The Untouched Minutes (River Teeth Literary Nonfiction Prize Series) by Donald Morrill
The Untouched Minutes (River Teeth Literary Nonfiction Prize Series) by Donald Morrill
Publisher: University of Nebraska Press (March 2004) | ISBN-10: 0803232381 | PDF | 1 Mb | 128 pages
Publisher: University of Nebraska Press (March 2004) | ISBN-10: 0803232381 | PDF | 1 Mb | 128 pages
Alternating between the first and the third person, Morrill explores an early-evening burglary that occurred at his home. He and his wife, lying in bed, were disturbed by an intruder. The burglar eventually takes off with their car and computer, leaving them unharmed, on their knees in the bathroom, listening to the sounds of neighborhood children playing outside. But their peace of mind is forever shattered, as Morrill reveals in this stream-of-consciousness review of his life, the burglary, and an assortment of other recent crimes and tragedies, most notably the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the brutal murder of two Dartmouth professors in their home. He cites crime statistics one moment and indulges in fantasies of revenge the next, explores the shame of powerlessness and admits a new paranoia. Morrill ponders the circumstances and possibilities of the crime, names his intruder, and analyzes his personality and motives. In this fascinating tour de force, Morrill extrapolates living with fear and insecurity on an individual level to national anxiety about the disasters that can befall us. Vanessa Bush