> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.richardjnewman.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Four by Four #3 - URL: https://www.richardjnewman.com/four-by-four-3/ - Published: 2023-09-21T11:00:49.000Z - Updated: 2025-01-07T16:26:31.000Z - Description: Four things to read, four things to see, four things to listen to, and four things about me - Author: Richard Jeffrey Newman - Tags: Blog, Four by Four, #Migrated-1736118321857, #Import 2025-01-05 18:05 # Four Things To Read [The Art of Fiction No. 78](https://www.theparisreview.org/interviews/2994/the-art-of-fiction-no-78-james-baldwin?ref=richardjnewman.com) \- A Paris Review interview with James Baldwin: “I had to go through a time of isolation in order to come to terms with who and what I was, as distinguished from all the things I’d been told I was. Right around 1950 I remember feeling that I’d come through something, shed a dying skin and was naked again. I wasn’t, perhaps, but I certainly felt more at ease with myself. And then I was able to write. Throughout 1948 and 1949 I just tore up paper.” [The rise of voluntary celibacy: ‘Most of the sex I’ve had, I wish I hadn’t bothered](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/apr/26/the-rise-of-voluntary-celibacy-most-of-the-sex-ive-had-i-wish-i-hadnt-bothered?CMP=Share%5FiOSApp%5FOther&ref=richardjnewman.com), by Ermine Saner - “\[Celibacy\] has had unintentional benefits. ‘It’s taught me more about what I enjoy in sex, which I wasn’t expecting. I thought it was going to put me at a disadvantage, but I feel a lot more confident in my own sexuality.’” [Harold & the Purple Crayon](https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/118554/harold-the-purple-crayon?ref=richardjnewman.com), by D. Gilson - [*Harold and The Purple Crayon*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold%5Fand%5Fthe%5FPurple%5FCrayon?ref=richardjnewman.com) was one of my favorite books when I was a little boy. This poem in Poetry made me smile. [No, I Will Not Debate You](https://longreads.com/2018/09/18/no-i-will-not-debate-you/?ref=richardjnewman.com), by Laurie Penny - “If you won’t debate, the argument goes, you’re an enemy of free speech. You’re basically no better than a Nazi, and certainly far worse than any of the actual Nazis muttering about not being allowed to preach racism from prestigious pulpits.” There is real wisdom in this essay. # Four Things To See I don’t remember where I found these drawings, but I know that they are in the public domain and that they are gorgeous: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ac/c1/acc1ea6d-50e1-4de3-aaca-df8ca23ef15d/content/images/2025/01/https-3a-2f-2fsubstack-post-media-s3-amazonaws-com-2fpublic-2fimages-2fee6efe52-8507-43e2-8117-fc2d0db7198f_887x1199-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ac/c1/acc1ea6d-50e1-4de3-aaca-df8ca23ef15d/content/images/2025/01/https-3a-2f-2fsubstack-post-media-s3-amazonaws-com-2fpublic-2fimages-2fbada34a5-5b37-460f-a28e-17bff9f812d4_1200x972-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ac/c1/acc1ea6d-50e1-4de3-aaca-df8ca23ef15d/content/images/2025/01/https-3a-2f-2fsubstack-post-media-s3-amazonaws-com-2fpublic-2fimages-2fcfeea1b3-6df2-4d35-b04b-28c8684d67fc_2592x3500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ac/c1/acc1ea6d-50e1-4de3-aaca-df8ca23ef15d/content/images/2025/01/https-3a-2f-2fsubstack-post-media-s3-amazonaws-com-2fpublic-2fimages-2fd897a110-9f52-4441-9cb3-8f60a678c2bb_1200x974-jpeg.jpg) # Four Things To Listen To Philip Glass’ [The Photographer](https://youtu.be/oPCkt9VvkY0?si=JY7N83UeNEbx1SY1&ref=richardjnewman.com): Listening to this as an undergraduate, I had my first truly transcendent experience of art. Pat Metheny’s album [As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls](https://music.apple.com/us/album/as-falls-wichita-so-falls-wichita-falls/1523943902?ref=richardjnewman.com): Another album that was really important to me during my undergraduate years. McCoy Tyner’s [The Real McCoy](https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-real-mccoy/721273864?ref=richardjnewman.com): The whole album is worth listening to over and over again. Two versions of Kol Ha’Olam Kulo ([here](https://music.apple.com/us/album/kol-haolam-kulo-take-me-to-the-bridge/1433450675?i=1433453511&ref=richardjnewman.com) and [here](https://music.apple.com/us/album/kol-haolam-kulo/551193041?i=551193045&ref=richardjnewman.com)): the words to this song provide the epigraph to [*T’shuvah*](https://www.fernwoodpress.com/2023/09/07/tshuvah/?ref=richardjnewman.com)*,* my third book of poems, which is available for pre-order now. If you [pre-order](https://www.fernwoodpress.com/2023/09/07/tshuvah/?ref=richardjnewman.com), you’ll get access to two of my own piano improvisations on this melody. # Four Things About Me As I wrote above, if you pre-order [*T’shuvah*](https://www.fernwoodpress.com/2023/09/07/tshuvah/?ref=richardjnewman.com)*,* you’ll get access to two of my piano improvisations. I’ve been playing piano more and more lately, which has been a source of real joy. I fell out of the habit for a long time. I usually play only for myself, but the experience of recording these improvisations—and of playing the piano at [Azerbiajan Grill](https://www.azerbaijangrill.com/?ref=richardjnewman.com), because Saeed, the owner asks me to—has inspired me to start learning some songs, something I never really focused on before since I preferred to play only for myself. Currently, I am learning “[All of Me,](https://youtu.be/5J18k5Sx3Dw?si=ENPRm6kp7LxTdMOg&ref=richardjnewman.com)” by Gerard Marks and Seymour Simon. The book launch for [*T’shuvah*](https://www.fernwoodpress.com/2023/09/07/tshuvah/?ref=richardjnewman.com) will be on October 12th at [Espresso 77](http://www.espresso77.com/?ref=richardjnewman.com) in Jackson Heights. This is also the venue where [First Tuesdays](http://www.firsttuesdays.net/?ref=richardjnewman.com), the reading series I curate and host meets on the first Tuesday of the month, September through June. The second section of [*T’shuvah*](https://www.fernwoodpress.com/2023/09/07/tshuvah/?ref=richardjnewman.com)*,* “Do Not Wish For Any Other Life,” has been set by the Canadian composer, [Owen Bloomfield](https://www.owenbloomfield.com/?ref=richardjnewman.com). The piece will have its world premiere on April 24, 2024, performed by [The Blank Experiment](https://www.theblankexperiment.com/?ref=richardjnewman.com). More details to follow. On Friday, September 15th, I officiated at my wife’s nephew’s wedding, something I’ve never done before and that, to be honest, I never imagined myself doing. --- Thanks for reading It All Connects...! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.