100 Voices by Leslie Hantman and Robert Cohen
“What if we thought of ourselves as pinecones and the coronavirus our fire? Maybe it will pop open and release our seeds to grow something new.”
That is one of many — well, 100 to be exact — thoughts and insights compiled during the prime years of Covid-19 and presented in an attractive and informative keepsake volume entitled 100 Voices by Leslie Hantman and Robert Cohen. The book is a collection of essays, photographs, paintings, poems, even recipes as people give us a very real glimpse into their inner selves during this unparalleled event in our lifetimes.
The authors, both therapists, say the project initially was intended to study a group of friends in long-term marriages, but it quickly took a U turn as Covid-19 permeated their every thought and activity. What the authors found was “an unusual sense of courage — manifested in an unending variety of creative and sometimes funky ways of expression … They had the guts to be vulnerable and imperfect.” The hope is that this snapshot will offer clarity and sanity and serve as a reminder of the resilience of people during the most challenging of times.
The entries are wide-ranging: people talking of nightly gatherings in the backyard, working from home after decades in the office, teaching children virtually, Zoom morning coffees, images of empty beaches, the homeless, store signs with new rules, professionals on the front lines.
We don’t know much about the contributors — just their first names and anything we can gather from their stories, with pictures of some.
INSPIRATION OVER STAGNATION
In many ways, according to the stories, creativity flourished, providing artists with the inspiration and impetus to explore new boundaries. Margie used the mosaics she was creating as her “mental outlet,” with her feelings superimposed on her work. Michael’s paintings reflected “a society grappling with illness and confusion.” Toni explored “new themes” in her gardening. Others expressed themselves through cooking. And at least one, Richard, a celloist, just couldn’t muster the desire to play.
One contributor, Gary, was motivated to write light-hearted poems about topics we couldn’t avoid: “Why Is Toilet Paper So Hard to Find?” and “You Can Zoom in Any Room.” He writes: “Somehow the virus made people afraid. They thought toilet paper would stop being made. Somewhere, some place it’s all being stored. Or hoarded by people who think they need more!”
The artistic contributions that make up the bulk of the book, says author Cohen, “are among the many creative attempts to manage life during these times.”
So much has been written and expressed regarding the pandemic, it’s hard to anything that might come along that is new and different. Yet 100 Voices, by the nature of the project itself and the raw, realism of gathering inputs from a community of the authors’ friends and colleagues, is a refreshing account of a world gone haywire — and how normal people reconnect with normal things to find comfort and a place in a changed environment. The book is well put-together, can be opened to any page and enjoyed, and offers images that can be studied again and again.
Writes Gladys, “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger. Whatever strength we gained, let us hope it can carry us through the new world we are about to enter.”
About Leslie Hantman:
Leslie Hantman is a retired school psychologist and the author of several works on ADHD and anxiety. She has worked for the past 30 years with families dealing with mental health issues and education. Leslie has co-created many art/writing projects with her son, Michael. She lives with her husband in Baltimore and in Florida.
About Bob Cohen:
Robert I Cohen is in his fifth decade of practice, with advanced degrees in Clinical Psychology (PhD) and Social Work (MSW). His clinical practice has focused on adults, couples and families having begun his career as the upper grade teacher and principal of a two-room schoolhouse. He has consulted and trained in a variety of clinical, medical and business settings as well as serving on the boards of a number of social service agencies. In addition to publishing his first book on Clinical Supervision, he has helped produce two award-winning educational films for the national MS society. He lives with his wife in Rhode Island and Florida.
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