Hello everyone,

I hope you are all hanging in there during these turbulent times. Thankfully, all is well in the Roberson household—feeling grateful for health, family, jobs, nearby open space, and the general stability that has allowed me to keep reading during the escalating craziness.

You'll notice that I'm now linking to Indiebound for almost all of the book recommendations. As convenient as Amazon can be, local bookstores need our support now more than ever. Please keep those hard-working, independent booksellers in mind as you purchase books in the coming months.

Here are a few of the titles that I read and enjoyed over the past two months:

Leave It As It Is: A Journey Through Theodore Roosevelt's American Wilderness by David Gessner - I've been eagerly anticipating this book's publication for nearly three years, and I'm thrilled to report that it surpassed my lofty expectations. One of my all-time heroes (TR) gets the full literary treatment from one of my all-time favorite authors (Gessner), and the result is a unique and useful examination of TR's influence on conservation, public lands, and the modern-day environmental movement. Gessner's goal is to examine TR's legacy clearly, warts and all. There's no TR sugar-coating in this book—Gessner thoroughly acknowledges and investigates TR's personal flaws and political failings, just as freely as he praises TR's positive, seemingly superhuman traits. I've plowed through way too many books about TR over the years, and this is hands-down the most balanced, clear-eyed examination of the man I've read to date. But it's not a biography or a straight-up history book, although there's plenty of both within the pages. It's a search to capture the best of TR's conservation ethos, to discard the worst, and to use the balance to build a new, holistic model for conservation and environmental justice—one that melds together a new confluence of ideals that acknowledges the wrongs of the past and sets an equitable, sustainable course for the future. [This book will be released on August 11, 2020. You can pre-order it now, or get warmed up with Edmund Morris's The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt, the best straight-up biography of TR on the shelf.]

Conscious: A Brief Guide to the Fundamental Mystery of the Mind by Annaka Harris - I picked up this relatively short book thinking I could breeze through it, write a summary, then move on to the next title on my list. But there was no breezing. In fact, I probably spent more time on this book's 110 pages than any of the other books mentioned in this email, and I consider that a good thing. As the title suggests, it's a high-level overview of consciousness—basic definitions, descriptions of sometimes-competing theories, and an honest explanation of just how little we truly understand about the concept. The book expands on some of the ideas mentioned in her husband Sam Harris's books Free Will and Waking Up, and I found Annaka's explanations more digestible for my not-so-smart brain. Even though this book is dense and presented some challenging concepts, it was a very enjoyable read and kept my often-scattered attention locked in. [For a slightly different exploration of consciousness, check out Michael Pollan's How to Change Your Mind.]

Atomic Habits: Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results by James Clear - I generally try to steer clear of "self-help” books, and I purposefully avoided this one for nearly two years because I unfairly deemed the title to be gimmicky. But after listening to a super-engaging, long-form interview with the author, I ordered the book, read it, and thoroughly enjoyed it. For me, the most valuable aspect of the book was Clear's framing of the importance of long-term good habits for living a fulfilling, enjoyable, successful life. He also offers some new-to-me insights on why good habits can be so difficult to create and why bad habits can so quickly spiral out of control. Yes, the book does suggest some specific tips and tactics for building good habits, but those "hacks" are much less interesting to me than this new way of thinking about the need for consistent, deliberate action, day after day. [If you're looking for a no-nonsense "self-help" book, check out former Navy SEAL Jocko Willink's Discipline Equals Freedom: Field Manual. Here's a taste: "People constantly ask me for the secret of getting up early. I tell them it is simple: Set your alarm clock and get out of bed when it goes off."]

One Sentence Journal: Short Poems and Essays From the World at Large by Chris La Tray - In 2015, following the death of his father, Chris La Tray quit his well-paying job as a manufacturing consultant to pursue a career as a full-time writer. A few years later, he published this book, which has gone on to win both the Montana Book Award and High Plains Book Award. Almost all of the essays and poems are deeply connected to La Tray's home state of Montana, specifically the area in and around Missoula. La Tray is an enrolled member of the Little Shell Tribe of the Chippewa Indians and provides an incredibly important Indigenous perspective on life in the West. And I greatly appreciated La Tray's down-to-earth writing style—both his poetry and his essays were welcoming and engaging, allowing me to expand my literary horizons without feeling stupid or self-conscious. [Hate reading? Then listen to my recent podcast conversation with Chris.]

Braided Creek: A Conversation in Poetry by Jim Harrison and Ted Kooser - In the preface of One Sentence Journal, La Tray mentions that reading this book of poetry was a foundational aspect of his journey as a poet. And many of my western writer friends cite Harrison as one of their greatest heroes and influences. The book is a catalog of a long-term, back-and-forth correspondence between Harrison and Kooser, in which they only communicate in poems. Neither man is specifically attributed to any one poem, so I naturally tried to figure out who was writing what (and, sometimes also tried to figure out what the hell they were talking about!). I approached reading this book as I do listening to music—no agenda, not anxiously trying to absorb all the details, not stressed out—just reading it, enjoying it, and letting it rattle around in my brain. Given the stress and anxiety of our current moment in history, this book was a welcome treat. [Another poetry book I love is Ragged Anthem by Chris Dombrowski.]

Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport - I first read and recommended this book back in 2016, and it has held a spot in my brain as one of the most influential books I've read in the past ten years. Newport recently started a very simple yet valuable podcast, which prompted me to revisit this book. The basic premise is that the most valuable skill we can have in today's society is the ability to focus intensely for long periods of time. Unfortunately, phones, social media, email, etc. erode our ability to hone these important concentration skills. While re-reading, I was struck by 1) how well Newport's arguments hold up four years later, and 2) how much worse all the electronic distractions have become in a relatively short time period. It also led me to delete my personal Facebook account, which is a bonus. [If you like Deep Work, check out Newport's most recent book Digital Minimalism.]

Not officially books, but just as important: Adventure Journal, Modern Huntsman, and The Surfer's Journal. I obviously love books, but I'm also a huge fan of any long-form, thoughtful journalism that goes deep into the topics I love. These three are my all-time favorite publications—independent, scrappy, beautifully crafted, substantive magazines that offer unique perspectives into topics that are very close to my heart. The business of niche publications is not for the faint of heart, even in a booming economy. And during an economic downturn, things can get real dicey, real quick. I'm supporting these three with my dollars, and I'd encourage you to do the same for whatever publications are important to you. 

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Thanks again for subscribing to my bimonthly book recommendations. I've discovered most of my all-time favorite books through suggestions from friends like you, so please let me know of any must-read titles.

Feel free to forward this email to any of your friends who may be interested… the more the merrier!

If you were forwarded this email and want to receive future editions, you can either sign up here or send me an email. One email every other month with a few books that I’ve recently read, enjoyed, and highly recommend.

Ed

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Website: www.mountainandprairie.com
Podcast: www.mountainandprairie.com/podcast
Store: shop.mountainandprairie.com
Book Recommendations: www.mountainandprairie.com/reading
Instagram: @mtnprairie

Hello, friends-

I hope you’ve had a good summer, all things considered. All good here in Colorado--my family and I continue to feel lucky for good health, nearby open space, and wide-open mountain ranges.

As for reading, I recently wrote a piece that tries to answer the often-asked question “Why do you read so many books?” You very well may be more confused after reading my rambling musings, but I gave it my best shot.

Here are some of the books I read during July & August 2020. Hope you find a few that pique your interest:

Legends of the Fall by Jim Harrison - I've seen the movie multiple times, had numerous podcast guests rave about it, and the book has been sitting on my shelf for years-- it's about time I read Legends of the Fall. I know I'm inexcusably late to the party here, but now I finally understand what all of the Jim Harrison hoopla is about. It only took three pages to become completely engrossed, and I'd finished the entire book by the following afternoon. The book is three separate novellas, all unrelated in their storylines, but each showcasing different aspects of Harrison's literary wizardry. The final novella was the basis for the Brad Pitt movie that you've probably seen, but the first two novellas are just as engrossing, if not more. There's no point in my attempting to describe this masterpiece-- I just encourage you to read it as soon as you can. [Callan Wink is being hailed as the new Jim Harrison, and I loved his book Dog Run Moon.]

Compton Cowboys: The New Generation of Cowboys in America's Urban Heartland by Walter Thompson-Hernández - Through my reading, podcast interviews, and real life, I'm always encountering people who've had their lives changed for the better by horses. Whether we're talking about injured combat veterans or multi-generational ranchers or city-dwelling artists, horses seem to have a magical ability to form deep connections with humans. This book examines another example of horse-human relationships, specifically in Southern California's urban landscape. Before reading this book, the only thing I knew about Compton was what I'd heard from Snoop-- so every page of this book exposed me to ideas, lifestyles, and culture that were entirely new for me and my experience as a southern white guy living in the Rockies. But as is the case so much of the time, when we scratch through the surface, we find that we share more in common than not. A wonderful book that is perfectly suited for the current moment in history. [For another human-animal connection book, check out The Wolf in the Parlor: How the Dog Came to Share Your Brain by Jon Franklin.]

Raising Good Humans: A Mindful Guide to Breaking the Cycle of Reactive Parenting and Raising Kind, Confident Kids by Hunter Clarke-Fields - In just over five years of being a dad, I had only read two parenting books-- I couldn't find any good titles that seemed to align with my thoughts on raising kiddos. But my wife thankfully stumbled upon this book, and I found it to be enlightening, practical, and actionable. It applies lessons from mindfulness practices to the frequently chaotic process of raising kids, laying out a framework for communication with kids that does not involve threats, bribes, or drill-sergeant-like orders. And much to my surprise, the techniques work, at least with my five-year-old. To be clear, I'm an eastern NC native who firmly believes that Dale "The Intimidator" Earnhardt is the best athlete of all time. I'm not some hippy-dippy yuppy who would likely be associated with a book with this sort of title. [The other two parenting books I've read are Bringing Up Bébé by Pamela Druckerman and The Happiest Baby on the Block by Harvey Karp

Kettlebell: Simple and Sinister by Pavel Tsatsouline - Pavel makes the rounds on the "podcasts for middle-aged-dudes" circuit, so I've heard him interviewed numerous times. Thanks to his tough-guy demeanor and thick Russian accent, I wrongly assumed that his workouts would be over-the-top brutal (e.g., Rocky IV training montage). Despite his incessant use of the word "manly," this book lays out one of the most reasonable and effective workout routines that I've encountered. It's simple: kettlebell swings and Turkish get-ups, broken up into small sets, with ample rest and explicit instructions to never red-line your cardio. You perform the workout every day, no exceptions, and it should recharge your body rather than deplete it. In just over two months of following the routine, I'm absolutely amazed by my strength gains (gainzz?) and flexibility improvements. And as a bonus, my running has improved, and my knees don't hurt. If you're feeling at a loss for home exercise options during these strange times, this is your book. [If sore knees are what you desire, read Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen by Christopher McDougall, then run nonstop for 30+ hours.]

Mop Rides the Waves of Life by Jaimal Yogis & Matt Allen - I've read hundreds of children's books to my daughters, many of them hundreds of times each. God bless Margaret Wise Brown, but the 287th time reading Goodnight Moon can break the strongest of men, possibly even Paval Tastsouline. Mop Rides the Waves of Life is the first kids’ book that seems to get better with each reading. Written by one of my favorite (adult) authors, it's a kids’ introduction to mindfulness, told through the story of a pint-sized surfer dude with great hair. Both of my girls love it and, no joke, my oldest snapped out of a mini-tantrum when I reminded her to "be like Mop." This is one of those rare kids’ books that is just as useful for parents as it is for kiddos. [Jaimal wrote one of my all-time faves: Saltwater Buddha: A Surfer's Quest to Find Zen on the Sea.]

The Fish That Ate the Whale: The Life and Times of America's Banana King by Rich Cohen - I didn't finish as many books as normal during July-August, so I'm throwing in a bonus recommendation. I read this book a few years before starting this email list, and I think about it often. It's the story of Samuel Zemurray, an immigrant who began his career in the United States peddling bananas out of a broken-down cart. Fast-forward a few decades, Zemurray has dominated the United Fruit Company for control of the global banana trade, incited a revolution in Central America, and established himself and one of the richest and most powerful men in the United States. He's the walking, talking example of "only in America," and Cohen does an excellent job highlighting both the impressive and despicable aspects of this one-of-a-kind businessman. A fun, memorable, and easy-to-read book. [Another memorable titan-of-industry profile is The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life by Alice Schroeder.]

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Thanks again for subscribing to my bimonthly book recommendations. I've discovered most of my all-time favorite books through suggestions from friends like you, so please let me know of any must-read titles.

Please forward this email to any of your friends who may be interested… the more the merrier!

If you were forwarded this email and want to receive future editions, you can either sign up here or send me an email. One email every other month with a few books that I’ve recently read, enjoyed, and highly recommend.

Ed

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Website: www.mountainandprairie.com
Podcast: www.mountainandprairie.com/podcast
Good News!: https://mountainandprairie.com/good-news/
Store: shop.mountainandprairie.com
Book Recommendations: www.mountainandprairie.com/reading
Instagram: @mtnprairie

Howdy, folks-

I hope all is well and that everyone in your orbit is healthy and safe. If you know anyone who's feeling overwhelmed with today's ubiquitous electronic "news", please consider sending this email their way. Hopefully they (and you) will find a few good old-fashioned books that will offer a brief reprieve from the latest breathless breaking story.

Here are a few books I read and enjoyed over the past two months:

Chasing the Light: Writing, Directing, and Surviving Platoon, Midnight Express, Scarface, Salvador, and the Movie Game by Oliver Stone - Every time I've seen Oliver Stone interviewed, I've made a mental note along the lines of "That guy seems like quite a character. I wonder what his story is?" Well, after plowing through 300+ pages of his memoir, I can say with certainty that he is quite a character, and a super-intense one at that. This book covers his life up through the production of Platoon-- from his service and bravery in Vietnam to his dark days of rampant drug use in Hollywood, from hanging out with international organized crime bosses to scraping together funding for his films. Stone offers up the full blow-by-blow of his wild and intense life, and doesn't seem to hold anything back. Reading the book gave me a little taste of what it must be like to be inside the head of someone genuinely, perhaps unhealthily, obsessed with their art. Exhausting at the times, but memorable, instructive, and entertaining as hell. [Surprisingly, one of my all-time favorite memoirs is Flea's Acid for the Children.]

Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown - The pandemic and its associated insanity forced me to take a hard look at how I spend my time, evaluating what is truly important for my family and me. This book popped into my life at just the right moment and confirmed some ideas that I'd been considering, but did not have the confidence to act on fully. Namely, that saying yes to all opportunities is a bad idea, and that it is impossible to do meaningful, effective work if stretched too thin. Seems like common sense, huh? Most conscientious people seem to understand the downsides of too many commitments, but (like me) have trouble figuring out what to keep and what to eliminate. Essentialism offers some specific techniques for saying no and reducing commitment clutter-- not cute little "life hacks" but concrete, useful, simple-but-not-easy frameworks for cutting out life’s nonsense. I'd recommend this book at any time, but it's especially important now, during these nutty, hectic days. [For more on focus and eliminating distraction, I once again recommend Cal Newport's Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World.]

White Working Class: Overcoming Class Cluelessness in America by Joan C. Williams - If you're like me, you've probably spent much of the past few years trying to understand what the hell is going on with politics in the United States. As many of you know from this email list, I obsessively consume history. Still, I've been at a loss to find any historical framework to clarify this current political, economic, and social moment. One of the smartest, rational, most measured humans I know recommended this book, and I'm very glad I read it. It's short and easy to crank through, but it offers some very valuable context around the socio-economic shifts that have slowly transformed many long-standing norms in the U.S. I have to admit that I was previously "clueless" to many of the ideas presented in this book-- thankfully, it provided a much-needed broader perspective, helping me be more compassionate and open minded when encountering political beliefs different than my own. [For more on cultivating compassion, look no further than my guru Pema Chodron. Start With Where You Are: A Guide to Compassionate Living is a good entry point.]

Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey - I have a severe aversion to anything associated with celebrities, with two glaring exceptions: The Rock and McConaughey. So obviously, when I heard that McConaughey was releasing a memoir, I bought it the day it was published (and I'll do the same when/if The Rock publishes one). If the Stone memoir above is on one side of the intensity spectrum, Greenlights is its polar opposite. And spending time in McConaughey's head is a much more fun place to be than Stone's. But this book is not cotton candy silliness-- there are valuable life lessons throughout the book, useful ideas around focus, risk, hard work, preparation, intention, and optimism. For years, I have admired McConaughey's transformation from rom-com pretty boy to super-committed, risk-taking Oscar winner, and this book provides the backstory on that evolution. It's also important for me to see that someone can be an focused, self-reflective, fully committed creator, without the over-the-top self-loathing that plagues so many world-class artists. If you are at all intrigued by McConaughey and his one-of-a-kind style, you'll love this book. [Another all-time favorite memoir is Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike by Phil Knight.]

Lords of the Fly: Madness, Obsession, and the Hunt for the World-Record Tarpon by Monte Burke - This book was awesome. I loved it. I'm by no means an obsessed fisherman-- if I'm taking a trip to the beach, it's to surf, not cast a fly rod. But if you love to learn about people who are maniacally obsessed with their craft, you'll be consumed by this story. As the subtitle states, it's the history of fly fishing for tarpon in Florida, from the earliest known instances of the sport to the big-money, high-tech, ultra-competitive pursuit of world records. Burke is obviously a master when it comes to writing about fly fishing, the coastal ecosystem, and epic man vs. tarpon battles. But what really drew me in were his vivid descriptions of the eccentric wildmen who've devoted their lives to chasing these prehistoric fish. From the 70s in Key West with legends like Tom McGuane and Jim Harrison, to modern-day obsessives like David Mangum, (who physically fights people encroaching on his secret spots), I could not get enough of Burke’s mini-biographies of crazed and committed anglers. [Monte also wrote one of my favorite biographies of another obsessed record-chaser: Saban: The Making of a Coach.]

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Thanks again for subscribing to my bimonthly book recommendations. I've discovered most of my all-time favorite books through suggestions from friends like you, so please let me know of any must-read titles.

Please forward this email to any of your friends who may be interested… the more the merrier!

If you were forwarded this email and want to receive future editions, you can either sign up here or send me an email. One email every other month with a few books that I’ve recently read, enjoyed, and highly recommend.

Ed

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Website: www.mountainandprairie.com
Podcast: www.mountainandprairie.com/podcast
Good News!: https://mountainandprairie.com/good-news/
Store: shop.mountainandprairie.com
Book Recommendations: www.mountainandprairie.com/reading
Instagram: @mtnprairie

Happy New Year, everyone!

I hope you are enjoying some well-deserved downtime and that the holidays have been restorative, all things considered.

This email marks the end of my fifth full calendar year of sending out bimonthly book recommendations. A sincere thank you to everyone who has taken an interest in my weird reading habits—who could've ever guessed that one off-the-cuff email to 30 friends five years ago would turn into this?  

If you know anyone who might glean some value from these emails, please forward this one along. I'm excited to continue to grow the list over the next five years!

Here are a few books I recently read and highly recommend:

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck - This book has been recommended time and again, year after year, and my recent podcast conversation with Mike Foote convinced me to move it to the top of the bedside table stack. Wow, what an amazing work of art. While I was quickly drawn into the novel’s plot and enjoyed almost every page, the book’s real power comes from its examination and subtle critique of American society. The book caused me to think long and hard about many of the incentives that drive the US economy—both back in the days of the Dust Bowl and Depression, all the way up to our current pandemic-influenced economic and employment crises. Portions of the book absolutely infuriated me, not because of the make-believe tragedies happening to Steinbeck’s make-believe characters, but because versions of these tragedies are still happening to real people today, nearly a century later. As a person who reads far too little fiction, I can say that this book has led to more self-examination and analysis of critical societal issues than any non-fiction book I’ve read recently. [For a memorable/terrifying portrait of the brave souls who chose to stay in Oklahoma rather than strike out to California, check out Timothy Egan’s The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl.]

The Practice: Shipping Creative Work by Seth Godin - If Seth Godin writes it, I’m going to buy it and read it—so know that this recommendation is heavily biased. This book was written for anyone who does (or dreams of doing) creative work, yet struggles with the surprisingly tough challenge of consistently putting their creation out into the world. Even though it is broken up into more than 200 short, quick chapters, this may be Seth’s most dense book to date. I underlined passages on almost every page, and, at times, felt overwhelmed by the amount of actionable wisdom that Seth was cramming into my brain. I’ve been reading Seth closely for years, and this book presented many new ideas and reinforced many of his time-tested thoughts on the creative process. This is one of those books I will revisit regularly, and I’m thankful to have it as a resource for years to come. [You can’t go wrong with any of Seth’s books, but my favorites are Purple Cow, Tribes, What To Do When It’s Your Turn, Linchpin, and This is Marketing.]

Ninety-Two in the Shade by Thomas McGuane - After reading Monte Burke’s amazing Lords of the Fly, I became obsessed with trying to imagine Key West in the 1970s. Monte’s stories of Tom McGuane, Jim Harrison, Richard Brautigan, Russell Chatham, Jimmy Buffett, and Hunter S. Thompson’s exploits related to fishing and art captured my imagination to the point that I had a few dreams about it. Several trusted voracious readers recommended Ninety-Two in the Shade as the best representation of the wild times and nutty characters that created the community of 1970s Key West. Even though it’s a novel, the book delivered—although I’ve never been to Key West, I felt like I’d spent a few days there. The book is hilarious, insane, and beautifully written in a style that only McGuane can offer. I’d love to know the backstories of this book’s main characters, as I suspect they are based on real people and real events from 40+ years ago—events that very well could have been even wilder and stranger than fiction. [Check out my recent podcast with Monte Burke to hear a discussion of Key West in the 70s and its foundational influence on today’s art and literature here in the American West. And for another wonderful book about fishing, check out Chris Dombrowski’s Body of Water: A Sage, a Seeker, and the World’s Most Alluring Fish.]

Zero to One: Notes of Startups, or How to Build the Future by Peter Thiel - I love books written by uber-successful people that confidently contradict conventual wisdom—particularly wisdom related to economic and business, my fields of study back in the day. In this book, Thiel—founder of PayPal and first investor in Facebook—turns many well-worn theories on their heads, including ideas related to monopolies, competition, and goal-driven societies. Many of the ideas were 100% new to me. Despite the heavy subject matter, the book is relatively short, easy to read, and entertaining-- much more fun to read than most books from my formal education. I’ll be interested to see how Thiel’s ideas age as they marinate in my brain over the coming months. But as of today, I’d say that this book shifted my thinking ever so slightly-- the mark of a great book. [One of the most memorable and useful books from graduate school was The Art of Strategy: A Game Theorist’s Guide to Success in Business and Life. I reference it often, even after reading it more than a decade ago.]

Painted Horses by Malcolm Brooks - I think the personal and societal shifts brought about by the pandemic may have altered my brain chemistry because I’m reading (and loving) novels more than ever before. If you enjoyed McMurty’s Lonesome Dove, then I can just about guarantee you will love Painted Horses. It’s a large-scale epic of the American West that marries rich characters, stunning landscapes, real-life history, and beautiful lyrical prose into a one-of-a-kind novel you won’t be able to put down. The novel is set in 1950s Montana, a time period I haven’t read much about (or if I did, it must not have made much of an impression). Like Grapes of Wrath above, Painted Horses illuminated many real-world historical issues and timeless truths, but in an entertaining manner that is much richer than plain-old history. Amazingly, Painted Horses was Brooks’s first published novel, so I’m anxiously awaiting his next one, set to be published this spring.  [Malcolm was kind enough to join me on the podcast to discuss this book and his writing process, as well as to answer my question about how in the hell a human can write so epically. Also, if you haven’t already, read Lonesome Dove.]

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Thanks again for subscribing to my bimonthly book recommendations. I've discovered most of my all-time favorite books through suggestions from friends like you, so please let me know of any must-read titles.

Please forward this email to any of your friends who may be interested… the more the merrier!

If you were forwarded this email and want to receive future editions, you can either sign up here or send me an email. One email every other month with a few books that I’ve recently read, enjoyed, and highly recommend.

Ed

---

Website: www.mountainandprairie.com
Podcast: www.mountainandprairie.com/podcast
Good News!: https://mountainandprairie.com/good-news/
Store: shop.mountainandprairie.com
Book Recommendations: www.mountainandprairie.com/reading
Instagram: @mtnprairie

Hello, friends!

Thanks to everyone who recently signed up for this email, as well as to all of you long-time subscribers who've been with me for more than five years. I'm happy that all these dang books I'm reading are adding some value to someone other than myself.  

Here's a list of my favorite books from 2020, along with a few rambling thoughts that may or may not make any sense.

And here are some excellent books I read during the first two months of 2021:

Thirteen Moons by Charles Fraiser - I don't read as much fiction as I should, but when I do, I'm drawn to epic, sweeping novels set in landscapes that I know and love. Thirteen Moons is one of those books-- it's set in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina and follows the life of a teenage orphan who is adopted by a Cherokee Chief. The book spans several notable historical periods, including the Trail of Tears and the Civil War, and it highlights the respective heartbreaks and horrors in that unique way that only novels can. But what I loved most about this book were his depictions of the lush, temperate landscape where I experienced my first serious-to-me outdoor adventures. Frazier (who also wrote Cold Mountain) is a master of describing the sights, smells, and sounds of the rhododendron-covered coves of the North Carolina mountains-- if someone can do it better, I need to read their work immediately. [Another epic novel that you need to read is Painted Horses by Malcolm Brooks.]
 

Team Of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World by Gen. Stanley McChrystal - I'm slightly obsessed with elite military leaders, so McChrystal's writings and media appearances always command my full attention. I mean, the guy only eats one meal a day and runs seven miles every day… how could I not be obsessed? This book explains the foundational shift in the U.S. military's leadership structure during the Iraq war of the 2000s. Technological advances rendered the U.S.'s tried-and-true top-down leadership model ineffective against an outgunned but tough and nimble insurgent force. As the war raged on, McChrystal had no choice but to upend traditional models and establish a more fluid, more open, more trusting system for distributing, analyzing, and responding to quickly changing information. The book is exceptionally well written, complex yet understandable, and offered me a new approach to leading and being led in today's fast-paced, information-overloaded world. [The best leadership book I've ever read is Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing.]
 

I Hate Running And You Can Too: How To Get Started, Keep Going, And Make Sense Of An Irrational Passion by Brendan Leonard - The uber-prolific Brendan Leonard is at it again, this time with optimistic and hilarious encouragement for runners of all stripes-- from even-keeled 5K enthusiasts to out-of-their-gourds 100-miler masochists, and everyone in between. Combining his trademark hand-drawn charts with insightful lessons from his own running adventures, Brendan explains why a commitment to the sometimes-silly practice of running is a worthy pursuit. While I love (and need) the encouragement for running, I believe the book's lessons can be applied to any "irrational passion"-- just substitute "writing" or "acting" or "creating" wherever the word "running" appears. Voilá, you've got yourself a customized book chock-full of level-headed, positive-minded encouragement to pursue whatever crazy, challenging passion is consuming you. I was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy-- the book will be officially released on March 16th. [And speaking of encouragement for creative projects, Brendan's Make It Till You Make It is a book I revisit often.]
 

Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson - While I always prefer books to marinate in my brain for a few months before making bold claims about them, I can confidently say that Caste redefined my framework for thinking about race and class here in the U.S. I grew up in the rural south, where there were very clear delineations between subsets of the population-- divisions often based on skin color. But after reading Wilkerson's analysis, I have a more substantive, holistic understanding of those divisions-- divisions created by what she defines as a caste system. Wilkerson combines a broad range of world and U.S. history with masterful analogies to make a strong case that racial divides here in the U.S. are a symptom of a larger, deeply rooted hierarchal social structure. I'm admittedly poorly read in subjects related to race and socioeconomic disparity, but I'm looking forward to continuing my exploration with books that will expand on Wilkerson's point of view-- and most importantly, challenge my own. [I'm currently being challenged by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz's An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States. Full recommendation coming in my April email.]

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Thanks again for subscribing to my bimonthly book recommendations. I've discovered most of my all-time favorite books through suggestions from friends like you, so please let me know of any must-read titles.

Please forward this email to any of your friends who may be interested… the more the merrier!

If you were forwarded this email and want to receive future editions, you can either sign up here or send me an email. One email every other month with a few books that I’ve recently read, enjoyed, and highly recommend.

Ed

---

Website: www.mountainandprairie.com
Podcast: www.mountainandprairie.com/podcast
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Store: shop.mountainandprairie.com
Book Recommendations: www.mountainandprairie.com/reading
Instagram: @mtnprairie

Howdy, folks,

I hope the first third of 2021 has treated you well, and that life is at least a little more stable for you today than it was this time last year.

Here are a few books I've read over the past two months. Hopefully, you'll find one or two that resonate.

Spirit Run: A 6,000-Mile Marathon Through North America's Stolen Land by Noé Álvarez - A good buddy sent me this book, insisting that I'd love it. I did. It's the true story of Noé Álvarez, a first-generation American of Mexican descent who walks away from a full scholarship at a well-regarded liberal arts college to run the length of North America. And the run was not some kind of high-dollar adventure travel "glamping" trip-- it was a hardcore, barebones grind alongside Native American runners who approached the endurance challenge with the reverence of a religious quest. While I enjoyed the adventure narrative that chronicled the run, what has stuck with me is Álvarez's descriptions of his parents' lives-- their harrowing journey to the U.S., the backbreaking work of processing fruit for minimum wage, and their perpetual struggle to avoid falling apart, both financially and physically. An eye-opening, perspective-shifting book for sure. [For a memorable adventure tale based in the Mexican wildlands, check out God's Middle Finger: Into the Lawless Heart of the Sierra Madre by Richard Grant]

The Home Place: Memoirs of a Colored Man's Love Affair with Nature by J. Drew Lanham - I was honored to be asked to interview Dr. Lanham for a virtual conference here in Colorado, so I quickly got to work absorbing all of his books and articles. He's a birder, naturalist, hunter-conservationist, professor, poet, writer, and Ph.D.-- a fascinating guy, to say the least. The Home Place is his personal story of growing up in rural South Carolina, a story that delves into his family's deep connections to the land and natural world. He also explores the sometimes opposing family forces that shaped him into "A mystical type-A... an oil and water amalgam whose soul is pulled to opposite poles." One of my favorite aspects of Dr. Lanham's story is how he walked away from a sure-fire career in engineering to pursue his passion for wildlife, despite the uncertainty and societal/racial pressures to follow the "normal path." An inspiring, enlightening, and memorable book. [If birds are your thing, I also recommend David Gessner's Soaring with Fidel: An Osprey Odyssey from Cape Cod to Cuba and Beyond.

Sparrow Envy: Field Guide to Birds and Lesser Beasts by J. Drew Lanham - This is Dr. Lanham's most recent book, a collection of poems, short stories, and meditations that run the gamut from eastern meadowlarks to whitetail deer, racial injustice to practical advice for birders. I'm generally intimidated and/or confused by poetry, but I connected with Sparrow Envy in an unexpected way. The book refined some of my own incomplete and evolving ideas regarding race and inclusion, while also rekindling my commitment to teaching my daughters about our backyard birds. Just as a powerful novel can sometimes communicate truths in a deeper, more visceral way, Dr. Lanham's poems provided much-needed insights across a range of topics that are important to me. [Two other books of poetry I've loved are Ragged Anthem by Chris Dombrowski and One Sentence Journal by Chris La Tray]

Hell's Angels: A Strange and Terrible Saga by Hunter S. Thompson - Despite never having read anything by him, I've disappeared down many a Thompson-inspired internet rabbit hole, gawking at his raucous lifestyle and prolific writing with an odd mix of admiration, aversion, and awe. I finally decided to turn off Youtube and open this book, and I was taken aback by his completely unique writing style. I've never experienced anything like his blend of pacing, sense of humor, journalistic bent, and personal boldness. In Hell's Angels, Thompson embeds himself into the notorious motorcycle gang and travels around California with the outlaws for many months during the 1960s. If you know anything about Hunter S. Thompson and the Hell's Angels, then you can probably guess what types of chaos ensue, and Thompson's ability to tell such a crazy story is second to none. The book offers fascinating history into post-WWII America, a fun entry point into Thompson's body of work, and a strange behind-the-scenes look into Thompson's insane lifestyle. [After reading Hell's Angels, you may need to cleanse the mental and spiritual pallette. I recommend Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life with the Heart of a Buddha by Tara Brach.]

The Dichotomy of Leadership: Balancing the Challenges of Extreme Ownership to Lead and Win by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin - And here it is, the obligatory military book. Dichotomy is the follow-up to their first book, Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy Seals Lead and Win, which is one of the most influential books I've read in the past decade. While Extreme Ownership focuses on the easy-to-misinterpret idea that leaders must take full responsibility for EVERYTHING, Dichotomy focuses on that confounding, very large gray area of leadership-- situations that require flexibility and finesse. They examine the fluid situations where a simple yes-or-no, black-or-white prescriptive solution will simply not work. As with Extreme Ownership, the authors offer real-life lessons from the battlefield countered with real-life case studies from the business world. These guys' experiences as highly decorated SEALs and renowned leadership consultants give them a unique perspective into leadership across the spectrum, and their theories are equally humble, effective, and wise. [Another influential military-focused book was Boyd: The Fighter Pilot Who Changed the Art of War by Robert Coram.]

And finally, two of my buddies recently released beautifully crafted coffee table books that I'll be proud to display for decades to come. For those of you connected to the tidal marshes and salt air of the Carolina coast, I recommend Undertones: Gifts of a Southern Tide by Douglas Cutting and Nan Young Carey. For those who love to venture into the wide-open spaces for days or weeks on end-- or just want to read about it and look at stunning photos-- I check out The Camping Life: Inspiration and Ideas for Endless Adventures by Brendan Leonard and Forest Woodward.

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Thanks again for subscribing to my bimonthly book recommendations. I've discovered most of my all-time favorite books through suggestions from friends like you, so please let me know of any must-read titles.

Please forward this email to any of your friends who may be interested… the more the merrier!

If you were forwarded this email and want to receive future editions, you can either sign up here or send me an email. One email every other month with a few books that I’ve recently read, enjoyed, and highly recommend.

Ed

---

Website: www.mountainandprairie.com
Podcast: www.mountainandprairie.com/podcast
Good News!: www.mountainandprairie.com/good-news
Store: shop.mountainandprairie.com
Book Recommendations: www.mountainandprairie.com/reading
Instagram: @mtnprairie

Happy July, everyone!

I hope all is well in your neck of the woods. All good here in Colorado-- full speed ahead.

Here are a few books I read during the past two months, and each of them added value to my life in a different way. I hope you find a few that pique your interest.

Quiet Desperation, Savage Delight: Sheltering with Thoreau in the Age of Crisis by David Gessner - The uber-prolific David Gessner is at it again, this time diving deep into the life of one of his most significant literary and personal influences: Henry David Thoreau. But rather than write a book on some obscure, yet-to-be-analyzed aspect of Thoreau, Gessner extracts the most valuable ideas from Thoreau’s life and offers them to us, the readers, as tools for dealing with this nutty world we’re living in. The book begins in March 2020, just as society was realizing the threat of COVID, and follows Gessner through the rest of the year, as he attempts to find his way through the ensuing madness using Henry's wisdom as a guide. He obviously digs into important Thoreau-ish themes such as self-reliance and civil disobedience, but also meanders into many other prescient topics-- our overly connected electronic world, climate change, the creative process, his famed waterfront writing shack, and more. A timely, wise, important, hilarious, irreverent, and useful book that could not have entered my life at a better time. [For another take on global pandemics, check out Peter Heller’s The Dog Stars.]

A World Without Email: Reimagining Work in an Age of Communication Overload by Cal Newport - Through his books, blog, and podcast, Cal Newport has been the Obi-Wan to my Luke in providing me the tools to fight off the ever-increasing onslaught of information overload. A PhD-level computer scientist by trade, Newport understands the value of technology but fairly and clearly analyzes its downsides, especially when it comes to social media and email. The first half of this book is Newport’s thorough and convincing argument detailing why email is inefficient, as well as some history on how it became the ubiquitous tool that dominates so much of our days. The second half offers some reasonable alternatives to email, mostly through case studies of businesses that have managed to bypass the “hyperactive hive mind” work culture that email encourages. [Newport’s book Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World is one of the most important books I’ve read.]

Effortless: Make It Easier to Do What Matters Most by Greg McKeown - As you can probably tell from this title and the one above, I’m becoming obsessed with decreasing distraction. My goal is to focus much less on nonsense and significantly more on the important-to-me, truly enjoyable projects that fill my to-do list. In this quick and easy-to-read follow-up to his best-selling book Essentialism, McKeown offers specific techniques for accomplishing the most important tasks in your life, but without the whole "nose to the grindstone" tough-guy mentality. While I didn’t think that it offered any new-to-me, perspective-shifting ideas, it did offer many fresh, actionable tactics and thought exercises that have proven to be beneficial. I particularly connected with the ideas in the chapters “Invert: What If This Could Be Easy” and “Start: The First Obvious Action,” but I underlined sections in every chapter. [One of the best productivity books I’ve read in years was Atomic Habits by James Clear.]

Sidecountry: Tales of Death and Life from the Back Roads of Sports by John Branch: If you’re not a sports fan but have found yourself engrossed by a New York Times sports story, odds are, that story was written by John Branch. Branch says he likes to write about “ordinary people tangled in something extraordinary,” and sports just happens to be the common theme that binds all of his work together. Whether writing about the first ascent of the Dawn Wall on Yosemite’s El Capítan, the super-intense world of competitive dog grooming, or even the death of Kobe Bryant, Branch always gives the reader an unexpected perspective on a story that they may not have even known they wanted to read. Sidecountry is a collection of Branch’s twenty favorite stories from his career at the Times, including his Pulitzer Prize-winning story Snowfall. A perfect book to pick up for a quick chapter or to read all the way through. [You can listen to my conversation with John, or, for another excellent book of past stories, read Hampton Sides’ Americana: Dispatches from the New Frontier.]

Blood Is Not The Water by Mara Panich - As many of you longtime subscribers may have noticed, books of poetry are ever-so-slowly appearing more frequently on this list. I’m still in the learning phase and don’t have many of my own opinions about poetry. But, if someone I respect recommends a specific book of poetry, I read it. This book was recommended by friend, poet, and author Chris La Tray, who-- whether he knows it or not-- has exposed me to many new and challenging ideas. While I’m no expert, Blood Is Not The Water gave me the feeling of spending some time inside the mind of a strong, tough, creative, unapologetic, deep-thinking woman who has thought intensely about we humans can find our place in this weird world. I’ll look forward to revisiting these poems in the years to come. [Chris also recommended Braided Creek: A Conversation in Poetry by Jim Harrison and Ted Kooser, which has a permanent spot on my desk.]

Freedom by Sebastian Junger - I will read anything that Sebastian Junger writes. This short-n-sweet book is really more of a long essay, and it digs into the question of what the ridiculously overused word “freedom” actually means. In a style that is completely unique to Junger, he efficiently melds ideas from history, sociology, war journalism, sports, and more to offer up a well-crafted examination of what it means to be truly free. The book is built around the story of Junger’s 400-mile hike of an East Coast railroad line, which he completed with a few friends and his dog. Are they free to do whatever they want and go wherever they please? Or are they bound by reliance on each other for food and safety, and therefore not free at all? In the end, it doesn’t seem that Junger has a hard-and-fast definition of freedom-- just like all things related to humans, it’s complicated. But I did love this quote: “...the inside joke about freedom… is that you’re always trading obedience to one thing for obedience to another.” [Junger’s book Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging is one of my all-time favorites.]

Pushed Out: Contested Development and Rural Gentrification in the US West by Ryanne Pilgeram - Full disclosure, I have not yet finished this book, but it is incredibly impactful-- it’s a book I’ve been hoping someone would write for many, many years. Ever since Europeans set foot in the American West, there has been a cartoonish level of feast and famine-- frantic extraction of resources followed by a bust that leaves the boomers running for the coasts and a huge mess in their wakes. Pilgeram is a college professor who brings her academic expertise to help us readers understand how these wild cycles impact rural communities, specifically examining how economically depressed towns respond when they become havens for tourism and second homes. Pilgeram has a talent for presenting dense, academic research in an engaging and fun-to-read style, and I think this book should be required reading for anyone who works in land conservation in the West. [For more on the idea of “Boomers" and "Stickers,” read Wendell Berry’s It All Turns on Affection: The Jefferson Lecture and Other Essays.]

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Thanks again for subscribing to my bimonthly book recommendations. I've discovered most of my all-time favorite books through suggestions from friends like you, so please let me know of any must-read titles.

Please forward this email to any of your friends who may be interested… the more the merrier!

If you were forwarded this email and want to receive future editions, you can either sign up here or send me an email. One email every other month with a few books that I’ve recently read, enjoyed, and highly recommend.

Ed

---

Website: www.mountainandprairie.com
Podcast: www.mountainandprairie.com/podcast
Good News!: www.mountainandprairie.com/good-news
Store: shop.mountainandprairie.com
Book Recommendations: www.mountainandprairie.com/reading
Instagram: @mtnprairie

Howdy folks,

I hope everyone has had a fun summer and that you're excited for some cooler, crisper fall days. All good here in Colorado. I've spent an inordinate amount of time on the trails during July and August, which has been extremely fun. But devoting large chunks of my weekend to either running or being exhausted from running has cramped my normal reading routine. 

So you'll see below that, for the first time, audiobooks have crept onto this list. I've discovered that as long as the author reads the book, it can be engaging and fun, and I don't zone out as I do when they are read by dramatic-sounding voiceover pros. While I will always prefer holding a physical book in my hands, certain audiobooks have proven to be a functional alternative that allows me to "read" while shuffling along a trail for hours on end.

September will be pretty heavy on the trail time, so let me know if you have any especially good audiobooks that I may enjoy. Then it's bye-bye to the iPhone and earbuds, and back to the old-fashioned paper books.

But whether you're into audio, ebooks, or paper, I hope a few of these titles pique your interest:

Sugar in the Blood: A Family's Story of Slavery and Empire by Andrea Stuart - I've recently become obsessed with sugar, mostly because the sight of a distant pack of Sour Patch Kids instantly transforms my well-behaved young daughters into wild beasts. I had a hunch that the history of sugar would be somewhere between disturbing and horrifying, and this book confirms that, yes, it's horrifying. Stuart traces her family's lineage back to the 17th Century when her ancestor immigrated to Barbados to build a new life in the new world. From there, the business of sugar shaped her family tree for centuries to come. While I loved this book and all of its storylines, its descriptions of the horrors of slavery and the slave trade are permanently burned into my psyche. I was surprised to learn how the Caribbean sugar business perfected the model of plantation-based agriculture-- a model that would go on to be the basis for the slave-based economy of the American South. A powerful, memorable book that filled some big gaps in my understanding of history. [For another fascinating read about a rough business, check out The Fish That Ate the Whale: The Life and Times of America's Banana King by Rich Cohen] 

Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know by Adam Grant (audiobook) - I'm not sure when Adam Grant started working on this book, but its publication could not have come at a better time. It's about the importance of changing our mind-- of being perpetually curious, always seeking out new ideas, and being willing, even excited, to adjust our mental models when new information is presented. One of my favorite parts of the book is his discussion of imposter syndrome and how doubting oneself can create a level of humility and curiosity that keeps individuals sharp and intellectually humble. Overall, I'm in complete agreement with Grant's ideas on this topic-- the whole reason I read all these dang books is to eliminate blind spots and change my mind on topics as needed. As Sam Harris says, "I don't want to be wrong for a moment longer than I have to be." I hope that many people will read (or listen to) this book. We’d all be better off if everyone were slightly more curious and flexible in their thinking. [Michael Pollan's How to Change Your Mind offers a drastically different approach to flexible thinking.]

Discipline Equals Freedom: Field Manual by Jocko Willink (audiobook) - I read the paper version of this book several years ago and enjoyed it-- hard-nosed advice from a former Navy SEAL about how to live a more disciplined life. But a few months ago, I revisited it in audio format, and I have become obsessed. No exaggeration, I have listened to the book's "Part One" at least ten times over the past few months. If you're not familiar with Jocko, you'd be justified if your first impression was something along the lines of "Wow, this guy is intense" or "This is a little over the top." I even had similar first thoughts. But as I've piped Jocko's voice into my head for many hours over many weeks, his wisdom regarding leadership, discipline, and living a meaningful life are proving to be straightforward and effective. He offers no "hacks" or shortcuts, just firm, time-and-battle-tested wisdom-- wisdom that is directly benefiting me today. [Another powerful audio recording that I've listened to many, many times is Don't Bite the Hook by Pema Chodron.]

Close Range: Wyoming Stories and Bad Dirt: Wyoming Stories 2 by Annie Proulx - When time is tight or I'm just too damn tired to read for extended periods of time, I turn to short story compilations to keep my reading momentum moving forward. Someone gave me these books back in early July, I've thoroughly enjoyed reading a story or two either before bed or as I'm lying on the sofa nursing sore legs. The most popular story from these two volumes is Brokeback Mountain, which is obviously an exceptional piece of writing. But the story that I continue to think and wonder about is The Hellhole, the first story in Volume 2. I even dreamed about it. In all of these stories, Proulx merges her poetic writing style with her deep connection to the Wyoming landscape to create stories that are fun to read... but continue to rattle around in my brain for many weeks later. I'm looking forward to exploring more of her novels. [A few other short story compilations for your consideration: Sidecountry by John Branch, Americana by Hampton Sides, A Man's Life by Mark Jenkins, The Best of Outside by Outside Magazine, Pecked to Death by Ducks by Tim Cahill, and Kick Ass: Selected Columns of Carl Hiaasen.]
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Thanks again for subscribing to my bimonthly book recommendations. I've discovered most of my all-time favorite books through suggestions from friends like you, so please let me know of any must-read titles.

Please forward this email to any of your friends who may be interested… the more the merrier!

If you were forwarded this email and want to receive future editions, you can either sign up here or send me an email. One email every other month with a few books that I’ve recently read, enjoyed, and highly recommend.

Ed

---

Website: www.mountainandprairie.com
Podcast: www.mountainandprairie.com/podcast
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Store: shop.mountainandprairie.com
Book Recommendations: www.mountainandprairie.com/reading
Instagram: @mtnprairie

Happy Halloween, everybody:

Some of you long-time subscribers will be surprised to see that 2/7ths of these books are fiction. As you may remember, it used to take me two years to get through that number of novels. More evidence that the last twenty months have rewired my brain.

And amazingly, this email marks SIX YEARS of sending out these bimonthly recommendations. A huge thanks to my thirty friends who received my first email and were kind enough to share it with others. And now, a heartfelt thank you to the thousands (!!!) of you who read and generously share my weird opinions about books. I sincerely appreciate everyone’s time and interest. Here’s to the next six years!

Now, on to the books:

A Walking Life: Reclaiming Our Health and Our Freedom One Step at a Time by Antonia Malchik - It's no secret that here in America, we are deeply mired in an impressive mess of societal crises. While there is obviously no one-size-fits-all panacea, a recommitment to the simple act of walking could be an excellent place to start. In this informative and wide-ranging book, Malchik explores the importance of walking from physical, mental, and societal perspectives. She also investigates how we humans' transition from bipedal mobility to car-centric transportation has eroded our health and communities. Malchik's writing style reminds me a bit of Bill Bryson's-- she seamlessly transitions from one fascinating topic to another, bringing the reader along for an engaging journey across a wide range of topics that go far beyond the book's primary subject matter. [For more on community and mental health, check out Lost Connections: Why You're Depressed and How to Find Hope by Johann Hari.]

The Guide by Peter Heller - If you've ever driven the off-the-beaten-path road from Colorado's Taylor Reservoir to Crested Butte, then you know the spectacular setting for this novel. Even in real life, it's a prime location for an action-packed thriller-- the landscape is remote, rugged, at times suffocating, and mostly owned by the 1%-of-the-1%. I love everything Peter Heller writes-- both fiction and nonfiction-- but The Guide may be my favorite to date. It combines Heller's uncanny ability to describe western terrain and the art of fly fishing with his gift of writing a suspenseful, page-turner of a tale. The story is also structured around several present-day, front-of-mind storylines, including a global pandemic and the weird obsessions of odd-ball billionaires. I cranked through this book in a single day, an accomplishment that speaks less to my reading speed than to the super-addictive quality of this book. [For insights into Heller's writing process, check out my 2019 conversation with him.]

The Exotic: Intrigue and Cultural Ruin in the Age of Imperialism by Hampton Sides - Just when I'd begrudgingly accepted the grim reality that I would have to wait at least two more years for Sides' next book, he goes and releases The Exotic. It's much shorter than his typical 400+ page tomes but much longer than a magazine article, giving the reader a chance to soak in Sides' one-of-a-kind historical storytelling in just a few hours of reading. The Exotic details the life and unbelievable adventures of Mai, who was the first Polynesian to set foot on British soil. In 1774, Mai hitched a ride to England with Captain James Cook, where he spent several years hobnobbing with the highest of high society, including King George. Despite being a commoner in his Polynesian culture, Mai was a genuine celebrity in Europe, which made his eventual return to the South Pacific quite jarring, at times comical, and eventually tragic. A wonderfully entertaining tale about a little-known historical figure whose story deserved to be told. The Exotic is available exclusively on Scribd. [Another of my favorite Sides books is Hellhound on His Trail: The Electrifying Account of the Largest Manhunt in American History.] 

Arbitrary Stupid Goal by Tamara Shopsin - A big thanks to my pal Brendan for recommending this fantastic book-- there is a 0% chance I would've read it without his enthusiastic endorsement. I've never encountered a book quite like it. Everything from its meandering, time-jumping storyline to the seemingly random number of words on each page created a completely unique-to-me reading experience. It's the hilarious and surprisingly touching story of the author's upbringing in New York City's frenetic Greenwich Village, a community defined by one-of-a-kind characters and some of the more bizarre tales I can remember reading. But buried within the craziness are some impactful lessons about community, family, creativity, and purpose-- lessons that are still rattling around in my head two months later. I'm not sure how Shopsin convinced a publisher to take a chance on such an unorthodox book, but she did and I'm glad and my life is better for having read it. [Another weird and hilarious book is David Sedaris's When You Are Engulfed in Flames.] 

Gunfight: My Battle Against the Industry That Radicalized America by Ryan Busse - For many years, Ryan Busse was one of the country's top gun salesmen. Over the course of his career, he transformed a small, fledgling gun company into an internationally recognized brand and was repeatedly recognized by the NRA as a top-performing firearms executive. But Busse's love of public lands and conservation, combined with his dogged refusal to be bullied or told what to think, led to an awakening of sorts-- a realization that the firearms industry had transformed from a sportsman-centered business into a politically driven machine that uses decisiveness and fear to grow profits. To be clear: This is not an anti-gun book. Rather, it's a nuanced examination of how and why the gun industry moved toward such extreme rhetoric, written by a uniquely qualified insider. If you're sick of binary thinking and looking for a thoughtful explanation of guns and gun culture, I highly recommend you give Gunfight a read. [And if my simple mention of the word "gun" infuriates you from either a left or right-wing perspective, please don't email me. Instead, read All the Rage: Buddhist Wisdom on Anger and Acceptance.] 

Shotgun Lovesongs by Nickolas Butler - Okay, I'm now officially a Nickolas Butler superfan. Back in August, I read, loved, and recommended Godspeed, his most recent novel. I'm now plowing through all of his work, starting with Shotgun Lovesongs, his debut novel. It's the story of four friends who grew up together in small-town Wisconsin-- men who are now in their mid-thirties and are working their way through the familiar challenges that accompany the ebb and flow of life as a grown-up. I've never been to Wisconsin, nor am I a member of an inseparable cohort of brother-like childhood friends. Still, Butler's masterful storytelling made me feel a deep connection to all of the characters, as well as Wisconsin. I was fully consumed by the story from page five onward, and, as all great novels do, it explored specific themes (friendship, community, love, work) more thoroughly and intensely than any nonfiction work could ever do. I'm excited to dig into more Butler novels in the coming months. [A novel I think about daily is Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath.] 

Powder Days: Ski Bums, Ski Towns and the Future of Chasing Snow by Heather Hansman - For many years, I've wished that someone would write a book about the social, economic, and environmental complexities of ski communities-- so I'm thankful that Heather Hansman apparently read my mind and did it. Hansman is the perfect person to write this book. She's an accomplished outdoor journalist who also logged many years as a bonafide ski bum in resort communities around the West. Drawing on her past personal experiences scraping by in ski towns coupled with present-day journalistic research in areas ranging from Jackson Hole to Silverton, Hansman investigates all aspects of American ski culture, from its post-WWII historical roots to today's issues of climate change and income inequality. Whether you're a hardcore skier (I am not) or a curious observer of the evolving culture of the outdoor recreation (I am), I wholeheartedly recommend this educational, entertaining, insightful, witty, and timely book. [For deep insights into another obsessive sport, read Monte Burke's Lords of the Fly: Madness, Obsession, and the Hunt for the World Record Tarpon.)

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Thanks again for subscribing to my bimonthly book recommendations. I've discovered most of my all-time favorite books through suggestions from friends like you, so please let me know of any must-read titles.

Please forward this email to any of your friends who may be interested… the more the merrier!

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Ed

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Happy New Year, everyone!

I hope you are wrapping up 2021 on a high note and that good things are in store for 2022. To all of my friends in and around Boulder County, I hope you are safe and have escaped the worst of these insane wind-driven wildfires. Hang in there.

Over the past two months, I put almost no thought into the books I read– I just zoned in on whatever happened to catch my attention. Now, as I write this up, it appears that I have been in a bit of a self-reflective mood. Perhaps embarrassingly self-reflective. Lots of titles related to psychology, mindfulness, and the struggle to balance competing obligations and limited brain space. But I enjoyed every one of them and learned a lot, so I hope you find a few worth reading.

If none of these books resonate, you can head over to my website and check out my newest post: 18 Book Recs for My 18-Year-Old Self. It's also a bit inward-facing but hopefully offers some valuable insights into the importance of reading, as well as a few specific books that could change your life for the better, no matter your age.

Okay, enough of my blabbing. Here's the latest round of books:

The Hearts of Men by Nickolas Butler - This is the third Nickolas Butler novel I've read in the past five months, and once again, he knocks it out of the park. The Hearts of Men traces the lives of two young boys into adulthood– from their early, formative experiences at a Wisconsin summer camp, all the way through the Vietnam War and deep into middle age. In all of his work, Butler has a remarkable ability to dig deep into emotional, sometimes-hard-to-talk-about concerns that can consume the psyches of men– ideas around duty, work ethic, bravery, loyalty, community, and the depths of friendship. (At least these are some of the things that rattle around in my man-brain, but I could be projecting.) At times intense, at other times heartbreaking, Butler uses his characters and the Wisconsin landscape to explore relatable, important ideas about people, relationships, and our complex lives– ideas that are best understood through masterfully crafted fiction just like this. [I'll go ahead and re-recommend the other Butler novels I've read: Godspeed and Shotgun Lovesongs.]

The Molecule of More: How a Single Chemical in Your Brain Drives Love, Sex, and Creativity--And Will Determine the Fate of the Human Race by Michael E Long and Daniel Z Lieberman - Could this be the world's longest subtitle? Seems excessive. But don't let the cover's wordiness scare you off. I found this book to be a quick read and highly educational, and it gave me some new insights into why we humans act as crazy as we do. On a very primitive, biological level, we're programmed to crave specific things and activities, and dopamine is the culprit inside our noggins that powers all of our incessant impulses. The book is organized around areas of life that often reveal humans' nuttiest behavior–love, drugs, politics, etc.–and then the authors break down dopamine's role in encouraging said nuttiness. I learned a lot from this book, but would've loved a deeper dive into dopamine's involvement with our addiction phones/internet/social media, although that topic would likely need to be a book unto itself. [For a detailed audio introduction to dopamine and its effects, check out this Stanford professor Andrew Huberman's podcast on the topic.]

A Decade of Howler Brothers - I've had the great fortune of getting to know some of the all-stars behind the Austin, TX-based brand Howler Brothers– a one-of-a-kind, outrageously creative outdoor apparel company that blends "surf culture mixed with vintage western wear mixed with streetwear mixed with tiki gods mixed with fly fishing all set to the soudtrack of a dub reggae mariachi country band." This five-pound behemoth of a coffee table book is a celebration of Howler's first ten years in business. It features 300 pages of photography, art, design, and words from renowned fly fishing guide JT Van Zandt and Howler's founders Chase Heard and Andy Stepanian. The team at Howler have served as great inspiration to me that it is indeed possible to meld together seemingly outlandish and unrelated passions into one single vision-- a vision that can resonate with a surprisingly large tribe of like-minded weirdos, if presented with humor, humility, and authenticity. I consider this less of a "book" and more of an instruction manual for creative thinking and sharing your own original ideas with the world. [If running and creativity are your things, check out I Hate Running and You Can Too by Brendan Leonard.]

Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman - For the last few years, I've become more and more skeptical of the omnipresent productivity gurus and their promises of "inbox zero" and other increasingly ridiculous "life hacks." In this book, Burkeman respectfully yet thoroughly destroys the foundational ideals of uber-productivity cults. He makes a strong case that the very act of endlessly seeking to squeeze more and more out of every minute is the main source of many people's anxiety and discontent. My two main takeaways are: 1) Tight constraints-- on time, attention, and options-- will lead to more contentment over the long haul than having the freedom to do whatever the hell you want whenever you choose, and 2) The pursuit of "getting it all done" is a game that you cannot win, so focus on prioritization, quit frantically rushing, and don't take yourself so seriously. It's more of a philosophical treatise than a "tools & tactics" manual, and I'm sure I will reread it in the coming months. Highly recommend!

Taking the Leap: Freeing Ourselves from Old Habits and Fears by Pema Chodron - I've said it many times, but I firmly believe that Pema is one of the wisest humans ever to walk the earth. She has an uncanny ability to present complex, sometimes woo-woo, ideas around mindfulness and spirituality in a relatable and easily understandable manner, even for a lunk like me. Taking the Leap follows the format of many of her other books– relatively short but powerful chapters that can be read individually or as a whole. Using Buddhist principles (without being preachy or indoctrinating), she offers up ideas that have helped me become more aware of just how wild and out of control my mind is. Most importantly, she offers actionable insights that have allowed me to (sometimes) not get caught up in the chaos of my consciousness. I owe Pema a lot... as does my wife, because my wife is the one who has to deal with me on a daily basis! [If you are new to Pema and looking for a good entry point, I recommend When Things Fall Apart: Heartfelt Advice for Difficult Times.]

7 Treasures of Awakening: The Benefits of Mindfulness by Joseph Goldstein - This book was sitting mostly unread on my Kindle, originally downloaded in 2014. It's a lengthy excerpt from Goldstein's well-known book Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Awakening. I'm not sure what prompted me to start reading it again, but I'm glad I did. Goldstein is one of the United States' most admired mindfulness teachers, receiving top praise from everyone from the most committed Buddhists to the most vocal atheists. If you are new to mindfulness or Buddhist theory, I would suggest you steer clear of this book for the time being–I'm guessing that when I started it back in 2014, I promptly spaced out in the midst of all the Dharma jargon. But now, nearly eight years later and more deeply entrenched in mindfulness lingo, I found the book very meaningful and useful, even for a non-Buddhist like me. [You can listen to some lectures from Goldstein on Sam Harris's meditation app, which you can try out for free for seven days.]

Relentless Solution Focus: Train Your Mind to Conquer Stress, Pressure, and Underperformance and Organize Tomorrow Today: 8 Ways to Retrain Your Mind to Optimize Performance at Work and in Life both by Jason Selk and various co-authors - As mentioned above, for the past few years, I've made a concerted effort to avoid self-help-type books–certain people (i.e., I) can get quickly sucked down a rabbit hole of seeking out the latest and greatest system that promises to solve all of their (i.e., my) problems. Selk is a well-regarded Major League Baseball sports psychologist, and both of these books are mostly focused on training yourself to be "relentlessly" committed to action and finding solutions, rather than getting hung up in the cycle of over-thinking and complaining. Like any ideas, Selk's are worthless without execution, but I've had surprising success implementing a few of his techniques into my professional and personal lives over the past eight weeks. His ideas are simple, nothing groundbreaking here, but something about his presentation struck a chord with me, and perhaps they will with you too. [And completely unrelated to this book or any on this list, but it popped in my head so I want to recommended it: The Last American Man by Elizabeth Gilbert. One of my all-time favs.]

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Apologies once again for the way-too-detailed tour of the internal workings of mind over the past two months. I'll be back to my usual fare of books in 2022. Happy New Year, and thank you for your continued support and interest in my weird opinions about books.

ONWARD! 

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Thanks again for subscribing to my bimonthly book recommendations. I've discovered most of my all-time favorite books through suggestions from friends like you, so please let me know of any must-read titles.

Please forward this email to any of your friends who may be interested… the more the merrier!

If you were forwarded this email and want to receive future editions, you can either sign up here or send me an email. One email every other month with a few books that I’ve recently read, enjoyed, and highly recommend.

Ed

---

Website: www.mountainandprairie.com
Podcast: www.mountainandprairie.com/podcast
Good News!: www.mountainandprairie.com/good-news
Book Recommendations: www.mountainandprairie.com/reading
Support: www.mountainandprairie.com/support/
Store: shop.mountainandprairie.com
Instagram: @mtnprairie