Scott Nadelson’s “A Warm Breath” is a Ploughshares Solo
From Ploughshares: We’re excited to announce the publication of a new Ploughshares Solo: “A Warm Breath” by Scott Nadelson. The Ploughshares Solos series allows us to publish long essays and stories in a digital format.
In this darkly humorous essay, Nadelson describes his grief after the premature death of a close friend. Every moment of wonder he experiences—from caring for his infant daughter to taking in a neighborhood stray cat—starts to feel like a betrayal. Nadelson looks over his life, thinking about his run-in with a Soho cab driver, a college Halloween party spent with his dead friend, and his favorite Chekhov story, “Grief.” Over the course of the essay, Nadelson tries to reconcile his conflicting emotions, to understand why he is falling apart and what he can do to bring himself back.
To read an excerpt from “A Warm Breath,” go to Ploughshares.