Eruption, by Steve Olson, which chronicles the events surrounding the Mount Saint Helens blast. It happened in my back yard, so to speak, and some co-workers were involved. I saw an excellent documentary recently (wish I could remember its name) and look forward to reading this.
I'm currently reading The Baroque Cycle, a trilogy of books by author Neal Stephenson. Set in the late 17th and early 18th centuries it deals with political and Royal intrigue primarily in France, England and America during an approximately 50 year period. It is filled with fictional and historical characters, Papists, Protestants, Puritans and heathen vagabonds as well as the early days of advanced cryptology, finance, alchemy and natural philosophy (science). The author refers to it as science fiction, although I suspect he's broadened the term to fit his personal description. Halfway into the trilogy, it's an engaging read.
"Things should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler." ~ Albert Einstein
Sounds like something my DH would really love. Is it anything like Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth?Originally Posted by Alan
"Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it--every, every minute?" Emily Webb, Our Town
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Yes, although the focus is much broader. I very much enjoyed Pillars of the Earth and World Without End (haven't gotten around to A Column of Fire yet), so far, I'd rank The Baroque Cycle (Quicksilver, The Confusion and The System of the World) at a similarly high level of enjoyment.
"Things should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler." ~ Albert Einstein
I am reading Sheryl Sandberg's Option B about how she learned to cope with the adversity of loss and grief when her husband died unexpectedly. I suppose many of us ponder what will happen when our significant other leaves the planet and we are left to fend alone and I think it would be extremely helpful info in that situation (losing a spouse, child, job, house etc).
That sounds fascinating. I remember seeing a wide streak of the smoke from the eruption across the sky in Kansas a few days afterwards.
"Do not accumulate for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and thieves break in and steal. But accumulate for yourselves treasure in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, your heart is also." Jesus
Jane, did you live here then? I was in Yakima at that time, but grew up seeing the melty icecream cone look of MSH in the background my whole childhood. My family has photos of themselves---mostly kids--with the plume behind them, the selfies of the times.
My therapist told me the way to achieve true inner peace is to finish what I start. So far today, I have finished two bags of M&Ms and a chocolate cake. I feel better already!
I lived in Beaverton. I remember walking around in a particle mask, kicking up ash in the street, scooping it out of my gutters, watching it fall from the sky like snow.
“A Brilliant Solution: Inventing the American Constitution” Carol Berkin , 2002.
An examination of the men who hammered out the document that has served our nation well. Perhaps the modern pastime of making hero’s and godlike figures out of the various delegates to the Constitutional Convention has me wondering what they really were like. Not to my surprise, though many were rich and well educated.....they each had their foibles and they disagreed often about what the structure of government might be. And they were more in crisis than ever in control. I haven’t read the book yet, it is on it’s way, but I did see an interview of the author on an episode of PABooks on PCN which wetted my appetite.
One facet is the opinion that the “founders” would be appalled at the power the “executive” or President currently wields and certainly would see no need to preserve the electoral college. That the amendment provision was instituted precisely because they realized they could not see into the future and a method had to be available to make the document living and able to adjust to changing times. And interestingly enough, that the 3/5 count of slaves was not a comment on the valuelessness of a single slave but a recognition that the southern states had a great population of slaves and because of this it was a distinct advantage for over representation in the form of government adopted. Therefore, the total population of salves in any state would be counted and 3/5 would be assigned to make it fair.
You shoulda been in Yakima....
My therapist told me the way to achieve true inner peace is to finish what I start. So far today, I have finished two bags of M&Ms and a chocolate cake. I feel better already!
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