I found that the way to read "The Places In Between," which I loved, was as a book not about Afghanistan, but about England. Guy does this incredibly ambitious/brave/honorable/stupid thing, and can't articulate why. Yup, that's England! Almost dies, and narrates the episode as drily as descriptions of unusual people he meets. Yup, that's England! Then, rather than saying "I love you" to the dog that saved him (and granted it's a dog and might not understand, but somehow I can imagine all of the humans he loves in that same situation), he tries to move heaven and earth to import the dog to England. Yup! Love the English or hate them, he's captured their values in perfect memoir form.
Also, the book that kind of broke me out of my CAN'T READ ANYTHING paralysis last summer was 'Nothing to See Here' by Kevin Wilson. It was just outside of any sort of normality so it compelled me to get lost in in, and finish it in two long stretches. That is what I miss about being able to read most. The ability to get lost in a book and shut out the real world. The real world always jumps in and waves it's hands and says HEY! NEEEEENER NEEEENER LOOK AT ME! I got so excited by being lost in a book I immediately tried it again and failed. I keep trying though!
Thank you for the kind words, Nia. I love how your essays challenge me to think in ways I typically don't. I can say I've really struggled to do much reading for months now. Bits and pieces, fits and starts. It's possible I just have too many good books around me I don't know where to start.
The world has mostly been going to hell in a handbasket for my whole adult life, but the bread, beer, and coffee have all gotten way better, many of us are just a little more attuned to the continuing legacy of historical trauma (but not enough), and we now live in a world where compelling writing from people like you and Chris La Tray is delivered right to us, and we can more or less drop what we're doing and read immediately. (Not advised while driving a car!)
Chris La Trey is my current favorite genre. Every time I read something on the internet that engages me long enough to finish, it’s him.
My Uncle did work for that Mesa Verde study. I’m not sure what he did but since Pueblo myth was my concentration in school—800 years ago—he actually had something to talk to me about!
I found that the way to read "The Places In Between," which I loved, was as a book not about Afghanistan, but about England. Guy does this incredibly ambitious/brave/honorable/stupid thing, and can't articulate why. Yup, that's England! Almost dies, and narrates the episode as drily as descriptions of unusual people he meets. Yup, that's England! Then, rather than saying "I love you" to the dog that saved him (and granted it's a dog and might not understand, but somehow I can imagine all of the humans he loves in that same situation), he tries to move heaven and earth to import the dog to England. Yup! Love the English or hate them, he's captured their values in perfect memoir form.
Also, the book that kind of broke me out of my CAN'T READ ANYTHING paralysis last summer was 'Nothing to See Here' by Kevin Wilson. It was just outside of any sort of normality so it compelled me to get lost in in, and finish it in two long stretches. That is what I miss about being able to read most. The ability to get lost in a book and shut out the real world. The real world always jumps in and waves it's hands and says HEY! NEEEEENER NEEEENER LOOK AT ME! I got so excited by being lost in a book I immediately tried it again and failed. I keep trying though!
Thank you for the kind words, Nia. I love how your essays challenge me to think in ways I typically don't. I can say I've really struggled to do much reading for months now. Bits and pieces, fits and starts. It's possible I just have too many good books around me I don't know where to start.
The world has mostly been going to hell in a handbasket for my whole adult life, but the bread, beer, and coffee have all gotten way better, many of us are just a little more attuned to the continuing legacy of historical trauma (but not enough), and we now live in a world where compelling writing from people like you and Chris La Tray is delivered right to us, and we can more or less drop what we're doing and read immediately. (Not advised while driving a car!)
Chris La Trey is my current favorite genre. Every time I read something on the internet that engages me long enough to finish, it’s him.
My Uncle did work for that Mesa Verde study. I’m not sure what he did but since Pueblo myth was my concentration in school—800 years ago—he actually had something to talk to me about!