“Buffalo’s Back.” For years we’ve been saying that, but now it seems as if it’s actually true – not even a pandemic can stop us now. Development is still in full swing, projects are being announced, and there are even new businesses opening in the face of COVID. But that doesn’t mean that we haven’t taken a big hit, like the rest of the country. The only difference is that Buffalo, for some reason or another, tends to coast along in an non-burstable bubble – we have become a city of resilience, grit, and determination.
As for the pandemic, there are some stories to tell, and now those stories are being told in the form of a book titled Buffalo’s Back – “An anthology of Buffalo and Buffalo-based writers on their pandemic experiences.”
“The book, which I edited, grew out of a desire to share experiences, engage writers, and help our fair city get back on its feet as we all move through these dark days to a better time,” said lauded local writer and editor Maria Scrivani. “Among the diverse group of poets and prose writers are Carl Dennis, Gary Earl Ross, and Tom Fontana—who contributed an original short story featuring four families in an apartment building on Buffalo’s West Side, a slice of their lives in early days of the pandemic. Our own Michael Morgulis contributed the dynamic cover artwork. The anthology represents the best of Buffalo creative collaboration—all the writers donated their work.”
The proposition of a Buffalonian writing a book about pandemic experiences was never in question – I believe that the real question was, Who is going to write the book?
Well, now we have our answer. Oh, and the anthology of stories does have a happy ending, in case you were wondering.
“The book is sold exclusively at Talking Leaves, to benefit our only comprehensive independent bookstore, and all proceeds will go to Canopy of Neighbors, part of a national aging-in-place network with helps folks remain in their own homes as they age with access to resources and social interaction,” explained Scrivani. “Through this time, Canopy has continued to provide services, some virtually, and has seen an uptick in membership as people realize social isolation is not just the scourge of the elderly.”
Click here to learn more, and to order a copy for $15 from Talking Leaves.
