Saturday, September 15, 2007


Ah, Saturday . . .


I started this sweater last winter, and put it aside. I picked it up again last weekend, and it's going pretty quickly. I hope to finish it for my trip back east in a few weeks. And thanks to everyone for the great suggestions of things to do and see in NYC!
This morning while running around doing errands, I finished listening to Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer. This is the story of Christopher McCandless, who, after graduating from Emory University in Atlanta in 1992, abandoned his possessions, gave his entire $24,000 savings account to charity and hitchhiked to Alaska, where he went to live in the wilderness. Four months later, he turned up dead. His diary, letters and two notes found at a remote campsite tell of his struggles, and he apparently starved to death, though his mistakenly having eaten poisonous seeds likely contributed to his slow death.

Krakauer, is clearly sympathetic to the young man, and seems eager to discredit those who lashed out at McCandless after his death for being foolish at best, and having a death wish at worst, by drawing parallels to his own reckless youthful exploit in 1977 when he climbed Devils Thumb, a mountain on the Alaska-British Columbia border, partly as a symbolic act of rebellion against his autocratic father.

I enjoy Krakauer's writing, but I wasn't entirely convinced. McCandless stuck me as being a very, very bright kid, but lacking even a modicum of common sense. That he survived for 4 months was a miracle.

I had loaded up my iPod this week, so after finishing Into the Wild, I started On the Road by Jack Kerouac. I read this book 25 years ago. I was spending the summer in Edinburgh, Scotland, and had taken the train down to Brighton for the weekend. While walking around Brighton, I stumbled into a small book store where I bought On the Road, and then started reading it in a local pub. I was killing some time before I went to see one of the Star Trek movies at a cinema in Brighton. I'm not sure of the name, but it's the one in which Scotty dies, and they play Amazing Grace on the bagpipes . . .

What are you reading?

11 Comments:

Blogger sage said...

I might should listen to On the Road again--that's one of the books I read while hiking the Appalachian Trail. Along with a couple of other books, I'm finishing up Mark Clark's "The Many Aspects of Mobile Home Living." You might enjoy it--a "legal thriller on drugs!"

12:16 PM  
Blogger NY KAT said...

I'm in between books. I need to tackle some of the books on my bookshelf...maybe I'll start one of the John Grisham books I have.

1:22 PM  
Blogger EditThis said...

Under the Banner of Heaven by Krakauer, thanks to you. Now I'll have to read this one, too.

I read On the Road some time ago, and have to admit, didn't feel like it lived up to its reputation. I'm sure the impact of that book on your has much to do with the where and why involved in your reading it.

2:16 PM  
Blogger Virtual Producer
Robert Riley
said...

I love your new sweater!

10:45 PM  
Blogger Karen said...

Oh, the sweater is beautiful!

2:01 PM  
Blogger Tiffany Norris said...

After finishing two challenges this summer, I am now only reading "light." :)
Susannah's Garden by Debbie Macomber.

2:38 PM  
Blogger GetFlix said...

This Old House magazine. I just picked it up yesterday.

8:31 PM  
Blogger prettykitty said...

i was going to read that krakauer book because that mccandless guy sounded like the man of my dreams. but not if i'm going to wind up dead at some remote campsite!!

1:29 AM  
Blogger Prunella Jones said...

I'm reading a book called No Speed Limit by Frank Owen. It's the history of methamphetamine. Really interesting stuff and this guy is a good writer.

6:28 AM  
Blogger M-M-M-Mishy said...

I'm currently taking a break from reading my text books. Whoo! Modern and Post-Modern Social Work Theory in Contemporary Canadian Society! Can you stand it?

Your sweater looks very cozy. I love the colour.

10:36 AM  
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9:59 PM  

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