Comments on: reading challenge, january 13

By: Michelle

Michelle — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 22:39:37 +0000

I just bought The Quotidian Mysteries…to read on my day off (all the way off!) next week.. it was a lovely discovery!

By: Keith

Keith — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 19:51:41 +0000

I’d guess the possibility of widowing your spouse and orphaning your kids only works as a motivator if you’re not already the kind of insane that needs to play Russian roulette with the planet itself.

By: reverendmother

reverendmother — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 16:33:54 +0000

Yeah, I can understand that. (And I’m glad you got to write yesterday.)

OTOH, if my insanity-prevention activity carried the possibility of widowing my spouse and orphaning my kids, I’d be motivated to find some other option. At least until the kids were out of the house.

By: Keith

Keith — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 14:22:55 +0000

I go a little insane (an accuracy, not a colloquialism) when I’m prevented from writing or composing for long periods. Children haven’t changed that–they’ve just made it less possible for me to regain my footing.

I suppose if I got my equilibrium from climbing mountains, I’d be off doing that. Children don’t really change your flavor of insanity.

By: Ruth

Ruth — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 04:52:56 +0000

I also loved “Into Thin Air” and remember that my husband and I had several great conversations about it — especially the leaving-a-pregnant-wife part. And “Into the Wild” is even better. I loved watching the movie with one daughter, can’t wait till it’s out on DVD and can watch it again with the other daughter. The word hubris is a good word for both books. The word hubris is just a good word, isn’t it? Ah, how I begin to see it in myself!

By: reverendmother

reverendmother — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 18:34:29 +0000

Wow, Beck Weathers was the one person whose story I’d love to hear most. He sounds like a true survivor—left for dead multiple times.

I have this deep respect for people who take on extremely difficult physical challenges like those people did. But I don’t claim to understand it. Especially when they have children at home. One guy’s wife was seven months pregnant.

Unexpectedly thought provoking book.

By: Woodstock

Woodstock — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 17:24:39 +0000

A book discussion group I was in (based at my church, no less) read INTO THIN AIR a few years back. My first comment that afternoone was that this is the sort of experience hubris will get you into. Virtually everyone else jumped all over me criticizing that view. “It’s a calling” “It’s a spiritual experience.” etc, etc. As a non-jock type I could never understand, blah, blah, blah. Most of the participants were “ladies of a certain age” like I am, which is part of what startled me so when I heard their comments. I didn’t change my mind, although I agree that it is a book of extraordinarily high quality. But I found very troubling not only the human pride which led to tragedy, but also the degredation both of the mountain and of the remains of those who died there.

By: The local MD

The local MD — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 15:52:59 +0000

You should read “Into the Wild.” Having sons made me wonder what he was thinking. I know one of the people they left behind in “Into Thin Air.” His name is Beck Weathers. He got up and began walking when the others thought he was surely dying. He is crippled for life from frost bite but is still working and speaking about why he made the climb.

By: spookyrach

spookyrach — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 14:37:46 +0000

Cool list. Loved the comment about the mountain!! ha!

By: reverendmother

reverendmother — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 03:02:15 +0000

Cathy: nursing plus baby dozing!

SG: love that one. Also Annie Dillard’s Writing Life.

QG: I read that at Alex’s! Very cool.