Who He Is
New York, NY, Oct. 16 – The motivation behind modern writers to write varies greatly. Some write for fame. Others write for fortune. A truly great writer is one who writes out of passion for a particular subject, someone who does not care about how many books are sold, someone who obtains an idea and runs with it.The truth is modern writers may come and go, but there are just a few that stand out as truly spectacular. However, when you come across a remarkable writer, you know it. Receiving his B.A. from the University of Wisconsin, this man has worked as a reporter for the Chicago Tribune’s Suburban Trib and The New York Times. He has been a contributor to Salon, The New York Times, and Rolling Stone, a contributing correspondent to PBS Religion & Ethics Newsweekly, and is a member of the USA Today Board of Contributors. He even is an adjunct professor of theatre at the Columbia University School of the Arts. His most recent endeavor is teaching a class at Columbia plainly titled, “How To Write A Book.” This man is Samuel G. Freedman.
His literary accomplishments are extensive. Aside from Freedman’s numerous publications, he was a finalist for the National Book Award in 1990, winner of the Helen Bernstein Award for Excellence in Journalism in 1993, and finalist for the Pulitzer Prizes in 1997. The list goes on and on. However, one of his more recent works has caught the attention of many. Who She Was is a stunning biography of a woman he knew very little about: his own mother. Bejeweled with life-like detailing and poignant description, Who She Was brings Freedman’s voice to life, enlightening his deepest emotions and reflections on his relationship with his mother.
But, what would capture the essence of who Samuel G. Freedman really is would be an actual conversation with him. This came to pass in an exclusive Who She Was talkback question-and-answer session with the artist himself. Freedman poured himself out and left nothing to remain unsaid. He spoke of his own actions and emotions in a raw and unbarred manner. Freedman released his feelings of remorse and guilt for not knowing his mother. He openly admitted to not being interested in who she was as a young adult. His reason for writing the book was powerful. “If I didn’t write the novel, I would feel as if I could have never been called my mother’s son.” In this one statement, he pierced the air within the room.
Freedman’s goal was for his mother to come alive through the writing. He surely was successful. He wanted the book to accomplish three things: show relevance to the Jewish experience, display significance to the female experience of that era, and speak to the immigrant experience. Freedman wanted to find out what made his mother feel so unfulfilled in her life. Most importantly, he wanted to be able to come out of the process of researching for and writing this book knowing whom his mother really was. The beauty behind it all is that he feels that he knows her now. The book accomplished its most arduous task: fulfilling Freedman himself.
What was truly amazing was how much insight was gained through this most personal conversation. In just the first few seconds, Freedman dispelled the reservations that he was unapologetic of his actions and unaware of his inner guilt. He never dodged a question or avoided revealing a personal emotion. His words were of pure sincerity. Freedman illuminated an entirely different aspect of his book, a side that was alive with zeal for finding answers to personal questions and understanding things he had never known before.
In an age of best-selling authors noted for books with mass-market appeal, only few writers stand out. Samuel G. Freedman, acclaimed author, established journalist and professor, proud father, and renewed son, stands out as a true literary master.