RECENT POSTS
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Second Review of Straw Shoes
5 Stars! Review by Noémie Media Mathias B. Freese’s Straw Shoes is a remarkable literary achievement that transcends the boundaries of historical fiction to become something far more profound. It is a meditation on duality, resilience, and the eternal human struggle between surrender and defiance. Freese, a teacher, psychotherapist, and author of ten books, has crafted what may very well be his finest work to date, a novel that speaks in a voice both youthful and ancient, shaped by decades of introspection and hard-won wisdom. The story follows Ah Ling, a 19th century Chinese farmer who makes the fateful decision…
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First Review of Straw Shoes
A special thank you to Grady Harp for this thoughtful review of my latest and final work, Straw Shoes. ‘The humble earth may outlast defiant rock’ – An eloquent journey in time “Mathias B. Freese earned his degrees from Queens College of the City University of New York and Stony Brook University, and is a teacher, a psychotherapist, and a writer who has authored ten books – THE i TETROLOGY, DOWN TO A SUNLESS SEA, THAT MOBIUS STRIP OF IFS, I TRULY LAMENT: WORKING THROUGH THE HOLOCAUST, TESSENTE: A MEMOIR OF TWO SUMMERS, AND THEN I AM GONE: A WALK…
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My Final Book – Straw Shoes Just Published
I’m happy to announce the publication of my final book, Straw Shoes, released June 9th, 2026. Betty Lee Sung inspired me to write my book. I met with her between 1969 and 1972. I was working on a Title 111 federal project, a racial-ethnic one, writing curricula for schools. I met with her in person and read her book, Mountain of Gold. She was a librarian then, but went on for her doctorate and became famous as a leader in Asian studies in NYC. She passed away only a few years ago, in 2023, after leaving her mark on history.…