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“Chiefs” By Stuart Woods (A Book Review)

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I have long wanted to write a review of one of the works of a favorite author, Stuart Woods. I found this particularly difficult because of Woods’ long writing career including both novels and nonfiction works. Finally, I decided not to delay longer and try to capture the essence of his first novel, “Chiefs”. I would note that while “Chiefs” is his first novel, originally published in 1981, it is not his first book. Before “Chiefs” he wrote a book describing his experiences sailing, including a trans-Atlantic trip from the United Kingdom to the United States, and a guidebook to locations throughout the U.K.

“Chiefs” is loosely based on a childhood experience in Woods’ life when he found an old badge in a relatives’ attic. The badge appeared to be blood stained and damage from some type of firearm. Woods found that this was true, and the badge had been worn by one of his ancestors.

According to Woods, it took many years for the story he was told to transition into a novel and then took about eight years to be written and published. Most of the writing occurred in Ireland where Woods lived, almost as a hermit. Like several of Woods’ early novels the story is not part of any series although it does introduce several characters and locations that appear in his later works. The novel focuses on four individuals who lived in the rural south beginning in the 1920’s and continuing until after the end of World War II. A time when the country, particularly the south, was in transition.  Three of these individuals were law enforcement officers in a small Georgia town. The other seemed to believe that he was more qualified than any to hold the position.

The first officer, Will Henry Lee, was a former cotton farmer. Like many other small farmers, he could no longer support his family by farming. Since the town was looking for its first police chief, Will Henry asked for the position and was accepted. He was successful in the position until his untimely, and some would say accidental, death while on duty. His badge, much like that of Woods’ ancestor, suffered the same fate.

The second chief, Sonny Butts, came on the scene years later. He might have been considered a thug had the circumstances been different. He was a motorcycle riding hot head, not afraid to treat the town’s elite in the same manner as it’s poor. He had proven himself a reasonably good police officer and was appointed chief after the death of his predecessor. After becoming chief, simply disappeared, not immediately but after some time.

The final chief in the story was a black man, something extremely unusual in that timeframe not just in the rural south but anywhere in the country.  He had experience in the military and was fair to all the residents of the town. Because of his experience and a recent event, he began looking at the history of related crimes in the town’s past.  His findings seemed to point to someone in or near the town being guilty of or at least knowledgeable of the crimes. Yet when he tried to report these things to the long-term county sheriff, they were laughed off. Could this be because of the chief’s race or was there some other underlying reason?

The fourth principal character in the book was an odd individual who lived a short distance outside the town. Someone who wanted to be the chief but was never selected. Someone who often appeared dressed as a hero from WW I, although his service was questionable. Someone who lived as a hermit but was known to have a large collection of weapons. A person who, if nothing else, was looked on as odd, quirky, or even crazy. What was his role?

Did any of these characters have a relationship? What role did each play in the growth of the town? Or were all just passing ships in the night? This is for the reader to find out.

I was able to find this novel in paperback form from a 2005 printing. It is unlikely that an copies of the original hardcopy version can be found since there were only about 20,00 copies printed. It is worth the hunt to read the book. Captivating, yes. Hard to put down, yes. And a challenge to try to solve the mysteries before reaching the conclusion. Search for it. Read it. And enjoy.

Go Sit in the Corner and Shut Up!

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Perhaps I shouldn’t write this. After all, it criticizes the media, celebrities, and a minority of American voters in the last presidential election. Not only that, I am also immoral, ignorant, stupid, garbage, uneducated, sexist, racist, and a misogynistic (I had to look that one up to make sure it was true). I am elite, a part of the “ruling class”, misinformed, psycho, and don’t care about democracy. I am a hatemonger and not smart enough to know how to react when a bear is trying to eat me (how I ended up somewhere that a bear would try to eat me is unknown). 

Each of these things have been said about me, and a majority of voters, in the last few weeks and been covered repeatedly in the media. Even today, over a week since the election they are still being given front page coverage often being treated as news rather than opinion.

Perhaps the best solution is to do as the title of this post says, “Go Sit in the Corner and Shut Up!” I know this is true for my office where the only acceptable viewpoint is an ultra-liberal, progressive one. Conservatism in any form is not only discouraged but even scorned. If we accept what the liberal press, celebrities, and others tell us then we are accepted but if we dare disagree, we are shut out. So, the best answer is to simply not say anything.

I refuse to be shouted down by those who I do not respect – the media which has had an extended liberal bias, celebrities who, while entitled to their views, are no more qualified than me to make an informed decision, and others who consider views other than their own irrelevant. I hope I don’t lose friends because of this post but if I do, I must ask, “Were they really friends?” I will continue to talk to family members who have opposing views although some may not talk to me.

I will not, however, go sit in a corner and shut up.  That may work with small children but it is not a solution for adults.

“A Walk in the Park” By Kevin Fedarko (A Book Review)

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Previously published on Facebook.

The third of three books my wife bought for me on Father’s Day 2024, Kevin Fedarko’s “A Walk in the Park” is by far the longest and the most complex. Kevin’s friend, Pete McBride, suggests that the pair hike the Grand Canyon. Not the rim-to-rim hike that many find challenging, but instead a hike from one end of the Canyon, Lee’s Ferry, to the other, Grand Wash Cliffs, beginning in 2015. Although the distance between these two places is about 277 miles, the walk is closer to 750 miles because of the need to trek through side canyons and grounds with no trails.  If the hike is taken in sections, the method used by Fedarko and McBride, the distance is closer to 800 miles because of added distance to take-out and drop-in points.

While this hike has been completed by others, they were typically seasoned back country hikers. On the other hand, Kevin was an award winning writer and Pete an award winning photographer. While both had some outdoor experiences, neither was in any way prepared for the challenges and experiences awaiting them. Looking at some of their past experiences – getting caught in an avalanche near Mount Everest, a trip to take photos of the world’s largest caribou herds and seeing no caribou, and others – you have to wonder what would make them believe this trip would go well.

It is difficult to categorize this book. It could be considered an adventure or maybe a history book looking at the Grand Canyon’s past. It could be thought of as a hiking book or a nature book. It also includes portions that reflect love – love of the outdoors, of family, and of geography – or a book on conservation. There are probably many other ways that one can view the book based on personal experiences.

Both Fedarko and McBride have published books based on their experience.  “A Walk in the Park” is Fedarko’s while McBride published a photo book from the trek. They have worked together on a video of the trip. All of these are done from the standpoint of participants, not onlookers. Little is hidden away because it makes the reader or viewer uncomfortable. Instead they want to make others part of the journey. They do not preach to the reader or viewer. Instead they offer thoughts, ideas, and experiences designed to make us all think.

Many thought that the trek was poorly planned – probably so – by unqualified individuals and was followed up with poor execution. One comment I saw was that it was harebrained – also probably true. Had it not been for other, more qualified, hikers and individuals with far more experience who helped them we might have read of two more hikers losing their lives in the Grand Canyon.

It took far longer to read this book than I originally expected. It is so well written that it makes you feel that you were along with Fedarko, McBride, and their friends. You can learn from their experiences and from those they met along the way. And also from those who attempted the same trek without success sometimes leading to their death. In addition to the portion of the book dedicated to the hike, you also learn something about the boat and raft trips down the Colorado River from Lees Ferry and the difficulties involved from those who guide these trips based on Fedarko’s attempts to work in that realm. You also learn about his family from the mining areas of Pennsylvania and his father’s battle with cancer. All of these things bring you into his life.

I highly recommend this book to anyone with interest in the outdoors, our national parks, the Grand Canyon, and the indigenous people who inhabited the land prior to the park’s existence. It also offers a view of the mistakes we have made in our attempt to preserve the land for some, allow others to profit from our mistakes, and often our inability to make things right again.

Again, read the book. I’m sure almost everyone will find things of interest to them and will enjoy those things around them.

Veteran’s Day 2024

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On this Veteran’s Day 2024, I thought I should write a short post honoring those who have served. Many, like me served during peacetime or were lucky enough to not be deployed to a battle zone. I say lucky because anyone who is a veteran made a commitment to serve our country. They agreed to possibly make the ultimate sacrifice to ensure the freedoms and rights of all Americans – even those who refused to serve our country and those who refused to honor the service of those serving.

I’m not sure how many veteran’s there are, or were, in my extended family. I know that my father (pictured below) served, I served, and my son served. I also had uncles who served along with cousins. I don’t believe that either of my grandfathers served, not out of a lack of patriotism but instead because they were to young for some times of crisis or too old for others. Even so, they made sacrifices because their children served.

My father before his deployment in World War II. He served in the Army Air Corps, later known as the U.S. Air Force. He served in the Pacific Theater on the islands north of Australia and south of Japan.

I also have many friends who are veterans. Many served at the same time I did. Others served either before or after I served. We expected nothing special for our service nor do we expect nothing today. I suspect this is true for those serving today.

Veterans share common bonds, no matter when they served, where they served, or their branch of service. When they gather, they may talk about their service, places they shared, and the trials and tribulations they may have faced – separation from loved ones, injuries they or others may have experienced, and things they learned. Seldom do they share feelings or thoughts about those who refused to serve – at least not publicly.

So while I did not get this posted by the exact time, let us all honor those who have served or are serving today, especially at this the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, the official end of World War I – what was then known as Armistice Day and is now known as Veteran’s Day.

“You Are Here” by David Nicholls (A Book Review)

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Previously posted on Facebook.

My beautiful and loving wife gave me three books for Father’s Day this year. Those of you who have seen my previous posts may remember that I have loved reading since my early days and I suspect I have read hundreds, if not thousands, of books since then. Any time I receive books as a gift it is wonderful.

In a recent post, I wrote a short review of the first of these books, Nick Offerman’s “Where the Deer and the Antelope Play …” I’m going to try to do the same for another here, David Nicholls’ “You Are Here.” Nicholls, much like Offerman, has had a varied career as an actor (for which he said he had no talent), a writer, and a screenwriter.

“You Are Here” has been described in many ways by others – an outdoor story, a journey, a love story, by Nicholls himself as funny, and more. I could agree with any of these. The book presented a bit of challenge at the beginning because of differences between the typical American novels I read and the British style of Nicholls. But this disappeared after only a few pages.

While trying to not spoil your enjoyment of the book, it centers on a hiking trip primarily involving a man, Michael, and a woman, Marnie, with seemingly little in common.  He was a geography teacher; she a book editor. Both were coming out of unsuccessful relationships. Both were somewhat isolated, by choice, as a result. They did have one friend in common, one who kept pushing them to get out of their isolation. The friend was finally successful by organizing three day hiking trip with several other people.

“You Are Here” follows the trek and the decision by Marnie to extend her hike to accompany Michael for several additional days of his planned, longer trip. Up and down hills, through the countryside, the trip continues until an evening when Michael meets with his former wife. Unfortunately, Michael had not told Marnie about this meeting until the day it was to occur Obviously Marnie’s feelings were hurt. While the meeting occurred, many surprises and unexpected results ensued.

What would happen next? Would Michel and Marnie reconcile and live happily ever after? Would they never meet again? What really happened when Michael met his ex-wife?

A few months later, when the man, the woman, and the friend who started the whole adventure met again, the meeting will be a surprise to all who read the book.

This book was a Barnes & Noble Book Club Selection and it is easy to see why. It can be enjoyed by anyone who reads it no matter how they categorize it. While my initial reason for reading it was as an outdoor book, the other views came through as well.  I would strongly recommend it to all.

Good reading.

The Fourth Estate

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It has now been two days since the 2024 election yet rather than accept the election results and moving forward, the mainstream press seems affixed on continually creating discord. They seem to continually publish or air statements regarding how things were unfair, biased, etc., and supporting many of those who were not elected by a majority of American voters.

According to Merriam-Webster’s web site, “The term fourth estate has been around for centuries. In Europe, going back to medieval times, the people who participated in the political life of a country were generally divided into three classes or estates. In England they were the three groups with representation in Parliament, namely, the nobility, the clergy, and the common people. Some other group, like the mob or the public press, that had an unofficial but often great influence on public affairs, was called the fourth estate. In the 19th century, fourth estate came to refer exclusively to the press, and now it’s applied to all branches of the news media.”

In other sources, there was also an emphasis that the press had a responsibility to do this in an unbiased manner, without interference by either the government or personal views. The term press has been popularly expanded to include other forms of the media, including social media. What I could not find anywhere was the inclusion of celebrities such as television and movie stars, professional athletes and coaches, or even former government officials, elected or appointed, were part of the fourth estate.

Unfortunately, when viewing the press (or media) today, it seems that these celebrities are represented as smarter or more qualified than the average American to make election decisions. This seems to be supported by the media when publishing headlines stressing the views of these celebrities. Is this actually a lack of bias?

I respect the decision of the press to provide an opportunity for opinions and editorials which offer opposing views. I do question whether any of these should be headlined by the press without being identified as opinions.

I believe the role of the press is to report the news for public consumption without telling the public how to think. I also believe that many people have come to distrust the mainline media. And, that as a result, people have put themselves in harm’s way because of this distrust. I’m not sure that we will ever return to the level of trust that existed in the era shortly after World War II where the news was reported, not interpreted.

Election Day 2024 – The Day After

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With the exception of cleaning up some leftovers, it appears that the 2024 election is now over. We, the American people, have taken the opportunity once again to make our voices heard. The results have been tallied and in the vast majority of cases, the results are in. Concessions have been made and victories celebrated. As in every election that I can remember, there were candidates who won and candidates who did not. And for each winner, there were supporters who were happy just as there were supporters who were sad because their candidate did not win. Similarly, in many locations, the voting process allowed people to express their opinion about issues other than the candidates themselves. There were winners and losers there as well. These things have happened throughout the history of our country.

One can only hope that the divisiveness and hatred that have invaded our country for the last ten years or so can now be put aside and we can move on to a more positive environment. One where we can simply agree to disagree, to put our differences aside in daily life, and to end the conflicts that have arisen between friends and family members. We can also hope for a return to the days when politically driven retribution is the exception rather than the rule. We have done this before and we can do it again.

Of course, the “celebrities” who seem to consider themselves more important than the rest of America are already lining up to create promote and encourage both antagonism and hatred among us simply to make a bigger name for themselves. I often wonder what have these “stars” in the media, acting, and sports done to qualify them to tell me how to vote or do anything outside of their field of expertise. But I suppose as long as today’s news media continues to promote them they will continue to think that the rest of the country know less than they do.

Instead of allowing ourselves to contribute to the antagonism, divisiveness, and hatred I encourage everyone to take a step back and try to calm down. If you didn’t like the election results, at whatever level, don’t worry. You will have another opportunity to share your views in a few months or years. Who know if you will then be a winner or a loser. But for now, maybe take a friend to lunch or have a drink with them at a bar and forget about any political differences you may have. Try to consider what is important for our children today – having them all agree with you or teaching them how to work through differences and move forward. And, sit down and ask yourself, “Is it better to live in a country where you are given the opportunity to express your views or would it be better to live under the thumb of a dictator who came into power through corruption, war, and military might?”

“Where the Deer and the Antelope Play, The Pastoral Observations of One Ignorant American Who Loves to Walk Outside” by Nick Offerman (A Book Review)

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Previously posted on Facebook.

A rather wordy title for what I found to be a surprisingly interesting read.

Offerman described himself at different points in his book as a writer (with several books in print), a television actor (both in prime time and in movies), a producer and behind the scenes worker in theater, a boat builder (wood canoes), a craft furniture builder (check his website), a husband, and without really saying so, a traveler. A lot of things in, when compared to mine, a relatively short timeframe.

The book is officially divided into three parts:

A weeklong trip with two friends to Glacier National Park where they took several day hikes throughout the Park along with one day of river rafting.

An extended visit with another friend, a sheep farmer in the rural United Kingdom.

And, a road trip across half of the United States with his wife, actress Megan Mullaly in their travel trailer, Nutmeg, visiting friends and family across the country.

Some might also say there is a fourth, unofficial part of the book which focuses on Offerman’s political and environmental viewpoints or observations. While some may find these views a bit overbearing, they are scattered throughout the book and can be skipped over without losing the value of his writings.

Glacier National Park

The book opens in Montana where Nick and his friends are meeting with their guide to enjoy several days of hiking different trails, both in length and difficulty.  I found this part of the book very enjoyable.  While I often read fast, this section of the book made me want to take a break – read a few pages and the take the time to think about what I had read. Then sit back and ask myself why things happened in the way they did along with how things might have been different.

This section was an excellent way to open the book and to welcome the reader into a part of the world that some may never see in person. In addition to some serious thinking one can open their imagination and feel like they are there.

The United Kingdom

The second part of the book is was spread over a much longer period.  It describes how Nick was able to visit a local countryman, a fellow writer and a sheep farmer, while working in the United Kingdom. While not specifically mentioned, it also seemed to open Nick’s eyes to how someone not living and working in the entertainment field lived and spent their daily lives.

Early in this part, Nick participated, probably to his surprise, in the rebuilding of old, possibly ancient stone fences used to manage sheep on the farm. Definitely hard physical work which gives lots of time for thinking and reflecting on life but also a good deal of mental work since these stone walls are not held together by concrete. Instead they are constructed by selecting stones and fitting them together piece by piece, and creating a fence that will last a lifetime or longer.

While Nick was raised in a relatively rural area of Illinois I am fairly certain that he had never done anything like this, or purchasing livestock or participating in every day farm life.

Across the United States

Nick was back in the United States for Part III. He and his wife were planning a trip across the country during the pandemic. After seeing some small recreational vehicles, they began looking at recreational vehicles and ultimately purchasing an Airstream trailer (named Nutmeg – LOL) for their trip.  After the purchase, they experienced many of the same challenges seen by other beginning campers – learning how to connect the trailer to the tow vehicle, finding that parking a trailer was not the same as parking a car, and discovering that not all campgrounds worked in the same way.

But after a few false starts, their travels seemed to go well. Once they reached his childhood home after leaving Nutmeg in Oklahoma Nick found some strained relationships with family members. This ultimately led to something he called “Bubbles”; a recognition that if people live in different environments they may not share views or opinions. This can often lead to disagreements, hurt feelings, and sometimes even separation.

After a short family visit, the trip back to their California home began with additional information on their travels along with the fun, and challenges, of travelling in a recreational vehicle.

All in all, a very enjoyable book.  A book that makes one think. Not everyone will agree with everything in the book nor is that expected. I would highly recommend this book to all readers and strongly encourage to take time for thinking and imagining. And remember that even if there are chapters or parts that you disagree with, the book is still enjoyable.

Election Day 2024

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Today is Election Day 2024. Today we have the opportunity to do something that only happens once every four years – cast our vote for President of the United States. This election has been described in many different ways by the media, the candidates, and others more than willing to share their “expertise”. Until the last few years, votes would be counted within a few days and then we would know the winners and the losers. Unfortunately, recent elections have shown this not to be the case.

In my memory, the desire to challenge election results first arose, at least on the national level, during the Gore campaign’s challenge to results based on “hanging chads” or possible errors due to the method used to record and count votes on computer cards. The next big challenge was during the last election where the Trump campaign challenged the validity of results based on how election officials counted votes and the procedures that were applied inconsistently or correctly.

Interestingly, in neither case were the challenges upheld but in one case the challenges were applauded while in the other state and local officials used the challenges as a reason to bring legal charges against the candidate. One can only hope that neither the challenges nor the court cases are needed this year.

It also seems that this year citizenship is no longer important in our elections. Instead, it seems that we have an effort to allow voting by anyone in the country – whether they are citizens or not, whether they have entered our country legally or not, whether they actually reside here or somewhere else.

Our country was founded on the right of citizens to elect our government officials. I’m not sure that is still the case. Instead, officials are selected by a few “select” individuals who are not bound to support the desires of the average citizen. This was made clear this year when one of the two presidential candidates did not face a single general election prior to be named as the party’s candidate by these “select” individuals.

All of this is only to say all citizens should get out and vote today. Vote not on what some celebrity or media expert has recommended but instead on their personal beliefs and knowledge consider important. And, hope that our country can move forward as it has since the first elections and provide our children a safe and happy place to live.

“The God of the Woods” by Liz Moore (A Book Review)

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Previously shared in Facebook.

For me, this was an interesting book from many aspects. It was extremely difficult to read. Each chapter was told from the viewpoint of differing characters. Some appearing only once or twice while some appearing multiple times. This differs greatly from the fiction I normally read which tends to flow from one chapter to another. On the other hand, I never wanted to put the book down. I wished for enough quiet time to read the book from cover to cover without interruption. There was always something that made me want to continue reading although I was never able to figure out why. Perhaps by writing down my thoughts I will be able to identify the lure.

The story itself had many things typically seen in smaller numbers in other mysteries I have read – a castle, or maybe more accurately, a mansion on the hill; a highly dysfunctional family; the disappearance of a main character; the disappearance of her older brother some fourteen years earlier; a wrongly identified defendant in the earlier disappearance; an escaped prisoner returning to his home for a final visit; two investigators – one new and one who has been a part of both investigations. Who could ask for more? Or, does this make things too complex?

The Van Laar estate is divided into two areas. The first being the family mansion which is far more luxurious than any home in the surrounding area. The estate is the employer most residents of the surrounding countryside. It has existed through several generations of the family since its construction. The second is a series of old farmstead buildings along with several cabins which host a youth camp each summer. The camp is divided into two areas, one for boys and one for girls but the staff works with both groups.

In 1975, Barbara Van Laar is one of the campers. Not just any camper but the 13-year-old daughter of the owners. From her description, she seems a bit rebellious not a troublemaker but instead doing things simply to irritate, or assert her independence from, her parents. Things like repainting her room with a mural, somewhat punk or perhaps Goth, on the walls and in a color that one would not expect in the mansion and padlocking her door when she goes to camp. Another camper is a shy girl who is there only to mollify her parents. Surprisingly the two become close friends at least until Barbara disappears.

The police are called in an effort to locate the missing girl and the real mystery begins. Before the camp is closed for the rest of the summer a variety of stories arise – staff parties with drinking and possible drug use. Mysterious nighttime departures from the cabin by Barbara. The background of some members of the camp staff and their families. Investigations by newer investigators seemingly stifled by the senior investigator, the same investigator who has been involved in both the disappearance of the daughter and the son some fourteen years earlier.

As readers follow these sometimes conflicting themes the only person who is able to put it all together is a junior investigator on her first big case. After much research and talking to the main camp counselor she develops a theory which she alone can investigate. What she finds will surprise most readers and leaves the story with an ending that could provide an excellent opportunity for a sequel.

I strongly recommend this book to all readers but especially those who love mysteries. To those who may initially find the plot difficult to follow as I did, I can only suggest that they stay with the story to see where it may lead them.