Matthew Vollmer Bücher

Ranging from third-person accounts to essays in the form of notes and meditations, this collection of creative nonfiction unfolds like an eclectic playlist for writers. The title essay, in second person, narrates Vollmer’s upbringing in rural North Carolina, detailing the psychological pressures of a little-known religion that consumed him yet remained invisible to others. An instructional essay on writing a love story features two star-crossed lovers at a Seventh-day Adventist boarding school. A visit to a castle-like mountain home uncovers a secret bunker filled with Nazi militaria. Another essay, structured as notes, reflects on forbidden music. A couple’s nighttime walk leads to a cosmic phenomenon and a distraught child at home. An exploration of NASA’s Symphonies of the Planets prompts a meditation on space and sound. An eyewitness account of the Virginia Tech shooting captures surreal reactions to violence. Vollmer also imagines his wife remarrying after his death, creating a portrait in reverse. A single-paragraph essay mourns the loss of his childhood friend’s home, filled with nostalgic memories. A family trip to visit his parents becomes a space for grieving a miscarriage and observing early-onset dementia. These immersive, voice-driven essays showcase the dexterity of the form and have garnered significant praise, highlighting the extraordinary within the ordinary.