Craig A. Leisy - Rain's only wet if you're in it

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Selected Works

Nonfiction

Transportation Network Companies and Taxis: The Case of Seattle

An economic history of the competing Seattle taxicab and Transportation Network Company (e.g., Uber, Lyft) industries including an analysis of the impact of market disruption by the TNC industry on the taxicab industry.

Nonfiction/Religion/Philosophy

The Influence of Epicurean Thought on the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam

This book explores the evidence that the Persian poet Omar Khayyam (1048-1123 CE), and other poets in the medieval Islamic world, were influenced by the freethinkers in ancient Greece, the source of the conflict between science and religion.

The Origins of the Conflict between Science and Religion in Ancient Greece

The modern conflict between science and religion had its origins in ancient Greece. Science irrevocably changed the way man thought about himself and his world. With each new discovery, the power of the gods was diminished and the stature of man was elevated.

Fiction

On Trial for Blasphemy: The State of New Jersey v. Charles B. Reynolds

A historical play, based upon true events, about the blasphemy trial of ex-minister Charles B. Reynolds in Morristown, New Jersey during May 19-20, 1887. The narrator and central character was created as Gertie Morrison, a reporter for The New York Times. Her character was inspired by the famed reporter Nellie Bly at the New York World.

Nonfiction/History/Biography/Religion

The Blasphemy Trial of Charles B. Reynolds: Morristown, New Jersey, May 19-20, 1887

An ex-minister named Charles B. Reynolds was put on trial in 1887 by the State of New Jersey for violating the colonial-era blasphemy law by ridiculing the Christian god and the Bible in a pamphlet he wrote and distributed. His famed attorney, Colonel Robert G. Ingersoll, argued that Reynolds engaged in free speech protected under the U. S. Constitution.

Nonfiction/Biography/History

Sergeant Phillip McHugh, U.S. Cavalry: Indian Fighter

A biography of Sergeant Phillip McHugh who immigrated from Donegal, Ireland in 1839 then worked briefly in a Pennsylvania coal mine before enlisting in the 2nd U.S. Cavalry regiment to fight Comanches in Texas. There, he fought indians in hand-to-hand combat and was wounded twice. Later, he fought in and survived the Battle of the Little Big Horn River in 1876 between the 7th Cavalry and about 2,500 Cheyenne and Sioux warriors.

Poetry Collection/Literary Essays

rain's only wet if you're in it

This collection of poetry spans 50 years and includes experiments with many styles and subjects. The collection features whimsical verse as well as serious poems. Opposite each poem is commentary about the poem providing background. Following the poetry, there are three literary essays regarding the author's favorite poems.

Rain's only wet if you're in it

This book contains a selection of poetry that spans a lifetime of thoughts and feeling. The poems represent a variety of styles that I experimented with during different phases of my life. I had a relatively meagre output since I only created one or two poems per year over a period of nearly fifty years. The collection includes both serious and whimsical verse. On the page opposite of each poem, I have added commentary about my thoughts when I composed the poem. Often, poems express intensely personal thoughts and emotions. My hope is that the commentary will make my poems more accessible. The comments don't explain the poems but rather provide context and insights. The poems are not presented in chronological order or by subject but instead they are mixed so that the mood is constantly changing just like in life. There is a chronology for the poems at the conclusion of the book. Following the collection, I have inserted short essays on three famous poems that I have greatly admired as long as I can remember including: "On The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam and Rhymed Verse" [Edward FitzGerald]; "On The Hunting of the Snark and the Search for the Meaning of Life" [Lewis Carroll]; and "On The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock and Self-Discovery" [T. S. Eliot].

I believe that what makes this collection unique, besides the poems themselves, is the commentary accompanying each poem and the essays on the meaning and construction of three of the most memorable poems in the English language. This lifetime collection of poetry is actually an autobiography of my thoughts and feelings. Poems condense the story of your life to its essentials.