Wednesday, July 18, 2007

To everything, turn, turn, turn...

Thank you, everyone, for your kind words. Most importantly, they were read by my brother, Dave, and I know that he appreciated them (because he said so...thanks, Dave).

Here in Dallas, it's hot, although not as hot as it usually is at this time of year. I'm logy these days...dunno why...I drive to work, do my endless hours, drive home, have a little dinner (e.g., mushroom/goat cheese quesadillas, or maybe some pasta salad, and a cold beer), after which I tend to curl up with a good book and read myself to sleep.

I'm heavily into my summer reading this year. Of course, I'm eagerly awaiting the new Harry Potter, but in the meantime, I've read and can recommend some terrific non-fiction. I've just finished reading The Last Season, Eric Blehm's fascinating account about the disappearance of back-country ranger Randy Morgenson in King’s Canyon National Park in the 1990's. Blehm is reminiscent of Jon Krakauer, whom I would also recommend. These were published several years ago, but if you haven't read them and want a couple of fascinating summer reads, pick up Into the Wild , Krakauer's 1997 account of the disappearance into the Alaskan wilderness of 24-year-old Christopher McCandless and Into Thin Air, his personal account of the May, 1996 Mt. Everest climbing disaster. Along the same lines, last spring I read and can recommend Aaron Ralston's Between a Rock and a Hard Place, his aptly named, first-person account of being trapped in the desert after a freak accident while slot canyon hiking alone.

In a different vein (but also non-fiction), I'm currently reading, One Bullet Away, Nathaniel Fick's personal account of becoming a marine officer. Along the same lines, I've also read and can recommend Jarhead, Anthony Swofford's account of being a marine sniper in the Persian Gulf, and Generation Kill, Evan Wright's eloquent first-hand account of traveling with a platoon of First Recon Marines during the invasion of Iraq.

I've been intending to read some Hemingway this summer, but I've been waylaid by a lot of great non-fiction.

And if you're not ready to pick up a book, but would like some more visual entertainment, click HERE for some mindless fun a la a favorite artist of mine, Jackson Pollock.

4 comments:

Theresa Williams said...

Glad to see you back. I send all my best to you and your family as you continue to heal. Great non fiction choices. (PS, I thought you weren't supposed to be eating cheese? :-) )

Jan said...

So glad you're back posting. Sadness and grief linger much longer, as you know. Prayers still ongoing for your family.

Thanks for the excellent book recommendations. I'm thinking of getting the military ones for my oldest son DC, who has friens serving in the Marine Corps in Iraq. (And there's my quandary about my opinions about the war. . . )

TJ said...

smiling...good to have you back.
Love TJ

Tammy Brierly said...

I've been thinking of you! XXOO

I must look at getting a few of these. :)

Much love!