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July is always a busy month. Luckily, it’s often busy with the pool, the beach, and other fun things. I hope that’s true for you
Regardless of what you’re up to this month, you’ll need something to read. Here are some ideas:
Have you ever considered traveling to another place and time? If so, it probably wasn’t to a Maryland plantation in 1815. That would be especially true if you were a 26-year-old Black woman in 1976. Somehow, that is exactly what happens to Dana in Octavia Butler’s “Kindred.” Inexplicably, she finds herself on the plantation where her great-grandmother was born. Which, I suppose, could be interesting as an observer. However, Dana doesn’t just observe. She becomes inextricably involved with the lives on the plantation and experiences the horrors of slavery first-hand. Written in 1979, this book does contain racial pejoratives that would be expected to be used in 1815 plantation life. Rape is also mentioned, but there are no graphic scenes.
I have been awaiting the release of Daniel Wallace’s first non-fiction book, “This Isn’t Going to End Well: The True Story of a Man I Thought I Knew.” Wallace is best known for his novel, “Big Fish.” Readers of that book will recognize Wallace’s inspiration for the character Edward Bloom, as he describes his father while recounting growing up in Birmingham, Ala. However, this book is not about his father. “This Isn’t Going to End Well” is about Wallace’s brother-in-law, William Nealey. If that name rings a bell, it may be because he authored 10 books in which he used humorous, hand-drawn cartoons and river maps to share his “crash and learn” experiences in paddling, mountain biking, skiing, and inline skating. You may have seen his hand-drawn, poster size river maps of the Nantahala, Ocoee, Chattooga, Gawley, Youghiogheny, Haw, and many more. In a 2022 article in Indy Week, Nealy was described as an artist, a husband, a sportsman and an illustrator who expanded the way his fans thought about the outdoors.” He was a hippy kid at the forefront of “eco-tourism” before it was even a thing. A trail along the Haw River, several whitewater festivals, and the documentary “Riversense” are all dedicated to him. His longtime friend and publisher, Bob Sehlinger, described him as paddling’s poet laureate and “the best-known ambassador of whitewater sport.” Despite all of these accolades, to Daniel Wallace he was just William – his brother-in-law, his friend, and his idol. As so often happens though, Wallace was to learn that his idol had clay feet. This book should appeal to an array of Mountain Mirror readers. Many will be familiar with the settings, from Birmingham to Chapel Hill. Outdoor enthusiasts may be familiar with Nealy’s work and will certainly recognize his rivers. Even readers interested in true-crime stories will find something of interest. Please note that this book includes drug use, mental health issues, suicide, and a loved one with secrets.
New books are always enjoyable, but summer is also a great time to re-read favorites. Some stories just never lose their popularity. Don’t take my word for it that “Stormbreaker,” the first book in Anthony Horowitz’s Alex Rider series, is one of them. Published in 2000, this book introduces us to adolescent MI-6 agent, Alex Rider. After his uncle/guardian dies, Alex is surprised to learn that he was an agent. He is surprised even further when MI-6 comes to recruit him. As a teenager, he’s the perfect person to infiltrate the Stormbreaker Project, which is targeting students. Since then, 12 novels have been published, and another is being released this year. There are also six graphic novels, seven short stories, a supplementary book, a movie, and a two season TV series. I really like the 2006 “Stormbreaker” movie, but it didn’t receive very favorable reviews. I watched it recently, and decided it was time to reread the novel. Now, I’m going to read the rest of the series to get ready for the new novel. Be on the lookout for more about the Alex Rider series.
Happy Reading!
Regardless of what you’re up to this month, you’ll need something to read. Here are some ideas:
Have you ever considered traveling to another place and time? If so, it probably wasn’t to a Maryland plantation in 1815. That would be especially true if you were a 26-year-old Black woman in 1976. Somehow, that is exactly what happens to Dana in Octavia Butler’s “Kindred.” Inexplicably, she finds herself on the plantation where her great-grandmother was born. Which, I suppose, could be interesting as an observer. However, Dana doesn’t just observe. She becomes inextricably involved with the lives on the plantation and experiences the horrors of slavery first-hand. Written in 1979, this book does contain racial pejoratives that would be expected to be used in 1815 plantation life. Rape is also mentioned, but there are no graphic scenes.
I have been awaiting the release of Daniel Wallace’s first non-fiction book, “This Isn’t Going to End Well: The True Story of a Man I Thought I Knew.” Wallace is best known for his novel, “Big Fish.” Readers of that book will recognize Wallace’s inspiration for the character Edward Bloom, as he describes his father while recounting growing up in Birmingham, Ala. However, this book is not about his father. “This Isn’t Going to End Well” is about Wallace’s brother-in-law, William Nealey. If that name rings a bell, it may be because he authored 10 books in which he used humorous, hand-drawn cartoons and river maps to share his “crash and learn” experiences in paddling, mountain biking, skiing, and inline skating. You may have seen his hand-drawn, poster size river maps of the Nantahala, Ocoee, Chattooga, Gawley, Youghiogheny, Haw, and many more. In a 2022 article in Indy Week, Nealy was described as an artist, a husband, a sportsman and an illustrator who expanded the way his fans thought about the outdoors.” He was a hippy kid at the forefront of “eco-tourism” before it was even a thing. A trail along the Haw River, several whitewater festivals, and the documentary “Riversense” are all dedicated to him. His longtime friend and publisher, Bob Sehlinger, described him as paddling’s poet laureate and “the best-known ambassador of whitewater sport.” Despite all of these accolades, to Daniel Wallace he was just William – his brother-in-law, his friend, and his idol. As so often happens though, Wallace was to learn that his idol had clay feet. This book should appeal to an array of Mountain Mirror readers. Many will be familiar with the settings, from Birmingham to Chapel Hill. Outdoor enthusiasts may be familiar with Nealy’s work and will certainly recognize his rivers. Even readers interested in true-crime stories will find something of interest. Please note that this book includes drug use, mental health issues, suicide, and a loved one with secrets.
New books are always enjoyable, but summer is also a great time to re-read favorites. Some stories just never lose their popularity. Don’t take my word for it that “Stormbreaker,” the first book in Anthony Horowitz’s Alex Rider series, is one of them. Published in 2000, this book introduces us to adolescent MI-6 agent, Alex Rider. After his uncle/guardian dies, Alex is surprised to learn that he was an agent. He is surprised even further when MI-6 comes to recruit him. As a teenager, he’s the perfect person to infiltrate the Stormbreaker Project, which is targeting students. Since then, 12 novels have been published, and another is being released this year. There are also six graphic novels, seven short stories, a supplementary book, a movie, and a two season TV series. I really like the 2006 “Stormbreaker” movie, but it didn’t receive very favorable reviews. I watched it recently, and decided it was time to reread the novel. Now, I’m going to read the rest of the series to get ready for the new novel. Be on the lookout for more about the Alex Rider series.
Happy Reading!
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