Michael Woodhead's life contains what he invariably weaves into his novels--spirituality, sexuality, and creativity.
However, that didn't become apparent to him until he began organizing his archival boxes of memorabilia and journal entries, as well as trying to formulate a timeline for this autobiography.
At first, he endeavored to place things in order of the places in which he'd lived for any length of time--Lancashire, England; Toronto, Ontario; Greenwood, Nova Scotia; Grostenquin, France; Bagotville, Quebec; and Calgary, Alberta.
Then he tried developing it from his interests--music, art, writing, photography. theatre, etc.--but even that became muddled after a while because of the variety of things that clamored for his attention.
His next approaches included a written narrative, topical lists, chronological lists, illustrated lists, etc. Eventually, he settled on this chronological narrative that includes past events and experiences, as well as present-day commentaries in gray boxes.
But it wasn't until he started to assemble this autobiography that he discovered how much the 'double-mindedness' that he experienced through most of his life permeated the spiritual, sexual, and creative areas as well as his personal, emotional, and psychological life.
Volume 3 covers the years from 1990 to 2005, sixteen years he refers to as the 'age of carnality'.
But even being a carnal Christian was as difficult and frustrating for him as the previous years.
And much of it came because of his continued struggle with his wavering mind.
Even seventy-five years later, and even after baring his life in this autobiography, he's still trying to make sense of it all.
Cast a Shadow on the Wall
Volume 1: Education
Volume 2: Christianity
Volume 3: Carnality
Volume 4: Ambiguity
Volume 5: Eventuality
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