Michael is an award-winning filmmaker who has authored fifteen nonfiction books on filmmaking and post-production technology. He is perhaps most well known as one of the original designers of Apple’s Emmy award-winning software Final Cut Pro, and he taught film editing for eight years at UCLA’s School of Film & TV. In Herschel’s Wake is about Michael’s charismatic and irresponsible father named Herschel who was a twice-divorced astrologer, a pharmacology professor, a failed novelist, an on-the-lam drug-runner, a manual typewriter thief, an Aikido white belt, a possible communist, and a temporary resident of the little-known island of Statia. When Herschel died unexpectedly just before his 71st birthday, Michael had to travel four thousand miles and overcome four decades of resentment to pick up his father’s pieces. Along the way he reconnected with his forgotten half-brother, reconciled with his overeducated, underachieving sister, and even reckoned with his ambivalence about religion.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL HEAR ABOUT THINGS LIKE:

·        How Michael’s relationship with his father evolved and soured before his father’s death.

·        The lurid and upsetting secret Michael discovered upon his arrival in Statia.

·        Michael’s sister’s need to follow Judaic custom for the burial and the affect that had on Michael.

·        The unique grieving process that comes with the death of a difficult parent.

SOME QUESTIONS IRENE ASKS MICHAEL:

·        Why did you and your siblings decide to bury your father yourselves?

·        How did you finally come around to accepting and forgiving your father?

·        How has forgiving your father changed your life?