The Memory Collectors

The latest in my book-review-as-memoir series, plus some farewells

Back in 2017, I picked up Good Sam by Dete Meserve, who I knew from the Southern California Writers Conference (SCWC). I enjoyed the book quite a lot and reviewed it. Good Sam got a lot of press, due to having a plot line about how the media treats crime, and also because of the many “Good Sam” (good samaritan) tie ins that popped up on social media. Dete is a genius book marketer. You may know the title from the movie “Good Sam” which people loved and critics only liked.

In 2018 I read Dete’s The Space Between which immediately became my favorite of her books. It’s about a renowned female astronomer whose husband disappears while she is at a conference, presenting a major scientific breakthrough (she had me at renowned female astronomer). It is the rare kind of novel whose plot is convoluted but which is written clearly enough to follow. That is no backhanded compliment—I am forever telling clients that they are “writing really complicated stuff in a really complicated way,” which makes for a book people may not finish. Dete’s writing is both easy to follow and hard to put down.

In 2019, she published the follow up to Good Sam, titled Perfectly Good Crime. It was fun and super readable. It should be especially popular right now, as the plot has robbers burgling American billionaires living in Los Angeles. It was especially fascinating for a long-time Angeleno like myself, since I knew many of the rich neighborhoods (the benefit of working for the wealthy, way back when). And again, the plot revolves around the media coverage and public reaction to the crimes.

Did I mention that Dete Meserve is an award-winning television producer? Yeah, she really knows what she is writing about, having been in and around the Hollywood movie-making world for many years. That might be another reason I enjoy her books. They definitely are written about and set in Southern California, by a Californian who understands this part of the world. And the books make you feel good, to boot. You don’t feel like you have to give yourself a psychological pep talk after reading them, like so much that is considered literature.

That stuff is true of her new novel, The Memory Collectors (due out May 20th, you may pre-order it now), but beyond all that, this book is something completely different. It doesn’t fit easily into any genre. It includes elements of science fiction, chiefly time travel, but it is by no means a typical sci-fi or time-travel book. It is also a mystery, but obviously is not a typical mystery book due to the aforementioned sci-fi elements.

The novel begins with the stories of a handful of people who choose to go back in time, using a miraculous piece of technology. Each of them has a good reason for having gone back, but at heart they are all simply looking for the gift of a few more minutes with someone they deeply loved. Then, as they experience being back at an earlier point in their lives, spending time with the person who they had subsequently lost, the author reveals how intertwined their lives are—and aren’t we all intertwined? The writing was compelling and kept me compulsively turning pages. Not just in order to solve the mystery at the heart of these entwined people’s lives, but in order to see what would happen if we really could experience that gift of stolen days or hours.

I got an ARC of the book many months ago and due to life, work, and lots of travel, I kept putting off reading it. I finally got to read it, and the timing was really perfect. Why? Because The Memory Collectors is a novel about profound loss, and how to deal with it in our lives. And this year (actually the last six months) has thrown a lot of loss my way. Just this month, I lost another long-time friend, Mary Woodworth, who was a special person in my life in so many ways—a roommate, a pseudo auntie, and quite an inspiration. I’m so glad Russel and I were able to connect with her and her husband Monte in January for a good long video chat. Abrazos and gracias to Peggy for that.

We also lost my father, aka Dad Dude, early this month. Don’t feel bad for me or my family, he was 91 and I think he had a great life. He and I were estranged for years, off and on, but in the last few years we became friends, and even more recently we started doing video chats every few weeks. He loved when I showed photos of us on the boat. After the emotional years (good and bad) I spent being caretaker to my mom until her death, I was so very glad to see Dad staying sharp, reading and writing (mostly emails but still, damned good emails!), living independently, and remaining physically active until very recently. He had a loving final home in Thailand with his “Thai wife” Ben, who spoiled him to the point where even he was a bit embarrassed by it. I loved that.

In the spirit of being a Memory Collector, here are a couple of memories of those two, as well as my old friend Michael Lang, who passed away late last year after living an extraordinary life as an archer, teacher, lecturer, writer, and all-around guru to many.

James Ashley Shea, as a boy

Dad Dude: when Russel and I started the Sea of Cortez Review, Dad was really excited about it. He read it and raved about the writing and artwork in it to me and some close friends. Then he told me to send him some copies to show to various bookstores in Topanga Canyon where he lived, as well as in West LA where he was often found. I did so. Months later, I sent him a letter from Baja to follow up on those sales prospect. He sent me a lovely card and wrote inside: “If you want something done, give it to a busy person. The corollary is: Don’t give it to a fuck-off!”

James Ashley Shea, in recent years

Mary Woodworth: Mary loved to tell the story of when she asked us to house-and dog-sit for a few weeks while she took care of her father. When she was leaving Detroit, she asked her dad what he’d suggest as a gift for her house-sitters who lived on a 26-foot boat. He took a minute and replied, “a 30-foot dinghy.” Every time she told the story she laughed loud and long, something she was fond of (storytelling and laughter).

Mary and Monte Woodworth on a recent trip

Michael Lang: Years ago, Michael told me a story of driving alone through the mountains in his big car (he always drove a boat-like car—a vintage Cadillac maybe?) and turning off the headlights to drive down this deserted mountain road by starlight and moonlight. “Turn off the lights, and you turn on the night!”

My brother tells the story of Michael teaching his archery students by telling them stories about history, like the story of the outnumbered English archers who won the battle of Agincourt through their longbow prowess. I’d give anything to have been in one of his classes!

Michael Lang, pulling the bow (with glare from the glass)

So my message this week is, if you have a good friend or family member who you haven’t talked to in too long, you might want to call them now. Or just send them a cheery text and throw in some heart emojis. You never know if your friend (or dad, mom, aunt, or uncle) will be there when you finally decide you have time to call them.

Lastly, I won’t bemoan the state of things in our country, though of course I could. On the positive side, I was heartened today by hearing voices in the GOP, like Senator Lisa Murkowski, and conservative Americans in general, like David Brooks, saying things have gone too far and we all have to start fighting back. I will include this link to tomorrow’s 50501 Movement against the Trump administration. Fifty events in fifty states. Maybe you will want to join a protest or event near you. If so, thank you.

hasta pronto!