CITYSCAPES

About the Book

The World Health Organization estimates that half of the world’s population is currently living in cities and will continue to climb. Cities are often vilified in many stories as ‘concrete jungles, slums,’ or seem terrifying to many. Thomas Jefferson believed that the strength and future of America lay in its rural heritage, and that cities were anathema to this concept. Perhaps the truth is that they are a culmination and reflection of the best and worst in our society. Cities are by their very nature, split personalities. Wasteful and ecoconscious. Chaotic in appearance, but concerned about efficiency, economies of scale, and marshalling the resources required to house, feed, clothe, educate, and move masses of people back and forth from home to work, and play. Many cities are also unique in that people gravitate toward them as centers of cultures and learning. The theme of this collection of urban short stories and poems revolve around life in the city during four seasons. In the section outlined, ‘Spring,’ for example, I start with an ode to New York, a poem dedicated to the city and its vibrancy, celebrating the dawn of something new and fresh. In the ‘Fall,’ section, on the other hand, I make historical reference to events of September 11th, 2001, in the poem Big Brothers. In between, the thematic expression of urban life and its experiences during the different seasons is laid out, sometimes metaphorically, as in the poem, ‘Shadow of Wings,’ which represents summer travel and freedom from the routines of life, and at times literally, as is in the short story, ‘South Station,’ where the main scene is played out in the winter.

About the Author

Berestrand Williams is a graduate of Harvard College and the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. He is employed by Mount Sinai Hospital in New York and is the Medical Director for the Mount Sinai-Unite Here Health Primary Care Center, which cares for the employees of the Atlantic City, New Jersey based casinos and their dependents. His interest in writing began in third grade when he wrote and acted out his first play about a detective in front of his class for show and tell. The critique was mixed, but undaunted he continued to write about events, politics, and sports through college, graduate school, to the present day, despite busy days and frequent sleepless nights. He has written poems and short stories about interesting situations and moments when people are at their worst, but also demonstrate remarkable strength and heroism. He resides with his family on the Jersey Shore