Books in Flight

Brekky (w/green smoothie) before braving airport security

The security line view

When I travel, I always take along at least one book—the one that’s been sitting on my nightstand plus a just-in-case back up. Long waits in airport security lines, lounges and the interminable flights in cramped, kneecapping seats gotta be escaped, even if only in my mind. People watching is molto grand but I need more.

Now, you’d think, wouldn’t you, given my be-booked state, that I wouldn’t need to hit Hudson’s, the ubiquitous airport bookseller Of course I don’t need to but, you see, book emporiums emit a powerful, wholly conquering tractor beam—HONEST and TRUE.

 I’ve finally figured out a way to avoid lugging a heavy hod of novels (which I won’t end up reading until I’m home anyway) in my rucksack as I hike through airports and train stations. I snap pics of the jackets which snag my interest. Then, when home again, home again, I can hit the library or used book emporium.
On this latest trip I found:

United, Thoughts on Finding Common Ground and Advancing the Common Good by Cory Booker, New Jersey’s junior senator.

I’ve been wondering, Where are the future Dem stars? Are there any? Who the fuck would want to don armor and fight against the ferocious idiocy of the Teapublicans? It’d take a truly strong stomach and Obama/Clinton-esque fortitude. Who’s got that?

Maybe Cory Booker. I’m def gonna look for this one

One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus

…the story of May Dodd and a colorful assembly of pioneer women who, under the auspices of the U.S. government, travel to the western prairies in 1875 to intermarry among the Cheyenne Indians. The covert and controversial "Brides for Indians" program, launched by the administration of Ulysses S. Grant, is intended to help assimilate the Indians into the white man's world. Toward that end May and her friends embark upon the adventure of their lifetime.

May Dodd is a fictional character as is everything else, right down to the "Brides for Indians" program. This is a bodice ripper (duh) of the lusting after loincloth variety. Of course I’m passing on this infantilizing, reality re-imagining porn-for-adult-girls nonsense.

And in case I wasn’t sure, I checked a review site. Peggy L. at Paperback Swap has this to say:

Am I the only one who absolutely HATED this book? I would give it negative stars if possible. No surprise this was written by a man because his female protagonist is such a cliche...the rebellious, "modern" woman who is shunned by early 20th century society because she LOVES the wrong man. Not to mention the other cliched women featured in this book, including the proud black Amazon-like former slave (who becomes a proud black Amazon-like warrior among the Indian braves), and the battered and abused girl-child who thrives out West (and of course is the first to die).

Yeah, I think I’d really like Peggy. Also, this strikes me as a book for the know-nothing wives of know-nothing, racist and misogynistic Trump supporters. You know, it's their secret, rebellion flavored, onanism enhancement tool.

This cover, at left, totes grabbed me. Of course it did. Every time The Amazing Bob and I sort through our books he quotes that Annie Hall bit to me:

Alvy: Hey, you didn't read Death in Venice till I bought it for ya.
Annie: That's right, that's right. You only gave me books with the word 'death' in the titles.

Except I usually bought the death books for myself.

In any case Dead Presidents: An American Adventure into the Strange Deaths and Surprising Afterlives of Our Nation's Leaders by Brady Carlson has been described as a mix of biography and travelogue. Interesting!

Presidents may pass away, but they keep working.

That’s what I’ve learned as I’ve been traveling across the country to see their gravesites. Our chiefs of state tend to keep busy even after they enter what I call the “post-post-presidency.” The question is: why? Why don’t they just lay there like the rest of us do?  

The Life of Elves by Muriel Barbery.  It’s got elves. It’s set in Italy. It’s the story of two girls who can bring about “the rebirth of the mists.” Oh yeah, this goes on the list.

Leonard: My Fifty-Year Friendship with a Remarkable Man by William Shatner. C’MON! Spock and Kirk? Of COURSE I have to read this!

So, there it is—the line up for what I need (and most def do NOT need) to read next.

Yur welcome.