Last night my wife and I watched City Slickers, a film from the very early 1990s which was a commercial success here in the United States.(I had just driven 700 miles in 50mph wind and was semi-delirious.) For most people, … Read More
Read: Chasing the Moon
Okay, why not add the history of the space program to the long list of subjects I know nothing about. Well, next to nothing. Earth, turns out, has a moon. To coin a Donny Dipshit phrase, “Not many people know … Read More
Read: Industries of the Future
In 1999 I left my quiet, safe, easy, full-time position with Kodak Professional, including my company car and all my insurance benefits, for the simple reason I wanted to be a photographer again. At least I thought I did. In … Read More
Read: The Sun is a Compass
This book was effortless, and anyone interested in adventure books should read this. Or, if you are a birder. If you haven’t been to Alaska it’s difficult to explain. Considered “The Last Frontier,” although if I had to describe the … Read More
Read: We’re Still Here
We are in big trouble. When I say “we” I mean all of us. This book should be mandatory reading for all Americans. The short of it is that we are a crumbling nation beset by a wide range of … Read More
Read: The Lands of Lost Borders
I first discovered Kate Harris in 2013 while searching for titanium bicycles. She and her pal Mel had completed a cycling voyage titled “Cycling Silk” and for this epic slog, they had secured bicycles from Seven Cycles. Handbuilt, titanium here … Read More
Read: Chaos Monkeys
If this book doesn’t make you ill, nothing will. As someone who has been transitioning in and out of San Francisco on a monthly basis for over ten years, I can say with certainty that the tech world has ushered … Read More
Read: Night in The American Village
Add Okinawan history to the list of subjects I knew next to nothing about. Sure, I knew a basic, tree-top level history of the area but all of my knowledge was tied to WWII. So, in short, I know little. … Read More
Read: The New Wild West
I am the problem. I have a 2017 Toyota Tacoma with 48,290 miles on it. I burn fossil fuel, more than my share. I’m guessing you might also fall into this category. The United States burns a disproportionate amount of … Read More
Read: Places and Names
This is a book about war. And other things. A series of small stories that combine to make the big book. Elliot Ackerman did FIVE tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and has also been a White House Fellow. He’s got … Read More
Read: Kingdom of Lies
Just read it. This story is so interesting and this book so chaotic as it weaves a narrative that bounces from person to person, tactic to tactic and immediately begins to reveal just how out of control the world of … Read More
Read: The Naturalist
Fiction is like a reading vacation, at least for me. Most of what I read is nonfiction, some of which can be uber dense, almost like mild torture which is how I would describe most of my schooling. The knowledge … Read More
Read: The Orphaned Land
Ignorance is bliss. It surely, surely is. If the public knew the truth, well, probably not much would change but I still wish people knew. Just when you think you know a little bit about your home you read a … Read More
Read: A People’s History of the United States
Okay, so I knew in middle school that the version of history I was being taught was a very Americanized version of actual history. I knew it. From day one it just felt wrong. And by middle school, I’d already … Read More
Read: Aldo Leopold’s Southwest
If you don’t already know this name make sure you remember Aldo Leopold. Why? Because we own him for all the wilderness areas in the United States. He’s the human that got this ball rolling. Now, I know the environment … Read More
Read: Goodbye to a River
I loved this book. I had never heard of John Graves. My bad. This book was first published in 1960 but it reads like it could have been written last week. Knowing the great Brazos River was about to receive … Read More
Read: The Woman at Otowi Crossing
This is such an interesting book and Frank Waters is an absolute legend. Sometimes writers are labeled as “regional” and get snobbed out by the New York literary establishment. I have no idea how Waters ranked with that crowd, but … Read More
Read: D. H. Lawrence in New Mexico
This is a very quick read but interesting as it traces first contact between the writer and the magic of Northern New Mexico. This land has seen a constant pilgrimage of artists, photographers, writers and others who know the unique … Read More