STEVE
SCHOLFIELD photo
Author Harriet
May Savitz is shown in her office at her Bradley Beach home.
Issues that are important to her are reflected in her books.
"Dear Daughters and Sons -- Three Essays on the American
Spirit . . . A Tribute" was prompted by the terrorist attacks
of Sept. 11, 2001. Her interest in civil rights for the
disabled resulted in several books, including the novel "Run
Don't Walk." |
Patriotism, treating fellow humans with compassion, accepting
differences in others and family are the common themes that run
through Savitz's work. In writing her essays on Sept. 11, 2001,
Savitz said she was troubled by a feeling of desolation.
"What haunted me was that now my children and (four)
grandchildren would be affected by the same feeling I had during the
traumatic years of World War II. I had hoped that would never happen
again."
Besides her children's works, Savitz says she is proud of her
work about wheelchair athletes, because her research and activism
with the athletes helped literally opens doors for them.
"Forty years ago when I was doing research into the subject, I
got hooked. Once I saw the real-life stories, I found my subject for
writing."
One of her works in that series, "Run Don't Walk" was made into
an afternoon TV special, with Scott Bio.
"In my 30s and 40s I wrote about the disabled and, what is odd,
is I am writing about them now, because of where I am at now. Like
the disabled, the elderly need understanding, they need to be seen
and they struggle for accessibility.
"Things have come around full circle. The 'Dear Daughters and
Sons' book has a perspective of all the years that I have had the
benefits of living in this country. Right or wrong, I have loved my
country. I have been an activist, I have protested and carried
signs, but I have always been given the right to do so. I have never
been afraid to put up a sign, or express my opinion. That's an
important theme of this book."
Savitz, who also has contributed articles to the Asbury Park
Press, said she is busy at work on three new books, an
autobiographical trilogy. Appropriately enough, the working title is
"The Writing Passion."
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