Tom Meschery
4 SeriesTom Meschery, an American author, is known for his mystery novels and poetry. A former NBA player, he was drafted by the Philadelphia Warriors in 1961 and played until 1971. After retiring, Meschery earned an MFA from the University of Iowa and taught literature and creative writing for 26 years. He resides in Sacramento, California, and continues to write actively.
Tom Meschery's poetry collection, Nothing We Lose Can Be Replaced, traces his family's journey from revolutionary Russia through Siberia and two world wars to their eventual settlement in America. The second section explores Meschery's career as a resilient NBA big man, reflecting on the game's evolution and featuring basketball legends like West, Chamberlain, Bird, and Jordan, as well as lesser-known figures like Maurice Stokes. The final part of the collection follows Meschery into the high school classroom, where he witnesses a new generation's struggles and triumphs. Through these varied settings, Meschery's poems celebrate human excellence, acknowledge common flaws, and examine individual lives within broader social and political contexts.
