This episode features a conversation I had recently with David Olimpio, an essayist whose prose is so lyrical he’s often labeled a poet. We spoke about his new book, This is Not a Confession. In it, David tackles some pretty intense themes: the sexual abuse inflicted by his babysitter; the death of his mother; his open marriage.
Essays in general are revealing…. exposing... divulging. But--as the title implies--David’s are not confessional. He’s not asking for pity. He doesn’t want forgiveness. If he’s looking for anything from the reader, perhaps it’s an attempt at understanding.
I think readers will agree that these essays are beautifully written. And I think David will agree, that he wrote these essays for himself.
Here’s our conversation.
This is Not a Confession by David Olimpio was published by Awst Press.
Marginalia was produced at KMUW - Wichita. Discover new episodes at kmuw.org or through iTunes or Google Play.
Editor: LuAnne Stephens
Engineer: Jon Cyphers
Producer: Beth Golay
