected]

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FULL POEM:

Keep Going

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,

When the road you’re trudging seems all up hill,

When the funds are low and the debts are high,

And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,

When care is pressing you down a bit,

Rest if you must—but don’t you quit.

Life is strange \ queer with its twists and turns,

As every one of us sometimes learns,

And many a failure turns about

When he might have won had he stuck it out;

Don’t give up, though the pace seems slow—

You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than

It seems to a faint and faltering man,

Often the struggler has given up

When he might have captured the victor’s cup,

And he learned too late, when the night slipped down,

How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out—

The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,

And you never can tell how close you are,

It may be near when it seems afar;

So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit—

It’s when things seem worst that you mustn’t quit.

#Poems #Poetry #Books #Whittier