One summer in 1940, Mia Elkovsky Phoebus shared a run-down house on a wharf with a ragtag group of artists and dancers. One of these unknowns was Tennessee Williams, who became America's leading playwright. Tennessee immortalized Mia as the character "Miriam" in his play "The Parade," and repeatedly referenced "that glorious summer of 1940" in his memoirs. But the whole story has never been told. Part memoir, part tell-all, and part original poetry, this book brings fresh aspects to Williams' biographical history. It also shares highlights of Mia's storied life, and brings her elegant poetry to a fresh audience. Now 94 years old, Mia Elkovsky Phoebus adds her first-person perspective to an extraordinary artist's life. Praise for this book: Provincetown and the summer of 1940 come alive in this narrative that could have been lost forever. The author's own finely wrought poetry is a welcome addition, some of it dedicated to the memory of the great playwright. No one who loves the plays of Tennessee Williams can afford to miss this book.-Mr. Albert Tucher, Principal Librarian, Newark Public Library Pull up a wicker chair with ice tea in one hand and this book in the other. "Walking the Dunes," with its oral narrative resonance, sits you beside a remarkable woman as she speaks from her memory and her heart. 'Womb girl', in Tennessee speak, provided a steadying, if unheralded, presence to a tormented young playwright. She does the same for the reader, taking us on a personal journey, through her poetry and narrative, into history, good and evil, psychological torment, and reckoning of our lives. Has there, for example, ever been a better description of despair as it ... "settles among brain cells like rattling snakes, biting their tails. I sit and slowly digest Eternity." Mia will touch you. Don't miss this gift for your soul. -Dr. Vicki K. Harvey
About the Author: A cohort, housemate, and confidante of Tennessee Williams during the summer of 1940 when she was 19, Mia Phoebus was born in Harlem, in New York City, to Russian-Jewish immigrants. Now 94 years old, she considers herself a Poet-Philosopher and still writes prose daily. Her latest book project is "Walking the Dunes with Tennessee," a fond recollection of her daily beach walks-and-talks with the great playwright (then 29 years old), plus recent poetry by Mia, some of it dedicated to the great playwright. The book was edited by Elaine Ash. Mia's academic training includes scholarships at the Turtle Bay, Manhattan, and Julliard Schools of Music, all of which helped to hone her theatrical talent and nurture her voice as a mezzo-soprano. She taught voice for many years and shared the stage as a member of the San Francisco Opera Company. Along the way, Mia obtained her MA in adult education and lectured in the Beverly Hills, CA School District for 30 years. She recieved numerous awards, including a State of California Orator of the Year for her lectures on literature, music, art history, comparative religion, and philosophy. "Reminders of an I Not Left Behind," edited by Mary Lou Rigdon, is her first published book and by no means the last.