Early Evening

About the Book

Travel into one’s past is often a perilous journey to undertake, even if it is only a journey of the mind, but the past is a country, which always offers rich exploration, especially from the unique perspective of age. While nostalgia is usually part of this mental journey, a return in memory to our long ago homes and neighborhoods, friendships, and experiences can inform and enrich the present. As the past is reflected upon, it becomes increasingly evident how often and consistently past choices impact life in the present. In the book, Early Evening, Gail Johnston uses poetry, much of it written many years ago, and personal essays, all written recently, to reflect on the juxtaposition of these time periods and the implications they have for the paths in life that have been chosen.

About the Author

Gail Johnston was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and grew up in suburbs there in the 1950’s. The chronicle of her childhood as an only child of older parents, living with an assortment of relatives comprised her first book, “Make a Lot of Noise and Don’t Go on the Porch”. Although she worked as a social worker professionally for a number of years, writing, especially poetry has been an avocation since she was a teenager. In this second book, she combines a collection of poetry, some from a much earlier period, and essays, all focusing on the continual imprinting of past experiences on present time, and the effect of these earlier experiences on the decisions we make throughout life.