Spanning over forty years, this collection features poems and letters that reflect the author's journey into writing, beginning with a letter to Kurt Vonnegut in 1981. The works, often shared at Chicago open mic nights and published in Florida magazines, primarily focus on story poems that delve into themes such as sailing, childhood memories, grief, and the complex relationship between love and death, while also contemplating the essence of poetry itself.
The memoir chronicles R.J. Nelson's transformative eleven-year tenure as CEO of the Hammond Port Authority, which faced bankruptcy and turmoil. After being dismissed from the Chicago Park District, he took on the challenge of revitalizing a struggling marina. The introduction of casino gambling significantly altered the port's trajectory and the city of Hammond. Nelson shares intriguing anecdotes involving waterfront tragedies and eccentric characters, including a yacht captain who famously contended that "there is no such thing as the unvarnished truth."
This book explores a mechanist philosophy of mind, positing that the human mind operates through computational rules within the nervous system, influencing perception and intelligence. The updated edition retains key concepts while addressing contemporary topics and refining discussions on artificial intelligence and processing theories.