About

 
The Book of Bartholomew is a series of tales about a young man named Bartholomew, his friends and their adventures while becoming independent young adults. These stories represent a period in life in which there is much uncertainty. The main characters are all in their early twenties and are trying to discover a manner in which they can establish a career, make a home, find a partner and find food they like to eat. 

The forty-eight short stories in The Book of Bartholomew explore young adulthood and our first real independent adult decision making opportunities; jobs, friendships, love relationships, and what activities will pre-occupy our time. The decisions we make at this point in our life set us forward on a journey that can be grounded, rewarding and overflowing or distracted, suffering and constricted. Each story looks at characters making good and bad decisions – mindful and mindless decisions - about careers, friendships, the environment and food. Through laughing at the experiences presented in these stories, it is hoped that people, especially young adults, will have an opportunity to think about the decisions they are making and whether they are, in the long run, helpful or harmful.

Mark Granlund
Author and artist of The Book of Bartholomew, Mark has been making and teaching art for more than twenty years. He prefers to focus on collaborative projects.  Although he has always used writing as an expressive medium, he has lately become more serious about using writing as a tool to share his humorous, heartfelt and heartbreaking experiences in this world.  "Perhaps someone will be forewarned, or at least have a good laugh."    


Synopsis

Volume 1: A Big Little World
This first volume, Volume 1: A Big Little World, is fourteen tales and introduces the different characters in Bartholomew's world: Bartholomew, Gerald, Geraldine, Xavier, Uncle Jeffrey and Aunt Josephine, Topping, Charlotte, Claire and Ned. You will also be introduced to Oliver the cat and Henrietta the chicken. The tales are filled with talking animals, ghosts, fires of passion and Dionne Warwick.

#1    Bartholomew Makes a Decision
Bartholomew finds himself being taken advantage of by Gerald and decides that he needs friends to help him make decisions.
#2    Gerald Teaches a Life Lesson
Gerald teaches his sons Xavier, Khua and Mo a lesson on how to be successful in life.
#3    Geraldine
Bartholomew is befriended by a young woman named Geraldine.
#4     Uncle Jeffrey the Violinist
Uncle Jeffrey is given a challenge by his violin teacher, Master Czoza.
#5    Bartholomew and Geraldine 
Bartholomew and Geraldine have a dinner date at Bartholomew's house with disastrous results.
#6    Claire
Claire discusses with Henrietta, the chicken, the current state of her life.
#7    Bartholomew and the Cabana Fire 
Bartholomew and Geraldine find themselves alone in a poolside cabana. Will they be engulfed by the flames of passion or will Kyle and his hose get in the way?
#8    Ned the Giant 
After eating a sack of Donkey Burgers, Ned finds something funny about growing up... and up.
#9    Aunt Josephine's Long Ride 
Aunt Josephine discovers a secret when giving a ride to an old friend.
#10  Bartholomew and a Carload of Trouble
Bartholomew and Geraldine take a picnic in the mountains, where they are once again engulfed by the flames of passion. 
#11 Someone to Call Home
Topping and Charlotte eat a simple meal while Topping tells Charlotte that he has lost his job.
#12 Christmas Wrap
Bartholomew meets new friends while wrapping Christmas presents at Gerald's house.
#13 Lunch Rap
Bartholomew gets to know his new friends Topping, Ned, Claire and The Nanny during lunch breaks while wrapping presents at Gerald's house.
#14 Bartholomew Makes Another Decision
While at a New Years Eve party at Topping and Charlotte's apartment, Bartholomew makes a surprising resolution.


Volume 2: A World Spins Tighter
In this second volume of The Book of Bartholomew, Bartholomew gets closer to his new friends and even starts dating The Nanny.  The lives of these new friends begin to revolve around each other even while the threat of violence to Bartholomew begins to emerge.  Ten stories long, this volume moves quickly to the brink of Bartholomew realizing his dream - a community garden.

#15 Lost
Claire can't find her way home after a New Years Eve party. Will she ever find a home? Will anyone help her?
#16 Mental Exercises
Ned wanders home after a New Years Eve party and thinks about how his life could be better.
#17 The Nanny is Too Literal
Bartholomew runs into The Nanny and Geraldine while shopping. Will The Nanny like Bartholomew after is off-colored remark? Little does he realize the impact his statement will have.
#18 At the Library
Bartholomew runs into Topping at the library, where they talk about gardens, painting cars and discovering what's up with their friends.
#19 Earth Day
Ned and Claire attend a local Earth Day Celebration hosted by Mayor Dick - in March! Its cold and windy and Claire is not going to put up with Mayor Dick and his lame celebration and environmental policies.
#20 Coffee with an Angel
Bartholomew confronts The Nanny at a local coffee shop about the disappearance of Geraldine. Will his anger drive The Nanny away? To Bartholomew’s surprise, before The Nanny leaves, she is promising to give him something wonderful.
#21 Charlotte Unfolding
While cooking a meal together, Charlotte opens up to Bartholomew.
#22 The Consuming Fires of Gerald
Gerald is upset and he will not calm down until someone is consumed. Even the gods cannot deny him.
#23 Are You My Lover
A small pug dog can't stop humping people's legs, walking canes, benches, and lamp posts. Will she ever learn how to find true love?
#24 The Nanny Diary
Bartholomew becomes an unsuspecting participant in The Nanny's Operation Happily Ever After. Will Bartholomew fulfill The Nanny's odd requests around intimacy? Could this possibly make anyone happy ever after?
#25  Claire Speaks Out
Claire performs spoken word and ends up needing more than a little help from her friends.
#26 Sowing Plans
Bartholomew and the gang, plus elderly neighbor Mr. McBardon, get together to plan their garden. Will they plan for everything?
#27 Topping Paints the Peugeot
Topping finally gets to paint Bartholomew’s 1974 Peugeot at Uncle Cy’s shop.  Charlotte worries Topping has fallen in love with the car and he’s changed the design without telling Bartholomew.  Will anyone be happy?
#28 Growing a Community
Bartholomew’s garden brings his friends and family together for a wonderful day of accomplishment and satisfaction - except for Ned and Claire - and the dog humping everything - and...
#29 What Will Be Will Be
At home, after gardening, Ned and Claire have a fight.  Will they make up?  Will they feel sorry and change their ways?  Should they?
#30 Bartholomew Works the Garden
Bartholomew spends time in the garden on different days with different people doing different activities and talking about different things.
#31 Tree of Want
Bartholomew has to climb the tree in his backyard to save his cat Oliver, Claire’s chicken Henrietta and Hump-Pug.

Volume 3: As the World Begins, the World Ends
This third volume of seventeen short stories, from The Book of Bartholomew, finds Bartholomew's dream coming true with the establishment of the community garden. Now that he has his garden, Bartholomew starts to lose everything and everyone. Will his dream come true?

#32 Xavier Wants Something
Xavier has a hard time finding what he wants.  It might be easier if he knew what he was looking for.  Instead, he decides to take out his frustration on Bartholomew.
#33 Harvest Dinner
The harvest is in and Bartholomew, friends and family get together for an evening meal.  What should be a dream come true ends up being a nightmare.
#34 Eve of Destruction
Xavier wants his father, Gerald, to help him with his plan against
Bartholomew. Will The Nanny get to Xavier in time or will he
be blinded by an MG Roadster?
 
#35 Mo and the Tree of Want
Mo performs surveillance on Bartholomew's house. By morning he is found dead in Bartholomew's backyard. Did he get what he wanted?
#36 I've Come to Say I'm Going
Bartholomew’s spirit is about as low as you can go.  One bright spot is he’s still dating The Nanny.  Uh-oh.
#37 The Garden Exposed
While in the garden with his small dog, Geraldine, Bartholomew makes a horrible discovery!
#38 Broken Dreams
Geraldine, the dog, tries to protect Bartholomew’s garden from being destroyed by big men.
#39 Get Out of Jail
Aunt Josephine and Uncle Jeffrey get Bartholomew out of jail.
#40 Ned the Accountant
Ned, late for his job that he hates, is offered a better job while doing his laundry.  Is it too good to be true?
#41 Food Fight
Claire, Charlotte and Bartholomew decide to fight the city to save the garden at the end of Bartholomew's street. But how do you fight a city?
#42 Food SLAM!
Claire's friends throw a fundraiser to create awareness about the plight of Bartholomew's garden.
#43 An Evening with Mayor Dick and Senator Jane
A visit to the private lives of Bartholomew's elected officials.
#44 Before the Council, part 1
Bartholomew, his friends and family, present their case to the city
council asking them to allow the community garden.  Bartholomew
can't believe who is presenting against the garden!

#45 Before the Council, part 2
The chaotic council can't come to a decision on Bartholomew’s garden until an unexpected person sets things right.
#46 Geraldine and Bartholomew
Bartholomew and Geraldine are reunited.  Where has Geraldine been?  Bartholomew can’t believe what he’s thinking.
#47 Mad as Hell
Gerald goes to his dark place after getting out of jail.
#48 A New Day
Bartholomew and Geraldine find themselves at Bartholomew’s house, a year and a half after they first met; happy, content and a little more grown up.
  

The characters in The Book of Bartholomew are young adults. Some of the material is inappropriate for younger readers. Strong language, sexual situations and bullying are not uncommon in these tales.