76 Comments

Congrats! I’m glad you didn’t give up.

Expand full comment
author

Thanks! Me too! It’s almost like the project has had its own momentum; I can’t stop thinking about it.

Expand full comment

That’s the BEST feeling!! 🥰

Expand full comment
Apr 13Liked by Joel J Miller

I love the significance of nine months! Sounds like an endeavor worthy of your fan base here. I think your writing is a delight. Thank you for sharing your good news and your talents.

Expand full comment
author

Joanne, I didn’t connect those gestational dots until now. Thanks for pointing that out! And thanks for coming along on the adventure.

Expand full comment

Congratulations! Love hearing about all the iterations. Wishing you the best over the next nine months.

Expand full comment
author

Thanks, Shayne! It’s been good (if challenging) experience so far.

Expand full comment
Apr 14Liked by Joel J Miller

Congratulations!

Expand full comment
author

Thanks!

Expand full comment
Apr 13Liked by Joel J Miller

I am so proud to be one member of the thousands who impressed the editors....who knew! And I am delighted we'll soon have another Joel Miller book to read. Please hurry...I'm 94 and every day counts! I would like to use your Tuchman quote with our book group, Well Read Moms. These women are for the most part very Well-Read, however, we do have members who are not habitual readers, but are diligent about our choices. (The Four Quartets, for example) Can you give me the source of the quote? Thank you.

Expand full comment
author

Nicki, thank you! Sounds like you’ve got a lot of good reasons to hang in there. I’m pleased to find I can give you one more. The Tuchman quote is from piece she wrote for the Washington Post back in the day: https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/entertainment/books/1979/12/30/papyrus-to-paperbacks-the-world-that-books-made/43c411da-2bf7-4e5f-8869-caaac5422e9e/

Expand full comment

Congrats!

Interesting how Substack can actually help a brother out in publishing. Never thought about it that way.

By the way, have you heard Fr John Behr’s talk, which he delivered about 8-10 years ago on the history of a scroll and book? I can’t recall now his point, but he did go through the history of how we read.

Expand full comment
author

Thanks! Yeah, growing an email list has been a positive side effect of sharing my reviews here. Re Fr. John Behr’s talk on books, no! I bet that’s great. If you happen to come across it again, please share it.

Expand full comment

I love watching people work. Almost as much fun is reading about people and their work, thanks for both some new insights and the validation of some already held thoughts. Looking forward to the results.

Expand full comment
author

Thanks, Robert! I’m looking forward to sharing more about the process as I go, too. Thanks for coming along.

Expand full comment

Congratulations!

Expand full comment
author

Thanks!

Expand full comment

Congratulations!!! So happy for you and looking forward to the book.

Expand full comment
author

Thanks, Melissa!

Expand full comment

well done, Joel. It sounds like a really interesting book. I'd love to review it.

Expand full comment
author

Thanks, Terry! I’d love for you to do that!

Expand full comment

Lovely. When it comes to it, let me know about it and I'll see if I can get a review accepted by one of the educational mags I write for. Plus on my own websites of course. Please let me know your contact there and I'll email them asking for a review copy. Once it's out or nearly out I mean.

Expand full comment

Really looking forward to pre-ordering - and then reading! - your book!

Expand full comment
author

Thanks, Jeremy! I’ll keep everyone posted on my progress and when stuff like pre-orders are possible.

Expand full comment
Apr 13Liked by Joel J Miller

Absolutely fantastic. So happy for you. Not sure the book would be something I would otherwise purchase but, having followed your writing here on Substack, you can count me as someone who will purchase it when it debuts. The strength of your writing is certification enough. Sincerely. Your writing has expanded my horizon of interest and I'm looking forward to hearing more about the book once it is completed and released. Congrats.

Expand full comment
author

Joseph, this is very encouraging. Thanks! The book is not for everyone, but I bet it’s for more than we might otherwise think; there are so many fascinating angles to the history. You’ll definitely dig it.

Expand full comment
Apr 13Liked by Joel J Miller

Hurrah! I'm looking forward to reading your book. And I am encouraged that things I'm researching and working on now in my little margins of time could materialize someday!

Expand full comment
author

Be encouraged! All that marginal work adds up.

Expand full comment
Apr 13Liked by Joel J Miller

Can’t wait to read it! And thank you for sharing the process.

Expand full comment
author

Thanks, Sharon! I’m hoping to write more about the process as I go.

Expand full comment

Way to go bud. I remember the “book about a book” idea. I love how this process is an idea death and resurrection journey.

Expand full comment
author

Thanks, man! The death-and-resurrection thing is real. I’ve had so many false starts on this thing; for the longest time I’d think I had it nailed only to realize I didn’t. And that was just on conceptualizing the argument of the book! Then there was the whole acquisitions process. Oy. Good thing I’m stubborn :)

Expand full comment

How exciting! Congratulations! I can imagine it feels particularly sweet after such a long time working on it. I've really enjoyed your Substack and so am really looking forward to the book.

Expand full comment
author

Thanks, Lucy! I’m sure you can identify with the joy of watching it come together. I’ll keep everyone posted on my progress.

Expand full comment