The essays in "Disposable Thoughts: Essays on Reading, Writing, and Relationships" are culled from my 30-year career as a freelance writer and English professor. Some are humorous, like "Stalking Nelle," about sneaking into the nursing home where reclusive author Harper Lee was then living, and "Cutting the Cord," about performing the first surgery (or not) on my daughter. Some are unusual, like "Hank's Hat," an essay about the time I was researching a story on the night Hank Williams died and discovered the legend behind his hat, which has never been recovered. Others are more poignant, such...