Ray E. Boomhower

What started as an article for "Traces" magazine grew into a full-scale biography that is today available from the @unmpress.bsky.social. It was an honor to write about Wallace Terry's remarkable life and times, from the civil rights movement to the Vietnam War. www.unmpress.com/978082637015...

Ray E. Boomhower chronicles the blood, sweat and tears that went into Wallace Terry’s 1984 seminal oral history ‘Bloods' buff.ly/sH0wboC

"The most powerful words in English are 'Tell me a story,' words that are intimately related to the complexity of history, the origins of language, the continuity of the species, the taproot of our humanity, our singularity, and art itself.” Pat Conroy, born on this day in 1945

“A good book appeals to what is best in us.” Scott Russell Sanders, born on this day in 1945

"Politics is not just about power and money games, politics can be about the improvement of peoples lives, about lessening human suffering in our world and bringing about more peace and more justice." U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone, who died on this day in 2002

"The greatest danger that threatens us is neither heterodox thought nor orthodox thought, but the absence of thought." Henry Steele Commager, born on this day in 1902

“We have reason to be afraid. This is a terrible place.” John Berryman, born on this day in 1914 youtu.be/wBfK5BdmciI?...

Came across a nice review of my Wallace Terry biography from the @unmpress.bsky.social via Goodreads.

The wolves howl all night long They won't stop and they won't go home Beneath my window they run And probably it'll be alright If I keep it all locked up tight And wait 'til daylight comes youtu.be/SfvzNJTdxo0?...

Did you know? Correspondent Richard Tregaskis was on the U.S. Navy task force that launched the Doolittle Raid in April 1942. Due to wartime secrecy, however, it took a full year for his articles about the raid to appear in American newspapers. rayboomhower.blogspot.com/2022/04/repo...

“He would stammer out a sentence, laugh at the effort and then fall headlong into another sentence.” Booth Tarkington made his first speech as a candidate for the Indiana legislature OTD in 1902 rayboomhower.blogspot.com/2019/07/penr...

Oh you, telling me the things you're gonna do for me I ain't blind and I don't like what I think I see youtu.be/i9_e0rRvyz8?...

“There's not an American in this country free until every one of us is free.” Jackie Robinson, who died on this day in 1972

Boomhower’s biography, “Wallace Terry: A Reporter's Journey from Selma to Saigon to Bloods,” is a High Roads publication from the University of New Mexico Press. @rboomhower.bsky.social

Had a great conversation about the subject of my new biography!

Looking forward to reading this new examination of a true Hoosier legend.

"An accordion is a terrible thing to waste." Weird Al Yankovic, born on this day in 1959 Stay weird, Mr. Yankovic youtu.be/FklUAoZ6KxY?...

"Writing was like digging coal. I sweat blood. The spell is on me." Zane Grey, who died on this day in 1939

Fables Books presents a book talk on Wallace Terry: A Reporter's Journey from Selma to Saigon to Bloods, with award-winning biographer Ray Boomhower. His new book tells the story of Wallace Terry, a journalist who spent his life smashing barriers. @rboomhower.bsky.social #journalism

“You should write, first of all, to please yourself. You shouldn't care a damn about anybody else at all. But writing can't be a way of life--the important part of writing is living. You have to live in such a way that your writing emerges from it.” Doris Lessing, born on this day in 1919

“We live in a rainbow of chaos.” Paul Cezanne, who died on this day in 1906

Thank you to Nuvo Indy's Rita Kohn for her thoughtful feature on 'The Obits' and for our interview about cities, history, and writing. I'll read at Indy's Tomorrow Books, Sat., Nov. 21, 11 am.

Looking forward to reading this. 👍

Learn about Hoosier war correspondent Wallace Terry and his bestselling book “Bloods” in this special Veterans Day program. indianahistory.org/events/repor...

According to Arthur Schlesinger Jr., Robert F. Kennedy described George McGovern to him as "the most decent man in the Senate." Kennedy added, "in hyperbolic afterthought," said Schlesinger, "the *only* decent man in the Senate." (See Schlesinger's "Robert F. Kennedy and His Times," page 681).

"A writer is a person who cares what words mean, what they say, how they say it. Writers know words are their way towards truth and freedom, and so they use them with care, with thought, with fear, with delight. By using words well they strengthen their souls.” Ursula K. Le Guin, born OTD in 1929

"As long as a journalist tells the truth, in conscience and fairness, it is not his job to worry about consequences. The truth is never as dangerous as a lie in the long run. I truly believe the truth sets men free." Ben Bradlee, who died on this day in 2014

“But are there not many fascists in your country?" "There are many who do not know they are fascists but will find it out when the times comes.” Ernest Hemingway, "For Whom the Bell Tolls," published on this day in 1940

"Truth is a habit of integrity, not a strategy of politics." George McGovern, who died OTD in 2012 rayboomhower.blogspot.com/2019/08/the-...

Giveaway time! For a free copy of my new biography from the @unmpress.bsky.social about acclaimed journalist Wallace Terry, be the first person to name the national magazine he often wrote profiles for late in his career.

“In every age it has been the tyrant, the oppressor and the exploiter who has wrapped himself in the cloak of patriotism, or religion, or both to deceive and overawe the People.” Eugene V. Debs

"And there's Gene Debs -a man 'at stands And just holds out in his two hands As warm a heart as ever beat Betwixt here and the Jedgement seat." James Whitcomb Riley, "Regardin' Terry Hut"

“While there is a lower class, I am in it; While there is a criminal element, I am of it; While there is a soul in prison, I am not free!” Hoosier Eugene Debs, who died on this day in 1926 rayboomhower.blogspot.com/2020/10/the-...

“I turned silences and nights into words. What was unutterable, I wrote down. I made the whirling world stand still.” Arthur Rimbaud, born on this day in 1854

“I advised against following the main highway. There were too many areas marked with engineers’ tape, the route hadn’t been demined.” War correspondent David Lardner was killed on this day in 1944 rayboomhower.blogspot.com/2023/06/char...

“Say something worth the words.” Tracy Chevalier, born on this day in 1962

"I think the greatest single enemy is the misuse of information, the perversion of truth in the hands of terribly skillful people." John le Carre, born on this day in 1931

"A person who publishes a book willfully appears before the populace with his pants down. If it is a good book nothing can hurt him. If it is a bad book nothing can help him." Edna St. Vincent Millay, who died on this day in 1950

“I can write better than anybody who can write faster, and I can write faster than anybody who can write better." A. J. Liebling, born on this day in 1904

"Change is a measure of time and, in the autumn, time seems speeded up. What was is not and never again will be; what is is change." Edwin Way Teale, who died on this day in 1980

“Just as farm boys yearn to go to New York, so do New York editors yearn to know what’s on the farm boy’s mind. Sometimes they sounded almost anxious.” rayboomhower.blogspot.com/2024/06/the-...

"When one does a thing, it appears good, otherwise one would not write it. Only later comes reflection, and one discards or accepts the thing. Time is the best censor, and patience a most excellent teacher." Frederic Chopin, who died on this day in 1849

"Art Is a Way Out. Do not let life overwhelm you. When the old paths are choked with the débris of failure, look for newer and fresher paths. Art is just such a path. Art is distilled from suffering." Nathanael West, born on this day in 1903

“The only reason this country is different from any place else is that once in a great while, this huge, snobbish, generally untalented news reporting business stops covering stories of interest only to itself and actually serves the public.” Jimmy Breslin

"Journalism should be truthful and entertaining. You know, with news and important facts you can entertain people too. Have a little humor. Life isn't all that deadly all the time, but while you're having fun, tell the truth.” Jimmy Breslin, born on this day in 1930

“Rise early. Write. Disappoint your sons. Read the newspaper. Go to bed early. Success.” Arthur Miller

“The two most common elements in the world are hydrogen and stupidity." Arthur Miller, born on this day in 1915

“If your book doesn't keep you up nights when you are writing it, it won't keep anyone up nights reading it.” James A. Michener, who died on this day in 1997

“Censorship of anything, at any time, in any place, on whatever pretense, has always been and always will be the last resort of the boob and the bigot.” Eugene O'Neill

"Keep on writing, no matter what! That's the most important thing. As long as you have a job on hand that absorbs all your mental energy, you haven't much worry to spare over other things. It serves as a suit of armor." Eugene O'Neill, born into this day in 1888

"The liberties of none are safe unless the liberties of all are protected." William O. Douglas, born on this day in 1898