No job and no home means there’s a little more time for life’s pleasures, like reading. Here is a listing of the books I’ve read on this trip:

• Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland – Lewis Carroll. This book is just wacky and I can see why some people think it’s just about drugs. I enjoyed the imaginative tales, though.
• Peter Pan – J.M. Barrie. Great story that is much more coarse than you’d expect a children’s story to be.
• Meditations – Marcus Aurelius. When I started reading this, I was thinking I’d have to slog my way through, and that I’d be reading it just to read it. Quite the contrary. It was a fascinating look at society 1,800 years ago and really allows you to see inside Marcus Aurelius’s mind. I was blown away by how relatable and relevant the content was.
• Beowulf. I had to read this for school at some point but I didn’t appreciate it then. Reading it now, I’m amazed at how many modern authors seem to have been influenced by Beowulf (I’m looking at you, Tolkien), and honestly, how it’s really just a good story.
• Walden – Henry David Thoreau. I often wish I lived in simpler times. I was captivated by Thoreau’s elegant descriptions of how he lived off the land cheaply but well. His love of nature and general distaste with unnecessary excess is inspirational and relatable.
• Civil Disobedience – Henry David Thoreau. I generally don’t like politics. Neither does Thoreau. I’ve never been to jail, though.
• Blue Highways – William Least-Heat Moon. What’s not to love about traveling the country in a van? Least-Heat Moon really finds America in this book, and I hope my own travels are even half as interesting.
• On the Road – Jack Kerouac. I very rarely read a book more than once. This is the 4th time I’ve read On the Road. I love the freedom and the adventures. I both love and hate the characters. It fascinates me how different things were in the late 40’s. This is just a good story of the beat generation.
• Republic – Plato. Socrates is a smart dude, and I agree with many of his ideas on justice, but there are some pretty serious flaws in his descriptions of the ideal state. I don’t like the idea of strict classes of citizens and the huge lack of freedom. Some of his arguments are a little nonsensical, too. When you consider that the dialogue took place over 2,000 years ago, though, it’s pretty incredible.
• The Iliad – Homer. I struggled with this one. I skimmed some sections, especially all the talks about so-and-so’s relations and the various gods. Some of the war sections are interesting, but I think much of the greatness is lost in translation or to time.
• The Odyssey – Homer. Contrary to my thoughts on the Iliad, I LOVED the Odyssey. I think it’s a great story of travel and revenge and I appreciate all the similarities and differences between cultures then and now. I appreciated how the ending revenge was so graphically described.
• The Orchard – Adele Crockett Robertson. My Aunt recommended this book to me, and I couldn’t put it down. It’s a fascinating account of a woman who ran an apple orchard, on her own, during the Great Depression. You don’t realize just how hard the Depression was until you read a book like this. It also provides great insight into farm life in the ’30’s. She is an inspiring lady.
• Leaves of Grass – Walt Whitman. Some poems stopped me in my tracks and I had to re-read them they were so powerful. Others were bland. I didn’t realize how much Walt Whitman was influenced by the Civil War. A good read.
• Endurance – Scott Kelley. This book, about an astronaut’s year in space and the life that led him to that accomplishment, is fantastic. I loved reading about the little intricacies of the space station and the oddities of working with an international team.
• The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes – Conan Doyle. I’m not sure why I had never read this. This was a quick read for me – each mystery was deeply intriguing and I fell in love with Holmes’ (and Watson’s) character. I love how observant, methodical, and intelligent Holmes is, and the way the book is written through Watson’s character really adds to the story. A great read.
• Moby Dick – Herman Melville. This was a long read, but I greatly enjoyed it. I knew little about the 1800’s whaling industry before reading this book, so it kept my attention as I learned what life was like then. I found the story fascinating, inspiring, and depressing all at the same time. I continue to find myself thinking back to this book, and I am spouting off (hah) random facts about whaling that I hadn’t previously known (e.g. what ambergris is). Great book.
• La Belle Sauvage – Phillip Pullman. Kelley lent me this book when I was in Phoenix, and since I had already read His Dark Materials, I was excited to read the first of the new prequel-trilogy. The book had me hooked immediately, and I couldn’t put it down as Malcolm and Alice went from one harrowing escape to another. Towards the end I started to think, “Ok, is this too much drama and hardship?” but overall it was a great book and I’m excited to read the next book in the trilogy.
• The Perfect Storm – Sebastian Junger. I found this book at a goodwill and couldn’t pass it up for 50 cents. I read it in two sittings. There’s something about disaster scenarios and survival situations that really capture my interest. The author does an excellent job of explaining the circumstances of the storm and the details of the boats and crew involved. He goes into detail about the meteorology, how severe storms develop over water and form gales, and how people choose to respond. The book covers not just the Andrea Gale, but several other boats and rescue teams that were involved in the storm. Excellent read.
• To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee. Like most everyone, I was forced to read this book in high school. The teacher tried to oversell the book and then we had to discuss and write about the symbolism behind every little thing, even though it seemed obvious. The whole experience left a sour taste in my mouth and I’ve discredited the book ever since, even though it’s not the book’s fault. Rereading it was enlightening – not because I uncovered any new theme or moral teaching – but because I was able to enjoy it. Yes, this book is powerful. Yes, it’s wonderfully written and should be read by as many people as possible. I wish I had read it before high school.

And here’s what I’m currently reading:

• Monkey Wrench Gang – Edward Abbey

If you have any suggestions for books, especially classics, let me know!