Foday Musa Suso at our book launch party in the NYC home of Susan and David Rockefeller, September 16th, 2019
In the summer of 2014, Gambian griot and virtuoso musician Foday Musa Suso sat down with me to begin recording what would end up being over 200 hours of his lifetime of memories. Our friendship of 40+ years made it a fun yet arduous process to compile all those recordings into a one-of-a-kind, written autobiography. Its 30 chapters detail his amazing journey from a childhood in a remote and traditional Gambian village to performing and recording all over the world with some of the preeminent composers and musicians of our time. It's over 450 pages, including a foreword by longtime friend and collaborator Philip Glass, and over 50 photos from Foday's personal collection.
Available as an e-book or paperback from Amazon, Apple, Barnes & Noble, and other online bookstores!
I have recently begun writing another book, this time on a very different subject: my own family's racial ancestry and history. Its working title is "One-Thirty-Second".
Over the years, many people have asked me why I haven't written a book about organic gardening, and/or about my 25+ years of teaching experiences with kids. Perhaps someday I will... but until then, I think you'll enjoy my Tales from the Garden blog. It's filled with true stories about gardening and nature in the Pacific Northwest and Desert Southwest, and tips for gardening in both areas.
Each monthly issue of The Connection features my "Tales from the Garden" column about the wildlife and plants of the Sonoran Desert that live in or visit my garden in Arivaca.
The Connection is a free, open-forum newspaper, and has been in publication since 1983.
Other Published Garden and Nature Writing, Photos, and Illustrations:
Magnuson Nature Programs and Magnuson Children's Garden monthly e-newsletters: 2012- present
Magnuson Nature News monthly radio show: February 2018- January 2020
Green Light Gardening blog: 2008 - 2019
Contributing author to "A Field Guide to Common Puget Sound Native Bees: Southern Region" by Elias Bloom, 2015
"5 Favorites For Kids" for the Molbak's Spring Garden Guide published by the Seattle Times on April 7th, 2011, and by the Woodinville Weekly in April 2012
"Sustainable Design 101", "Wildlife-friendly Gardening", and "Edible Garden Design Guide" for the IPMopedia website - 2009 & 2010 (a project of toxicfreefuture.org)
"Designing with Edible Plants" for The Designer magazine, published by the National Assoc. of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD) - Winter 2010
"Wildlife-friendly Garden Design" for The Designer magazine, published by the National Assoc. of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD) - Summer 2010
"Wildlife-friendly Gardening" for the Savvy Gardener newsletter, published by the Saving Water Partnership - 2009
"Vegetable Gardening" and "Incorporating Native Plants in the Landscape" for WSNLA "Around the House" section of the KPLU website - 2009
"Wetland Discoveries" (2009) and "Birds of Magnuson Park" (2006) nature activity books published by the Seattle Dept. of Parks & Recreation for Magnuson Community Center.
"Dirty Knees: 30 years of King Co. Master Gardener Youth Programs" - published by the WSU/King Co. Extension Master Gardener Program, 2004
"The Children's Corner" monthly column for the WSU/King Co. Master Gardener Program newsletter, 1998-2002.