Let me introduce myself.  Originally from New York area, before being a professor, I dabbled in a number of careers.  I worked as a campaign manager, a stock broker, the desk officer for Chilean affairs at the US Bureau of International Commerce, served in the Navy during the Vietnam War.  After getting out of the navy I went to Princeton for my PhD.  There I met and befriended my academic partner, Norman Frohlich.  The two of us coauthored most of our books and articles.  (You can go to my academic website here.)   We went together to our first academic jobs at the University of Texas. 

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While there I established, with my friend Terry Word, the Texas chapter of the Vietnam Veterans Against the War.  I also worked to integrate the University. Although Norm and I had been the fastest tenured assistant professors in the history of the University, my political efforts to end the war and bring integration to UT so riled the administration that they threatened to deny my department raises or appointments  unless I left.  So I was effectively booted out of the 'great state of Texas,'  a badge of honor I am proud of.  I landed in the poli-sci department of the University of Maryland,   At Maryland, I also taught graduate courses in Economics, Philosophy, and Public Policy.  My work focused on political organizing, economic justice, and what is called behavioral economics.

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Coming to DC in 1976, I was surprised by the large population of homeless vets on the streets.  Most of them, like myself, had served during the Vietnam War.  It seemed only natural to lend a hand to those less fortunate.   In the early 90's I helped found a community center for the homeless in Silver Spring: Progress Place.  When I retired, 20 years later, I felt a similar urge to volunteer there.  I helped them develop and sustain a writers’ group.  But when the center moved, the old writers’ group failed to take root in the new building.  I asked a friend, Bernard Moore, to help me.  We moved our efforts and established a writers group at the Washington VA Hospital.  We have collected these writings and published them.

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I would be amiss to not point out that I have a muse: my wife and high-school ‘sweetheart.’  Bonnie.  Together we raised 4 children in a blended family.  My two, Sarah and Joshua, and hers, Evan and Robbie.  The 5 of them are my closest friends, most important teachers and best critics. 

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Having published scores of academic pieces, I have not focused on finding publishers for most of my creative writings, rather publishing them myself and spending my time writing.  I have, however, received local awards for both poetry and short fiction, have published a dozen or so poems, a couple of short essays, a play and about a half dozen stories as well as a few stories for my grandchildren.  One of my adult stories was selected for reprinting in the volume Us Against Alzheimer's: Stories of Family, Love, and Faith.  (2019) ed. Marita Golden. I have self-published a number of volumes: two of poetry, and a collection of my short stories for children.

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