Happy May, folks!

Here are a few books from the past two months that I read, enjoyed, and highly recommend:

War by Sebastian Junger - If you’ve been following my recommendations for a while, then you’re probably sick and tired of my repeated touting of Junger’s Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging, which is one of the most impactful books I’ve read. War is the story that informed many of the foundational ideas in Tribe, and it details Junger's time embedded with an Army platoon at a deadly outpost in the unforgiving mountains of Afghanistan. Yes, War is obviously about war, but to me, the book is more about the brotherhood that binds young men who find themselves united against a common enemy, surrounded by perpetual mind-scrambling danger, dependent on each other to stay alive. Junger does a masterful job helping someone like me (who never served) understand how war can be simultaneously miserable, addictive, and desirable, and why it has been such a right of passage for young men for as long as we humans have been fighting with each other. [To hear Junger discuss this topic for an hour, check out this podcast episode: Why Men Seek Danger.]

The Fixed Stars by Molly Wizenberg - When I read a memoir, I’m not looking for entertainment, I want to learn. And my favorite memoirs are those in which I share little in common with the author, yet their skill as a writer allows me to deeply connect with their story, understand their motivations and choices, and finish the book with a wider perspective or new way of looking at the world. I have very little interest in having my ideas confirmed or affirmed– I want to stretch and stress test my notions, to uncover any blatant holes in my thinking. So a huge thank you to the wonderful Molly Wizenberg for offering this raw, vulnerable, hopeful, and at times heartbreaking look into her life, one that made me think hard about the power of our self-imposed identities, personal evolution, and familial bonds. And while I would’ve enjoyed the book under any circumstances, it was an added bonus that Molly just so happens to be a fun, funny, and down-to-earth human. To hear for yourself, check out our podcast conversation.

The Martian by Andy Weir - I have no idea why this book popped into my consciousness or why it rose to the top of my way-too-long need-to-read list. But it did, and I’m glad, and I loved it. I read very few novels, I’m usually not a fan of science fiction, but this book had me locked in from the first few pages. The main character was legitimately hilarious, and, as far as I could tell, the details of the story seemed to be rooted in real-life science/physics/space/smart-people stuff. And as an added bonus, it’s written in a manner that flatters the ego of a not-so-smart liberal arts graduate like me by making me feel that I fully understand the physics of interplanetary rocket science. But I was especially intrigued by the backstory of the author and how he came to write such a runaway best-seller-turned-blockbuster movie. The book started out as a series of blog posts that he then turned into a $0.99 self-published ebook... and it took off from there. Fun book, fun backstory, highly recommended. [And speaking of action-packed novels, if you haven’t already, read The Painter by Peter Heller.]

Industrial Society and Its Future by FC aka Ted Kaczynski aka The Unabomber - In my seven and a half years of sending out these emails, this may seem like the strangest title I’ve recommended. But there’s no way around it– the “Unabomber Manifesto” is a thought-provoking read. While I admittedly have a tough time separating the book’s ideas from its author, there are several sections that are amazingly prescient to today’s headlines around polarized politics and exponentially advancing technology. But unfortunately for Kaczynski, his sometimes-impressive premonitions and theories aren't good for much other than serving as a kind of historical sideshow spectacle. Rather than using his exceptional intellectual horsepower to actually effect change, he chose to sit in a cabin alone for 20 years, fuming about how things ought to be, and occasionally lashing out violently. While Kaczynski seemed to believe the was some sort of revolutionary-- the hero of his own story-- I see his life as a cautionary tale of wasted potential, delusions of grandeur, and the murky gray area that can sometimes separate genius and insanity.

Crow Fair, Gallatin Canyon, and Cloudbursts by Thomas McGuane - As you can see, I’m going deep down the rabbit hole of McGuane short stories, and I’m loving it. With these three collections, I’ve been happily jumping from book to book, story to story, and have yet to finish them all. There’s nothing I can write here that would do justice to McGuane’s skill as a storyteller– let’s just say he’s a literary genius and leave it at that. But what really intrigues me about him is the intensity and single-mindedness that he seems to bring to all aspects of his life– from writing to fishing to roping and everything in between. And how he transformed from a singularly focused, straight-laced aspiring novelist into a Key West wild man known as “Captain Berserko” and then back again to a singularly focused wordsmith. Being blessed with an all-or-nothing personality myself, I’m always seeking guidance from those who have corralled that sometimes-challenging personality trait into something productive. While I haven’t discovered McGuane’s secret quite yet, I expect to have it all figured out once I’m through all these stories. Reasonable expectation, right? [Another collection I loved and revisit often is Chris la Tray's One-Sentence Journal.]

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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

---

mountainandprairie.com
edroberson.co
@mtnprairie

Hello everyone!

I hope your summers (or winters) are off to a wonderful start. All good here in Colorado– full speed ahead. 

Much of my reading over the past two months was in preparation for a slew of podcast interviews with some of my favorite authors. My reading and note-taking definitely take on a new level of intensity when I know I’ll be talking to the person who actually wrote the book!

I hope you find a few titles that pique your interest. Have a great July.
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Grizzly Years: In Search of the American Wilderness by Doug Peacock - From the earliest days of my podcast, guests have consistently recommended this book as a must-read about the American West. Now I understand why. It’s Peacock’s story of finding healing and purpose in the aftermath of the violence of the Vietnam War– an odyssey that began when he wandered into the backcountry of Yellowstone National Park while in the throes of a malaria-induced fever dream. When he came to, he was in the world of grizzlies, and– unlike me, who would’ve screamed and cried and run for my life– he stayed, forming a deep bond with the beautiful-but-deadly animals. Doug credits the grizzlies with saving his life, and he has spent the majority of his life entirely focused on protecting them. A must-read for anyone who loves the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, grizzlies, or purpose-driven humans. [Doug was the inspiration for the character Hayduke in his pal Ed Abbey’s classic The Monkey Wrench Gang.]

Was it Worth It? A Wilderness Warrior’s Long Trail Home by Doug Peacock - This is Peacock’s most recent book, a collection of some of his incredible adventures protecting wild places. From the deserts of North America to the wilds of Russia to the coasts of Central America and British Columbia, Peacock takes the reader to beautiful and sometimes-unforgiving landscapes– landscapes that would surely be ruined without the protection of eco-warriors like Peacock. While I loved the adventure stories, I was most struck by Peacock’s long-lasting friendships with many high-powered personalities– Yvon Chouinard, Jim Harrison, Ed Abbey, Rick Ridgeway, Doug Tompkins, and more. I’m fascinated by how that crew of rebellious legends fed off each other’s energy, increasing their impact both individually and collectively. Also, Was it Worth It? was published by Patagonia Books, so it’s jam-packed with stunning photos, making it more of a work of art than a simple book. [If you haven’t already, read Life Lived Wild by Rick Ridgeway, another beautiful book by a living legend.] [And here are my conversations with both Doug and Rick.]

River Teeth: Stories and Writings and My Story as Told by Water: Confessions, Druidic Rants, Reflections, Bird-watchings, Fish-stalkings, Visions, Songs and Prayers Refracting Light, From Living Rivers, in the Age of the Industrial Dark by David James Duncan - Back in 2002, I was headed off on my first big adventure in really big mountains. On the flight to Mendoza, my buddy handed me his tattered copy of The River Why and said: “Read this.” Who would’ve ever guessed that more than two decades after that initial cinematic introduction to the great David James Duncan, I’d be sitting on a stage with him, trying to ask coherent questions about his legendary life’s work? In preparation for my interview, I focused on these two collections of essays– powerful, vulnerable, sometimes-hilarious, sometimes-heartbreaking tales from his life of writing, activism, fishing, and deep thinking. Even though he’s operating on a much higher intellectual and spiritual plane than me, Duncan has the rare ability to make his nuanced, poetic ideas about place, spirituality, death, loss, and fly fishing enlightening, even to an averaged-brained human like me. I especially connected with Who Owns the West: Seven Wrong Answers, The Non Sense of Place, Beauty/Violence/Grief/Frenzy/Love: On the Contemplative Versus the Activist Life, and The Mickey Mantle Koan, but every single essay is worth multiple reads. [Duncan’s newest masterpiece, Sun House, will be published on 8/8– so be on the lookout for my Sun House recommendation and our podcast episode later this summer.]

Make It: 50 Myths and Truths about Creating by Brendan Leonard - Brendan is one of the most prolific artists I know, consistently cranking out an extremely high quality/quantity of books, essays, cartoons, films, and newsletters year after year after year. If you’re wondering how he does it, you’re in luck– in this new book, he shares 50 ideas about the creative process. Combining his cartoons with hilariously insightful essays– with the occasional F word thrown in for emphasis– Brendan destroys the nonsensical excuses that people like me use to talk themselves out of doing creative work. According to Brendan, it’s a “polite but firm kick in the ass” to help people get going. And not that Brendan needs my endorsement, but I credit his example and approach with helping me to transform my little creative side projects into a full-time job. Great book. It’ll make you make. [Another excellent book on this subject is Seth Godin’s The Practice.]

A Traveler’s Guide to the End of the World: Tales for Fire, Wind, and Water by David Gessner - And speaking of prolific, David Gessner is back! This time, his focus is climate change. A dour topic for sure, but, as we’ve come to expect from Gessner, he injects humor and wit into all of his writing, which makes the medicine go down a little smoother. A Traveler’s Guide chronicles his journeys around the country, where he finds himself in a variety of climate disasters-- from historic forest fires in the American West to hurricanes on North Carolina’s Outer Banks. Eschewing the ubiquitous facts, figures, and policy debates that often dominate climate-focused books, David does what he does best: he tells stories. Specifically, he tells impactful, insightful stories from the front lines of the climate crisis– stories that are still rattling around in my head weeks later and have even caught the attention of the Washington Post and Independent. [Another recent non-facts-and-figures climate change book I enjoyed was Saving Us by Dr. Katharine Hayhoe.] [And if you want to hear the authors discuss these climate-focused books, you can listen to my podcasts with David and Katharine.]

The Song of Significance: A New Manifesto for Teams by Seth Godin - I read everything Seth Godin writes. Of all his most recent books, this one is probably the least applicable to my life and work, as it is about working on teams within organizations-- but I still gleaned great value from it. Thankfully, I’ve managed to escape the nightmarish dystopian hellscape that is Zoom and Slack, but amazingly, Seth seems to have figured out how to use those tools to actually bring out the best in people. Written in the same structure as many of Seth’s most recent books, it’s 100+ quick-but-powerful chapters that will help leaders ensure their teams are empowered, confident, satisfied, and content with their jobs. And please note, I did not write “feel empowered”-- Seth wants them to actually be empowered. What an outlandish, non-MBA approach to leadership! [The best organizational leadership book I’ve ever read is Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin.]

I’m currently in the depths of a personal writing project that has me skimming through some of my favorite funny memoirs and non-fiction writing. I’ve laughed hysterically at The Sex Lives of Cannibals and Getting Stoned with Savages by J. Marteen Troost, When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris, A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson, Jaguars Ripped My Flesh by Tim Cahill, and The Selected Columns of Carl Hiaasen. I also just started The World’s Largest Man by Harrison Scott Key, and it's hilarious. Please let me know if you know of other laugh-out-loud non-fiction writers that I may be missing.

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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

---

mountainandprairie.com
edroberson.co
@mtnprairie

Howdy folks,

As many of you have come to expect, my reading list from the past two months is quite a peculiar mix of books. From Marines to Buddhists, writing to professional football, aggressive self-help to loving-kindness meditation, below are a few of the books that I recently read and really enjoyed. I hope you’ll connect with a few of them.

Enjoy your September!
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Call Sign Chaos: Learning to Lead by Jim Mattis and Bing West - An acquaintance of mine who I greatly admire named his first son Mattis, so that was all the encouragement I needed to read this book. It’s the General’s memoir, covering his life as a wild, trouble-making teen through his highly accomplished career as a Marine and public servant. When it came to serving his country, Mattis was all in– he never married, maniacally read and studied history, and was intimately involved in almost all of the major military events of the past 30+ years. He earned the respect of both his superiors and subordinates and is rightly considered one of the military’s most effective leaders in recent history. I loved Mattis’s focus on reading (“If you haven't read hundreds of books, you are functionally illiterate…”), and I was intrigued by the constant friction between the paper pushers in Washington and the soldiers on the ground in war zones. I was also fascinated by his ideas about managing crises vs. eliminating them, and his frustrations whenever politics thwarted his ability to achieve his military objectives. I loved this book. [One of my other favorite memoirs is Shoe Dog by Phil Knight.]

Leadership Strategy and Tactics: Field Manual by Jocko Willink - This was the sole remaining leadership book by Jocko that I had yet to read, and I cranked through it in a day. Jocko has the rare ability to write in a clear, not-fancy, easy-to-understand style, yet his paragraphs still manage to carry a ton of weight. The purpose of this book is to clearly and simply provide actionable wisdom on leadership– specific methods to overarching ideologies that can be applied anywhere from the battlefield to the family dining room table. Despite his warrior pedigree and tough-guy veneer, his approach to leadership is much more Dalai Lama than General MacArthur– he emphasizes listening, abolishing ego, building relationships, being of service to subordinates, and letting go of control. A worthwhile read for leaders of all stripes. [Jocko’s Extreme Ownership is one of the most perspective-shifting books I’ve ever read.]

Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior by Chögyam Trungpa - This was the second book I ever read about Buddhist philosophy. I bought it immediately after my first mediation workshop at the Shambhala Center, the organization founded by Trungpa. Very little of it made sense to me when I read it back in 2012, but this time around, with dozens of Eastern philosophy books and hundreds of hours of meditation under my belt, it struck a much stronger chord. The basic idea (as I understand it) is that true contentment and peace cannot be found externally, only through nurturing our minds with curiosity and compassion. A decade ago, I would’ve laughed out loud at the preceding spiritual-mumbo-jumbo sentence, but thanks to books like this, I really do believe that mumbo-jumbo to be true. [The first Buddhism-focused book I ever read was The Art of Happiness by the Dalai Lama.]

Don’t Bite the Hook by Finding Freedom from Anger, Resentment, and Other Destructive Emotions by Pema Chodron (audiobook) - I estimate that I’ve listened to this book at least 20 times, two of those being during the past month. The subtitle gives you all the information you need to know about its topic, but I’ll use this recommendation to once again proclaim: Pema Chodron is one of the wisest humans walking the earth today. I love everything she writes, and I love listening to her lecture even more. I’ve never met her, I’m not a Buddhist, nor do I have any plans to convert, but I still consider her one of my greatest teachers. [Another Pema audiobook that I’ve had on rotation for many years is Smile at Fear.]

The 5 Second Rule: Transform your Life, Work, and Confidence with Everyday Courage by Mel Robbins (audiobook) - One of my reading goals for 2023 was to avoid self-help books like the plague. But the Algorithmic Overlords started feeding me clips of the unmistakably tough-talking, no-nonsense Mel Robbins, and before I knew what had happened, I was listening to this audiobook on one of my many long drives. As much as I hate to admit it, I think Mel is on to something here, at least when it comes to my problem with procrastination. Basically, she’s extolling the virtues of quickly and aggressively breaking the inertia of fear/laziness/stalling, then immediately forcing yourself to simply start working. None of this is new, and all of it is simple and unsurprising. But implementing these tactics can be surprisingly difficult, a fact that she seems to enjoy repeating. I’m not sure if it’s Mel’s ingratiating midwestern accent or her charismatic repackaging of age-old ideas, but I’ve been counting to five and getting to work and feeling better about myself, so I won't ask to many questions and will just go with it. [The Art of Taking Action by Gregg Krech is a different version of the same idea with a wildly different tone.]

Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t: And Other Tough-Love Truths to Make You a Better Writer by Steven Pressfield - Later this week, I’ll be pointing my truck westward and heading to Vernal, Utah, which is the launching point for my first-ever course as an instructor with the Freeflow Institute. We’ll be exploring how to use storytelling as a tool to effect change, and how to respectfully capture people’s attention in an increasingly loud and mostly annoying media landscape. My first assignment to the students was this straight-to-the-point book, a book selection that very well may have caused s few of them to question their teacher's judgment and their own decision to attend the workshop. Anyway, I live by Pressfield’s foul-mouthed credo, and I fully embrace the fact that no one is going to beat down the door to listen to my podcast, read my writing, or subscribe to my emails– it’s on me to make something that is worth consuming and sharing. [Pressfield’s Turning Pro also packs a punch.]

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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

---

mountainandprairie.com
edroberson.co
@mtnprairie

Howdy people,

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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

---

mountainandprairie.com
edroberson.co
@mtnprairie
 

Happy New Year, everybody.

I’ve been slowly but contentedly working my way through Robert Caro’s 1,200-page masterpiece The Power Broker, and I’m nowhere close to being finished. But I still managed to wrap up the year with a few excellent (and predictably all-over-the-place) books. I hope you find a few that resonate.

Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World by John Vaillant - The most thought-provoking book I read in 2023. The story is structured around a catastrophic wildfire that torched the city of Fort McMurray, Alberta back in 2016, but the book is so much more than a standard-issue disaster tale. Vaillant masterfully weaves in the fascinating history of fire and how humans and fire have co-evolved symbiotically for hundreds of thousands of years. He digs into the histories of climate science and the fossil fuel industries, as well as why 21st-century wildfires are hotter, more aggressive, and more destructive than anything we’ve seen before. If you’re a fan of history, philosophy, adventure, natural science, or amazingly structured narratives, I highly recommend this award-winning book. [To listen to John discuss the all-consuming process of writing Fire Weather, check out our recent podcast conversation.]

Mr. Texas by Lawrence Wright - I’ve listened to uber-serious Lawrence Wright on many of my favorite podcasts discussing his books on weighty topics such as the rise of Al-Queda and the mind-blowing insanity that is Scientology– so I was surprised to hear he’d written a comical novel. I picked it up and blazed through it in two days, reminding myself once again that I need to read more fiction. The book is definitely funny, but the further I read, the more I began to experience it as increasingly dark humor. If I’d read this book 25 years ago, it would have been pure ridiculousness– kind of like a Texas-based Carl Hiaasen novel. But today, the book’s made-up characters– confident idiots and morally bankrupt scumbags– are near-perfect avatars of many of the real-life characters running our state and federal governments. If you are able to detach from reality and/or laugh so you don’t cry, I recommend the book. [And if you haven’t read any Carl Hiaasen, you are missing out. I love them all, but Sick Puppy or Skinny Dip are good entry points.]

Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life by Arnold Schwarzenegger - Schwarzenegger is one of those uniquely American icons who is such a caricature of a human being that I can’t help but gawk. His success in business, entertainment, and government are roided-up versions of run-of-the-mill American success stories, and his flaws and failures as a man/husband are (hopefully) more outrageous than those of anyone you know personally. The good, bad, and ugly of over-the-top characters like Arnold are so exaggerated, so in-your-face, so loud, that it’s hard not to draw some broad life lessons from their crazy exploits. The lessons I learned from this book are 1) hard work trumps all, 2) force yourself to be optimistic, 3) be generous and of service, 4) turbo-charge your curiosity, and 5) it’s okay to let livestock eat breakfast in your kitchen. If you’re looking for award-winning literature, read Fire Weather. If you’re looking for a wacky kick in the pants to start your new year, read this one. [A similar kind of motivational memoir that I enjoyed was McConaughey’s Greenlights.]

On the Square: The Community That Made a Restaurant by Stephen and Inez Ribustello - I have to admit, back in 2002, when my lifelong friend Inez (I call her Inie) announced that she and her husband Stephen were opening a restaurant in my hometown of Tarboro, NC, I thought it was a crazy idea. I mean, they were both highly trained sommeliers who’d been working at Windows on the World in the World Trade Center, serving some of the most sophisticated cuisine found anywhere in the world. From my boneheaded perspective, I didn’t see how a “fancy” restaurant could possibly work in my small, rural hometown. More than two decades later, the word “restaurant” doesn't even begin to capture the magic of what they've built. On The Square is a community hub, a gathering place, an economic catalyst, a tourist magnet, a well of optimism and positivity. It’s the one place I always visit whenever I go home, and it’s been the inspiration for many community-based restaurants that have popped up in other small eastern NC towns. Inie and Stephen transformed the overwhelming horror of losing countless friends and colleagues on 9/11 into a case study of the power of “family, community, friendships, LOVE, and, of course, great wine and food.” And, lucky for us, they’ve been gracious enough to share their story (and many amazing recipes) in this book. [For more on Inie’s wild ride from Tarboro to NYC, as well as her journey of healing in the aftermath of 9/11, check out her memoir Life After Windows.]

Jiu-Jitsu University by Saulo Ribeiro - When I told my mother that I had recently started training jiu-jitsu, her response was perfect: “Well, you’ve always had unusual interests.” That is correct. And starting a fighting sport at age 46, just one year after full shoulder reconstruction, is probably an especially unusual time to begin. But I’m obsessed. I can’t stop thinking, talking, and even dreaming about it. So much so, that my wife asked if “training jiu-jitsu” was code for “joining a cult.” Whenever I start a new strenuous obsession, I like to supplement the humbling (humiliating?) physical practice with books I can read while nursing my worn-out body. Jiu-Jitsu University is a basically an old-school textbook– nearly 400 pages of color photographs and text covering both specific techniques and general concepts for practitioners of all experience levels. For the next year or so, I expect to only be re-reading the “survival” section, with the goal of one day remembering one or two moves while being choked. [The best instructional book for a strenuous physical activity is Total Immersion: The Revolutionary Way To Swim Better, Faster, and Easier by Terry Laughlin.]

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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 share this email with any of your friends who may be interested. You can forward the email or share via this link: https://mailchi.mp/mountainandprairie/books-nov-dec-23 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

---

mountainandprairie.com
edroberson.co
@mtnprairie
 

Howdy folks,

Happy March! I hope things are great in your corner of the world. I spent most of January and February doing more writing than reading, but I still managed to string together a few titles that may be of interest to a few of you:

Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls: Essays, Etc. by David Sedaris - The more I read David Sedaris, the more I am in awe of the mind-blowing skill and soul he brings to the craft of telling hilarious stories. His observations are so specific, the dialogue so perfect, his language so precise– but nothing ever crosses into being mean. He never strikes me as being bitter or angry– if anything he’s over-the-top sensitive and compassionate. Even though many of his stories veer into topics that could be considered controversial, his genuine curiosity about people and situations allows him to magically sidestep any blowback that often accompanies outrage-inducing issues. This book is yet another collection of essays, all of which are amazing. But I especially enjoyed– and laughed hard at– Standing Still, A Friend in the Ghetto, and Loggerheads, and I love his constant references to my old stomping grounds of Raleigh, North Carolina. The only problem with Sedaris’s books is that they set an unachievable standard for normal people like me who want to write funny stories. [When You Are Engulfed in Flames was the first Sedaris book I ever read and I was hooked.]

The Status Game: On Human Life and How to Play It by Will Storr - Have you noticed how crazy people are acting these days? I think humans have always been a little nutty, but it seems that we’re reaching new heights of derangement as both individual creatures and a collective species. If you’re like me and have an unhealthy obsession with trying to understand exactly why humans are bananas crazy, this book is for you. Its basic premise is that we humans are driven by a foundational desire to achieve higher and higher status. “Status” does not necessarily mean being being the “coolest,” or the “richest,” or a member of the “best” frat or country club. According to Storr, there are status games played among even the most selfless of us– even, for example, monks (Who is the most pious?; The most committed?; Who can meditate the longest?; etc). The pursuit of status is hardwired into our DNA and it has been driving our species forward from the very beginning. But status games get real weird, real quick in our super-connected, highly complex modern world. Thanks to the internet, humans are now playing practically infinite status games, oftentimes against people we don’t even know. And status game overload leads to, you guessed it, nuttiness. [The last book that made me think this long and hard about humans was Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari.]

Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It by Chris Voss - One of my best friends– we’ll call him “Cole”– is a master negotiator. It doesn’t matter where he’s shopping or what he’s buying, Cole will reliably negotiate any price down to a mere fraction of its list price. It could be a television at Best Buy, a mirror at a flea market, installation of internet at his house, or mattresses at the furniture store– the question is not if he’ll get a discount, only how absurd it will be. These negotiations are reliably some of the funniest, most fascinating, most confounding interactions to observe, and I’ve been observing them for nearly 30 years. Yes, I’m in awe of how he’ll manage to buy a mattress for 25% of its list price– ethically, with no under-the-table funny business. But more impressively, after every one of these negotiations, the salesperson (the guy who just agreed to a 75% revenue cut) seems to be absolutely thrilled with the way the transaction played out. Elated! Cole is the salesperson’s new best friend, and they are laughing and shaking hands and slapping each other on the back as they part ways, making plans to do business again in the future. Somehow, Cole turns these crazy interactions into genuine win-wins for everyone involved. If you want to learn how Cole does it, read this book. [One of the best business books I’ve ever read is The Future of the Responsible Company by Vincent Stanley.]

Art, Artifact, Artifice and Ocean Fishes by James Prosek - One of the great pleasures of the past year has been getting to know the artist, naturalist, conservationist, and all-around-interesting dude, James Prosek. James has devoted much of his three-decade career to studying fish, birds, eels, grasslands, and the natural world through his art– his paintings and sculptures are stunning and speak for themselves. But if you’ve ever heard James speak or read his writing, then you quickly realize that the actual artwork is just the very tiny tip of a ridiculously huge iceberg– there is a hulking mass of deep thought, research, and philosophy beneath every piece he produces. Both of these books are coffee-table-style tomes that would look great in your home for decades to come. Yes, by all means, leaf through the books and admire the one-of-a-kind art. But be sure to read (and re-read) James’s essays, so that you can begin to understand the level of depth that he brings to his art. And as a bonus, Ocean Fishes features a forward by the great Peter Matthiessen. [To hear James speak eloquently and humorously about his art and artistic process, check out our recent on-stage conversation at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art.]

For some reason, over the past two months, I found myself revisiting some of my old favorites. Not reading them all the way though, but flipping through and re-reading the sections that I underlined or starred during my earlier readings. It’s amazing to me how certain passages can take on completely different relevance during different stages of life. Here are a few that I’ve likely recommended many times before and enjoyed once again:

• Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging by Sebastian Junger - This book continues to unexpectedly pop up in conversations, most recently with a high-ranking Army officer who credits it with positively steering his life, family, and career during a pivotal few years of his service. I have given away countless copies of this book and consider it to be one of the most important books I’ve ever read.

• Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life With the Heart of a Buddha by Tara Brach - Without fail, I periodically fall into troughs of aggressive self-flagellation, all of which are very unpleasant and mostly pointless. When this invariably happens, I reach for Tara Brach to bring me out of the fog.

• The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield - No matter how many times I revisit this book, I find a few new nuggets that truly help me resist distraction, push through procrastination, and get my work done. After my most recent reading, I took my most aggressive stance toward fortifying my focus yet: I bought a flip phone. 

• Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk - I’m not sure why I’m so obsessed with jiu jitsu. I’m not good at it, I don’t enjoy being choked, my pinky toes are perpetually black and sprained, it's an in-the-face reminder that I’m a middle-aged man, and, on Monday, my earlobe started bleeding profusely. I thought Fight Club might help me understand why I love “The Gentle Art” so much, but it didn’t. But I was glad to revisit my underlined passages regardless.

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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 share this email with any of your friends who may be interested. You can forward the email or share via this link: https://mailchi.mp/mountainandprairie/books-jan-feb-24 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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Greetings, people:

I hope your May is off to an extraordinary start. Full speed ahead here in Colorado.

Enough with the small talk. Here are the books:

The Wide Wide Sea: Imperial Ambition, First Contact and the Fateful Final Voyage of Captain James Cook by Hampton Sides - I’d been looking forward to this book for five-and-a-half years, and it was well worth the wait. As is the case with all of Hampton Sides’ books, I felt like I had taken a three-month graduate-level history course, but without the hassle of all the boring lectures and writing assignments. Yes, the book digs deep into the action-packed story of Captain Cook and his map-making compatriots, but Sides devotes equal attention to the fascinating culture and history of the Polynesian people. You don’t have to be a tenured professor of late 18th-century history to know that Cooks’ legacy is, at best, “complicated,” and this book explores all of the competing (warring?) perspectives about the man and his impact on world history. A fun and deeply substantive read– highly recommended. [Another action-packed, thought-provoking book that I will re-recommend is John Vaillant’s Fire Weather.]

Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia by Christina Thompson - A day after finishing The Wide Wide Sea, I started in on Sea People, frantically trying to jam more information about Polynesia into my already full brain. This book contains so much amazing history and analysis, and it is mindblowing to learn how the Polynesians successfully navigated and “mapped” the entire region from Hawaii to Easter Island to New Zealand. But, unlike the Europeans, their version of “mapping” did not rely on two-dimensional charts, compass readings, and mathematical calculations. Their approach was more of a three-dimensional, holistic framework– one that incorporated winds, currents, and time. For me, perhaps the biggest takeaway from this book was a reminder that our latest and greatest technologies and mental models will not always be the best or most effective ways of approaching problems. [Speaking of the sea, one of my all-time favorite books is Cod: A Biography of a Fish That Changed the World.]

Ultra-Something by Brendan Leonard - Brendan was kind enough to ask me to blurb this, his newest book, so I did my best to string together some words to make me sound like a refined connoisseur of sophisticated literature: “‘Why would you do something like that?’ is a question every ultrarunner has received– usually from a wide-eyed, slack-jawed acquaintance who seems equally concerned and confused by the idea of running 100 miles. In Ultra-Something, Brendan Leonard answers that (perfectly reasonable) question, offering a poignant, insightful, at-times hilarious examination of his unlikely journey in ultra-endurance sports. Whether you’re a Hardrock 100 finisher or just signed up for your first 50K, you’ll glean valuable wisdom and inspiration from Leonard’s deep dive into the ‘why’ of ultrarunning.” The book also features many excellent drawings of rats, pizza, 42,000 cigs, maps, and the like. [The book is officially on sale May 23rd, but you can sign up here to receive a free chapter and a reminder when it’s available.]

Patagonia National Park: Chile by Kristine McDivitt Tompkins, Linde Waidhofer, Yvon Chouinard, et al. - If, like me, you watched and loved the documentary Wild Life, then you’re most likely a superfan of Kris Tompkins. After leaving her post as CEO at Patagonia, she and her late husband Doug began their decades-long project of conserving vast swaths of South American wilderness. To date, their organization, Tompkins Conservation, has protected approximately 14.8 million acres of wildlands, transforming them into Chilean and Argentinian National Parks. This coffee-table-style book is the story of one of their most notable projects– a former sheep ranch that is now a crown jewel of Chile’s National Park System. Filled with beautiful photos and inspiring essays, the book is a case study in collaboration, trust, relationships, and overcoming the odds to achieve extremely challenging goals. Available now at Patagonia.com, everywhere else on May 22nd. [I had the great pleasure of chatting with Kris about the book, and many other fascinating topics, in this recent podcast episode.]

Tao Te Ching: The Book of the Way by Lao Tzu - I somehow ended up deep in an internet rabbit hole of Taoism, a topic I vaguely remember studying in a college religion class (but promptly forgot everything except that the T is pronounced like a D). The Almighty Algorithm directed me to this book, which I bought and have been reading off and on for the past few months. As far as I can tell, Taoism is all about balancing the opposing forces in our lives, about not veering too far toward any extreme. You know, the yin and the yang. Many of the chapters remind me of Buddhist koans, which invariably jam up my second-rate mind, leaving me feeling confused and inadequate. But every now and then, one of the verses hits me really hard, miraculously allowing me to live a more balanced life for about 45 seconds. Abbreviated enlightenment– I’ll take it! [Another book that’s worth a twice-per-week scan is The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday.]

Way of the Warrior Kid: From Wimpy to Warrior the Navy SEAL Way by Jocko Willink - I gave this book to my oldest daughter a while back, and recently, she casually mentioned that she had read it eight times. That’s quite an endorsement from a discerning bookworm like her, so I decided to give it a quick read. As you’d expect from anything Jocko writes, the book is laser-focused on values like humility, courage, leadership, and work ethic, but, in this book, it’s all presented in a very inviting and kid-friendly tone– a tone that obviously resonated with my violin-playing, tap-dancing 8-year-old. I can only imagine what my jiu-jitsu-doing, rock-climbing 6-year-old will think when she reads it– she very well may wander down to the local Navy recruiting office and try to enlist. [Speaking of kid’s books, Hatchet and My Side of the Mountain continue to be perpetual crowdpleasers in the Roberson household.]

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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 share this email with any of your friends who may be interested. You can forward the email or share via this link: https://mailchi.mp/mountainandprairie/books-mar-apr-24 The more the merrier!

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

Ed

---

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Howdy, book people:

Quite a range of books for you here, 50% of which made me cry. I'm not sure what that's all about, but it's safe to say they all had an impact. I hope you find a few that capture your attention.

In My Time of Dying: How I Came Face to Face with the Idea of an Afterlife by Sebastian Junger - I’m an unabashed Sebastian Junger superfan. I read everything he writes, listen to all of his podcast appearances, and his film Restrepo is one of my all-time favorite documentaries. He was also the inspiration behind my long-overdue reversion to a flip phone. So– surprise, surprise– I loved this book. His descriptions of finding himself minutes away from dying of a pancreatic aneurysm is unsettling and scary, especially since he was the picture of physical health before that artery burst. But what I enjoyed most was his open-minded exploration of the mystery of what lies just on the other side of our here-on-earth existence. Junger is an avowed atheist, but not so tied to that “belief” that he cannot open his mind to the idea that there may be something more to be experienced when we die. Now more than ever, I appreciate curious, open-minded people like Junger who are willing to reconsider closely held ideas that are cornerstones of their identities. [Just last week, I gave yet another copy of Junger’s Tribe to a friend.]

True West: Myth and Mending on the Far Side of America by Betsy Gaines Quammen - Betsy is a renowned historian, gifted and skilled storyteller, and one of my most trusted sources for understanding the complexity and nuance of the modern-day American West. Whether reading this, her newest title, or her earlier work, American Zion, you will finish each book with a wealth of knowledge about the history, culture, and people who have shaped the mythical narrative of “The West.” But perhaps more importantly, I found True West to be a masterclass in learning how to think– how to embrace nuance, ask tough-yet-sincere questions, stress test all preconceived ideas, and avoid demonizing individuals with whom you may disagree. Betsy’s reporting style hammers home the power of face-to-face communication and shows the importance of approaching “the other side” with respect and genuine curiosity. While our current culture seems quick to apply good/bad, right/wrong labels to everything, True West reminded me that everything is complicated. And that’s a good thing. [Another perspective-shifting book about the West (and more) is An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz.]

The Gift of Violence: Practical Knowledge for Surviving and Thriving in a Dangerous World by Matt Thornton - If you’ve been unlucky enough to have a one-on-one conversation with me anytime over the past seven months, I have likely blasted your eardrums with a breathless, wide-eyed soliloquy about the life-changing effects of Brazilian Jui-Jitsu. My wife and girls continue to ask if I “joined a cult.” Whether I’ve been brainwashed or not is debatable, but there’s no question that I’ve had my eyes opened to the humbling realities of fighting and physical violence. This book thoughtfully and eloquently explores ideas around real and fantasy martial arts, pacifism, and performative aggression, without any of the macho, wanna-be-tough-guy nonsense that often defines such discussions. In my humble opinion, I don’t think the publisher did a great job with the book’s subtitle or inside-the-jacket description– the book is much more of a philosophical exploration than a “practical guide.” [The only other fighting book I remember reading was A Fighter’s Heart by Sam Sheridan, and it was great.]

This Ordinary Stardust: A Scientist's Path from Grief to Wonder by Alan Townsend - As the father of two young girls and the husband of a way-out-of-my-league woman, this book hit me hard. It’s the story of Alan’s family being rocked to the core by two unthinkable, back-to-back tragedies– his four-year-old daughter and brilliant wife both being diagnosed with brain tumors. Alan is a highly trained, Ph.D.-level scientist who spent his entire career using cold hard facts, emotionless inquiry, and academic rigor to try and solve some of the world’s most pressing problems. Yet when faced with a father/husband’s worst nightmare, he was forced to accept that science alone was simply not enough to make it through this gauntlet. I was blown away by Alan’s insightfulness and vulnerability and how he managed to constructively meld science and spirituality to make sense of an unimaginable catastrophe. I consider this one of the more important books I’ve read, and despite having to constantly clean the tears off of my reading glasses, I am a better person after reading it. [My go-to book about dealing with challenges or tragedy is Pema Chodron’s When Things Fall Apart.]

The Colorado River: Chasing Water by Pete McBride - Like so many of my favorite authors, Pete makes it effortless– even fun– to learn about the complexities of the American West. Whether he’s delving into the threats facing the Grand Canyon, the surprising effects of noise pollution around the world, or, in this case, the plight of the Colorado River, Pete’s stunning photography and thoughtful prose makes the medicine go down. In this book, Pete explores his “backyard river,” from its headwaters in the Colorado Rockies all the way to where it peters out just short of the Gulf of Mexico. My favorite parts of the book were the substantive photo captions– extensive, hundreds-of-word paragraphs that effectively explain everything from challenges to Native communities to the unexpected water conservation success story that is Las Vegas. I was especially taken aback by the exporting of water-intensive alfalfa to Middle Eastern countries– a scheme that strikes me as pure insanity. Buy the book, put it on your coffee table, and learn from it for years to come. [My most-recommended river/water book is Downriver by Heather Hansman.]

Denali: A Man, a Dog, and the Friendship of a Lifetime by Ben Moon - I’ve long admired Ben’s work as a photographer, filmmaker, and adventurer, and as of two days ago, when I finished this book, I greatly admire his work as an author. If you’ve ever had a dog that seemed to understand you more than any humans do, this is your book. It’s an extension of Ben’s award-winning, tear-jerking film Denali, which is 100% guaranteed to make you sob (in the best possible way). The book follows Ben’s 14 ½ year companionship with his faithful canine partner Denali, who guides him through the peaks and valleys of a very intense life– a divorce, a battle with colorectal cancer, his eventual dependence on a colostomy bag, and his commitment to a life of adventure and purpose-driven work, colostomy bag be damned. Perhaps I’m biased because I credit a sweet-but-nutty lab named Abby for patiently guiding me from idiot college kid to fatherhood, but I’m confident that this book will mean a lot to anyone who has experienced that deep, DNA-level dog-human connection. [To understand why we connect with dogs, read The Wolf in the Parlor by Jon Franklin.]

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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 share this email with any of your friends who may be interested. You can forward the email or share via this link: https://mailchi.mp/mountainandprairie/books-may-june-24 The more the merrier!

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

Ed

---

mountainandprairie.com
edroberson.co
@mtnprairie
Weirdly strong opinions about this, a silly email? See FAQ #7.
 

Here you go, folks:

Your bimonthly book recommendations, lovingly sent from inside a converted garden shed in a nondescript backyard in downtown Colorado Springs.

Enjoy.

Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business by Neil Postman: If you need something to make you feel better about the frantic state of our insanely connected world, I’m sorry, but this is not your book. Written almost thirty years ago, it offers a sobering, if not terrifying, analysis of just how shallow our approach to once-serious subjects has become– and how that shallowness is eroding society. Postman places the blame on the proliferation of “electronic media,” which, in 1985, meant a handful of TV stations. How quaint. As I read this book, I was constantly thinking about 1) how eerily ahead of his time Postman was with his observations and arguments, 2) how no one could’ve ever predicted just how wacko the world of electronic information would become, and 3) how uber-wacko things will be five years from now. The most powerful passage from the book is in the foreword, and you can read that here. This was a tough and, at times, infuriating book to read, but I’m glad I did. [If you need help counteracting the daily onslaught of electronic garbage, read Deep Work by Cal Newport.]

Flow Violento: A Scott Hulet Omnibus - The reason I love surf writing has very little to do with the authors’ descriptions of riding waves. My favorite surfing tales take me to wild landscapes and underappreciated cultures, combining adventure, history, danger, and introspection with a cast of oftentimes nutty characters. For more than three decades, The Surfer’s Journal has delivered the best-of-the-best surf writing, much of which was either written or edited by the great Scott Hulet. In Flow Violento, we’re gifted with some of Scott’s most impactful stories from a lifetime of surf-driven exploits south of the border. Scott takes us far outside the well-worn, user-friendly resort areas of Mexico and Central/South America, and deep into communities and surf breaks that are not just under the radar, but sometimes straight-up hostile to interlopers. And you don’t have to be a surfer to fall in love with Hulet’s writing– fishing, music, food, and art play just as much of a role in these stories as do the waves. [No surprise here, but one of my favorite surfing books that’s about a lot more than surfing is Barbarian Days by William Finnegan.]

A Promised Land by Barack Obama - What I look for in a memoir: Fun-to-read writing; laugh-out-loud humor; deep dives into the “why” of pivotal decisions; a detailed understanding of the people/places/experiences/cultures that shaped the author’s worldview; enlightening historical context; the author’s most brutal challenges and how they were overcome; opportunities to evolve my thinking on a few topics; humility; passion; purpose; commitment; optimism; self-doubt; extreme hard work; and crazy behind-the-scenes stories. What I don’t look for in a memoir: To have my preexisting opinions confirmed; to agree in lockstep with the author’s ideas/choices/worldview; surface-level boringness; or prose obviously written by a team of insufferable PR suits. Conclusion: This book met and/or exceeded all of my criteria and now sits alongside Acid for the Children and Shoe Dog as an all-time favorite memoir. [This seems like a good place to remind everyone of FAQ #7.]

A Cowgirl’s Conservation Journey: Stories from the Dugout Ranch by Heidi Redd with Larisa Bowen - Speaking of excellent memoirs, this one also met all of the criteria mentioned above. It’s the story of the legendary cowgirl and conservationist Heidi Redd, and her lifelong commitment to stewarding the 340,000-acre+/- Dugout Ranch, which is located within the boundaries of Utah’s Bears Ears National Monument. From her earliest years, Heidi has lived quite an adventurous and purpose-driving life– what started with a childhood love of horses quickly evolved into a wide range of action-packed sports, including skydiving and rock climbing. She then took her willingness to push herself outside her comfort zone and applied it to what would become her life’s work: Protecting the Dugout Ranch. This is a coffee table-style book, so Heidi’s words are complimented by copious photos and maps, which I loved. If you’re a fan of history, adventure, ranching, conservation, and tough, purpose-driven people, this is your book. [For a different approach to protecting the landscapes of southeastern Utah, read Edward Abbey’s Desert Solitaire.]

The Necessity of Wildfire: Poems by Caitlin Scarano - I’m not cultured or confident enough to offer any sort of meaningful analysis of poetry. All I know is that every so often, I’ll read a poem and have an unexpectedly intense appreciation for the words on the page. I can’t explain why, and it would probably ruin the poetry if I aggressively focused on trying to figure it out. So I’ll keep this simple: If I had to describe The Necessity of Wildfire in one word, I’d say it’s “brave.” Scarano digs into deeply personal topics including family, relationships, and past trauma, but does so with a clear-eyed, confident, curious approach that I find both admirable and inspiring. I can’t imagine that her intended audience was a 46-year-old-father-of-two who is obsessed with jiu-jitsu and Road House, but I think this highlights Scarano’s skill as a poet– she cuts through the surface-level nonsense and connects with other humans on a foundational level. [Another poetry collection I loved was Blood Is Not the Water by Mara Panich.]

Comfortable with Uncertainty: 108 Teachings on Cultivating Fearlessness and Compassion by Pema Chödrön - For many years now, I’ve proudly proclaimed to have read all of Pema’s books— but I was wrong! Somehow I had completely missed this one, which is one of her best. Other than The Pocket Pema Chödrön, I’d say this is her most accessible collection of writings, with each chapter being no more than two pages. It’s the kind of book I like to keep on my bedside table and read a chapter or two before bed or first thing in the morning. One of the many things I love about Pema is that she offers actionable, powerful wisdom, but with a sense of humor and without any spiritual arrogance or pretense. I’ve long said that Pema is one of the wisest humans on Planet Earth, so, if you have not explored her work, this book would be a good place to start. [If you prefer listening, check out Pema’s Don’t Bite the Hook.]

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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 share this email with any of your friends who may be interested. You can forward the email or share via this link: https://mailchi.mp/mountainandprairie/books-jul-aug-24 The more the merrier!

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

Ed

---

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Weirdly strong opinions about this, a silly email? See FAQ #7.
 

Hello everybody,

For the past two months, I’m not sure if I've been enthusiastically pursuing the idea of reading great books or frantically fleeing the mind-scrambling lunacy of electronic media.

But either way, I did manage to read some very impactful and/or fun books, so I hope a few of them resonate with you:

Andy Catlett: Early Travels by Wendell Berry - If you’re looking for a book to help you disconnect from the chaotic insanity of the internet and bring some balance to your brain, this one is a good choice. It was my first dose of Wendell Berry fiction, and it won’t be my last– in fact, I’m already 50 pages into my next one. Set in small-town Kentucky during the early 1940s, the book hammers home so many of the ideas Berry explores in his non-fiction writings: community, faith, family, connection to the land, and living life at a natural, human pace. But this is not some Pollyanna-esque description of the “good ol’ days”-- Berry’s characters wade into the realities of racial inequality, economic pressures, and looming societal/technological threats to community cohesiveness. I underlined more passages in this book than I do in most of my non-fiction readings, and I’m still thinking about its themes many times per day. It’s only 140 pages– so read it! [My most revisited non-fiction Wendell Berry book to date is It All Turns on Affection.]

Grizzly Confidential: An Astounding Journey into the Secret Life of North America’s Most Fearsome Predator by Kevin Grange - Over the years, I’ve read a lot about grizzlies, and I thought I had a decent understanding of the animal and cultural issues surrounding it. However, like any great book, Grizzly Confidential opened my eyes to just how little I actually knew about the topic. Grange is a paramedic, firefighter, and journalist, so he combines his adventurous spirit with his ability to tell a great story and explores grizzlies from a brand new perspective. He visits bear preserves in Alaska, university research facilities, hotbeds of bear poaching, and areas that have cracked the code on successful human-bear coexistence. The book is part travelogue, part adventure story, and part science– making for a fun and educational read that I highly recommend. And for any of you who have been following the untimely death of Grizzly 399 in Wyoming, you may be interested to know that that iconic bear was the inspiration for this book. You can listen to Kevin talk about it in our recent podcast chat. [Another excellent book about bears and wild places is Doug Peacock’s Was It Worth It?]

Cobalt Red: How the Blood of the Congo Powers Our Lives by Siddharth Kara - This is a very important book and I think everyone who owns a smartphone should read it– but I feel bad recommending it because it will infuriate and/or depress you. It’s an exposé of the cobalt mining business in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is probably the most horrifying and corrupt large-scale industry on planet Earth. Cobalt is an essential ingredient in rechargeable batteries, so every phone, computer, electric car, renewable energy array, etc. depends on a steady supply of this rare earth metal. Unfortunately for everyone involved, a significant portion of all cobalt in the supply chain was dug from the earth by the hands of desperate men, women, and children who are endangered, abused, effectively enslaved, and sometimes killed. I experienced many sad and guilty thoughts while reading this book, but the most notable were: 1) imagining my nine-year-old daughter being forced to dig cobalt out of a toxic mine, and 2) the realization that I’ve played a role in funding this humanitarian crisis through my purchases of phones and computers. Hopefully, this book and others like it will encourage/force trillion-dollar companies to use their vast resources to take responsibility and demand reform at the bottom of the markets they have created. [After finishing Cobalt Red, you can deal with your guilt by reading Tara Brach’s Radical Acceptance.]

The Wisdom of the Bullfrog: Leadership Made Simple (But Not Easy) by Admiral William H. McRaven - A few weekends ago, during a full-day binge of household projects, I listened to nearly eight hours of Admiral McRaven podcast interviews (here and here). I’d read his book Make Your Bed many years ago but had never heard the man speak at length. I was obviously off-the-charts impressed. Yes, he’s confident, smart, and tough, but what I found most interesting were his genuine humility and service-oriented mindset. I immediately ordered and read this, his newest book, and, given the number of notes I took while reading it, I expect to be referencing it for years to come. As the subtitle says, it’s very simple, to-the-point leadership lessons from his thirty-seven years of elite military service– lessons that seem applicable whether you're leading an actual team of humans or, like me, just trying your best to lead yourself. [The most important leadership/self-leadership book I’ve ever read is Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin.]

The Blue Plate: A Food Lover's Guide to Climate Chaos by Mark Easter - I cannot overstate how much I enjoyed and learned from this book. I’ve spent a big chunk of my career in the conservation and environmental sectors, but have to embarrassingly admit that I didn’t fully understand many of the concepts around carbon emissions, carbon sequestration, and the specifics of greenhouse gases. Enter Mark Easter, who uses his decades of experience as a scientist and “carbon accountant” to explain these concepts as they relate to the production, consumption, and disposal of food. And now, 400 fun-to-read pages later, that gaping hole in my knowledge base has been filled! This is not a gloom-and-doom climate change book, nor does it have the patronizing, condescending tone that often accompanies many climate-related readings. While Easter is crystal clear about the massive threats facing our planet, this is a book built on the ideals of optimism, ingenuity, and taking action. And by focusing on something that we all do–eating–he is able to reduce enormously complex concepts down to an approachable, human scale-- one that anyone with curiosity and an open mind can understand and appreciate. [Another favorite food book is Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver.]

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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 share this email with any of your friends who may be interested. You can forward the email or share via this link: https://mailchi.mp/mountainandprairie/books-sep-oct-24 The more the merrier!

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

Ed

---

mountainandprairie.com
edroberson.co
@mtnprairie
Weirdly strong opinions about this, a silly email? See FAQ #7.
 

---

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 share this email with any of your friends who may be interested. You can forward the email or share via this link: https://mailchi.mp/mountainandprairie/books-nov-dec-24 The more the merrier!

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

Ed

---

mountainandprairie.com
edroberson.co
@mtnprairie
Weirdly strong opinions about this, a silly email? See FAQ #7.
 

Hello friends!

Here are your slightly tardy, but lovingly composed, book recommendations for the first ⅙ of 2025:

The Extinction of Experience: Being Human in a Disembodied World by Christine Rosen - Ever since watching the hoverboard scene in Back to the Future II, I’ve dreamed about the fun-filled technological wonders awaiting me at some distant point in the future. Unfortunately, after finishing this excellent-yet-alarming book, I realized that the tech future is already here– and it’s more Freddy Krueger than Marty McFly. Rosen argues that internet-based technology has seeped into almost every aspect of our lives, acting as an often-unnoticed “mediator of experience.” From online maps to endless digital photos to news to social media, these inescapable technologies change the way we experience reality, mostly for the worse. This is one of those books that supplied data and science to solidify the loose, uncomfortable ideas about technology already floating around in my head. She does not offer any actionable ideas about curbing technology usage, but she definitely increased my awareness (panic?) about the seriousness of the problem. [For actionable ideas, check out Cal Newport’s Digital Minimalism.]

Delorme Atlas & Gazetteer: Colorado - From 2005 until about 2012, Delorme Gazetteers guided me all over the West, from the desolate canyons of Utah to the most remote campsites in Montana. I bought a new Colorado version as a direct result of Rosen’s book above, mostly as a (probably silly) rejection of map apps. After it arrived, I found myself studying it intensely for long stretches of time– exploring all of the memorable mountains and rivers and campsites that I’ve had the privilege of visiting over the years. I was reminded how much I LOVE paper maps– the more detailed the better. I begrudgingly admit that I'll rarely use it for driving, but I will definitely enjoy continuing to “read it” and share it with my girls. [For some fascinating insights into how different cultures have thought about mapping terrain, read The Sea People by Christina Thompson.]

Pain Don’t Hurt: Meditations on Road House (Second Edition) by Sean T. Collins - Without question, this is the funniest book I have ever read. I cannot remember ever laughing so hard and for so long about anything, much less a book. Days and days of hysterical, tear-and-stomach-cramp inducing laughter. It’s a collection of 365 essays about the greatest movie of all time, penned during 2019, soon after Collins had the passing thought, “I could write about Road House everyday for a year and never run out of things to say.” He analyzes every detail of the movie (even scenes/characters I’d never considered), and even offers a few new-to-me, mind-blowing theories (Jimmy is Brad Wesley’s son?!). If you love Road House, you need to own this book. But you better act fast, because as of this moment, there are only 15 copies remaining of this limited edition run. [If you’re wondering “Is Ed referring to Swayze Road House or Gyllenhaal Road House?,” please unsubscribe from this email right now.]

The Terminal List and True Believer by Jack Carr - Every so often, I pick up a book for nothing but pure fun and entertainment, just as I would watch such masterpieces as Rambo III, Commando, Predator, Red Dawn, and, of course, Road House. If you enjoy these types of films and also like to read the occasional novel, Jack Carr is your man. These are the first two titles in his James Reece series, which follow the revenge-fueled adventures of a former Navy SEAL with nothing to lose. These two books are nearly a combined 1,000 pages, and I cranked through them both in just a few days each. Pure action and fun and a perfect way to unplug from the real world for a while. You’ll see many more of these books in these emails, for sure. [On the far opposite end of the novel spectrum, Wendell Berry’s Jayber Crow is still in the lead as the best novel I’ve ever read. (Also, in the history of humanity, have Dynamic Duo of Carr and Berry ever been recommended in the same paragraph?)]

Surviving Denali: A Study of Accidents on Mount McKinley 1903-1990 by Jonathan Waterman - This book had been sitting on my shelf for years, unread. I randomly picked it up last month and couldn’t put it down. As the title explains, it’s a deep dive into all of the chaos that has gone down on North America’s highest peak– a landscape with a knack for breaking and/or freezing humans in a surprisingly wide variety of ways. The responsible version of myself would recommend that anyone interested in climbing the mountain should read this book first. On the other hand, I’m glad I didn’t read it before my two Denali trips, because I likely would’ve been too scared to actually set foot on the Kahiltna Glacier. But anyone who enjoys mountaineering literature and history will love this book. It’s the real deal– extremely well written, highly educational, and not at all sensational or dramatic. [Speaking of Denali, I’m almost done with Cassidy Randall’s amazing new book Thirty Below: The Harrowing and Heroic Story of the First All-Women's Ascent of Denali. Stay tuned for my full recommendation… and a podcast chat!]

American Flannel: How a Band of Entrepreneurs Are Bringing the Art and Business of Making Clothes Back Home by Steven Kurutz - For the last few weeks, I’ve been going deep into the history of natural fiber (i.e., cotton, wool, and leather) production in the United States. Long story short, the fabric/clothing industry had long been a bedrock of the US economy, until policy changes in the 1990s forced most of the production overseas. The aftermath has been a total economic disaster for many communities near and dear to my heart, particularly the milltowns in my homestate of North Carolina and many of the farming/ranching communities that produced the raw materials. Thankfully, I didn’t have to read a bunch of boring industry reports or academic papers to get my head around this subject. Instead, Kurutz’s fun-to-read, relatively short narrative gave me a thorough education on the topic via a bunch of colorful, crazy, rebellious characters who are hellbent on making American-made clothing popular and profitable (again). If you love against-the-odds business stories plus in-depth history, check this one out. [It’s very far from the made-in-America ethos, but my favorite crazy-entrepreneur book is Shoe Dog by Phil Knight.]

And three more great books written by equally great people:

• The Deck, Stories From a Pandemic by Taylor and Cody Watts - While fully grown adults (like me) struggle for years with their own writing projects, Taylor and Cody (still in high school!) publish a remarkably insightful book about their family’s experience during the pandemic. Endorsed not just by me, but by people who actually know what they are doing, such as David James Duncan and Chris Dombrowski.

• Good Hunting for Kids: Growing Up to Be the Best Hunter You Can Be by Allen Morris Jones - Ever since I brought home 150 pounds of elk meat for my family, my girls have been fascinated by hunting. So I’m thankful that my pal Allen Morris Jones applied his artist’s mind to making the subject more understandable, approachable, and entertaining for curious, outdoor-loving kiddos like mine.

• Echolocation by Sage Marshall - I continue to be poetry curious, but also continue to have no idea where to even start. I’m always happy when a gifted outdoor/conservation-focused writer like Sage publishes a collection of poetry, because I know it’ll be just what I need to read. I loved this book and will revisit it for many years to come.

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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 share this email with any of your friends who may be interested. You can forward the email or share via this link: https://mailchi.mp/mountainandprairie/books-jan-feb-25 The more the merrier!

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

Ed

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Weirdly strong opinions about this, a silly email? See FAQ #7.
 

Howdy folks,

Here are my latest Book Recommendations: Catch-Up Edition.

For the past few months, I’ve been devoting my (very limited) brain power to my own writing project– a book proposal I’ve been yapping about for years and just now completed. I made a deal with myself that if I was going to be typing on this silly computer, it had to be for the proposal– not for any of the more-fun things that are not a proposal, such as writing weird book recs.

The few patient, trusted souls who have read the proposal and offered invaluable guidance tell me it’s good/funny, so wish me luck as I wade into the weird world of publishing. In The Geography of Bliss, the author hypothesizes that the secret to happiness is low expectations, so I’ll expect to be blackballed by all agents and publishers– anything better will be a resounding victory. 

In the meantime, here are a few of the books I read between rounds of pecking away at my keyboard and trying not to lose my mind:

Lorne: The Man Who Invented Saturday Night Live by Susan Morrison - Most of my middle school weekends revolved around the same routine: Saturday evening, program the VCR to record channel 7 from 11:27 PM - 1:03 AM; Sunday morning, laugh hysterically at SNL skits, while pausing it whenever my parents walked through the room so they wouldn’t hear the crass jokes and make me turn it off. The longer SNL has been on the air, the more I’ve been intrigued by Lorne Michaels– how is it possible to keep a mainstream TV show edgy, funny, and relevant for decades on end? How can a person stay true to their creative vision and have big-time commercial success… without being considered a “sellout?” If you’ve ever wondered these things– or just crave hilarious stories about Will Ferrell– this is your book. At 600+ pages, it’s a big one, but I cranked through effortlessly. [My now-second-favorite SNL book is Live From New York: The Complete, Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live as Told by Its Stars, Writers, and Guests by Tom Shales. It’s worth reading the entire thing just for the part about Steven Seagal.]

Thirty Below: The Harrowing and Heroic Story of the First All-Women’s Ascent of Denali by Cassidy Randall - Up until Thirty Below, the only Denali-focused story I’d read that accurately captured the intensity and insanity of North America’s highest peak was Jon Krakauer’s Club Denali, which was published in Eiger Dreams. Not only did Thirty Below satiate my desire for more Denali-focused writing, but it filled in an embarrassing gap in my knowledge: The first all-women’s ascent in 1970. To me at least, 1970 doesn’t seem like all that long ago, but the obstacles and archaic ideas that these women had to overcome to simply get to the glacier, much less climb the dang thing, were insane. In many ways, climbing the mountain was the easy part– dealing with all of the arrogant, patronizing blowhards who dismissed them was a feat of world-class endurance. Like any great writer, Cassidy combines meticulous research with engaging characters and top-notch writing, and, more importantly, she brings these long-overlooked women to the forefront of mountaineering history. [To learn about Cassidy’s process for writing the book, check out our fun podcast conversation.]

Uplifted: The Evolution of a Climbing Life by Sonnie Trotter - So many mountain adventure memoirs are written by hardcore athletes who seem to be driven by some sort of darkness– an often anger-fueled desire to push beyond the edge to prove something either to themselves or their naysayers. In the world of rock climbing, Sonnie Trotter is about as hardcore as one can be– yet he’s driven by gratitude, adventure for adventure’s sake, and, dare I say, fun. I get a kick out of stories of brooding souls as much as the next guy, but it was so refreshing to read about a world-class athlete who’s driven by curiosity and optimism. As a bonus, the book is written in a refreshingly user-friendly style– it’s accessible to everyone, from veteran climbers to people like me, whose climbing career equals chaperoning their seven-year-old daughter at the climbing gym. You don’t have to zoom out much to see that, at its core, Uplifted is a book about turning your passion into a vocation– a universal theme that most thoughtful people will connect with. [I chatted with Sonnie about the book, and he was just as friendly and humble in conversation as he is on the page.]

Savage Son by Jack Carr - This is the third book in Carr’s James Reece series, and if I were forced to rank them, I would say Savage Son is my favorite so far. If you watch enough interviews with Carr, you’ll realize pretty quickly that he’s a PhD-level student of the thriller genre. He’s been reading them voraciously since he was a kid and now interviews many thriller authors on his podcast, so he knows what makes for a page turner. Combine his thriller obsession with the discipline he brings to the craft of writing, and you have a Tom Clancy-esque writing empire. Not bad for a guy who didn’t start writing seriously until after retiring from a highly decorated 20-year career in the Navy. As many of y’all know, I don’t read much fiction, but I’ll be reading this entire series. [If you’re interested in Carr's writing process, these two videos (one and two) offer some actionable insights.]

The Farmer’s Wife: My Life in Days by Helen Rebanks - An author friend of mine sent me Helen’s book along with one simple endorsement: “It’ll knock your socks off.” Well, it knocked them off so aggressively that I begged the team at the Old Salt Festival to fly Helen across the ocean so I could interview her on stage at this summer’s event. While I’m not a farmer or a mother or a wife or much of a cook, I connected deeply with Helen’s story. Through beautiful prose, she celebrates the “mundane” parts of life– the chaos of raising children, the stress of trying to keep all the balls in the air, and the often futile attempts to find balance everything professionally, financially, and personally. You know, the regular stuff that actually makes up most of life. Even though, on the surface, our lives and careers are vastly different, I found great solace in Helen’s approach to celebrating both the challenges and the joys of life, of embracing gratitude and giving others grace. When it comes to those ways of thinking, I need all the help I can get! [One-third of Nick Offerman’s Where the Deer and the Antelope Play is devoted to his adventures with Helen and her husband James on their farm in the UK.]

Mark Twain by Ron Chernow - Like The Power Broker, this monster of a biography is taking me a very long time to read. But I’m far enough in to go ahead and give it my full-blown endorsement. Like so many legends of American history, Twain is a fascinating human to learn about, but if I could go back in time, I highly doubt I’d enjoy spending more than a few hours with him in person. I have the utmost respect for how he pulled himself out of poverty and staked his claim as a writer, humorist, and pundit, but, even with Chernow’s masterful explanations, I cannot understand why a person would be so brash, pugilistic, and impulsive. Pick any larger-than-life figure, and the story is so often the same: The personality traits that make them successful are also the most self-destructive thorns in their sides. But thankfully, I’m not looking for a new best friend, I’m looking for a great story– and Chernow nails it. Twain is so complex, ever-evolving, and hypocritical that it takes a full 1,000 pages to fully examine his wild life and personality. I’ll continue to happily chip away at this behemoth between more reasonably sized books. [My favorite book that demonstrates the light and dark sides of larger-than-life personalities is The Last American Man by Elizabeth Gilbert.]

A Worthy Expedition: The History of NOLS by Kate Dernocoeur - Back in 1999, I managed to talk my way into a semester’s worth of college credit in exchange for spending three months learning to climb, backpack, and sail around the Pacific Northwest with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). Founded by yet another larger-than-life character, Paul Petzoldt, NOLS unceremoniously began 60 summers ago in Wyoming’s Wind River Range. Since then, it has evolved into the premier outdoor education and leadership school in the world. This book combines hardcore historical research with a fun-to-read writing style and is mandatory reading for anyone who values the outdoors and experiential education. I’m obviously biased, but I feel like this book should be prominently stocked in every REI and mom-and-pop outdoor store in the country. [Another NOLS book that holds a perpetual, arm’s-length spot on my desk is Wilderness Wisdom.]

The Swamp: The Everglades, Florida, and the Politics of Paradise by Michael Grunwald - I was browsing a local bookstore while visiting the Carolina coast, and this book caught my eye. Having never heard of it, I was instantly convinced to buy it by the glowing blurb from my all-time favorite Florida writer, Carl Hiassen: “The best thing I’ve ever read about the Everglades.” I cannot overstate how much I enjoyed this book. In the style of Hampton Sides or David Grann, Grunwald takes dense, complex history and makes it read like a novel. He’s also surprisingly funny, which is quite an accomplishment when you consider how depressing the destruction of the Everglades has been. As much as I’m intrigued by Florida, what struck me most about this book was how our conquest of the Everglades seemed to become a blueprint for our conquests out West. From the tactics used to eliminate the Indigenous populations, to the obsession with making land “productive,” to the eventual bone-headed development (i.e., destruction) of a fragile ecosystem, the history of the Everglades allowed me to better understand the history of many of our imperiled wild places. [Sara Dant’s Losing Eden is my go-to for learning about the environmental history of the western U.S.]

Grasslands: Painting the American Prairie by James Prosek - James has built a legendary career on his process of becoming fully obsessed with a certain aspect of ecology, relentlessly exploring that idea through art and writing, then producing one-of-a-kind work that communicates his discoveries. I’ve recommended many of his books in these emails, with one of my favorites being Ocean Fishes. In this book, he turns his attention to grasslands and dives into not just specific species of the Great Plains, but into exploring the ideas of what concepts like “native species” even mean. He combines his philosopher’s mind with his artist’s eye, drawing, painting, and sculpting artwork that will make you reconsider your relationship with the land next time you're cruising through wide-open prairies.

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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 share this email with any of your friends who may be interested. You can forward the email or share via this link: https://mailchi.mp/mountainandprairie/books-spring-summer-25 The more the merrier!

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

Ed

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mountainandprairie.com
edroberson.co
@mtnprairie
Weirdly strong opinions about this, a silly email? See FAQ #7.
 

Hello everyone,

This email marks 10 years of sending out my bimonthly book recommendations. A huge thanks to those who have been with me the whole time, those who just signed up yesterday, and everyone in between. I still don’t understand the appeal, but I won’t ask any questions.

In honor of a decade of weird paragraphs about books, I also published an experimental podcast episode in which I give a little more background on why I read each of these books and the lessons I took from each of them. I recorded the long-winded soliloquy late last night in my Shed, and it’s now available for your listening and/or gawking pleasure wherever you get your podcasts, or here:

SHED SESH: September & October 2025 Book Recommendations

Thanks so much for your ongoing support and interest, and here’s to another great decade of great books.

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Burn by Peter Heller - Back in the spring of 2019, I read Peter Heller’s The Dog Stars, which painted a way-too-vivid picture of life in Colorado after a global pandemic. I remember thinking, “Yeah, that’s pretty scary, but it could never happen.” Then one year later, in the spring of 2020, we all know what happened. When I finished Burn, an excellent-but-terrifying story of a violent societal uprising followed by the government’s brutal response, I thought, “Yeah, that’s scare and it could happen.” But I guess the sign of a good novel is that it actually makes you feel something, and, now, every time I make the mistake of looking at internet “news,” I think about Burn. As is the case with all of Heller’s novels, this one is action-packed, fast-paced, and full of memorable, flawed, complex characters. It’s a great read, and, for me at least, definitely worth the trade-off of a little extra anxiety. [If you want the opposite of anxiety, read Wendell Berry’s Jayber Crow.]

The Way Out: A True Story of Survival in the Heart of the Rockies by Devon O’Neil - If you listen to my podcast, then you’re already familiar with The Way Out. And if you’re a fan of Krakauer's Into the Wild or Into Thin Air, or Junger’s The Perfect Storm, then you’ll love this book. It’s the story of a low-key backcountry ski trip gone horribly wrong, one epic survival story, one tragic death, and the tight-knit mountain community that has to come to grips with heartbreak and loss. This book is especially important for those of us who are drawn to adventure in wild places–and especially those of us who try to explain away the inherent risk that comes with spending time in potentially deadly environments. Devon was the perfect person to tell this story–the compassion and empathy he brings to his reporting is obvious, and his commitment to telling the story completely and fairly is a case study in responsible journalism. A very important book. [If you haven’t already, check out my conversation with Devon.]

Simple Fly Fishing and Pheasant Tail Simplicity by Yvon Chouinard, Craig Mathews, and Mauro Mazza - These two books (and the next one below) fall into the category of “You might think this is a book about X, but it’s actually about Y.” On the surface, these books seem to be about how to become a better fly fisherman–but not through buying a truckload of expensive gear or filling your vest with 2,000 fancy-looking flies. The authors, who are all more accomplished anglers than at least 99.99% of the people reading this email, insist that the secret to mastering the art of fly fishing is to SIMPLIFY. In the case of Simple Fly Fishing, throw away your reel. In the case of Pheasant Tail Simplicity, use only one type of fly. By applying constraints, embracing curiosity, and reducing the process to its purest essence, one can finally begin the journey of becoming a master. And whaddaya know, this idea of embracing simplicity can also be applied to all parts of our lives: from work to play, creative endeavors to interpersonal relationships. As society becomes increasingly complicated, the idea of simplification becomes increasingly attractive. [I had the great pleasure of chatting with Yvon Chouinard about simplicity in fishing and life–full of laughs, full of wisdom.]

Little Woodchucks: Offerman Woodshop’s Guide to Tools and Tomfoolery by Nick Offerman with Lee Buchanan - On the surface, this is a fun, funny, photo-filled instruction manual for teaching kids how to build things from wood, by hand. Nick covers everything from choosing your tools, to setting up your workspace, to completing 12 different projects, including a box kite, a little free library, and a toy truck. It’s real fun–the kind of rewarding undertaking that lets children use their brains, learn a skill, and create a real-world, tactile object that they can hold in their hands. But when you dig a little deeper, Little Woodchucks is about rejecting the brain-rotting pull of the internet, shunning the hypnotic pull of social media, and working alongside like-minded people to create useful, pride-inducing keepsakes. In my humble opinion, no matter our age, we will probably all benefit from a little less swiping and more real-world craftsmanship. (If you’re a bigger woodchuck who’s looking for more advanced projects and fun/wise Offerman-esque philosophy, check out Nick’s Good Clean Fun.]

Dirtbag Billionaire: How Yvon Chouinard Built Patagonia, Made a Fortune, and Gave It All Away by David Gelles - Even though I’d spent the past 20 years reading and watching pretty much everything about Yvon Chouinard and Patagonia, I learned a ton from this biography. Gelles is an accomplished New York Times journalist who, after ripping Jack Welch to shreds, turned his attention to Chouinard. (Spoiler alert: He seems to admire Yvon a lot more than Jack.) Gelles chronicles Chouinard’s life from rambunctious youngster to climbing icon to business innovator to super philanthropist who, in 2022, gave his multi-billion-dollar company away. While I loved the insights into Chouinard’s personality and vision, I especially enjoyed learning more about his colleagues and teammates who played invaluable roles in Patagonia’s success, particularly Kris Tompkins. Gelles paints a fair picture of the entire Patagonia enterprise, exploring the contradictions and paradoxes of building a high-impact consumer goods company that is also real-deal committed to making the world a better place. A good reminder that nothing is straightforward, everything is nuanced, and the most interesting people are complex. [The ethos of Nike founder Phil Knight couldn’t be further from Yvon’s, but Knight’s memoir Shoe Dog is one of my all-time favorite business memoirs.]

Apple in China: The Capture of the World's Greatest Company by Patrick McGee - Back when I was in business school, my least favorite subject, hands down, was operations. Endless yammering about factories, assembly lines, “lean manufacturing,” “Six Sigma black belts,” and a bunch of other lingo that my brain seemed violently allergic to. So I was quite surprised to find myself completely engrossed by a 400+-page book about the global supply chain that produces iPhones. But seriously… it was fascinating. And at times… infuriating. The quick summary is that a small number of Chinese manufacturers patiently and ingeniously built a system that all but forced Apple to not only hire them to assemble its products, but also to build its factories, train its workers, and inject billions and billions of dollars of economic stimulus into the Chinese economy. And over the course of three or four decades, China grew into the economic and political powerhouse that it is today. Now that it’s finished helping China, perhaps Apple can figure out a way to inject a few hundred billion into its home country’s public schools and/or healthcare system. [Another head-spinning business book that I think of often is When McKinsey Comes to Town by Walt Bogdanich and Michael Forsythe.]

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mountainandprairie.com
edroberson.co
@mtnprairie
Weirdly strong opinions about this, a silly email? See FAQ #7.
 

Behold! The first book email of 2026. I hope one or two of them pique your interest.

Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry - Ever since I started reading Wendell Berry novels, I’ve been trying to understand why they make me cry. It’s not that they are over-the-top sad or tragic, and it’s worth noting that sobbing-while-reading is not a regular occurrence for me. However, I had to stop reading this book on two separate occasions because my reading glasses were not effectively hiding my tears from my two young daughters, who kept glancing over with concern. But after finally finishing it, I think I’ve figured out what’s going on– Berry is a master of telling the stories of good people, trying their best, alongside their community, working through all the inevitable ups and downs of life, with courage and compassion. This novel was especially unique to me, as it is the only one in the Port William series that’s told through the eyes of a woman. To be clear, this book is most definitely not a downer– I think it highlights the very best of humanity, and its themes are more important now than ever. [Jayber Crow is in the running for my all-time favorite novel, and the short-yet-sweet Andy Catlett: Early Travels was my entry point to Berry fiction.]

A Death in Belmont by Sebastian Junger - On the far other side of the spectrum, this book highlights the worst of humanity. It’s the story of a 1963 murder in the sleepy suburb of Belmont, MA, a crime that took place just a few doors down from Junger’s childhood home. The book weaves together several wild plotlines, including the gross history of the Boston Strangler, the arrest and trial of a hastily accused black man, and the story of the violent, perverted nutcase who eventually confessed to the crime. And to make it all even crazier, the nutty perv had been working as a day laborer at Junger’s home at the time of the murder, and there is a creepy photo of him, Sebastian’s mother, and baby-Sebastian in the book! As is the case with every single thing Junger writes, it’s fast-paced, gripping, and impeccably reported, but, be forewarned, this book will expose you to a lowlife version of the human race that you may not want to know about. [I don’t read many crime books, but Krakauer’s Under the Banner of Heaven is another disturbing-yet-must-read classic.]

Fire by Sebastian Junger - I just revisited this book more than 20 years after reading it for the first time. It was the next book that Junger published after his mega-hit, The Perfect Storm, and it’s a collection of ten different stories that showcase what he does best: Embedding himself in scary environments with extremely tough people who must figure out how to survive and/or thrive in the face of mind-bending danger. I have listened to pretty much every single one of Junger’s various podcast appearances, and this book provided some amazing context to stories I’ve heard him tell over the years– the historic South Canyon wildfire, embedding himself with guerrilla-warfare legend Ahmad Shah Massoud, and his experience covering the civil war in Sierra Leone. If you're in need of some of the world’s best writing, but in bite-sized portions, Fire is a really good option. [Or you can check out Junger’s new Substack, where he explores everything from war to writing.]

Mindset: Changing the Way You Think to Fulfill Your Potential by Dr. Carol S. Dweck - For many years, I’ve heard people talking about “growth mindset” versus “fixed mindset.” I’d dismissed most of it as just more self-help blabbering, until one of my old friends recommended this book. My friend is thoughtful, well-rounded, kind, funny, and extremely successful in a brutally competitive business– traits that can often be mutually exclusive, in my experience at least. The basic gist of the book is that you either approach life with the idea of “I’m not good at this” or “I may not be great at this now, but I can get better.” For example, I’ve been known to say, “I’m not a good athlete.” But now I say, “Wow, I only got choked 11 times this morning at jiu-jitsu, I’m getting better!” It sounds mind-numbingly simple, but as I read the book, I was amazed by how powerful the mental shift is… and by how many facets of life it applies to. I was especially struck by how labeling yourself as something positive (e.g., “I’m smart”) can lead that person to rest on their laurels and not continue improving… eventually getting lapped by “less talented” people. Definitely worth a read. [For a wonderful case study in focusing on process above all else, read Monte Burke’s Saban.]

Anger: Wisdom for Cooling the Flames by Thich Nhat Hanh - One of my most steadfast personality quirks is a decades-long tendency to attempt to counteract sadness with anger. Being openly sad is an extremely vulnerable position to find oneself in, so I’ve found feigning anger to be a surprisingly effective way to exert some control over the inherently out-of-control emotion. But just like booze can be surprisingly effective at counteracting shyness, anger-over-sadness is unquestionably a net-negative operating system. Like everything written by Thich Nhat Hanh, Anger delivers more wisdom per word than pretty much any author I know of. Simple language, economy of words, and potent wisdom that is slowly but surely helping me to drop the tough-guy routine and tenderly embrace what Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche calls “the genuine heart of sadness.” [An excellent book of essays on chilling out is All the Rage: Buddhist Wisdom on Anger and Acceptance.]

The Comfort Crisis: Embrace Discomfort to Reclaim Your Wild, Happy, Healthy Self by Michael Easter - Thankfully, I don’t think I need to “reclaim [my] wild, happy, healthy self,” because I’m almost always pushing myself toward some sort of contrived, ridiculous physical goal, so that my mind stays on a relatively even keel. Whether that means wandering around in the mountains for days on end or getting put in my place on the mats of justice, I intuitively know that hard physical effort is a non-negotiable. But, until reading this book, I didn’t fully understand why. Similar to Natural Born Heroes or What Doesn’t Kill Us, Easter lays out a compelling case for why we humans need to question our attraction to comfort and proactively seek out crazy, seemingly unnecessary challenges. Just as Florence Williams’ The Nature Fix offered scientific explanations that backed up my lived experience of “Being outside makes me happy,” this book gives me some reasonable responses when somebody asks in a concerned tone, “Now explain to me again why you want to run for 35 hours straight?”

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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 share this email with any of your friends who may be interested. You can forward the email or share via this link: https://mailchi.mp/mountainandprairie/jan-feb-26 The more the merrier!

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

Ed

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