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Author: Patrick Dobson

Dr. Patrick Dobson is a work in progress until his termination. In the meantime, He is a writer, scholar, postman, and college professor living in Kansas City, MO.

The University of Nebraska Press published his travel memoirs, Canoeing the Great Plains: A Missouri River Summer in 2015 and Seldom Seen: A Journey into the Great Plains in 2009. Canoeing the Great Plains won the 2016 High Plains Book Award in Creative Nonfiction and the Thorpe Menn Literary Excellence Award. His essays and poems have been published in New Letters, daCunha, Kansas City Star, Garo, Wood Coin, and JONAHmagazine, and others.

Dobson earned a doctorate in American History and Literature at the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 2013. He has edited books, taught journalism, and been a union ironworker. He now teaches American History, Modern Latin American History, and Western Civilization at Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, KS.

He looks forward to hearing from you soon.

In the slaughterhouse with Sartre

Natasha, Thanks, I appreciate it. I will send several more chapters in January. I know that is probably not a good time for you, but some important things have come up that have distracted me from my work. This is, of course, is not your problem. But when I worked…

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I dreamed fields of dancing ukuleles

Erik, I wanted you to know I think about you often and hope that life is treating you well. This is how often I think about you: I had a dream that continued two nights in a row this week. It surrounded you teaching me some of your songs. You…

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I put myself on the naughty list, with pride

David and Patrick, As you know, my ministry in the Universal Life Church is one of love and understanding for all people. And I go about it in a Whitman/Lenny Bruce sort of way. I love my species and try to call out those of us who don’t, who want…

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Waiting for my Kierkegaardian angel

Billy, It was good to hear from you. I’ve had a tough couple of weeks. Dissertation is finally on the move and I’ve gotten in some revisions for my second book, as well as some new writing. But it’s not nearly what I want. The semester’s over soon enough, however,…

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Der naechste brief aus Kansas City

Liebe freunde, Heute abend setzen wir im wohnzimmer. Ferseher auf, irgendwelche programme—wer weiss? Alles ist wundershoen still. Virginia macht neue training ueber etwas unvorstellbar—etwas mit krebs weil sie eine krankenschwester in der krankenhaus onkologie einheit ist. Sydney sucht ein job ueber der internet—soviele arbeitgeber machen alles wegen internet. Sydney war…

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