"Joseph Bednarik graduated with a degree in philosophy from Haverford College and spent his professional career working for nonprofit literary publishers. He edited and co-edited several books, including The Sumac Reader (Michigan State University Press, 1997), One-Man Boat: The George Hitchcock Reader (Story Line Press, 2003), and Jim Harrison: Complete Poems (Copper Canyon Press, 2022), which was selected as an ""Editor's Choice,"" by The New York Times Book Review."
"""Joseph Bednarik is a sane, compassionate, insightful, and modest voice in these times of so much arrogance and hostility. These Sunday morning talks range across a wide array of subjects, from the silence of John Cage to quantum physics, from the attacks on Salmon Rushdie to the birth of his own daughters. Serious, poignant, complex, and funny, Invited to Speak is like spending time in the company of someone who will remind you-even with all its suffering-of the beauty and mystery of the world."" -Ellen Bass, co-author of Courage to Heal ""Joseph Bednarik has given a gift to all of us in this series of stories and meditations. His observations remind me of my favorite moments of Emerson or Thoreau: offering wisdom wrapped in humor and revealing heroism we can find in our everyday lives."" -Stephen Tobolowsky, author of My Adventures with God ""In college I started a band with the author of this book. We co-wrote blues songs about Kierkegaard's 'Ultimate Paradox, ' Camus's existentialism, and the monotheism of Judaism. One recording session was halted by police action at 2:04 in the morning. Our debut album was titled Disturbin' the Peace. I think you should know these basic facts before reading a single word of this book."" -Romantic Ed, blues guitarist"