What are you reading?

[Old Goat]

How about reading some outdoorsy humor?
Looking at the list of book recommendations, I noticed a lack of books, especially outdoorsy books, that poke fun at "our adventures".
We do some questionable things in the wild, and we deserve to be satirically chided for those.
There are a lot of younger folk on this site who may never have had the chance to sit down with a copy of "Field and Stream" magazine.
For decades, Patrick McManus wrote short stories that appeared in the first few pages of that magazine. He was a brilliant satirist.
He poked fun at himself and things he had done in his childhood - things that we did, too. and we're lucky to still be alive.
If our mothers knew only half of what all we got away with .... ???
Over the years, McManus compiled his short stories into brilliant books. If it has been a while since you laughed so hard you cried, please purchase:
"A Fine and Pleasant Misery", "They Shoot Canoes, Don't they", "The Grasshopper Trap", "Rubber legs and White Tail-Hairs, "Never Sniff a Gift Fish", etc., etc., etc.

[Scott P]

How about reading some outdoorsy humor?
Looking at the list of book recommendations, I noticed a lack of books, especially outdoorsy books, that poke fun at "our adventures".

Maybe Into Hot Air. I haven't read it yet, but have it.

Also Escape from Kathmandu and Ascent of Rum Doodle.

[Rampaging Baloths]

I'm currently working through the Dungeon Crawler Carl series- if you're looking for a fast, easy, and hilarious read, highly recommend, especially if you're a fan of video games or played them a lot when younger (like me).

https://www.goodreads.com/series/309211 ... awler-carl

Love this series!

If others don't read it Mongo will be appalled!

[the_hare]

Reading "Cheap Land Colorado" written by journalist Ted Conover who first volunteers in and then moves into "the flats" in the San Luis Valley. Lots of interesting slice of life reporting on the wide swathe of valley residents, historical accounts, and questions answered like what's up with those unfinished subdivision-like roads near places like Lake Como Rd.

[12ersRule]

Here's a few I've read over the past year or so:

"Cat's Cradle" - Kurt Vonnegut. Fun one!
"The Last Englishman" = Keith Foskett. Common man doing the PCT trail. Didn't care for it at all.
"AWOL on the Appalachian Trail" - David Miller. Common man on the AT. Very good!
"River: One Man's Journey Down the Colorado, Source to Sea" - Colin Fletcher - very good!


Just started "The Man who walked through Time" - by Colin Fletcher. So far, so good!

Amazingly, I had totally forgotten I even read 'Cat's Cradle' and need to read it again apparently.
Also, forgot that I didn't care for the Foskett one either and I happened to get a trilogy of his trail adventures last Christmas and am about halfway into his AT one. Think it is probably the worst hiking adventure I've ever read and it reminded me
of something similar that sucked. Now I know what it reminded me of! He spends about 10% of the book talking about the actual trail or hiking on the trail, and the rest of the time just talking about all the stupid rest stops he took and what he ate.

Good books I've read recently. David Grann "The Lost City of Z", "Killers of the Flower Moon".

I don't read nearly as much as I used to, probably should get back to that. NYT puzzles seem to eat up a lot that time that was devoted to reading.

[aweskamp]

How about reading some outdoorsy humor?
Looking at the list of book recommendations, I noticed a lack of books, especially outdoorsy books, that poke fun at "our adventures".

Ascent of Rum Doodle is probably the best mountaineering satire out there. Chapters 37-40 of Tramp Abroad by Mark Twain also fit the bill. So so funny

[aweskamp]

For those with kids or grandkids, this children’s book is a good introduction to climbing 14ers. Full disclosure, my wife wrote it

[greenonion]

Trinity by Leon Uris. Excellent so far. Horrible what the British did to the Irish for so long and in so many ways

[RhodoRose]

Trinity by Leon Uris.

“For you see, in Ireland there is no future, only the past happening over and over.” If you like Trinity, you'll like Uris's "Exodus" even better. It was the basis for the movie with Paul Newman and Eva Marie Saint but the book is better by far.

p.s. I'm finally getting around to reading Michael Shaara's "The Killer Angels". Next up is Colorado local Ray White's "Blue Marble", set in Marble, CO. Then Eric Wittenberg's "The Devil's To Pay: John Buford at Gettysburg". Then I really need to finish Robert Heinlein's "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress"...

[DaveLanders]

3 mountain related books:

"The White Ladder" by Daniel Light. Mostly about mountaineering history before the 1920's British Everest expeditions. Some well known stories like the 1st ascent of the Matterhorn and also more obscure things like early climbs on 6k and 7k meter peaks in the Himalayas.

"Everest 24" has short essays by various people about the 1920's British Everest expeditions, but mostly it has a great collection of historic photos from those expeditions.

"Democracy's Mountain" by Ruth Alexander. History of climbing on Longs and history of RMNP. Warning: may be controversial for some people depending on your political views.

[seano]

Trinity by Leon Uris.

“For you see, in Ireland there is no future, only the past happening over and over.” If you like Trinity, you'll like Uris's "Exodus" even better. It was the basis for the movie with Paul Newman and Eva Marie Saint but the book is better by far.

Thanks for the pointers. I enjoyed Patrick Radden Keefe's "Say Nothing" about the Troubles (apparently a TV series now), so I'll add those to the list.

As for what I'm reading now, I just started on Svat Soucek's "A History of Inner Asia." I can't say it's a ripping read, but I am learning a lot about Central Asia, which we Americans tend to ignore.

[taboose395]

...

As for what I'm reading now, I just started on Svat Soucek's "A History of Inner Asia." I can't say it's a ripping read, but I am learning a lot about Central Asia, which we Americans tend to ignore.

Thanks for the Svat Soucek's "A History of Inner Asia." Just ordered and looking forward to digging in.