Best of Friends Volume 1

For the Quakers, personal story telling is an especially important tradition. In fact, its founder George Fox is most frequently quoted as saying "Let your lives speak." Editor Chuck Fager pays homage to Fox in this collection of essays, short stories, poetry, novel excerpts, and drawings--all contributed by friends. Some refer directly to Quaker ideology, such as the humorous and forthright essay "Quaker's Men's Group," when the men (whose purpose is to create unity) can't agree on what night to meet, much less on Ross Perot, cellular phones, or World War II. It is not until they find an early morning hour to convene in silent meditation that they begin to hear the truths that bind them. Other contributions elude to Quaker beliefs, such as Margaret Diorio's poem "Lost Boy," which speaks to a mother fearing she has lost her son in the wilderness, only to discover that he has somehow found himself in the woods as he sat for hours, silently listening for deer. This highly recommended collection also includes accounts of working in prisons (Quakers are strong advocates of prisoner rights) and Bonnie Zimmer's testimonial to the terrible burden of speaking the truth. --Gail Hudson