Dabblings of a Dilettante

Dabbling has often distracted and inspired poets, musicians, painters, scientists, and conquerors throughout the ages. Now, dedicated dilettante Gerry Christmas takes a shot at this long ignored but all too common predilection. Abraham Lincoln, Jack London, Jeffery Farnol, Jack Kennedy, Marilyn Monroe, Noam Chomsky, Bobby Fischer, Basset Hounds, MS–13, nursing home inmates, epileptics, Thai students, Asian despots, Buddhist monks, even God are paints for Christmas’s palette. Asked why he finds dabbling so enticing, Christmas did not hesitate. “I haven’t a clue,” he said. “I’ve dabbled away most of my life and have every intention of dabbling away the rest of it.” So there you have it: the allure of dabbling. Enjoy the book.