Questions and Answers about The Earth Speaks by Bob Miller

Q. What was your motivation to write this book?

A. I saw things that were stunningly beautiful to me. I wanted to convey what I saw. Early on I doubted that I could, but over 13 years of trial and error I thought I did pretty well. I will be interested to see if anyone else thinks so.

My understanding of what I wanted to do with the book has grown clearer over the years. Just recently I decided that my message is very close to that of the song “Wonderful World”:

“I see skies of blue and clouds of white
The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world...”

The song is sometimes used ironically. Have we perhaps had sufficient cynicism?

Q. Who is Suzanne in the first chapter?

A. Suzanne is the narrator of the entire book, although she uses many different voices.

I remembered the song “Suzanne” by Leonard Cohen, which I have always liked and has a flavor similar to what I wanted to create.

“Suzanne takes you down to her place by the river
…
There are heroes in the seaweed, there are children in the morning.
They are leaning out for love, and they will lean that way forever
…”

I have heard lectures about the meaning of that song. Listen to it sometime.

Q. Is Suzanne God?

A. Suzanne addresses that in “Suzanne and the Old Man.” The answer is yes. You may find feminist themes in the book. I have regretted some paternalistic attitudes that came down to us, perhaps from Middle Eastern traditions. I am glad to find opportunities to counterbalance such attitudes.

Q. You quoted two songs in two earlier answers.

A. That’s not so accidental. I originally titled the book Songs for a Summer Night. An editorial review said that the title was too “soft” for some of the material in the book. I think now that changing the name was a mistake.

Q. Why is everything – or almost everything – in the form of a first-person monologue?

A. I felt it conveyed immediacy and intimacy. I hope the reader comes to feel the perspective of the speaker.

Q. How does your background relate to your book?

A. I have a Ph.D. in Theoretical Elementary Particle Physics. That doesn’t sound too relevant, but I like to note that “Doctor of Philosophy” means “teacher of the love of knowledge,” which sounds a little more on the subject.

I believe that a good physicist should look at the world with a sense of wonder and joy. I hope that my book will help others increase their sense of wonder and joy at the world around them.

Visit bob333.home.att.net