Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
Hi folks! Here’s a list of all the things I read, watched, listened to, and used in November 2022. I found myself reading mostly fiction in an effort to quiet my mind before sleep. The mild winter let me get outdoors for some long walks with the dog while listening to some good music and podcasts/audiobooks. Hope you find your next book, show, music, or piece of gear!
Reading
The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien
Along with All Quiet on the Western Front, O’Brien’s novel about soldiers in the Vietnam War has had an immense influence on my thoughts on war and the costs for those we send to fight them. These are books I believe every voter should read. I first read O’Brien when I was in high school on the recommendation of my English teacher (thanks, Mrs. Miller!), and it is one of those works that reaches into your core and never leaves.
As a third-party observer, it is striking to me that two of the most poignant and moving accounts of warfare come from veterans writing fictionalized versions of their experience. And yet, when reading O’Brien’s explanation of such storytelling, perhaps it is not surprising that these two authors chose fiction as a medium for conveying their stories. As O’Brien tells us, sometimes we need to tell stories in order to tell truths:
“A thing may happen and be a total lie; another thing may not happen and be truer than the truth…. I want you to feel what I felt. I want you to know why story-truth is truer sometimes than happening-truth…. A true war story is never moral. It does not instruct, nor encourage virtue, nor suggest models of proper human behavior, nor restrain men from doing the things men have always done. If a story seems moral, do not believe it. If at the end of a war story you feel uplifted, or if you feel that some small bit of rectitude has been salvaged from the larger waste, then you have been made the victim of a very old and terrible lie. There is no rectitude whatsoever. There is no virtue. As a first rule of thumb, therefore, you can tell a true war story by its absolute and uncompromising allegiance to obscenity and evil.”
-Tim O’Brien, The Things They Carried
A Murder of Quality by John LeCarre
John LeCarre is a truly gifted writer and storyteller, and he has always been one of my favorites. But at the time of this book (his second), he had not yet perfected his storytelling in a way that merits inclusion with his later works. Although the George Smiley series of books is one of my favorites, I would skip this entry in the series and pick up with The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, which happens to be one of his best.
Solar by Ian McEwan
I could not like anything about this novel, and I cannot understand why I finished the book. I know that McEwan can write (the writing is superb), and I suppose I imagined that the plot would catch up with the prose. The protagonist is a once-brilliant, pompous, philandering physicist and unfortunately, McEwan is unable to breathe anything of interest into the character or the plot. Contrast this shortcoming with the utterly iconic, forever-memorable personality embodied in the effortlessly unlikeable characters of an Ignatius P. Reilly of A Confederacy of Dunces or Del Griffith of Planes, Trains, & Automobiles: characters who amalgamate all the annoyances of the world, yet can’t help but bring bring a chuckle to mind every time I think of them.
Watching
The Righteous Gemstones
The comedy follows the famous, yet utterly dysfunctional “Gemstones,” a family of world-famous televangelists. It is such a clever, playful production featuring a storyline that is entertaining and hilarious, despite the fact that the plot could stand alone as a dark drama. The writer/star Danny McBride clearly understands both comedy and storytelling, allowing him to so perfectly walk the line between gritty drama and cheeky humor. Plus, it features one of my favorites, John Goodman, who has a knack for playing characters larger than life, yet grounded in reality.
Listening
The Lord of the Rings Audiobook from An Unexpected Journey (Sam Gamgee) – Spotify
I stumbled upon this show/audiobook on Spotify, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. It is a perfect blending of the literary work itself and the Peter Jackson movies (both favorites of mine). The narrator/voiceover actor delivers a performance on par with the LOTR movie production, with voices that call back to the movies’ actors, yet are unique and clever in their own right. The background features a steady supply of sound effects, giving the quality of a perfectly executed radio theater show. Perhaps the best part is that this audiobook includes a near-constant backing soundtrack of Howard Shore’s original movie score.
It truly is a perfect production and is quickly becoming one of my favorite pieces of all time–these talented creators have assembled an expanded experience of both the books and the movie to create a 30+ hour gem that will satisfy fans who can’t get enough of either. And the best part of all? It’s available free on Spotify and other streaming services!
Classical Playlist Takeover with Anna Lapwood – Spotify
Lapwood is an accomplished organist who frequently posts clips of herself practicing in Royal Albert Hall, usually playing excerpts from the Interstellar soundtrack, which is like catnip for me. Her playlist (recommended to be played in order) is a very diverse and approachable collection, featuring some familiar choral, organ, and piano works, as well as a nice selection of soundtracks and more modern works from Phillip Glass and Max Richter. Plus, I’m a sucker for the pieces she included from the Interstellar and Jurassic Park soundtracks.
Using
GORUCK Rucker 4.0
I love this pack so much, I’ll probably write a separate post dedicated to it. If you’re not familiar with GORUCK, they’re a veteran-owned company creating backpacks that have developed somewhat of a cult following for the company’s dedication to quality and unparalleled warranty program. The Rucker packs are built for training, which in practice means a pack built to carry weighted plates for exercising and training. I have used dozens of packs carrying weights from 5 to 75 pounds, and this is one of the most comfortable and overbuilt of them all. I keep a 30 pound steel plate in my Rucker, and every night, my dog, Indy, and I load up and walk a few miles in the hills of my neighborhood (usually while listening to the Lord of the Rings audiobook mentioned above).
GORUCK is independently-owned, which means they answer to no one, and accordingly, don’t scrimp on quality or cutting corners. They’ve recently branched out to footwear, and I’ve been equally impressed by the shoes and boots they have developed. The Rucker is an amazing product that has really turned my nightly walk into a chance to fit some quality weight training into my day. I’d highly recommend it as an easy way to work in some training and get outside in your neighborhood.
