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Columnist Ed Cullen compiles nostalgic tales and keen observations in Letter in a Woodpile.

For Ed Cullen, the enormity of life is packed into a woodpile, a well-worn pick-up, a pet's back-yard burial. The National Public Radio contributor and longtime newspaper columnist has made a career out of slicing open small things and exposing their universal meaning. His first book, Letter in a Woodpile, was released in May.

Cullen began working for The Advocate more than 30 years ago. He covered numerous beats but was drawn to features that allowed him to dig deep into ordinary life, like the time he spent three days in the ruthlessly jarring passenger seat of an 18-wheeler to document the truck driver's experience. Later, he became a columnist.

Letter in a Woodpile features tidy, entertaining essays from both the newspaper and NPR's All Things Considered, to which Cullen has contributed since 2001.

"Porch Steps Baseball," his first radio commentary, recalls the announcer's voice that rang in Cullen's 10-year-old head as he pitched a high-stakes game against the front steps of his Alexandria home. The title essay, "Letter in a Woodpile," is about firewood Cullen chopped and left for his son, soon to visit the family's weekend farm. The woodpile itself is the letter--each log a paternal expression.

Some pieces start with childhood memories. Others are anchored by light-hearted, sensory-rich observations. Cullen loves nostalgia, and his methods are accessible, graceful and fun.