Morning Coffee at the Goldfish Pond

“Zen” is the word that comes to mind when describing David Zurick’s Morning Coffee at the Goldfish Pond. Layered in a number of ways, it is written such that it contains elements of memoir, self-help, and travel diary but is also an abridged DIY lesson on how to create one’s own landscape and goldfish pond. What it lacks in a single, linear narrative, it makes up for in contemplativeness and a meditative tone.

It may not have been gripping throughout, but it was interesting, and it created a space to think about not only the environment and our world at large but also our places within it. The goldfish pond is not just a literal, landscaped pond but also a metaphor for different lessons and values Zurick has curated throughout his journeys.

Despite the discussion of a lot of personal experiences, it could feel impersonal at points, such as when unknown friends and family were discussed or when the author described
personal experiences in nature that were hard to convey in words. But it did lend itself to a peaceful reading experience, which, it seems, is the greater purpose of the goldfish pond.