Theories of Relativity

About the Book

Theories of Relativity

Based upon real life, Ava, a young woman born in 1903, was raised by grand parents in a home that was quite religious and strict. Growing up, she learned she had unusual perceptions of reality, where her senses were often comingled, so she felt sounds on her skin, music was associated with colors or scents, and so on. Ava was synesthetic in a time when the condition was unknown. This informed her early experience of the world. Ava struggled to become an accomplished student, musician, teacher, and eventually married Forrest, just after the 1929 crash. Her previous isolation and Forrest’s earlier childhood abuse and their different religious outlooks seemed to bring a surprising balance to their lives during the hardships of the Great Depression. Eventually the couple started a family in spite of unresolved issues. Their story is told with thoughtful candor and compassion.

Other characters in this drama include Ava’s father who related to her through correspondence, a dominating grandmother, Forrest’s determined and gentle mother, Alice, and many aunts and cousins who endeavored to maintain family relationships in the face of a dynamically changing social climate.

These people are unique and yet have much in common with the nationwide experience of that period. In these unfolding events, many changes in history, from the Civil War, WW1, Women’s Suffrage, the Great Depression, and its aftermath, to just before World War II are reflected. It describes the changing social climate from an agricultural era to a more industrial economic world, that affected so many lives.

About the Author

This third collection of Poems by Ruth Zachary expresses a variety of experiences of Spirit, drawing from her own exposure to multicultural traditions. Ms. Zachary shares her ideas through poetry, because the metaphoric nature and process of poetry is closely related to the experience of Spirit. Her writing explores aspects of life purpose, life lessons, growth, ethics, dealing with difficulty, matters of death or life as well as many other spiritual issues, such as the experience of synchronicity and symbols in life experience. Her poems are offered as examples s of spiritual issues, but are not advocated as a way of life for others. She offers more questions than conclusions. Her attitude toward spiritual questions is to have an open mind and to keep the door open regarding that which is unknown. Her poems were organized within an outline in the Contents. She assumes each person’s Spiritual path is an entirely individual and personal process. Even still, she shares her questions and challenges, with openness and honesty. Ms. Zachary has been a social worker, an artist and a writer. She was a News Reporter in a suburb of Grand Rapids, MI for seven years until she moved to Colorado. She continues to exhibit her artwork and write, and is active with local art and writing groups that encourage both interests.