A Dime for My Thoughts

The Mercury dime is a ten-cent coin struck by the United States Mint from 1916 to 1945. Designed by Adolph Weinman and also referred to as the Winged Liberty Head dime, it gained its common name as the obverse depiction of a young Liberty, identifiable by her winged Phrygian cap, was confused with the Roman god Mercury. Weinman is believed to have used Elsie Stevens, the wife of lawyer and poet Wallace Stevens, as a model. The coin's reverse depicts a fasces, symbolizing unity and strength, and an olive branch, signifying peace. (Wikipedia)
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Little tidbits like this is what I love to come across. Interesting items about how interlaced all our lives are and how much I learn from reading books: both fiction and non-fiction. As a poet, I like to read autobiographies and biographies of poets. Upon reading the latest on Wallace Stevens I stumbled upon this jewel---for me anyway. 

Stevens will be remembered as one of our greatest American poets. It's interesting to read about his interactions with other poets of what amounts to (now) as an era over a hundred years ago. He, like many poets, could not make a living from this passion, so his main contribution to his finances was through his work as a lawyer and businessman---mainly for various insurance companies.

I'm still in this book after finishing another study, The Marginal Jew, about the historical Jesus Christ. I've read several books in this genre and they're always a challenge, because literary and historical research in the theological area seems to attract some very intelligent, high brow characters. My next fictional book is one I'm anxious to enter. I've been hearing lots of good things about it. It's called Lincoln in the Bardo by George Sanders. Up until now, he's been known and respected for his highly acclaimed short stories.